(12 Dec 2022, 9:37 pm)Andreos1 wrote There's clearly issues.
How much was preventative and how much wasn't is probably where this conversation needs to go.

Older buses have been purchased or allocated to the scholars and contracted routes for a reason. Except they're not always being allocated. Maintenance issues? Cost issues? Budgeting or cash flow reasons? 
To fulfil the contracts, it's looking like these higher spec vehicles are being sent out - with the end result, being this. And additional repair bills. 

I'd argue that under the previous regime, too much money was spent on titivations and improving passenger perception through those titivations. 
Now? It looks like the budget for everything is being slashed. Or from the outside in that appears to be the case.

Voltra buses on a lot recently (QuayCity E12 this morning). Xlines buses are on daily as far I know, across the region. Usually Angel, Crusader, Tyne Valley 10 are on as well and rarely Loop, EGR, Cobalts are on. Strange allocations, some are really consistent (and correctly, arguably, use older buses which are on commercial work less than other spec vehicles) while at the same time Xlines and Voltras are sometimes on instead of old buses.

Im currently on Crusader 6007 which is pretending to be an Angel and it’s horrific inside, the floors have a thick layer of dust and soil and look like they haven’t seen a brush or mop in weeks,

It genuinely looks like someone has dumped soil around the corners.

The back of the seats are layered with dust and spilt liquids.

It’s really poor

(21 Dec 2022, 9:26 am)Andreos1 wrote Was on 6129 last night.

The smell of foist hit as soon as I got near the saloon doors. Cakes smushed up on the floor and rust caking the window hoppers.

Aye, it had just been on scholars earlier in the day. But these punters on the X50 are potential passengers on a commercial service.
Are they likely to be impressed? Are they likely to know that not all buses are of the same standard? 

Had a look on BusTimes and noticed that the same bus had been on commercial work recently, including the X21.

It's worth noting that I chose the X50 because commercial services weren't an option.
The X10 would have worked, but if it doesn't run at a sensible time, people can't use it.

I remember the renowns that were on the 17 stinking of foist, not a nice smell at all

So much of the arriva fleet is scruffy, sticky and smelly, inside, too, particularly down in Darlo.

No idea about the interior of the 6 we caught just before sunset, today, mind. This was the state of the windows and the driver, though he seemed like a jolly nice chap, never thought to turn the lights on. It was like being in a dungeon.

I got on one of Lime Green X-Lines Streetdeck's a few weeks back on the 10:25pm 21 out of Eldon Square and there was a strong smell of shite in the upper deck saloon and was caked in rubbish, I ended up getting off and getting on the 28B which departs at the same time as I have never in all my years of travelling by bus seen a vehicle in a worse condition from an interior perspective.

I was on an X1 quite good state, except the wireless chargers holders were snapped off several seats. I was also on a G2 which was in a pretty good state some bottles but nothing major.

I saw someone complain about the X66 in the Arriva Colours and it was really clean all the seats I saw where the Red ones.

Currently on board 6308, which is currently just blaring "Please apply handbrake", despite the drivers best efforts of applying said handbrake, it's still going.

Ticket machine also seems to have buggered up just after I bought my ticket so he's just letting people on.

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(24 Dec 2022, 11:01 am)streetdeckfan wrote Currently on board 6308, which is currently just blaring "Please apply handbrake", despite the drivers best efforts of applying said handbrake, it's still going.

Ticket machine also seems to have buggered up just after I bought my ticket so he's just letting people on.

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The "Please Apply Handbrake" message sounds when the cab door isn't shut/the sensor on the cab door thinks the door is open and the vehicle is moving.

(24 Dec 2022, 2:07 pm)morritt89 wrote The "Please Apply Handbrake" message sounds when the cab door isn't shut/the sensor on the cab door thinks the door is open and the vehicle is moving.

The driver opened and closed/slammed the cab door, and main doors several times, I think it fixed itself by the time it got to Bishop, but the ticket machine had started to play up by then!

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(24 Dec 2022, 11:01 am)streetdeckfan wrote Currently on board 6308, which is currently just blaring "Please apply handbrake", despite the drivers best efforts of applying said handbrake, it's still going.

Ticket machine also seems to have buggered up just after I bought my ticket so he's just letting people on.

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As alarnes Morrissette said "it's like a free ride, when you've already paid"... ironically

Does anyone know when they're getting rid of the OmniDekkas? They're so out of date and since they've got the 400s now, I really don't see the point in keeping them much longer.

Looks like they've not had a very good start to 2023, quite a few cancellations in the last few days

(04 Jan 2023, 10:38 am)itsadam wrote Does anyone know when they're getting rid of the OmniDekkas? They're so out of date and since they've got the 400s now, I really don't see the point in keeping them much longer.

The E400's directly replaced the Ex London B7TL Wright Geminis which were withdrawn last weekend and are off down south to Bluestar. as for the Omnidekka's hopefully some of the Ex London B9's that are coming into the fleet will see them off.

Has this RattleLite had its Wright logo filled in?


https://flic.kr/p/2oa6vwS

(06 Jan 2023, 8:16 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Has this RattleLite had its Wright logo filled in?


https://flic.kr/p/2oa6vwS

With playdough, by the looks of it!

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(06 Jan 2023, 9:39 pm)Adrian wrote With playdough, by the looks of it!

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I hope they made it and not store bought it!

(06 Jan 2023, 8:16 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Has this RattleLite had its Wright logo filled in?


https://flic.kr/p/2oa6vwS

Been like that for a few months now for some reason

Looks like 6339 is getting quite a bit of paint bubbling and peeling above the front door around the gutter.

