Hopefully for the "Angel & Red Arrow"

If the Red Arrow B9s got cascaded to Stanley (not saying they will), could the boards be changed so that no deckers would be used on the X30?

Do many Toon Link boards include X30 decker runs?

As these are B5TLs rather than Streetdecks, I would imagine that GNE would start a new sequence of fleet numbers for them?

Would be pointless if they aren't going to order more Streetdecks, which atm looks like they might not.

Washington buses have. Stanley will be the final depot to receive the new machines, next weekend.

Thanks Dan  

I personally think that the fleet numbers will start from 6308. I feel as if the 63xx series was created to allow all of the Omnidekkas to carry consecutive fleet numbers rather than being all over the place.

I personally think that the fleet numbers will start from 6308. I feel as if the 63xx series was created to allow all of the Omnidekkas to carry consecutive fleet numbers rather than being all over the place.

I reckon you'd be correct in thinking that any further pre-owned double-decks entering the fleet (whether from Brighton & Hove or elsewhere) will be numbered in the 61xx and 62xx series, with new double-decks being in the 63xx series.

Hopefully for the "Angel & Red Arrow"

Holding out for that Alexander Dennis Enviro! just a delight it travel in. B5s a bit...meh

I reckon you'd be correct in thinking that any further pre-owned double-decks entering the fleet (whether from Brighton & Hove or elsewhere) will be numbered in the 61xx and 62xx series, with new double-decks being in the 63xx series.

How many Omnidekka's are Go North East getting from Brighton? (not including the 2 which was confirmed for DFDS service).


When are the Streetlites going to arrive?

Anyone know what type of vehicle does 17.15 X85 Newcastle - Hexham and what working it comes off as it seems to be an unbalanced trip.

6139 has the No Change? tagline

Anyone know what type of vehicle does 17.15 X85 Newcastle - Hexham and what working it comes off as it seems to be an unbalanced trip.

I think dan said it's a tyndale link solo.
It does something, the a north newcastle scholars (141? I dont know) then that.

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When is 5237 transferring to Stanley or is staying at Riverside until the refurbishment of the citaros are finished?

704 now runs at 1841 1941 and 2041. Not online, for some reason.

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Where do the GNE Cruise Ship special shuttles run to/from which serve the Port of Tyne cruise terminal?

Obviously each cruise has an array of excursions and day trips that its passengers can pre-book and go on which are usually operated by various coach operators, but I am interested to know more about the operations that GNE provide.

Where do they go?
Are they provided Free to Passengers and Crew?
I presume they are quite regular throughout the day of which a cruise ship is in dock?

I visited Port of Tyne Saturday, Sunday and today - as there has been a Cruise ship in, todays ship the Seven Seas Explorer being the biggest out of the 3 and probably the most expensive and luxurious.

The cruise in port yesterday was a Thomson Holidays cruise ship 'Thomson Celebration' This Cruise actually departed from Port of Tyne, rather than being a Port day,
I did noticed several GNE buses come and go - I think one was a corporate Scania Solar and 2 others were Blue Arrow liveried Solars.

Since there would not be any day passengers coming and going from the ship yesterday, as passengers would just be checking in and boarding, again what service do the GNE shuttles provide on Check In day! Do passengers arriving for check in, use these shuttles with their luggage to get to the port, or are they mainly used on these days by Crew members having time away from the ship.

Are the shuttles all operated by Percy Main depot with PM drivers or do other depots/drivers get involved?

Thanks in advance.

It can now be confirmed that the X9/X10 will receive new Volvo B5TLs, with the first in the batch being delivered next month.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apt358/350...06/in/feed

This is Great News! I'm sure the passengers of the X9/X10 will welcome nice new buses.

It was mentioned on here the other day that the current Wright Eclipse Gemini 2's from the TyneTees Express may be cascaded over to the TEN to make up the short fall of Branded Vehicles and brand spec.

If this is correct it will be good to see a full allocation of branded vehicles back on the TEN again, instead of the regular Red spares which are used on the services on a daily basis, I presume that these regular Red spares will be no more on the route.
With this in mind is Hexham depot likely to lose its 2 Red spares 3942 & 3942.

My only concern is reliability of these vehicles coming from the TyneTees Express, since they seem to be suffering a lot of breakdowns at the moment will they be able to perform reliably on the TEN, obviously they will be re-painted and branded up for the TEN or Tyne Valley TEN if the leaked info is correct but are they likely to receive any engine overhaul/maintenance before coming onto the TEN?

Can't find a post on it but 5451 is on loan to Deptford for training.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/34...20/in/feed

Photo by NK08 MXY

Can't find a post on it but 5451 is on loan to Deptford for training.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/34...20/in/feed

Photo by NK08 MXY

Don't really understand why though, how different can the MY2017 Streetlites be to the 2016s?

Don't really understand why though, how different can the MY2017 Streetlites be to the 2016s?

I'm not sure that familiarisation was ever mentioned. Could be route learning?
Speculation, but the Stanley drivers received no extra training for the vehicle type.

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I'm not sure that familiarisation was ever mentioned. Could be route learning?
Speculation, but the Stanley drivers received no extra training for the vehicle type.

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The Euro 5 Cummins Streetlites and Euro 6 Daimler-engined Streetlites are different in a number of ways. There are a number of different things for drivers to be trained on, which, at Stanley and Riverside, were primarily covered with a driver's handbook containing text and images.

Feedback received from driving staff is that they would prefer to see the bus in action when receiving driver familiarisation, hence the temporary transfer of 5451. Handbooks will still be issued, though having a bus there will allow drivers to have more of a 'hands on' feel for the bus.

