(07 Jan 2016, 10:30 pm)tyresmoke wrote It was 1415 helping out on 5/5A today, in place of 1555 (Wrights were out to that today).
1512 VOR so we used the next best thing. 1441/2/3 were on X12 and 1404/5 on X66.
2826 was out on 17s today though, 3rd day in a row there's been a Solo on there.

Not surprised since they've lost 1906/9/12 and not gained anything!

6/1 1566 on 63.

(08 Jan 2016, 10:42 am)Jimmi wrote 1493 on 2.

1403 is also on 2's.

(08 Jan 2016, 11:33 am)Jimmi wrote 1403 is also on 2's.

As is (or at least was) 1402.

just spotted 7445 on the x18 but switched on to x20 when it got to alnwick

1428 on 2s in Darlington
4648 On X66/X67 replacing 4657 curse of the suspension strikes again

7518 on X15.

7517 on Sapphires, will be switched to 7522 shortly.

(08 Jan 2016, 10:42 am)Jimmi wrote 1493 on 2.

Arriva North East: 1493 / NK61CZG by Jimmi's Transport Photos, on Flickr

1571 on 63
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61391443@N02/24260973405/

7412 on X21, just leaving Newcastle now

(09 Jan 2016, 10:35 am)mb134 wrote 7412 on X21, just leaving Newcastle now

Meanwhile Sapphire 7518 is on the X18.

7518 covering for MAX vehicle, 7412 etc can't be used on X18.

7458 on 2

1440 replacing a streetlite on X4 in Boro Bus Station at 4pm

Lowlander on 64
1495 on 306
1320 on 62
1595 on the 6 (yes, it's a sapphire, but the wrong sapphire!)

4659 on X15, 1700 dep to Toon from Morpeth

(09 Jan 2016, 4:43 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Lowlander on 64

7439: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebp2/2427...datetaken/

7508 has broken down at Arcot Hall, 1800 has been dispatched to pick the driver up to finish his shift.

(09 Jan 2016, 4:03 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote 1440 replacing a streetlite on X4 in Boro Bus Station at 4pm

Not sure it came in on an X4 too.

1104 was on 63 today

Also today:

1449 spent the day on the 17. 1494 spent the whole day on the 17a while 1468 spent the morning on there until 1315 when it was replaced by the more normal 1924

(09 Jan 2016, 5:15 pm)GX03 SVC wrote 4659 on X15, 1700 dep to Toon from Morpeth

Was parked in Ashington Bus Station around 2pm.

7529 was on the 35 around the same sort of time.

7512 was on X14.

(09 Jan 2016, 10:02 pm)Jimmi wrote Was parked in Ashington Bus Station around 2pm.

7529 was on the 35 around the same sort of time.

7512 was on X14.

7529 requested to be kept local by engineering
7512 was allocated due to 7517 being unavailable, DAF 747* was also allocated, with the absence of 4659, which was repaired shortly after start of service.

Going to put it in here because it's something I've never seen before:
7518 was on the X21 today, surely they would have had a branded example on a Sunday?!

(10 Jan 2016, 8:00 pm)mb134 wrote Going to put it in here because it's something I've never seen before:
7518 was on the X21 today, surely they would have had a branded example on a Sunday?!

It's a Sapphire? We use our unbranded one on a Sunday

(10 Jan 2016, 8:01 pm)tyresmoke wrote It's a Sapphire? We use our unbranded one on a Sunday

I know, would make far more sense to allocate a branded one though surely? 

I can't imagine that, out of a fleet of 16 branded ones, 10 weren't available?

(10 Jan 2016, 8:00 pm)mb134 wrote Going to put it in here because it's something I've never seen before:
7518 was on the X21 today, surely they would have had a branded example on a Sunday?!

It's probably better to have 7518 out than a 57 reg branded example.

At least 7518 is Sapphire, the Durham Sapphire 22/24 has had a few non Sapphire workings on Sunday's recently.

7518 was parked closest to the depot exit. Plus, it's the highest-spec spare vehicle, so it doesn't make much of an impact if allocated to other services.

(10 Jan 2016, 8:04 pm)mb134 wrote I know, would make far more sense to allocate a branded one though surely? 

I can't imagine that, out of a fleet of 16 branded ones, 10 weren't available?

totally agree.  Branded should be allocated first.

(10 Jan 2016, 9:33 pm)citaro5284 wrote totally agree.  Branded should be allocated first.

It was all branded vehicles this morning. 7518 was brought up as a spare then put on the Sapphires, like any other day.

(10 Jan 2016, 9:35 pm)GX03 SVC wrote It was all branded vehicles this morning. 7518 was brought up as a spare then put on the Sapphires, like any other day.

But surely there would have been a branded vehicle sitting spare in the depot, too? Going for the unbranded spare because it was parked closest to the depot exit just seems lazy.