Anyone know what the height of 7486/7487 is, as I am not convinced that you'd be able to get them under Priestgate in Darlington Town Centre on the X66/X67. Think they'll most likely appear on local Stockton routes.

(11 Dec 2015, 8:42 am)Jimmi wrote Anyone know what the height of 7486/7487 is, as I am not convinced that you'd be able to get them under Priestgate in Darlington Town Centre on the X66/X67. Think they'll most likely appear on local Stockton routes.

They'll be 14ft 5in

(11 Dec 2015, 7:24 am)buss14 wrote is there any chance of blyth branding the commanders for 1 or 2 if they get upgraded?

What sort of upgrade is putting Commanders on a route that they were originally bought for..?! 

They're moving after MAX.

(11 Dec 2015, 8:52 am)GX03 SVC wrote What sort of upgrade is putting Commanders on a route that they were originally bought for..?! 

They're moving after MAX.

well it will be fore the best and the two quorum branded ones will go into normal livery i guess

(11 Dec 2015, 8:55 am)buss14 wrote well it will be fore the best and the two quorum branded ones will go into normal livery i guess

I'd have more comfort walking to Blyth then getting one of them under-powered heaps.

(11 Dec 2015, 8:59 am)GX03 SVC wrote I'd have more comfort walking to Blyth then getting one of them under-powered heaps.

saying

saying that i would prefer on of the cadets or renown or if it was a while back a prestige or strider

(11 Dec 2015, 8:47 am)Kuyoyo wrote They'll be 14ft 5in

Think Priestgate is 14ft 6in, in the direction the bus heads in although it's 14ft 3in for the opposite direction although it's only one way so they just may be able to do the X66/X67.

(11 Dec 2015, 11:28 am)Jimmi wrote Think Priestgate is 14ft 6in, in the direction the bus heads in although it's 14ft 3in for the opposite direction although it's only one way so they just may be able to do the X66/X67.

Bridges are always marked 3ins lower than what they actually are

I'm sure they'll send the relevant bodies out to do a safety run on one just in case. The problem with Priestgate is its uneven, which is what caused that accident a few years back.

(11 Dec 2015, 9:03 am)buss14 wrote saying

saying that i would prefer on of the cadets or renown  or if it was a while back a prestige or strider

Yep, "upgraded" buses brought to you by buss14....

(11 Dec 2015, 7:27 am)jaimzm wrote so could they do 17s or 27/9 it be good to see stockton have deckers i think probz used more on X66 X67 21a

Multi21 just said they can't be used on 29.

Very strange choice to send to Stockton if they haven't any specific duties they are need for. They won't even be able to maintain them themselves.

As 1404 and 5 are now X66/67 branded I see no reason that the deckers would be put on it. As for the 29.. The 29 isn't really a problem in self it's more the Stokesley extention that poses the most threat to the deckers Nunthorpe village and Great Ayton mainly! Only time will tell where they will be. Honestly I can't wait to get one on a Sunday on Middlesbroughs because it will end up everywhere.

(12 Dec 2015, 12:01 am)Multi21 wrote As 1404 and 5 are now X66/67 branded I see no reason that the deckers would be put on it. As for the 29.. The 29 isn't really a problem in self it's more the Stokesley extention that poses the most threat to the deckers Nunthorpe village and Great Ayton mainly! Only time will tell where they will be. Honestly I can't wait to get one on a Sunday on Middlesbroughs because it will end up everywhere.

There is also 1415 as a spare for the X66/X67 providing it's not required on the X12. Should be intresting seeing them on Stockton routes.

The Gemini's have been through Great Ayton before on the 81 although I think there was low hanging trees.

Would be amusing if we could have them at Darlington when the Omnicitys go for MAX refurbishment for the X75/X76.

(11 Dec 2015, 2:58 pm)Cock Robin wrote Multi21 just said they can't be used on 29.

Very strange choice to send to Stockton if they haven't any specific duties they are need for. They won't even be able to maintain them themselves.

Not sure if I've put two and two together and made five, but I have a theory as to why 7486/7 are at Stockton...

And it's to do with 1914-7/20/2. As only 2 or 3 of these are so far confirmed as DDA modified, and with Thorntons presumably shutting down for Christmas and New Year shortly, at a guess the B7s allow at least 2 Cadets to be away this week for work. That also then allows what remains of the unmodified Cadets to be withdrawn ahead of DDA deadline day.

The NSA screen in 1598 is actually working!

(12 Dec 2015, 4:29 am)Kuyoyo wrote Not sure if I've put two and two together and made five, but I have a theory as to why 7486/7 are at Stockton...

And it's to do with 1914-7/20/2. As only 2 or 3 of these are so far confirmed as DDA modified, and with Thorntons presumably shutting down for Christmas and New Year shortly, at a guess the B7s allow at least 2 Cadets to be away this week for work. That also then allows what remains of the unmodified Cadets to be withdrawn ahead of DDA deadline day.

