Oh, ffs, driver on our bus just had a big row with a passenger and has not conducted himself professionally at all. Not impressed.

(16 Jan 2016, 5:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Oh, ffs, driver on our bus just had a big row with a passenger and has not conducted himself professionally at all. Not impressed.

I dare you to go up and give him a piece of your mind, BLM. 

(16 Jan 2016, 5:51 pm)R852 PRG wrote I dare you to go up and give him a piece of your mind, BLM. 

Tired and cold and want my dinner.

And wine. But I'm doing dry January.

(16 Jan 2016, 5:55 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Tired and cold and want my dinner.

And wine. But I'm doing dry January.

Doing as I suggest may relieve some of the pain of no alcohol consumption.

(16 Jan 2016, 5:59 pm)R852 PRG wrote Doing as I suggest may relieve some of the pain of no alcohol consumption.

I blanked him and concentrated extra hard on getting us both off with falling flat on our arses. 

I'd already spent the afternoon resisting the urge to throttle someone.

(16 Jan 2016, 6:24 pm)BusLoverMum wrote I blanked him and concentrated extra hard on getting us both off with falling flat on our arses. 

I'd already spent the afternoon resisting the urge to throttle someone.

Big'un or little'un?

(16 Jan 2016, 6:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote Big'un or little'un?

Big'un.

Littl'un was having fun winding his dad up, at home, and loading whole racks of Thomas and friends toys into supermarket trolleys

since there is two volvo b7tl max buses at ashington there could be a possibility that 7472 and 7478 will go to jesmond or belmond

(16 Jan 2016, 3:46 pm)Jimmi wrote Done two journeys on Sapphire 7 this afternoon to/from Durham. Journey to Durham was Pulsar 1514 and had a fair few on for the whole of my journey and I am now heading home on Enviro 400 7537 and it is very busy and that's on a double decker. Wonder if there is any chance that the 7 will go full double decker operation in the future?

Well, knowing Arriva and their mix / match allocations, although not all of the 57 plate Sapphires at Ashington aren't complete and utter wrecks although there are some, I think that Arriva would most likely end up buying a whole new set of deckers for the 7 (10 required) if the 7 went fully double deck anytime soon with:

- 7534 to 7537 alongside 7540 transferring to Ashington meaning that the X21 / X22 would end up running with 7x 14 plate E40Ds, 5x 15 plate E40Ds, 1x 09 plate E40D and 2x 57 plate E40Ds with 2x or 3x 57 plates being kept as spare with the rest either going scrap, being sent around the country or staying in the region but moving to Darlo / Belmont as spares (although the 7 does have some low bridges where the full height E40D might not manage to get through according to Kuyoyo).

Not forgetting to mention though that this is based upon ADL stopping production of the Classic E400 bodywork and all E40Ds being the MMC version which will eventually happen at somepoint. Having the MMC and Classic operating on the same routes would be a bit shite and it's best to keep the vehicle types on a premium route the same or very similar for that matter. So although in theory it may be a good idea just to buy 8x new vehicles for the X21 / X22 (unless Classic bodywork), buying an additional 2x would allow a whole route to benefit from the same new vehicle type which in this instance, it would be the 7.

Of course, all of the above would depend upon:
- Further passenger growth on the 7
- Need for more single deck Sapphire spec vehicles either in the North East or nationally.


Note to mods: No propaganda to get the 57 plates shifted but would be the most likely option knowing Arriva.

Email sent. I'm actually quite cross.

(16 Jan 2016, 5:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Oh, ffs, driver on our bus just had a big row with a passenger and has not conducted himself professionally at all. Not impressed.

If a punter has been a complete and utter k**b towards a driver (not just something petty like not having the right fare although annoying), then I can kinda side with a driver on that one. It's when a small minority of drivers kick off with passengers over petty things like the above where I don't side with a driver and alot of petty things lie at company level rather than the passengers (change giving over security vaults, bad timetabling etc).

(16 Jan 2016, 8:03 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote If a punter has been a complete and utter k**b towards a driver (not just something petty like not having the right fare although annoying), then I can kinda side with a driver on that one. It's when a small minority of drivers kick off with passengers over petty things like the above where I don't side with a driver and alot of petty things lie at company level rather than the passengers (change giving over security vaults, bad timetabling etc).

It was a stressful situation and the passenger's demeanour was quite aggressive, but he remained civil, despite being irrationally angry and putting an awful lot of effort into driving home a point. The driver quite seriously overstepped a line, though.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:03 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote If a punter has been a complete and utter k**b towards a driver (not just something petty like not having the right fare although annoying), then I can kinda side with a driver on that one. It's when a small minority of drivers kick off with passengers over petty things like the above where I don't side with a driver and alot of petty things lie at company level rather than the passengers (change giving over security vaults, bad timetabling etc).

Why? The employee should be professional about it, and try and defuse the situation. Not pour fuel all over it.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:22 pm)Adrian wrote Why? The employee should be professional about it, and try and defuse the situation. Not pour fuel all over it.

