(26 May 2015, 8:09 pm)Davie wrote I though Arriva withdrew their X30 service years ago https://www.flickr.com/photos/109436376@...ed-public/?

Service X30 is a peak-time service - with two departures in each direction Monday - Friday:
Departs Blyth towards Newcastle - 0634 (arr 0715), 0734 (arr 0825)
Departs Newcastle towards Blyth - 1628 (arr 1713), 1728 (arr 1813).

It was introduced at the end of March 2014 as part of network changes in Newcastle, North Tyneside and South East Northumberland.

(26 May 2015, 8:10 pm)Robert wrote MAX Enviro 7531 (NK64 EES) has had a panel change. Old and new style corner bumpers together:

looks like a standard coloured panel on the right.

Hope they sort it out soon.

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)mb134 wrote It was an Ashington service, brought in to compete with GNE's X41, however it got changed to the X20 in the 2010 changes if I recall correctly (when the X31/2/3 were streamlined to the X21/22)  

It was then reintroduced as a Blyth express that operates, if I'm thinking of the correct service, in mornings and evenings.

Ahh right cheers. I hadn't heard anything about it

(26 May 2015, 8:10 pm)Robert wrote MAX Enviro 7531 (NK64 EES) has had a panel change. Old and new style corner bumpers together:

Untitled by Davie's photos and videos, on Flickr

Thought it looked different when I saw it the other day!

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)Dan wrote Service X30 is a peak-time service - with two departures in each direction Monday - Friday:
Departs Blyth towards Newcastle - 0634 (arr 0715), 0734 (arr 0825)
Departs Newcastle towards Blyth - 1628 (arr 1713), 1728 (arr 1813).

Cheers once again Dan

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)Jimmi wrote looks like a standard coloured panel on the right.

Hope they sort it out soon.

Let's hope it doesn't go to Thorntons or Bus & Coach World for a touch-up repaint - it may end up looking something like the one visible in the background... 

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)Davie wrote Did you have to use my awful photo?

Its not awful. Not compared to the old ones with your phone or whatever it was and even then, they were still useful - i was just looking through your collection from today and noticed 7531 so used that photo  

(26 May 2015, 8:12 pm)Davie wrote Ahh right cheers. I hadn't heard anything about it

Just had a look through your photos from today, some great shots in there  

(26 May 2015, 8:15 pm)Robert wrote Its not awful. Not compared to the old ones with your phone or whatever it was and even then, they were still useful - i was just looking through your collection from today and noticed 7531 so used that photo  

Thanks for the compliment, although I admit it's S***e I think/hope my photos have improved. Yes I did use my mobile phone until I was given this camera https://www.flickr.com/photos/109436376@...727-nA1NKf off my parents which was awful

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(26 May 2015, 8:16 pm)mb134 wrote Just had a look through your photos from today, some great shots in there  

Thanks very much, please see my other post about my opinion

(26 May 2015, 8:21 pm)Davie wrote

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Thanks very much, please see my other post about my opinion

See, especially with your photo of 7531, there is very little you could do differently if you ask me, maybe get more of the side as well, but you're kind of limited in a bus station  

Unlike the vehicle in question, your photo of 7504 is about the best you could have done with it in my opinion

(26 May 2015, 8:28 pm)mb134 wrote See, especially with your photo of 7531, there is very little you could do differently if you ask me, maybe get more of the side as well, but you're kind of limited in a bus station  

Unlike the vehicle in question, your photo of 7504 is about the best you could have done with it in my opinion

Thanks very much, I do try my best

(26 May 2015, 8:31 pm)Davie wrote Thanks very much, I do try my best

Nothing more you can ask for really.

(26 May 2015, 8:32 pm)Robert wrote Nothing more you can ask for really.

I think I might just need self - confidence

(26 May 2015, 8:33 pm)Davie wrote I think I might just need self - confidence

Think you also need self confidence to go to Durham.

(26 May 2015, 9:01 pm)danpick wrote Think you also need self confidence to go to Durham.

Actually I might to see what bus spotting there is like - I don't think I'll be rushing back to Ashington or Morpeth anytime soon

(26 May 2015, 9:01 pm)danpick wrote Think you also need self confidence to go to Durham.

Like how he will refuse to go anywhere near Durham because he thinks its a dump yet he went up to Ashington today!

(26 May 2015, 9:04 pm)Davie wrote Actually I might to see what bus spotting there is like - I don't think I'll be rushing back to Ashington or Morpeth anytime soon

There is nothing wrong with Durham, there is plenty to get photos of and it is a nice place so get yourself there.

(26 May 2015, 9:08 pm)Jimmi wrote There is nothing wrong with Durham, there is plenty to get photos of and it is a nice place so get yourself there.

I might because I'll be going to the rally there 

(26 May 2015, 9:04 pm)Davie wrote Actually I might to see what bus spotting there is like - I don't think I'll be rushing back to Ashington or Morpeth anytime soon

Can understand Ashington, but Morpeth? 


What was wrong there?

