(16 Oct 2015, 8:53 pm)Dan wrote The Blaydon Racer interiors are even worse.

They are crying out loud for their midlife refurb.

I've not actually ridden one of those. They tend not to travel between the big places, same as the Saltwell park. Might have to factor in some of the more "local" routes for big'un, one day.

Who thinks Percy main should get some Mercedes citaros for the 19 or 17

(16 Oct 2015, 8:53 pm)Dan wrote The Blaydon Racer interiors are even worse.

They are crying out loud for their midlife refurb.

Currently way over due?.... hopefully they'll be done after all these repaints/rebrands and branding is done.....

(16 Oct 2015, 9:19 pm)dannygee wrote Who thinks Percy main should get some Mercedes citaros for the 19 or 17

Yes for the 17

(16 Oct 2015, 9:36 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Yes for the 17

Honestly, i don't think the 17/19 make the money to have Citaros... they should use scanias though.

What time is the StreetDeck due in Newcastle on the X9/X10 today.

(17 Oct 2015, 8:36 am)Malarkey wrote What time is the StreetDeck due in Newcastle on the X9/X10 today.

Its not on.

(17 Oct 2015, 8:37 am)DanPicken wrote Its not on.

Not yet maybe? With it being as early as it is, there could be a chance that not all buses are out yet.

(17 Oct 2015, 8:38 am)S813 FVK wrote Not yet maybe? With it being as early as it is, there could be a chance that not all buses are out yet.

They should all be out now.

(17 Oct 2015, 8:40 am)DanPicken wrote They should all be out now.

After looking at the timetable, the 6th bus should have left Newcastle on the 08:30 X9 so yes, all buses should be out now.

DAN....

Are you updating the number on the X21 so it's the same style as X9 X10 X1 etc

(17 Oct 2015, 10:40 am)pdiddy wrote DAN....

Are you updating the number on the X21 so it's the same style as X9 X10 X1 etc

X1 is in a different style to the X7/X9/X10/X66/X84/X85.

The special 'X' route number hasn't been rolled out to the X21 just yet.

A new standardised programme is being rolled out at each depot which involves every single destination display being re-created. Each destination has to be created again, and there's more or less 200 destinations in the combined Chester-le-Street and Stanley programme (keep in mind there's about 10 different destinations for the 21 alone - possibly more!)

There's about ten different types of display in each programme (LED and flipdot/mixed), so that's twenty different displays that each destination has to be created for. Using the figure of 200 destinations above, that's 4000 destinations in total. I only just managed to finish the new standardised programme for Chester-le-Street/Stanley on Thursday afternoon after working on it for over a month, and that was without playing around with route numbers to make them stand out more etc.

The reason why there was so much of a arguement from locals about the 43/44 services being split is that the solution if you think about it is perfectly simple. Start/terminate the 43/44 at Metrocentre and if its late on way in it should be ok on the way out. Introduce a transfer style ticket so passengers get off at Metrocentre and get any of the frequent Newcastle service for the same ticket.

As for the double deckers transfer guess sure gne would have the new buses at their depot by now if they were getting any for the 25/10/15, i think gne just made a mistake with the timetables leaflets and what bus to put on front of them. Its highly unlikely gne will order any new buses until the quality contracts has been decided. Why would they buy a load of new buses just for someone else to come in and take over? Any i heard they a keen to replace the MPDs before anything else, which in my opinion is a mistake as they need them awful red deckers replacing asap. Yellow deckers oh they are fine, 20 more years in them at least.

(17 Oct 2015, 11:21 am)B10man wrote As for the double deckers transfer guess sure gne would have the new buses at their depot by now if they were getting any for the 25/10/15, i think gne just made a mistake with the timetables leaflets and what bus to put on front of them. Its highly unlikely gne will order any new buses until the quality contracts has been decided. Why would they buy a load of new buses just for someone else to come in and take over? Any i heard they a keen to replace the MPDs before anything else, which in my opinion is a mistake as they need them awful red deckers replacing asap. Yellow deckers oh they are fine, 20 more years in them at least.

With the Scania N94 being a new vehicle type to join the fleet, they probably didn't have a drawing available for it... The majority of customers won't know the difference between the appearance of a Volvo B9TL and a Scania N94, so I wouldn't get too het up about it.

