It's not even "MAX" branding. It would have made more sense having the blithering corporate livery on it, it'll still make its way onto the 1.

As we've discussed in the past, this is why I much prefer corporate liveried spares to the same specification as the branded vehicles. Depending on how high the PVR of a service is, chances are the spare may have to be utilised on other services a fair amount. If it's in corporate livery, no biggie.

Durham have had their spare MAX Pulsar out on just about every service the depot operates. What's worse is the fact this one has specific sub-branding for service X12, opposed to any sort of generic livery. If the spare has to be in "MAX" livery, do away with all the gimmicks and just throw the logo and that's it, just like the Sapphire spares in the region. I doubt customers will care if the "usual bus" (how do you define that with Blyth?) is in for a service...

to Richmond and beyond 

could become the new slogan . . . 

As we've discussed in the past, this is why I much prefer corporate liveried spares to the same specification as the branded vehicles. Depending on how high the PVR of a service is, chances are the spare may have to be utilised on other services a fair amount. If it's in corporate livery, no biggie.

Durham have had their spare MAX Pulsar out on just about every service the depot operates. What's worse is the fact this one has specific sub-branding for service X12, opposed to any sort of generic livery. If the spare has to be in "MAX" livery, do away with all the gimmicks and just throw the logo and that's it, just like the Sapphire spares in the region. I doubt customers will care if the "usual bus" (how do you define that with Blyth?) is in for a service...

Have to agree about spares as it is beginning to look silly now, yesterday Belmont had both Sapphire spares on non Sapphire services yesterday (43 & X12) meanwhile I dare bet that whilst 1595 was on the X12, 1415 was on the 6 again which seems to be a daily occurance at the moment.

Whilst Belmont got to chuck there Sapphires on whatever the hell they wanted Darlington ended up having to use non Sapphire spec Pulsar 1425 on the 7 yesterday.

1415 is getting on my wick now, it always seems to be on the 6 at the moment whilst the X12 has a non MAX spec bus on it, so annoying seeing it on there especially as Darlington struggle to keep MAX buses on Darlington's service whilst Belmont keep allocating 1415 on non MAX services and Stockton don't have a spare for the X12.

As we've discussed in the past, this is why I much prefer corporate liveried spares to the same specification as the branded vehicles. Depending on how high the PVR of a service is, chances are the spare may have to be utilised on other services a fair amount. If it's in corporate livery, no biggie.

Durham have had their spare MAX Pulsar out on just about every service the depot operates. What's worse is the fact this one has specific sub-branding for service X12, opposed to any sort of generic livery. If the spare has to be in "MAX" livery, do away with all the gimmicks and just throw the logo and that's it, just like the Sapphire spares in the region. I doubt customers will care if the "usual bus" (how do you define that with Blyth?) is in for a service...

There's no pleasing some people - you'd be complaining if it was in normal livery yet making daily appearances on a MAX route  

As for Durham, notice that they seemingly prefer to use one of the ex-Ashington Lowlander on the X12 if a Gemini is VOR rather than 1415 - however, it's likely come the autumn they'll have no choice to use 1415 if what I've heard turns out to be true  

But surely it's better than this:
Arriva North East: 7609 / NK59DMO by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Don't think much is worse than that!  maybe that two tone blue they used on 281 and that ex-GNE B10 a few years back?

There's no pleasing some people - you'd be complaining if it was in normal livery yet making daily appearances on a MAX route  

As for Durham, notice that they seemingly prefer to use one of the ex-Ashington Lowlander on the X12 if a Gemini is VOR rather than 1415 - however, it's likely come the autumn they'll have no choice to use 1415 if what I've heard turns out to be true  

Something happening with the Lowlanders?

There's no pleasing some people - you'd be complaining if it was in normal livery yet making daily appearances on a MAX route  

As for Durham, notice that they seemingly prefer to use one of the ex-Ashington Lowlander on the X12 if a Gemini is VOR rather than 1415 - however, it's likely come the autumn they'll have no choice to use 1415 if what I've heard turns out to be true  

You've seen no complaints from me about this over on the Go North East section of the forum, so there certainly wouldn't be any complaints from me on this section...

For Go North East, there's very few branded services that now have a branded spare, and even though a spare vehicle may be used frequently, there are occasions where it is not required, and is allocated to another service as a result. Arriva have "Sapphire" branded vehicles down on Teesside working normal services all day because they're often not required to deputise for the correct allocation. It's a similar situation up north with Go North East (think of the Fab56 Volvo B9TLs), but the difference is that they can be allocated to the 20/20A services on a Saturday no problem because they carry the company's corporate livery.

