I disagree, most punters don't care if the same old bus turns up every day but to get a pile of crap turning up after a nice shiny bus has been in place for the past couple of years is a big difference.

The ALX300's are horrible buses whatever way you want to paint it from a passenger point of view with horrific leg room.

There's a BIG difference between an ALX 400 from 2005 and an Enviro 200 MMC from 2019. This isn't comparing a Versa versus a Streetlite which are similar and are both relatively modern interior wise or a Gemini 1/2 and a Streetdeck.

400? not mean 300? the only 400s are the open toppers at Sunderland. as for leg room i dont notice much difference apart the back seats on E300s are abit tighter which the step up compared to ALX300s

I disagree, most punters don't care if the same old bus turns up every day but to get a pile of crap turning up after a nice shiny bus has been in place for the past couple of years is a big difference.

The ALX300's are horrible buses whatever way you want to paint it from a passenger point of view with horrific leg room.

There's a BIG difference between an ALX 400 from 2005 and an Enviro 200 MMC from 2019. This isn't comparing a Versa versus a Streetlite which are similar and are both relatively modern interior wise or a Gemini 1/2 and a Streetdeck.

I agree, It must have been a big upgrade for services like the 25/28/29 getting new Streetlites with extra capacity USB's Wifi over some old 13 year old Versa's. 

And a drop from Streetlites to Versas is a big aswell, goes from leather seats, wood flooring high capacity to awfully discoloured interior. 

Its like if the 39/40 who are allocated brand new E400 MMC suddenly start being allocated ALX400's, no one is going to like that.

I agree, It must have been a big upgrade for services like the 25/28/29 getting new Streetlites with extra capacity USB's Wifi over some old 13 year old Versa's. 

And a drop from Streetlites to Versas is a big aswell, goes from leather seats, wood flooring high capacity to awfully discoloured interior. 

Its like if the 39/40 who are allocated brand new E400 MMC suddenly start being allocated ALX400's, no one is going to like that.

Tbh, on the 49/49A, the drop from Streetlites to Versas has been an upgrade! They're smoother, more comfortable, and don't have that annoying door rattle. I'd also argue they sound a lot nicer as well! The only downside was the lack of USB ports, but given they can't even charge a phone, that's not really an issue!

I agree, It must have been a big upgrade for services like the 25/28/29 getting new Streetlites with extra capacity USB's Wifi over some old 13 year old Versa's. 

And a drop from Streetlites to Versas is a big aswell, goes from leather seats, wood flooring high capacity to awfully discoloured interior. 

Its like if the 39/40 who are allocated brand new E400 MMC suddenly start being allocated ALX400's, no one is going to like that.

well, it works both ways where the 62/63 services in Newcastle was nearly always newish E400s now it feels like whatever is spare these days. there seems to be a core of 7 MMCs from start of the day to the end of the day but i have seen E200s, various 300 models both E and ALX and various E400s anything from 2008 models and hybrids to at rare times and 69 reg MMC.

71 service varies wildly Aswell the common allocation is ALX/E300 but E200s are common with at rare times various 400s/MMCs. but i think we are missing the point here.

why would SNE waste money by keeping MMCs in a depot where they were delivered to when another depot is paying fines/tolls for vehicles that aren't CAZ compliant when the simple straightforward solution is to do the swap and whenever newer vehicles do arrive look at the situation and reevaluate the situation

400? not mean 300? the only 400s are the open toppers at Sunderland. as for leg room i dont notice much difference apart the back seats on E300s are abit tighter which the step up compared to ALX300s

I did, my mistake there.

why would SNE waste money by keeping MMCs in a depot where they were delivered to when another depot is paying fines/tolls for vehicles that aren't CAZ compliant when the simple straightforward solution is to do the swap and whenever newer vehicles do arrive look at the situation and reevaluate the situation

It's more about what these buses are. The right answer is they should've purchased new buses to withdraw the ALX300's. They're beyond their useful life and shouldn't be in frontline service regardless. They can't keep pulling the Covid excuse for not investing. It's becoming a bit of a trend lately and it's not just buses. The point of the LEZ isn't to swap buses around and punish other areas it's to reduce emissions.

I could understand if it was some poor depot which doesn't make money but the North East made £11m before Covid and the Newcastle depots are the ones that make the £££'s.

Tbh, on the 49/49A, the drop from Streetlites to Versas has been an upgrade! They're smoother, more comfortable, and don't have that annoying door rattle. I'd also argue they sound a lot nicer as well! The only downside was the lack of USB ports, but given they can't even charge a phone, that's not really an issue!

The thing that puts be of veras's is that awful discolouration on the interior and that blue floor. 

I also think a lot of the older versas seat are really awful, they're like sitting on rocks.

I did, my mistake there.


