(07 Oct 2022, 2:15 pm)jessarnold003 wrote New user here
I have a couple of questions:
1. Do we know who the depot has been sold to?
2. Are the staff at the depot happy with this move? Can't imagine the commute time being convenient at all
3. Do we know what is happening to the depot once it has closed at the end of October?

Answering Q1, the depot was actually sold back in 2016 I think. Arriva have simply leased it since then. They don't own the depot currently.

So where are the current Jesmond services going to then? Split between Ashington and Blyth?

From what ive heeard friend of a friend of an inspector at blyth they already have moved. Only got 17 drivers instead of 63 too

(26 Oct 2022, 11:57 am)Driver9*** wrote So where are the current Jesmond services going to then? Split between Ashington and Blyth?

Nothing moving to Ashington as of this weekend as far as I'm aware - 47, 55, 553, 555 and 685 plus certain turns on the 51/52/53/54 and 306/308 along with the school boards will be worked out of Stagecoach's Walkergate depot for the foreseeable. Appears Blyth will take on the full 43/44/45 operation alongside the 306/308 (no idea if Blyth will also do the remaining 51/52/53/54 turns)

(26 Oct 2022, 12:12 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Nothing moving to Ashington as of this weekend as far as I'm aware - 47, 55, 553, 555 and 685 plus certain turns on the 51/52/53/54 and 306/308 along with the school boards will be worked out of Stagecoach's Walkergate depot for the foreseeable. Appears Blyth will take on the full 43/44/45 operation alongside the 306/308 (no idea if Blyth will also do the remaining 51/52/53/54 turns)

Yep were getting 34 buses at Walkergate depot from Arriva

Looks like they’ll run out of Jesmond on Sunday morning and all come back to Walkergate on the night

They’ve got some of there portacabins and things there now for there offices

(26 Oct 2022, 2:19 pm)topsweep1506 wrote Yep were getting 34 buses at Walkergate depot from Arriva

Looks like they’ll run out of Jesmond on Sunday morning and all come back to Walkergate on the night

They’ve got some of there portacabins and things there now for there offices

Are Stagecoach going to be repairing their vehicles or will they be done at Ashington or Blyth?

Ashington, Blyth and Durham are handling maintenance. Arriva staff are not permitted into Stagecoach buildings, they're only authorised to use the two lanes allocated to them and the portacabins.

At the moment they're still using Jesmond depot for parking however this is about to change.

Some Arriva buses have already arrived at Walkergate. Blyth now have use of a yard behind Mecca Bingo which is staging quite a few buses too.

(26 Oct 2022, 12:04 pm)Rob44 wrote From what ive heeard friend of a friend of an inspector at blyth they already have moved. Only got 17 drivers instead of 63 too

There were never going to be 63 drivers moving to Blyth, at least not this weekend.

(26 Oct 2022, 7:39 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Ashington, Blyth and Durham are handling maintenance. Arriva staff are not permitted into Stagecoach buildings, they're only authorised to use the two lanes allocated to them and the portacabins.

At the moment they're still using Jesmond depot for parking however this is about to change.

Some Arriva buses have already arrived at Walkergate. Blyth now have use of a yard behind Mecca Bingo which is staging quite a few buses too.

Yep what he said except theres no arriva buses here yet

(26 Oct 2022, 9:22 pm)topsweep1506 wrote Yep what he said except theres no arriva buses here yet

Wasn’t any there when I started work at 6pm last night so was probably bringing people down from Jesmond

Looks like Blyth have the 43s and are currently using 7624 & 1493

(30 Oct 2022, 8:41 am)GNE6312 wrote Looks like Blyth have the 43s and are currently using 7624 & 1493

Not sure what the interworking pattern of these are as they're interworking with the 52 aswell.

There's a 15 minute layover on the X7/X8 aswell between runs so be interesting to see if it involves them aswell.

The X7/X8/X9 are going to interwork somehow in Blyth aswell I guess.

These buses are now allocated to Walkergate depot from Arriva as of today

What is the longer term plan? Will Arriva keep an outstation at Walkergate or eventually mothball and fully merge into Blyth and or Ashington when network is revised again in the future?

(30 Oct 2022, 5:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote What is the longer term plan? Will Arriva keep an outstation at Walkergate or eventually mothball and fully merge into Blyth and or Ashington when network is revised again in the future?