Although the brand identity is lost somewhat when the corporate liveried spares have to be used regularly to cover for branded vehicles (I'm thinking of the red Mercs at Stanley and the red Volvo B9TL at Riverside), I'd suggest this is still better than a 'wrong brand' working.

Why don't they scrap MAX and Sapphire and launch these brands?

X21 / X22 = The Milburn Way - Fast frequent links to the heart of Ashington, Bedlington and Newcastle
X10 / X11 = Coast Express - Fast frequent connections to Blyth, Cramlington and Newcastle
X15 / X18 / X20 = Coast & Castles Connections
X14 = The Villager - Keeping Northumberland Connected
1 / 2 = Valleyway - Frequent links from the Blyth Valley to Bedlington, Ashington and Morpeth
52 / 53 / 57 / 57A = Easylink - Easy links for local people
X12 = Three Rivers Express - Fast frequent connections to and from Teesside, Durham and Newcastle

Something happening with the Lowlanders?

I can't say anything until I have it confirmed - but from what I've heard, Durham and Ashington may be having a modern standard-specification decker swap before the 6 goes Sapphire so all Sapphire deckers in the region are of the same type  

There's no pleasing some people - you'd be complaining if it was in normal livery yet making daily appearances on a MAX route  

As for Durham, notice that they seemingly prefer to use one of the ex-Ashington Lowlander on the X12 if a Gemini is VOR rather than 1415 - however, it's likely come the autumn they'll have no choice to use 1415 if what I've heard turns out to be true  

Why does the depot's preference come into it? If someone at Arriva has signed off painting and branding an extra vehicle for the X12, then surely that should be used in the first instance? It's a ridiculous situation having an 'X12' branded vehicle going round Durham on everything but the X12, and it confuses customers.

I can't say anything until I have it confirmed - but from what I've heard, Durham and Ashington may be having a modern standard-specification decker swap before the 6 goes Sapphire so all Sapphire deckers in the region are of the same type  

May have picked this up totally wrong, but do you mean Lowlanders back to Ashington *hopes*  

---

Why does the depot's preference come into it? If someone at Arriva has signed off painting and branding an extra vehicle for the X12, then surely that should be used in the first instance? It's a ridiculous situation having an 'X12' branded vehicle going round Durham on everything but the X12, and it confuses customers.

Could it be more to do with capacity, a Lowlander will be better at peak times than a Pulsar would be?

Isn't capacity an issue with the X12?

I can't say anything until I have it confirmed - but from what I've heard, Durham and Ashington may be having a modern standard-specification decker swap before the 6 goes Sapphire so all Sapphire deckers in the region are of the same type  

I like the sound of that...

7519-7521 to Belmont and we receive the 57-reg Lowlanders and refurbish them to MAX for X20? 

Why does the depot's preference come into it? If someone at Arriva has signed off painting and branding an extra vehicle for the X12, then surely that should be used in the first instance? It's a ridiculous situation having an 'X12' branded vehicle going round Durham on everything but the X12, and it confuses customers.

Agree.

I can come up with two plausible reasons:

• Capacity issues on the Durham - Middlesbrough stretch of the route on Belmont's boards at peak times making it illogical to allocate a single deck vehicle. However, if this was the case, why wasn't a double-deck vehicle selected to be converted to MAX specification opposed to a single-deck?
  
• The bus is being kept local, at the request of the depot's engineering department (owing to a previous fault), as they want to make sure it's settled in before sending it out on a demanding service like the X12. This becomes less and less likely the more time it spends on these services, though. This has been ongoing since January...

Or it could just boil down to poor allocations, which should be nipped in the bud from higher above...

You've seen no complaints from me about this over on the Go North East section of the forum, so there certainly wouldn't be any complaints from me on this section...

For Go North East, there's very few branded services that now have a branded spare, and even though a spare vehicle may be used frequently, there are occasions where it is not required, and is allocated to another service as a result. Arriva have "Sapphire" branded vehicles down on Teesside working normal services all day because they're often not required to deputise for the correct allocation. It's a similar situation up north with Go North East (think of the Fab56 Volvo B9TLs), but the difference is that they can be allocated to the 20/20A services on a Saturday no problem because they carry the company's corporate livery.

Although the brand identity is lost somewhat when the corporate liveried spares have to be used regularly to cover for branded vehicles (I'm thinking of the red Mercs at Stanley and the red Volvo B9TL at Riverside), I'd suggest this is still better than a 'wrong brand' working.

