Really they need the PVR 21 + 3 Spare + 5 for change over, unless they cut Brandon or have a long layover at Durham/Newcastle to recharge

I wonder if there's provision for EV charging at Durham Bus Station.

EVs on the 21 has been on the cards for a while now, other than DCCs complete incompetence, there's no reason why it shouldn't be in place.

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No use for it at Durham since none of them terminate there. If only there was a depot they could go into near the one of the terminus...

No use for it at Durham since none of them terminate there. If only there was a depot they could go into near the one of the terminus...

They could terminate a few at Durham instead of Brandon just to give them half an hour on charge. That should give them a good 30-40% boost

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They could terminate a few at Durham instead of Brandon just to give them half an hour on charge. That should give them a good 30-40% boost

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But then you would have to account for half an hour of unproductiveness from a driver.

Unless, of course, someone thought outside the box and scheduled meal breaks around such an idea.

But then you would have to account for half an hour of unproductiveness from a driver.

Unless, of course, someone thought outside the box and scheduled meal breaks around such an idea.

Would Go North East drivers accept a mealbreak in Durham?

But then you would have to account for half an hour of unproductiveness from a driver.

Unless, of course, someone thought outside the box and scheduled meal breaks around such an idea.

Sending a driver from Riverside to Durham just to take over another driver, who then needs to travel back to Riverside doesn't sound very productive

Sending a driver from Riverside to Durham just to take over another driver, who then needs to travel back to Riverside doesn't sound very productive

But we all know GNE aren't as productive as other companies.

Unless they increase Durham to every 15 mins and have them on a loop like NCL - CLS - NCL - BDN - NCL - DUR - NCL 

And have a 30 mins layover at Durham to charge throughout the day, but that would require a bay being empty and not touched all day for them.

While I was in the Arnison Centre today, I spotted the U11DD on it's way to Durham, so I cancelled my plans for the rest of the day (sitting in Spoons) and waited for it to come back on it's way north to give it a try.

The ride is a bit fidgety, but over the bigger bumps is rather smooth. For example, over the bump pulling into the 21 stand at CLS there's less of a jolt than in the Streetdecks or B5s, and on the speed bumps in Low Fell it didn't feel like my back was about to break. I feel like the 67 plate Streetdeck I had on my journey back was a smoother ride overall, but it was close. While I obviously haven't tried them back to back, from memory alone a 20 plate Streetdeck or E400 is better.

The cabin feels spacious and bright, the ambient lighting is quite nice although I wouldn't have picked orange. There was weird LED light under the windscreen upstairs pointing straight back, quite blinding when you're looking forward! 

Overall, it looks very ADL inside (design wise and with the shiny plastics), but feels much better built. Although there seemed to be a fair bit of flex in the wall cladding when I pushed against it with my knee.

Being electric, it is quiet, but there is a bit of wind noise coming from the windows upstairs when they're open.

Interestingly, it lacks a 'stopping' light upstairs, and the bell sounds like a door bell rather than the usual ding. I did quite like the light around the button that lights up when you push it, it's a nice touch.

The seats on the demo are alright, more comfortable than the Enviros despite less padding (probably better for it since they're firmer), and the hospital spec vinyl is much better than the arse sweat absorbing moquette GNE moved to with the last batch of orders. 

The power delivery feels weird, it feels as if there's a 2 speed gearbox, or there's a sort of 'turbo lag' built into the torque curve. Soft acceleration to start with, then there's a noticeable increase in power. Although it could just be the driver feathering the accelerator to make it smoother?


When I got off at Gateshead, I had a quick look at the dash and it indicated 85 miles range remaining (couldn't figure out where the battery percentage was on the display). A quick check on bus times suggests the bus had done about 135 miles. If we assume it left with a full charge in the morning, and the remaining range is correct (it never is, on our Leaf and Zoe there's a good 10 miles left once it reaches zero), that gives a range of around 220 miles, and (if my maths is correct) an average efficiency of 0.55mi/kWh. That seems to be on part with the official figures for the E400EV and better than the Streetdeck Electroliner.

The weird light upstairs is a result of vandalism, it did on the first day have a backlit Yutong badge there covering up the light, but some cretin has decided to pull the badge off for their collection.

Would Go North East drivers accept a mealbreak in Durham?

So long as adequate facilities are available to them, they'd have no legitimate cause for complaint. Their only grievance might be the feeling of being isolated from colleagues while on break, but then the canteen culture has historically been so hierarchical and increasingly unpleasant at Gateshead that I imagine some would welcome it. I wouldn't see it as being any different to the arrangement with Q3 drivers in Newcastle.

Sending a driver from Riverside to Durham just to take over another driver, who then needs to travel back to Riverside doesn't sound very productive

Perhaps, in such a proposal, the driver would stay with the bus and driver reliefs would remain in situ at Gateshead.

While I was in the Arnison Centre today, I spotted the U11DD on it's way to Durham, so I cancelled my plans for the rest of the day (sitting in Spoons) and waited for it to come back on it's way north to give it a try.

The ride is a bit fidgety, but over the bigger bumps is rather smooth. For example, over the bump pulling into the 21 stand at CLS there's less of a jolt than in the Streetdecks or B5s, and on the speed bumps in Low Fell it didn't feel like my back was about to break. I feel like the 67 plate Streetdeck I had on my journey back was a smoother ride overall, but it was close. While I obviously haven't tried them back to back, from memory alone a 20 plate Streetdeck or E400 is better.

