(04 May 2015, 10:10 pm)Robert wrote Could have sworn i saw 5394 departing when i was going back to the car. 5393 was the only one i didnt see. Surely Dan or Citaro can confirm?

Way past their bedtime....*runs away*

(04 May 2015, 10:11 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Way past their bedtime....*runs away*

Haha! Suppose they've got to be up early in the morning, as have i only im still young so can handle late nights  

(04 May 2015, 10:12 pm)Robert wrote Haha! Suppose they've got to be up early in the morning, as have i only im still young so can handle late nights  

I'm 30 and I can still deal with late nights and early starts.

I have to be up at 6am but really cba to go to bed.

(04 May 2015, 10:11 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Way past their bedtime....*runs away*

(04 May 2015, 10:12 pm)Robert wrote Haha! Suppose they've got to be up early in the morning, as have i only im still young so can handle late nights  

(04 May 2015, 10:18 pm)GMitchelhill wrote I'm 30 and I can still deal with late nights and early starts.

Now, now, folks. I ought not to divulge such secret information but there's only one way you can retain your youthful looks and beauty...

I kid, of course, but it must be the hard graft getting done at GNE Towers paired with A Level exam revision... Takes it out of you! Cramming five days of work into four days, so I'm sure everyone will be busy today.

To answer the question - 5392 was the one off for accident damage but was ferrying people back and forth from the Metrocentre and Gateshead all day yesterday and was my bus twice. 5393 was the other bus out all day. 5391 was at the event, but before and after the event was allocated to the X66. 5394 had been allocated but presumably incurred a fault and was taken off to be repaired, later allocated to the evening X66 service.

Here is my review from yesterday.

0847 7 Newton Aycliffe - Durham (ANE 1514)
After leaving the house a bit late I had to walk quite quickly to the bus stop for this bus. This journey starts at Aycliffe Town Centre at 0847 and turned up bang on time. Not really an eventful journey was carrying a few passengers however was slightly annoyed that someone sat in-front of me with headphones in but I could only hear his terrible music.

Got a few photos in Durham whilst waiting for the X22 although most of them didn't turn out well because of where the sun was. Got on the X22 just before it looks left the bus station.

0944 X22 Durham - MetroCentre (GNE 4935)
Didn't enjoy this bus much as it was making an annoying squeeky noise and I am so sick of doing Durham - Birtley services as I just find it rather boring and time just drags especially when the speed limit drops to 20mph in Birtley. After this boring journey I eventually arrived at the MetroCentre around 1030.

Headed straight over the bridge to the rally site. When I arrived at the site I could see some of the buses and I think I saw Fozz when I got there. Made my way down the site taking photos of the buses on the way down towards the bottom where the Go North East were.

At one point I was down the bottom getting photos and I heard someone ask if I was Jimmi so I turned round and said I was and he introduced himself as Adrian and introduced the rest of the NEB members who were around at this point (Adam M, Adam Y, Marcus, Sean - think that was everyone, sorry if I missed anyone). Had a walk around the site down to the other end getting photos of the buses. Whilst we were down this end Dan turned up and we headed back down so he could get his photos.

After getting photos of the StreetLite's parked together we left Dan and Adam M and sat on the Sapphire Enviro 400. Then went for a ride on 3818. Then got some lunch from Greggs. Then went to the rail station for a photo of some train - I don't know anything about this. See Marcus' post for more about what happened in this time.

Me and Adrian then went on the preserved Northumbria Optare Delta up to Tanfield Railway and back. Love Deltas.

Got back to the site and saw Sean again just before he left and Adam Y too, got a few more photos before Adam Y left then me and Adrian headed back towards the interchange. I left Adrian then I went to the bog before heading for the X22 back to Durham, although I got a photo of it first.

1635 X22 MetroCentre - Durham (GNE 5409)
I'm not going to go too much into the issues experienced here but we ended up leaving 10 minutes late. I didn't enjoy this journey at all as because of the late departure I was fearful I was going to miss my connecting service 7 and don't forget that it was Sunday timetable yesterday so had I missed this I'd have been stuck in Durham for upto an hour waiting for the next bus so some of you can imagine why I was so angry about the issues on the X22.

1731 7 Durham - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 1515)
After jumping off the X22 and sprinting across the road like Usain Bolt I just and I mean JUST managed to catch this home. I thought Enviro 400's should really have been out on the 7 yesterday and I thought this because I had to stand all the way to Ferryhill along with a number of other passengers. Nothing else to say about this journey although it was more enjoyable than spending an hour in Durham with nothing to do probably would have been.

Was a great day out yesterday and was also nice to get to meet some of the members of NEB in person.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

(04 May 2015, 3:53 pm)Malarkey wrote More like you and the rest of the NEB Gathering ditched me and Dan, I left with Dan just after 1pm and got the X66 to Gateshead, where he then ditched me to get on the Metro, leaving me to wait 10 Minutes for the X1 and participating in doing a Passenger Focus Survey.

Did you manage to remember the questions or is it possible to scan/photograph it?

(04 May 2015, 5:43 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I notice a lack of praising Arriva here - 4 vehicles, only 1 older than 12 months old, all showing the large investment made in the last 18 months to transform the ANE fleet. The 7 members of staff from 3 depots should be proud of what they managed to do today.

