X2 and X24 North bound services diverted between Chester Moor and Chester le Street Front Street due to a scheduled road closure on the A167 which is in place until late Friday evening. The south bound A167 is not affected.
Here is 7620 on diversion.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98641142@N08/9511079364/

Can anybody explain this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerbp/9512397268/

(15 Aug 2013, 9:16 am)Wellsey18 wrote Can anybody explain this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerbp/9512397268/

Transfer for Yorkshire - not sure yet which depot is getting it. Also requires its designation screen replacing before entering service - it currently has Brightech screens which will need replacing with a Hanover one.

(15 Aug 2013, 9:36 am)Kuyoyo wrote Transfer for Yorkshire - not sure yet which depot is getting it. Also requires its designation screen replacing before entering service - it currently has Brightech screens which will need replacing with a Hanover one.

So its going to Yorkshire?

(15 Aug 2013, 10:17 am)Wellsey18 wrote So its going to Yorkshire?

No, sorry it's from Yorkshire.

Arrived at Jesmond yesterday morning - expect there'll be another one due to replace Spectras 7482/3
There's a Gemini and E400 on Metro replacement again today.

Does anyone know the PVR's of services operated from Redcar and Whitby Depot?

(17 Aug 2013, 1:43 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote Does anyone know the PVR's of services operated from Redcar and Whitby Depot?

Whitby
5: 4
91/95: 2
93/X93: 5
94: 1
Sainsbury's: 1

Redcar
4 Lingdale: 2
4 Saltburn: 1
22: 4
63: 11
64: 8 (weekdays)
64/64a: 8 (Saturdays)
81: 4
93/X93: 2 (Peak Timetable only)
X3/X4/64a: 11 (weekdays)
X3/X4: 9 (Saturdays)

Thanks mate

Looks like a change to the normal allocations for the X24. Both runs today have been with Optare Solo 2804.

(19 Aug 2013, 10:52 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote Looks like a change to the normal allocations for the X24. Both runs today have been with Optare Solo 2804.

Yeah I saw it in Birtley earlier, never seems to be anyone on it, X22 seems to pick up the traffic that end

if anyone wants to visit the jesmond depot during the mlc and doesn't know how to get there from haymarket its first stop on osbourne road then it's a 5 min walk

(20 Aug 2013, 6:13 pm)danpick wrote if anyone wants to visit the jesmond depot during the mlc and doesn't know how to get there from haymarket its first stop on osbourne road then it's a 5 min walk

Or you can catch a 306/7/8/9/10 from Haymarket, amongst many other services going that way.

Whats the MLC?

(20 Aug 2013, 6:36 pm)W179SCU wrote Whats the MLC?

Major Line Closure between Haymarket and the Airport/Four Lane Ends.

(20 Aug 2013, 6:51 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Major Line Closure between Haymarket and the Airport/Four Lane Ends.

I have never heard it called MLC, thats why I was unfamiliar with it haha!

Also, leaflets for the changes on the 1st September are now on buses.

24 to durham is a omicity.. least 12 people just got on

(21 Aug 2013, 9:02 am)W179SCU wrote I have never heard it called MLC, thats why I was unfamiliar with it haha!

Also, leaflets for the changes on the 1st September are now on buses.

It didn't make sense to me until I glanced at my 'Metro Ken' leaflet

651 (W651CWX) managed a trip on Metro board 958 this morning (0800 from Haymarket and 0912 return from Airport) before being taken off. It is currently the spare vehicle at Regent Centre I understand.

I'm told the two Spectras 7482/3 (V640/1KVH) are at Gardiners undergoing some sort of refurb.

(21 Aug 2013, 11:51 am)Michael wrote 24 to durham is a omicity.. least 12 people just got on

24 is quite often an Omnicity although I believe less often now as a few fleet changes have occurred. The 24 is a shared workings of Omnicity and Pulsar for a while.

Jesmond had Quorum Solo 2837 on service 3 yesterday evening.

Well I've had 651 out this morning on board 951 but it has now been replaced by Blyth Gemini 7612, which had started at Blyth this morning on 956... It got replaced by 7478.

PB0002032/333 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Thropton and Morpeth given service number 14/32/32b effective from 01-Sep-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

I got the 308 back from Newcastle Today on a VDL DB300 Gemini 2 and the driver told me that the Volvo B5LH Gemini 2 Hybrids 7801 to 7810, can't keep up with the timetable on the 308. I wonder what they're going to do with them because they can't blow all that money down the drain.

(28 Aug 2013, 4:03 pm)dav06295 wrote I got the 308 back from Newcastle Today on a VDL DB300 Gemini 2 and the driver told me that the Volvo B5LH Gemini 2 Hybrids 7801 to 7810, can't keep up with the timetable on the 308. I wonder what they're going to do with them because they can't blow all that money down the drain.

The timetable is changing on Sunday - although I'm not sure how that will affect anything. There aren't really that many Arriva operated 'Urban' services operated from Jesmond that are double-decker operated, so I'm not sure where they could go if they were to be moved?

But what I've noticed lately though is that 7801-7810 is on some of the Blyth - Newcastle Express services. The driver also mentioned to me that the speed of them has something to do with the exhausts. If this is the case they may be used on the express services to try and clear all the exhausts on them. Who knows?

What is wrong with these new buses?? The timetable hasn't changed that much over the years, even Atlanteans and Bristols could keep up with the timetable. Are the buses that bad or is it something else??

(29 Aug 2013, 4:13 am)Dextrovert wrote What is wrong with these new buses?? The timetable hasn't changed that much over the years, even Atlanteans and Bristols could keep up with the timetable. Are the buses that bad or is it something else??

I think people were complaining on the ANE Facebook page about the stop/start when the buses first came out.

To be honest, in my opinion, it must be harder for the drivers with all the roundabouts on the Coast Road slip roads if the buses switch off and the driver needs to pull out quickly. That being said, GNE don't seem to be having any problems with them on the 21 - bunching has been the norm for years!

I've been on the Volvo B5LH hybrid 4 times (3 x ANE308) (1 x GNE21) and although the Hybrids suit the 21 due to the fact that they're stopping at nearly every single stop and the fact that the distances between stops are few and far between also warranting the use of Hybrids on the 21, the 308 has some very long stretches of 50+ roads to deal with such as Links Rd and the Coast Road and including the fact that the 308 doesn't stop as much as the 21, and drives for long distances at times, it makes journey times slower for the 308 compared to the 21 which is timetabled to stop at every stop. Another issue as well is that due to the GNE version having a high roof, the aerodynamics are slightly better due to a more rounded front and the top of the back.

Spotted in service yesterday was Optare Spectra 7482 (V640 KVH), transferred from Arriva Yorkshire. Photo courtesy of North East & Regional Bus Photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerbp/9614385497/