(06 Jul 2014, 11:08 am)peter wrote Arriva previously ran service 91 between Whitby and Castle Park until the 26th January where they (partially) replaced it with a revised service 95/new service 96 which left Castle Park without a bus service. As a result NYCC set up a replacement which is run by Coastal and Country Coaches Ltd. Additionally from the same date they reduced the frequency of the 94 to every half hour. Additionally, NYCC also fund a service 94A and 98 with in Whitby also run by Coastal and Country Coaches Ltd.

so what buses do they have then id like to go see them get some photos

Off the topic I know but great to see continued investment in the fleet.

Just one little query what happened to 45021 to 45042?

Thanking you in anticipation.

(06 Jul 2014, 1:03 pm)jaimz13 wrote so what buses do they have then id like to go see them get some photos

With regards to Arriva, the X93 uses Volvo B7TLs, the 4/X4 uses Wright Pulsars, the 171 uses Branded Optare Solos and the 94/95/96 use ALX 200s. Meanwhile on the 91/94A/98, Coastal and Country use an Enviro 200. If I was planning a trip to Whitby I would wait until the Streetlites enter service on the 4/X4 and the Volvo B9TLs enter service on the X93 to make the trip a bit more worthwhile.

(05 Jul 2014, 9:25 am)DaveyBowyer wrote When Arriva get the B9TL's for the X93, the best 2 reliable buses to meet the peak PVR requirements would either be 7445 & 7446 or the 2 working 57 reg lowlanders from Ashington.

I agree about 7445 and 7446 and suggested this some time ago as Darlington used them successfully on Service 1 coping with Newton Cap Bank and Billy Row Bank plus they have been repainted

(06 Jul 2014, 5:19 pm)upt50k wrote I agree about 7445 and 7446 and suggested this some time ago as Darlington used them successfully on Service 1 coping with Newton Cap Bank and Billy Row Bank plus they have been repainted

Those would be perfect for the X93 - they have high backed seats too.

Am I right in saying the 46 will be extended from Haymarket to the Campus for Ageing and Vitality?

Not sure but i know theres a new service starting apparently

From the 20th July service 46 will be revised and new service 553 will be introduced.

46=Working in partnership with the Newcastle NHS Trust route 46 will run to a revised timetable with timed
connections at Haymarket with Freeman Hospital serving route 52 and with extensions half hourly on weekday daytime and hourly
evenings to and from the RVI and CAV. Journeys to and from Great Park are retimed to assist reliability but remain every 15 minutes
Monday to Saturday daytime and hourly evenings and on Sundays. Evening and Sunday journeys will now finish at the Polwarth
Drive bus turning loop (omitting the previous loop via Princes Road, South Bend, Greenfield Road and Queensway as a result of
ongoing obstruction by parked cars en route). Route 46 vehicles will feature free Wifi for your travelling convenience. See timetable: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedfile...270514.pdf

553=New route 553 provides links between Regents Centre, Gosforth and Freemen Hospital (an earlier journey from
Regent Centre to Freeman Road is provided by the 0718 route 554 arriving 0729 (details shown separately). Journeys to the Hospital
on routes 553 and 554 are provided in partnership with the Newcastle NHS Trust. See timetable: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedfile...270514.pdf

I wonder what route service 46 will take to the RVI and the CAV if it is serving Haymarket in both directions?

Presumably, it'll be Claremont Road, Hunters Road and Brighton Grove as getting into Haymarket from St Thomas Street, although do-able, might prove to be a little awkward.

Has 1796 moved to Jesmond, there is a picture on Flickr of it operating the 55

Probably just a loan

Solo 2848 has moved to Jesmond, with reserve MPD 1712 replacing it at Darlington. Ashington have 1764 back from accident repairs, while Blyth Gemini 7621 has also returned from having a new engine fitted. 7623 is the latest one to return from refurbishment.

(06 Jul 2014, 1:59 pm)peter wrote With regards to Arriva, the X93 uses Volvo B7TLs, the 4/X4 uses Wright Pulsars, the 171 uses Branded Optare Solos and the 94/95/96 use ALX 200s. Meanwhile on the 91/94A/98, Coastal and Country use an Enviro 200. If I was planning a trip to Whitby I would wait until the Streetlites enter service on the 4/X4 and the Volvo B9TLs enter service on the X93 to make the trip a bit more worthwhile.

