(13 Jan 2016, 1:26 pm)tyresmoke wrote Don't forget that 7441/3 are already considered as for disposal on the latest allocation.
That leaves 7436, 7437, 7438, 7439, 7440, 7442 to be shifted from Durham. I believe there are 8 Volvo B7TL / ALX400 going to Durham, this would replace the 6 Lowlanders and 2 other vehicles.
This would leave Ashington with the other 4 (as there are 12 transferring in from London) - plus the 3 VLW's not yet received (on paper) - this would displace 7468, 7470, 7475, 7479, 7481, 7485 + 1 other bus.

Yes but you were on about converting those Newcastle routes to fully double deck. They couldn't do that if they just replaced the B10BLEs with Tempos.

(13 Jan 2016, 4:07 pm)Cock Robin wrote Yes but you were on about converting those Newcastle routes to fully double deck. They couldn't do that if they just replaced the B10BLEs with Tempos.

43/44/45 go fully DD - the B10BLE's are (should  ) be on 52/53

MAX X20 Launch - two weeks to go. Date to be confirmed.

Event 1: Ashington, location to be confirmed.
Event 2: Ashington, Bothal Middle School, not a public show.

1772 has also received an iNorthumberland rear advert

(13 Jan 2016, 4:54 pm)GX03 SVC wrote MAX X20 Launch - two weeks to go. Date to be confirmed.

Event 1: Ashington, location to be confirmed.
Event 2: Ashington, Bothal Middle School, not a public show.

Hopefully the 30th so I can attend.

Do the 2 Pulsars for X66/7 have set boards?

(13 Jan 2016, 7:34 pm)DanPicken wrote Do the 2 Pulsars for X66/7 have set boards?

They seem to alternative week by week - 1404 worked the late trips most of last week while 1405 was on the late turn Monday and Yesterday.

On Saturdays, they work the following:
X67A
0808 X67 Hartburn to Middlesbrough
0842 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
0935 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1027 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1120 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1212 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1305 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1357 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1450 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1542 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1635 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1732 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1830 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough via Hartburn
1925 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington via Hartburn
2030 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough via Hartburn

X67B
0820 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
0912 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1005 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1057 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1150 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1242 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1335 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1427 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1520 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1612 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1705 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough

(13 Jan 2016, 7:34 pm)DanPicken wrote Do the 2 Pulsars for X66/7 have set boards?

Yes they do, the two Stockton runs.

X67A - 0647 (X66), 0842 (X67), 1027 (X66), 1212 (X67), 1357 (X66), 1542 (X67), 1732 (X66), 1925 (X66)

X67B - 0717 (X66), 0912 (X67), 1057 (X66), 1242 (X67), 1427 (X66), 1612 (X67)

Times from Middlesbrough

(13 Jan 2016, 7:42 pm)Kuyoyo wrote They seem to alternative week by week - 1404 worked the late trips most of last week while 1405 was on the late turn Monday and Yesterday.

On Saturdays, they work the following:
X67A
0808 X67 Hartburn to Middlesbrough
0842 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
0935 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1027 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1120 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1212 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1305 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1357 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1450 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1542 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1635 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1732 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1830 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough via Hartburn
1925 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington via Hartburn
2030 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough via Hartburn

X67B
0820 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
0912 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1005 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1057 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1150 X67 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1242 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1335 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1427 X66 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1520 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough
1612 X67 Middlesbrough to Darlington
1705 X66 Darlington to Middlesbrough

(13 Jan 2016, 7:44 pm)tyresmoke wrote Yes they do, the two Stockton runs.

X67A - 0647 (X66), 0842 (X67), 1027 (X66), 1212 (X67), 1357 (X66), 1542 (X67), 1732 (X66), 1925 (X66)

X67B - 0717 (X66), 0912 (X67), 1057 (X66), 1242 (X67), 1427 (X66), 1612 (X67)

Times from Middlesbrough

Thanks both.

(13 Jan 2016, 5:11 pm)DanPicken wrote Hopefully the 30th so I can attend.

Well if they're holding a private event at a school so all the "kids can see" kind of sees Saturday out of the question....

