(26 Jan 2023, 9:38 pm)V514DFT wrote Why do Omnideckers constantly end up on the 309/310/311, i just love wanting to get home and an uncomfortable old 19 year old bus turns up, granted the bus turned up, but then when you see a bus thats meant to be on those services, is on Scholars duties, it kinda p***es you of a little

Consett does that loads, uses the Enviro 400s/Red Kite Rangers/Diamonds on school services while you're on an Ex-GWN or a Venture.

(26 Jan 2023, 9:38 pm)V514DFT wrote Why do Omnideckers constantly end up on the 309/310/311, i just love wanting to get home and an uncomfortable old 19 year old bus turns up, granted the bus turned up, but then when you see a bus thats meant to be on those services, is on Scholars duties, it kinda p***es you of a little

This week (intentionally ahead of the CAZ), new radio systems are being fitted to the Cobalt & Coast fleet. As such they have been predominantly used on schools to allow the work to be done during the day with no impact on the VOR.

As other posters have said, it is convenient for the depot engineering teams to be able to do this.

Clearly, from Sunday, they won’t have this flexibility anymore.


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(26 Jan 2023, 9:51 pm)Dan wrote This week (intentionally ahead of the CAZ), new radio systems are being fitted to the Cobalt & Coast fleet. As such they have been predominantly used on schools to allow the work to be done during the day with no impact on the VOR.

As other posters have said, it is convenient for the depot engineering teams to be able to do this.

Clearly, from Sunday, they won’t have this flexibility anymore.


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Ahhhhhhhh right fair play

Is the X66 now allocated green arrow buses on a Sunday?

(29 Jan 2023, 10:58 am)Jack Gill wrote Is the X66 now allocated green arrow buses on a Sunday?

They should be allocated every day, B7 singles off to pastures new soon

(29 Jan 2023, 11:31 am)citaro5284 wrote They should be allocated every day, B7 singles off to pastures new soon

They're less capacity tho. 

I wonder if they'll just get rid of 5501-5504 & 5509-10 or will just withdraw them as they seem not to be that reliable. 

I think they could be a nice fit on 35 if there was 8, but the 61 would be good too tbh and it fits the PVR.

(29 Jan 2023, 12:01 pm)Unber43 wrote They're less capacity tho. 

I wonder if they'll just get rid of 5501-5504 & 5509-10 or will just withdraw them as they seem not to be that reliable. 

I think they could be a nice fit on 35 if there was 8, but the 61 would be good too tbh and it fits the PVR.

I'd imagine it'll be 5509/10 as 5501-4 are MetroCentre branded

(29 Jan 2023, 5:23 pm)Retro Nero wrote I'd imagine it'll be 5509/10 as 5501-4 are MetroCentre branded

All of them are going to "Go North West".

The 3 spare Green Arrow E200's are going on the X66 for the time-being.


Info from Dan on a post in North East Bus Enthusiasts Facebook page:

Withdrawing buses based on a temporary change doesn’t make that change seem all that temporary…

(29 Jan 2023, 5:56 pm)Ambassador wrote Withdrawing buses based on a temporary change doesn’t make that change seem all that temporary…

Keeping an abundance of spare vehicles in the fleet and incurring depreciation charges and no revenue to pay for it doesn’t make all that much sense.

Given the vast influx of Volvo B9 being acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the Versa previously used on Quaycity yet to find a permanent home, there is plenty of scope within the fleet to allow the Green Arrows to return to the 96/97, should the 97 return to its previous frequency.

Of course, if the ADLs were being repainted, that would suggest the plan was permanent… But looks to me like they’re still branded as Green Arrow.


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(29 Jan 2023, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote Keeping an abundance of spare vehicles in the fleet and incurring depreciation charges and no revenue to pay for it doesn’t make all that much sense.

Given the vast influx of Volvo B9 being acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the Versa previously used on Quaycity yet to find a permanent home, there is plenty of scope within the fleet to allow the Green Arrows to return to the 96/97, should the 97 return to its previous frequency.

Of course, if the ADLs were being repainted, that would suggest the plan was permanent… But looks to me like they’re still branded as Green Arrow.


