(30 May 2023, 2:13 pm)RobinHood wrote Absolutely the opposite to be honest. It's good management when you understand why they are doing this.

The MMCs are a new vehicle type to Redcar and as a result, they will not put them into the X93 until all drivers who need to be, have been vehicle familiarised. Which, is a key part of risk management and may not be immediately apparent.

I'm aware of the importance of vehicle familiarisation, how hot Arriva are on it, and that drivers shouldn't be driving passengers without being familiarised first. However, you've essentially got 2 brand new buses on local work/not doing anything on likely one of the busiest days of the year while you're sending Streetlites, Temsas, and 13 year old DB300s to Scarborough. I'd understand the Saturday and Sunday, but then it seems odd to not use one at all yesterday and have the other trundling around on the P&R. Outside looking in I'd have thought they'd be able to work out a plan to get more use out of them. 

In all honesty it's more that it's got to this state in general that screams as bad management than anything else.

(30 May 2023, 5:47 pm)mb134 wrote In all honesty it's more that it's got to this state in general that screams as bad management than anything else.

I completely agree with this, the lack of ownership of the issues within the engineering department in particular is very clear.

What doesn't help is that Redcar, whilst it is part of North East, is being temporarily managed by Arriva Yorkshire engineering manager (to balance the number of locations out, between the two heads of engineering). Clearly they aren't giving it 100% of the attention it needs as they probably see it as an inconvenience, and the North East engineers are also not giving it the attention as they have been told Yorkshire team are picking it up.

Not good, and the outcome is what we see today.

I believe pressure was applied from the operations and commercial teams to get the MMC's in place, to prevent catastrophic fall down of the X93 in particular. The engineering is failing that place, even with around 20% spare vehicles according to the latest allocation sheet. They have a number of vacancies also at Redcar which suggests engineering labour shortage too.

There was a solo on the X93 yesterday for all day, that would have been cozy

(03 Jun 2023, 10:19 am)Unber43 wrote There was a solo on the X93 yesterday for all day, that would have been cozy

There was one out on the X3A too. Assuming it was out all day, that's a canny haul for a Solo, especially with the way it interworks.

However, on checking, it looks like it was 2870 and was only out for a few hours.

(03 Jun 2023, 10:54 am)Andreos1 wrote There was one out on the X3A too. Assuming it was out all day, that's a canny haul for a Solo, especially with the way it interworks.

However, on checking, it looks like it was 2870 and was only out for a few hours.

Yes, it actually looked like there was two on, 2863 was out all day.

There's a Temsa on today, if there was any Solos on they would be Bus Full before they leave Middlesbrough/ Scarbrough honestly Iwouldn't even attempt to go for it.

(03 Jun 2023, 10:59 am)Unber43 wrote Yes, it actually looked like there was two on, 2863 was out all day.

There's a Temsa on today, if there was any Solos on they would be Bus Full before they leave Middlesbrough/ Scarbrough honestly Iwouldn't even attempt to go for it.

2869 was under as 7575 today 

Anyone know when the timetables will be available?

I see 7405 passed an MOT on the 7th June, so may be back soon?

(30 May 2023, 12:16 pm)mb134 wrote Not dissimilar to how Ashington was performing prior to the arrival of the 72 plates. 

The 2 damaged B9s look to be badly missed, imagine there's been delays in getting them fixed? From what I've heard 7555 was due back from fire damage at least a couple of months ago, and still isn't back so it's possibly similar here. 

Even an extra 2-3 vehicles seem like they'd go a long way to fix the issues. That said, it seems mental that they've just got 2 shiny MMCs that have been bulletproof for Ashington and are using one of them daily on the P1. Before the "but the X93 is hilly" comments come in, I was on 7575 the other week and it overtook a Solo comfortably up Whorral Bank out of Morpeth.

The whole situation screams of poor local management.

Would it not be better converting 7401-7406 to Euro 6, and doing a swap with Ashington for 6x 72x plate E400MMCs?

Could be allocated on the X20 & X14 (latter would be 1x E400MMC & 2x B9TL). X14 runs with reduced PVR on Sundays interworking with X15 and X20 doesn't run on an evening or Sunday.

(13 Jun 2023, 5:32 am)L469 YVK wrote Would it not be better converting 7401-7406 to Euro 6, and doing a swap with Ashington for 6x 72x plate E400MMCs?

Could be allocated on the X20 & X14 (latter would be 1x E400MMC & 2x B9TL). X14 runs with reduced PVR on Sundays interworking with X15 and X20 doesn't run on an evening or Sunday.

Except this problem is down to 2 of the B9s having been damaged over the winter in separate incidents - not that the vehicles are struggling. Extra deckers are required to help out over the summer - to hopefully avoid any single decker working over the main school holiday period when no doubt the X93 will be packed even more than normal with the £2 single fare.

1602 parked in redcar depot. Is this another loan or here for work

I know they can't get more buses out of thin air, but as these issues seem to be fairly long term, why would they not perhaps:

* Leases some buses from another company
* Acquire a demonstrator vehicle or two
* Loan more from other depots

or even introduce temporary timetables, to reduce the number of journeys cancelled?

