10643 has been sent to Sunderland (allegedly a couple more are coming) to cover for the deckers that went to Shields. Unsure if it's just temporary or a little more permanent.

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The loss of those deckers hasn't deterred the allocations though - one ended up on the 23 today along with a gas bus.

Yesterday (19/11/22) saw the start of Walkergate's Santa Grotto Bus which is using DTV 22081, which was seen at Killingworth Centre here:- https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAe9n6

Details of the tour can be found on the tours Facebook page:- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087103510151

Not sure why, but most of Slatyford's recent acquisitions from Carlisle don't seem to be tracking on Bustimes. Spotted 24121 on service 10/11 today, and have seen reports of 24116/20 working here as well but none of these have tracked since their last runs at Carlisle. Even 22887/89, which WERE tracking here, have stopped tracking even though they are both out in service.

Anybody got any theories as to why this is happening ?

I also saw 22879 in Newcastle today and thought it might be another incomer, but then noticed it was on the 685 !

(24 Nov 2022, 8:54 pm)N391OTY wrote Not sure why, but most of Slatyford's recent acquisitions from Carlisle don't seem to be tracking on Bustimes. Spotted 24121 on service 10/11 today, and have seen reports of 24116/20 working here as well but none of these have tracked since their last runs at Carlisle. Even 22887/89, which WERE tracking here, have stopped tracking even though they are both out in service.

Anybody got any theories as to why this is happening ?

I also saw 22879 in Newcastle today and thought it might be another incomer, but then noticed it was on the 685 !

There are a couple of ALX300s at Walkergate that don’t track too. For example, 22065 is on the 22 pretty much everyday, but bustimes would suggest it hasn’t been out since the 2nd November.

It appears on Bus times that Hartlepool have been sending some of their E200s to Shields presumably for repair over the last few weeks. 36090 has been there this week.

(24 Nov 2022, 11:34 pm)Thomas12 wrote There are a couple of ALX300s at Walkergate that don’t track too. For example, 22065 is on the 22 pretty much everyday, but bustimes would suggest it hasn’t been out since the 2nd November.

Seems these have all been fixed today as 22887/889, 22341, 22065 all tracking again. I am surprised 22065 is still being used when likes of 22068 and 22082 were scrapped a while ago now.

(01 Dec 2022, 12:23 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Seems these have all been fixed today as 22887/889, 22341, 22065 all tracking again. I am surprised 22065 is still being used when likes of 22068 and 22082 were scrapped a while ago now.

22082 hasn’t been scrapped, has in fact been donated to a school in Teesside.


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(01 Dec 2022, 10:06 pm)pbjd wrote 22082 hasn’t been scrapped, has in fact been donated to a school in Teesside.


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What school is it?

19683 has been loaned to Sunderland for the afternoon school runs with 36966 going the other way. Something really needs to be done about the reliability of Sunderland's E400s

(02 Dec 2022, 5:23 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote 19683 has been loaned to Sunderland for the afternoon school runs with 36966 going the other way. Something really needs to be done about the reliability of Sunderland's E400s

what depot was 683 from?

(02 Dec 2022, 5:38 pm)toward6931 wrote what depot was 683 from?

South Shields

(02 Dec 2022, 6:36 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote South Shields

hopefully with the new deliveries whenever they turn up it will solve a few problems,

if it was down to me i would grab the 24 -2015 gold service Scania's from Preston. sending them to walkergate using the first 4 to oust 2 of the single Deckers and have 2 as spare to prevent E200s getting used on high-capacity services.

the next 20 i would use to cascade 10 double decks each to Newcastle and Sunderland. those 10 at each depot in my plan would then oust 5 E200s and 4 single decks to other depots. obviously, this plan would rely on reliability of vehicles to work but would mean that Newcastle has 3 more spare double decks and Sunderland 1 more.

meaning until brand new double decks you are relying on a bigger number of spare vehicles to get you through but have increased capacity on a good number of routes across 2 cities.

until details of the Newcastle delivery come in for definite I would speculate on a minimum of 25 vehicles, hopefully the majority of which will head to slatyford to use for the 62/63 services which routinely end up with 300/200 vehicles which can barely cope with the number of passengers, especially as the 62 is now extended down to throckley which is now the longest route (I believe) by a significant margin further exacerbating capacity and route punctuality

I would like see some minibus at stagecoach north east it good to see?

