(17 Mar 2023, 12:15 pm)S813 FVK wrote A couple have appeared at Consett and are on 16s today

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Yeah, Seen the 2 today

(14 Mar 2023, 12:03 pm)Dan wrote 8310-12 from Riverside will replace 5334-36. They are already surplus at Riverside following return to service of 5384-88 so should transfer this week to enable 5328-36 to transfer to Go North West (due to their increased vehicle requirement for new contracts from next month).

Effectively the number of spare fleet livery Streetlites will reduce (these being used on 20 and 65), and the number of spare fleet livery Versa will increase.


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Have 8310-8312 transferred to Deptford yet, just the Versa's and the Violet Citaro's aren't tracking today.

(18 Mar 2023, 12:03 pm)Michael wrote Have 8310-8312 transferred to Deptford yet, just the Versa's and the Violet Citaro's aren't tracking today.

Yes, they transferred yesterday and the three Citaros were withdrawn.

3962 also transferred to Washington yesterday for Metro Replacement (GNE have 5 buses out between Airport and South Gosforth next week, operating from depots which are over-staffed), and 6196 should have been transferred from Percy Main to Consett for the same purpose.

5328 - 5336 have all been sold to Go North West. 5328 and 5332 were two to leave the fleet yesterday and two more to follow today.


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(19 Mar 2023, 5:20 am)Dan wrote Yes, they transferred yesterday and the three Citaros were withdrawn.

3962 also transferred to Washington yesterday for Metro Replacement (GNE have 5 buses out between Airport and South Gosforth next week, operating from depots which are over-staffed), and 6196 should have been transferred from Percy Main to Consett for the same purpose.

5328 - 5336 have all been sold to Go North West. 5328 and 5332 were two to leave the fleet yesterday and two more to follow today.


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Will Percy Main get 6196 back after Metro Replacement

(19 Mar 2023, 5:20 am)Dan wrote Yes, they transferred yesterday and the three Citaros were withdrawn.

3962 also transferred to Washington yesterday for Metro Replacement (GNE have 5 buses out between Airport and South Gosforth next week, operating from depots which are over-staffed), and 6196 should have been transferred from Percy Main to Consett for the same purpose.

5328 - 5336 have all been sold to Go North West. 5328 and 5332 were two to leave the fleet yesterday and two more to follow today.


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Thank you Dan

(19 Mar 2023, 8:14 am)Aaron21 wrote Will Percy Main get 6196 back after Metro Replacement

No, it was replaced at Percy Main by 6203 this week.

6201/21 allocated to Percy Main for Metro Replacement next week, but both will leave Percy Main and go to other depots after the Metro Replacement is finished.


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(19 Mar 2023, 10:04 am)Michael wrote Thank you Dan

5335 and 5336 are the two which have gone today.


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(19 Mar 2023, 11:13 am)Dan wrote 5335 and 5336 are the two which have gone today.


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No more violets.hurray ... bloody awful

(15 Mar 2023, 7:27 pm)Storx wrote See I've never liked the noise of the Allison gearbox find them boring like sitting in a van pretty much and they all have them and for some reason they always seem to have idle problems aswell. The Vario's were particularly bad for it.

Can't beat the whine of a proper Voith even known some will disagree massively with that and a good old ZF. They're a bit dull nowadays aswell though tbh.

The mid 00's Voith in particular is very tuneful which was in the 3 Commanders at Blyth and the DB250's about. Shame we didn't get many with it up here though with GoNorthEast and Stagecoach both mostly getting ZF's and Arriva getting nothing at all.

Can’t beat the voith whine especially when it’s coupled to a Volvo engine


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(19 Mar 2023, 11:13 am)Dan wrote 5335 and 5336 are the two which have gone today.


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Sad times. Gone but not forgotten. The Citaros, the best there was, there best there is and the best there ever will be.

(20 Mar 2023, 5:12 pm)nova347 wrote Sad times. Gone but not forgotten. The Citaros, the best there was, there best there is and the best there ever will be.

Its a bus, grow up.

But I will miss the citaros, atleast we still have them on the 4.

(20 Mar 2023, 5:46 pm)Unber43 wrote Its a bus, grow up.

But I will miss the citaros, atleast we still have them on the 4.

At least for now.......

(20 Mar 2023, 6:30 pm)busmanT wrote At least for now.......

I reckon they'll be gone before the end of the year.

(20 Mar 2023, 8:20 pm)Malarkey wrote I reckon they'll be gone before the end of the year.

10 year old in October. 

Plenty of life in them and to be honest, I can't see them having the money to replace them.
Cascades or otherwise.

(20 Mar 2023, 8:20 pm)Malarkey wrote I reckon they'll be gone before the end of the year.

If not early next year

(20 Mar 2023, 9:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote 10 year old in October. 

Plenty of life in them and to be honest, I can't see them having the money to replace them.
Cascades or otherwise.

Fleet standardisation??
I see Go North West have 10 non standard Wright StreetLite......

I think they would be a good fit on the 35, connection 4s that is.

If Green Arrows were to go onto the 60, the 8 drifters (3 have been off for a while) could go onto the 35, leaving just the berries and 8310-12 as Versas at Deptford.

(20 Mar 2023, 6:30 pm)busmanT wrote At least for now.......

Dont even think about it

Given the two brands share colours, I would like to the see them put onto the 8. If the 8 went back up to half-hourly what would the PVR be?

