(10 Aug 2015, 9:08 pm)JP6004 wrote still think possibly highwayman

What would go on the Diamond then?

(10 Aug 2015, 9:35 pm)S813 FVK wrote What would go on the Diamond then?

Streetlies

(10 Aug 2015, 9:35 pm)S813 FVK wrote What would go on the Diamond then?

A Bus with 4 Wheels, Vehicle Armour as seen on Police Cars in Ireland and Damage Proof Windows.

(10 Aug 2015, 9:42 pm)Michael wrote Streetlies

No!! Volvo B8RLEs would be perfect.

(10 Aug 2015, 9:49 pm)S813 FVK wrote No!! Volvo B8RLEs would be perfect.

Hopefully we see some of them in the NE but well probables get Hybrid Streetlites.... haha

Hopefully if they do get new buses, it'll mean that there won't be spares on the routes all the time....

We also have to think about the changes to the routes GNE want to do.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:07 pm)Michael wrote Hopefully we see some of them in the NE but well probables get Hybrid Streetlites.... haha

Hopefully if they do get new buses, it'll mean that there won't be spares on the routes all the time....

We also have to think about the changes to the routes GNE want to do.

Yep. Now the consultations have closed, id say decisions will be made very soon on what to do. If the Diamond proposals do go ahead, i can see a PVR decrease meaning some will go red?

(10 Aug 2015, 10:12 pm)S813 FVK wrote Yep. Now the consultations have closed, id say decisions will be made very soon on what to do. If the Diamond proposals do go ahead, i can see a PVR decrease meaning some will go red?

Not sure, i think a few people wernt happy with spliting the routes up at Stanley.

Hopefully the results are out soon so we can see whats happening.

Small Selection of photos from today....


659 in Holme Hill Estate.


664 in Horden


657 in Hesleden


653 in Sherburn Estate

(10 Aug 2015, 9:35 pm)S813 FVK wrote What would go on the Diamond then?

Maybe more ex Brighton scania until new buses are purchased this year or next? No harm in downgrading the service until new buses arrive - don't forget angel was downgraded before investment

(10 Aug 2015, 10:29 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Small Selection of photos from today....


659 in Holme Hill Estate.


664 in Horden


657 in Hesleden


653 in Sherburn Estate

Nice shots, Gary. Good to see somebody taking advantage of the different areas around that network for photos. I would say ''venturing'' out to the different areas but Robert would probably have my life over it.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:44 pm)R852 PRG wrote Nice shots, Gary. Good to see somebody taking advantage of the different areas around that network for photos. I would say ''indiGoing'' out to the different areas but Robert would probably have my life over it.

Fixed   

(10 Aug 2015, 9:08 pm)JP6004 wrote still think possibly highwayman

(10 Aug 2015, 10:41 pm)JP6004 wrote Maybe more ex Brighton scania until new buses are purchased this year or next? No harm in downgrading the service until new buses arrive - don't forget angel was downgraded before investment

I seriously doubt the Citaros will be moving off the Diamond and onto Highwaymans. Honestly, I think the Citaros will be staying at Stanley for whatever happens to the Diamond.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:48 pm)S813 FVK wrote Fixed   

As I'm on holiday, I did miss out on the fun and games today. It seems quite a few people go'd to check them out on their first day in service.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:41 pm)JP6004 wrote Maybe more ex Brighton scania until new buses are purchased this year or next? No harm in downgrading the service until new buses arrive - don't forget angel was downgraded before investment

The Angel was downgraded in terms of bus age, yes but bus reliability wise, the service was upgraded. The Vykings could not handle such a long route.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:49 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I seriously doubt the Citaros will be moving off the Diamond and onto Highwaymans. Honestly, I think the Citaros will be staying at Stanley for whatever happens to the Diamond.

You never know... Some of the Solars on the ''Highwayman'' are aging now, I'm not sure if they would get direct replacements in the form of new vehicles, but the ''Diamond'' could. Even though the Citaros seem fine on the routes, those services could receive an upgrade in coming years. I'd leave the door open at his suggestion.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:54 pm)R852 PRG wrote You never know... Some of the Solars on the ''Highwayman'' are aging now, I'm not sure if they would get direct replacements in the form of new vehicles, but the ''Diamond'' could. Even though the Citaros seem fine on the routes, those services could receive an upgrade in coming years. I'd leave the door open at his suggestion.