Such as the Tees Flex Sprinters that they already have?

(03 Dec 2022, 2:02 am)glen wrote I would like see some minibus at stagecoach north east it good to see?

to be honest glen apart from the tees flex there's no need for minibuses at SNE, the likes of a dart for example are on average 2 meters longer but can hold an extra 10-12 people

Thanks for info mate

(02 Dec 2022, 7:16 pm)2023 Stagecoach bus handbook shows 11 of the new E400 coming for Walkergate as the only ones in the batch for the north east wrote hopefully with the new deliveries whenever they turn up it will solve a few problems,

if it was down to me i would grab the 24 -2015 gold service Scania's from Preston. sending them to walkergate using the first 4 to oust 2 of the single Deckers and have 2 as spare to prevent E200s getting used on high-capacity services.

the next 20 i would use to cascade 10 double decks each to Newcastle and Sunderland. those 10 at each depot in my plan would then oust 5 E200s and 4 single decks to other depots. obviously, this plan would rely on reliability of vehicles to work but would mean that Newcastle has 3 more spare double decks and Sunderland 1 more.

meaning until brand new double decks you are relying on a bigger number of spare vehicles to get you through but have increased capacity on a good number of routes across 2 cities.

until details of the Newcastle delivery come in for definite I would speculate on a minimum of 25 vehicles, hopefully the majority of which will head to slatyford to use for the 62/63 services which routinely end up with 300/200 vehicles which can barely cope with the number of passengers, especially as the 62 is now extended down to throckley which is now the longest route (I believe) by a significant margin further exacerbating capacity and route punctuality

Honestly 11 isn't enough there are so many older E400 which are still in service daily, really the 1, 22 needs new buses aswell and probs a few others

2023 Stagecoach handbook lists the following allocations for the new E400s:

11571-9 Kendal (coach seats) (9)

11581-602 Chichester (22)
11603-6 Winchester (4)
11607-28 Torquay (22)
11629-51 Preston (23)
11652-62 Folkestone (11)
11663-76 Northampton (14)
11677-96 Hull (20)
11697-716 Sheffield Holbrook (20)
11717-31 Manchester Hyde Road (15)
11732-46 Ashton (15)
11747-61 Witney (15)
11762-9 Mansfield (8)
11770-80 WALKERGATE (11)

11781-97 Inverness (17)

Are going to be new single deckers in 2023 order for stagecoach UK?

I think nexus need to rethink upgrading the 18 (Benton to Walker) to deckers. As been on it a lot recently and there seems no need for the route to be decekrs.

The route was fine as Single deckers and should go back to it. Them 3 decekrs could go to routes that badly suffer with Single deck (22 being one of them)

(07 Dec 2022, 12:42 am)Aaron21 wrote I think nexus need to rethink upgrading the 18 (Benton to Walker) to deckers. As been on it a lot recently and there seems no need for the route to be decekrs.

The route was fine as Single deckers and should go back to it. Them 3 decekrs could go to routes that badly suffer with Single deck (22 being one of them)

I think there’s two boards which have journeys with very high loadings for school movements, hence the tender specification.

It feels wasteful at other times but is needed for those journeys and it’s cheaper to allocate a double-deck all day than pay for extra peak buses.


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(07 Dec 2022, 4:40 am)Dan wrote I think there’s two boards which have journeys with very high loadings for school movements, hence the tender specification.

It feels wasteful at other times but is needed for those journeys and it’s cheaper to allocate a double-deck all day than pay for extra peak buses.


