Could Sunderland swap 24001 - 03 for 19645 - 47 from Walkergate? A great service for the Scanias to be used on is the X63...

(27 Feb 2019, 6:40 pm)S830OFT wrote The X24 could always interwork with the X34 at Newcastle...

This would be a good idea if it could give the x34 some more layover time as it quite regularly comes into Newcastle a bit late. 

Could also provide the possibility of a Sunday service on the two, each hourly? The timings would allow them to interwork

Information from Steven Knight Media - Fleet News Ramblings:

Stagecoach North East
Withdrawn MAN/ALX300 22042 is the latest vehicle to be collected from Stockton depot by Alpha Recovery, Weetslade for scrap. It was collected on Thursday 21st February 2019.
Slatyford based, MAN/Enviro 300 24115 returned to Slatyford on 28 February 2019 having received a Cummins Euro 6 engine conversion at ADL, Anston.
At least three of the Stockton based Enviro 300s have lost their ‘Zone’ branding on repaint. 27166 and 27168 lost their branding in January 2019, followed by 27181 in February 2019.
There have been reports in the local press that South Shields depot is proposing to reduce part of its operations by transferring 55 drivers and 22 buses to other depots. It is believed that service X34 will possibly be transferred to Walkergate depot, with the ‘E’ Group of services being moved to Sunderland. If this proposed change goes ahead, it is likely to take place in June or July 2019.

(01 Mar 2019, 7:22 pm)AIG20 wrote Information from Steven Knight Media - Fleet News Ramblings:

Stagecoach North East
Withdrawn MAN/ALX300 22042 is the latest vehicle to be collected from Stockton depot by Alpha Recovery, Weetslade for scrap. It was collected on Thursday 21st February 2019.
Slatyford based, MAN/Enviro 300 24115 returned to Slatyford on 28 February 2019 having received a Cummins Euro 6 engine conversion at ADL, Anston.
At least three of the Stockton based Enviro 300s have lost their ‘Zone’ branding on repaint. 27166 and 27168 lost their branding in January 2019, followed by 27181 in February 2019.
There have been reports in the local press that South Shields depot is proposing to reduce part of its operations by transferring 55 drivers and 22 buses to other depots. It is believed that service X34 will possibly be transferred to Walkergate depot, with the ‘E’ Group of services being moved to Sunderland. If this proposed change goes ahead, it is likely to take place in June or July 2019.

X34 to Newcastle would seem better, hopefully would mean an extension to Shields centre.....

Four 'Zone' have now been repainted - 27170 the latest one.

Why was 27506-10 taken off the 100? And what has happened to 27506-8?

(03 Mar 2019, 7:45 am)GNE6312 wrote Why was 27506-10 taken off the 100? And what has happened to 27506-8?

All gone to Stockton

(24 Feb 2019, 10:57 am)Michael wrote Does anyone remember what year it was, when Stagecoach Sunderland merged most of their services?, so like 15 and 16 merged, 2 and 3, 22, 23 and 24etc

Sure it was 2005 Michael

(03 Mar 2019, 5:43 pm)Acky81 wrote Sure it was 2005 Michael

Thanks, anyone got the changes on a booklet etc? (Did Stagecoach even do them in 2005?) would be great to read them again

(03 Mar 2019, 5:53 pm)Michael wrote Thanks, anyone got the changes on a booklet etc? (Did Stagecoach even do them in 2005?) would be great to read them again

I’m sure they did with such a huge shake up of the Sunderland network

Afew questions I have.
1. What time does thecbus for the 10.40 M33 on Saturdays get into Newcastle so I can get a good pic of it arriving when I get it in a few weeks?

2. What depot in what part of the UK operates the 10.40 M33 on a Saturday?

3. Are megabus purchasing any 19 reg elites?

Thanks in advance.

(06 Mar 2019, 3:51 pm)GNE6312 wrote Afew questions I have.
1. What time does thecbus for the 10.40 M33 on Saturdays get into Newcastle so I can get a good pic of it arriving when I get it in a few weeks?

2. What depot in what part of the UK operates the 10.40 M33 on a Saturday?

3. Are megabus purchasing any 19 reg elites?

Thanks in advance.

Hopefully this will help you for timings - https://bustimes.org/services/m33-newcas...ne-cardiff

I believe it is operated by Rugby Depot, Stagecoach Orders for 2019 are yet to be confirmed they are usually confirmed by the end of April, I would imagine there will be some more Elite i's on order replacing older Elite i's on Megabus Duties.

One of the City Sightseeing Tridents is at Wheatsheaf this afternoon having had a rub down for repaint.

(06 Mar 2019, 4:05 pm)Jimmi wrote One of the City Sightseeing Tridents is at Wheatsheaf this afternoon having had a rub down for repaint.

Take it this will be the bus for the Open Top service at North Shields?

(06 Mar 2019, 3:59 pm)Malarkey wrote Hopefully this will help you for timings - https://bustimes.org/services/m33-newcas...ne-cardiff

I believe it is operated by Rugby Depot, Stagecoach Orders for 2019 are yet to be confirmed they are usually confirmed by the end of April, I would imagine there will be some more Elite i's on order replacing older Elite i's on Megabus Duties.

Thank you for the info.

(06 Mar 2019, 4:08 pm)S830OFT wrote Take it this will be the bus for the Open Top service at North Shields?

