(26 Oct 2016, 12:45 pm)Dan wrote Brighton & Hove's training fleet is being upgraded. As such, two Scania OmniDekkas will be retained by Brighton & Hove to release two single-decks from their own fleet to the training fleet.

Therefore the transfer of three Scania OmniDekkas is outstanding - not five. They will be numbered as follows:

• 628 (YN04 GKA) - 6143
  
• 664 (YN55 NFC) - 6145
  
• 661 (YN55 NFE) - 6146
  

6145 is arriving today, and the other two will arrive on Sunday.

Cheers Dan. Take it these will be for the DFDS replacements

Clippers must have taken a hammering today. Noticed 6106 went NIS at Whitley Bay Cemetery towards Newcastle with one closely behind then about 15 minutes later, went back in service. Could be down to half-term passenger numbers as well as no show 306/308s due to the roadworks at Billy Mill and the general maintenance taking place on the Coast Road.

(26 Oct 2016, 2:16 pm)JP6004 wrote Maybe due to a potential upgrade from cascaded TEN B9s...? 

Maybe!, would be good to see the TEN have an allocation of the same bus some day! 

(26 Oct 2016, 2:19 pm)JP6004 wrote Cheers Dan. Take it these will be for the DFDS replacements

Hopefully, means the same allocation throughout for the 327 and the other 2 buses which are DDA?, can move else where.

(26 Oct 2016, 2:23 pm)L469 YVK wrote Clippers must have taken a hammering today. Noticed 6106 went NIS at Whitley Bay Cemetery towards Newcastle with one closely behind then about 15 minutes later, went back in service. Could be down to half-term passenger numbers as well as no show 306/308s due to the roadworks at Billy Mill and the general maintenance taking place on the Coast Road.

Few services in Sunderland running late too, waited 15 minutes for a Stagecoach 3, then around the same for the Stagecoach 23 (Both run every 10 minutes), also noticed the 12/13 running together.

(26 Oct 2016, 1:43 pm)Jamie M wrote 6130 and 6125 have been debranded.

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I retract my statement.
All of them have been debranded.

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(26 Oct 2016, 2:42 pm)Jamie M wrote I retract my statement.
All of them have been debranded.

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Still some out with Northern branding today.

6124 has lost the branding.

(26 Oct 2016, 2:55 pm)Jimmi wrote Still some out with Northern branding today.

6124 has lost the branding.

Really? I've seen all but 6131 today and that didn't seem to have out last night. Must be blind!

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(26 Oct 2016, 2:58 pm)Jamie M wrote Really? I've seen all but 6131 today and that didn't seem to have out last night. Must be blind!

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6131 still has branding as I photographed it parked up in Consett Bus Station this morning.

6127 (which I'm on now) still does, as does 6126 which passed me a few minutes since.

(26 Oct 2016, 3:08 pm)Jimmi wrote 6131 still has branding as I photographed it parked up in Consett Bus Station this morning.

6127 (which I'm on now) still does, as does 6126 which passed me a few minutes since.

Ah yes, I recall 6126. Oh well, I'll shut up now!

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GNE have updated the routes on their site to show, if they have WIFI etc

I always thought that the Northern branding looked like a temporary job but never thought that it would only last a year on the Omnidekkas.

Will certainly be nice to see what comes out of the debrandings, thats for sure!


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(26 Oct 2016, 4:09 pm)S813 FVK wrote I always thought that the Northern branding looked like a temporary job but never thought that it would only last a year on the Omnidekkas.

Will certainly be nice to see what comes out of the debrandings, thats for sure!


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Temporary.....like the red angel, the X9/X10 before new buses arrived 

(26 Oct 2016, 3:33 pm)Michael wrote GNE have updated the routes on their site to show, if they have WIFI etc

Apparently the 921 isnt a talking bus and the 85/86 aren't indigo branded lmao

6124 devoid of Northern branding.
Go North East: 6124 / GX03SUU by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

does anyone know where 9099 will be going next as its 4 weeks at Washington are nearly over.

547 has been withdrawn.
Thought I'd mention this as it hasn't appeared on the news.

(26 Oct 2016, 12:45 pm)Dan wrote 6145 is arriving today, and the other two will arrive on Sunday.

Go North East: 6145 / YN55NFC by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

(26 Oct 2016, 8:46 pm)Dan wrote Go North East: 6145 / YN55NFC by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Oh my..

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I was going to ask the other day, how likely is the Northern 6 & X70/X71 brand to get New buses, I know they recently acquired the omnidekkas currently on there but would that brand be ever likely to receive brand new buses or is it a brand which will always just receive older stock.

However it's interesting to hear that some of the Northern branded vehicles are currently having the branding removed. It will be interesting to see what is happening..... Are they about to receive newer vehicles, an update to the Northern brand or could it be a total re-brand.
I suppose only time will tell.

(26 Oct 2016, 2:16 pm)JP6004 wrote Maybe due to a potential upgrade from cascaded TEN B9s...? 

(26 Oct 2016, 2:27 pm)Michael wrote Maybe!, would be good to see the TEN have an allocation of the same bus some day! 

I do agree and I have mentioned before that I think the TEN brand needs a full allocation of branded vehicles, whether this be by getting just a few new buses to make up the allocation to fully branded or even if we are really lucky a full set of brand new buses for the brand and the current vehicles cascaded elsewhere.

