Max Launch - Today @ 3:30pm Joseph Pease Place - Darlington - Come down to see the world famous Titan perform. We are going to try delay this slightly to ensure everyone gets to see him!

I think it may be linked to the incident that happened yesterday but will try and confirm.
Vehicle involved was 1492.

4655 is now in Darlington outside Costa / Carphone Warehouse.

It is branded for service X66 and the floor hasn't been done.

Just been to the MAX launch in Darlington...Titan the Robot, it was the most insane thing I've ever seen, it came on the back of what was basically a mobility scooter then before we knew it we had some massive thing walking round Darlington blasting music and celebrity voices out of it and even started to spray water like it was crying, it ended by Titan getting on the back of the mobility scooter going through the Queen Street Shopping Centre before being ticked in the old Music Zone shop.

If you haven't seen it, try and go to see it.

Photos will be on my Flickr tonight... If a bus ever turns up!

Anyone who thinks the 7 doesn't need double deckers, there must be about a 100 people stud at Tubwell Row "H" right now.

I honestly believe if they introduced a North Road shuttle service, the 7 wouldn't need deckers. About 70% of the daytime passengers from Darlington use the North Road out of town services purely for that. I've driven 5/5A's that have had standing loads leaving Tubwell Row, yet once you get to Ashleigh House, they've been empty.

4655 - MAX Service X66 branded in Darlington this afternoon.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767658689/
Side view
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767909187/
Interior - front to rear
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...766278978/
interior - rear to front
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767671299/
rear view
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...953006062/
Titan the Robot
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...951782771/

(05 Dec 2014, 6:51 pm)Jimmi wrote 4655 - MAX Service X66 branded in Darlington this afternoon.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767658689/
Side view
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767909187/
Interior - front to rear
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...766278978/
interior - rear to front
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...767671299/
rear view
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...953006062/
Titan the Robot
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...951782771/

I take it whoever is responsible for the interior is colour blind?

(05 Dec 2014, 7:19 pm)aureolin wrote I take it whoever is responsible for the interior is colour blind?

It doesn't look too bad in my opinion (it doesn't look great either mind).

At least the seats will be more comfortable now, the last few times I rode them all the seats had humps and if you sat on the ones over the back wheel all you could feel was the meatal holding the seats in place.

(05 Dec 2014, 7:19 pm)aureolin wrote I take it whoever is responsible for the interior is colour blind?

It's a shame, as it looked like they'd been internally refurbished too.

(05 Dec 2014, 6:15 pm)MrPottski wrote I honestly believe if they introduced a North Road shuttle service, the 7 wouldn't need deckers. About 70% of the daytime passengers from Darlington use the North Road out of town services purely for that. I've driven 5/5A's that have had standing loads leaving Tubwell Row, yet once you get to Ashleigh House, they've been empty.

I agree, getting on these services is a right pain, the 5A I got home this evening and it left with a full load, not helped how there was an almost 30 minute gap of services heading down North Road apart from the 14A. about half got off down North Road.

Also can we please plaster Morrrisons all over the 14A as it seems like nobody will get on this service to go to Morrisons and instead pile on an Aycliffe bus.

The 7 timetable on weekday afternoons seriously needs to be looked at, 4 minutes to get from Durham Bus Station to Nevilles Cross at around 1530 at school run time, good luck with that! some days it takes half an hour to reach the traffic lights at Nevilles Cross because it gets caught in the bloody schools traffic and the lollipop people keep stepping out every 10 seconds all the way down to Langley Moor which causes serious congestion, walk or get the bus with your children you lazy people.

Spotted a mistake in the MAX X66 leaflets, they have a map of X66 stops in Stockton but they have got the stands the wrong way round with the Middlesbrough stops showing buses to Darlington and the Darlington stop showing as buses to Middlesbrough.

Tell you what, these wing mirrors are nowt but bother on the EcoCitys!

Currently on one of the 61-reg examples which no longer has a nearside wing mirror... Driver has contacted the depot - seemingly to get another bus (from what I can make out at the back).

7491 sounding very well on the 35A to Woodhorn, 1006 off Ashington running around 5 late.

