I have no idea where the mention of 30 has come from, the plan is just for these 13, which should see of the B7/President.

RBZ 5459 mentioned 30, not me

Hmmmm before xmas? Yes being that young seems odd to just have them as spare. Saying that might be used to make up PVR on CC and a few spares for washy and dptford with the view to have cascades displace presidents

If that's the Cobalt Clipper, then excluding the Formica bridge replacement, the PVR for the 309/310 is 16 vehicles (used to be 15 but got increased in Sept 2014 when the 309 frequency was increased between W.Bay and Blyth) with either 6116/17 acting as spare depending on which one makes up the PVR.

Any extra B9s would act as an additional spare taking the spare vehicle ratio back up to 2 spare for every 8 which would be enough with either a PVR of 16 or 17, the latter being a possibility depending upon the timings of the 310 once Norham Road bridge is completed.

Speaking of the devil, if the 309 / 310 ever went standalone, it would give GNE a good fallback for the Castles Express Streetdecks if they show signs of trouble (let's hope that they don't).

RBZ 5459 mentioned 30, not me

Mentioned on the grapevine on the back of them first 13. Perhaps wishful thinking somewhere 

5307 was taken out of service yeterday morning at 11:53 @ Castletown Broadway, 5477 replaced it.

Ah so it made it to Boldon and was heading back to Sunderland. Photoed it at 10:38.

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https://flic.kr/p/ZSy96K


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I think it may have worked better if the base colour was sky blue or Yellow

Not long I'd suspect, depends where they are in the refurb/conversion process if they're at Bus and Coach World now. Little has been said about them since they were announced internally. Bits obviously filtering though on a driver level now.

Unlikely that any will land in the North East before Christmas. I'm sure Go North East would rather Bus & Coach World prioritise the Mercedes Citaro refurbishment so that these are all back in time for the South Tyneside network revisions in January.

The first few started arriving at Bus & Coach World around 2 weeks ago.

http://netimesmagazine.co.uk/editorial/i...evin-carr/

A feature in NE Times with Kevin Carr.

Have anymore new buses for the Angel arrived yet?

Unlikely that any will land in the North East before Christmas. I'm sure Go North East would rather Bus & Coach World prioritise the Mercedes Citaro refurbishment so that these are all back in time for the South Tyneside network revisions in January.

The first few started arriving at Bus & Coach World around 2 weeks ago.

Is any spec being said about these B9's also when will 5325-5327 be due back ?

Is any spec being said about these B9's also when will 5325-5327 be due back ?

Not to same quality as the Mercs on this occasion.

Is any spec being said about these B9's also when will 5325-5327 be due back ?

Converted to one door and just brought up to Go North East standards I've heard.


I'm trying to work what order the Citaro's went to Blackburn, i think 5325 is next.

Have anymore new buses for the Angel arrived yet?

Nah

Converted to one door and just brought up to Go North East standards I've heard.


I'm trying to work what order the Citaro's went to Blackburn, i think 5325 is next.

That's correct, single door conversion, extra padding on seats, re-trimmed, new destinations, buggy bay created (because they don't have them in London).

As they are only 5 years old, they won't be "spares".

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Nah

but expect some before the Christmas break.

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Converted to one door and just brought up to Go North East standards I've heard.


I'm trying to work what order the Citaro's went to Blackburn, i think 5325 is next.

5324 and 5338 should be the next, based on the order they went in.

Any ideas what service these deckers are for

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That's correct, single door conversion, extra padding on seats, re-trimmed, new destinations, buggy bay created (because they don't have them in London).

As they are only 5 years old, they won't be "spares".

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but expect some before the Christmas break.

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5324 and 5338 should be the next, based on the order they went in.

Thanks, i did look back but still couldn"t work it out

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Any ideas what service these deckers are for

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I can only think Toonlink to replace the Omnidekka's on that route for Depot standarsation at Stanley, u
nless a single decker route is getting converted.

I can only think Toonlink to replace the Omnidekka's on that route for Depot standarsation at Stanley, u
nless a single decker route is getting converted.

I think Stanley’s double deck fleet is pretty much standardised. Had 5248 not caught fire, the only double deck types at the depot would be B9TLs and Omnidekkas.

Would be nice to see some of the B9TLs to go onto the Toon Link though, i agree.

I think Stanley’s double deck fleet is pretty much standardised. Had 5248 not caught fire, the only double deck types at the depot would be B9TLs and Omnidekkas.

Would be nice to see some of the B9TLs to go onto the Toon Link though, i agree.

Aye true.

Any single decker routes which could benefit from deckers?

Does the 13/14 and X25 get enough passengers to fully convert it too deckers?

Aye true.

Any single decker routes which could benefit from deckers?

Does the 13/14 and X25 get enough passengers to fully convert it too deckers?

I'll have a punt at the 58 being converted to double deck operation.

Meanwhile here is 5299 out in service today in the new Tynedale Express Branding - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

I'll have a punt at the 58 being converted to double deck operation.

Meanwhile here is 5299 out in service today in the new Tynedale Express Branding - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

Winter mucky already!

Aye true.

Any single decker routes which could benefit from deckers?