He poured fuel all over it and lobbed in a couple of grenades for good measure.

(16 Jan 2016, 7:40 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Well, knowing Arriva and their mix / match allocations, although not all of the 57 plate Sapphires at Ashington aren't complete and utter wrecks although there are some, I think that Arriva would most likely end up buying a whole new set of deckers for the 7 (10 required) if the 7 went fully double deck anytime soon with:

- 7534 to 7537 alongside 7540 transferring to Ashington meaning that the X21 / X22 would end up running with 7x 14 plate E40Ds, 5x 15 plate E40Ds, 1x 09 plate E40D and 2x 57 plate E40Ds with 2x or 3x 57 plates being kept as spare with the rest either going scrap, being sent around the country or staying in the region but moving to Darlo / Belmont as spares (although the 7 does have some low bridges where the full height E40D might not manage to get through according to Kuyoyo).

I can hardly see Arriva sending roughly 8-yr-old double-deckers, that have also been refurbished, for scrap, when they currently have many double-deckers running around at about 15-yrs-old!

(16 Jan 2016, 8:22 pm)Adrian wrote Why? The employee should be professional about it, and try and defuse the situation. Not pour fuel all over it.

Ideally Adrian but I couldn't help prove someone wrong the other day when they claimed a bus didn't run when it did, he had the wrong time.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote Ideally Adrian but I couldn't help prove someone wrong the other day when they claimed a bus didn't run when it did, he had the wrong time.

Aye, but I bet you didn't do something that would get you arrested if you did it to the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:33 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Aye, but I bet you didn't do something that would get you arrested if you did it to the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.

No just me and another driver having an argument with a passenger who decided to take his frustration out on us. I mean obviously I'm supposed to know everything despite just coming into a situation that has developed without me being there.

(14 Jan 2016, 6:27 pm)Dan wrote 1758 - https://flic.kr/p/CYGA6o

Is that identical to the likes of 555?

(17 Jan 2016, 6:40 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Is that identical to the likes of 555?

No. 1758 is a Transbus Dart SLF/Transbus MPD, while 555 is a Transbus MPD/Transbus Mini Pointer.

(17 Jan 2016, 7:00 pm)R852 PRG wrote No. 1758 is a Transbus Dart SLF/Transbus MPD, while 555 is a Transbus MPD/Transbus Mini Pointer.

So in other words, yes they are identical.

(17 Jan 2016, 7:18 pm)tyresmoke wrote So in other words, yes they are identical.

So in other words; WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EcoCity currently parked in Stockton depot.

(17 Jan 2016, 7:18 pm)tyresmoke wrote So in other words, yes they are identical.

Fleet Allocation Amendments - 18/01/2016

Ashington
In
7415 ex Arriva London
7472 ex Repair

Out
No vehicles - both covering PVR increase due to temporary roadworks.

Redcar
In
4723 New Temsa

Out
4515 Disposal


1909 and 1912 have both also transferred to Yorkshire Tiger.

1761 has also gained a rear advertisement for iNorthumberland.

Further news has come through regarding the X20 MAX Launch, as the person had misunderstood the following.
It will apparently be at Woodhorn Museum and the vehicle will pickup schoolchildren at Bothal Middle School, to watch the show.

I'm told that it will be either this Thursday or next Thursday, more than likely next Thursday as the leading driver will be doing the sticker work, and he is unsure when he is doing that.

Please keep an eye out on the Arriva Facebook page, as this information may be unreliable and I have limited internet connection.

(18 Jan 2016, 4:08 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Further news has come through regarding the X20 MAX Launch, as the person had misunderstood the following.
It will apparently be at Woodhorn Museum and the vehicle will pickup schoolchildren at Bothal Middle School, to watch the show.

I'm told that it will be either this Thursday or next Thursday, more than likely next Thursday as the leading driver will be doing the sticker work, and he is unsure when he is doing that.

Please keep an eye out on the Arriva Facebook page, as this information may be unreliable and I have limited internet connection.

MAX X20 launch is this Thursday (January 21st) at 11:20am at Woodhorn Museum. Arriva posted the details on their Facebook earlier today.

(18 Jan 2016, 4:11 pm)Jimmi wrote MAX X20 launch is this Thursday (January 21st) at 11:20am at Woodhorn Museum. Arriva posted the details on their Facebook earlier today.

Thanks!

(18 Jan 2016, 1:17 pm)Dan wrote Fleet Allocation Amendments - 18/01/2016

Ashington
In
7415 ex Arriva London
7472 ex Repair

Out
No vehicles - both covering PVR increase due to temporary roadworks.

Redcar
In
4723 New Temsa

Out
4515 Disposal


1909 and 1912 have both also transferred to Yorkshire Tiger.

Further movements on an amended version:

1101 transferred to Yorkshire Tiger, 1103 moved from disposal to 'Under Repair'
4722 moved into active fleet at Redcar, displacing 4513 to Disposal
1906 is formally listed at Darlington
7416/7 move from reserve to Under Repair
7413 now on fleet strength as 'Under Repair'