I must have missed this......  an open top service at North Shields? By Stagecoach?

(06 Mar 2019, 6:55 pm)ne14ne1 wrote I must have missed this......  an open top service at North Shields? By Stagecoach?

Indeed. See the registration here: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showt...p?tid=1032&pid=226504#pid226504

Will be interesting to see how it pans out that's for sure. Whitley Bay and North Shields is hardly the likes of Scarborough, though does have the caravan park which may help a bit.

(06 Mar 2019, 7:06 pm)S813 FVK wrote Indeed. See the registration here: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showt...p?tid=1032&pid=226504#pid226504

Will be interesting to see how it pans out that's for sure. Whitley Bay and North Shields is hardly the likes of Scarborough, though does have the caravan park which may help a bit.

Well I never.

One of the managers at Stagecoach has confirmed that the Open Topper is going blue, and that the X24/X34 will interwork at Newcastle but didn't mention what will be allocated.

(06 Mar 2019, 7:06 pm)S813 FVK wrote Indeed. See the registration here: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showt...p?tid=1032&pid=226504#pid226504

Will be interesting to see how it pans out that's for sure. Whitley Bay and North Shields is hardly the likes of Scarborough, though does have the caravan park which may help a bit.

I seem to recall there used to be an open-top service in South Shields at one time, but I haven't heard anything about it recently - is that one still going, or did I imagine it?

(07 Mar 2019, 10:06 am)Ianthegoon wrote I seem to recall there used to be an open-top service in South Shields at one time, but I haven't heard anything about it recently - is that one still going, or did I imagine it?

They tried a couple of attempts at South Shields with the final one being the South Shields Shuttle which failed big time. It only operated from the Market to the New Crown a journey of less than 10 minutes and operated 5 minutes after the E1 which ran the same route. 

In the old Busways days we had the successful 22 service which operated all the way South Shields to Sunderland with the 2 open toppers. That should be reinvented.

(07 Mar 2019, 10:06 am)Ianthegoon wrote I seem to recall there used to be an open-top service in South Shields at one time, but I haven't heard anything about it recently - is that one still going, or did I imagine it?

Most recently there was the City Sightseeing service. Didn't really do much and if I remember right, ran off before 5pm.
Often used to see it heading back on the Felling Bypass, back to the depot just after 5.

Alpha recory trucked parked up at Walkergate depot

28012 is currently being prepared for repaint at Sunderland

(07 Mar 2019, 7:55 am)S830OFT wrote One of the managers at Stagecoach has confirmed that the Open Topper is going blue, and that the X24/X34 will interwork at Newcastle but didn't mention what will be allocated.

According to Steven knight media - the X34 could head to Walkergate and not Sunderland, like previously said... it would make more sense tbh. 

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There have been reports in the local press that South Shields depot is proposing to reduce part of its operations by transferring 55 drivers and 22 buses to other depots. It is believed that service X34 will possibly be transferred to Walkergate depot, with the ‘E’ Group of services being moved to Sunderland. If this proposed change goes ahead, it is likely to take place in June or July 2019. 

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(07 Mar 2019, 1:36 pm)Michael wrote According to Steven knight media - the X34 could head to Walkergate and not Sunderland, like previously said... it would make more sense tbh. 

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There have been reports in the local press that South Shields depot is proposing to reduce part of its operations by transferring 55 drivers and 22 buses to other depots. It is believed that service X34 will possibly be transferred to Walkergate depot, with the ‘E’ Group of services being moved to Sunderland. If this proposed change goes ahead, it is likely to take place in June or July 2019. 

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It would make more sense interworking it with the X24 in regards to driver changeovers and it would allow the bigger layover times on the X24 to help out the X34 which often end up running late.  But If that was to happen I dont know what vehicles they would allocate, as the X34 requires deckers all day but the X24 only does at peak times and single deckers suffice during the main part of the day.

(07 Mar 2019, 3:15 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote It would make more sense interworking it with the X24 in regards to driver changeovers and it would allow the bigger layover times on the X24 to help out the X34 which often end up running late.  But If that was to happen I dont know what vehicles they would allocate, as the X34 requires deckers all day but the X24 only does at peak times and single deckers suffice during the main part of the day.

Maybe, i never use the X34, so didn't know how the X34 performs, not sure on allocation but maybe they might try and work it where each service has at least a decker on a peak times?

(07 Mar 2019, 3:21 pm)Michael wrote Maybe, i never use the X34, so didn't know how the X34 performs, not sure on allocation but maybe they might try and work it where each service has at least a decker on a peak times?

The x34 quite regularly gets full both up and downstairs, and not just at peak times. I have seen complaints on stagecoach north east's twitter feed when a single decker gets allocated

(08 Mar 2019, 10:06 am)big mac wrote The x34 quite regularly gets full both up and downstairs, and not just at peak times. I have seen complaints on stagecoach north east's twitter feed when a single decker gets allocated

Be interesting to see what happens if they do interwork then.... whats the capacity on the Omnilinks and E400's?

(08 Mar 2019, 10:36 am)Michael wrote Be interesting to see what happens if they do interwork then.... whats the capacity on the Omnilinks and E400's?

Not sure on the e400 but omnilinks I'm sure have over 50 seats.