(12 Dec 2013, 8:03 pm)Dan wrote Do think it's a bit backward... Introducing branding on a service which interworks with another.
I'll jump in before people say, "Go North East have services which do that too". To those people - I've criticised GNE's services which do that too.

Yeah, I agree! - But to be fair, it's only a short, hourly service.

(12 Dec 2013, 8:00 pm)Tom wrote 6 and 42 interwork, so not rare really.

I didn't know that don't pay much attention to Arriva and there interworkings etc,plus it's rare I ever go to Durham anyway, and I agree with Daniel that having branding on an Interworking Service, Would it not be worth Re-Numbering the 42 as 6A so that the Branding isn't meaningless.

(12 Dec 2013, 8:12 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I didn't know that don't pay much attention to Arriva and there interworkings etc,plus it's rare I ever go to Durham anyway, and I agree with Daniel that having branding on an Interworking Service, Would it not be worth Re-Numbering the 42 as 6A so that the Branding isn't meaningless.

It could be something to look at, but then there's route information on the bus above the windows, plus is it really worth the £60 to re-register?

YD63 UZN on the 64 http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarkey/11343466266/

(12 Dec 2013, 8:58 pm)BJ10VUS wrote It could be something to look at, but then there's route information on the bus above the windows, plus is it really worth the £60 to re-register?

Not sure the 42 would justify £60 being spent on it but there you go!

(12 Dec 2013, 8:03 pm)Dan wrote Do think it's a bit backward... Introducing branding on a service which interworks with another - especially when branding isn't a common thing in the Arriva North East network.
I'll jump in before people say, "Go North East have services which do that too". To those people - I've criticised GNE's services which do that too.

If you look, there's only 3 vehicles on the 6 that interwork with the 42 so given at present there's only 4 buses branded you should be able to allocate those onto the workings that don't do 42s (officially it's also supposed to happen on Teesside with one 27/27a board that does a X6 on the end on a weekday but 9/10 a branded one appears in there).

I have created the following group on flickr, so if you could join it that would be great

Arriva North East Sapphire Branded Wright Pulsar 2's
http://www.flickr.com/groups/2429918@N20/

Make a wish this Christmas with Arriva:
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/xmas

I had a look at the Versa earlier in the week and really liked the colour.A Versa was trialled at Bishop Auckland some years ago but none were ordered so I wonder if it will be more successful this time.It is vehicle that size wise would be useful for some of the estates that Arriva buses use, Darlington could use them for Services 9 and 10 and X26 and X27.

Driving through Sherburn earlier and ANE had two extremes on the 64.

The Versa was coming out of the estate, whilst an Rxxx COO dart was heading in.

Well it appears the mysterious happenings have moved from service X1 to Redcar depot.... the latest repaints are 1651 (R426COO) and 1743 (V743ECU)
Bizarre!

Pulsar 1450 is the first example to be debranded, although so far it has only lost its 27 numbers.

PB0002717/243 - ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Belmont Park & Ride and Sniperley Park & Ride given service number P1 effective from 23-Dec-2013. To amend Timetable.

1451 is the first 'Fresh' Pulsar to be completely debranded.

(11 Dec 2013, 7:06 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote Exactly. It's a question of SERVICE v COMPETITION. I agree that Northern starting the X84/85 between Hexham and Newcastle was opportunistic (although they did run the 684 hourly, albeit slower), more so than the introduction of the OK1 which did fill a gap in the market with a fast bus Crook - Bishop - Darlington and on a different route than Arriva's 1/1B ie via the new shops at St Helens and West Auckland rather than Shildon. But Arriva's response to the Tynedalexpress has put competition before service, as northern156 has lost his early SERVICE to Carlisle, so Arriva can COMPETE with GNE between Hexham and Newcastle, even though to do this they now have five light workings between Jesmond and Hexham and one all the way to Carlisle, instead of the one they had before (the return of the evening X85). Why didn't they just retime their X85's to run in front of Northern? Yes, they've saved three long layovers in Carlisle in the morning (assuming the word on the street is correct that the empty bus works the 1107) and two in the evening, but there must still be four long breaks in Carlisle between 1256 and 1707, unless the Tardis has regenerated as an OmniCity! It's silly, illogical and commercially it can't be financially viable as the revenue Arriva may claw back from GNE will be gobbled up by all the empty running.

This is exactly what happened when the 6 was increased to a 12 minute frequency. Two buses an hour were removed from Evenwood to stick an extra service in from Durham to West Auckland to compete with the X21 and OK1, yes the old 50 was extended to Evenwood via Ramshaw but people do not want to be carted all around Toft Hill and Witton to get to Bishop and not surprisingly it was binned in September. Now the two Cockfield buses get absolutely hammered and causes late running and bunching of the service.

(19 Dec 2013, 4:10 pm)RGR756V wrote This is exactly what happened when the 6 was increased to a 12 minute frequency. Two buses an hour were removed from Evenwood to stick an extra service in from Durham to West Auckland to compete with the X21 and OK1, yes the old 50 was extended to Evenwood via Ramshaw but people do not want to be carted all around Toft Hill and Witton to get to Bishop and not surprisingly it was binned in September. Now the two Cockfield buses get absolutely hammered and causes late running and bunching of the service.

