Congratulations! Hopefully service 18 will be successful! Just out of interest, is the stretch between Stokesley and Guisborough supported by NYCC (who were looking to find a replacement for Arriva's 81s) or is it a commercial operation?

It’s completely commercial though does have an existing school contract wrapped around it.

It’s completely commercial though does have an existing school contract wrapped around it.

Timetable for the 18 now available and I’ve attached it to this post too! Just the one bus and driver to start with...

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Timetable for the 18 now available and I’ve attached it to this post too! Just the one bus and driver to start with...

I understand the reasons why, but it's a shame the gamble wasn't taken for a Saturday service - especially as the farmers markets are back up and running in Saltburn.
The potential for daytrippers to/from the coast would potentially be higher on a weekend too.

Any ideas on ticket acceptance or pricing?

I understand the reasons why, but it's a shame the gamble wasn't taken for a Saturday service - especially as the farmers markets are back up and running in Saltburn.
The potential for daytrippers to/from the coast would potentially be higher on a weekend too.

Any ideas on ticket acceptance or pricing?

Yeah it's something we'll look to grow and if it proves worthwhile we'll certainly want a Saturday service, perhaps next summer if it picks up. Saltburn seemed to prove more popular than Stokesley with the few Facebook posts we've done so that will be interesting to see.
Fares will be similar to Arriva, we didn't want to change them too much. Not sure it'll be worthwhile us joining the Explorer scheme at the moment though?

Yeah it's something we'll look to grow and if it proves worthwhile we'll certainly want a Saturday service, perhaps next summer if it picks up. Saltburn seemed to prove more popular than Stokesley with the few Facebook posts we've done so that will be interesting to see.
Fares will be similar to Arriva, we didn't want to change them too much. Not sure it'll be worthwhile us joining the Explorer scheme at the moment though?

Fingers crossed it works. 
I do think there's a gap and hopefully it can develop in to a successful operation. 

Looking at the lay-over time in Saltburn, is there anything that can be done, to open up the service to other parts of Saltburn? There's nothing that currently goes off Windsor Road/Station Square despite it only being a small part of the town and I would have thought there be some opportunities for a small extension with a hail and ride option along Marine Parade, Glenside, Albion Terrace or Upleatham St. 
People might only use it for short-hops to/from Saltburn, but there's potential revenue there which it won't achieve if its laying over for 20/25 mins.

Fingers crossed it works. 
I do think there's a gap and hopefully it can develop in to a successful operation. 

Looking at the lay-over time in Saltburn, is there anything that can be done, to open up the service to other parts of Saltburn? There's nothing that currently goes off Windsor Road/Station Square despite it only being a small part of the town and I would have thought there be some opportunities for a small extension with a hail and ride option along Marine Parade, Glenside, Albion Terrace or Upleatham St. 
People might only use it for short-hops to/from Saltburn, but there's potential revenue there which it won't achieve if its laying over for 20/25 mins.

Had a look at this on a run out the other day... possibly one to look at in the future I think. Have plans for all sorts as you can imagine but we’ve tied it to the connection times with the 81 in Guisborough from Stokesley direction. If this got moved in future we could probably take the layover in Saltburn out and add more at the Stokesley end, which we’ve had a few requests for. The 80/89 contract is up for retender soon too so we’ll see what happens.

In other news brand new 70 seat Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard YX70LTJ arrived yesterday direct from the factory. It’s in the white version of the Coatham livery.

Had a look at this on a run out the other day... possibly one to look at in the future I think. Have plans for all sorts as you can imagine but we’ve tied it to the connection times with the 81 in Guisborough from Stokesley direction. If this got moved in future we could probably take the layover in Saltburn out and add more at the Stokesley end, which we’ve had a few requests for.  The 80/89 contract is up for retender soon too so we’ll see what happens.

In other news brand new 70 seat Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard YX70LTJ arrived yesterday direct from the factory. It’s in the white version of the Coatham livery.