Newcastle playing at home meant the 1123 X18 from Morpeth to Newcastle was more than full and standing, to the point people were being refused to board. Luckily 7512 turns up on an X14 10 minutes later!

(06 Dec 2014, 9:15 am)Dan wrote Tell you what, these wing mirrors are nowt but bother on the EcoCitys!

Currently on one of the 61-reg examples which no longer has a nearside wing mirror... Driver has contacted the depot - seemingly to get another bus (from what I can make out at the back).

4813 had its non standard nearside wing mirror replaced a couple of weeks ago.

Just seen 1424 near The New Inn in Durham Not in Service.

Do all Sunday 418's require an Omnicity? 

(06 Dec 2014, 10:02 pm)mb134 wrote Do all Sunday 418's require an Omnicity? 

There are a couple of low bridges between Alnwick and Howick that mean the 418 has to be an Omnicity, or any other single deck that Ashington feel like putting on the route. There are only 3 Sunday 418s, the other trips up the coast are all X18. 

Just been past Faverdale Depot and there is a now a Max Omnicity branded for X26/7 and also a CX05xxx unbranded.

Success of Darlington Park and Ride scheme debated by council.
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11...y_council/

What is the pvr for the park & ride? Guess it will be 2 solos.... 

What is the pvr for the park & ride? Guess it will be 2 solos....

There is no buses for the Darlington Park and Ride, I think you park in the college car park, get a ticket then get on service 9/10 and the ticket is exchanged for a return or something like that.

The free return bus service runs from Darlington College, Haughton Road to Darlington town centre as follows:

Stand C Northgate - Services 9 & 10 every 5 minutes
Stand F Prebend Row - Services 9 & 10 every 5 minutes
Stand K Tubwell Row - Service 1 every 30 minutes

From:- http://www.darlington.gov.uk/your-counci...-saturday/

7520 was my X18 from Berwick today, up until Alnwick it handled the route very well. However the driver from Alnwick to Morpeth seemed to drive a bit slower. The heating was practically non existent upstairs however  

Out of interest, and I'm sure someone mentioned it before, is there a VDL Gemini 2 at Belmont that is VOR? - resulting Lowlanders or ALX400s covering it's runs? I see one practically every day, and have done for over a week now.

If there is a reason for a Lowlander or another vehicle to be allocated - it sort of makes me look like an idiot posting them in the Rare & Odd Workings thread.

(07 Dec 2014, 6:59 pm)mb134 wrote 7520 was my X18 from Berwick today, up until Alnwick it handled the route very well. However the driver from Alnwick to Morpeth seemed to drive a bit slower. The heating was practically non existent upstairs however  

I find that the upstairs heating on the Eclipse Gemini's is not very good either, only a few outlets, and not much heat comes from them,whereas downstairs, the heating comes  from above the windows- very effective, and efficient in clearing steamed up windows.

(07 Dec 2014, 7:04 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Out of interest, and I'm sure someone mentioned it before, is there a VDL Gemini 2 at Belmont that is VOR? - resulting Lowlanders or ALX400s covering it's runs? I see one practically every day, and have done for over a week now.

If there is a reason for a Lowlander or another vehicle to  be allocated - it sort of makes me look like an idiot posting them in the Rare & Odd Workings thread.

Yes I think they have a few off the road actually! Did see 7627 on the X1 the other day but I believe at least two are missing.

(07 Dec 2014, 8:22 pm)tyresmoke wrote Yes I think they have a few off the road actually! Did see 7627 on the X1 the other day but I believe at least two are missing.

I saw either 7626 or 7627 on the X2 yesterday when I was heading to Gateshead! Haven't seen 7618 or 7619 of recent, although I think I may have seen 7626 during the week. I guess I'll just have to note which ones I see out and about.

(07 Dec 2014, 8:30 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I saw either 7626 or 7627 on the X2 yesterday when I was heading to Gateshead! Haven't seen 7618 or 7619 of recent, although I think I may have seen 7626 during the week. I guess I'll just have to note which ones I see out and about.

Yes it would be handy for the next week perhaps if people could note the ones they see so we can work out which ones are around.... I think two may be away for engine work. They may well go straight for refurbishment once finished? Just a guess, though.