I think the next lot of disposals when new buses are ordered will be the Renowns , The Lime might get new buses or cascades off other routes if other routes get new buses.

The Red Kites havnt seen any newer upgrades yet.

Would like to see some of the red northern cadets go to Peterlee, but that will never happen.

Would like to see solars going onto the X7, as the X7 renowns have been hit very hard of breakdowns, hate it when standing there with a GNE ticket to get from Sunderland to Peterlee and theres a no show due to breakdown and no replacement bus, and having then sit on the X35 for an hour to Peterlee via the world.

Cant see the 35 getting any new buses for awhile except of replacing the solars on there with the citarios

(05 Dec 2013, 7:38 pm)cbma06 wrote I think the next lot of disposals when new buses are ordered will be the Renowns , The Lime might get new buses or cascades off other routes if other routes get new buses.

The Red Kites havnt seen any newer upgrades yet.

Would like to see some of the red northern cadets go to Peterlee, but that will never happen.

Would like to see solars going onto the X7, as the X7 renowns have been hit very hard of breakdowns, hate it when standing there with a GNE ticket to get from Sunderland to Peterlee and theres a no show due to breakdown and no replacement bus, and having then sit on the X35 for an hour to Peterlee via the world.

Cant see the 35 getting any new buses for awhile except of replacing the solars on there with the citarios

Correct. The B10s are being moved inline for withdrawl.

I'd be very surprised if the X66 see's new stock what with the current Citaro bendies getting refurbished and rebranded.

(05 Dec 2013, 7:58 pm)tyresmoke wrote I'd be very surprised if the X66 see's new stock what with the current Citaro bendies getting refurbished and rebranded.

Refurbished?

(05 Dec 2013, 7:59 pm)Rob wrote Refurbished?

Been at Thornton's haven't they? Probably more like a thorough clean though... they were refurbished when they arrived obviously! They did need a good clean inside mind!

(05 Dec 2013, 8:08 pm)tyresmoke wrote Been at Thornton's haven't they? Probably more like a thorough clean though... they were refurbished when they arrived obviously! They did need a good clean inside mind!

A cleanup and some new vinyls to freshen the brand, doesn't seem excessive to me.

(05 Dec 2013, 6:49 pm)Rob wrote Standard single decked vehicles with an increase in frequency maybe? It would provide the same capacity across the route per hour as the articulated Citaro do.

The X66 wouldnt be the same without artics, but if they were to get new buses would the Citaros replace the Solar Fusions on the X40?

(05 Dec 2013, 8:18 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote The X66 wouldnt be the same without artics, but if they were to get new buses would the Citaros replace the Solar Fusions on the X40?

Unlikely

(05 Dec 2013, 7:43 pm)Rob wrote Correct. The B10s are being moved inline for withdrawl.

I can see the first Cadets going as well as the early B10BLE.

I would have Lime, Toonlink, X66 and Fab57 at the top of my list - Quaylink won't get new buses until the contract is renewed (2015?) and routes like the 17 won't ever be busy enough for new buses.

To pick up on what Rob was saying regarding the X66, I'd be inclined to say the replacement for the bendies would come in the form of 11.7m Versas.

The current bendies have a seating capacity of 53, and run on a 7/8 min frequency, meaning there are 424 seats each hour between Gateshead & the Metrocentre. The 11.7m Versas have 43 seats, so if that is upgraded to run on a 6 minute frequency, then 430 seats will be provided each hour between the two places.

Also, I noticed the other week Rob did request for a paper bus drawing of a X66 Versa

(05 Dec 2013, 8:08 pm)tyresmoke wrote Been at Thornton's haven't they? Probably more like a thorough clean though... they were refurbished when they arrived obviously! They did need a good clean inside mind!

I thought it was just the '54' plates that got refurbished? The '57' plates carry London moquettes, I think?

(06 Dec 2013, 9:09 am)BJ10VUS wrote I thought it was just the '54' plates that got refurbished? The '57' plates carry London moquettes, I think?