It's more about what these buses are. The right answer is they should've purchased new buses to withdraw the ALX300's. They're beyond their useful life and shouldn't be in frontline service regardless. They can't keep pulling the Covid excuse for not investing. It's becoming a bit of a trend lately and it's not just buses. The point of the LEZ isn't to swap buses around and punish other areas it's to reduce emissions.

I could understand if it was some poor depot which doesn't make money but the North East made £11m before Covid and the Newcastle depots are the ones that make the £££'s.

to be honest i totally agree that new buses should be sourced, not relying on buses that are 13 years old

Personally I think the Enviro 300's should be going to Stockton, whatever this week going to Newcastle and the ALX 300's replacing the MAN Enviro 200's

An Enviro 200 MMC to an ALX 300 is a serious downgrade whatever way you want to paint it. It's literally going from the best bus in the fleet to the worst bus in the fleet from a passenger point of view. If I was a regular passenger on those routes I wouldn't be happy.

The E300-bodied MANs are meant to be making their way to Stockton eventually.
As for allocation, more than like see the MANs go on stuff like 14s, 34s and 39s allowing the native E300s to return to the 36/37/38 in place of the MMCs - which, in fairness, wouldn't be much of an issue given they appear on there frequently at present given the MMCs don't get used on there on Saturdays plus they are the preferred stand-in if there's MMCs with issues on a morning.

I find the ALX300S fine, especially the ones at stockton there isn't anything wrong with them from a passenger view they are only bad on places like Low Grange but si is an enviro 200 mmc? They are all rattly tbh the alx300 is more comfy. E200mmcs have horrible leather seating which is not very comfy anyway.

£50 a day for non compliant vehicles, it also reckons PCV vehicles before 2014 probably wont be compliant. thats alot of the SNE fleet


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/anot...d=msedgntp&cvid=89eecef7f3ba4aeda7e794b9bcd60529

Idk what they gonna do they are gonna have to send them all to Stockton hartlepool sunderland and all that

£50 a day for non compliant vehicles, it also reckons PCV vehicles before 2014 probably wont be compliant. thats alot of the SNE fleet


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/anot...d=msedgntp&cvid=89eecef7f3ba4aeda7e794b9bcd60529

It isn't. the E400s are complaint. Just the ALX and Man enviros that havent been re-engined. Sunderland won't be able to allocate 28001-17 to X24/34 but that's the only issue for them.

It isn't. the E400s are complaint. Just the ALX and Man enviros that havent been re-engined. Sunderland won't be able to allocate 28001-17 to X24/34 but that's the only issue for them.

28xxx are the 2013 gas buses arent they? is it because of capacity they cant be allocated?

28xxx are the 2013 gas buses arent they? is it because of capacity they cant be allocated?

The 2013 gas buses are Euro 5 whereas the 2014 ones are Euro 6.

So the 2014 gas buses can be allocated to the X24/34.


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The 2013 gas buses are Euro 5 whereas the 2014 ones are Euro 6.

So the 2014 gas buses can be allocated to the X24/34.


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i thought the only emissions off gas buses were water? or is that hydrogen buses?

That's hydrogen.

That's hydrogen.

What gas do the buses Use?

The gas buses at Sunderland are CNG.

The gas buses at Sunderland are CNG.

Think they used LNG when waiting for British Gas to sort out the supplies.

For some reason Sunderland have allocated MAN E200s to the 10/11 and 23 today instead of the ADLs. Also quite surprisingly 24122 and 24169 have re-appeared at Sunderland parked up at the back of the depot.

According to the fleet list, the 10/11 and 23 are meant to be a mix of ADL and MAN E200s. Not that that means much as I often see gas buses on the 23.

According to the fleet list, the 10/11 and 23 are meant to be a mix of ADL and MAN E200s. Not that that means much as I often see gas buses on the 23.

Not on a Sunday though, there haven't been MANs allocated for a long time. Generally its the ADL E200s or the occasional ADL E300

According to the fleet list, the 10/11 and 23 are meant to be a mix of ADL and MAN E200s. Not that that means much as I often see gas buses on the 23.

No MANs are allox on Sundays as a rule. Still gave the Beachball fans something to cheer about.

2 more deckers arrived at stockton depot today anyone knowbif they are perm or if we getting more?

2 more deckers arrived at stockton depot today anyone knowbif they are perm or if we getting more?

No, these ought to be from Sunderland. Stockton drivers will cover for the schools contracts during the strike this week

Ah ok but 1980/1 are perm though?

Ah ok but 1980/1 are perm though?

As permanent as the contracts dictate

The two deckers on loan at Stockton for the SL6 and 5045 are 19383 (returning to a former Home Depot effectively) and 19644 - 19644 worked the 5045 this morning.

36964 had gained a rear advertisement

Stagecoach Sunderland X34 services are moving to South Shields. Not sure on exact dates, but they want them to be running during the strike periods and then full time afterwards