The cabin feels spacious and bright, the ambient lighting is quite nice although I wouldn't have picked orange. There was weird LED light under the windscreen upstairs pointing straight back, quite blinding when you're looking forward! 

Overall, it looks very ADL inside (design wise and with the shiny plastics), but feels much better built. Although there seemed to be a fair bit of flex in the wall cladding when I pushed against it with my knee.

Being electric, it is quiet, but there is a bit of wind noise coming from the windows upstairs when they're open.

Interestingly, it lacks a 'stopping' light upstairs, and the bell sounds like a door bell rather than the usual ding. I did quite like the light around the button that lights up when you push it, it's a nice touch.

The seats on the demo are alright, more comfortable than the Enviros despite less padding (probably better for it since they're firmer), and the hospital spec vinyl is much better than the arse sweat absorbing moquette GNE moved to with the last batch of orders. 
...

I travelled on it today to try it out. Went from Newcastle --> Durham. By god it takes an age (or at least feels like it going in a straight line mostly). Besides the point I agree with some of your points but we have higher standards and expectations as enthusiasts. Juxtaposed to the elderly folk in Birtley and students of Durham who seemed to love the bus going "ooo it's electric", "I love the bell sound", note this is the normal Yutong sound exactly the same as the Voltras as well as "this is a really cool bus which is fast too".

Don't know if anyone else noticed (well probably those within the company have).

The Yutong U11DD Demo (which has now returned to Pelican) managed to operate in service for 23 days in a row from Tuesday 16th Jan to Tuesday 7th Feb.

Even for a demo bus that is remarkable reliability, and I don't think standard buses achieve that level of reliability without having a day off or two.

Don't know if anyone else noticed (well probably those within the company have).

The Yutong U11DD Demo (which has now returned to Pelican) managed to operate in service for 23 days in a row from Tuesday 16th Jan to Tuesday 7th Feb.

Even for a demo bus that is remarkable reliability, and I don't think standard buses achieve that level of reliability without having a day off or two.

That is mightily impressive. Whilst I didn’t find it particularly comfortable legroom wise, the ride was nice and reliability above comfort for me

Don't know if anyone else noticed (well probably those within the company have).

The Yutong U11DD Demo (which has now returned to Pelican) managed to operate in service for 23 days in a row from Tuesday 16th Jan to Tuesday 7th Feb.

Even for a demo bus that is remarkable reliability, and I don't think standard buses achieve that level of reliability without having a day off or two.

Don't think it's too unexpected, most the Geminis have similar lengths at Blyth, just flicking through them quickly on Bus times which is generally reliable for buses actually been on the road. 

One of them has only had 1 day off since the 8th December. Quite impressive considering their age, guess it all comes down to who looks after them, ie. not Redcar.

Do we know how long it will be until the Zebra 2 funded EVs arrive - is it like likely within a year, 2 years, more?

Do we know how long it will be until the Zebra 2 funded EVs arrive - it’s like likely within a year, 2 years, more?

I understand that the electric bus manufacturers have bulging order books and are quoting over 12 months for delivery of buses ordered now.
The biggest delay however is getting the required HV electric supply to depots, in some case operators are being told it will take 10 years to provide an electric supply of the voltage required.

I understand that the electric bus manufacturers have bulging order books and are quoting over 12 months for delivery of buses ordered now.
The biggest delay however is getting the required HV electric supply to depots, in some case operators are being told it will take 10 years to provide an electric supply of the voltage required.

That’s what I feared.

Maybe we could have some ex London hybrids in the meantime.

That’s what I feared.

Maybe we could have some ex London hybrids in the meantime.

More chance of Andreos1 taking a job at Go North East to work alongside his mate Daniel Laird than operators taking on ex-London Hybrids.


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So basically there’s more chance of Riverside fixing the Angel Streetdecks in the next 5 years than there is of EVs appearing on the angel

So basically there’s more chance of Riverside fixing the Angel Streetdecks in the next 5 years than there is of EVs appearing on the angel

Late 2025/early 2026 at the earliest would be my guess.
By which time planning for the new franchised “Angel Network” will be well advanced.  
https://northeastbylines.co.uk/kim-mcgui...-of-buses/

What an awful name.

Late 2025/early 2026 at the earliest would be my guess.
By which time planning for the new franchised “Angel Network” will be well advanced.  
https://northeastbylines.co.uk/kim-mcgui...-of-buses/

Dear god, Gannon is attached 

As much as I mock our hard working gne employees on here, having seen council and nexus use of funding.

I’d much rather some professionals had a run at it !

The new ADL E400EV at Riverside:

https://x.com/liamhall24/status/1775590763616743546?s=46&t=tPuGEygnn6BhKgNFiA4yAw

The new ADL E400EV at Riverside:

https://x.com/liamhall24/status/1775590763616743546?s=46&t=tPuGEygnn6BhKgNFiA4yAw

For trial I imagine?

The new ADL E400EV at Riverside:

https://x.com/liamhall24/status/1775590763616743546?s=46&t=tPuGEygnn6BhKgNFiA4yAw

Looks rather smart that does!

Much better than the older E400MMCs!

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Do we know how long it will be until the Zebra 2 funded EVs arrive - is it like likely within a year, 2 years, more?

“The new buses are expected to enter service by December 2025” - https://www.transportnortheast.gov.uk/la...ric-buses/