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35 would be a good shout to replace the older Versa's at Deptford

(29 Jan 2023, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote Keeping an abundance of spare vehicles in the fleet and incurring depreciation charges and no revenue to pay for it doesn’t make all that much sense.

Given the vast influx of Volvo B9 being acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the Versa previously used on Quaycity yet to find a permanent home, there is plenty of scope within the fleet to allow the Green Arrows to return to the 96/97, should the 97 return to its previous frequency.

Of course, if the ADLs were being repainted, that would suggest the plan was permanent… But looks to me like they’re still branded as Green Arrow.


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I thought we were told that no repainting would be taking place anyway? Yet more branding mockery. Just roadstripe the lot. 

Though I agree it makes sense for a financial basket case like GNE to move on assets it simply can’t afford

(29 Jan 2023, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote Keeping an abundance of spare vehicles in the fleet and incurring depreciation charges and no revenue to pay for it doesn’t make all that much sense.

Given the vast influx of Volvo B9 being acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the Versa previously used on Quaycity yet to find a permanent home, there is plenty of scope within the fleet to allow the Green Arrows to return to the 96/97, should the 97 return to its previous frequency.

Of course, if the ADLs were being repainted, that would suggest the plan was permanent… But looks to me like they’re still branded as Green Arrow.


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Tbf GNE don't seem to be good at keeping temporary stuff temporary.

(29 Jan 2023, 6:21 pm)Ambassador wrote I thought we were told that no repainting would be taking place anyway? Yet more branding mockery. Just roadstripe the lot. 

Though I agree it makes sense for a financial basket case like GNE to move on assets it simply can’t afford

I think this is pretty much what is going to happen isn’t it? Or at least the vast majority, there’s clearly (as Dan pointed out in another thread) little regard to route branding. Little Pinks a permanent fixture on the 71 for months, now the X66 will be Green Arrow branded for the foreseeable, Violets and Blondes running around with branding for routes that were withdrawn months ago and have the QuayCity versas been painted yet? Not to mention ‘wrong allocations’ seem to be a bit more common Place than ever before, almost as if Company policy may have been somewhat relaxed.

I think in the future, route branding if it does stay will be reserved for the high frequency core services. The rest will go into standard a fleet standard livery.

(30 Jan 2023, 2:15 am)Drifter60 wrote I think this is pretty much what is going to happen isn’t it? Or at least the vast majority, there’s clearly (as Dan pointed out in another thread) little regard to route branding. Little Pinks a permanent fixture on the 71 for months, now the X66 will be Green Arrow branded for the foreseeable, Violets and Blondes running around with branding for routes that were withdrawn months ago and have the QuayCity versas been painted yet? Not to mention ‘wrong allocations’ seem to be a bit more common Place than ever before, almost as if Company policy may have been somewhat relaxed.

I think in the future, route branding if it does stay will be reserved for the high frequency core services. The rest will go into standard a fleet standard livery.

There’s been minimal spend on vinyls and paint now since just before Martijn left Go North East - no repaints at all from August to January.

I’d say it’s a little hard to have a strategy which involves route branding when the network and fleet evolves which displaces route branded buses onto other routes and they’re not then repainted.

A route branding strategy only has some merit when it is being accompanied by appropriate marketing for those services. It is the marketing (made easier thanks to services being more identifiable) which generates growth, in my view, not the fact the bus is painted a certain colour. When service delivery nose-dived, GNE turned this particular tap off too (excluding recruitment efforts), so a route branding strategy then immediately does not work.

GNE are now repainting buses again, but seem to be prioritising fleet livery repaints in the first instance - 6967 was the first in the new year, and 5388 (ex Quaycity) was done last week.


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I guess this could now be an odd working! Non compliant 6070 on day 1 of the CAZ in Newcastle, according to the app seems to be on X71 to Newcastle!

(30 Jan 2023, 7:22 am)Tiger5105 wrote I guess this could now be an odd working! Non compliant 6070 on day 1 of the CAZ in Newcastle, according to the app seems to be on X71 to Newcastle!

The Hybrids are exempt, 6070 is CAZ compliant.


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(29 Jan 2023, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote Keeping an abundance of spare vehicles in the fleet and incurring depreciation charges and no revenue to pay for it doesn’t make all that much sense.

