(08 Mar 2017, 8:56 am)Pulsar wrote Go North East Trialed a B8RLE back in 2015, fleet number 9108.

http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/item.php?operatorF=2&fleetnoF=9108

Doubt they will trial one again and they will probably just continue to buy streetlites.

As the B8RLE is a Volvo product (with Wright bodywork) and not a mainline or part of the Wrightbus range, maybe it does not fit with the new relationship GNE have with Wright bus
Wonder why GNE haven't trialed the Volvo 7900 Hybrid:

Interesting video in link (Lothian / Volvo partnership) :

http://www.volvobuses.co.uk/en-gb/our-of...ybrid.html

Seems to be a good all rounder for city, rural and long distance performance, economy and endurance.

(08 Mar 2017, 10:14 am)Venturego wrote As the B8RLE is a Volvo product (with Wright bodywork) and not a mainline or part of the Wrightbus range, maybe it does not fit with the new relationship GNE have with Wright bus
Wonder why GNE haven't trialed the Volvo 7900 Hybrid:

Interesting video in link (Lothian / Volvo partnership) :

http://www.volvobuses.co.uk/en-gb/our-of...ybrid.html

Seems to be a good all rounder for city, rural and long distance performance, economy and endurance.

They should but it looks like they never will, shame because i've nothing but good reviews about them, i've yet to go on one so can't comment on them from a personal point of view.


The only bus they go be compared to is the newest Streetlites, Citaro's maybe.

What can we expect on the 901s on sunday. Do the buses have to be cooperate livery or could the put a livery bus on for reliabilty than the older buses in the fleet. Also the b9s have two bays for pushchairs but b7s only one

(08 Mar 2017, 4:40 pm)dannygee wrote What can we expect on the 901s on sunday. Do the buses have to be cooperate livery or could the put a livery bus on for reliabilty than the older buses in the fleet. Also the b9s have two bays for pushchairs but b7s only one

Omnidekkas and vykings with a couple of presidents thrown in.

(08 Mar 2017, 12:53 am)Panasonic44 wrote Would GNE get https://www.flickr.com/photos/70333100@N08/33265590796/ as demo to replace older L94s

Heaven help us, thats even uglier than their decker!

Couple of drivers are saying that service X7 will be coming off after it's probation period, nothing was said about service X6


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(08 Mar 2017, 6:34 pm)cbma06 wrote Couple of drivers are saying that service X7 will be coming off after it's probation period, nothing was said about service X6


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I was at meeting today with a high level member of Go North East and he was praising X5/6/7 services, when i see the X6 and X7 they are nearly always carrying fresh air, he has also stated that there where no plans to alter the East Durham Network.
I think personally it was a mistake too have cancelled the Peterlee - Middlesbrough section.. Go North East say it was talking trade from there flagship service X9.

(08 Mar 2017, 7:56 pm)2bagstew wrote I was at meeting today with a high level member of Go North East and he was praising X5/6/7 services, when i see the X6 and X7 they are nearly always carrying fresh air, he has also stated that there where no plans to alter the East Durham Network.
I think personally it was a mistake too have cancelled the Peterlee - Middlesbrough section.. Go North East say it was talking trade from there flagship service X9.

Service X7 is picking up between peterlee bus station-Oakerside- peterlee bus station , but doesn't help when most passengers are getting on with free passes and also timed behind Arriva service 24 by about 5 minutes roughly.


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(08 Mar 2017, 7:56 pm)2bagstew wrote I was at meeting today with a high level member of Go North East and he was praising X5/6/7 services, when i see the X6 and X7 they are nearly always carrying fresh air, he has also stated that there where no plans to alter the East Durham Network.
I think personally it was a mistake too have cancelled the Peterlee - Middlesbrough section.. Go North East say it was talking trade from there flagship service X9.

Only reason when it was taking trade from service X9 was because the X9 gets heavily delayed due to traffic congestion and the A19.


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The holder of the free pass will get the first bus that turns up. The Arriva 24 has some running late issues caused by delays in Durham.


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(08 Mar 2017, 8:27 pm)2bagstew wrote The holder of the free pass will get the first bus that turns up. The Arriva 24 has some running late issues caused by delays in Durham.


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Arriva 24 is being hit by delays of roadworks and temporary traffic lights at Horden and Hartlepool, with delays to service 24 upto 16 minutes at peak times, passengers are using service X7 around Grampian drive area as there lost there service as Arriva streamlined there services in Peterlee area. It's a shame GNE couldn't retime X7 around Peterlee by 5 minutes earlier. Not all free bus pass holders get on the first bus that arrives especially when there traveling to Sunderland as Arriva pulled out of there direct service to Sunderland


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5284 entered service at Deptford on service 39: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/33...ateposted/
697 repainted into the new corporate livery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...otostream/

Look at the Wear Xpress X5 branding from the front: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...ateposted/

(08 Mar 2017, 9:18 pm)S813 FVK wrote 5284 entered service at Deptford on service 39: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/33...ateposted/
697 repainted into the new corporate livery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...otostream/

Look at the Wear Xpress X5 branding from the front: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...ateposted/

There is nothing much Express about the X5.
All the Citario's should be on the X5 within a few weeks.


