1712 is now in service at Darlington depot and was operating the 13A/13B today.

(08 Sep 2014, 5:15 pm)Jimmi wrote 1712 is now in service at Darlington depot and was operating the 13A/13B today.

Gonna miss these MPD's when they eventually go, always have been and will be my fave type of bus. They may be jumpy and rattly but my god they've lasted well!

5 of our new Streetlites were picked up from Thorntons and arrived at Stockton depot this afternoon. The other 5 should follow shortly!

EDIT: Thanks to one of my fellow Sapphire colleagues, the 5 to arrive today are:
1552 NK14GGA
1553 NK14GGE
1554 NK14GGF
1557 NK14GGP
1559 NK14GGV

Cramlington UFO !!!!!!

Arriva nk53 hhy bus was on 2

Just saw a video of 7622 on youtube. Not health sounding indeed. The engine sounds more like one of GNE's Lolynes.

Was on 7622 yesterday and on the approach to Cramlington driver pulled in switched off the engine and went to investigate something, I think it was taken off at Blyth as return working was 7610

(09 Sep 2014, 9:17 am)Coppercap40 wrote Was on 7622 yesterday and on the approach to Cramlington driver pulled in switched off the engine and went to investigate something, I think it was taken off at Blyth as return working was 7610

I just don't see why Arriva just followed GNE and bought B9TL's. With the exception of the TTX batch due to the very high demands of the route and 6049, none of them have suffered any engine or major mechanical issues.

Sapphire comes to Teesside, Redcar and Cleveland.

http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-east/La...cleveland/

You will see Sapphire buses in service on the 5/5a from Tuesday 16th Sept and on the X3/X4 from Tue 23rd Sept!

(09 Sep 2014, 10:55 am)Jimmi wrote Sapphire comes to Teesside, Redcar and Cleveland.

http://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2...cZdO8m&s=1

You will see Sapphire buses in service on the 5/5a from Tuesday 16th Sept and on the X3/X4 from Tue 23rd Sept!

Problem with the link?

(09 Sep 2014, 12:22 pm)Roland Pratt wrote Problem with the link?

Try this.
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-east/La...cleveland/

If that didn't work the link is on the Arriva Facebook page.

(09 Sep 2014, 10:55 am)Jimmi wrote Sapphire comes to Teesside, Redcar and Cleveland.

http://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2...cZdO8m&s=1

You will see Sapphire buses in service on the 5/5a from Tuesday 16th Sept and on the X3/X4 from Tue 23rd Sept!

Looking forward to it. Never ever known 24 new buses in East Cleveland before. Does anyone know if this will include the morning and evening X5's?

(09 Sep 2014, 1:37 pm)Michael Euston wrote Looking forward to it. Never ever known 24 new buses in East Cleveland before. Does anyone know if this will include the morning and evening X5's?

1 AM and 1 PM trip on the X5s will be Streetlite worked (0735 from Easington and 1740 from Middlesbrough) as these are on 5/5a running boards. The 0705 from Easington and the 1710 from Middlesbrough are on 9/27A and 27 boards respectively so the AM trip should be Pulsar-worked while the PM one should in theory be a Cadet however could end up being anything.

As for new buses, don't forget Redcar got 32 brand new vehicles back in 2010 - admittedly only 30 of those are still around but the point still stands.

Seen / heard more complaints about overcrowding on Sapphire service 7 recently.

Apparently they are looking to putting in a bid in for larger buses on this route (according to Arriva North East's Facebook). Hope that this happens as recently I've had to stand at various points in the day and I will go nowhere near this service at peak times to/from Darlington.

(09 Sep 2014, 2:21 pm)Jimmi wrote Seen / heard more complaints about overcrowding on Sapphire service 7 recently.

Apparently they are looking to putting in a bid in for larger buses on this route (according to Arriva North East's Facebook). Hope that this happens as recently I've had to stand at various points in the day and I will go nowhere near this service at peak times to/from Darlington.

Hopefully this will see the return of deckers and Darlington will actually see deckers again!

The Sapphire Pulsars could be repainted and passed to the 75/76 and the 1/5.

None of the above will likely happen

Just seen these prices on the Sapphire website - seems a bit expensive to me:

Darlington to Durham city centre £5.20 single
Newton Aycliffe to Darlington £4.10 single
Ferryhill to Durham city centre £4.10 single
Coatham Mundeville to Darlington £2.70 single
Croxton to Durham city centre £2.70 single

(09 Sep 2014, 2:31 pm)JoshP wrote Hopefully this will see the return of deckers and Darlington will actually see deckers again!

The Sapphire Pulsars could be repainted and passed to the 75/76 and the 1/5.

None of the above will likely happen

None of this will probably happen as I don't think the depot manager at Darlington will want double deckers again after one of the Enviro 400s got wedged under Priestgate. I imagine if the 7 got double deckers the Sapphire Pulsars would go another depot to convert a route to Sapphire spec.

(09 Sep 2014, 2:33 pm)Tom wrote Just seen these prices on the Sapphire website - seems a bit expensive to me:

Darlington to Durham city centre £5.20 single
Newton Aycliffe to Darlington £4.10 single
Ferryhill to Durham city centre £4.10 single
Coatham Mundeville to Darlington £2.70 single
Croxton to Durham city centre £2.70 single

Can't even correctly spell the places it serves

(09 Sep 2014, 2:42 pm)Jimmi wrote Can't even correctly spell the places it serves

Not great. Also lacks a capital letter for City Centre.