Wouldn't it be easier to leave the deckers at Redcar and give Stockton two of Redcar's Pulsars if they're not using them on the X12?

The logic of moving 7486/7 is certainly interesting and if they are to be used on the X66/67 then heaven help the Stockton drivers in terms of timekeeping. I had my first experiences of the new X67 this week and all I'll say is thank heaven we had decent Pulsars.

(12 Dec 2015, 12:01 am)Multi21 wrote As 1404 and 5 are now X66/67 branded I see no reason that the deckers would be put on it. As for the 29.. The 29 isn't really a problem in self it's more the Stokesley extention that poses the most threat to the deckers Nunthorpe village and Great Ayton mainly! Only time will tell where they will be. Honestly I can't wait to get one on a Sunday on Middlesbroughs because it will end up everywhere.

Can't see them using them on Sundays.

4724 seen today (in pouring rain).

(12 Dec 2015, 1:09 pm)Cock Robin wrote 4724 seen today (in pouring rain).

Great photo.

(12 Dec 2015, 11:56 am)scania driver wrote The logic of moving 7486/7 is certainly interesting and if they are to be used on the X66/67 then heaven help the Stockton drivers in terms of timekeeping. I had my first experiences of the new X67 this week and all I'll say is thank heaven we had decent Pulsars.

You can just keep time on the X67 in a Scania, even 4655 which has a top speed of 52mph. I shouldn't think it'll be too different for 7486/7.

As mentioned, 1404/5 have both now been branded for the X66/X67.



Some minor differences between these and 4649/51/5-7:

• No route map on the rear (yet?), instead 1404/5 retain their (currently empty) advert frames
  
• No 'MAX' logo on the nearside of the vehicles
  

(01 Dec 2015, 7:54 pm)Kuyoyo wrote From my contact, the reason 7413 (LF52 UPN) is not on the 1st December fleet list is that this one is being refurbished down in London not at Thorntons.

The same source has also received a document this morning that confirms a further 12 deckers are due and have been allocated fleet numbers 7416-27.

7413 (LF52 UPN) is now ready at Enfield depot. (Photo @ Peter)

(13 Dec 2015, 2:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 7413 (LF52 UPN) is now ready at Enfield depot. (Photo @ Peter)

Discussion can be seen from this post onwards.

Blyth... where do I start?
Blyth depot are great at ensuring that there is always a bus on the route, what annoys me is the amount of times branded buses are on different routes.

Generic branding for the X7/8/9/10/11 would have been the best option as any MAX bus can freely be allocated onto any of the specified routes.

Services 1 and 2 are definitely in need of an upgrade but with a shortage of suitable vehicles currently on the market it would have to be Wright Streetlites or Enviro 200's unless someone can get some Temsa's. The routes are easily identifiable from a non-enthusiast that there needs to be something done. Darts are just like Pacer trains - a quick fix/problem solver when originally built/required but a burden today.

And onto the 308...
My top suggestion would be to remove the 308 branding and replace it (if at all) with a generic hybrid slogan. These B5LH's are always seen on other routes and even rarely escape onto services 1 and 2.

The X30 in my eyes is currently fine how it is currently running albeit with some delays. Whatever bus is available is put on which is not that such of an issue.

(13 Dec 2015, 10:02 pm)Lm2606 wrote Blyth... where do I start?
Blyth depot are great at ensuring that there is always a bus on the route, what annoys me is the amount of times branded buses are on different routes.

Generic branding for the X7/8/9/10/11 would have been the best option as any MAX bus can freely be allocated onto any of the specified routes.

Yes! It is baffling why the single-decker X9 has X8/X9/X10/X11 logos on the outside but only branded X9 internally. The whole fleet servicing those Blyth-Cramlington-Newcastle route should have all four core routes advertised.

It's strange and annoying(?) when the X8/X9/X10 are all standing at Haymarket but rather than appropriate buses, the X8 is a generic, non-MAX bus (despite being a MAX service now), the X10 or X11 is using the X7/X8 double-decker and the X9 is using an X10/X11 double decker.

7458 still in use,  on the X8 out of Blyth this afternoon.

Arriva fella again with his clipboard at peterlee bus station, noting down the incoming and outgoing on the 21/X21 again today.

(15 Dec 2015, 2:04 pm)cbma06 wrote Arriva fella again with his clipboard at peterlee bus station, noting down the incoming and outgoing on the 21/X21 again today.

well, that shoul keep him busy for a good 2 minutes per hour

(15 Dec 2015, 2:04 pm)cbma06 wrote Arriva fella again with his clipboard at peterlee bus station, noting down the incoming and outgoing on the 21/X21 again today.

Peterlee supervisor presumably. They were advertising for one at Bishop Auckland recently too I seem to remember.