Has this Streetdeck always had red headrests upstairs? https://flic.kr/p/2p5W5Nb

(29 Sep 2023, 4:34 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Has this Streetdeck always had red headrests upstairs? https://flic.kr/p/2p5W5Nb

No: https://flic.kr/p/2jJpqVG

Note the headrests downstairs are still cream with a trace of cream on top of the back seats on the top deck.

Probably because of discolouration.

But buses are only Xlines Standard if theyve got cream headrests

(28 Sep 2023, 7:31 am)54APhotography wrote When is a decker full on the 701? I haven't even seen an E200 full on the 701 in the past. The service avoids the town and the bus station, just like the E200s tripping between Clanny House and St. Peter's.

If anything the use of deckers is overkill given the loading JH reported for the service. Pretty sure despite being 11 years old these B9's are fit for short hop work, it's what they have proven all over the world.

May be so but this is a totally different scenario. The 701 was an extra service alongside a 700/702 15 min freq with better connections and better timetabling (also recognisable livery). This is supposedly the replacement for the 700/701/702 duplicating eachother. However the direct connections to tesco, stadium, glass centre, west sunnisde & park lane have been lost for Clanny House & surrounding students.

If you say they are fit for service then why do they have almost daily breakdowns...?

(28 Sep 2023, 3:26 pm)morritt89 wrote Loadings on the 700/701 varied throughout the day. Some trips were nearly empty and others were rammed (near lunch time for example). Don't think I ever picked up anyone at the Glass Centre on the 702 though.

I remember having one of the hybrid Solos and it being so heavy it kept grounding (great lean going round bends).

The 700 also picked up non students from Clanny House and took them to the City Centre.

The Student Union did (maybe still do) have a minibus service for students too.

This year it has changed and the Uni took it off the SU. Even though it is branded by the SU it is run by the uni. This is another pointless duplication when they're funding 3 bus routes going similar ways.

Thats probably why it is jointly funded by nexus...

I suppose if the paint shop staff aren’t joining the strike, it’s a canny week to get some more nonsensical branding done

(30 Sep 2023, 12:12 am)Ambassador wrote I suppose if the paint shop staff aren’t joining the strike, it’s a canny week to get some more nonsensical branding done

I have noticed on bus times fleet list that 6945 & 6951 are both now shown as fleet livery and not London Red. Have these buses finally been repainted?

(01 Oct 2023, 2:22 pm)ian foster wrote I have noticed on bus times fleet list that 6945 & 6951 are both now shown as fleet livery and not London Red. Have these buses finally been repainted?

6951 has and is carrying the old logos. Not sure about 6945

You know its bad when youve just seen a video on Twitter of someone saying out with the old in with the new about buses and you think in your head

"its only 15 years old"

(01 Oct 2023, 2:31 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote 6951 has and is carrying the old logos. Not sure about 6945

Go North East 6945 / LX57 CJE by kieron mathews, on Flickr

6945 was repainted just before the first strike. It was missing fleet numbers when photographed.


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Just read that Arriva thinks a buses end of life is 18 years, 15 years imo is maybe too much especially with the lack of TLC curent buses get.

Would go-ahead's be the same at 18?

(14 Nov 2023, 8:44 pm)Unber43 wrote Just read that Arriva thinks a buses end of life is 18 years, 15 years imo is maybe too much especially with the lack of TLC curent buses get.

Would go-ahead's be the same at 18?

I understand the Go Ahead depreciate buses over 15 years currently - but nothing to stop them keeping them running after 15 years old. 

Buses coming out of London at 12/14 years old will likely be kept for another 5 years if they are converted to single doorway etc.

From Bustimes, 6058, 6060, 6063, 6067, 6069 are all withdrawn and yes, I know Bustimes isn't accurate and anyone can change it.

Was on one of the green Xlines Streetdecks earlier and noticed it'd had the seat back wireless chargers repaired/replaced.

The clamps that hold the phone in place are now ribbed (for Dan's pleasure), presumably to reinforce them to stop the ever pleasant youths from snapping them off.

Is this being rolled out to all as 6356 has yet to be 'upgraded'?

