Amazing what happens when people are watching hey!

With you on that one Scott. Happens all over the place. Look what used to happen before Arriva got their hands on the North East. Crappy buses been moved from depot to depot when the complaints came in. This "management travelling on the services" thing does of course beg the question why it can't be like it all the time with proper allocations, friendly drivers and on-time running. P'raps we should have more inspection/revenue staff out there.

With you on that one Scott. Happens all over the place. Look what used to happen before Arriva got their hands on the North East. Crappy buses been moved from depot to depot when the complaints came in. This "management travelling on the services" thing does of course beg the question why it can't be like it all the time with proper allocations, friendly drivers and on-time running. P'raps we should have more inspection/revenue staff out there.

I've never seen an inspector on an Arriva bus in the almost 13 years I've lived in this village, which has been predominantly arriva as long as I've lived here.

I've never seen an inspector on an Arriva bus in the almost 13 years I've lived in this village, which has been predominantly arriva as long as I've lived here.

Rumour has it there is only 1 ticket/revenue inspector in each area now,

1 has Northumberland area (Newcastle to berwick)
1 has North East area (Newcastle to Scarborough) could be wrong though so don't quote me on that

And Darlington is at it again

4644 replacing a pulsar on the 11:25 service 19
2855 on the 8

4661 on the 43

Rumour has it there is only 1 ticket/revenue inspector in each area now,

1 has Northumberland area (Newcastle to berwick)
1 has North East area (Newcastle to Scarborough) could be wrong though so don't quote me on that

This is one area where Arriva fails, and quite badly in my opinion. The lack of inspection/revenue staff operating in their areas must be at least threefold ? Managing services out there on the route, dealing with customers and maximising revenue. I though the last mentioned would be some sort of priority; just how much fraudulant travel is out there/goes on ? The drivers have got enough to do without scrutinising every pass and ticket. As a point here, since the scanners were introduced for the concessionary passes how many of these are used by otjher than the person they were issued to ?

2863 on X1.

Amazing what happens when people are watching hey!

No wonder things don't improve if the management get the impression everything is fine and dandy.

For so long as it "works" and everything / one muddles through somehow, it'll always be the case. Just take a look at the posting on 'Latest News/Disc' re recent allocations to get a flavour of how it is on the ground. All the best laid plans just don't work when the plans are flawed in the first place. I wonder sometimes if those so tasked to oversee day to day operations are trained in crisis management, or is it just throw everything into the mix and hope ?

I don't know where this discussion about crap allocations have come from.

Like I said, there was four Sapphire vehicles off the road yesterday morning, with two having to be fixed rather quickly to remove 7412/5 from the X21/X22 for route branding.

And as it seems that some members can't grasp, after post after post of details of the operations, that Arriva are crap and there are spare buses everywhere, and how buses they like never break down, how such and such are shite at allocations. Wow, isn't the enthusiast scene lovely, people who don't even know what goes on behind the scenes are allowed to say how they shouldn't be doing that job...that really gets the moral up for the staff who read this thread.

4518-43.
4523-55.
2 Pulsars 52/3.
Streetlite-55.

And Darlington is at it again

4644 replacing a pulsar on the 11:25 service 19
2855 on the 8

Could 4644 have been something to do with a VERY late service 1 perhaps?

Could 4644 have been something to do with a VERY late service 1 perhaps?

Was 25 minutes late running past mine on the 5 to Bishop Auckland before doing the 1.

4644 must of only done West Park and back on the 19 as 4644 was parked in outside the Town Hall when I was in Darlington this afternoon with 1506 arriving in Darlington at 14:25 on the 5A.

Any ideas what's been happening with the 1/5/5A the last few mornings as there has been late running and no shows on the 5/5A the last three mornings.

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2855 on 8/8A: https://flic.kr/p/CnVwJi

Could 4644 have been something to do with a VERY late service 1 perhaps?

Hmmm maybe, he should have read running board properly haha

Was 25 minutes late running past mine on the 5 to Bishop Auckland before doing the 1.

4644 must of only done West Park and back on the 19 as 4644 was parked in outside the Town Hall when I was in Darlington this afternoon with 1506 arriving in Darlington at 14:25 on the 5A.

Any ideas what's been happening with the 1/5/5A the last few mornings as there has been late running and no shows on the 5/5A the last three mornings.

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2855 on 8/8A:  https://flic.kr/p/CnVwJi

Yeah 4644 only done the 11:25 service 19 due to a very late running on the service 1, due to a bit of a co*k up made by a driver this morning, misunderstood his start place so went to bishop light and then realized it was supposed to start at Darlington, the supervisor then told the driver to carry on in service so there was no lost mileage while the supervisor was on,

4644 then went on to a 21 at 16:15 due to a breakdown on a gas bus caused by running out of gas, because the gas fueler has a problem

The bus wash is also knackered in Darlington hence why the buses are extremely filthy

I don't know where this discussion about crap allocations have come from.