1512 is allocated to a 27 working that does an X5 - it also means it's earning its keep and within easy reach to be swapped off if required on the 5s.

Why does the depot's preference come into it? If someone at Arriva has signed off painting and branding an extra vehicle for the X12, then surely that should be used in the first instance? It's a ridiculous situation having an 'X12' branded vehicle going round Durham on everything but the X12, and it confuses customers.

So, you were complaining about a split allocation the other day yet now you want a Pulsar on there? Durham seem to want to use deckers on there (and the region is short of modern deckers - a fact now becoming apparent with the X4/X5 MAX upgrade and the 6 Sapphire upgrade) and I think originally the plan was for a Pulsar board to remain on the Durham X12, obviously that all changed. Of course, ideally Durham shouldn't be putting 1415 out on the 6 but if it's all that spare and it's not required on the X12, what else do you do?

May have picked this up totally wrong, but do you mean Lowlanders back to Ashington *hopes*  

Maybe, maybe not - I don't know 100% yet, just a rumor until confirmed.

May have picked this up totally wrong, but do you mean Lowlanders back to Ashington *hopes*  

Yeah hopefully the beasts will be for the 20/X20  - Then again the ALX400's are just as good.

Maybe, maybe not - I don't know 100% yet, just a rumor until confirmed.

Either way, sounds good  

Would image as a result (if it did occur) these would be refurbished to MAX specification for the 20/X20, with 7519-21 going down for the Sapphire conversion of the 6? 

If 7453-6 did move back, and were used for the purpose previously stated, could they look at increasing the frequency of the 20/X20, or extending it to Alnwick?

I like the sound of that...

7519-7521 to Belmont and we receive the 57-reg Lowlanders and refurbish them to MAX for X20? 

Only be 3 of the Lowlander if it's true - as for MAX refurbishment, no idea

Agree.

I can come up with two plausible reasons:

• Capacity issues on the Durham - Middlesbrough stretch of the route on Belmont's boards at peak times making it illogical to allocate a single deck vehicle. However, if this was the case, why wasn't a double-deck vehicle selected to be converted to MAX specification opposed to a single-deck?
  
• The bus is being kept local, at the request of the depot's engineering department (owing to a previous fault), as they want to make sure it's settled in before sending it out on a demanding service like the X12. This becomes less and less likely the more time it spends on these services, though. This has been ongoing since January...
  

Or it could just boil down to poor allocations, which should be nipped in the bud from higher above...

Maybe they didn't do a decker because there's so few modern decker vehicles in the fleet that weren't already earmarked for other runs. Plus, I believe, it was only after 1415/6 were completed that Durham requested a sixth decker to convert their entire operation to decker. As for the poor allocation comment - if it's the only bus left without a defect, would you rather have no bus?

Either way, sounds good  

Would image as a result (if it did occur) these would be refurbished to MAX specification for the 20/X20, with 7519-21 going down for the Sapphire conversion of the 6? 

If 7453-6 did move back, and were used for the purpose previously stated, could they look at increasing the frequency of the 20/X20, or extending it to Alnwick?

That'd be great extending it to Alnwick.

Then the X18 might become a bit more reliable if the 20/X18 provided a 30 minute frequency between Widdrington-Alnwick to help with passenger numbers on the X18.

Yeah hopefully the beasts will be for the 20/X20  - Then again the ALX400's are just as good.

Beasts!? They're flat as fuck - I watched 7455 struggle away from the stop on Stockton High Street the other morning and it wasn't that full.

Either way, sounds good  

Would image as a result (if it did occur) these would be refurbished to MAX specification for the 20/X20, with 7519-21 going down for the Sapphire conversion of the 6? 

If 7453-6 did move back, and were used for the purpose previously stated, could they look at increasing the frequency of the 20/X20, or extending it to Alnwick?

Only 3 would go as Durham would be down a vehicle if it lost 4 deckers and only gained 3 - unless 7518 also moved south to Durham to give a decker spare for the 6/24  

Only be 3 of the Lowlander if it's true - as for MAX refurbishment, no idea

If it is true, I hope one of the three is 7454, that was an absolute rocket the last time I was on it, miss that bus... 


One thing relating to your point regarding a lack of modern double deckers in the region, with the age that 7436-44 and 7466-81 are, could we see mass investment soon, like Liverpool has seen?

1512 is allocated to a 27 working that does an X5 - it also means it's earning its keep and within easy reach to be swapped off if required on the 5s.

I'm well aware of the interworking pattern as the allocation has previously been justified in the past.