It'll be illegal to run the yellow Volvo Olympian double-deckers in service on or after 1 January 2017, as I'd imagine the cost to bring them to DDA standard would be far too significant to even consider, so there's certainly not 20 more years left in them! The red Volvo B7TL double deckers are all DDA-compliant and as such there's no necessity to replace these vehicles prior to a certain date - I cannot see these being withdrawn until a time comes whereby younger second-hand high-capacity double-deck vehicles are readily available within the group to replace these vehicles.

(17 Oct 2015, 11:24 am)Dan wrote With the Scania N94 being a new vehicle type to join the fleet, they probably didn't have a drawing available for it... The majority of customers won't know the difference between the appearance of a Volvo B9TL and a Scania N94, so I wouldn't get too het up about it.

Exactly, i have no idea where people have got the idea the 6/X70/X71 are getting B9's... it was said before about them not having a drawing for it... so they just used a B9 one.... 

People get way to my ideas... same with these demo buses..  just because the streetdeck went on the 309/310, it doesnt mean they'll get them... same as the X9/X10, and the X21...

How many demo buses have GNE had over years and haven't bought any because they didn't like them or cost way to much?

Still think they should of bought that bus what was on demo for the M1 and the X66, though it was red and silver...can't remember what it was called...

It was a scania omnilink or something like that

(17 Oct 2015, 11:37 am)S813 FVK wrote It was a scania omnilink or something like that

I think it was, thanks.

It was a great bus, should of bought them for the X66 instead of those horrible things from London!

Edit: Anyone wondering what we're on about,here is a picture - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/3989848505

(16 Oct 2015, 6:15 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Been having a look at the PVRs and I have worked out GNE could do this:

Give the Give the TTX StreetDecks 7 (including 1 spare) give the ex TTX ones to the Red Arrows keeping 3943 as a spare, cascading the 11-reg B9TLS for the Stanley (5) replacing these Olympians and one to Chester-le-Street allowing 3983 to move to Percy Main for the 434 (replacing 3859) and the last one to go to stay at Washington as a spare moving 3943 to Percy Main for DFDS replacing a Lolyne. Then Streetdecks could come for the Cobalt Clipper meaning 3 could go to DFDS to replace the B7TLs, and two could go to Chester le Street replacing 3962 and 3965, the rest could replace lolynes (six at Chester-le-Street the remainder replacing Stanley's lolynes.
3962 would go to Hexham as a spare and Riverside would get 3965.
4 Streetdecks could come for the 47 bringing it up to 45/46 sta 6118-6120 would go to sent to Percy Main, replacing 6008 (for Riverside replacing 3818) the same thing happening with 6015 and 6023. 6121 would go to Crook getting rid of 6038 getting rid of 3874. 7 more Streetdecks would go to Crook for the X21. Removing 7 presidents from the fleet. 
Streetlites could be ordered for the Fast Cats allowing ten solars to replace 5151-5159 and 5165. They could also get get some for the Wear Tees Express to allow citaros to replace 5229-5233 on the Tynedale Express, these to go to Percy Main (5229) to replace 5166 and the other four to Riverside for the 57. 4936 could also be allocated. 5332 could be a Tynedale Express spare. All dual-door renowns could be replaced. 4897 could replace 5160. Contrary to opinion, 5293 to 5297 would travel to Deptford to replace five Deptford renowns. 4978-4982 could replace the five solars on the Wagonway. These could become spares. 6116 and 6117 could go to Deptford to replace 6020 and 6042 due to them not being needed at Percy Main. Streetlites could be ordered for the loop allowing 4909 and 4910 to be withdrawn with two Solars moving to Deptford. Others could replace 4896, 4899-4903. Eclipses like 9108 could replace Price Bishop solars. Half of the Solars could replace Riversides's B10s. Three could go to Percy Main to replace 4912-4914. Rest could be generic solars.

This allows for a Lolyne, Olympian and B10 free bus company, the oldest buses would be presidents and Y-Reg solars

(17 Oct 2015, 11:33 am)Michael wrote
Exactly, i have no idea where people have got the idea the 6/X70/X71 are getting B9's... it was said before about them not having a drawing for it... so they just used a B9 one.... 

People get way to my ideas... same with these demo buses..  just because the streetdeck went on the 309/310, it doesnt mean they'll get them... same as the X9/X10, and the X21...

How many demo buses have GNE had over years and haven't bought any because they didn't like them or cost way to much?

Still think they should of bought that bus what was on demo for the M1 and the X66, though it was red and silver...can't remember what it was called...