Like I said, there was four Sapphire vehicles off the road yesterday morning, with two having to be fixed rather quickly to remove 7412/5 from the X21/X22 for route branding.

And as it seems that some members can't grasp, after post after post of details of the operations, that Arriva are crap and there are spare buses everywhere, and how buses they like never break down, how such and such are shite at allocations. Wow, isn't the enthusiast scene lovely, people who don't even know what goes on behind the scenes are allowed to say how they shouldn't be doing that job...that really gets the moral up for the staff who read this thread.

I have to agree here, 

If there are Sapphire vehicles off the road, what is the depot supposed to do? Send out a faulty bus so that there is a full Sapphire allocation?

Reading this thread, it is starting to become very annoying seeing the same anti-Arriva posts over and over. I'd like to see some enthusiasts try to sort out an allocation, then see if they would criticise the work that the current staff do.

4644 then went on to a 21 at 16:15 due to a breakdown on a gas bus caused by running out of gas, because the gas fueler has a problem

The bus wash is also knackered in Darlington hence why the buses are extremely filthy

I presume that's the reason why the Ecocities are being swapped on the 2 at Cockerton frequently the last couple of weeks.

I did notice a lorry full of gas canisters heading towards Faverdale today, which is first time I've seen that since the gas fueler was installed.

I presume that's the reason why the Ecocities are being swapped on the 2 at Cockerton frequently the last couple of weeks.

I did notice a lorry full of gas canisters heading towards Faverdale today, which is first time I've seen that since the gas fueler was installed.

Yep that is correct, take today for example 4808 got taken off around 2:30 and replaced for a pulsar, then I'm sure I seen another on getting replaced

And yeah the Lorry was because of the gas problem at Darlington depot, I seen it on Tuesday night filling one of the gas buses up

I presume that's the reason why the Ecocities are being swapped on the 2 at Cockerton frequently the last couple of weeks.

I did notice a lorry full of gas canisters heading towards Faverdale today, which is first time I've seen that since the gas fueler was installed.

That explains the jugs of water at the weekend.

1517 on the 22, early this morning.

4650 on the 5A/5/1/19 seen going through eldon lane at 13:28

1416 also on 1/5/5A/19 going through aycliffe shafto way at 13:55

2864 on X66/X67 leaving Middlesbrough now.

1492 on 5/5a this morning, now replaced (I think?) with MAX 1442

2864 on X66/X67 leaving Middlesbrough now.

1492 on 5/5a this morning, now replaced (I think?) with MAX 1442

Seen 2864 - guess D'ton short of Scanias
Looked like 1551 was poorly again just ? Collection of flourescent jackets with the rear flap open.

Reading this thread, it is starting to become very annoying seeing the same anti-Arriva posts over and over. I'd like to see some enthusiasts try to sort out an allocation, then see if they would criticise the work that the current staff do.

"Yeah 4644 only done the 11:25 service 19 due to a very late running on the service 1, due to a bit of a co*k up made by a driver this morning, misunderstood his start place so went to bishop light and then realized it was supposed to start at Darlington, the supervisor then told the driver to carry on in service so there was no lost mileage while the supervisor was on,

4644 then went on to a 21 at 16:15 due to a breakdown on a gas bus caused by running out of gas, because the gas fueler has a problem

The bus wash is also knackered in Darlington hence why the buses are extremely filthy "

IS IT SURPRISING?!

I will stick to my personal philosophy all along, I would much rather have a fleet of smart, clean buses, all in the same livery, rather than gimmicky branding.

1525 seen on X12 in Middlesbrough earlier, 2853 did a couple of X26 from Darlington and 4650 was on 1/5/19 as well

1525 seen on X12 in Middlesbrough earlier, 2853 did a couple of X26 from Darlington and 4650 was on 1/5/19 as well

There's an extra evening trip on the X12 between Durham and Middlesbrough which runs off service 6, so a Sapphire 6 branded Pulsar is normal on that working (assuming that's the working you saw it on).

1461 is on tonight's sapphire service 7 was the 20:15 service 7 off Darlington

2864 on X66/X67 leaving Middlesbrough now.

1492 on 5/5a this morning, now replaced (I think?) with MAX 1442

1492 was on 5s with 1442 which replaced 1554 which in turn replaced a poorly 1551!

1491 spent most of the day on X66/X67 replaced 1404 as 1405 was on the late turn on the X66 again

The first x20 out of Newcastle on the morning after launching the service as MAX is... 7479.

I'm sure there's a logical exlanation somewhere.