Is the 81 likely to be moved?
I reckon there's more than enough time as it stands to do some sort of circuit around Saltburn in the time it has to layover. In addition to any comfort breaks.

As an example: Windsor Road - Upleatham St - Bandstand - Station Square. 7mins tops? (more likely less).
Return 7mins - still leaves about 10mins layover. 

I can see why a few mins extra would be beneficial in Stokesley mind. 
Popping to the shop for some bits and jumping on the same bus back is nigh on impossible as the timetable stands. Whereas those extra few minutes layover could make all the difference.

I never used much from that batch after they came north, but found them decent enough to ride on in their previous life. 
It will be interesting to see what the bodywork on them is like. Visually, some of them weren't in the best of condition prior to moving north. I couldn't have seen that much being spent on them once they did.

However, intregued to know more about the new brand and what it's going to be used on.

I used them quite regular up here and found them to be a decent ride. The seats always lure you into a false sense of security, as they're a lot harder than they look! But comfortable enough for a short journey at the same time.

It’s completely commercial though does have an existing school contract wrapped around it.

Good to see someone try out a new commercial service.
Does it have free WiFi (as I noticed the stickers are still visible after the silver repaint) or are they yet to be removed from the GNE service?

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Is the 81 likely to be moved?
I reckon there's more than enough time as it stands to do some sort of circuit around Saltburn in the time it has to layover. In addition to any comfort breaks.

As an example: Windsor Road - Upleatham St - Bandstand - Station Square. 7mins tops? (more likely less).
Return 7mins - still leaves about 10mins layover. 

I can see why a few mins extra would be beneficial in Stokesley mind. 
Popping to the shop for some bits and jumping on the same bus back is nigh on impossible as the timetable stands. Whereas those extra few minutes layover could make all the difference.

To be honest I was thinking more taking in some of the villages at the Stokesley end, like Great Broughton & Hutton Rudby. The contract for the 80/89 is up for tender in April though so perhaps best not to jump on that just yet, I have a few ideas of how to improve that but we're a bit limited in what we can do at the moment after six months with little revenue.
As for the Saltburn town part - most of those streets are within a 10 min walk of town so perhaps wouldn't pick up more than a handful of concessionary passes, and there's no bus stops there. It could potentially be re-routed via Victoria Terrace & Albion Terrace in and out though, we looked at that last week when testing. Again there's no bus stops though so would be limited to hail & ride. And we'd miss the school which is a potential traffic source if we find it develops (the afternoon trip is potentially going to pick some up).

I used them quite regular up here and found them to be a decent ride. The seats always lure you into a false sense of security, as they're a lot harder than they look! But comfortable enough for a short journey at the same time.
Good to see someone try out a new commercial service.
Does it have free WiFi (as I noticed the stickers are still visible after the silver repaint) or are they yet to be removed from the GNE service?

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It doesn't, we need to get round to taking the stickers off. It's the first commercial service that Coatham have tried but they're willing to give new things a try.

It could potentially be re-routed via Victoria Terrace & Albion Terrace in and out though, we looked at that last week when testing. Again there's no bus stops though so would be limited to hail & ride. And we'd miss the school which is a potential traffic source if we find it develops (the afternoon trip is potentially going to pick some up).

Isn't that bridge off of Marske Mill Lane a 4-tonne axel weight limit though?

I guess that theoretically allows for 8-tonne vehicle over two axels, but not much room to spare if you ever had a full load. Certainly wouldn't allow a full size SD to ever operate.

Isn't that bridge off of Marske Mill Lane a 4-tonne axel weight limit though?

I guess that theoretically allows for 8-tonne vehicle over two axels, but not much room to spare if you ever had a full load. Certainly wouldn't allow a full size SD to ever operate.

It is indeed yeah, so while the Solo would be fine, anything bigger as you say wouldn't be able to operate that way. With potential expansion in future I think we'd have to stick with the current route.