(26 Oct 2016, 10:32 pm)thetravelman wrote I do agree and I have mentioned before that I think the TEN brand needs a full allocation of branded vehicles, whether this be by getting just a few new buses to make up the allocation to fully branded or even if we are really lucky a full set of brand new buses for the brand and the current vehicles cascaded elsewhere.

The big question if any new deckers are to come is will GNE want to just do a straight forward upgrade or will they want them utilised accordingly in spite of abandoned GKN modifications? The PVR required for both sets routes in question would be the same give or take a PVR increase opportunity. And either solution would sort out allocation issues on both sets of routes. 

Although (and this is just personal opinion) I love the B9s, they seem too heavy duty of a vehicle for one set of routes concerned looking 
in comparison to what another operator is running in competition with particular reference to what was running before the Green Bus Fund bid and despite them not being to scratch in their current tarted up guises on the 'X' routes, they did the job OK as a City / Urban vehicle for the competing route in question.

(26 Oct 2016, 8:46 pm)Dan wrote Go North East: 6145 / YN55NFC by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

In my opinion, the B9TLs are ideal for the TEN.
Those who think they are over-specified should consider that this makes them more durable and ensures that they will last longer than B5s, and the current vehicles are far from worn out.
I cannot imagine a better model of bus from any of the available current or new stock to fill this arduous role, so suggestions to cascade vehicles from other routes don't appeal (unless they are B9TLs of course).
It also helps a depot if they have identical vehicles for a route rather than a mixed fleet.

Leave the TEN alone (though maybe some additional correctly-liveried B9TLs would make the fleet complete).

(26 Oct 2016, 11:09 pm)G-CPTN wrote In my opinion, the B9TLs are ideal for the TEN.
Those who think they are over-specified should consider that this makes them more durable and ensures that they will last longer than B5s, and the current vehicles are far from worn out.
I cannot imagine a better model of bus from any of the available current or new stock to fill this arduous role, so suggestions to cascade vehicles from other routes don't appeal (unless they are B9TLs of course).
It also helps a depot if they have identical vehicles for a route rather than a mixed fleet.

Leave the TEN alone (though maybe some additional correctly-liveried B9TLs would make the fleet complete).

I agree, B9s are the perfect bus for the nature of the TEN.
B9s in my opinion are the modern version of the Volvo Olympian, Robust , Powerful , Comfy and very little Jerking.

The thought of a small 4 cylinder washing machine designed for the Optare Solo is being used to power a Double Decker still hasn't sank in yet, Scania do however offer a Scania N250UD Chassis on the Enviro400MMC body. which is pretty similar to the B9 ( 9.4L 5 Cylinder compared to the 8.9/9.1L 6 Cylinder D9 in the B9 ) but featuring one less cylinder.

(26 Oct 2016, 11:09 pm)G-CPTN wrote In my opinion, the B9TLs are ideal for the TEN.
Those who think they are over-specified should consider that this makes them more durable and ensures that they will last longer than B5s, and the current vehicles are far from worn out.
I cannot imagine a better model of bus from any of the available current or new stock to fill this arduous role, so suggestions to cascade vehicles from other routes don't appeal (unless they are B9TLs of course).
It also helps a depot if they have identical vehicles for a route rather than a mixed fleet.

Leave the TEN alone (though maybe some additional correctly-liveried B9TLs would make the fleet complete).

Don't worry, I'm not on about the TEN if you read carefully between the lines.

'Competitor' 

....and that certainly doesn't involve the TEN routes. Not saying that Streetdecks, Metro Deckers or Volvo B5TLs wouldn't cope either but the first one out if the three would be ideal for another route to allow a cascade for the Northerns plus extra B9s for the TEN to happen.

I also mentioned 'GKN' and the TENs have never been subject to being shortlisted for them.

4963 is now at percy main. Was used on the 11 yesterday.

(26 Oct 2016, 4:09 pm)S813 FVK wrote I always thought that the Northern branding looked like a temporary job but never thought that it would only last a year on the Omnidekkas.

Will certainly be nice to see what comes out of the debrandings, thats for sure!


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6122, 6124, 6125, 6129 and 6130 were de-branded on 25/10/16.

Perhaps weaker brands are being removed, in line with the new, more striking, corporate livery being rolled out? With the allocation of Scania OmniDekkas at Stanley being fluid between branded and non-branded services (as opposed to being dedicated buses for the 6 and X70/X71 as they should be), it makes sense to remove this brand from the network first.

If anyone sees or knows where the demonstrator is on the X1 today, or even if it is out at all that would be greatly appreciated.

(27 Oct 2016, 6:03 am)Dan wrote 6122, 6124, 6125, 6129 and 6130 were de-branded on 25/10/16.

Perhaps weaker brands are being removed, in line with the new, more striking, corporate livery being rolled out? With the allocation of Scania OmniDekkas at Stanley being fluid between branded and non-branded services (as opposed to being dedicated buses for the 6 and X70/X71 as they should be), it makes sense to remove this brand from the network first.

Hopefully something stronger can be estaloshed in the future - likewise with the vehicle type too. They do the job fine but overall, I am not sure that 12/13 year old buses should be operating on the 6/X70/X71 on a regular basis.