Does the 13/14 and X25 get enough passengers to fully convert it too deckers?

Put them on Red Kite (10 to replace 5409-18) allowing full B9 allocation on 45/46/47.

5409-18 to Riverside for Green Arrow 97/97A, allowing 4938/40/41/44/47/48 to be withdrawn, 4967/5227/28 to go corporate and 5218 into Loop.  5419 would allow 4949 poppy bus to be withdrawn.

or

put the B9's on Red Kite, alongside 6118-21, to give full B9 allocation

with 5409-19 to Deptford for SeeItDoIt 35.

I think Stanley’s double deck fleet is pretty much standardised. Had 5248 not caught fire, the only double deck types at the depot would be B9TLs and Omnidekkas.

Would be nice to see some of the B9TLs to go onto the Toon Link though, i agree.

Stanley’s omnidekkas are 13/14 years old, If these deckers are standard 14’ 6” then they won’t fit under the bridge next to ALDI in Dunston, however i’m sure there’s a change registered for X30/X31/X32 in January. So based on that my thinking is they’ll replace the omnidekkas at Stanley, which in turn will displace the remaining B7s.

Put them on Red Kite (10 to replace 5409-18) allowing full B9 allocation on 45/46/47.

5409-18 to Riverside for Green Arrow 97/97A, allowing 4938/40/41/44/47/48 to be withdrawn, 4967/5227/28 to go corporate and 5218 into Loop.  5419 would allow 4949 poppy bus to be withdrawn.

or

put the B9's on Red Kite, alongside 6118-21, to give full B9 allocation

with 5409-19 to Deptford for SeeItDoIt 35.

Whilst this would be a good cascade plan and great for customers; the L94s on Loop, Highwayman and Black Cats are tied down to the areas they operate in at the moment, until 2019, as they were fitted with council-funded SCRT systems.

I think Durham were a little happier for the buses they funded with SCRT systems to be cascaded earlier (i.e. those on Fast Cats X35) as they were being replaced by younger, more reliable buses which were still fuel-efficient and Euro 5.

Had Gateshead and Sunderland been equally as happy, I think we'd have seen cascades long before now.

What about the 35? If the Citaros are for 9/27 what is going on there..

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I'm What about the 35? If the Citaros are for 9/27 what is going on there..

5252 now in corporate livery on the 1 my mate told me

I'll have a punt at the 58 being converted to double deck operation.

Meanwhile here is 5299 out in service today in the new Tynedale Express Branding - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

Is it my immagination or is everyone asleep on that bus? Driver included! And if you zoom in you can see the ghost of Prisoner: Cell Block H's Judy Bryant in the top right of the windscreen!

Now I look again... Isn't that Lizzie Birdsworth in the hat!

I think the 50 could use deckers. Not so sure about the 5 though

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Meanwhile here is 5299 out in service today in the new Tynedale Express Branding - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

Missing the blue banner on the front wind-screen. Looks better for it..!
Rear vinyl on them is canny.

I would like to know, how long before citaros would be replaced because i thought GNE would have invested in Enviro buses for South Tyneside instead of citaros or upgraded 27 to double decker route and put citaros on 26.

I would like to know, how long before citaros would be replaced because i thought GNE would have invested in Enviro buses for South Tyneside instead of citaros or upgraded 27 to double decker route and put citaros on 26.

A few years yet, the Scania L94's are next to go.

I doubt Go North East will ever buy Enivro's, although, i would love to be proved wrong though.

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Whilst this would be a good cascade plan and great for customers; the L94s on Loop, Highwayman and Black Cats are tied down to the areas they operate in at the moment, until 2019, as they were fitted with council-funded SCRT systems.

I think Durham were a little happier for the buses they funded with SCRT systems to be cascaded earlier (i.e. those on Fast Cats X35) as they were being replaced by younger, more reliable buses which were still fuel-efficient and Euro 5.

Had Gateshead and Sunderland been equally as happy, I think we'd have seen cascades long before now.

Is that until the 1st January 2019?

Put them on Red Kite (10 to replace 5409-18) allowing full B9 allocation on 45/46/47.

5409-18 to Riverside for Green Arrow 97/97A, allowing 4938/40/41/44/47/48 to be withdrawn, 4967/5227/28 to go corporate and 5218 into Loop.  5419 would allow 4949 poppy bus to be withdrawn.

or

put the B9's on Red Kite, alongside 6118-21, to give full B9 allocation

with 5409-19 to Deptford for SeeItDoIt 35.

Although the Red Kites would benefit from an extra decker or two, a full decker allocation isn't needed out of peak times except under certain circumstances auch as NUFC home matches.

The only reason deckers were needed on the 47 most of the time before the 47 got moved to Stanley was because of the poor reliability meaning higher passenger numbers on some buses that were running late.

Seen the idea about the 58 going double deck and that would be a good shout as the bendies did come into their own at times on the 58.

[quote="Coastliner700" pid='211257' dateline='1512726307']
What about the 35? If the Citaros are for 9/27 what is going on there..

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Hopefully Omnicities from the Coaster on the 35... but very much doubt that would happen.