I'll change the 1 to standard spec  

Yeah that'll make more sense.
The 1 could definitely do with new buses though. E200's possibly.

Yeah that'll make more sense.
The 1 could definitely do with new buses though. E200's possibly.

Do ASC have E200s that could be displaced this/next year? Or do you mean new ones? 

Yeah that'll make more sense.
The 1 could definitely do with new buses though. E200's possibly.

I'd like to see the new E200 in the North East with Arriva

Do ASC have E200s that could be displaced this/next year? Or do you mean new ones? 

Yeah I mean new ones. 

Yeah I mean new ones. 

If this is anything to go by and these buses are reliable, ANE could get one on demonstration on the 1/2/X14/33/57/57A routes.

Also the QRG window system might be a 'good point' for the E200MMC too.

On Sundays should the 5A passengers be dropped off at Northgate and Tubwell Row then the bus goes back to Northgate to start the 19 to Faverdale depot or should it wait at Northgate until the 19 departure time still with the 5A passengers on-board then round to Tubwell Row as the latter has just happened to me and I am not happy about it.

On Sundays should the 5A passengers be dropped off at Northgate and Tubwell Row then the bus goes back to Northgate to start the 19 to Faverdale depot or should it wait at Northgate until the 19 departure time still with the 5A passengers on-board then round to Tubwell Row as the latter has just happened to me and I am not happy about it.

I would assume that the 5a passengers got dropped off first on Northgate and Tubwell Row then it goes back to Northgate and starts the 19.

However just dropping off on Northgate, sound like plain laziness to me.

I would assume that the 5a passengers got dropped off first on Northgate and Tubwell Row then it goes back to Northgate and starts the 19.

However just dropping off on Northgate, sound like plain laziness to me.

I believe it should drop off 5A passengers first then head back to Northgate to start the 19 as the 5A should terminate at Tubwell Row before the 19 should leave Northgate.

Not happy missed a shot of an EcoCity on the 76A and only JUST caught a shot of the Sapphire Enviro going round Darlington Town Centre.

Sapphire liveried 7534 (NK15ACF) seen in Darlington this afternoon.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...121631715/

I believe it should drop off 5A passengers first then head back to Northgate to start the 19 as the 5A should terminate at Tubwell Row before the 19 should leave Northgate.

Not happy missed a shot of an EcoCity on the 76A and only JUST caught a shot of the Sapphire Enviro going round Darlington Town Centre.

On the RTC, it shows to drop off at Northgate, then Tubwell, then return back to Northgate.

On the RTC, it shows to drop off at Northgate, then Tubwell, then return back to Northgate.

Thought that was the case.

Shouldn't be a problem from next month when the 19 will no longer pick up at Northgate.

Thought that was the case.

Shouldn't be a problem from next month when the 19 will no longer pick up at Northgate.

I believe from next month, the 5A will continue as the short Morton Park Service 12 instead, every hour. The times seem to fit.

The 19 looks like it will interwork with the Sapphire 7, possibly instead of running dedicated shuttles. Again, the times fit perfectly.

The two hourly Hurworth 12 also sits perfectly in the layover of the Sunday two hourly X75.

Its some pretty efficient (and sensible) vehicle workings!

On rough calculations, it appears that one vehicle is saved on a Sunday from May (the current Service 12 bus), but that is possibly reinvested into the 13A/13B, which looks like a Sunday frequency increase.

I believe from next month, the 5A will continue as the short Morton Park Service 12 instead, every hour. The times seem to fit.

The 19 looks like it will interwork with the Sapphire 7, possibly instead of running dedicated shuttles. Again, the times fit perfectly.

The two hourly Hurworth 12 also sits perfectly in the layover of the Sunday two hourly X75.

Its some pretty efficient (and sensible) vehicle workings!

On rough calculations, it appears that one vehicle is saved on a Sunday from May (the current Service 12 bus), but that is possibly reinvested into the 13A/13B, which looks like a Sunday frequency increase.

Just had a look and it seems you could be right there as they all fit in perfectly.

I'm sure there will be some comments about a Sapphire bus being used on the 19 although the 19 is basically just a crew bus that normal passengers can use.

Anyone know what's happening here?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thespian/1...otostream/

Anyone know what's happening here?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thespian/1...otostream/

Probably just buses heading back to Belmont depot.

Anyone know what's happening here?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thespian/1...otostream/

Fitter driving it (and the other one) but if you say there were 3 or 4 all together, I'm intrigued!
I'll see what I can find out.... They're not due to be replaced just yet

Probably just buses heading back to Belmont depot.

I think they were headed away from the depot.

I think they were headed away from the depot.

They appear to be heading towards Belmont - the old Durham Depot has been closed for over two years now and was knocked down a good while ago.

