As long as they're looked after better than the other pink/purple operator with Solos...

(10 Jun 2015, 3:58 pm)cbma06 wrote fleet number 666 is and has been used on quite a number of buses with bus companies (east Yorkshire, Nottingham etc... etc....)

i feel like a slipknot song coming on

(10 Jun 2015, 4:44 pm)Tom wrote When the East Durham gets new buses, will the 238 be included in it as well?

i'm thinking No nearest it goes is Houghton-le-Spring

(10 Jun 2015, 5:10 pm)Michael wrote Glad they're keeping the Olympian's in service  

glad also but for how long? 

(10 Jun 2015, 8:08 pm)Jackamcardle wrote My favourite MPD 

my favorite MPD is 569 which is a Percy Main one it performed good when i rode it in Christmas 2013 on 17A service during the Xmas Jumper Day https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/11...CsM-aTpoP6 it was also Friday 13th and was surprised how well this MPD performed

(10 Jun 2015, 10:38 am)Andreos1 wrote The roughly 10mins late rule, seems to be the norm, at least when I have been on it or seen it on the western portion of the route.
No idea where the issue lies though. Although I haven't used or witnessed the section east of the galleries since the changes earlier this year.

When the 82/83 ran, there were often delays, but the combined '15min' frequency, meant that the chances of one of them turning up was greater - even if they ran together for portions of the route.

Now, it has got to the stage where I daren't run the risk of going for it and choose to drive instead.

I think issue is purely down to the routing of the Service around Birtley, Think of how many Minutes you could cut off the current route around Birtley by doing the following route: Note the Timetable says it takes 14 Minutes to go from Portobello Board Inn to Northside, so that is 28 Minutes their and back.

So I would do: Barley Mow - Portobello - Portmeads - Fell Bank - Harras Bank - Birtley Town Centre - Northside - Portmeads - Portobello - Barley Mow
I would imagine this would cut around 7/8 Minutes off the Journey Time altogether possibly more.

(10 Jun 2015, 9:55 pm)Diamond One wrote i feel like a slipknot song coming on
i'm thinking No nearest it goes is Houghton-le-Spring
glad also but for how long? 

my favorite MPD is 569 which is a Percy Main one it performed good when i rode it in Christmas 2013 on 17A service during the Xmas Jumper Day

Service 238 goes into East Durham, Seaham is in County Durham.

(10 Jun 2015, 10:03 pm)Malarkey wrote I think issue is purely down to the routing of the Service around Birtley, Think of how many Minutes you could cut off the current route around Birtley by doing the following route: Note the Timetable says it takes 14 Minutes to go from Portobello Board Inn to Northside, so that is 28 Minutes their and back.

So I would do: Barley Mow - Portobello - Portmeads - Fell Bank - Harras Bank - Birtley Town Centre - Northside - Portmeads - Portobello - Barley Mow
I would imagine this would cut around 7/8 Minutes off the Journey Time altogether possibly more.

That then means that the people of Fell Bank couldn't get a bus from there to Galleries. I got told by a driver that I couldn't get on at Moulders to go to Galleries and he charged me £1.50 to go down a bank and then a further £1.50 for the rest of the journey.

(10 Jun 2015, 10:14 pm)LeeCalder wrote That then means that the people of Fell Bank couldn't get a bus from there to Galleries. I got told by a driver that I couldn't get on at Moulders to go to Galleries and he charged me £1.50 to go down a bank and then a further £1.50 for the rest of the journey.

Of course they would, they would simply get on the other side of the road and go up Northside then back out towards Washington at no extra cost, cuts journey/waiting time and improves reliability of the service, how else are going improve the service around Birtley as I cant see any other way. 

(10 Jun 2015, 10:03 pm)Malarkey wrote I think issue is purely down to the routing of the Service around Birtley, Think of how many Minutes you could cut off the current route around Birtley by doing the following route: Note the Timetable says it takes 14 Minutes to go from Portobello Board Inn to Northside, so that is 28 Minutes their and back.

So I would do: Barley Mow - Portobello - Portmeads - Fell Bank - Harras Bank - Birtley Town Centre - Northside - Portmeads - Portobello - Barley Mow
I would imagine this would cut around 7/8 Minutes off the Journey Time altogether possibly more.

It shouldn't take the same from Northside to Portobello, as it does going in the opposite direction, by virtue of missing out Birtley town centre.
The initial 82/82A will have been similar times.

The fact it misses out the town centre on the way back, makes the extension upto Northside pretty much pointless anyway. Residents can get the bus home from Birtley, they just can't get one down...

(10 Jun 2015, 10:26 pm)Malarkey wrote Of course they would, they would simply get on the other side of the road and go up Northside then back out towards Washington at no extra cost, cuts journey/waiting time and improves reliability of the service, how else are going improve the service around Birtley as I cant see any other way. 

The end of the service line is Birtley though. Not Fell Bank.

(10 Jun 2015, 10:34 pm)Andreos1 wrote It shouldn't take the same from Northside to Portobello, as it does going in the opposite direction, by virtue of missing out Birtley town centre.
The initial 82/82A will have been similar.

The fact it misses out the town centre on the way back, makes the extension upto Northside pretty much pointless anyway. Residents can get the bus home from Birtley, they just can't get one down...

Yeah I hadnt thought about that, safe to say GNE have complicated things for themselves route wise and in trying to improve reliability also.

Glad 3801 and 3802 have been withdrawn. The last time i was on both of them, they gifted me with a breakdown.

(10 Jun 2015, 10:41 pm)Malarkey wrote Yeah I hadnt thought about that, safe to say GNE have complicated things for themselves route wise and in trying to improve reliability also.

