(15 Feb 2018, 8:22 pm)S813 FVK wrote 6149 in Black:

Go North East LJ62 KBY by Yorkshire  Paper Buses & Bus Photos, on Flickr

Looks smart in black, looks like it could confirm Toonlink?, but how many will be allocated as 6157 is "Go North East".

(15 Feb 2018, 9:56 pm)Michael wrote Looks smart in black, looks like it could confirm Toonlink?, but how many will be allocated as 6157 is "Go North East".

First post of the thread: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...p?tid=2078&pid=213412#pid213412

From that it appears to be 6149-55 as Toon Link with the rest being in the corporate livery and the Omnicities staying where they are.

When it comes to cascading out some Omnidekkas, presumably to Percy Main and Chester, I wonder if they will transfer out the fleet livery ones and the black Toonlink ones will stay at Stanley to save repainting them, as a Toonlink Omnidekka being used on a board that contains scholars and some peak trips isn’t the worst wrong brand allocation.

(15 Feb 2018, 4:39 pm)Dan wrote The first ex-London Volvo B9TL was delivered today.

Go North East: 6161 / LJ62KZP by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Must have been short of white/cream/pale blue paint for the handles/grab rails !!   Just doesn't look right with yellow.

(16 Feb 2018, 12:14 am)park5354 wrote Must have been short of white/cream/pale blue paint for the handles/grab rails !!   Just doesn't look right with yellow.

They were yellow in London so most likely just keeping them as they were

Would have been nice to see these Geminis refurbished in the 2017 spec, but I suppose cost would have had a factor?

Older vehicles have had more comprehensive refurbishments when transferring to GNE in the past, but again, could be money permitting.

It costs quite a lot to remove the centre door, fit a ramp at the front, make a new offside emergency exit and fit new destinations, so it’s perhaps understandable that these 5 year old buses haven’t had a full refurbishment.


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Isnt the 93/94 also black,remember the solars on there are 14 years old this year

(15 Feb 2018, 10:09 pm)S813 FVK wrote First post of the thread: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...p?tid=2078&pid=213412#pid213412

From that it appears to be 6149-55 as Toon Link with the rest being in the corporate livery and the Omnicities staying where they are.

That was speculation at the time, not confirming it.

(15 Feb 2018, 8:21 pm)thetravelman wrote Thanks, that’s what I thought but wasn’t sure. What made me doubt this is the first couple of early Morning Newcastle / Blaydon departures, obviously leave heading for Hexham before a Newcastle bound service arrives, so I guess in this instance these buses run light first from Hexham to take up their position on the route heading back to Hexham.

Riverside pick up an early morning turn on 10 from Blaydon. 

Hexham do a 10A from Rockwood Hill that becomes the first 10 at Eldon Sq. 

In addition Riverside cover 2 or 3 turns between Metrocentre and Newcastle when a Hexham driver gets a break at the Metrocentre.

Hexham also covers evening turns on 10A and 10B

(16 Feb 2018, 8:08 am)Michael wrote That was speculation at the time, not confirming it.

Was it? I certainly didn’t read it as speculation.

(16 Feb 2018, 7:39 am)V514DFT wrote Isnt the 93/94 also black,remember the solars on there are 14 years old this year

They were fitted with exhaust modifications like the green arrow and black cat solars. There will be a penalty of they are removed from riverside

Any updates on the repaints of the last 5 South Tyne Versa's?, have any been repainted yet?

(16 Feb 2018, 8:21 am)JP6004 wrote They were fitted with exhaust modifications like the green arrow and black cat solars. There will be a penalty of they are removed from riverside

Fair enough

Ex London B9TL's sure are for Stanley 6/X30/X70 etc,, &15 . Shame if the Black livery is to maintain drab "ToonLink" branding - Could have been great opportunity to launch new exciting brand for long established routes which have been left to diminish recently with inferior pricing , equipment (buses) , promotions, and lack of integration into Metro link ticketing.
Great Potential on "Northern" established brand N.W. Durham services... Stanley/Consett services to Newcastle should be promoted as Premium services with high profile branding.

