(11 Dec 2019, 10:17 am)Stanleyone wrote Are those B5s not destined as spares for the X9/X10 being in Xlines spare livery?

I believe so yes, one will release 6084 to transfer to Deptford then 6099 to Percy Main. I presumed they would of withdrawn an L94 from Riverside as opposed to a transfer or withdraw another DD

Nice to hear there is still an awkwardly long delay between the last stop announcement and the termination announcement. It's been so long since I've been on a service that has NSA all the way to the last stop.

*Proceeds to not bring up how long it's been since the X21 had NSAs*

Also, is anyone else having issues with Tapatalk logging them out of the forum constantly?

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

(11 Dec 2019, 4:24 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Also, is anyone else having issues with Tapatalk logging them out of the forum constantly?

Yes and forum keeps disappearing from things I follow too

(11 Dec 2019, 5:16 pm)Jimmi wrote Yes and forum keeps disappearing from things I follow too

Glad it's not just me then! I might have to start using the mobile site *shudders*

This is the only forum I have linked to Tapatalk, all the other forums I frequent have removed support due to compatibility or stability issues

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

(11 Dec 2019, 4:24 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Nice to hear there is still an awkwardly long delay between the last stop announcement and the termination announcement. It's been so long since I've been on a service that has NSA all the way to the last stop.

*Proceeds to not bring up how long it's been since the X21 had NSAs*

Also, is anyone else having issues with Tapatalk logging them out of the forum constantly?

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

What discussion did you intend to provoke from this post? It makes no sense to me?

Has 5214 been withdrawn as it's been removed from the bustimes fleet list?

(12 Dec 2019, 11:08 pm)S830OFT wrote Has 5214 been withdrawn as it's been removed from the bustimes fleet list?

Not sure, as its still down at Deptford on the GNE fleet allocation page.

https://twitter.com/dangrahamgne/status/...22091?s=21


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thats gonna look sweet

Continuing from my post from the 2019/2020 predictions order thread

Dan, has kindly confirmed in the magazine, that the FAB 56 will enter the paintshop for a repaint and rebrand at some point in the next few weeks, and the rebrand is looking to be "Newcastle Sunderland Citylink"

Please have part of it red and the other part black....

(12 Dec 2019, 11:08 pm)S830OFT wrote Has 5214 been withdrawn as it's been removed from the bustimes fleet list?

5214 is stiill at Deptford, however VOR with gearbox failure.

(13 Dec 2019, 6:41 pm)BFK wrote 5214 is stiill at Deptford, however VOR with gearbox failure.

#missingexpurplesolar

Awful vehicles from a passenger perspective. 
Rattly, noisy, dirty, cold, damp - yet they're organising a swansong on Sunday?
Bet the regulars will be gutted

(13 Dec 2019, 11:27 pm)Andreos1 wrote #missingexpurplesolar

Awful vehicles from a passenger perspective. 
Rattly, noisy, dirty, cold, damp - yet they're organising a swansong on Sunday?
Bet the regulars will be gutted

They were good when they were new, nice and smooth, and I used them daily on what was then the 35/35A between Shields and Sunderland. They were a revelation compared with the SPDs and Excels used beforehand, although the enthusiast in me preferred a B7RLE driven hard...
Still, they were the maids of all work before the Citaros arrived, and like an aged popstar whose voice is long gone, they've had their time but deserve a good send-off.

---

Also, 4976 at Deptford is the last bus in service in the traditional 4xxx single deck fleet numbering series as invented in 1975, so that'll be a sort of end of an era there too. 4961-5 hang on as training vehicles of course.

(14 Dec 2019, 9:55 am)missedbus wrote They were good when they were new, nice and smooth, and I used them daily on what was then the 35/35A between Shields and Sunderland. They were a revelation compared with the SPDs and Excels used beforehand, although the enthusiast in me preferred a B7RLE driven hard...
Still, they were the maids of all work before the Citaros arrived, and like an aged popstar whose voice is long gone, they've had their time but deserve a good send-off.

---

Also, 4976 at Deptford is the last bus in service in the traditional 4xxx single deck fleet numbering series as invented in 1975, so that'll be a sort of end of an era there too. 4961-5 hang on as training vehicles of course.

Speaking of which, I think it was that one that looked expired the other night whilst on the 35.
Parked up with hazards on outside the beehive.

I think I've said before on here, that it was the Solars on the 194 which reignited my interest in buses from a passenger perspective.
Like you, I saw them as an upgrade to what had been seen previously and they did look kind of interesting and different. 