Not only that, GNE did hint at newer buses going on the new 6 although new to them, could include the Scania's being refurbished. Not saying that the Streetdeck would end up on the 309 / 310 but, it would certainly be a good business case using them where the savings would be more apparent (Cobalt traffic, Newcastle traffic) and not only that, GNE could have them restricted and setup for a more smoother and steadier power delivery for the 309 / 310 due to the nature of the 2 routes. delivering further fuel savings. The Streetdeck is more of a halfway house between a conventional diesel double deck and either a parallel or series hybrid and certainly not a long term vehicle which could run the X21 day in day out for 6-7 years. If GNE cascaded some B9s, then they'd last 6-7 years (4-5 years if 6001-07 were used) but if GNE got for Streetdecks for the X21, they could end up in the same state as some of Arriva's VDL Geminis which of course, have the same engine in as the E400 and bar the 57 plate examples, the rest have been fine with the ZF gearbox but the VDL versions have struggled due to the way that the Voith gearbox is setup for endurance work and several engines have already needed to be replaced particularly on the 61 plate ones.

No no no, it'll be fine, the yellow deckers can have easy access stickers put on them. "it'll be ok" just send them out. Just install a mind the step annoucement when getting off. Works with 142 pacer trains. They can work till 2020 and beyond now. Apparnetly....

(17 Oct 2015, 11:37 am)S813 FVK wrote It was a scania omnilink or something like that 

it was i think there is a photo kicking about somewhere on flickr speaking of which i got an upload coming up a massive one wait til ya see how many photos

(17 Oct 2015, 4:21 pm)B10man wrote No no no, it'll be fine, the yellow deckers can have easy access stickers put on them. "it'll be ok" just send them out. Just install a mind the step annoucement when getting off. Works with 142 pacer trains. They can work till 2020 and beyond now. Apparnetly....

Are you for real?

Tell me how wheelchairs will get on the Yellow Olympians, will Easy Access stickers and mind the step announcements magically get wheelchairs on board?

As for the Pacers, they have ramps on the rear of the train, so you can't compare them to buses as they are TRAINS.

(17 Oct 2015, 5:07 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Are you for real?

Tell me how wheelchairs will get on the Yellow Olympians, will Easy Access stickers and mind the step announcements magically get wheelchairs on board?

As for the Pacers, they have ramps on the rear of the train, so you can't compare them to buses as they are TRAINS.

No. The wording of his post should have given that way.

(17 Oct 2015, 4:21 pm)B10man wrote No no no, it'll be fine, the yellow deckers can have easy access stickers put on them. "it'll be ok" just send them out. Just install a mind the step annoucement when getting off. Works with 142 pacer trains. They can work till 2020 and beyond now. Apparnetly....

are you having a laugh? the olympians are not low floor explain how can a wheelchair or a push chair go onto a olympian exactly they cannot i know a few people who are in wheelchairs who cannot get on an olympian mainly because it is not low floor 2 of my class mates couldn't get on this vehicle the mind the step announcements will not work 1 it is not low floor 2 wheelchairs/pushchairs/prams won't work there has been a few times in the past i've been on a olympian where the driver either rings a cab or explains to the passenger why it cannot happen eg once i was on 27 going home and an olympian went past the pelaw bus stop right outside the bill quay shops due to a woman having a pushchair or another incident a few months back on X71 they driver explained why as it is not low floor to a woman who had a pushchair

It's sarcasm. Settle down folks.

If you beleive something will be fine then it probably will be fine. Didn't you know its the gne way, everytime someone says "it'll be fine" then you carry on, normally with crossed fingers and toes.

Or.........................................

Volvo and Wrightbus could just do the E.U a 2x finger salute and stick a D10-245 into the back of a Gemini body. They'd go like rockets!

Here's to the:

VOLVO Olympian Wright Eclipse Gemini 3!

(17 Oct 2015, 7:05 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Or.........................................



Volvo and Wrightbus could just do the E.U a 2x finger salute and stick a D10-245 into the back of a Gemini body. They'd go like rockets!



Here's to the:



VOLVO Olympian Wright Eclipse Gemini 3!

The Plaxton Dart Streetlite...

Sorry if it's been discussed (I can't be bothered to trawl through pages of heated debates ) but how long have the (Durham) 'Diamond' Citaros had announcements connected to the stop bell. An announcement 'Please remain seated until the bus has stopped' is played every time the bell is pressed.

Talking of Durham Diamonds, I noticed that one had the destinations along the top sides (plus a rear map), today. Unfortunately, I can't say which one, because big'un lost his little notebook.