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RE: Optare 47318
(30 Aug 2020, 2:51 am)glen wrote Is it a minibus

(30 Aug 2020, 8:29 am)Ianthegoon wrote Shown as having 27 seats, so probably falls into the minibus category, yes.

Definitely - it's an Optare Solo, the same as the ones Arriva have (if you don't know what they are).
RE: Optare 47318
(30 Aug 2020, 11:56 am)glen wrote Are we talking about stagecoach on teesside it so it frest time for along time had a minibus.

Stockton I believe. Has there ever been minibuses running with Stagecoach North East? I can't really remember any route ever having them but I could be wrong but there's certainly been none in the last 10 year. I'm guessing it'll be Darlington though if anywhere, anyone?
RE: Optare 47318
(30 Aug 2020, 11:56 am)glen wrote Are we talking about stagecoach on teesside it so it frest time for along time had a minibus.
Yes it was mentioned that it was due to move to Stockton. It could well be that it will end up in service to free up a full size single deck for school duplicates?
The school fleet at Stockton currently stands at 24002, 24003, 34605, 35189, 39672, 39706, 47318.
I understand 22062/3/4, 27510 and possibly some others are due to re-enter service too, so it's possible some of the transfers may end up elsewhere eventually. Stockton's network does have quite a few school flows on it though - Macmillan Middlesbrough, St Michaels Billingham, Bede College Billingham, Middlesbrough College, Stockton Riverside College, Stockton Sixth Form College, St Bedes Stockton, Bishopsgarth Stockton, Kings at Coulby and probably others I've forgotten. That's a lot to cover and maybe not all will get duplicated buses.

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RE: Optare 47318
Stockton use have minuses they where old Mercedes in 1990s i think he's on 59 services i think.

Stockton used have to have minibuses they there Mercedes
RE: Optare 47318
(30 Aug 2020, 12:05 pm)Storx wrote Stockton I believe. Has there ever been minibuses running with Stagecoach North East? I can't really remember any route ever having them but I could be wrong but there's certainly been none in the last 10 year. I'm guessing it'll be Darlington though if anywhere, anyone?
All 5 Busways depots were running minibuses until around 15 years ago. Stockton and Darlington did run them but they'd largely gone by the turn of the century. Hartlepool briefly had ex London Merc's, but I don't think there were more than 4 there at any time and they were short lived.
RE: Optare 47318
I know Walkergate was until atleast the back end of 2005, used to run them on the 2,16,18/19, and 32, not sure if there were any other services they ran on, most of which if not all were replaced by the older darts
Kind Regards
Tez
RE: Optare 47318
(31 Aug 2020, 11:49 am)V514DFT wrote I know Walkergate was until atleast the back end of 2005, used to run them on the 2,16,18/19, and 32, not sure if there were any other services they ran on, most of which if not all were replaced by the older darts
Same as above South Shields operated them for quite a while. Mainly services 10/11/13/14s with spells on short lived full time services 1, 2 and 9.

The minibuses at South Shields were ousted by the short dart vehicles 32117,32124,32132, 32794 and 32795, can't remember the others but there were others.  In turn these short darts then transferred to Newcastle and ousted their minibus fleet.
RE: Optare 47318
(31 Aug 2020, 10:41 am)tcts24 wrote All 5 Busways depots were running minibuses until around 15 years ago. Stockton and Darlington did run them but they'd largely gone by the turn of the century. Hartlepool briefly had ex London Merc's, but I don't think there were more than 4 there at any time and they were short lived.

Stockton had an allocation of Mercedes 709Ds until about 2004 when the last daytime run they were required for - the 630 (Middlesbrough to Stainton via Longlands, James Cook Hospital, Marton, Coulby Newham and Hemlington) passed to Leven Valley as the 430 (and survived until the company's closure as the eastern arm of the 18/19 circular having gone through various other changes) and them not being suitable for anything else at Stockton (the only other service that used minis still running at that time - the evening/Sunday Boroughbus 556 from Stockton to the Transporter - was converted to midibus using a low floor Dart until it passed to Compass Royston a year or so later).