(12 Jan 2016, 11:12 pm)Kuyoyo wrote So, what deckers should have been done for the 6 then? And, considering there's only 3 E400s and the X20 needs 4........

We also now have to consider that 7412-5 now have no home considering these ALX400s are going on the X20 (and also to Durham - I did hear Jesmond were due some so I expect they are the ones now losing out on the B7s). So, where do 7412-5 go now? No good for the Summer X93 if they can't handle the X20 which is a far less demanding route.

As for 13 year old ex-London deckers on demanding routes you claim is 'beyond belief' - 7484-91/3/4 managed the X93 fine when they arrived from London 2 years ago when they were more-or-less the same age as 7412-5. Ok yes, they had to stop half way up Flyingthorpe Bank to drop down a gear but still.

Did the 6 really require any deckers? Not when ive ridden it, VDLs Suit it just right. Nor does the 24 ( Though haven't ridden the 24 enough to say )

I'm not a expert on Ashington but I believe there's 2 MAX Spare E400s with one supposedly allocated to the X14 and one Spare.

Them 3 E400s could have been allocated to the X20 with the remaining spare also allocated with 2 of the less reliable B7TLs 7412-15 batch to cover then the remaining B7TL can be sent wherever needed.
Too late now though as them E400s are now Sapphire.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:31 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Did the 6 really require any deckers? Not when ive ridden it, VDLs Suit it just right. Nor does the 24 ( Though haven't ridden the 24 enough to say )

I'm not a expert on Ashington but I believe there's 2 MAX Spare E400s with one supposedly allocated to the X14 and one Spare.

Them 3 E400s could have been allocated to the X20 with the remaining spare also allocated with 2 of the less reliable B7TLs 7412-15 batch to cover then the remaining B7TL can be sent wherever needed.
Too late now though as them E400s are now Sapphire.

Yes, consider the deckers on the 6 work school runs - hence why they are booked for deckers. Hence 7519-21 moving to Durham to work them turns. Otherwise either Stockton or Darlington would have had to lose out on 3 Pulsars as an additional 3 would have to have been refurbished in addition to 1479/1524-33 and the timetable and running boards reworked to move the effected school work (865 is certainly one of them, one of our Arriva insiders will be able to answer what routes) which of course may have saw Durham's PVR increase anyway to cover the additional separate school boards.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:31 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I'm not a expert on Ashington but I believe there's 2 MAX Spare E400s with one supposedly allocated to the X14 and one Spare.

Them 3 E400s could have been allocated to the X20 with the remaining spare also allocated with 2 of the less reliable B7TLs 7412-15 batch to cover then the remaining B7TL can be sent wherever needed.
Too late now though as them E400s are now Sapphire.

Both spare E400s are spares and don't have set allocations. Only 4659 is the spare vehicle that has a set allocation. 

4 vehicles are required for the X20. 

7412-5 can't be spares as they are not permitted to do the X18 due to the height of the vehicle.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:44 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Both spare E400s are spares and don't have set allocations. Only 4659 is the spare vehicle that has a set allocation. 

4 vehicles are required for the X20. 

7412-5 can't be spares as they are not permitted to do the X18 due to the height of the vehicle.

Are 7412-5 taller than 7511-3 like? 

Can't think of any low bridges on the X18 route? (418 yes, but not X18, that I can think of anyway)

(13 Jan 2016, 8:44 pm)GX03 SVC wrote  7412-5 can't be spares as they are not permitted to do the X18 due to the height of the vehicle.

Back in 2014 when the first batch of B7TLs came up here I remember one doing the 10:00 full X18 to Berwick, There both full-height vehicles unless there's a difference I haven't noticed yet?

(13 Jan 2016, 8:46 pm)mb134 wrote Are 7412-5 taller than 7511-3 like? 

Can't think of any low bridges on the X18 route? (418 yes, but not X18, that I can think of anyway)

Trees, 7490/1/2 had a couple of incidents when they were allocated.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:46 pm)mb134 wrote Are 7412-5 taller than 7511-3 like? 

