I was quite surprised to read on a Facebook group that, to update the Next Stop Announcement media at Darlington, all "MAX" specification vehicles are kept off the road on a Sunday?

There's very few enthusiasts that can appreciate how time-consuming a job updating the media is, but as I have quite a large amount of experience in doing these updates for another operator, I can understand completely the wish to update all buses in one go, rather than dribs and drabs. What I couldn't understand is why Arriva don't pay for staff to come in on a night, when all buses are in the depot, to update the media? That way, passengers aren't 'inconvenienced' with a lower-spec vehicle being allocated.

Not sure what other situations there have been, resulting in all "MAX" vehicles being off the road, but the above situation certainly could have been avoided...

Dan, that isn't the real reason for the X66/26a on Sundays. I understand it will be Pulsars on there from now on due to timekeeping issues with the Scanias (and you can't change the times without splitting the interworking and increasing the PVR)

As someone posted recently, "it's just a case of what is handy in the depot". Or is it just a case of laziness. Makes a mockery of the whole branding thing.

When the leading driver comes in on the morning, they have to put all the vehicles on route they're supposed to be on. They have a list of the route branded vehicles. All allocations, unless the branded vehicles have to be covered with a wrongly branded vehicle are correct.

Some don't realise that, during the day, vehicles have to be replaced with whatever is spare, if a vehicle has had to be substituted with the official spare vehicle when the leading driver does the allocations on the morning, then a wrongly branded vehicle (or if you're really lucky, if a correctly branded vehicle becomes available) will have to be allocated. Vehicles could be replaced due to a defect, late running or could have to be removed to cover a higher-specification vehicle on another route.

So, if all of the vehicles have entered service on the morning and a one needs replacing, then yes, "its a case of what is handy in the depot".

In the case of the non-MAX service on the X66 on Sunday... this seems to be the only time that this has happened to update the media. If they want to do it on the Sunday, then they do whatever is not required due to the PVR reduction then do the rest on the next Sunday where the vehicles have not been updated stay at the depot... Disgraceful from Darlington management in my opinion.

2826 was in Thornaby yesterday with Not In Service on screen. Don't know what it was doing there.

Some sparkle on the X12 this afternoon:

1479 replaced a Gemini on the 15:20 Durham - Middlesbrough journey.

7521 on the 15:20 Durham - Newcastle journey (running around 15 minutes late).

Some sparkle on the X12 this afternoon:

1479 replaced a Gemini on the 15:20 Durham - Middlesbrough journey.

7521 on the 15:20 Durham - Newcastle journey (running around 15 minutes late).

On questioning big'un, the e400 is what he saw, this morning. Some miscommunication gone on, there!

2826 was in Thornaby yesterday with Not In Service on screen. Don't know what it was doing there.

Out on a test run possibly? It's on 7s today.
2804 is the one missing...

I was quite surprised to read on a Facebook group that, to update the Next Stop Announcement media at Darlington, all "MAX" specification vehicles are kept off the road on a Sunday?

There's very few enthusiasts that can appreciate how time-consuming a job updating the media is, but as I have quite a large amount of experience in doing these updates for another operator, I can understand completely the wish to update all buses in one go, rather than dribs and drabs. What I couldn't understand is why Arriva don't pay for staff to come in on a night, when all buses are in the depot, to update the media? That way, passengers aren't 'inconvenienced' with a lower-spec vehicle being allocated, but it's still possible to catch every bus at the same time.

Not sure what other situations there have been, resulting in all "MAX" vehicles being off the road, but the above situation certainly could have been avoided...

What. EVERY Sunday?!

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As someone posted recently, "it's just a case of what is handy in the depot". Or is it just a case of laziness. Makes a mockery of the whole branding thing.

Totally agree. Doesn't bother me personally but the publicity says 'free wifi' and they make no effort to put them on.

When the leading driver comes in on the morning, they have to put all the vehicles on route they're supposed to be on. They have a list of the route branded vehicles. All allocations, unless the branded vehicles have to be covered with a wrongly branded vehicle are correct.