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What I don't understand is that it used to have two deckers allocated during then times. Wish they could back to it. Would stop the odd single deck appearing on the 22

(07 Dec 2022, 9:27 am)Aaron21 wrote What I don't understand is that it used to have two deckers allocated during then times. Wish they could back to it. Would stop the odd single deck appearing on the 22

It’s hardly the odd single decker - I would say about 4 or 5 boards a day are operated by ALX300s or E200s, which isn’t ideal. Saw an E200 absolutely packed on there leaving Newcastle yesterday so they definitely shouldn’t be allocated. 

The 12 seems to have them allocated quite a lot too - again not suitable for the service.

Tbf though,the 18 has always been a funny service loadings wise,especially when it ran Wallsend- Forest Hall

(07 Dec 2022, 9:40 am)Thomas12 wrote It’s hardly the odd single decker - I would say about 4 or 5 boards a day are operated by ALX300s or E200s, which isn’t ideal. Saw an E200 absolutely packed on there leaving Newcastle yesterday so they definitely shouldn’t be allocated. 

The 12 seems to have them allocated quite a lot too - again not suitable for the service.

There's 9 of the Hybrids off road today, affording to tracking, that's why pretty much. 

Not sure what's wrong with them but they seem as unreliable as the GNE ones.

(07 Dec 2022, 4:12 pm)Storx wrote There's 9 of the Hybrids off road today, affording to tracking, that's why pretty much. 

Not sure what's wrong with them but they seem as unreliable as the GNE ones.

Honestly I think the E400 are probs worse as the G2 Hybrids are on a really tough routes X5/X15/16/16A. 

They are very hilly, steep road. And you've obviously got the 60mph stretch on X5/X15.

(07 Dec 2022, 5:34 pm)Unber43 wrote Honestly I think the E400 are probs worse as the G2 Hybrids are on a really tough routes X5/X15/16/16A. 

They are very hilly, steep road. And you've obviously got the 60mph stretch on X5/X15.

tbh I think it's just Hybrid's in general, just had a look to see how the ex Arriva NE batch are doing down in Yorkshire and it's much of the same 8/22 are off the road down there. Everyone was moaning at the time but Blyth probably got the better deal in the end of it with the reliable DB300's (mind 7612 has just passed my window sounding ill 50 minutes late but that's irrelevant )

I know, according to the London Bus Forums, that no-one is interested in taking the London examples so suggests they're just not very good and are aging badly.

(07 Dec 2022, 4:12 pm)Storx wrote There's 9 of the Hybrids off road today, affording to tracking, that's why pretty much. 

Not sure what's wrong with them but they seem as unreliable as the GNE ones.

I was a driver for Walkergate for 6 years moved over to slatyford at the start of 2022 and been here since just passed 7 years with the company. The hybrids were good when they were on 39/40 but when they got their new buses and they started using them all over they were very prone to break downs. You had them on the 22’s where they got a lot of punishment with constant high revs then on the 1/12/38 where they are constantly stop starting. It’s about time they were scrapped in my opinion. Drivers aren’t keen on them, engineers don’t like them. They have a top speed of 45mph but I wouldn’t dare take it over 40 or you risk breaking down (which I did once running back from throckley down the central motorway). Newcastle are desperate for new buses especially Slatyford depot.

(07 Dec 2022, 7:50 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote I was a driver for Walkergate for 6 years moved over to slatyford at the start of 2022 and been here since just passed 7 years with the company. The hybrids were good when they were on 39/40 but when they got their new buses and they started using them all over they were very prone to break downs. You had them on the 22’s where they got a lot of punishment with constant high revs then on the 1/12/38 where they are constantly stop starting. It’s about time they were scrapped in my opinion. Drivers aren’t keen on them, engineers don’t like them. They have a top speed of 45mph but I wouldn’t dare take it over 40 or you risk breaking down (which I did once running back from throckley down the central motorway). Newcastle are desperate for new buses especially Slatyford depot.

Really they need to replace all the 58/11 Plate E400s