I think it was mentioned that the Walkergate routes will move over to Ashington in March

Just been paying my last respects to Jesmond tonight. Front door open and 9 solos visible inside, as well as Streetlite 1582 in the works area. I'm guessing that the solos were used by Darlo drivers in the transfer of 2707-14 to Faverdale earlier today. Arriva vehicles at Stagecoach's Walkergate depot are parked in lines nearest the Metro tracks, so not easily visible from Shields Road.

For the record, the solos at Walkergate are 2816/20/23/30/32/36/38/39/46. Most of these have spent their working lives in Co Durham and Teesside, but 2816/46, at least, have been allocated to Jesmond before.

RIP Jesmond, I won't be sneaking in there to get bus numbers any more !

(30 Oct 2022, 7:21 pm)N391OTY wrote Just been paying my last respects to Jesmond tonight. Front door open and 9 solos visible inside, as well as Streetlite 1582 in the works area. I'm guessing that the solos were used by Darlo drivers in the transfer of 2707-14 to Faverdale earlier today. Arriva vehicles at Stagecoach's Walkergate depot are parked in lines nearest the Metro tracks, so not easily visible from Shields Road.

For the record, the solos at Walkergate are 2816/20/23/30/32/36/38/39/46. Most of these have spent their working lives in Co Durham and Teesside, but 2816/46, at least, have been allocated to Jesmond before.

RIP Jesmond, I won't be sneaking in there to get bus numbers any more !

Why are solos at Walkergate. For what route I know there is thr Quorum Solo and 2 for the 553 but why the rest

(30 Oct 2022, 7:24 pm)Aaron21 wrote Why are solos at Walkergate. For what route I know there is thr Quorum Solo and 2 for the 553 but why the rest

Sorry, my mistake - the 9 solos are at JESMOND, probably stored.

(30 Oct 2022, 7:32 pm)N391OTY wrote Sorry, my mistake - the 9 solos are at JESMOND, probably stored.

Ah thank god for that. So I'm guessing 2601/02/03 & the Quorum solo have moved to Walkergate

(30 Oct 2022, 7:45 pm)Aaron21 wrote Ah thank god for that. So I'm guessing 2601/02/03 & the Quorum solo have moved to Walkergate

Yes, message #164 gives a list of the 32 Arriva vehicles now based at Walkergate, and they include 2601-03 and 2837.

(30 Oct 2022, 7:21 pm)N391OTY wrote Just been paying my last respects to Jesmond tonight. Front door open and 9 solos visible inside, as well as Streetlite 1582 in the works area. I'm guessing that the solos were used by Darlo drivers in the transfer of 2707-14 to Faverdale earlier today. Arriva vehicles at Stagecoach's Walkergate depot are parked in lines nearest the Metro tracks, so not easily visible from Shields Road.

For the record, the solos at Walkergate are 2816/20/23/30/32/36/38/39/46. Most of these have spent their working lives in Co Durham and Teesside, but 2816/46, at least, have been allocated to Jesmond before.

RIP Jesmond, I won't be sneaking in there to get bus numbers any more !

Not sure about that most of them are Durham based vehicles which got displaced by the 59 Plate Solo's (not sure they've moved yet) - they're all withdrawn though.

Wonder if that's been connected to the two Pulsar's seen heading South which are supposed to be at Blyth and they were shuttling the driver's who delivered them there.

Also sad to see one of the last pre regulation depots go, there's not many left now North of the Tyne especially since Blyth is getting demolished, CLS recently gone and Hexham converted to an outstation. Only really Slatyford and Percy Main left now North of the Tyne.

(30 Oct 2022, 5:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote What is the longer term plan? Will Arriva keep an outstation at Walkergate or eventually mothball and fully merge into Blyth and or Ashington when network is revised again in the future?

You would hope Arriva will take the opportunity to rationalise everything really. They could have quite a streamlined operation going. 

