(28 May 2015, 5:45 pm)Jimmi wrote Judging by the time you posted a picture and the fact the other photo must have been taken sometime around 1545 as there is a photo on their Photostream of a B9TL on the 265 it probably would have been the same driver.

You're an hour out, but close enough. The photograph of the Pulsar was taken at 14:50, and the photograph of 6099 was taken at 15:30.

Takes an hour to get to Newcastle, and as my photograph was taken at 16:05, it was the same driver.

(28 May 2015, 5:42 pm)MrPottski wrote All the destination files are now sent from Head Office, looks like it just hasn't been removed

It depends when they were last updated in relation to the change of the X2 into the X12 (or 2X12 as the ticket machines show). I know the Stockton/Redcar/Whitby list was last updated for the X93 split and the start of the P1/P2 on the 29th March hence it still being in the South List.

I might be missing something here, but why wouldn't X2 destinations be removed from the file, when the X12 Newcastle ones were added? Basic housekeeping isn't it?

(28 May 2015, 5:59 pm)aureolin wrote I might be missing something here, but why wouldn't X2 destinations be removed from the file, when the X12 Newcastle ones were added? Basic housekeeping isn't it?

Like I said - the Stockton destinations were last updated at the end of March to include the split of the X93, the P1/P2 and the X12 change. As the X12 wasn't due to change for a few weeks, the X2 was left in and as there have been no need to update the South destination list, it remains there but will more than likely been removed as part of the update in July.
As for Durham - it depends when they were last updated. As someone mentioned Darlington still have X2 in their list yet they were last updated for the changes on the 17th May, it seems only the new destination were added.

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)Davie wrote Did you have to use my awful photo?

If it's that awful (which it isn't, I quite like it) why on earth did you put it onto Flickr??!

(28 May 2015, 10:02 pm)northern156 wrote If it's that awful (which it isn't, I quite like it) why on earth did you put it onto Flickr??!

First of all thanks for the compliment. Even if I think a photo is bad, I'll put it on Flickr, so in the future, if my photos photos improve I can use them as a learning curve 

Ok fair enough.

Just boarded 4660 over to Carlisle which is running 5 to 6 minutes early!!

(29 May 2015, 6:12 am)northern156 wrote Ok fair enough.

Just boarded 4660 over to Carlisle which is running 5 to 6 minutes early!!

I'm feeling a little faint... I didn't know that was possible!

(29 May 2015, 6:32 am)Dan wrote I'm feeling a little faint... I didn't know that was possible!

Reminds me of the sketch from David Walliams and Matt Lucas' Come Fly With Me, "we get people complaining that our flights are late so we made this one early to balance out innit"

Due Greenhead 0713, arrived 0707 and a bit. Not really lost any time as now in Carlisle!

Just been deafened by the stop bell now, ears still ringing!

When Arriva have done launch events in the past with the Sapphire and Max Brand, how long did the launch events lasted for?

(29 May 2015, 8:47 am)cbma06 wrote When Arriva have done launch events in the past with the Sapphire and Max Brand, how long did the launch events lasted for?

It depends really.

They were there for around two hours in Bishop Auckland the other week for the MAX X1 launch.

Typically I'd say about two hours in most cases for the bus being there then Titan usually goes on for around 20-30 minutes I'd say for the MAX launches.

(29 May 2015, 8:49 am)Jimmi wrote It depends really.

They were there for around two hours in Bishop Auckland the other week for the MAX X1 launch.

Typically I'd say about two hours in most cases.

Just that by an email I received from Arriva, the Sapphire launch event at Dalton Park ended at 13:30, but the event didn't start until the bus arrived at 12:17. took them about 30 minutes to do the publicity shots and nothing after that, even Arriva in the email stated that their staff were handing out goodies, which their wernt as after the publicity shots their were just huddled together laughing and carry on, only persons who were giving out any sort of goodies were the 2 females with a trolley barrow with pop corn going up and down next to the shops.

(29 May 2015, 8:57 am)cbma06 wrote Just that by an email I received from Arriva, the Sapphire launch event at Dalton Park ended at 13:30, but the event didn't start until the bus arrived at 12:17. took them about 30 minutes to do the publicity shots and nothing after that, even Arriva in the email stated that their staff were handing out goodies, which their wernt as after the publicity shots their were just huddled together laughing and carry on, only persons who were giving out any sort of goodies were the 2 females with a trolley barrow with pop corn going up and down next to the shops.

I've noticed all the photos of the people and the bus on Arriva's Facebook were all taken at the Durham launch... Funny that!

I think the only photo I saw at Dalton Park was of the guy from TOWIE.

(28 May 2015, 8:06 am)tyresmoke wrote Quick little bit of info from Stockton is that 4502 was removed from service last week and has gone to Thorntons. Unsure if that's where 1907 has gone too but that one disappeared from Stockton's yard while 1753/6 and 1902 remain.

Yes 1907 gone to Thorntons.

(29 May 2015, 9:23 am)Jimmi wrote I think the only photo I saw at Dalton Park was of the guy from TOWIE.

The queen was unavailable, so some random Essex bloke turned up.

What exactly does TOWIE promote in a premium bus service? 

Also, one would assume that the Pulsars from the 7 would have a deep clean and a repaint to remove the remains of the 7 branding for the 24... Nope.