Th Diamond routes are the only main services at Stanley which have never received brand new buses. Considering it was valued as a high quality service anyway by giving it an upgrade to Citaros (ultimately making it one of the few then-Gold Standard services), the lack of real investment into the service shows that it has dropped down in the world. 

Obviously you can't upgrade services left right and centre. We all know that upgrades, repaints and other miscellanous stuff costs money and need to be well used in order to get the money back.

(10 Aug 2015, 10:59 pm)S813 FVK wrote Th Diamond routes are the only main services at Stanley which have never received brand new buses. Considering it was valued as a high quality service anyway by giving it an upgrade to Citaros (ultimately making it one of the few then-Gold Standard services), the lack of real investment into the service shows that it has dropped down in the world. 

Obviously you can't upgrade services left right and centre. We all know that upgrades, repaints and other miscellanous stuff costs money and need to be well used in order to get the money back.

Well at the current frequency, I think they more than warrant DD being allocated. Used to live at Burnopfield and I never saw the bus more than half empty throughout the day

On the X35, theres a bald bloke writing notes down in a book, he also works for GNE, first time i have seen this... any idea what he is writing down?

(11 Aug 2015, 8:11 am).Michael wrote On the X35, theres a bald bloke writing notes down in a book, he also works for GNE, first time i have seen this... any idea what he is writing down?

Passenger numbers at each stop? Ive had somebody do that before.

(11 Aug 2015, 8:11 am)Michael wrote On the X35, theres a bald bloke writing notes down in a book, he also works for GNE, first time i have seen this... any idea what he is writing down?

Shopping list? ?

(11 Aug 2015, 8:12 am)S813 FVK wrote Passenger numbers at each stop? Ive had somebody do that before.

Looks like it is, thanks

Also got to Doxford International and all but me and another passenger got off, canny good numbers to Doxford on a morning

(11 Aug 2015, 8:12 am)JP6004 wrote Shopping list? ?

Let's hope he has beer on it!

(11 Aug 2015, 8:12 am)S813 FVK wrote Passenger numbers at each stop? Ive had somebody do that before.

Yep, we had a lot of this on the Arriva 22 before its change of route and subsequent upgrade, along with a woman handing out surveys on one journey I took. This bus just happened to be 20 minutes late too, which wasn't uncommon when it went to Hartlepool, instead of Sunderland, so she probably got a few rants back, about it.

Does anybody know why Fast Cats branded 4955 & 5207 have black wheels? To see what I mean please see this photo - https://flic.kr/p/xchbRL.

10 things to visit in and around Sunderland

https://www.simplygo.com/news/10-things-...sunderland

Edit: They've missed the 61 and the 238 off 

GNE have a map of Sunderland on the page to =0 

---------
Diversion news:

https://www.simplygo.com/news/closure-of...-21-august

https://www.simplygo.com/news/closure-of...-23-august

(11 Aug 2015, 10:50 am)Davie wrote Does anybody know why Fast Cats branded 4955 & 5207 have black wheels? To see what I mean please see this photo - https://flic.kr/p/xchbRL.

I would have just thought replacement wheels. Can't imagine it had any significance.

3886 has broken down at Stanley Bus Station. About to be replaced by 3830

(11 Aug 2015, 11:22 am)R852 PRG wrote I would have just thought replacement wheels. Can't imagine it had any significance.

Certainly nothing significant about 4 wheels. As long as its round and isnt broken it can be any colour.

5231 is at Saltmeadows: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dansnorthe...ateposted/

Looks like it is being sanded down for a repaint. No sign of 5284 today either but then again, quite a few Diamond Mercs are off the road but we won't go into why. I often feel that the tension rises when we have to go through all of this stuff.

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/dansnorthe...s-bazza90/ Noticed this on Flickr what's happening with this bus?