(18 Aug 2024, 10:25 am)L469 YVK wrote Not forgetting that within the next 12-18 months, Arriva will be looking to slim down the network when the ABTRL goes live. 

Whether they butcher it......or with franchising likely happen, work with NECA and BSIP to reduce the impact. But there will be vehicles released as a result.

To be fair can't see them doing much now. The route I expected to be dropped in frequency (X21/X22) have already been done and they don't seem to be in much of a rush to increase them. 

Right now they couldn't anyway as they've got nothing to run it since half the buses are on the 57/57a or at Blyth.

Mechanic friend of mine was on 6952 earlier and he mockingly told me he's had wrecks in this week that could get up Beacon Lough quicker.....

Quite a few of the Prince Bishops new livery have been done, apparently 5438,39 & 40 are also going Prince Bishops so it will be 5428-5440

Whoever purchased the refitted seats inside vehicles like 6158 has never used a bus before.

Utterly atrocious

(24 Aug 2024, 12:23 pm)DeltaMan wrote Whoever purchased the refitted seats inside vehicles like 6158 has never used a bus before.

Utterly atrocious

I got 6158 on a 10 last week and thought exactly the same thing, and was only on it for 20 minutes. Urban90 vibes, but with worse material.

The overall interior atmosphere on pretty much all ex-London vehicles operated by GNE is beyond depressing too.

(24 Aug 2024, 12:35 pm)PH - BQA wrote I got 6158 on a 10 last week and thought exactly the same thing, and was only on it for 20 minutes. Urban90 vibes, but with worse material.

The overall interior atmosphere on pretty much all ex-London vehicles operated by GNE is beyond depressing too.

They look like child seats!

6337 parked up at Hownsgill receiving some attention.

Destination displays are getting worse, I dont think Ive seen one bus with all displays working.

And the new layout of the displays on the streetdecks look awful

Does anyone know what’s happening with 6353 YX70 OKN? Broke down on X10 on 15th July 2024 and hasn’t been seen since, anyone know if it’s withdrawn or will eventually return? TIA

I see 5430 has had a panel replacement on the nearside on the new updated livery already (vinyl lettering needs replacing)

Caught 6324 on an early 21 out of Low Fell into Newcastle yesterday. Fairly minging inside.

We pulled up to Gateshead and the driver announced we'd broken down and would all have to get off...

She pulls away with X10 on the blind and my broken bus managed to perform 7 runs on the X10...a miracle!

Since theres some interest in the Angel streetdecks, heres a update of what i've heard from around the depot & driving them

6316 - Coolant leak, requires topped up twice a day
6317 - Should be kept local as has a unknown fault, possible been repaired/bodged as back on 21 today
6320 - Back out after having a new engine
6322 - New engine fitted, possibly waiting parts
6323 - Waiting for a engine
6325 - Had lots of work done the emissions system in a bid to stop it going into limp mode
6327 - Just had new engine fitted, lasted a few days before having a compressor fault
6330 - Gearbox fault, off road until repaired
6331 - Getting new engine fitted

Don't really have much to do with the 6356 - 6363 batch but from what I've heard there worse than the Angel batch.

Is it a build quality issue or a maintenance issue or a mix of both?

Feels like they shouldn't be falling apart at this age

With regards to the engine issues, I presume GNE are investigating these. Is it due to the routes they have been on (flat out up and down the A19 on the X10 for instance), maintenance in general or poor build quality?

Didn't Arriva have similar issues with their Gemini deckers at Blyth when they were new/newish where lots of them required new engines?

Going back some years now, can anyone remember when the ex London Darts on the X35 kept breaking down and were temporarily replaced with Olympians for a short time?

I'm wondering if GNE are getting a case of buy cheap pay twice with the Streetdecks?

(03 Sep 2024, 1:46 pm)morritt89 wrote With regards to the engine issues, I presume GNE are investigating these. Is it due to the routes they have been on (flat out up and down the A19 on the X10 for instance), maintenance in general or poor build quality?

Didn't Arriva have similar issues with their Gemini deckers at Blyth when they were new/newish where lots of them required new engines?

Going back some years now, can anyone remember when the ex London Darts on the X35 kept breaking down and were temporarily replaced with Olympians for a short time?

I'm wondering if GNE are getting a case of buy cheap pay twice with the Streetdecks?

Think the 21 deckers (6315-33) is parts and engineering staffing. Absolutely no way they should have issues on the 21.