My personal opinion would be that it would be better for this vehicle to carry the company's corporate livery whilst featuring the provision of free Wi-Fi and power sockets. That way, Arriva wouldn't be allocating a "Sapphire" branded vehicle, on a daily basis, to a service which does not form part of the North East's network of "Sapphire" branded services, but customers would still benefit from the main thing they'll care about (power sockets and Wi-Fi - not the colour of the bus) when it does have to be allocated to services 5/5A.

So, you were complaining about a split allocation the other day yet now you want a Pulsar on there? Durham seem to want to use deckers on there (and the region is short of modern deckers - a fact now becoming apparent with the X4/X5 MAX upgrade and the 6 Sapphire upgrade) and I think originally the plan was for a Pulsar board to remain on the Durham X12, obviously that all changed. Of course, ideally Durham shouldn't be putting 1415 out on the 6 but if it's all that spare and it's not required on the X12, what else do you do?

When there's a "MAX" specification vehicle kicking about on the 6 service when the X12 service is in need of a "MAX" specification vehicle, I think aureolin's point or "complaint" is justified... Lowlanders do seem to be fairly common based on my sightings of Durham's boards on a morning and night, yet reports of 1415 on other services at Durham also seem to be common.

Only 3 would go as Durham would be down a vehicle if it lost 4 deckers and only gained 3 - unless 7518 also moved south to Durham to give a decker spare for the 6/24  

I can count the number of times I've seen it on the route it was refurbished for on one hand, spends most of it's time on the X14 from what I gather, and Ashington have already got "Quick Links" 4653/7515, that they'll probably chuck on!!  

As for the poor allocation comment - if it's the only bus left without a defect, would you rather have no bus?

As 1415's appearance on service 6 (and other services besides the X12) seems to be almost daily, Durham must have huge operational issues, if it's the only bus left in the depot on all of these occasions!

What is their spare vehicle %, again?

So, you were complaining about a split allocation the other day yet now you want a Pulsar on there? Durham seem to want to use deckers on there (and the region is short of modern deckers - a fact now becoming apparent with the X4/X5 MAX upgrade and the 6 Sapphire upgrade) and I think originally the plan was for a Pulsar board to remain on the Durham X12, obviously that all changed. Of course, ideally Durham shouldn't be putting 1415 out on the 6 but if it's all that spare and it's not required on the X12, what else do you do?

I didn't want a Pulsar on there. Perhaps Arriva management want a Pulsar on there, seeing as a spare has been branded for the X12? My point remains though. Why does the depot get away with going for their preference, rather than using the branded spare? 

Durham wouldn't be able to put 1415 out on the 6, if it was on the X12 as intended. The Lowlander would be on there instead. Of course it makes things difficult when it's out first thing on a morning most days. 

As 1415's appearance on service 6 (and other services besides the X12) seems to be almost daily, Durham must have huge operational issues, if it's the only bus left in the depot on all of these occasions!

What is their spare vehicle %, again?

I've been to Durham bus station and Belmont depot recently and there was about 6 vehicles in total in layovers/parked up.

Durham seem to want to use deckers on there (and the region is short of modern deckers - a fact now becoming apparent with the X4/X5 MAX upgrade and the 6 Sapphire upgrade) 

Just going to go back to this point, I've just had a look through the Fleetlist and it's quite amazing how old some of the double decker allocation is, out of a total 131 (if I've counted correctly), 88 are 10 years old or less (7445/6 being the oldest of the 88), however 43 are over 13:
9 2001 Lowlanders 
23 DLA's (included the T-FGN deckers in this, unsure if they are still DLA's?)
11 2001/2 B7's 

Don't pretty much all of these still see service? 


Is it possible for a Liverpool scale decker influx over the coming years to get rid of these? 

How would I best go about complaining to Arriva regarding the red light incident yesterday?

Also what info should I include?

How would I best go about complaining to Arriva regarding the red light incident yesterday?

Also what info should I include?

Journey, vehicle fleet number if possible. Using that information, they should be able to track the driver down without trouble. 

How would I best go about complaining to Arriva regarding the red light incident yesterday?

Also what info should I include?

File a formal complaint. A rough time, service number, usually the fleet number of the vehicle would come in handy, and the location the incident took place should be enough for them to find the incident on CCTV, I would think. 

Journey, vehicle fleet number if possible. Using that information, they should be able to track the driver down without trouble. 

File a formal complaint. A rough time, service number, usually the fleet number of the vehicle would come in handy, and the location the incident took place should be enough for them to find the incident on CCTV, I would think. 

Do I use the contact us page http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/contact-us/ or some other way?

Do I use the contact us page http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/contact-us/ or some other way?

Yes.