MPDs are still regularly on the 94/95/96. Last Tuesday Whitby had one of the ALX200s and the other four were running from Redcar.

(06 Jul 2014, 1:08 pm)kernow dave wrote Off the topic I know but great to see continued investment in the fleet.

Just one little query what happened to 45021 to 45042?

Thanking you in anticipation.

Still at Thorntons I presume. They still appear on the allocation list. Would have thought they would have been better off flogging them off a couple of years ago if they were'nt going to use them. Will be in a right state now.

(07 Jul 2014, 5:14 pm)Roland Pratt wrote MPDs are still regularly on the 94/95/96. Last Tuesday Whitby had one of the ALX200s and the other four were running from Redcar.

Was gonna say I see the ALX200s on my infrequent trips down to Teesside working for Redcar and on all occasions when I've been to Whitby, the MPDs have been working the 94/95/96.

(07 Jul 2014, 5:33 pm)Dan wrote Was gonna say I see the ALX200s on my infrequent trips down to Teesside working for Redcar and on all occasions when I've been to Whitby, the MPDs have been working the 94/95/96.

Although this is true, technically all the MPDs (except 1759) along with two of the ALX200s are allocated to Redcar with the remaining AlX200s based at Whitby, that's what it has on the fleet list anyway, therefore the 91/95/96 should be allocated the ALX200s, but this is Redcar we're talking about so obviously MPDs are going to be used!

(07 Jul 2014, 6:02 pm)peter wrote Although this is true, technically all the MPDs (except 1759) along with two of the ALX200s are allocated to Redcar with the remaining AlX200s based at Whitby, that's what it has on the fleet list anyway, therefore the 91/95/96 should be allocated the ALX200s, but this is Redcar we're talking about so obviously MPDs are going to be used!

Indeed, what Whitby and Redcar have allocated is in effect a fluid fleet so anything could end up anywhere. In reality the mini Dart fleet is used at Whitby with what's left over usually found on the 22/64 circuit (or the 63, if Redcar are allocating on a day ending in y) ... Stocktons allocation on the 28/29 is much the same with anything appearing! Lol

Recently, I saw a Pulsar in Chester-Le-Street, going past GNE's depot there on the A167 towards Durham. Can't remember the fleet number or route number - but I think it was a scholars service. Seen it once or twice - can anyone elaborate?

I assume it's a Belmont vehicle.

Arriva have now posted the Teesside and East Cleveland changes effective from Sunday 20th July.

http://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2...ccUIqj&s=1

The first Sapphire Streetlite has now arrived at Jesmond, it is 1552 (for us at Stockton), registered NK14GGA. Worth mentioning they do indeed have white LEDs on the front only.

(08 Jul 2014, 8:10 pm)tyresmoke wrote The first Sapphire Streetlite has now arrived at Jesmond, it is 1552 (for us at Stockton), registered NK14GGA. Worth mentioning they do indeed have white LEDs on the front only.

Will any of the other Sapphire vehicles in the North East get the white displays eg the Pulsars or E400's?

(08 Jul 2014, 8:17 pm)mb134 wrote Will any of the other Sapphire vehicles in the North East get the white displays eg the Pulsars or E400's?

There are NO Pulsars being purchased this year! All Arriva routes (including those in the North-East) receiving new single-deckers this year will be getting Streetlites as has already been stated on the Arriva 2014 Order Thread and with regards specifically to ANE this thread, not to mention the News Articles.

(08 Jul 2014, 8:37 pm)peter wrote There are NO Pulsars being purchased this year! All Arriva routes (including those in the North-East) receiving new single-deckers this year will be getting Streetlites as has already been stated a number of times.

No I mean like the Sapphire Pulsars that are already here, could they be upgraded?

(08 Jul 2014, 8:38 pm)mb134 wrote No I mean like the Sapphire Pulsars that are already here, could they be upgraded?

I cannot say for certain but I am 99% sure Arriva wouldn't decide to buy 11 White Destination Screens for the Pulsars when the Orange Destination Screens are fully functioning, there is no reason to do it as a specific feature of Sapphire isn't White Destination Screens, plus it wouldn't bring in any new customers to the service or make any difference to an existing passengers journey and finally what would they do with the current orange ones?

