(04 Sep 2015, 5:27 pm)citaro5284 wrote

Any hints? 

As there are still buses on demonstration, would the answer not be no? They may, however, have started planning on other investments

(04 Sep 2015, 5:32 pm)Michael wrote Any hints? 

Neither Dan nor citaro5284 will post any information without consent from their employers.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:39 pm)R852 PRG wrote Neither Dan nor citaro5284 will post any information without consent from their employers.

I know.. i was just jking with him

(04 Sep 2015, 5:39 pm)S813 FVK wrote As there are still buses on demonstration, would the answer not be no? They may, however, have started planning on other investments

Hopefully plans have started for investment but just because buses are on demonstration, i'm sure that won't put them off deciding what to order..?

I think a big part of it will be down to the decision on Quality Contracts.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:44 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I think a big part of it will be down to the decision on Quality Contracts.

Yep but as that isn't being decided until closer to the end of the year, will they be able to buy the buses and have them delivered before the DDA regulations for single deckers come into force?

(04 Sep 2015, 5:46 pm)S813 FVK wrote Yep but as that isn't being decided until closer to the end of the year, will they be able to buy the buses and have them delivered before the DDA regulations for single deckers come into force?

Single deckers could still pretty much be on the cards. I'm talking more about deckers.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:39 pm)R852 PRG wrote Neither Dan nor citaro5284 will post any information without consent from their employers.

Straight from the employee handbook there mind. Have you been swatting up? 

(04 Sep 2015, 5:42 pm)Michael wrote Hopefully plans have started for investment but just because buses are on demonstration, i'm sure that won't put them off deciding what to order..?

Maybe just a small part of an order, but I'd like to think think the Tynedale Express will receive an upgrade, given how popular the X84/X85 appears to have become. 4x new branded vehicles, and 1x spare would be ideal, as it'd give the service a more luxurious/express feel about it. 

It'd perhaps also allow the 5x 55-reg Solars to be repainted into corporate livery, and replace the 5x 52-reg Solars currently branded up for the Waggonway.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:47 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Single deckers could still pretty much be on the cards. I'm talking more about deckers.

Hopefully, if not maybe they'll get some of the younger ex London buses, which will be available this year... of course they aren't leased to the companies...

(04 Sep 2015, 5:51 pm)aureolin wrote Straight from the employee handbook there mind. Have you been swatting up

Talking of the employee handbook, ive just found a copy of one in my room from when Paul Matthews was the managing director. Quite enjoying reading through it.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:51 pm)aureolin wrote Straight from the employee handbook there mind. Have you been swatting up? 


Maybe just a small part of an order, but I'd like to think think the Tynedale Express will receive an upgrade, given how popular the X84/X85 appears to have become. 4x new branded vehicles, and 1x spare would be ideal, as it'd give the service a more luxurious/express feel about it. 

It'd perhaps also allow the 5x 55-reg Solars to be repainted into corporate livery, and replace the 5x 52-reg Solars currently branded up for the Waggonway.

That's one service which defiantly deserves an update...The Streetlite Hybrids be a good choice...they seem to be coping on the 8/78/78A - which is a long route so see why they couldn't cope on the X84/X85...

The Solars like Aureolin will move to Waggonway... allowing the 52 reg ones to go else where...example the 57 to replace the duel door B10's....

(04 Sep 2015, 5:56 pm)Michael wrote That's one service which defiantly deserves an update...The Streetlite Hybrids be a good choice...they seem to be coping on the 8/78/78A - which is a long route so see why they couldn't cope on the X84/X85...

The Solars like Aureolin will move to Waggonway... allowing the 52 reg ones to go else where...example the 57 to replace the duel door B10's....

I think the Streetlites would cope on the X84, but not sure about the X85 considering large parts of it is on the A69.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:57 pm)Tom wrote I think the Streetlites would cope on the X84, but not sure about the X85 considering large parts of it is on the A69.

The 8 does the A1231 but now sure how much difference that is the X85 on the A69. 

Honestly think the livery will suit the streetlites.

(04 Sep 2015, 5:51 pm)aureolin wrote Maybe just a small part of an order, but I'd like to think think the Tynedale Express will receive an upgrade, given how popular the X84/X85 appears to have become. 4x new branded vehicles, and 1x spare would be ideal, as it'd give the service a more luxurious/express feel about it. 

It'd perhaps also allow the 5x 55-reg Solars to be repainted into corporate livery, and replace the 5x 52-reg Solars currently branded up for the Waggonway.

I can't see the X84/X85 getting new buses for another year or two yet seem as the Solar's have only been on there for two years. I imagine if the Tynedale Express was to get new buses I imagine they'd go straight into the corporate livery rather than go on the likes of the 28/28A as they'd need to be replaced on that route in a few years time.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:01 pm)Michael wrote The 8 does the A1231 but now sure how much difference that is the X85 on the A69. 

Honestly think the livery will suit the streetlites.

Quite a bit is on the A69, between Denton Burn and Heddon is, then between Horsley and Corbridge is, so pretty much half of the route.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:08 pm)Tom wrote Quite a bit is on the A69, between Denton Burn and Heddon is, then between Horsley and Corbridge is, so pretty much half of the route.

Not sure then but i don't think we'll see GNE buying new Citaro's especially when there's cheaper buses out which they could buy.

