(13 Mar 2015, 8:09 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Good suggestion. 5229-5233 seem to have performed well on the X84/X85, so they shouldn't have much issue with the Fab57.

I honestly think the Streetlites will look exceptionally smart in some of the liveries (assuming they are kept) of the brands they are going onto. Red Kites would look eye catching, as would the Fab57, to name a few.

I think they'd look good in Toonlink livery

(13 Mar 2015, 8:08 pm)Davie wrote Go North East may get citaros for the Tynedale Express

Don't think any Citaros are expected this year, Davie.

Seems to mainly be Streetlites that have been ordered, looks like this year there is a theme with the orders.

(13 Mar 2015, 8:08 pm)Davie wrote Go North East may get citaros for the Tynedale Express

Citaro's are currently expensive, hopefully we'll get some new ones in the future...   

If they ever get Citaro's, it probables be cascades.  

(13 Mar 2015, 8:10 pm)Davie wrote I think they'd look good in Toonlink livery

I can see purple Streetlites in my head, would look rather nice. But, having suggested what I did the other day, I reckon the OmniCities that will be consequently cascaded from the Red Kite (and match the PVR) will find their way onto the Toon Link.

That said, they could also end up in the corporate livery. Only a short while until we find out...

Personally, I think it's more likely they'll be repainted into the corporate livery and dished out across the region.

(13 Mar 2015, 8:08 pm)Davie wrote Go North East may get citaros for the Tynedale Express

GNE seem to be moving away from the Citaro and going towards the Streetlite. Doubt we will see any enter the fleet soon.

(13 Mar 2015, 8:14 pm)Robert wrote GNE seem to be moving away from the Citaro and going towards the Streetlite. Doubt we will see any enter the fleet soon.

I don't think that GNE will stick with Wrightbus, they'll either go:

- Optare Versa, Optare Metrodecker, Mercedes Benz Citaro
- ADL E200 MMC, ADL E300S MMC, ADL E400, ADL E400S MMC.

I think that the way things stand for GNE and the mixture of routes that are operated, ADL would be the best option.

Remember what Citaro5284 said, all new vehicles in this order will have a cummins engine.

(13 Mar 2015, 11:32 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I don't think that GNE will stick with Wrightbus, they'll either go:

- Optare Versa, Optare Metrodecker, Mercedes Benz Citaro
- ADL E200 MMC, ADL E300S MMC, ADL E400, ADL E400S MMC.

I think that the way things stand for GNE and the mixture of routes that are operated, ADL would be the best option.

Is the current recruitment of a Fleet Procurement Manager for Go-Ahead not going to take the option away from Go-North East choosing there own vehicles anymore. From what I was lead to believe this new position was to purchase group orders from 2015 in the same way that Stagecoach, Arriva and First bus work. 

(13 Mar 2015, 11:45 pm)Malarkey wrote Remember what Citaro5284 said, all new vehicles in this order will have a cummins engine.

Aye, I mean in the future though.

(13 Mar 2015, 11:46 pm)roar wrote Is the current recruitment of a Fleet Procurement Manager for Go-Ahead not going to take the option away from Go-North East choosing there own vehicles anymore. From what I was lead to believe this new position was to purchase group orders from 2015 in the same way that Stagecoach, Arriva and First bus work. 

I hope that they don't go own that route and go for a one size fits all approach.

(13 Mar 2015, 11:46 pm)roar wrote Is the current recruitment of a Fleet Procurement Manager for Go-Ahead not going to take the option away from Go-North East choosing there own vehicles anymore. From what I was lead to believe this new position was to purchase group orders from 2015 in the same way that Stagecoach, Arriva and First bus work. 

We are still in the 2014/15 financial year. Nothing has changed this year - Go North East selected all of the buses they wanted to invest in.

(14 Mar 2015, 6:03 am)Dan wrote We are still in the 2014/15 financial year. Nothing has changed this year - Go North East selected all of the buses they wanted to invest in.

I think that way is far better than the way Arriva Stagecoach etc order their vehicles, think in the case of those operators each region should receive a annual vehicle budget to do as they please with, that rolls over between years.

(13 Mar 2015, 11:55 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I hope that they don't go own that route and go for a one size fits all approach.