(09 Sep 2014, 2:21 pm)Jimmi wrote Seen / heard more complaints about overcrowding on Sapphire service 7 recently.

Apparently they are looking to putting in a bid in for larger buses on this route (according to Arriva North East's Facebook). Hope that this happens as recently I've had to stand at various points in the day and I will go nowhere near this service at peak times to/from Darlington.

There are known problems on the 7 and yes bids are being made to increase the capacity with the use of double deckers, more than likely Enviro 400s.

The X5 that isn't Sapphire will be guaranteed Pulsar come next week, all runs will be Sapphire drivers though

16th September 2014 - Allocation & Movements
With thanks (as ever) to Richard Smiles, for supplying the information.

The entry into service of Streetlites 1550-59 at Stockton will allow for the withdrawal of 4001, 4007, 4030, 4037, 4038, 4039, 4040, 4043, 4046 and 4048.

On or near to this date, 7617/21 will return to service at Blyth, and this will allow 1712 to transfer to Darlington and 4068 to Redcar.
The transfer of 1712 to Darlington will allow 1656 to go for disposal, and the transfer of 4068 to Redcar will allow 4080 to go for disposal.

Also at Darlington, the return of 4809 will see 1612 going for disposal.

Redcar will additionally lose two spare vehicles, in the form of 1739 and 4092, both of which will go for disposal.
7491 will also transfer back to Ashington from Redcar/Whitby, as I assume the radiator modifications being carried out are now complete? This will allow 7483 to go for disposal at Ashington.

(09 Sep 2014, 3:38 pm)Dan wrote 16th September 2014 - Allocation & Movements
With thanks (as ever) to Richard Smiles, for supplying the information.

The entry into service of Streetlites 1550-59 at Stockton will allow for the withdrawal of 4001, 4007, 4030, 4037, 4038, 4039, 4040, 4043, 4046 and 4048.

On or near to this date, 7617/21 will return to service at Blyth, and this will allow 1712 to transfer to Darlington and 4068 to Redcar.
The transfer of 1712 to Darlington will allow 1656 to go for disposal, and the transfer of 4068 to Redcar will allow 4080 to go for disposal.

Also at Darlington, the return of 4809 will see 1612 going for disposal.

Redcar will additionally lose two spare vehicles, in the form of 1739 and 4092, both of which will go for disposal.
7491 will also transfer back to Ashington from Redcar/Whitby, as I assume the radiator modifications being carried out are now complete? This will allow 7483 to go for disposal at Ashington.

Most of which has already happened Dan 1656 is still going at Darlo but 1612 is off, 1712 hasn't seen use yet apparently.

1440 and 1512 are having a full Sapphire re-fit at Thorntons, both have been painted but are basically a shell at present, unsure when they will return but shouldn't be too far off. They won't see any branding though.

(09 Sep 2014, 6:48 pm)tyresmoke wrote Most of which has already happened Dan 1656 is still going at Darlo but 1612 is off, 1712 hasn't seen use yet apparently.

1712 was in use yesterday on service 13A/13B.

(09 Sep 2014, 2:31 pm)JoshP wrote Hopefully this will see the return of deckers and Darlington will actually see deckers again!

The Sapphire Pulsars could be repainted and passed to the 75/76 and the 1/5.

None of the above will likely happen

That's where your wrong according to the traffic officer we are due to get enviro 400 at the beginning of next year apparently the pulsars that are on sapphire now will go to Durham for the service 6

(09 Sep 2014, 7:12 pm)Stuart Phin wrote That's where your wrong according to the traffic officer we are due to get enviro 400 at the beginning of next year apparently the pulsars that are on sapphire now will go to Durham for the service 6

The only thing that I can think off with the PVR being 9 is Ashington getting more new E400's for the X21 / X22 due to it being a more demanding route with 7501 - 7509 going to Darlington for the 7.

(09 Sep 2014, 7:23 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote The only thing that I can think off with the PVR being 9 is Ashington getting more new E400's for the X21 / X22 due to it being a more demanding route with 7501 - 7509 going to Darlington for the 7.

But the overall PVR for the 7 is 10 (Darlington 8 & Durham 2) plus we will want a spare.

Also I hope that doesn't happen as I don't want buses that are over 7 years old replacing 1 year old buses.

(09 Sep 2014, 7:23 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote The only thing that I can think off with the PVR being 9 is Ashington getting more new E400's for the X21 / X22 due to it being a more demanding route with 7501 - 7509 going to Darlington for the 7.

7501-9 would be very hard to get under the Cornmill Centre Bridge in Darlington Town Centre - marked 14ft 6ins as you enter, and reduces to 14ft 3ins at the top end, 7501-9 are 14ft 6ins.

I don't think the Streetlites will cope on the X3/X3a/X4/5?
Citaros would have been better.

(09 Sep 2014, 7:35 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 7501-9 would be very hard to get under the Cornmill Centre Bridge in Darlington Town Centre - marked 14ft 6ins as you enter, and reduces to 14ft 3ins at the top end, 7501-9 are 14ft 5ins.

Could some of 7514-21 be refurbished for it?

(09 Sep 2014, 7:47 pm)mb134 wrote Could some of 7514-21 be refurbished for it?

Some of 7514-21 are going to be done for the X14 I believe. Plus, would you replace 1 year old Pulsars with nearly 6 year old refurbishments?