Can't think of any low bridges on the X18 route? (418 yes, but not X18, that I can think of anyway)

7511-3 are 14ft 6in. 7412-5 should be 14ft 5in

(13 Jan 2016, 8:47 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Trees, 7490/1/2 had a couple of incidents when they were allocated.

Put a couple of deflectors on either side of the window, and it'll be fine. I believe every other double decker that does that route will face exactly the same trees.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:47 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Trees, 7490/1/2 had a couple of incidents when they were allocated.

Can't the drivers, if safe to do so, not move over towards the middle of the road to avoid any branches which are sticking out?

(13 Jan 2016, 8:40 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yes, consider the deckers on the 6 work school runs - hence why they are booked for deckers. Hence 7519-21 moving to Durham to work them turns. Otherwise either Stockton or Darlington would have had to lose out on 3 Pulsars as an additional 3 would have to have been refurbished in addition to 1479/1524-33 and the timetable and running boards reworked to move the effected school work (865 is certainly one of them, one of our Arriva insiders will be able to answer what routes) which of course may have saw Durham's PVR increase anyway to cover the additional separate school boards.

My bad I didn't know about the School Runs, But even though it would give the brand a worse look, The B7s would cope more with the 6 than the X20 if refurbished to Sapphire spec like Leicester's B7s that could fill a gap for the E400s?

(13 Jan 2016, 8:49 pm)mb134 wrote Put a couple of deflectors on either side of the window, and it'll be fine. I believe every other double decker that does that route will face exactly the same trees.

The E400s do fine on the route as they have curved fronts, but some branches have gone through windows on the B7s.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:49 pm)S813 FVK wrote Can't the drivers, if safe to do so, not move over towards the middle of the road to avoid any branches which are sticking out?

Have you been on the roads that the X18 uses? The drivers already is in the middle of the road!

(13 Jan 2016, 8:50 pm)GX03 SVC wrote The E400s do fine on the route as they have curved fronts, but some branches have gone through windows on the B7s.

I'm not being funny, but I find that a ridiculous excuse as to why a vehicle can't be used on a route. Put some sort of deflectors on/around the window, I find it hard to believe that the slightly curved front of an E400 makes it any better at stopping trees.

(13 Jan 2016, 8:53 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Have you been on the roads that the X18 uses? The drivers already is in the middle of the road!

I use that every other Sunday, pretty much, and where there are trees that would do damage, it is very easy to avoid them.

The roof is a different shape to the E400s, plus Ashington don't won't to run the risk of having to send an engineer to the middle of nowhere if the window gets put out.

The have deflectors on, but it doesn't stop them taking out the side windows or downstairs windows too.

(13 Jan 2016, 9:10 pm)GX03 SVC wrote The roof is a different shape to the E400s, plus Ashington don't won't to run the risk of having to send an engineer to the middle of nowhere if the window gets put out.

The have deflectors on, but it doesn't stop them taking out the side windows or downstairs windows too.

So, all E400's are out, and one allocated to the X18 breaks down. 7412 is the only double decker available, Ashington won't put it on? 

Side windows on a Gemini are no weaker than those on an E400?

(13 Jan 2016, 9:18 pm)mb134 wrote So, all E400's are out, and one allocated to the X18 breaks down. 7412 is the only double decker available, Ashington won't put it on? 

Side windows on a Gemini are no weaker than those on an E400?

Ashington won't be able to put it on, no. Even if it was at Alnwick spare, a vehicle would have to be sent to cover the journey from Morpeth or Amble onwards.

(13 Jan 2016, 9:20 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Ashington won't be able to put it on, no. Even if it was at Alnwick spare, a vehicle would have to be sent to cover the journey from Morpeth or Amble.

That is ridiculous, I'm sorry but that is a shocking policy.

(13 Jan 2016, 9:22 pm)mb134 wrote That is ridiculous, I'm sorry but that is a shocking policy.

It's been requested by management unfortunately, but we might see either Alnwick or Ashington allocate one to the service, in an emergency if there is even no saloons left.

I personally don't believe the excuse that because the vehicle is a different shape, it can't be allocated to a route. There must be something else bigger that we don't know stopping them from being allocated.