The 4 X66 branded vehicles were refurbished prior to entering service. This way carried out alongside the conversion from 3 doored vehicles to 2 doored vehicles.

As I was bored I decided to go through a list of Various Buses Available, to Compare there Seating Capacities on a (Every 6 Minutes Frequency) Per Hour, For Service X66.

Optare Versa 11.7m - 43 seats - 430 each hour
Mercedes Citaro – 32 seats – 320 each hour
Wright Streetlite 11.5m – 45 seats – 450 each hour
Wright Pulsar 2 Lightweight – 44 seats – 440 each hour
Wright Esclipse 2 Full Size – 45 seats – 450 each hour
Wright Solar K230 (Rural Variation) – 55 seats – 550 each hour
Wright Streetcar RTV – 44 seats – 440 each hour
Volvo 7900H – 41 seats - 410 each hour
Volvo 7900H Artic – Would depend on Overall Layout and Specification - ??? each hour
Man Ecocity – 42 seats – 420 each hour

That Wright solar K230 (rural) sounds a good bus for the X66, due to its 550 seats a hour.

(22 Dec 2013, 2:53 pm)Michael wrote That Wright solar K230 (rural) sounds a good bus for the X66, due to its 550 seats a hour.

Overall capacity is what means something on the X66.
It's a short journey, so standees really aren't an issue.

Adam - you can exclude any articulated vehicles from your list straight away. It's because of the increased costs why the X66 is being considered for an upgrade next year.

(21 Dec 2013, 9:21 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote As I was bored I decided to go through a list of Various Buses Available, to Compare there Seating Capacities on a (Every 6 Minutes Frequency) Per Hour, For Service X66.

Optare Versa 11.7m - 43 seats - 430 each hour
Mercedes Citaro – 32 seats – 320 each hour
Wright Streetlite 11.5m – 45 seats – 450 each hour
Wright Pulsar 2 Lightweight – 44 seats – 440 each hour
Wright Esclipse 2 Full Size – 45 seats – 450 each hour
Wright Solar K230 (Rural Variation) – 55 seats – 550 each hour
Wright Streetcar RTV – 44 seats – 440 each hour
Volvo 7900H – 41 seats - 410 each hour
Volvo 7900H Artic – Would depend on Overall Layout and Specification - ??? each hour
Man Ecocity – 42 seats – 420 each hour

Since when have Citaros only had 32 seats? They have 40 seats.

(22 Dec 2013, 3:05 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Since when have Citaros only had 32 seats? They have 40 seats.

From the Mercedes Website
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/...itaro.html

(22 Dec 2013, 9:48 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote From the Mercedes Website
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/...itaro.html

And those are dual door versions. Single Door examples (ie the ones Go North East order) seat 40.

I think we'll be able to look forward to a number of demonstration vehicles over the course of the next few months leading up to the final decision of which vehicles are to be ordered. This will strongly influence the decision as to which vehicles will be purchased.
The depot blueprints for Riverside will no doubt allow for the building of eco-friendly infrastructure, and it would be wise to take such an opportunity to invest in eco-friendly buses this way.

We must remember that Go North East have a good relationship with both Volvo and Wrights, and remember the manufacturers where relationships are rumoured to have soured as a result of previous incidents.
Despite this - if a demonstration vehicle serves its purpose, proves to be suitable for the route which it has been allocated to, and is generally speaking quite cheap to run, then new partnerships can be formed.

(23 Dec 2013, 9:01 am)Dan wrote I think we'll be able to look forward to a number of demonstration vehicles over the course of the next few months leading up to the final decision of which vehicles are to be ordered. This will strongly influence the decision as to which vehicles will be purchased.
The depot blueprints for Riverside will no doubt allow for the building of eco-friendly infrastructure, and it would be wise to take such an opportunity to invest in eco-friendly buses this way.