However, I do think they've been flogged to death. 
The eminox upgrades and conditions attached to the funding, really have pushed them beyond what is expected on a front line service vehicle and I do wonder what sort of effect they have had on the associated routes as passengers possibly look for an alternative (comfier) option.

With regards to the repainted Solar, it be interesting to see which Solar they've used as the 55 plated ones (5229-5233) never carried the wedge version of the livery and were delivered in the swoop style.

Wedge - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...825597642/
Swoop - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...825597642/

Unlike solar 4939 which never saw the light of day,that was a real shame

(14 Dec 2019, 2:45 pm)V514DFT wrote Unlike solar 4939 which never saw the light of day,that was a real shame

Well it did, just never turned a wheel in service, 4939 (NK51OLA) was on display at one of the Bus and Coach shows, then it was damage by fire at Scania in Worksop, don't know if the vehicle itself caught fire or it was a victim of another vehicle catching fire at the time.

That was what i meant,and i was 8 at the time it happened, someone else will probably be able to give a better light on it

(14 Dec 2019, 5:44 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Well it did, just never turned a wheel in service, 4939 (NK51OLA) was on display at one of the Bus and Coach shows, then it was damage by fire at Scania in Worksop, don't know if the vehicle itself caught fire or it was a victim of another vehicle catching fire at the time.

Did GNE get a replacement for it?  And had it been officially handed over to them at the time?

Either 4954 or 4955 was the replacement vehicle. They did have a Scania on long term loan until the replacement vehicle came, I recall it having Penguins plastered all over the exterior.

The fire that destroyed 4939 was at Hogarth Coachworks in Birtley, prior to the vehicle being delivered to Go North East (14 October 2001) - I can’t now recall exactly why it was there, but I think on behalf of Scania.

Shame one of the solars couldnt wear 4939's numberplate at one of the events

(14 Dec 2019, 10:49 pm)busmanT wrote The fire that destroyed 4939 was at Hogarth Coachworks in Birtley, prior to the vehicle being delivered to Go North East (14 October 2001) - I can’t now recall exactly why it was there, but I think on behalf of Scania.

I knew it was something to do with Scania considering they were responible for replacing it, anyway after a little bit of digging, it was as a result of a possible arson attack at Hogarths which according to the article I found said it could be one of those linked to a gang of serial arsonists who were going around at the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3093934.stm

(15 Dec 2019, 1:16 am)Rapidsnap wrote I knew it was something to do with Scania considering they were responible for replacing it, anyway after a little bit of digging, it was as a result of a possible arson attack at Hogarths which according to the article I found said it could be one of those linked to a gang of serial arsonists who were going around at the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3093934.stm

I'd forgotten all about those arson attacks.
There was a spate across the area. Can't remember if anyone was ever caught or charged.

(15 Dec 2019, 1:16 am)Rapidsnap wrote I knew it was something to do with Scania considering they were responible for replacing it, anyway after a little bit of digging, it was as a result of a possible arson attack at Hogarths which according to the article I found said it could be one of those linked to a gang of serial arsonists who were going around at the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3093934.stm

Wow. They got around a bit. I wonder if the fire at Evans Hslshaw in Dragon ville, a decade on from then, was in any way linked.

(14 Dec 2019, 8:39 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Either 4954 or 4955 was the replacement vehicle. They did have a Scania on long term loan until the replacement vehicle came, I recall it having Penguins plastered all over the exterior.

Is that why there was only one original 02 plate Scania, with the remainder 2002 examples being 52 plates?

(16 Dec 2019, 12:10 pm)Chris 1 wrote Is that why there was only one original 02 plate Scania, with the remainder 2002 examples being 52 plates?

I always thought 4949 was the replacement for 4939 as wasn't that particular batch 4937 - 4948 or something like that

Nope 4949 was part of that batch hence registered in sequence.

Not sure which of 4954 (NL02ZRX) or 4955 (NA02NVL) was meant to be the replacement.

As addition around that time, Scania / Wright did build a handful of Solars to GNE spec interior which mainly ended up with First Group.

Rapidsnap wroteNope 4949 was part of that batch hence registered in sequence.

Not sure which of 4954 (NL02ZRX) or 4955 (NA02NVL) was meant to be the replacement.

As addition around that time, Scania / Wright did build a handful of Solars to GNE spec interior which mainly ended up with First Group.

I've done a quick comparison of body number and chassis number for the two vehicles, and there's no obvious clues from either as to which might have been the "replacement".  I guess we'd need to look at documents from the time to find out.

Now, how long has the "North East Bus Forum" been going for …..?  ;-)

Possible one may have replace the Volvo B7L demo 4874 which departed around that time. I cannot think of any contracts requiring a single vehicle. I'm sure BusmanT will be able to shed more light on this.