Do you not fancy the job Davey?
I reckon you could do the job with your eyes closed

(13 Mar 2015, 5:44 pm)Dan wrote The xx:17 / xx:47 departures out of Park Lane tend to do fairly well - but that's because they're running three minutes in front of the xx:20 / xx:50 departures of "Drifter" service 60. Some passengers do opt for the 60, of course, to use the free Wi-Fi offered on board.

The xx:02 / xx:32 departures out of Park Lane don't do as well - sometimes they even run empty out of Park Lane during the day. "Drifter" service 60 departs two minutes prior, so anyone on board tends to be passengers wishing to use the bus beyond the shared 60 / 61 corridor.

Even with the developments at Dalton Park, I wouldn't expect to see a frequency increase.

Although I'm not sure it justifies a frequency increase, I certianly don't think empty runs out Sunderland are common place, as someone who is frequent user of the 61- ive been on runs out of park lane during early afternoon which have been quite busy. 
I also don't think anyone waits for a 60 because it's wifi, you have to get a StreetLite workinf (at one time Solars were quite common on 60s, less these days though) and the wifi has to be even workinf and I'm sorry to those that work on wifi at GNE, but it's sometimes hard to connect too. Plus most people have data packages on phones/tablets anyways, the idea of wifi is just to save using your money! Mind if they had plug sockets it could be a different story. 

(14 Mar 2015, 9:20 am)Drifter60 wrote Although I'm not sure it justifies a frequency increase, I certianly don't think empty runs out Sunderland are common place, as someone who is frequent user of the 61- ive been on runs out of park lane during early afternoon which have been quite busy. 
I also don't think anyone waits for a 60 because it's wifi, you have to get a StreetLite workinf (at one time Solars were quite common on 60s, less these days though) and the wifi has to be even workinf and I'm sorry to those that work on wifi at GNE, but it's sometimes hard to connect too. Plus most people have data packages on phones/tablets anyways, the idea of wifi is just to save using your money! Mind if they had plug sockets it could be a different story. 

By all means shout when you cannot connect, looking at the system, there is hardly any issues with the Drifter vehicles and are normally fine all day long.

(14 Mar 2015, 8:53 am)citaro5284 wrote Providing GNE buy buses with about a 30 litre engine and does 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds!

As Fleet Procurement Manager for the Go Ahead Group, I am sure Davey would have enough va va vroom to sort the industry out. He seems to know what Joe Public wants!

I reckon the insiders could have a quiet word with the powers that be.
Remember, it's not what you know, it's who you know.

(14 Mar 2015, 9:20 am)Drifter60 wrote Although I'm not sure it justifies a frequency increase, I certianly don't think empty runs out Sunderland are common place, as someone who is frequent user of the 61- ive been on runs out of park lane during early afternoon which have been quite busy. 
I also don't think anyone waits for a 60 because it's wifi, you have to get a StreetLite workinf (at one time Solars were quite common on 60s, less these days though) and the wifi has to be even workinf and I'm sorry to those that work on wifi at GNE, but it's sometimes hard to connect too. Plus most people have data packages on phones/tablets anyways, the idea of wifi is just to save using your money! Mind if they had plug sockets it could be a different story. 

Those are my observations. Feel free to disagree based on your own observations, but until recently I too was a regular user of all Sunderland - Ryhope bus services and I know I've regularly seen fairly empty buses on the xx:02 and xx:32 departures out of Sunderland. Arriva's X21 suffers from the same problem, as it is sandwiched in between the streamlined 22/23 service 15 minute frequency.

The Streetlites are very rarely off the road these days. There was some teething issues when they first entered service but these have been stamped out since.

Many scholars use the 60 opposed to the 61 as it offers free Wi-Fi. I have a lot of friends who do this.

(14 Mar 2015, 9:23 am)Andreos1 wrote As Fleet Procurement Manager for the Go Ahead Group, I am sure Davey would have enough va va vroom to sort the industry out. He seems to know what Joe Public wants!

I reckon the insiders could have a quiet word with the powers that be.
Remember, it's not what you know, it's who you know.

Well, this would be my fleet buying policy:
- Optare Solo 7.9m for local work.
- ADL / Cummins Enviro 200 MMC 11.5 for standard single deck work.
- ADL / Scania Enviro 300 for long distance / rural / demanding single deck work.
- ADL / Cummins Enviro 400 MMC for standard double deck work.
- ADL / Volvo B5LH Enviro 400 MMC for GBF double deck work.
- ADL / Scania N280UD Enviro 400 MMC for rural / interurban / suburban double deck work.
- ADL / Scania N320UD (N360UD if available) Enviro 400 MMC for long distance / endurance double deck work.