Given the vast influx of Volvo B9 being acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the Versa previously used on Quaycity yet to find a permanent home, there is plenty of scope within the fleet to allow the Green Arrows to return to the 96/97, should the 97 return to its previous frequency.

Of course, if the ADLs were being repainted, that would suggest the plan was permanent… But looks to me like they’re still branded as Green Arrow.


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Send them to Percy since the 1 can't seem to keep a full allocation of 9 StreetLite on it. 4 are used at Percy Main for the 41/41A currently due to the ex saltwell Park StreetLite being to small in capacity for that route

(30 Jan 2023, 10:04 am)Dan wrote The Hybrids are exempt, 6070 is CAZ compliant.


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Ah, just read on the govt website that it was subject to the £50 charge whereas a 15 plate streetlite, for example was showing no charge!?

(30 Jan 2023, 10:52 am)Aaron21 wrote Send them to Percy since the 1 can't seem to keep a full allocation of 9 StreetLite on it. 4 are used at Percy Main for the 41/41A currently due to the ex saltwell Park StreetLite being to small in capacity for that route

The former Saltwell Park Streetlites were displaced to Deptford because they were needed for the 39, not because they were too small for the 41/41A.

The former Quaycity Versas helped CAZ compliance at Percy Main as the 1 can always be operated by a Versa if required.

Most journeys would be fine as a Solo.


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(30 Jan 2023, 4:55 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Ah, just read on the govt website that it was subject to the £50 charge whereas a 15 plate streetlite, for example was showing no charge!?

The 15-plate Streetlites are being upgraded to Euro 6.

The Hybrids are automatically exempt because they are Hybrids.


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Well today 2 Omnidekkas on the 309/310/311 and then the Omnidekka on and One Country Ranger entered Newcastle, so either they get upgraded to Euro 6, or replaced (which is most likely for Omnidekkas).

(30 Jan 2023, 4:59 pm)Dan wrote The 15-plate Streetlites are being upgraded to Euro 6.

The Hybrids are automatically exempt because they are Hybrids.


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Thanks for clarifying Dan. 

With the Hybrids being exempt, you'd think the govt website vehicle checker should have been right. I take it (hope!) a potential fine wouldn't be generated from what their website says if the likes of 6070 are exempt!

(30 Jan 2023, 5:04 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Thanks for clarifying Dan. 

With the Hybrids being exempt, you'd think the govt website vehicle checker should have been right. I take it (hope!) a potential fine wouldn't be generated from what their website says if the likes of 6070 are exempt!

There’ll always be teething issues and I’m sure bus operators will appeal any PCNs they are wrongly issued.

You will also notice that all the ex London buses which acquired last year, which are Euro 6, are also showing as needing to pay £50 (despite the London checker showing them as conforming to the ULEZ).


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(30 Jan 2023, 4:59 pm)Dan wrote The 15-plate Streetlites are being upgraded to Euro 6.

The Hybrids are automatically exempt because they are Hybrids.


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What about the 16 Plates? 

Also what is the point GNE just dumped them all at Deptford, with the versas which were compliant. Just to destroy reliability.

6365 (X-Lines X1) Was on the Sunderland South Tyneside loop today. Was this just because it had its MOT done there or is it just on short-term loan?

South Tyneside Circuit has had a lot of deckers in the past couple days on various boards, should certain boards have deckers on them? Or was it just a random allocation

Not all board run onto the 60 so some can be a decker the entire day

Xlines X1 - 20
6304 - X20 (this could be the one mentioned previously that was parked at Deptford)
5395 (Country Ranger) - 65
686 - 60

(01 Feb 2023, 9:03 pm)nova347 wrote 6365 (X-Lines X1) Was on the Sunderland South Tyneside loop today. Was this just because it had its MOT done there or is it just on short-term loan?

This was on loan for the day due to high VOR along with 686.

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(02 Feb 2023, 6:46 pm)Unber43 wrote Xlines X1 - 20
6304 - X20 (this could be the one mentioned previously that was parked at Deptford)
5395 (Country Ranger) - 65
686 - 60

6306 is the vehicle parked up at Deptford awaiting parts.

6178 on service 39B for one journey 1100 until 1330 ( Park Lane)