Overall it would just be one big waste of money and judging by the way in which Arriva will withdraw a service as soon as it doesn't make them money, the likelyhood they will literally pour money down the drain and purchase White Destination Screens for the Pulsars that, just like unpopular bus services, wouldn't make them any money, is extremely slim.

(08 Jul 2014, 8:44 pm)peter wrote I cannot say for certain but I am 99% sure Arriva wouldn't decide to buy 11 White Destination Screens for the Pulsars when the Orange Destination Screens are fully functioning, there is no reason to do it as a specific feature of Sapphire isn't White Destination Screens, plus it wouldn't bring in any new customers to the service or make any difference to an existing passengers journey and finally what would they do with the current orange ones?

Overall it would just be one big waste of money and judging by the way in which Arriva will withdraw a service as soon as it doesn't make them money, the likelyhood they will literally pour money down the drain and purchase White Destination Screens for the Pulsars that, just like unpopular bus services, wouldn't make them any money, is extremely slim.

I totally understand what you're saying but now the pulsars are going to look so odd when virtually all other Sapphire vehicles up and down the country have white front screens yet the 7 are orange. Unless of course other sapphire routes are orange too?

If refurbished E400s down South received white screens it begs the question why NEW pulsars got orange.

Isn't the sapphire brand a business in it's own so surely it has a separate budget?

(08 Jul 2014, 9:09 pm)JoshP wrote I totally understand what you're saying but now the pulsars are going to look so odd when virtually all other Sapphire vehicles up and down the country have white front screens yet the 7 are orange. Unless of course other sapphire routes are orange too?

If refurbished E400s down South received white screens it begs the question why NEW pulsars got orange.

Isn't the sapphire brand a business in it's own so surely it has a separate budget?

I would understand if all Sapphire routes in one region had orange screens but when some will be white it doesn't look as good, one set colour for Sapphire vehicles would be better I think, just as another reminder to customers that these are more premium buses?

(08 Jul 2014, 9:12 pm)mb134 wrote I would understand if all Sapphire routes in one region had orange screens but when some will be white it doesn't look as good, one set colour for Sapphire vehicles would be better I think, just as another reminder to customers that these are more premium buses?

To be totally honest I am not sure why they didn't get white ones for the Pulsars either but the likelyhood they are going to buy them now, as I've said above, is quite slim, but maybe Arriva will suprise us all and put the money second for once!

(08 Jul 2014, 9:50 pm)peter wrote To be totally honest I am not sure why they didn't get white ones for the Pulsars either but the likelyhood they are going to buy them now, as I've said above, is quite slim, but maybe Arriva will suprise us all and put the money second for once!

Regarding what they would do with the amber LEDs installed at present... There's a hell of a lot of vehicles going round with flipdot displays/roller blinds. Assuming that they size up alright, I don't see why they couldn't be utilised in this respect.

Shame they have gone for the cheaper option of white on the front only opposed to white all around.

(09 Jul 2014, 4:45 am)Dan wrote Regarding what they would do with the amber LEDs installed at present... There's a hell of a lot of vehicles going round with flipdot displays/roller blinds. Assuming that they size up alright, I don't see why they couldn't be utilised in this respect.

Shame they have gone for the cheaper option of white on the front only opposed to white all around.

To be fair Dan we don't have that many with flipdots or rollers... I can only think of 1742, 1750 and 4094, all of which will be going this year. Probably missed some mind Dont forget we have spare LEDs coming out of the disposal vehicles this year which must be nearly 50 front displays plus a number of side/rear, though they should be less in number once they've replaced all of the broken side/rear displays!

(09 Jul 2014, 8:06 am)tyresmoke wrote To be fair Dan we don't have that many with flipdots or rollers... I can only think of 1742, 1750 and 4094, all of which will be going this year. Probably missed some mind Dont forget we have spare LEDs coming out of the disposal vehicles this year which must be nearly 50 front displays plus a number of side/rear, though they should be less in number once they've replaced all of the broken side/rear displays!

That is right, we should see all the non-LED blinds disappear by the end of this year using the units removed from the predicted disposals.

As far as all-round white LED's it is believed that white rear LED's could raise issues due to the showing of white light on the rear of a vehicle. This is a similar issue going back to the 80's when Rapide coaches had red destination blinds on the coaches until they were forced to change them, or remove destination lights due to showing a red light at the front of a vehicle. Strange but true!