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(06 Jan 2023, 8:16 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Has this RattleLite had its Wright logo filled in?


https://flic.kr/p/2oa6vwS

why do they keep doing that to random odd one out buses? It looks ridiculous.

Wireless chargers on the back of head rests
---
I've noticed a lot of the wireless chargers have had the little plastic things on either side of the holder snapped off. I don't suppose they're gonna invest in repairing these?

(12 Jan 2023, 1:07 pm)itsadam wrote Wireless chargers on the back of head rests
---
I've noticed a lot of the wireless chargers have had the little plastic things on either side of the holder snapped off. I don't suppose they're gonna invest in repairing these?

This is the problem with putting nice things on buses.  There will always be a minority who damage things.   You have to ask is it worth throwing good money at repairing things only for them to be damaged again?

(12 Jan 2023, 11:16 pm)Bazza wrote This is the problem with putting nice things on buses.  There will always be a minority who damage things.   You have to ask is it worth throwing good money at repairing things only for them to be damaged again?

Nope. 

aside medium to long distance journeys, chargers are a fairly empty luxury. Irritating NSAs and mediocre Wi-Fi are all one needs. 

Id actually like to see some more bins though no doubt they’d go unused

(12 Jan 2023, 11:37 pm)Ambassador wrote Nope. 

aside medium to long distance journeys, chargers are a fairly empty luxury. Irritating NSAs and mediocre Wi-Fi are all one needs. 

Id actually like to see some more bins though no doubt they’d go unused

Bins on the 21/X21 are often full, but I guess that's probably down to the fact they're small and rarely emptied!

(12 Jan 2023, 11:16 pm)Bazza wrote This is the problem with putting nice things on buses.  There will always be a minority who damage things.   You have to ask is it worth throwing good money at repairing things only for them to be damaged again?

Depends where you draw the line, doesn't it? People have vandalised seats going back decades, so do you stop providing them too?

Vandalism is of course deplorable, but sadly it's something that every business has to factor in to their budgets. More so for those serving the general public, where the rate of vandalism is significantly higher. I'd argue that simply stopping to provide something risks damage to the relationship with the customers you want to retain, not the ones causing the damage.

(13 Jan 2023, 12:32 pm)Adrian wrote Depends where you draw the line, doesn't it? People have vandalised seats going back decades, so do you stop providing them too?

Vandalism is of course deplorable, but sadly it's something that every business has to factor in to their budgets. More so for those serving the general public, where the rate of vandalism is significantly higher. I'd argue that simply stopping to provide something risks damage to the relationship with the customers you want to retain, not the ones causing the damage.

I'm surprised they can't do much with all the CCTV they have. 
Quick sweeps of a vehicle between runs (assuming the runs have enough slack and aren't tight) will help narrow specific events down considerably. 

Create a public wall of shame and I'm sure things will start to decrease.
Particularly if terms of carriage are updated to reflect fines and consequences for vandalism.

Maybe all the damage listed is why Arriva took a more simple approach with their batch of 19x E400MMCs?

Only GNE route that warrants anything akin to coach standard is the X10.

(13 Jan 2023, 5:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote Maybe all the damage listed is why Arriva took a more simple approach with their batch of 19x E400MMCs?

Only GNE route that warrants anything akin to coach standard is the X10.

Disagree on that one like, X21 has the same journey time between Newcastle and Bishop (longer if you include the West Auckland extension).

I'd much rather have 'coach style' seats on the X21 than the X10 given the quality (or lack thereof) of the roads the X21 has to put up with!

(13 Jan 2023, 12:32 pm)Adrian wrote Depends where you draw the line, doesn't it? People have vandalised seats going back decades, so do you stop providing them too?

Vandalism is of course deplorable, but sadly it's something that every business has to factor in to their budgets. More so for those serving the general public, where the rate of vandalism is significantly higher. I'd argue that simply stopping to provide something risks damage to the relationship with the customers you want to retain, not the ones causing the damage.

You could argue that seats are essential, usb plugs aren’t.  

I don’t disagree with your view of potentially damaging the relationship with the customer that you want to retain, however, how much damage do constantly damaged and unworking usb points do anyway?

(13 Jan 2023, 11:44 pm)Bazza wrote You could argue that seats are essential, usb plugs aren’t.  

I don’t disagree with your view of potentially damaging the relationship with the customer that you want to retain, however, how much damage do constantly damaged and unworking usb points do anyway?

Tbf they never fix them anyways when they're broken, atleast the plug socket USB ones.

One thing I don't get is if you go on the 10/47etc there plugs work but if you go on a streetlite with plugs & USB not a single one will work.

(14 Jan 2023, 12:10 am)Unber43 wrote Tbf they never fix them anyways when they're broken, atleast the plug socket USB ones.

One thing I don't get is if you go on the 10/47etc there plugs work but if you go on a streetlite with plugs & USB not a single one will work.

I’m pretty sure it’s to do with how the electrics actually work. On the streetlites the driver has to switch on a seperate fuse for the chargers to work, on the G2s it just switches on with the rest of the bus. I’m not 100% sure on these but reading different bits in the forums overtime, that’s what I’ve gathered. So saying that i think the plug socket ones aren’t even broken, just lazy drivers and uneducated new ones. 

I also don’t understand why they don’t just put those little usb sockets like what’s on the berries versas on the backs of seats on the xlines buses, yes a fancy wireless charger looks cool but it’s not really practical when they’re being broken and don’t work half the time, especially the ones on the E400s how anyone can fit anything in those i will never know.