Some don't realise that, during the day, vehicles have to be replaced with whatever is spare, if a vehicle has had to be substituted with the official spare vehicle when the leading driver does the allocations on the morning, then a wrongly branded vehicle (or if you're really lucky, if a correctly branded vehicle becomes available) will have to be allocated. Vehicles could be replaced due to a defect, late running or could have to be removed to cover a higher-specification vehicle on another route.

So, if all of the vehicles have entered service on the morning and a one needs replacing, then yes, "its a case of what is handy in the depot".

In the case of the non-MAX service on the X66 on Sunday... this seems to be the only time that this has happened to update the media. If they want to do it on the Sunday, then they do whatever is not required due to the PVR reduction then do the rest on the next Sunday where the vehicles have not been updated stay at the depot... Disgraceful from Darlington management in my opinion.

That's fair enough re changeovers. Obviously better a 'wrong' bus than no bus at all.

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Out on a test run possibly? It's on 7s today.
2804 is the one missing...

Didn't look like a fitter, but I might be wrong.

1465 on Sapphire 7.

1491 on Stockton's late X66/X67 turn

7521 on the 15:20 Durham - Newcastle journey (running around 15 minutes late).

Arriva North East: 7521 / NK09FVR by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

2841 on the 1/5/5A/19.

2841 on the 1/5/5A/19.

What time? If it was the 18:35/45 then it works off a 3A running board then does:

18:45 5A to bishop
19:50 5A to darlo
20:55 66 to whinfield
21:20 3 to skerne park
21:45 5A to bishop
22:50 5A to Darlington

Then the driver does staff bus

What time? If it was the 18:35/45 then it works off a 3A running board then does:

18:45 5A to bishop
19:50 5A to darlo
20:55 66 to whinfield
21:20 3 to skerne park
21:45 5A to bishop
22:50 5A to Darlington

Then the driver does staff bus

It was the 18:40 5A to Bishop Auckland mate.

1491 on the X66/X67 again

Sapphire 6 E400 on 09:35 X12 from Middlesbrough.

7520 on X12.

Attached Files

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SNV30345.JPG (Size 3.13 MB Downloads 13)

7520 on X12.

Currently stuck in traffic in Low Fell

Non-Sapphire pulsar 1491 on East Cleveland 5/5a this lunchtime. Guessing things are still bad on Cargo Fleet Lane?

1491 on the X66/X67 again

It's actually 1492 - on the same board 1491 was on yesterday

Non-Sapphire pulsar 1491 on East Cleveland 5/5a this lunchtime. Guessing things are still bad on Cargo Fleet Lane?

It does look that way - 1558 meanwhile is parked in the layover bay in Middlesbrough.

4649 has replaced 1426 on the 1 left Faverdale for Bishop at 14:25

It's actually 1492 - on the same board 1491 was on yesterday


It does look that way - 1558 meanwhile is parked in the layover bay in Middlesbrough.

My eyes decived me, now you've said that I remember seeing the random love heart on the front panel

4519 on 54/55, 1588 was seen on 308 this morning... Not sure if it was a 306 with wrong screen or if Jesmond do a morning peak trip?

35 branded Streetlite - X14
4659 - X21
#classicashington

My eyes decived me, now you've said that I remember seeing the random love heart on the front panel

Attached Files

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SNV33954.JPG (Size 2.99 MB Downloads 15)

35 branded Streetlite - X14
4659 - X21
#classicashington

I thought we were going to stop with these immature hashtags?

35 branded Streetlite - X14
4659 - X21
#classicashington

I'd imagine that 4659 wasn't available for service this morning, so the Streetlite was allocated to the X14. 4659 then probably became available, and replaced something on the X21/22.

Maybe think about the possibilities in future before typing '#classicashington'.

7524 on the 57

I thought we were going to stop with these immature hashtags?

Pigs will fly before that happens.

1521 is now on X12 - working back it appears to have replaced 7520