Likewise for 6356-63, Enviro 400 MMC's would be a better fit on the X21. But Washington's batch bought alongsode 6356-63 (6364-76) don't seem to have many VOR's and they're worked fairly hard. So hard to put a finger if route related or not. Bar the odd run, they've never been on the X10 unlike 6308-14 (B5TL's).

(03 Sep 2024, 10:41 am)Ambassador wrote Is it a build quality issue or a maintenance issue or a mix of both?

Feels like they shouldn't be falling apart at this age

Probably the Mercedes parts issues which is currently blighting Streetlite's all over the place and the Solo's at Ashington aswell.

Must say I don't know why you want the Angel Streetdecks, this thing on the 12 is absolutely disgusting especially when I've just got off a Gateshead Central Taxis Enviro which is always a low bar and the thing was spotless.

(04 Sep 2024, 1:15 pm)Storx wrote Must say I don't know why you want the Angel Streetdecks, this thing on the 12 is absolutely disgusting especially when I've just got off a Gateshead Central Taxis Enviro which is always a low bar and the thing was spotless.

They tend to get above 20mph which the London stuff struggles with

Riverside need a single and uniform fleet running both the X10 & X21. Having the same 4/5 vehicles being pounded up and down the A19 every day doesn't help matters.

Also doesn't help that the X10 is at capacity and clearly there's a need for the X9 to be re-instated.

GNE seriously need to work something out for Derwentside as their most capable vehicles (not without their faults too) are tied to the low bridge issue affecting the X30 & X70 boards, whilst Riverside are suffering from various issues, including the fact that the X9 can't be re-introduced because of the lack of suitable vehicles. Whickham > Dunston > Newcastle does not need 3x bph especially if using deckers. Quite clear from previous suggestion boards drawn up that the low bridge issue can be resolved with cleaner interworking patterns.....also reducing the need for remote reliefs in Stanley.

Also quite annoying looking at both stances

July 2022: X30/X31 & X45 interworked to keep driver reliefs at Consett......when X30/X31 could've ran standalone

July 2024: Practically all X30/X31/X32 boards and quite a few X70/X71/X73 boards need them, contradicting the above point

Arriva Northumbria whilst not perfect....have got it right with their batches of E400MMC's. Hard day on the X14/X15/X18/X20 then an easier day the next on the X21/35, X22 (and dare I say 57/57A at the moment).

Sorry to sound a broken record......but the right vehicles are not being used for the right purposes! Also......X20 doesn't warrant or justify XLines Volvo B5TL's, whilst single deckers or misc double decks are having to fill in on the X45 when Enviros are needed to cover the X30's / X70's.

If GNE pulled their finger out and sorted Derwentside as well as getting something else to cover the X20, you'd have

Consett:
- X30/X71 - 4x E400MMC
- X32/X70* - 4x StreetDeck (for tighter turns around Lobley Hill Est and shorter length)
- X32/X45/X73 - 7x B5TL & 2x StreetDeck
- Spares - 2x E400MMC & 2x StreetDeck

* X70 via Lobley Hill Est, X32 via Lobley Hill Rd and increased to 2bph, X31 dropped

Riverside (no X9):
- X10 - 4x E400MMC
- X21 - 8x E400MMC
- Spares - 2x E400MMC & StreetDeck 6377

Riverside (with X9):
- X9/X10 - 6x or 7x E400MMC / **
- X21 - 7x or 8x E400MMC / **

**6377 would complete total combined PVR of 15x and rotated daily betwen X9/X10 & X21

X9 option not exactly ideal as misc spares would still have to cover on the X21, but unscheduled VOR's should be reduced with vehicles being rotated between easier or harder work.

(04 Sep 2024, 3:25 pm)Ambassador wrote They tend to get above 20mph which the London stuff struggles with

Aye that's fair, must say shows how bleak Riverside's fleet is if that's what your after (tend to avoid them).

Must say using public transport yesterday makes me wonder why anyone wants to use them, that rank thing at Riverside then to top it off the lovely 2603 at Ashington later on which is completely inappropiate. Assume it'll be off on the side of the road in a few days that one though with a blown gear box since it can't change gears. The two Metro trains I used weren't particually much better on their made up timetable which is all good in Nexus' eyes 'because it's frequent enough' but not so good when you've got interchanges...

The train was nice enough with a friendly guard though and all drivers weren't miserable for once for some positives.

Was travelling from Blaydon and back for anyone wondering, probably the only legit journey you can do all 3 modes of transport without going on a wild goose chase so thought I'd try everything out and thought why not use 3 operators aswell, weirdly Gateshead Central Taxis by far being the best out the three.

