(23 Aug 2015, 4:53 pm)buss14 wrote would i be possible we may get B9TL's

If you can find some B9TL's in the London fleet.... ??

just a question if arriva are selling the y reg lowlands how much do they go for scrap

(23 Aug 2015, 5:04 pm)buss14 wrote just a question if arriva are selling the y reg lowlands how much do they go for scrap

I'm starting the bidding at £5.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:05 pm)R852 PRG wrote I'm starting the bidding at £5.

I bid £5.01p

(23 Aug 2015, 5:05 pm)R852 PRG wrote I'm starting the bidding at £5.

nah thats too much

(23 Aug 2015, 5:05 pm)R852 PRG wrote I'm starting the bidding at £5.

And that's just a certain someone buying some Urban90's seats

(23 Aug 2015, 5:07 pm)Jimmi wrote And that's just a certain someone buying some Urban90's seats

They're as cheap as chips, will probably go for free! The bus itself however... While £5 sounds like a cheap preservation project, it will take in excess of £20,000 to get it back in a reasonable condition. By reasonable condition, I mean able to crawl out of the depot. 

(23 Aug 2015, 5:10 pm)R852 PRG wrote They're as cheap as chips, will probably go for free! The bus itself however... While £5 sounds like a cheap preservation project, it will take in excess of £20,000 to get it back in a reasonable condition. By reasonable condition, I mean able to crawl out of the depot. 

Though the Urban90 seats will make up for that

(23 Aug 2015, 5:13 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Though the Urban90 seats will make up for that    

Somebody will be throwing notes in the donation bucket when it goes out for a spin at the rallies!

(23 Aug 2015, 5:13 pm)R852 PRG wrote Somebody will be throwing notes in the donation bucket when it goes out for a spin at the rallies!

Lowlander's going for a spin, I think not, they will stay at rally sites all day and will only leave when they have to be towed out at the end of the day

(23 Aug 2015, 5:16 pm)Jimmi wrote Lowlander's going for a spin, I think not, they will stay at rally sites all day and will only leave when they have to be towed out at the end of the day

That's a shame, because I wanted to have a ride on those very nice Urban90s

(23 Aug 2015, 5:16 pm)Jimmi wrote Lowlander's going for a spin, I think not, they will stay at rally sites all day and will only leave when they have to be towed out at the end of the day

That is of course if it makes it to the rally site in the first place.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:18 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote That's a shame, because I wanted to have a ride on those very nice Urban90s

Don't we all, South Tyne Lad. Don't we all.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:18 pm)R852 PRG wrote That is of course if it makes it to the rally site in the first place.


Don't we all, South Tyne Lad. Don't we all.

We do don't we?

On the subject of Ex-London buses 2966-3983 weren't very good bar 3983 which has had proper care from Chester, they all are slow can't reach any sort of speed which was shown on the 21 and the Presidents aren't much better.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:25 pm)danpick wrote On the subject of Ex-London buses 2966-3983 weren't very good bar 3983 which has had proper care from Chester, they all are slow can't reach any sort of speed which was shown on the 21 and the Presidents aren't much better.

The Vykings weren't ideal for the infrastructure up here. I can remember aureolin telling me that the middle doors would open onto the glass window of a bus shelter or a railing. I'm guessing the Presidents were either modified for extra seating capacity or to prevent this, as they were dual-door too.

I blame cars for all these slow buses. Car drivers say buses are slow but the car drivers are causing the traffic jams. I blame the car not London.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:27 pm)R852 PRG wrote The Vykings weren't ideal for the infrastructure up here. I can remember aureolin telling me that the middle doors would open onto the glass window of a bus shelter or a railing. I'm guessing the Presidents were either modified for extra seating capacity or to prevent this, as they were dual-door too.

The Vykings will never be converted as the rear door is what makes them DDA-compliant but 6008-6042 could be kept DDA-compliant. The rear door wasn't ideal unless you were at Gateshead.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:29 pm)danpick wrote The Vykings will never be converted as the rear door is what makes them DDA-compliant but 6008-6042 could be kept DDA-compliant. The rear door wasn't ideal unless you were at Gateshead.

I'm not suggesting they should be. I was merely pointing out they were not designed for our infrastructure. The Vykings were cascaded with intention to use them on the 21; which covers a lot more than just Gateshead. Thus they were not ideal full stop.

(23 Aug 2015, 5:34 pm)R852 PRG wrote I'm not suggesting they should be. I was merely pointing out they were not designed for our infrastructure. The Vykings were cascaded with intention to use them on the 21; which covers a lot more than just Gateshead. Thus they were not ideal full stop.

Not GNE's best acquisition.

Bearing in mind that when the Vykings were cascaded, The 21 used to run all the way to Bishop Auckland.

Nip over to the service suggestions forum and have a look at the suggestion that I've made, some of you might;ve already seen it and NO, it is not for the X21 / X22. I've based it on the fact that Arriva can seem to source single deckers better than double deckers at the moment.

The supervisor at Ashington has also said the same thing about the B7s coming for the X20. He says they're being refurbished at the moment.

(24 Aug 2015, 2:08 pm)GX03 SVC wrote The supervisor at Ashington has also said the same thing about the B7s coming for the X20. He says they're being refurbished at the moment.

so hopefully they should be ready for the changes

(24 Aug 2015, 2:08 pm)GX03 SVC wrote The supervisor at Ashington has also said the same thing about the B7s coming for the X20. He says they're being refurbished at the moment.

Glad everyone is on the same page

(24 Aug 2015, 2:39 pm)buss14 wrote so hopefully they should be ready for the changes

Err, no.

(24 Aug 2015, 3:26 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Err, no.

so i gather that means AXL400 buseswill be on the x20 until the buses areready

(24 Aug 2015, 3:32 pm)buss14 wrote so i gather that means AXL400 buseswill be on the x20 until the buses areready

Yep, yet another flaw in Arriva's plans.....

(24 Aug 2015, 3:49 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Yep, yet another flaw in Arriva's plans.....

well i would have an ex london any day rather than a y reg lowlander

(24 Aug 2015, 3:55 pm)buss14 wrote well i would have an ex london any day rather than a y reg lowlander

I'd rather have anything not ex-London on a route that could make or break this MAX upgrade. People weren't fooled when the ALX's turned up, nor when the B7's turned up. 

I was on a B7 a couple of days ago and I overheard a conversation between two elderly people that they preferred the green buses than the old bus they were on.

(24 Aug 2015, 4:09 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I'd rather have anything not ex-London on a route that could make or break this MAX upgrade. People weren't fooled when the ALX's turned up, nor when the B7's turned up. 

I was on a B7 a couple of days ago and I overheard a conversation between two elderly people that they preferred the green buses than the old bus they were on.

The ex-London buses Arriva North East acquires are often in immaculate condition when they enter service. Just look at the photos below - and they weren't taken immediately after entering service, either!

To Joe Bloggs; there's absolutely nothing to suggest they came from London, unlike Go North East's Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Vykings which retain their dual-door configuration used only to allow wheelchair passengers on-board if they require a ramp... I think most customers will see the introduction of newer Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini vehicles as an upgrade, especially as they'll be Wi-Fi fitted if to MAX spec.

Arriva North East: 7493 / LF02PRZ by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Arriva North East: 7493 / LF02PRZ by Daniel Graham, on Flickr


Interior shot of Arriva North East's 7472, DAF DB250RS/Alexander ALX400 by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Interior shot of Arriva North East's 7472, DAF DB250RS/Alexander ALX400 by Daniel Graham, on Flickr