Go North East has now received the first of 18 new Streetlites - fleet number 5466 (NK17 GHX) - which is why driver familiarisation is being completed this week.

Go North East has now received the first of 18 new Streetlites - fleet number 5466 (NK17 GHX) - which is why driver familiarisation is being completed this week.

Thanks for the info Dan, looks like all are "red" bar 5479/5480.

All 18 for Deptford?

Go North East has now received the first of 18 new Streetlites - fleet number 5466 (NK17 GHX)

Go North East NK17 GHX. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

I hope that, if they are for the 2/2A and 61 which at the moment is looking likely, the brand is not Black Cats, unless they were to extend the ticket boundaries advertised on the vehicles to cover Washington and Murton. That being said, the 238 doesn't operate fully within the ticket boundaries and it is joining the brand.

Roadwork's on Pelaw Bank and further up towards the Falcon have been causing chaos with the 34's today.
Noticed some running in two's and others missing out Pelaw Estate.

Versa's seem to have been the focus of my attentions today.
Noticed some struggling at times on the 36 on tight corners and that got me thinking about their suitability and not only on the likes of Avenue Vivienne/Sedgletch Road. I'm curious as to how they will manage on the entire route, day in - day out.
It's a canny hike from Chester to Town End Farm (or wherever it terminates now).

Go North East NK17 GHX. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

I hope that, if they are for the 2/2A and 61 which at the moment is looking likely, the brand is not Black Cats, unless they were to extend the ticket boundaries advertised on the vehicles to cover Washington and Murton. That being said, the 238 doesn't operate fully within the ticket boundaries and it is joining the brand.

Where would the other 2 red ones go? The total PVR of the 2/2A and the 61 only comes to 14. The only other route that along with the 2/2A that would add up to 16 is the 39 allowing 5 of the scanias to go onto the 61- but it would seem abit pointless having only just branding all 7 of them.

Where would the other 2 red ones go? The total PVR of the 2/2A and the 61 only comes to 14. The only other route that along with the 2/2A that would add up to 16 is the 39 allowing 5 of the scanias to go onto the 61- but it would seem abit pointless having only just branding all 7 of them.

Could the Scania L94s cascade to other route(s) at Deptford, with them also joining the Black Cats family?

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Could the Scania L94s cascade to other route(s) at Deptford, with them also joining the Black Cats family?

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With the final 2 Scania's for the X36? Allowing the final 2 MPDs at Deptford to be withdrawn

With the final 2 Scania's for the X36? Allowing the final 2 MPDs at Deptford to be withdrawn

I'd say it would make more sense to have the 38 join the Black Cats family, with one L94 as a spare for the network (older buses, more likely that there'll be one off the road at any given time).

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I'd say it would make more sense to have the 38 join the Black Cats family, with one L94 as a spare for the network (older buses, more likely that there'll be one off the road at any given time).

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About time, but Scania's on the 61?, not sure on that, that's a downgrade from Versa...... should use the 5 Citaro's from the 61 which are currently allocated and just paint them "Black Cats", then Scania's to the 9 and 38. 

So basically nearly every service at Deptford will be "Black Cats" bar the 9 and 700 and the X36. (unless that changes)


2/2A - Black Cats
X5 - Wear Express
9 - Go North East
20/20A - Prince Bishops 
33 - Black Cats
35 - See it Do it
X36 - Go North East
38 - Black Cats
39 - Black Cats
56 - Fab 56
60 - Drifter 
61- Black Cats
238 - Black Cats
700 - Sunderland Connect

Could the Scania L94s cascade to other route(s) at Deptford, with them also joining the Black Cats family?

It is my belief that the Tynedale Express Scanias are destined for Deptford.

That might mean that they will be replaced by the Citaros.

It will be a shame to see the TEN livery withdrawn.

It is my belief that the Tynedale Express Scanias are destined for Deptford.

That might mean that they will be replaced by the Citaros.

It will be a shame to see the TEN livery withdrawn.

Going by that, the allocations for the Black Cats could be:

5229 - 5233 on the 61

4969, 4976, 4990, 4991, 4992, 5212 , 5213 on the 9 and 38

5463 - 5478 - 2/2A and 39

681, 689, 690 on the 33

698, 699, 700 on the 238

Going by that, the allocations for the Black Cats could be:

5229 - 5233 on the 61

4969, 4976, 4990, 4991, 4992, 5212 , 5213 on the 9 and 38

5463 - 5478 - 2/2A and 39

681, 689, 690 on the 33

698, 699, 700 on the 238

I still think citaros are the best vehicle for the 9

About time, but Scania's on the 61?, not sure on that, that's a downgrade from Versa...... should use the 5 Citaro's from the 61 which are currently allocated and just paint them "Black Cats", then Scania's to the 9 and 38. 

So basically nearly every service at Deptford will be "Black Cats" bar the 9 and 700 and the X36. (unless that changes)


2/2A - Black Cats
X5 - Wear Express
9 - Go North East
20/20A - Prince Bishops 
33 - Black Cats
35 - See it Do it
X36 - Go North East
38 - Black Cats
39 - Black Cats
56 - Fab 56
60 - Drifter 
61- Black Cats
238 - Black Cats
700 - Sunderland Connect

Whilst I'm not sure as many services should have the same brand. It isn't nearly every service. It's less than 43%.

It would be interesting to see how many vehicles have the brand, to compare to another depot and the number of vehicles under a particular high PVR brand there.