Joining the fleet at Coatham this week is Volvo B12B YN06OPK from Coastal & Country, Whitby. It's another 70 seater to add to the fleet.

Joining the fleet at Coatham this week is Volvo B12B YN06OPK from Coastal & Country, Whitby. It's another 70 seater to add to the fleet.

Another arrival today for the Connect fleet is 17 seat Mercedes Sprinter BF65HVZ.
Cheetah YN13AWO is for sale.

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Arriving this week has been Mercedes Tourismo BF68ZFU from Shaw's of Whitley. B10M Premier N861DSP has been sold after a while parked up.

Latest addition at Coatham is VDL Futura RGZ2826 from Richmond's, Lisburn via Procters Coach Sales.

Arriving this week has been Mercedes Tourismo BF68ZFU from Shaw's of Whitley. B10M Premier N861DSP has been sold after a while parked up.

Premier finally left a week or two ago, on a trailer to Teesport ready to be exported to Africa (Zimbabwe, I believe is it's ultimate destination), it was still there parked up when I was on a shuttle within Teesport on Monday!

Currently with us is ADL Enviro 200 demonstrator YX70OHZ which is seeing use on Prior route 4 and service 18 between Saltburn and Stokesley.


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Go North East Levantes 7108 (A10EYC) and 7111 (N21GNE) have joined us on temporary loan to help cover some of the school duplicates at GNE until the end of term.




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Brand new ADL E200 YX71OGV has joined us fresh from the factory yesterday. It’ll likely see service on college contracts and potentially other work in the future!

Also arriving yesterday, on loan from Stanley Travel, was Volvo B7TL President LK03NJV.

Mercedes Cheetah YN13AWO recently left the fleet.





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Hi

Do you by any chance know or could get the body number of you new Enviro please?

Thanks
Brian

Hi

Do you by any chance know or could get the body number of you new Enviro please?

Thanks
Brian

Luckily enough I had to look at it for something the other day… it’s K255/01


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Brilliant, thank you

Brian

Quite an interesting mix of vehicles now i did my own update today also been poking tyresmoke to update it but links here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...sp=sharing theres also random other bits in the first tab

Is there service through to stokesley operating

Is there service through to stokesley operating

Doesn't seem to be pulling the timetable data into bustimes for some reason, but there's certainly a vehicle tracking: https://bustimes.org/services/18-saltbur...-10-25#map

Is there service through to stokesley operating

Yes, service 18 still operating. This week is running to the school holidays timetable

Brand new ADL E200 YX71OGV has joined us fresh from the factory yesterday. It’ll likely see service on college contracts and potentially other work in the future!

Also arriving yesterday, on loan from Stanley Travel, was Volvo B7TL President LK03NJV.

Mercedes Cheetah YN13AWO recently left the fleet.





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Saw that E200 last night. Looked smart.

Recent(ish) updates to the fleet…
Our loaned B7 from Stanley has gone back, replaced by Bova SO62JZT which is a 72 seater.
Also joining the fleet in the last few weeks has been another 16 seat EVM Sprinter KN20LSU. Transit ST64MHA has departed as a result.


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What haven’t I updated on? Quite a lot by the looks of the above!

Added at the start of the year were two Mercedes Tourismo triaxles BD18TKZ/TLF and they form the backbone of the Park & Ride fleet, recently another BV22WRG has been added and it too operates mostly on the P&R contract.

Other recent additions are 22 seat EVM Sprinter RX22SKE, electric EQV Vito NX22NWA and yesterday new 70 seat Irizar i4 YT72GNY arrived too!

Solo YJ10MFN departed a few months ago to SD Travel.


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Chatham Coaches should invest in some more Routes, for an Idea A service from Low Grange Owington Farm-Billingham Town Centre-Norton-Stockton-Teesside Park?
Like the old X7/8 That stagecarruge used to run they were packed and were making a ton of money before they went into administration Billingham and Norton are currently left without a service to Teesside Park?
Maybe buy a batch of citaros or something.

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None of these are on Bustimes.org