(05 Sep 2024, 6:20 am)Storx wrote Aye that's fair, must say shows how bleak Riverside's fleet is if that's what your after (tend to avoid them).

Must say using public transport yesterday makes me wonder why anyone wants to use them, that rank thing at Riverside then to top it off the lovely 2603 at Ashington later on which is completely inappropiate. Assume it'll be off on the side of the road in a few days that one though with a blown gear box since it can't change gears. The two Metro trains I used weren't particually much better on their made up timetable which is all good in Nexus' eyes 'because it's frequent enough' but not so good when you've got interchanges...

The train was nice enough with a friendly guard though and all drivers weren't miserable for once for some positives.

Was travelling from Blaydon and back for anyone wondering, probably the only legit journey you can do all 3 modes of transport without going on a wild goose chase so thought I'd try everything out and thought why not use 3 operators aswell, weirdly Gateshead Central Taxis by far being the best out the three.

did you get a ticket from them though???

(05 Sep 2024, 11:11 am)Rob44 wrote did you get a ticket from them though???

Aye, transport north east one aswell which I know some people have bother with. 

Didn't get the usual bother with GNE and Arriva stropping over the ticket not having a QR code aswell.

Can definitely see StreetDecks on the Cobalts once EV's arrive on the Angel. Currently on 6103 and feels way overpowered and the driver is going easy as it's quiet.

PM's B9TLs are in good mechanical condition for their age given they've not been worked hard unlike other batches.

Definitely got another 10 years left in them at least and could just about handle any frontline service bar persistent use on the X10.

(05 Sep 2024, 1:00 pm)Storx wrote Aye, transport north east one aswell which I know some people have bother with. 

Didn't get the usual bother with GNE and Arriva stropping over the ticket not having a QR code aswell.

Im surprised at that.  When i get the 515 sometimes he has just a card ready machine to take payment - i cant imagine that been able to print out a ticket with a day rover or whatever it has on.  the single bus ticket is normally tiny too

6353 (X10) hasn't been in service since mid-July, anyone knows whats wrong with it? 5362 (Connections 4) / 5468 (Streetlite) have both been off since April.

(08 Sep 2024, 12:02 am)nova347 wrote 6353 (X10) hasn't been in service since mid-July, anyone knows whats wrong with it? 5362 (Connections 4) / 5468 (Streetlite) have both been off since April.

It’s back in service now, was on 51/52/94 yesterday (9/9/24) and back on X10 today (10/9/24)

(10 Sep 2024, 7:24 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote It’s back in service now, was on 51/52/94 yesterday (9/9/24) and back on X10 today (10/9/24)

Didn't note fleet number, but there was a branded vehicle heading north tonight on the A19, that looked like it was struggling. 

Maybe limp mode, maube not - but the queue on both lanes behind it, on the climb up to Peterlee, was only getting bigger.

(11 Sep 2024, 1:32 am)Andreos1 wrote Didn't note fleet number, but there was a branded vehicle heading north tonight on the A19, that looked like it was struggling. 

Maybe limp mode, maube not - but the queue on both lanes behind it, on the climb up to Peterlee, was only getting bigger.

E400 MMC’s aren’t the greatest buses in the first place shouldn’t have them on a route like that. The 05/06 plate Gemini 1’s would probably be more reliable than them.

(13 Sep 2024, 7:32 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote E400 MMC’s aren’t the greatest buses in the first place shouldn’t have them on a route like that. The 05/06 plate Gemini 1’s would probably be more reliable than them.

Plenty of other companies use E400 MMCs on demanding services day in day out without as many issues as GNE seem to be having with theirs. Could it not simply be that GNE engineering standards are seriously lacking when compared to standards at other major companies?

(13 Sep 2024, 8:03 pm)PH - BQA wrote Plenty of other companies use E400 MMCs on demanding services day in day out without as many issues as GNE seem to be having with theirs. Could it not simply be that GNE engineering standards are seriously lacking when compared to standards at other major companies?

I strongly suspect this is the case, even down to the advice given on what vehicles to buy in last years. 

Since things were consolidated to riverside, standards and reliability on most routes have fallen off a cliff. Deptford and Washington seem to do ok but perhaps they are far enough away to not be impacted by riversides ineptness. 

If they invested as much in engineering as they did in social media we’d be good. Pointless trying to attract passengers when your base product is shite