Looks like the E200s might be going to Consett, 3 of them have been put onto the 6 today at the Metrocentre in place of the 66 plate streetlites which have then been put onto the 97

(24 Mar 2023, 5:12 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote Looks like the E200s might be going to Consett, 3 of them have been put onto the 6 today at the Metrocentre in place of the 66 plate streetlites which have then been put onto the 97

Wonder if the 6 will become Green Arrows when the 97 is withdrawn? Covers a similar area for part of the route.

(24 Mar 2023, 7:08 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Wonder if the 6 will become Green Arrows when the 97 is withdrawn? Covers a similar area for part of the route.

Highly doubt any branding will happen now unless for a special reason or for existing / potential partnerships (i.e 4, 307, 309).

Everything corporate otherwise

Well it's probably a good idea to have the green arrows go on the 6, as the only thing needing changed is the place names on the sides, and rear?

(24 Mar 2023, 8:16 pm)L469 YVK wrote Highly doubt any branding will happen now unless for a special reason or for existing / potential partnerships (i.e 4, 307, 309).

Everything corporate otherwise

I was thinking from a paint saving perspective.  Rebrand the 6 Green Arrows, E200's to Consett , no repainting required!

(24 Mar 2023, 9:21 pm)Tiger5105 wrote I was thinking from a paint saving perspective.  Rebrand the 6 Green Arrows, E200's to Consett , no repainting required!

Surely that's the worst thing you could do. 

I need a bus to Whickham where's the 97 errrm what was it Green Arrows oh there it is must be 6 now. 

Driver does this go to Whickham, yes!

Oh this must be going via the Metro Centre again that's good it's quicker

*arrives in Sunniside*

Hang on a minute where's my house. I'm confused wtf. This isn't the normal route.

Debrand them asap if on the 6 imo.

(25 Mar 2023, 7:53 am)Storx wrote Surely that's the worst thing you could do. 

I need a bus to Whickham where's the 97 errrm what was it Green Arrows oh there it is must be 6 now. 

Driver does this go to Whickham, yes!

Oh this must be going via the Metro Centre again that's good it's quicker

*arrives in Sunniside*

Hang on a minute where's my house. I'm confused wtf. This isn't the normal route.

Debrand them asap if on the 6 imo.

That’s pretty much exactly what’s happening with the 61/65 though! Anyone at New Seaham, Dalton Park, Murton who used to get the East Durham Explorer to the harbour, Durham or Hetton will suddenly find the same coloured bus will get them to Ryhope or Sunderland come next week!

(25 Mar 2023, 1:24 pm)Drifter60 wrote That’s pretty much exactly what’s happening with the 61/65 though! Anyone at New Seaham, Dalton Park, Murton who used to get the East Durham Explorer to the harbour, Durham or Hetton will suddenly find the same coloured bus will get them to Ryhope or Sunderland come next week!

It happens all the time in Sunderland. When there was a Prince Bishops on 60, 1 to Durham please. Or When the Drifters on the 9/24 1 to South Shields/Jarrow. I happens all the time. I know my friend saw the East Durham Explorer at Durham thinking it was 65, turns out it was the x62 she didn't look at the number just the brand and it didn't help as they stopped in the same stand. It always happens also at Consett as half the time buses are in the wrong stands especially when Consett had tons of cancellations.

(25 Mar 2023, 1:24 pm)Drifter60 wrote That’s pretty much exactly what’s happening with the 61/65 though! Anyone at New Seaham, Dalton Park, Murton who used to get the East Durham Explorer to the harbour, Durham or Hetton will suddenly find the same coloured bus will get them to Ryhope or Sunderland come next week!

Aye that's true mind but at least it's the same number though. The 97 is going altogether.

Wonder how many people catch the 6 'Green Arrow' in the Whickham area trying to go to Gateshead rather than getting the 1 'Coaster' to Whitley Bay instead. I'm not sure how well the advertising it is but it's all a bit confusing tbh.

It's why the brands just need to be scrapped imo, especially in Sunderland, and just have a Streetlite pool which can go on anything pretty much and the Versa pool for everything else.

(25 Mar 2023, 3:35 pm)Storx wrote Aye that's true mind but at least it's the same number though. The 97 is going altogether.

Wonder how many people catch the 6 'Green Arrow' in the Whickham area trying to go to Gateshead rather than getting the 1 'Coaster' to Whitley Bay instead. I'm not sure how well the advertising it is but it's all a bit confusing tbh.

It's why the brands just need to be scrapped imo, especially in Sunderland, and just have a Streetlite pool which can go on anything pretty much and the Versa pool for everything else.

Must say I think the sheer amount of service changes on the back of COVID has really highlighted the farcical situation with branding. A few years ago it seemed to work pretty seamlessly, new buses are bought X route which meant a repaint for a few buses that were on X route ahead of a new role on Y route, with the buses formerly on Y route going into the corporate spare fleet.

But the fact that plans have changed multiple times, services cut back, ‘temporary reductions’ still ongoing means, routes withdrawn has led to a mess all over the place. I wonder if the situation is no branding at all? Across absolutely everything. A big decision though, when this has been a key strategy for the company since 2006.

(26 Mar 2023, 5:19 pm)Drifter60 wrote Must say I think the sheer amount of service changes on the back of COVID has really highlighted the farcical situation with branding. A few years ago it seemed to work pretty seamlessly, new buses are bought X route which meant a repaint for a few buses that were on X route ahead of a new role on Y route, with the buses formerly on Y route going into the corporate spare fleet.

But the fact that plans have changed multiple times, services cut back, ‘temporary reductions’ still ongoing means, routes withdrawn has led to a mess all over the place. I wonder if the situation is no branding at all? Across absolutely everything. A big decision though, when this has been a key strategy for the company since 2006.

Think it might go back earlier than 2006