If they got an order of 8-10 MMC's for the X10/X11, displaying the MAX Pulsars to Durham to replace the ALX400's then you could have the following:

Blyth
X7/X8/X9 - DB300's 
X10/X11 - MMC's
306/308 - DB300's 
51/52/53/54/55 - Streetlites 

Ashington
X14/15/18/20 - MMC's
X21/22 - MMC's 
1/2 - Pulsars
43/44/45 - E400's
35 - E400's 
57/57A - Solo's
553 - Solo's
555 - Solo's
685 - Pulsars

This of course assumes that no other services get binned. If there wasn't room at Blyth, you could even move the X10/11 to Ashington with the other MMC services (which I swear was rumoured at one point). That way you're keeping common fleets together. You'd need 1579/80 from Durham to have enough Streetlites, and admittedly you'd probs also have to have E400's as spares at Blyth (tho ideally you'd get 7618/19/26/27 back from Yorkshire in exchange for 7557/8/60/62 though that's probably not that likely - 7609/10 would also be displaced back to Blyth from the Whitby Park and Ride).

If they really had the funds they could get 20 MMC's for the 306-308. Then 10 DB300's could go on the 43/44/45 displacing the 57 plate Enviro's (7501-7507/9 + 7522) to Durham to replace the 55-reg ALX's. The 10 MAX Pulsars could be used for other displacements (Centro's perhaps)

(30 Oct 2022, 10:54 pm)peter wrote You would hope Arriva will take the opportunity to rationalise everything really. They could have quite a streamlined operation going. 

If they got an order of 8-10 MMC's for the X10/X11, displaying the MAX Pulsars to Durham to replace the ALX400's then you could have the following:

Blyth
X7/X8/X9 - DB300's 
X10/X11 - MMC's
306/308 - DB300's 
51/52/53/54/55 - Streetlites 

Ashington
X14/15/18/20 - MMC's
X21/22 - MMC's 
1/2 - Pulsars
43/44/45 - E400's
35 - E400's 
57/57A - Solo's
553 - Solo's
555 - Solo's
685 - Pulsars

This of course assumes that no other services get binned. If there wasn't room at Blyth, you could even move the X10/11 to Ashington with the other MMC services (which I swear was rumoured at one point). That way you're keeping common fleets together. You'd need 1579/80 from Durham to have enough Streetlites, and admittedly you'd probs also have to have E400's as spares at Blyth (tho ideally you'd get 7618/19/26/27 back from Yorkshire in exchange for 7557/8/60/62 though that's probably not that likely - 7609/10 would also be displaced back to Blyth from the Whitby Park and Ride).

If they really had the funds they could get 20 MMC's for the 306-308. Then 10 DB300's could go on the 43/44/45 displacing the 57 plate Enviro's (7501-7507/9 + 7522) to Durham to replace the 55-reg ALX's. The 10 MAX Pulsars could be used for other displacements (Centro's perhaps)

There's only space for 14 singles in the new Blyth plans so that wouldn't work.

Can't see any investment in the 306/308 though it's not due until 2026 and Arriva don't withdraw buses early or displace them either unless they're knackered. Personally I have a feeling the X7/(X8)/X9 will be the routes that get the investment (don't think the X8 will exist as it is) because of the train line and they're the routes which will be impacted the most.

Not to mention they're allocated (on paper) the oldest Deckers, 7601 - 7608 which were originally bought for them hence them being branded in them all their life.

7501 - 7517 need put into a spare role though or withdrawn completely, they're all wrecked. They definitely shouldn't be replacing the ALX's (they'll be replaced by London cascades imo).

It's the Solo's that need to go though as they're junk at both Ashington and Durham.

(30 Oct 2022, 11:31 pm)Storx wrote There's only space for 14 singles in the new Blyth plans so that wouldn't work.

Can't see any investment in the 306/308 though it's not due until 2026 and Arriva don't withdraw buses early or displace them either unless they're knackered. Personally I have a feeling the X7/(X8)/X9 will be the routes that get the investment (don't think the X8 will exist as it is) because of the train line and they're the routes which will be impacted the most.

Not to mention they're allocated (on paper) the oldest Deckers, 7601 - 7608 which were originally bought for them hence them being branded in them all their life.

7501 - 7517 need put into a spare role though or withdrawn completely, they're all wrecked. They definitely shouldn't be replacing the ALX's (they'll be replaced by London cascades imo).

It's the Solo's that need to go though as they're junk at both Ashington and Durham.