(15 Jun 2023, 9:31 pm)Ryland wrote 1602 parked in redcar depot. Is this another loan or here for work

Darlington’s queue for engineering is fairly large, with seemingly

2x pulsars
3x Streetlites
8x Man Ecocitys off plus anything else that breaks down during the day (class as 4809 been off today as it broke down this morning) so guessing 1602 has been sent up there for work on it rather than loan, plus it’s just been to Belmont for engine works on it, broken down and seemingly got towed to Redcar

7406 has passed it's MOT today, so if it's on a similar trajectory to 7405 then it could be back in service within a few days.

1437 was allocated to the x94. Passed on my way to Scarborough today and was full and standing.

Looked in bus time and there 5 deckers that are used for Whitby off the road

A new low on Arriva's X4 Whitby to Middlesbrough service today. Only 5 of the normal 8 buses running.

(03 Jul 2023, 10:20 am)Michael Euston wrote A new low on Arriva's X4 Whitby to Middlesbrough service today. Only 5 of the normal 8 buses running.

6 on today. Including 1 solo

Are the temsa getting withdrawn or is it just the rumour mill.
I know they are coming up to 14 years old. But so are the pulsars. Is there a plan for when they do go

(17 Jul 2023, 8:26 pm)Ryland wrote Are the temsa getting withdrawn or is it just the rumour mill.
I know they are coming up to 14 years old. But so are the pulsars. Is there a plan for when they do go

Unlikely. Darlington Gas Buses are earmarked to go first, replaced by Streetlites when Newcastle closes in September.

(17 Jul 2023, 9:21 pm)RobinHood wrote Unlikely. Darlington Gas Buses are earmarked to go first, replaced by Streetlites when Newcastle closes in September.

Why did they waste the time to repaint them if they are going. Which depot in Newcastle is closing now

(18 Jul 2023, 5:06 pm)Ryland wrote Why did they waste the time to repaint them if they are going. Which depot in Newcastle is closing now

Gas buses will possibly be going to Runcorn
Probably closure of Walkergate Arriva outstation

(18 Jul 2023, 6:39 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote Gas buses will possibly be going to Runcorn
Probably closure of Walkergate Arriva outstation

Rumour going round darlo is that Darlington are getting pulsars from north west in exchange for gas buses

(18 Jul 2023, 9:01 pm)ross13 wrote Rumour going round darlo is that Darlington are getting pulsars from north west in exchange for gas buses

There’s also rumours that in Darlo that the 16** streetlites are on the move as well

(19 Jul 2023, 7:40 am)Stuartphin1639 wrote There’s also rumours that in Darlo that the 16** streetlites are on the move as well

I know engineering want rid of them, they spend more time off road, 1602 is again back up against fence in bits along with another

(19 Jul 2023, 8:42 am)ross13 wrote I know engineering want rid of them, they spend more time off road, 1602 is again back up against fence in bits along with another

It will be because unless there in the town, they get hammered everywhere they go, there absolutely ideal for town work, not so great out of town

A few theories:
Rather coincidentally there are 14 gas buses and 14 MX12 reg Pulsars which are part of the 1524-1533 batch at Durham - would make sense for a swap.
The NK64 batch will be used to see off the rest of the Solo's.
When the electric deckers arrive for the 43/44/45 the E400's will go to Durham to replace the rest of the ALX400's
Only swap I could see making sense would be 16** Streetlites to Stockton for more local work in return for Pulsars

(19 Jul 2023, 7:09 pm)peter wrote A few theories:
Rather coincidentally there are 14 gas buses and 14 MX12 reg Pulsars which are part of the 1524-1533 batch at Durham - would make sense for a swap.
The NK64 batch will be used to see off the rest of the Solo's.
When the electric deckers arrive for the 43/44/45 the E400's will go to Durham to replace the rest of the ALX400's
Only swap I could see making sense would be 16** Streetlites to Stockton for more local work in return for Pulsars

This is completely hypothetical but personally I'd do:

64 Plates -> Ashington for 1/2/57/57A
67 Plates -> Redcar for 63
Ashington Pulsars -> Darlington
Ashington Solos -> Withdrawn
Redcar Spares -> Withdrawn
Redcar 59 Plate Temsa's -> Mothballed

Would get arid of the worst of the worst and give the 1, 2 and 63 an upgrade, they're busy routes tbh and all have crap on atm especially the 63. It's about time Darlington get's some of the crap rather than the crap that keeps getting sent up here from them.

(19 Jul 2023, 7:40 pm)Storx wrote This is completely hypothetical but personally I'd do:

64 Plates -> Ashington for 1/2/57/57A

Totally agree if Arriva do this with the ex 52-54 StreetLites. Pulsars are a little heavy duty for the 1 & 2. 
And the 57/57A would benefit from a capacity increase without using anything too overkill.

(19 Jul 2023, 9:16 pm)L469 YVK wrote Totally agree if Arriva do this with the ex 52-54 StreetLites. Pulsars are a little heavy duty for the 1 & 2. 
And the 57/57A would benefit from a capacity increase without using anything too overkill.

The 57/57A won't get bigger buses as Northumbria pay rates are dictated by the size of the bus used. If it was as simple as that, they would have done it the same time they converted the 1/2 to full size (in that case the offsetting benefit was the frequency reduction).

That's not the case in Durham County.

See that Redcar/Whitby still having issues with there fleet. Lack of deckers in action for x93/4 is shocking. Particularly now it's the 6 weeks and transport is at its busiest