Apart from the idea I had about the X26 and removing the 82/82A from Northside, all I can think of is changing/combining the 23 and TB18 (so they serve Northside and Portmeads rather than Barley Mow, in the case of the 23) and have the 82/82A operate a circular service from The Drive onwards.
Might stick it in the suggestions thread.

The changes have backfired, particularly since they realised going up Harrass Bank, wouldn't work and a plan had to be cobbled together to get the bus turned around.

Strange looking x7 display on the wear tees express the number is so small hardly readable 

(11 Jun 2015, 1:58 pm)Acky81 wrote Strange looking x7 display on the wear tees express the number is so small hardly readable 

Its the same as what is on the X84 and X85 at Hexham.

More info has being post for Major Disruption on Millburngate Bridge in Durham from the 12th July for 7 weeks...........

http://www.simplygo.com/news/major-disru...-12th-july

New timetables will uploaded soon

3858 is still alive and kicking. It's currently on the 310.

Are anymore Fab 56 / Cobalt B9's due to get flywheel's fitted? Is 6104 still away?

(11 Jun 2015, 6:29 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Are anymore Fab 56 / Cobalt B9's due to get flywheel's fitted? Is 6104 still away?

Yes, 6104 is still at Telford.

With it being the first example to be done, I suspect this one will be away for quite some time for testing etc (hence why 3858 is being reinstated when required).

(11 Jun 2015, 6:31 pm)Dan wrote Yes, 6104 is still at Telford.

With it being the first example to be done, I suspect this one will be away for quite some time for testing etc (hence why 3858 is being reinstated when required).

How does the flywheel work then? Does it work in the same fashion as the Streetlite (a.k.a powering all electrical systems and little engine power on pull off) or like the Volvo Parallel system in the B5LH? 

(11 Jun 2015, 2:05 pm)citaro5284 wrote Its the same as what is on the X84 and X85 at Hexham.

Is that going to be standard for X services? Thumbs up from me if that's the case.  

(11 Jun 2015, 6:51 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote How does the flywheel work then? Does it work in the same fashion as the Streetlite (a.k.a powering all electrical systems and little engine power on pull off) or like the Volvo Parallel system in the B5LH? 

Our friend in Corbridge may be able to answer that one - I'm no engineer!

Does anyone know if any euro 5 Mercedes citaros were built as dealer stock and are ready for sale? cuase I have a idea which involves them.
i will post the idea in service suggestions later.

(11 Jun 2015, 6:59 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Does anyone know if any euro 5 Mercedes citaros were built as dealer stock and are ready for sale? cuase I have a idea which involves them.
i will post the idea in service suggestions later.

Built to order I'd imagine, otherwise they wouldn't have come to the GNE standard inside.

(11 Jun 2015, 7:00 pm)aureolin wrote Built to order I'd imagine, otherwise they wouldn't have come to the GNE standard inside.

Ok thanks, i suppose the idea will have to use some citaros from within the fleet or somewhere else, i will post it in a minute in service suggestions

(11 Jun 2015, 6:51 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote How does the flywheel work then? Does it work in the same fashion as the Streetlite (a.k.a powering all electrical systems and little engine power on pull off) or like the Volvo Parallel system in the B5LH? 

The innovative Gyrodrive system is based on Formula One race technology developed in the UK. It will help increase the efficiency of each bus by using less fuel and thereby reducing carbon emissions.
This same technology helped Audi’s R18 e-tron win at Le Mans in June this year.

The system uses a high speed flywheel made of carbon fibre to store the energy generated by a bus as it slows down to stop. [using a traction motor operating as a generator]
It then uses the stored energy to power an [the] electric motor which helps accelerate the bus back up to speed, generating fuel savings of more than 20 per cent.

From:- http://www.simplygo.com/news/greener-cle...orth-east/

More at:- http://www.gkn.com/landsystems/brands/hy...ochure.pdf
(see page 6)

In summary, there is a 'motor' mechanically connected to the drivetrain, which operates as a generator under braking and then as a traction motor when accelerating. The electricity generating during braking is used to spin-up a flywheel (kinetic energy) which is then reversed for acceleration (not actually reversed, merely 'slowed') and the electricity extracted is used to power the traction motor.

The difference from the B5LHs is that the (electrical) energy is stored in the flywheel (as kinetic/speed) rather than a (heavy) battery.

Does anyone know what buses will be used on the shuttles for the England - New Zealand one day cricket match?

(11 Jun 2015, 7:33 pm)Michael wrote Does anyone know what buses will be used on the shuttles for the England - New Zealand one day cricket match?

I wouldn't be surprised if its just vykings, presidents and tridents like normal,  Though maybe a omnidekka might come along. 

Its operated from chester, it'll be tridents/B7s

(11 Jun 2015, 8:37 pm)nk55 wrote Its operated from chester, it'll be tridents/B7s

Think it was either 12 or 20 buses required... Been a while though, so my memory may be playing tricks!

I remember for the Ashes in 2013, Chester-le-Street had a few Vykings (3980-82 iirc) and a couple of Volvo Presidents from Deptford, about five Olympians from Stanley, as well as an ''OK Way'' MPD (which I would guess was there for maintenance, from Crook, but being kept local - I think it was on the 502 Chester-le-Street Station shuttle)... And then some of their own!

Haven't long seen 548 on the 239. There seemed to be 3 on.

Couple of things - it still appeared to have branding for NTL and displayed 'Fencehouses' (bet eezypeazy loves that), rather than 'Fence Houses' - like the 36 and 4 have.