Yeah, I was aware of the Blyth plans and the limit on single decks - wasn't sure if plans had changed since then. It still works though, let's assume they bin the 55 or run that from Ashington, the PVR of the 51/52/53/54 is 13 (currently 12 because the 53 is terminating short once per hour). You'd just have to use a decker as an extra spare. 

Yeah I did think about the X7/8/9 getting new vehicles in my original post, I don't know the area well and was under the impression they might not perform as well as the X10/11 or 306/308. Indeed, I recall when they were in the Quorum plum livery. I can certainly see the X8 being withdrawn as otherwise the PVR's too high. The new plans allow 43 double deckers - the PVR of the 306/308, X7/8/9 an X10/11 is 40. If you got rid of the X8 then you'd cut a chunk out of the PVR of 14 on the X7/8/9 circuit, which would probably be about right. 

I don't think they should be replacing them but I reckon they might given they've already sent 7511/12 down there. Or they may leave them on the 43/44/45 another year - they had ex-London W/X-reg ALX400's before so have always had an old clapped out fleet.

I think all the 08 plate Solo's have been withdrawn (at least on paper). Are the 59-plate and 11-plate any better given they're a touch younger?

(31 Oct 2022, 7:02 pm)peter wrote Yeah, I was aware of the Blyth plans and the limit on single decks - wasn't sure if plans had changed since then. It still works though, let's assume they bin the 55 or run that from Ashington, the PVR of the 51/52/53/54 is 13 (currently 12 because the 53 is terminating short once per hour). You'd just have to use a decker as an extra spare. 

Yeah I did think about the X7/8/9 getting new vehicles in my original post, I don't know the area well and was under the impression they might not perform as well as the X10/11 or 306/308. Indeed, I recall when they were in the Quorum plum livery. I can certainly see the X8 being withdrawn as otherwise the PVR's too high. The new plans allow 43 double deckers - the PVR of the 306/308, X7/8/9 an X10/11 is 40. If you got rid of the X8 then you'd cut a chunk out of the PVR of 14 on the X7/8/9 circuit, which would probably be about right. 

I don't think they should be replacing them but I reckon they might given they've already sent 7511/12 down there. Or they may leave them on the 43/44/45 another year - they had ex-London W/X-reg ALX400's before so have always had an old clapped out fleet.

I think all the 08 plate Solo's have been withdrawn (at least on paper). Are the 59-plate and 11-plate any better given they're a touch younger?

Don't think so as far as I'm aware.

Personally I think the 51 will be downgraded to minibus again at some point once they find something to actually run them (assuming the grounding issues were on there somewhere).

It's a weird one as Arriva don't always renew things you'd expect like the X14 and X20 getting new buses on paper probably aren't too routes which really deserve them but they got them and the 35 has some relatively new Enviro's aswell.

Wonder if there might be a case for a batch of something for the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 at some point which would result in all 61 plates doing the 306/308 for a couple year and the 59 plates being split up replacing the oldest Enviro's for the 43/44/45/X46 - there should be enough of them.

Well at one point today there was 2/5 of them on the 57/57A, one hasn't turned up as it's broken and depending on what the spare machines are 2856 is off the road today aswell so it's pretty much back to square one again. I'm not sure whether it's a vehicle issue either but they losing time in random places aswell.

Whats the allocations of routes now, ive seen 3 classic 400s on the 308 today and a gemini on the 306, nearly posted in r&o workings, but deleted the post last minute incase they weren't r&o at all

(04 Nov 2022, 5:11 pm)V514DFT wrote Whats the allocations of routes now, ive seen 3 classic 400s on the 308 today and a gemini on the 306, nearly posted in r&o workings, but deleted the post last minute incase they weren't r&o at all

Blyth and Walkergate are both running the 306/308 which interwork.

As for Blyth's allocations it's any bus on any route with the 57 plate Enviro's added to the pool and a few extra Pulsar's

(04 Nov 2022, 7:09 pm)Storx wrote Blyth and Walkergate are both running the 306/308 which interwork.

As for Blyth's allocations it's any bus on any route with the 57 plate Enviro's added to the pool and a few extra Pulsar's

Cheers Storx

Barring the 306, could Arriva eventually decide to sell off the former Jesmond depot operation (including all routes temporarily moved to Blyth) to Stagecoach?