(29 May 2015, 6:49 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The queen was unavailable, so some random Essex bloke turned up.

What exactly does TOWIE promote in a premium bus service? 

Also, one would assume that the Pulsars from the 7 would have a deep clean and a repaint to remove the remains of the 7 branding for the 24... Nope.

To attract people to attend the launch in the hope they may get more people to use the bus.

You can see where the branding for the 7 has been removed and the 24 branding has been chucked on top of the Pulsars.

(29 May 2015, 6:54 pm)Jimmi wrote You can see where the branding for the 7 has been removed and the 24 branding has been chucked on top of the Pulsars.

The only way you could cover that up was by repainting the bus though. Not very financially friendly to do so even with a superior service.

(29 May 2015, 6:56 pm)Robert wrote The only way you could cover that up was by repainting the bus though. Not very financially friendly to do so even with a superior service.

Were 4659/7514 repainted when they were rebranded for the X14/15?

I only ask because you could hardly tell that 4659 had been X15 branded, and looked very fresh when I saw it the other day 

(29 May 2015, 6:56 pm)Robert wrote The only way you could cover that up was by repainting the bus though. Not very financially friendly to do so even with a superior service.

Yeah it would have cost money to repaint them and it would have meant they'd probably been off the road even longer than they were.

It's not brilliant I admit, don't know if it was possible to just paint the bit above the windows and the engine cover.

(29 May 2015, 6:58 pm)mb134 wrote Were 4659/7514 repainted when they were rebranded for the X14/15?

I only ask because you could hardly tell that 4659 had been X15 branded, and looked very fresh when I saw it the other day 

Isn't that now branded for service X14?

(29 May 2015, 7:01 pm)Davie wrote Isn't that now branded for service X14?

Thats what he is saying:

"I only ask because you could hardly tell that 4659 had been X15 branded"

(29 May 2015, 7:01 pm)Davie wrote Isn't that now branded for service X14?

Yeah, don't know if my post reads awfully well, but the point I was trying to get across was that, when I saw it, it looked like it had always been X14 branded, no obvious X15 lettering, so I wondered if it had been repainted 

I truly think this is why the branding should have been generic, like Stocktons Pulsars. Same as the Max Omnicity's and Pulsars. Yes, it's a good advertising method for the routes but it can cause issues.

Thank you to the driver on the 7 for putting our lives at risk and breaking the law by going the traffic lights at Nevilles Cross on Red. The lights for straight on were green and he turned right.

Also failed to wait at most timing points with us arriving in Ferryhill around 5 minutes early.

(30 May 2015, 8:51 am)Jimmi wrote Thank you to the driver on the 7 for putting our lives at risk and breaking the law by going the traffic lights at Nevilles Cross on Red. The lights for straight on were green and he turned right.

Also failed to wait at most timing points with us arriving in Ferryhill around 5 minutes early.

Can understand drivers wanting to keep to time (and rightly so) but that is going a step too far and wholly unacceptable.

(30 May 2015, 9:23 am)DaveyBowyer wrote Can understand drivers wanting to keep to time (and rightly so) but that is going a step too far and wholly unacceptable.

It was quite the opposite we were early.

It was a Belmont driver so was probably wanted to finish his shift early

(29 May 2015, 8:12 pm)MrPottski wrote I truly think this is why the branding should have been generic, like Stocktons Pulsars. Same as the Max Omnicity's and Pulsars. Yes, it's a good advertising method for the routes but it can cause issues.

The biggest issue for me is when a vehicle, with a route number as part of it's branding, is allocated to the wrong service. In theory this should only happen in extreme circumstances (i.e. when there are no other suitable spares are available), but it doesn't help matters when certain depots have a sloppy attitude towards branding and allocations. 

(29 May 2015, 6:49 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The queen was unavailable, so some random Essex bloke turned up.

What exactly does TOWIE promote in a premium bus service? 

Also, one would assume that the Pulsars from the 7 would have a deep clean and a repaint to remove the remains of the 7 branding for the 24... Nope.

Some of them were polished to try and get rid of the old vinyls, but obviously the paintwork has faded badly so it's hard to cover up.

Totally agree.....Yesterday waiting at traffic lights at Tesco Bishop Auckland.A very smart looking max pulsar branded X12  Newcastle ,Durham, Middlesbrough went passed on route 6 Durham to Cockfield.
I,m very much in favour of branding buses on correct routes otherwise its pointless...... I would much prefer to see a standard livered bus used.Where are the spare buses,are depots operating PVR to the limits? 
Arriva could just keep interurban livery and pass savings on to the user in discount fares,management must be turning a blind eye!

(30 May 2015, 2:17 pm)buznut wrote Totally agree.....Yesterday waiting at traffic lights at Tesco Bishop Auckland.A very smart looking max pulsar branded X12  Newcastle ,Durham, Middlesbrough went passed on route 6 Durham to Cockfield.
I,m very much in favour of branding buses on correct routes otherwise its pointless...... I would much prefer to see a standard livered bus used.Where are the spare buses,are depots operating PVR to the limits? 
Arriva could just keep interurban livery and pass savings on to the user in discount fares,management must be turning a blind eye!

That's Durham's spare bus for the X12 but they don't seem to like sending it out for some reason, preferring to use a Lowlander to cover!