Word of advice: avoid going through Chester-le-Street when going to Durham. Its the long way around but safer

(26 May 2015, 9:23 pm)mb134 wrote Can understand Ashington, but Morpeth? 


What was wrong there?

Too tight for my liking 

24 e400 just left Peterlee bus station a few minutes ago heading to Durham on service 24 (timed 07:45).

Seen couple of 24's this morning, but just plain pulsars.

The other 24 e400 just entered Peterlee bus station heading to Hartlepool (timed 08:08)

just seen a branded 24 pulsar heading to durham from peterlee bus station (timed 08:15) so their starting to place them out on service now.

My observations of the Sapphire 22/24 so far is pathetic.

The 1437 22 journey arrived roughly on-time but left Durham Bus Station over 15 minutes late.

The 1452 24 was also late arriving and departing Durham.

Today was the first day of Sapphire services 22/24. Some photos of service 24's Sapphire branded buses.

Arriva North East: 1521 / NL63 VPV by Jimmi's Bus Photos, on Flickr

Arriva North East: 7539 / NK15 DZR by Jimmi's Bus Photos, on Flickr

(27 May 2015, 4:12 pm)Jimmi wrote Today was the first day of Sapphire services 22/24. Some photos of service 24's Sapphire branded buses.

Inconsistencies between different services held in the premium "Sapphire" brand is bad enough, but this is something else...

We have two "Sapphire" specification services with split allocations. The old VDL Pulsars have normal amber LED destination displays, and the new ADL Enviro400s have white LED destination displays. There are now inconsistencies in the same services held within the "Sapphire" brand - some with white LEDs, and others with amber.

Appreciate there's a cost behind replacing amber with white LEDs, but there are five sets of white LEDs in Darlington's new ADL Enviro400s which could have easily been put into the Pulsars which they replaced, so that all vehicles on the 7 have amber LED displays and all vehicles on the 24 have white...

(27 May 2015, 4:39 pm)Dan wrote Inconsistencies between different services held in the premium "Sapphire" brand is bad enough, but this is something else...

We have two "Sapphire" specification services with split allocations. The old VDL Pulsars have normal amber LED destination displays, and the new ADL Enviro400s have white LED destination displays. There is now inconsistencies in the same services held within the "Sapphire" brand - some with white LEDs, and others with amber.

Appreciate there's a cost behind replacing amber with white LEDs, but there are five sets of white LEDs in Darlington's new ADL Enviro400s which could have easily been put into the Pulsars which they replaced, so that all vehicles on the 7 have amber LED displays and all vehicles on the 24 have white...

It doesn't look brilliant but it's not the end of the world.

As a regular passenger of the 7 no passengers have really shown any annoyance about the different coloured displays that I'm aware of.

Arriva isn't the only operator in the North East to have different displays on their branded services, Go North East have also had the old green flipdot? displays on some Prince Bishops and The Highwayman Solars and the East Durham MPDs, I know they are starting to replace these and the MPDs may not be around much longer.

How come we have 2 different destinations for the 24, one says Marina and the other has a couple of via points, or does it change

(27 May 2015, 4:59 pm)citaro5284 wrote How come we have 2 different destinations for the 24, one says Marina and the other has a couple of via points, or does it change

It changes - Marina is the first page of at least 3.

(27 May 2015, 4:47 pm)Jimmi wrote It doesn't look brilliant but it's not the end of the world.

As a regular passenger of the 7 no passengers have really shown any annoyance about the different coloured displays that I'm aware of.

Arriva isn't the only operator in the North East to have different displays on their branded services, Go North East have also had the old green flipdot? displays on some Prince Bishops and The Highwayman Solars and the East Durham MPDs, I know they are starting to replace these and the MPDs may not be around much longer.

It's not the end of the world, but it's not what you would expect on a service held within a premium brand. You would expect consistency between one vehicle and the next.

As I said in my previous post, there's a cost involved in replacing LEDs. The recent withdrawals in the fleet has allowed Go North East to accumulate a number of surplus LED destination displays, and the wheels are now consequently in motion to have the vehicles in each brand with the same types of destination displays. Indeed, Volvo B10BLE 4845 has recently donated its LEDs to Scania L94 4954, so that the entire "Prince Bishops" branded fleet has LEDs. You'll find similar "Highwayman" branded 4941 will also have its flipdots exchanged for LEDs...

Do you really think I'd moan about something, to leave the door wide open for it to be turned back on me? I think not...!  

(27 May 2015, 4:59 pm)citaro5284 wrote How come we have 2 different destinations for the 24, one says Marina and the other has a couple of via points, or does it change

They change. For example, on the 7 it will say "Durham" on the top line, then "Bus Station", "via Newton Aycliffe", "via Ferryhill", etc. on the bottom line.

It's the same with the X12 saying "Durham" on the top line, then "for Middlesbrough", "via Low Fell & Birtley", "via Chester-le-Street" on the bottom. However, I think they should just stick to "for Middlesbrough (e.g.)" on services which are split, such as the X12, 21/X21 and 4/X4.