(11 Sep 2015, 2:56 pm)buss14 7518 is actually on a sapphire route today
(11 Sep 2015, 2:56 pm)buss14 7518 is actually on a sapphire route today
Arriva seriously need to invest more money into their MAX and Sapphire routes if they want them to work. OK, perhaps the 57 plates have been performing better since Ecnospeed was removed but, the whole allocations across the North East look very scrappy from the 57 plate Sapphires to constant off route vehicles to even some routes (X7, X8, X12) even using single deckers for some runs that require double deckers and allocating Ex London refurbished buses to the X20 is not going to do a service with potential any favors. Arriva need to do the following:
- Order new buses for the key MAX and Sapphire routes to allow cascades to take place.
- Amend all timetables to ensure that services are running as close to time as possible.
- NO refurbished Ex London deckers for main workings (bar peak time extras), all buses used should be to a good standard!
- NO more first buses of the morning sneaking out of Blyth depot late and starting to get into problems around Newsham area etc.
- Adequate spare vehicles to ensure consistency and prevent brand dilution.
- Tighter controls on odd workings to ensure that these are rectified as soon as possible and kept to a minimum.
- NO drivers plodding along against favorable road and traffic conditions. All drivers to drive to the road and traffic conditions in a legal and safer manner whilst keeping the service as close to time as possible.
So, Davey, if I go to the office tomorrow and ask how many Sapphire deckers were off for PSV checks or general repairs what would the answer be...?
7518, 7514 and 7468 were on the Sapphires today. Does that not suggest a shortage of vehicles from this morning?
As per usual it's about cost. Yes, Blyth depot is receiving new-ish and refurbished Max vehicles for all routes, with rumours about new midibuses next year.
Ashington has received cast-offs from London to rid of step-entrance vehicles. The B7s that are coming should be in good nick and hopefully Ashington take care of them, just like their counterparts in Newcastle.
Yes Arriva should do some of the above, but why would they want to spend £££ of their shareholders money rectifying faults that cause no problem to the shareholders???
I was in Alnwick bus station at 10am today. There was:
-An X14 Omnicity on the X15 to Berwick.
-An X18 E400 on the X15 to Newcastle.
-A sapphire X21/22 E400 on the X18 to Newcastle.
-An X18 E400 on the X18 to Berwick(!)
(11 Sep 2015, 5:43 pm)passenger_10 I was in Alnwick bus station at 10am today. There was:
-An X14 Omnicity on the X15 to Berwick.
-An X18 E400 on the X15 to Newcastle.
-A sapphire X21/22 E400 on the X18 to Newcastle.
-An X18 E400 on the X18 to Berwick(!)
(11 Sep 2015, 5:43 pm)passenger_10 I was in Alnwick bus station at 10am today. There was:
-An X14 Omnicity on the X15 to Berwick.
-An X18 E400 on the X15 to Newcastle.
-A sapphire X21/22 E400 on the X18 to Newcastle.
-An X18 E400 on the X18 to Berwick(!)
1915 made it 3 Cadets in 3 days on the 15
1472 on X12
1435 worked the 0950 X93 while the 1002 arrival was 4707. 4707 was then meant to replace 7402 on the 64/64a/22 but it refused to start, resulting in 4720 being brought to replace it. 4707 was still in Middlesbrough Bus Station at 1630 awaiting a tow
(11 Sep 2015, 8:59 am)John_R 7534 was on the working this morning.
(11 Sep 2015, 8:59 am)John_R 7534 was on the working this morning.
(11 Sep 2015, 4:45 pm)DaveyBowyer Arriva seriously need to invest more money into their MAX and Sapphire routes if they want them to work. OK, perhaps the 57 plates have been performing better since Ecnospeed was removed but, the whole allocations across the North East look very scrappy from the 57 plate Sapphires to constant off route vehicles to even some routes (X7, X8, X12) even using single deckers for some runs that require double deckers and allocating Ex London refurbished buses to the X20 is not going to do a service with potential any favors. Arriva need to do the following:
- Order new buses for the key MAX and Sapphire routes to allow cascades to take place.
- Amend all timetables to ensure that services are running as close to time as possible.
- NO refurbished Ex London deckers for main workings (bar peak time extras), all buses used should be to a good standard!
- NO more first buses of the morning sneaking out of Blyth depot late and starting to get into problems around Newsham area etc.
- Adequate spare vehicles to ensure consistency and prevent brand dilution.
- Tighter controls on odd workings to ensure that these are rectified as soon as possible and kept to a minimum.
- NO drivers plodding along against favorable road and traffic conditions. All drivers to drive to the road and traffic conditions in a legal and safer manner whilst keeping the service as close to time as possible.
(11 Sep 2015, 4:45 pm)DaveyBowyer Arriva seriously need to invest more money into their MAX and Sapphire routes if they want them to work. OK, perhaps the 57 plates have been performing better since Ecnospeed was removed but, the whole allocations across the North East look very scrappy from the 57 plate Sapphires to constant off route vehicles to even some routes (X7, X8, X12) even using single deckers for some runs that require double deckers and allocating Ex London refurbished buses to the X20 is not going to do a service with potential any favors. Arriva need to do the following:
- Order new buses for the key MAX and Sapphire routes to allow cascades to take place.
- Amend all timetables to ensure that services are running as close to time as possible.
- NO refurbished Ex London deckers for main workings (bar peak time extras), all buses used should be to a good standard!
- NO more first buses of the morning sneaking out of Blyth depot late and starting to get into problems around Newsham area etc.
- Adequate spare vehicles to ensure consistency and prevent brand dilution.
- Tighter controls on odd workings to ensure that these are rectified as soon as possible and kept to a minimum.
- NO drivers plodding along against favorable road and traffic conditions. All drivers to drive to the road and traffic conditions in a legal and safer manner whilst keeping the service as close to time as possible.
CX05 registered MAX Omnicity on 1/5/5A/19.
Not that unusual individually but all of 1101, 1303, 4507 and 4513 were on the 63 by 10am today!