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What is going on with GNE?

First I'm driving up the bank at Neville's Cross at about half two. I'm stuck behind a decker displaying NIS going at about 16 mph in a 40 zone. The reg started with something like LK 09 or LX 09.

Then I get to Harlow Green for about two forty-five and there are three 21s pretty much in a convoy.

Terrible.

Charles

(19 Dec 2023, 3:59 pm)Charles41 wrote What is going on with GNE?

First I'm driving up the bank at Neville's Cross at about half two. I'm stuck behind a decker displaying NIS going at about 16 mph in a 40 zone. The reg started with something like LK 09 or LX 09.

Then I get to Harlow Green for about two forty-five and there are three 21s pretty much in a convoy.

Terrible.

Charles

Anyone would think it was the week before Christmas with traffic chaos on most roads.  Terrible.

(19 Dec 2023, 5:28 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Anyone would think it was the week before Christmas with traffic chaos on most roads.  Terrible.

Tbf the 21 is like that 24/7

(19 Dec 2023, 5:28 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Anyone would think it was the week before Christmas with traffic chaos on most roads.  Terrible.

If only there was an attractive alternative to the car!

(19 Dec 2023, 6:55 pm)Andreos1 wrote If only there was an attractive alternative to the car!

Maybe if the drivers were more productive?

(19 Dec 2023, 3:59 pm)Charles41 wrote What is going on with GNE?

First I'm driving up the bank at Neville's Cross at about half two. I'm stuck behind a decker displaying NIS going at about 16 mph in a 40 zone. The reg started with something like LK 09 or LX 09.

Then I get to Harlow Green for about two forty-five and there are three 21s pretty much in a convoy.

Terrible.

Charles

Double decker goes slow up a hill

Buses don’t run on time in the week before Christmas

What other insights will you have tomorrow?

I’m amazed you thought there was somehow some sort of link between those two observations due to something “going on”

129 runs planned to not operate tomorrow

Plenty of time for maintenance and slowly crawling up hills ?

Wasn't sure where to put this but, I witnessed an angel lose it's wing mirror in Durham this afternoon

(27 Dec 2023, 4:36 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Wasn't sure where to put this but, I witnessed an angel lose it's wing mirror in Durham this afternoon

Stop the presses!! Where is Andreos1 when you need him?


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(27 Dec 2023, 4:36 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Wasn't sure where to put this but, I witnessed an angel lose it's wing mirror in Durham this afternoon

I only thought it was an urban myth. 
A story put out there to try and pacify irate punters.

Other than on a trip to Blackpool for some sort of bus employee back-patting exercise, I'd only ever heard of bus wing-mirror incidents happening via 'stories' from insiders on here.

Did you actually see it happen? Do we have photographic evidence of it happening?

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(27 Dec 2023, 5:33 pm)Dan wrote Stop the presses!! Where is Andreos1 when you need him?


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I'm here! Waiting with baited breath for evidence of the lesser spotted, but we'll documented wing-mirror incident.

Have no fear Andreos, it was probably hit by another angel in the 3 angel convoy that now runs the route ?

Will have to try and source the image taken by my mother. To top the story of it seemed the mirror had hit a women waiting at the bus stand!

(27 Dec 2023, 5:46 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Will have to try and source the image taken by my mother. To top the story of it seemed the mirror had hit a women waiting at the bus stand!

I bet BIG MICK STOKOE has clouted the wing mirror of a bus off a punter’s head before!


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(27 Dec 2023, 5:46 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Will have to try and source the image taken by my mother. To top the story of it seemed the mirror had hit a women waiting at the bus stand!

Poor woman. Hope she's OK and has a claim being put in to GNE Towers.

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(27 Dec 2023, 5:59 pm)Dan wrote I bet BIG MICK STOKOE has clouted the wing mirror of a bus off a punter’s head before!


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I bet BIG MICK STOKOE wasn't driving a 21 or even a coach when he was involved in a wing mirror incident though.

(20 Dec 2023, 9:18 pm)Wybus wrote Double decker goes slow up a hill

Buses don’t run on time in the week before Christmas

What other insights will you have tomorrow?