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Chester-Le-Street have borrowed 5324 again https://www.flickr.com/photos/131962719@...514450923/

(08 Mar 2017, 9:36 pm)2bagstew wrote There is nothing much Express about the X5.
All the Citario's should be on the X5 within a few weeks.


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The X5 is a express bus within Tyne and Wear boundary, you could say the same with service X6 and X7 also, having an X prefix before the number doesn't mean it's non stop, this has been talked about before on the Arriva thread especially on service X21/X22 in County Durham area.


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(09 Mar 2017, 6:51 am)cbma06 wrote The X5 is a express bus within Tyne and Wear boundary, you could say the same with service X6 and X7 also, having an X prefix before the number doesn't mean it's non stop, this has been talked about before on the Arriva thread especially on service X21/X22 in County Durham area.


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I was under the impression that the Arriva Durham County X21 X22 services where given the X prefix in preparation for the services to come under the MAX banner later this year.


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5338 is at Chester-le-Street depot today, working service 34A.

(08 Mar 2017, 9:18 pm)cbma06 wrote Arriva 24 is being hit by delays of roadworks and temporary traffic lights at Horden and Hartlepool, with delays to service 24 upto 16 minutes at peak times, passengers are using service X7 around Grampian drive area as there lost there service as Arriva streamlined there services in Peterlee area. It's a shame GNE couldn't retime X7 around Peterlee by 5 minutes earlier. Not all free bus pass holders get on the first bus that arrives especially when there traveling to Sunderland as Arriva pulled out of there direct service to Sunderland


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The X6 through to Hartlepool seems to have helped Arriva quite a bit strangely.  After doing 2/3 days in a row on 23s, I noticed that the X6 was running with 5 people max. over all the journeys that I saw, whilst the Arriva Streetlites had around a half-loading.  I still think the problem that GNE have in Peterlee is that of weekly tickets.  They have no evening/Sunday services operating between Sunderland-Peterlee-Hartlepool whereas Arriva have some sort of network and therefore is more appealing to passengers.

(09 Mar 2017, 11:47 am)Jimmi wrote 5338 is at Chester-le-Street depot today, working service 34A.

It was there yesterday aswell operating the peak X21 journey from Eldon Sq at 17:20/17:25 can't remember what time it leaves

I know that they had demo last time but because they updated the front to match Streetdeck. I thought GNE would have got demo how it would look with them. It would be nice to see other volvo single deckers like 7900h to be demo.

(09 Mar 2017, 12:05 pm)palatine3833 wrote The X6 through to Hartlepool seems to have helped Arriva quite a bit strangely.  After doing 2/3 days in a row on 23s, I noticed that the X6 was running with 5 people max. over all the journeys that I saw, whilst the Arriva Streetlites had around a half-loading.  I still think the problem that GNE have in Peterlee is that of weekly tickets.  They have no evening/Sunday services operating between Sunderland-Peterlee-Hartlepool whereas Arriva have some sort of network and therefore is more appealing to passengers.

At midday today there was a X6 spotted on the A19 sliproad southbound at Peterlee roundabout at traffic lights with at least 15 passengers onboard. Time is needed to bed in the new services so passengers can get to know, it took awhile for passengers to get to know about when service X7 originally started up the first time.


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5289 has entered service on X5: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...ateposted/ - it has also gained the feature blobs
707 also entered service (zoom in on the photo for the full No Change? tagline): https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/33...otostream/

(10 Mar 2017, 6:03 pm)S813 FVK wrote 5289 has entered service on X5: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/32...ateposted/
707 also entered service (zoom in on the photo for the full No Change? tagline): https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/33...otostream/

Other boards on the X5 today included corporate liveried Solars and at least one Streetlite.

697 was parked in Riverside depot this afternoon.

(10 Mar 2017, 6:21 pm)park5354 wrote 697 was parked in Riverside depot this afternoon.

This vehicle was heading towards riverside about 10am, same driver (fitter) was then driving 713 ( venture coloured) back the opposite way about 10.30am

(10 Mar 2017, 6:21 pm)park5354 wrote 697 was parked in Riverside depot this afternoon.

697 was supposed to be going to Deptford to replace 635.

(10 Mar 2017, 9:13 pm)Michael wrote 697 was supposed to be going to Deptford to replace 635.

They normally go to Riverside to be cleaned before going to their new depot.

(10 Mar 2017, 10:01 pm)citaro5284 wrote They normally go to Riverside to be cleaned before going to their new depot.

Ah right, didn't know.

Does any one know when a X5 Citaro be leaving Hartlepool Marina at about 2.30 or 3.00

(11 Mar 2017, 1:00 pm)LivingOnGNE wrote Does any one know when a X5 Citaro be leaving Hartlepool Marina at about 2.30 or 3.00

5289 should do the 1602

5284 (fleet livery) should do the 1432

As it has yet to be mentioned in the news, 638 is now in Corporate livery