(14 Mar 2015, 10:00 am)DaveyBowyer wrote Well, this would be my fleet buying policy:
- Optare Solo 7.9m for local work.
- ADL / Cummins Enviro 200 MMC 11.5 for standard single deck work.
- ADL / Scania Enviro 300 MMC for long distance / rural / demanding single deck work.
- ADL / Cummins Enviro 400 MMC for standard single deck work.
- ADL / Volvo B5LH Enviro 400 MMC for GBF double deck wor
- ADL / Scania N280UD Enviro 400 MMC for rural / interurban / suburban double deck work.
- ADL / Scania N320UD (N360UD if available) Enviro 400 MMC for long distance / endurance double deck work.

Tbh Davey, that would be my fleet buying policy although i still hope they would invest in gas buses for local work, like SC Sunderland  

(14 Mar 2015, 6:03 am)Dan wrote We are still in the 2014/15 financial year. Nothing has changed this year - Go North East selected all of the buses they wanted to invest in.

I should have really put 2015/16 to make it more clear. 

I must have deleted the email alert I received about this vacancy coming up a couple of weeks ago but its still advertised here if anyone is interested.

(15 Mar 2015, 8:43 am)citaro5284 wrote In addition to the Streetlites we all know about, there is another 4 vehicles due to join the fleet shortly 

For the 5?

(15 Mar 2015, 8:43 am)citaro5284 wrote In addition to the Streetlites we all know about, there is another 4 vehicles due to join the fleet shortly 

Are these also Streetlites?  

Or Cascades from another Go-Ahead operator? 

Is there only Streetlites on order this year, along with the 4 other vehicles. 

(15 Mar 2015, 9:57 am)Michael wrote Are these also Streetlites?  

Or Cascades from another Go-Ahead operator? 

Is there only Streetlites on order this year, along with the 4 other vehicles. 

No, the four new vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned are not Streetlites. So far, we have only established the single deck orders for this year on the forum, and there is more yet to be revealed.

(15 Mar 2015, 10:13 am)Dan wrote No, the four new vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned are not Streetlites. So far, we have only established the single deck orders for this year on this forum, and there is more to be revealed.

Hopefully Versa's  

(15 Mar 2015, 10:13 am)Dan wrote No, the four new vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned are not Streetlites.

Thank god for that! 

I do understand why Streetlites are being favoured, but they have absolutely no character whatsoever. The Saltwell Park branded one I was on yesterday sounded worse than a Metrorider, and the Arriva one I had through the week smelt like it was burning after it took Shincliffe bank.

(15 Mar 2015, 10:15 am)aureolin wrote Thank god for that! 

I do understand why Streetlites are being favoured, but they have absolutely no character whatsoever. The Saltwell Park branded one I was on yesterday sounded worse than a Metrorider, and the Arriva one I had through the week smelt like it was burning after it took Shincliffe bank.

The Drifter ones aren't bad, not my favorite bus in the fleet but it gets people from A to B  

(15 Mar 2015, 10:13 am)Dan wrote No, the four new vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned are not Streetlites. So far, we have only established the single deck orders for this year on the forum, and there is more yet to be revealed.

I'm guessing it's no coincidence that 4 bendys went to Brighton...

(15 Mar 2015, 11:03 am)tyresmoke wrote I'm guessing it's no coincidence that 4 bendys went to Brighton...

Must of finally made it! 

(15 Mar 2015, 11:03 am)tyresmoke wrote I'm guessing it's no coincidence that 4 bendys went to Brighton...

Streetlites have been ordered for service X66. As I said before, it's a different vehicle type for the four citaro5284 has mentioned.

We have established that the single deck orders are Streetlites. So really, the four vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned can only be minibus, midibus or double deck... Which service(s) have a PVR of 3 (with 1 spare) or 4?

(15 Mar 2015, 11:06 am)Dan wrote Streetlites have been ordered for service X66. As I said before, it's a different vehicle type for the four citaro5284 has mentioned.

We have established that the single deck orders are Streetlites. So really, the four vehicles citaro5284 has mentioned can only be minibus, midibus or double deck... Which service(s) have a PVR of 3 (with 1 spare) or 4?

Are they for the 47