I’m amazed you thought there was somehow some sort of link between those two observations due to something “going on”

Is that a new policy? Scheduled go-slow or something?

If a decker is only capable of going 16mph up hill, then it needs looking at. Most deckers (or buses for that matter) can handle hills without crawling up them.

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To be honest, there used to be a time certain buses would struggle up the hills, and others just go up as if they weren't there.

Saw one key example in action about 20 years ago when I used to log buses I travelled on (stopped doing it since the area was flooded with Streetlites and I lost the urge to go on regular bus rides). Anyway I used to travel on the St Bedes services out of Lanchester whilst I was still young enough to do them to tick off my final remaining MCW Metrobus Mk2s (Gardner 6LXB powered) that were based at Stanley depot. One of the Metrobuses I got on was on a service that went up Lanchester bank and it crawled up and was overtaken by 3 Leyland Olympian / ECW with the Cummins L10 / Voith 4 speed drivelines in the process. Only issue you had with the services was the destinations normally displayed Scholars - All Passengers Welcome, so you had no idea which part of Derwentside you were going to end up in. This was long before the days of bus times or vehicle tracking. Heck it was before phones had decent internet. Used to have to go around with the latest Go With the Times (timetable booklet) for the local area. It so much easier for spotters these days to find rare workings.

(27 Dec 2023, 10:10 pm)Rapidsnap wrote To be honest, there used to be a time certain buses would struggle up the hills, and others just go up as if they weren't there.

Saw one key example in action about 20 years ago when I used to log buses I travelled on (stopped doing it since the area was flooded with Streetlites and I lost the urge to go on regular bus rides). Anyway I used to travel on the St Bedes services out of Lanchester whilst I was still young enough to do them to tick off my final remaining MCW Metrobus Mk2s  (Gardner 6LXB powered) that were based at Stanley depot. One of the Metrobuses I got on was on a service that went up Lanchester bank and it crawled up and was overtaken by 3 Leyland Olympian / ECW with the Cummins L10 / Voith 4 speed drivelines in the process. Only issue you had with the services was the destinations normally displayed Scholars - All Passengers Welcome, so you had no idea which part of Derwentside you were going to end up in. This was long before the days of bus times or vehicle tracking. Heck it was before phones had decent internet. Used to have to go around with the latest Go With the Times (timetable booklet) for the local area. It so much easier for spotters these days to find rare workings.

I remember following the metro radio branded omnidecker up there once, it was painful. Unfortunately it was one of the first buses out of the school so everything else just had to chug along behind it.  It was better with one of the two older solos 721/723 where you could use the revs and gears to power up the bank, less so with the newer ones where gearbox map was set to change up as quickly as possible.

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(27 Dec 2023, 10:10 pm)Rapidsnap wrote To be honest, there used to be a time certain buses would struggle up the hills, and others just go up as if they weren't there.

Saw one key example in action about 20 years ago when I used to log buses I travelled on (stopped doing it since the area was flooded with Streetlites and I lost the urge to go on regular bus rides). Anyway I used to travel on the St Bedes services out of Lanchester whilst I was still young enough to do them to tick off my final remaining MCW Metrobus Mk2s  (Gardner 6LXB powered) that were based at Stanley depot. One of the Metrobuses I got on was on a service that went up Lanchester bank and it crawled up and was overtaken by 3 Leyland Olympian / ECW with the Cummins L10 / Voith 4 speed drivelines in the process. Only issue you had with the services was the destinations normally displayed Scholars - All Passengers Welcome, so you had no idea which part of Derwentside you were going to end up in. This was long before the days of bus times or vehicle tracking. Heck it was before phones had decent internet. Used to have to go around with the latest Go With the Times (timetable booklet) for the local area. It so much easier for spotters these days to find rare workings.

I remember following the metro radio branded omnidecker up there once, it was painful. Unfortunately it was one of the first buses out of the school so everything else just had to chug along behind it.  It was better with one of the two older solos 721/723 where you could use the revs and gears to power up the bank, less so with the newer ones where gearbox map was set to change up as quickly as possible.