Some of the sapphire streetlites entered service today, it was allocated to service 24. Have plans changed yet again?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16042610@N...otostream/

The bus I'm on has a notice of lower fares on the 56, but only for Coundon Village and Leeholme? Between those points and Bishop Auckland bus station will drop to £1.70 single/£3.20 return.

Is this in competition with the GNE OK way service or something? I don't know the area that well.

May these be some of the reasons that Sapphire X21/X22 isn't well used?

• Friends of would-be passengers giving bad reviews eg. power sockets and wifi doesn't work, dirty bus.
  
• Seeing Sapphire buses being towed, off putting for would-be customers.
  
• 57-reg buses being used and very noisy and smelly
  
• Generally sick of the constant late running of the services
  
• Wasn't well advertised, never saw anything in local newspapers
  
• There is an alternative X20 express
  
• Hard to understand frequency on Bedlington Front Street, although being marketed as every 10 minutes
  

I think Arriva refurbishing buses of this state for the X21/X22, have damaged the reputation of these routes. I've saw two people redeem free DaySavers on Sapphire then getting off and using the X20 before the Sapphire even left.

When I've used the X21 before Sapphire, the loadings were decent enough for a decker, but since Sapphire, I've witnessed the loading fall on my everyday journeys.

On the other hand, route 1, is gaining more passengers; my usual journey on a Sunday has saw from 3 people arriving in Ashington, to 15 people yesterday.

Some of the sapphire streetlites entered service today, it was allocated to service 24. Have plans changed yet again?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16042610@N...otostream/

Unless the driver inserted wrong destination.

How long does it take to put the Sapphire markings up on the bus?

The 24 should of been done max spec with pulsars, then passengers have a choice between a Sapphire on service 22 and a Max on service 24 to peterlee lol.

The bus I'm on has a notice of lower fares on the 56, but only for Coundon Village and Leeholme? Between those points and Bishop Auckland bus station will drop to £1.70 single/£3.20 return.

Is this in competition with the GNE OK way service or something? I don't know the area that well.

Yeah the 56 competes with the OK Way service 18 from the Coundon area into Bishop Auckland.

Unless the driver inserted wrong destination.

How long does it take to put the Sapphire markings up on the bus?

The 24 should of been done max spec with pulsars, then passengers have a choice between a Sapphire on service 22 and a Max on service 24 to peterlee lol.

Well it had passengers on-board on the photo I saw so one would assume it was operating the 24.

Think having two different brands would not be best idea as with making them both Sapphire it would probably be easier to promote the 22/24 between Durham and Peterlee running on a combined 15 minute frequency (although it follows different routes).

Unless the driver inserted wrong destination.

How long does it take to put the Sapphire markings up on the bus?

The 24 should of been done max spec with pulsars, then passengers have a choice between a Sapphire on service 22 and a Max on service 24 to peterlee lol.

1595 was on service 22 I understand!

Only 7540 remains in Ashington depot tonight.

1595 was on service 22 I understand!

Think I'll head to Durham tomorrow and see if any make it out in service again.

That's providing I can stop coughing my lungs up.

Just been speaking to a new driver for Darlington depot, he went to the depot yesterday and as it happened he got asked by the leading driver if he had a spare 20 mins to be familiarised with the Sapphire Double Deckers, he thought it was a wind up, the leading driver then went on to say it's incase we put them on different services

I was lead to believe that the Sapphire Double Deckers were for sapphire service 7 so I don't see any point in other drivers needing to be familiarised on them,

If there going to be used on any service then why not just paint them into normal Arriva livery

Just been speaking to a new driver for Darlington depot, he went to the depot yesterday and as it happened he got asked by the leading driver if he had a spare 20 mins to be familiarised with the Sapphire Double Deckers, he thought it was a wind up, the leading driver then went on to say it's incase we put them on different services

I was lead to believe that the Sapphire Double Deckers were for sapphire service 7 so I don't see any point in other drivers needing to be familiarised on them,

If there going to be used on any service then why not just paint them into normal Arriva livery

Same could be said about Blyth's entire depot.

Just been speaking to a new driver for Darlington depot, he went to the depot yesterday and as it happened he got asked by the leading driver if he had a spare 20 mins to be familiarised with the Sapphire Double Deckers, he thought it was a wind up, the leading driver then went on to say it's incase we put them on different services

I was lead to believe that the Sapphire Double Deckers were for sapphire service 7 so I don't see any point in other drivers needing to be familiarised on them,

If there going to be used on any service then why not just paint them into normal Arriva livery

They should only be used on the 7 although any regular viewer of my Flickr photostream will know that the Pulsars currently used on the 7 do have a tendency to appear off route at times, seen them several times on the 5/5A in the last few months.