And when the Cockfield 6's are late they often run back empty via A688, omitting Evenwood, (and sometimes even West Auckland going via by-pass). The 6 is an example of a timetable change which puts COMPETITION before SERVICE. Only a total idiot would extend two journeys per hour on a 12 min frequency, thus giving a 24 min / 36 min gap between Cockfield buses, with one of them laying over for 15 min at Hollymoor Road End.

Ticket changes

New tickets from Arriva allow travelling between Hartlepool and Sunderland for £6.90 (day) and £25.50 (week), and Peterlee and Sunderland for £5.70 (day) and £22 (week) which is rather good!

(19 Dec 2013, 5:12 pm)Tom wrote Ticket changes

New tickets from Arriva allow travelling between Hartlepool and Sunderland for £6.90 (day) and £25.50 (week), and Peterlee and Sunderland for £5.70 (day) and £22 (week) which is rather good!

Kinda makes the Durham day tickets a bit pointless though.

(19 Dec 2013, 5:12 pm)Tom wrote Ticket changes

New tickets from Arriva allow travelling between Hartlepool and Sunderland for £6.90 (day) and £25.50 (week), and Peterlee and Sunderland for £5.70 (day) and £22 (week) which is rather good!

Who made these prices up?, for the 3 zone ticket for a month to travel in Hartlepool, peterlee and Sunderland is the same price for a northeast all zone ticket for a month.

To travel between Hartlepool,peterlee and Sunderland for a week and if you just pay an extra pound per week then you can get an northeast all zone ticket.

The East Durham triple ticket should of been a lot cheaper than just a pound ish cheaper than a northeast all zone ticket.

Wish there was picture or diagram of the zone boundries of the east durham ticket.

I think Arriva should take a page out of GNE ticket boundries, and have the same kind of setup even though the prices might be a bit cheaper but it would at least draw more passengers onto there buses

(19 Dec 2013, 5:45 pm)cbma06 wrote Who made these prices up?, for the 3 zone ticket for a month to travel in Hartlepool, peterlee and Sunderland is the same price for a northeast all zone ticket for a month.

To travel between Hartlepool,peterlee and Sunderland for a week and if you just pay an extra pound per week then you can get an northeast all zone ticket.

The East Durham triple ticket should of been a lot cheaper than just a pound ish cheaper than a northeast all zone ticket.

Wish there was picture or diagram of the zone boundries of the east durham ticket.

I think Arriva should take a page out of GNE ticket boundries, and have the same kind of setup even though the prices might be a bit cheaper but it would at least draw more passengers onto there buses

There is:
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedFiles...Map(1).pdf

(19 Dec 2013, 5:52 pm)Tom wrote There is:
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedFiles...Map(1).pdf

Thanks for the link, couldn't find it on the arriva website.

So the oldest Dart finally sees a paint shop...

The live map feature on the Arriva Bus App has started to be rolled out across the region. It appears around half of Durham and Stocktons fleet are currently tracking... I can certainly say 1485 doesn't yet!

(20 Dec 2013, 7:54 am)tyresmoke wrote The live map feature on the Arriva Bus App has started to be rolled out across the region. It appears around half of Durham and Stocktons fleet are currently tracking... I can certainly say 1485 doesn't yet!

Ive just been viewing the arriva app on my iphone, and its not too bad, at least it will save me from freezing to death waiting at the bus stop on Southway, even though theres been a couple of service 22 that have bypassed Southway and opted to take to the old 22 route in the past few hours.

That is such a good feature I'm amazed! (getting a little to excited, I think?!) I think that's an excellent idea, I'd love to see the big 3 all do this and a round of applause to Arriva as the first to do this.
GNE real-time technology testing has been on going for ages now and the line on Facebook is getting very boring now.
Back to Arriva, this a very good feature as a lot of the time it's just the not knowing which angers people. Now people can see on well it's a bit late about 6 Mins late st the moment, great feature.

Apparently one of the gas busses in Darlington has been involved in a RTA with a Range Roven in the town centre and there is one confirmed fatality.

(21 Dec 2013, 7:13 pm)JoshP wrote Apparently one of the gas busses in Darlington has been involved in a RTA with a Range Roven in the town centre and there is one confirmed fatality.

Yes pictures from the scene confirms it as an Ecocity involved... No further details known at present but Northern Echo have confirmed one fatality sadly!

The article states the driver had to be cut free - very early to speculate, so can only presume the fatality was in the car or a passenger on the bus.

Possible write off for the bus?

Report on the Northern Echo website - http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10...e/?ref=rss

Says that the 4x4 went into the side of the bus.
Also a driver aged 25 has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.
One fatality, but doesn't say where the fatality occured.

(19 Dec 2013, 10:51 pm)tyresmoke wrote So the oldest Dart finally sees a paint shop...

Which one?