5463 has had an accident this morning in Ryhope.

Photo from the Sunderlandnow Facebook page.

Recently there has been x9/10s logged as failed in service.i dont know if this is the branded deckers or replacements.i have noticed over couple weeks branded x9/10s on other local services,which i find strange as there is only about 7 of them.surely they should all be working the teeside route as much as possible,not wandering around on slow local services. Does this have any impact on the engines of these buses, as theywill be used on slow stop start routes, then back to high speeds.drivers used to saythis was the reason buses of the past were breaking down because of this type of use,just wondering if there is any truth in this.

(15 Feb 2018, 4:39 pm)Dan wrote The first ex-London Volvo B9TL was delivered today.

Go North East: 6161 / LJ62KZP by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

When wlll 6161 enter service?

Has the NSA screen on 6053 been updated
Looked blue when it passed me this afternoon


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6157 has arrived back now

Photo by Dan: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgrah...67/in/feed

Did I spot the Coaster hybrid that’s still in the angel-green/big days out livery with a completely coaster-blue front end this morning?

GNE website confirms 6161 for Stanley

(20 Feb 2018, 1:04 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Did I spot the Coaster hybrid that’s still in the angel-green/big days out livery with a completely coaster-blue front end this morning?

Yes there is, Couldn’t find a photo of it on Flickr so here’s On from Facebook


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(20 Feb 2018, 10:24 am)Michael wrote 6157 has arrived back now

Photo by Dan: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgrah...67/in/feed

6157 arrived late on yesterday afternoon, hence the naff photo as it started to get dark.

6149 the latest to be delivered - the first one in black.

(20 Feb 2018, 1:04 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Did I spot the Coaster hybrid that’s still in the angel-green/big days out livery with a completely coaster-blue front end this morning?

Yes - more info on our news page:
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/item.php?operatorF=2&fleetnoF=6069

Logic behind it being done is sound, but looks awful in practice.

(20 Feb 2018, 1:14 pm)JP6004 wrote GNE website confirms 6161 for Stanley

All for Stanley.

6149 - 6155: Black for Toon Link
6156 - 6161: Fleet livery

Three of the fleet livery examples to be allocated to services 15/15A, three to be used as spares.

(20 Feb 2018, 2:44 pm)Dan wrote Logic behind it being done is sound, but looks awful in practice.

Surely there was a more appropriate bus to brand for the big days out knowing that the hybrids were due off the 21 soon after. How long is the promotion running for? Will be glad to see it repainted properly.

(20 Feb 2018, 5:24 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote Surely there was a more appropriate bus to brand for the big days out knowing that the hybrids were due off the 21 soon after. How long is the promotion running for? Will be glad to see it repainted properly.

Not one with a field-like livery like 6069 - each bus was meant to have a different theme: coastal, country, etc. 

Don't think anyone really envisaged 6069 being the spare bus for Coaster causing an issue - it's only recently customer and staff feedback has suggested that the front end looks a little too Angel-like, and the bus may be perceived as a 21 service rather than a 1 on the shared corridor Gateshead - Low Fell.

The Big Days Out campaign is an ongoing campaign, and has since kicked off other similar campaigns (Big Nights Out, etc), so 6069 is unlikely to be painted in fleet livery any time soon (if it was right round the corner, I doubt 6069 would have had a partial repaint).

Has 6130 already been scrapped, or parts recovery still to take place?

(20 Feb 2018, 6:04 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote Has 6130 already been scrapped, or parts recovery still to take place?

More or less everything salvageable - so lots to be stripped out at Riverside before it is scrapped.

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https://flic.kr/p/21LFCUf

9083 has now entered service on 309/310


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(20 Feb 2018, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote More or less everything salvageable - so lots to be stripped out at Riverside before it is scrapped.

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Thought it can't of been yet. Was reports it had been scrapped, which seemed a pretty quick turnaround! Has it been moved Riverside yet?