(30 Jan 2021, 6:10 pm)mb134 wrote To go back to the initial topic of this thread, today:

7446 failed on the 35 early on, was replaced by 1580.
7512 failed at Alnwick at 14:00, prior to operating the X15 to Morpeth.
7517 was pulled off the X18 at Morpeth around 15:40, replaced by 1580 (which was replaced on the 35 by 7446 about an hour later).
7525 failed on the X21 early afternoon. It was last in service on Wednesday, where it failed on its second trip of the day.
7533 was replaced by 7528 on the X18 after failing just outside Morpeth in the early afternoon. It has since picked up an X21/22.
7542 failed(?) on the X21 at lunchtime. This board doesn't seem to have been picked up until 7533 went onto it at 15:30.
7554 was replaced by 7531 on the X18 just before 17:00 at Morpeth.
7555 made it to Newcastle and back to Ashington on the X20 this morning before being replaced by 7515.

In addition, 7527 was pulled off the X21/22 to replace 1580 on the X14, which was punted onto an X15 to replace 7512. 7517 picked up the board 7528 was taken off just before 17:00, meaning that missed a run to Newcastle and back.

Both 51-plate Volvos (7484/6) going strong on the 35s mind, so every cloud and all that...

I just do not see how Arriva/DB can look at that and think that investment is not needed, or that the engineering team at Ashington do not need serious help. Wonder how many times today the phrase "at least we're not effing Jesmond" was uttered at Ashington...