I have to say I was well impressed with Arriva - especially the Sapphire E400.  Not being an Arriva user I was pleasantly surprised.  The staff were fantastic as well - my 6 year old was over the moon to sit in the cab of the gas bus, although my wife wasn't too fussed....

Was also nice to put a few faces to names from here and various flickr/facebook groups i follow.

(05 May 2015, 11:28 am)Andreos1 wrote Did you manage to remember the questions or is it possible to scan/photograph it?

14. Would you benefit if the service called additionally at F****h*****?

(05 May 2015, 11:46 am)Tommy_1581 wrote 14. Would you benefit if the service called additionally at F****h*****?

Hey I thought we were told to watch our language on this forum

(04 May 2015, 9:09 pm)aureolin wrote 10 likes for Marcus' review and the said picture may appear on NEB.  

Only need one more like on his review for this to possibly happen.

Can anyone confirm the movements of 4710 and 3501 when they were in the fleet please?
Had a quick look online and can't find anything too detailed.

Used them both quite a bit (along with their peers) way back when - particularly 4710 and I am trying to tie up my recollections of them versus real life.

Why wasn't any Stagecoach in attendance?!

(05 May 2015, 2:37 pm)idiot wrote Why wasn't any Stagecoach in attendance?!

They never are.

(05 May 2015, 2:43 pm)AlexHunter1984 wrote They never are.

They've sent vehicles in the past so I don't know why this has stopped in recent years.

Marcus never mentioned I ran about a tenth of a mile to get a ride on 142025, still don't know to this day why I did that! Also didn't do it just because Dan was about to appear... or did I??? Nah, purely coincidence.

This has probably already been asked, but does anyone know the dates for the bus rallies in:
South Shields, Durham and Seaburn?

(05 May 2015, 7:47 pm)Davie wrote This has probably already been asked, but does anyone know the dates for the bus rallies in:
South Shields, Durham and Seaburn?

http://www.nebpt.co.uk/ see dates scrolling up the left of the page. South Shields is the 7th June.

(05 May 2015, 8:03 pm)Robert wrote http://www.nebpt.co.uk/ see dates scrolling up the left of the page. South Shields is the 7th June.

Thanks Robert.

Well I'm not one for promising something and going back on it, so here is @Marcus taking control of Arriva's 7534. That was before he got his hands on the destination controller! 

(05 May 2015, 8:47 pm)aureolin wrote Well I'm not one for promising something and going back on it, so here is @Marcus taking control of Arriva's 7534. That was before he got his hands on the destination controller! 

Did the DG3 get some hammer??

(05 May 2015, 8:47 pm)aureolin wrote Well I'm not one for promising something and going back on it, so here is @Marcus taking control of Arriva's 7534. That was before he got his hands on the destination controller! 

I spoke to Marcus then as he was in Pound land and we said hi to each other.

(05 May 2015, 8:47 pm)aureolin wrote Well I'm not one for promising something and going back on it, so here is @Marcus taking control of Arriva's 7534. That was before he got his hands on the destination controller! 

I'm slouching slightly in the seat, so I almost look obese!

That coat, despite being a brilliant warm thing, is painful for looking fat when sitting down lol.

Thanks for uploading that, Adrian.

(05 May 2015, 8:51 pm)citaro5284 wrote Did the DG3 get some hammer??

I think he was just randomly flicking through and ended up with one of the 'special' destinations. 'Private hire' or something!

And this is the best I at present can find of myself (thank god)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebp2/16746131484/

(05 May 2015, 8:54 pm)aureolin wrote I think he was just randomly flicking through and ended up with one of the 'special' destinations. 'Private hire' or something!

Ah, not really a 'special' destination. You need to know where to look for those  

(05 May 2015, 8:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Ah, not really a 'special' destination. You need to know where to look for those  

It took me a minute to realise I was on the last destination set anyway, and the button I was pressing was getting me nowhere.

(05 May 2015, 8:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Ah, not really a 'special' destination. You need to know where to look for those  

It's as if the destination was especially designed for Blyth's allocations.

Not sure what font they've used there, but the 'Sapphire' destination certainly looked good on the white LED display.

(05 May 2015, 8:58 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote It took me a minute to realise I was on the last destination set anyway, and the button I was pressing was getting me nowhere.

'Private Hire' is under the '0' code.

To change:
Press the Red and Blue Button
Use the 'Up' and 'Down' (newer Hanover controllers only) to scroll through the numbers and letters (the Darlington/Durham list only has 'A' 'B' 'U' and 'X' compared to the 'A' 'B' 'P' 'S' and 'X' in the Stockton/Redcar/Whitby list however both may soon have 'M')
Use the 'Across' arrow to add extra (ie for '75')
Press the Red and Blue Button again

(05 May 2015, 9:00 pm)aureolin wrote It's as if the destination was especially designed for Blyth's allocations.

Not sure what font they've used there, but the 'Sapphire' destination certainly looked good on the white LED display.

You didn't get a good look then  

For if you'd looked closer, the 2/11 were under both codes as were 3/19 (thou the 19 code had more for the 19 than the 3 did). 9/10 likewise while the 75/76/76a and X75/X76 were all under '75' and 'X75'.

And other ones that we found