We must remember that Go North East have a good relationship with both Volvo and Wrights, and remember the manufacturers where relationships are rumoured to have soured as a result of previous incidents.
Despite this - if a demonstration vehicle serves its purpose, proves to be suitable for the route which it has been allocated to, and is generally speaking quite cheap to run, then new partnerships can be formed.

I hope so, =D, Wonder which services would get a demo run.

Going by Robs "Teaser List" i would say these:

Lime
X66
Laser
Crusader
M2,M3,W5,W6

relationship mustn't of being that bad if GNE ordered 34 new Volvo's and 18 new Streetlites from Wright's, think it might of being blown out of proportion.

(23 Dec 2013, 11:47 am)Michael wrote relationship mustn't of being that bad if GNE ordered 34 new Volvo's and 18 new Streetlites from Wright's, think it might of being blown out of proportion.

I said GNE have a good relationship with Volvo and Wrights, but not such a good relationship with others.
I'll not mention a manufacturer's name as all of this is on the public domain, but it has been discussed previously on the main GNE thread.

(23 Dec 2013, 11:55 am)Dan wrote I said GNE have a good relationship with Volvo and Wrights, but not such a good relationship with others.
I'll not mention a manufacturer's name as all of this is on the public domain, but it has been discussed previously on the main GNE thread.

Sorry Dan, I mis-read it, need to read more carefully!

(23 Dec 2013, 11:57 am)Michael wrote Sorry Dan, I mis-read it, need to read more carefully!

I'll let you off - it's Monday morning...just!

(23 Dec 2013, 11:58 am)Dan wrote I'll let you off - it's Monday morning...just!

Thanks, that's not a full one mind

I really hope they can get a bus which can run the demand of the Lime service, i mean its one long route.

(23 Dec 2013, 12:00 pm)Michael wrote I really hope they can get a bus which can run the demand of the Lime service, i mean its one long route.

The Citaro does seem the most appropriate vehicle, in my opinion.
A demonstrator could prove us wrong though!

(23 Dec 2013, 12:10 pm)Dan wrote The Citaro does seem the most appropriate vehicle, in my opinion.
A demonstrator could prove us wrong though!

I think a Omnicty,Versa, Streetlite would defiantly struggle but i hope i'm proved wrong.

The lime has had a couple of Omni's on the route, how has them ones done, even though it was only a couple of runs

(23 Dec 2013, 12:15 pm)Michael wrote The lime has had a couple of Omni's on the route, how has them ones done, even though it was only a couple of runs

They may cope for a day if allocated, but if it was day in day out... I reckon they would struggle.

(23 Dec 2013, 12:18 pm)Dan wrote They may cope for a day if allocated, but if it was day in day out... I reckon they would struggle.

Shame because i like them... i really want them on a service in Sunderland.

I really think the Citaro's are good, think that could be the choice ahead of other buses so they might just get on to the service, Unless a new Demo proves all of us wrong! - Just to add we all could be wrong and they could get B9's :p

i just hope what ever buses they get it's not painted "Lime" on them, i would go for "Gold" and call it something new... something iv'e yet to decide.... watch this space...

Oh and they only spent 14m on 100 buses this year, isn't bad at all

(23 Dec 2013, 12:25 pm)Michael wrote Shame because i like them... i really want them on a service in Sunderland.

I really think the Citaro's are good, think that could be the choice ahead of other buses so they might just get on to the service, Unless a new Demo proves all of us wrong! - Just to add we all could be wrong and they could get B9's :p

i just hope what ever buses they get it's not painted "Lime" on them, i would go for "Gold" and call it something new... something iv'e yet to decide.... watch this space...

Oh and they only spent 14m on 100 buses this year, isn't bad at all

B9s are highly unlikely because of the Bridge at Pelton. If a decker was to go that way it would be converted into an open top! Thats why deckers are never used on 8/78.

(23 Dec 2013, 12:55 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote B9s are highly unlikely because of the Bridge at Pelton. If a decker was to go that way it would be converted into an open top! Thats why deckers are never used on 8/78.

Wasn't sure if their was bridges on their routes, so the B9's are out of question