? mmmmm

(04 Sep 2015, 6:10 pm)Michael wrote Not sure then but i don't think we'll see GNE buying new Citaro's especially when there's cheaper buses out which they could buy.

Maybe they would for a service like that? You never know.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:17 pm)Tom wrote Maybe they would for a service like that? You never know.

I would hope so, not sure how much the euro 6 Citaro's are... even if its not the K version, still think they'll be expensive.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:18 pm)Michael wrote I would hope so, not sure how much the euro 6 Citaro's are... even if its not the K version, still think they'll be expensive.

The 'K' is the mini version (ie the one which was looked at by Riverside engineering last year). The 'N' is the full-size version (ie the one which was on X66 and 8/78). Both are Euro 6, and both quite pricey. The 'K' will be a little less, given that it's a smaller bus.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:19 pm)Dan wrote The 'K' is the mini version (ie the one which was looked at by Riverside engineering last year). The 'N' is the full-size version (ie the one which was on X66 and 8/78). Both are Euro 6, and both quite pricey. The 'K' will be a little less, given that it's a smaller bus.

Thought they would be, i think we'll see them sticking to Streetlites for the time being

(04 Sep 2015, 6:02 pm)Jimmi wrote I can't see the X84/X85 getting new buses for another year or two yet seem as the Solar's have only been on there for two years. I imagine if the Tynedale Express was to get new buses I imagine they'd go straight into the corporate livery rather than go on the likes of the 28/28A as they'd need to be replaced on that route in a few years time.

I wouldn't rule it out completely, as there's some logic behind it.

I realise the 55-reg Solars have only been on there for 2 years, but you wouldn't expect a brand new route to receive that investment straight away. Purchasing 5x new buses allows the 5x 55-reg to be cascaded to CLS, replacing branded 52-reg vehicles. This in turn allows the 52-reg vehicles to become 'spare' vehicles, and then allowing some of the oldest vehicles in the fleet to be withdrawn - i.e. the Y-reg Solars.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:25 pm)Michael wrote Thought they would be, i think we'll see them sticking to Streetlites for the time being

Worth mentioning that I believe the Scania L94s on the Tynedalexpress are limited to 58 or 59mph, whereas Streetlites are limited to 50mph. The allocation of Streetlites to service X85 would make the timetable completely unachievable, and therefore, I can't see this vehicle type as a likely choice for investment.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:29 pm)Dan wrote Worth mentioning that I believe the Scania L94s on the Tynedalexpress are limited to 58 or 59mph, whereas Streetlites are limited to 50mph. The allocation of Streetlites to service X85 would make the timetable completely unachievable.

Well that's defiantly ruled them out... haha

(04 Sep 2015, 6:29 pm)Dan wrote Worth mentioning that I believe the Scania L94s on the Tynedalexpress are limited to 58 or 59mph, whereas Streetlites are limited to 50mph. The allocation of Streetlites to service X85 would make the timetable completely unachievable, and therefore, I can't see this vehicle type as a likely choice for investment.

This is one issue with buses being limited to small speeds on routes like these, who knows what GNE are going to do in future for buying buses for routes such as the X84/X85 and also the likes of X7, X9/X10 as having buses that can only achieve 50mph is not really ideal. One way of getting round timetables that are currently unachievable with buses limited to 50mph would be to alter timetables to have more running time but by the time you add an extra bus to the PVR of a service which would mean more drivers would be needed it might actually prove to be cheaper to buy buses with lower fuel efficiency.

(04 Sep 2015, 6:29 pm)Dan wrote Worth mentioning that I believe the Scania L94s on the Tynedalexpress are limited to 58 or 59mph, whereas Streetlites are limited to 50mph. The allocation of Streetlites to service X85 would make the timetable completely unachievable, and therefore, I can't see this vehicle type as a likely choice for investment.

Would it not be possible to reprogram the speed limit (or is the gearing wrong?)?

In terms of double deck orders, I think the following could happen:

- If Quality Contracts go ahead, then I could see the Pronto getting an upgrade with new vehicles.

- If Quality Contracts don't go ahead, I can see a major double deck vehicle order being placed next year for one of the key routes on the network with the cascaded vehicles going on the Pronto and if enough to cover the PVR, the West Durham Express services in whatever format they will be in.

And before anybody tiwggs on what route it could be, it could well be a different route that I've been on about in the past. I can tell you now that it won't be a route that I've mentioned in the past which will receive new buses. Looking at it from a business case perspective, the X21 could face competition (unlikely at the moment but never know?) from Arriva's MAX X12 and, what could GNE offer on top of free Wi-Fi and NSA's to entice people particularly on the West Durham and Stanley to Newcastle corridoor?

With regards to speed limiting on buses, I recall being on ANE's 7524 last year, and noticing a sticker in the cab informing the driver it was limited to 100Km/h (62mph), which is fair enough, it seems stupid to me that the Streetlites are limited to 50mph. Is there a way of changing the limiter on these, I know that it has been said on here that the limit on the B8RLE can be changed, if it can't on the Streetlite then that is surely a major oversight?

Suppose it depends really though. It's all good and well removing a limiter, and it's not exactly difficult, but does it go against manufacturer recommendations? Is the bus as efficient at that speed as it is at the capped speed? It may have worse fuel consumption that a comparable vehicle for example.