I think some people are missing the point to the post by Arriva... people need to check the date haha

Arriva North East
Important update: From Wednesday 2nd April all passengers travelling with mobile phones will be required to turn them to ‘airplane mode’ or completely off to enable our latest traffic light change technology to work correctly on all buses. Thank you for your cooperation.


Georgina Chelsea Sansom Whos ridiculous idea was that?! Who would do that if they are on a short journey? Not to mention that you need a signal to enable your m-ticket?!? #pointless
Like · Reply · about a minute ago

Lizzie Ormerod Hutchinson Is this on all buses or in certain area's of the country.

(01 Apr 2014, 6:40 am)Michael wrote I think some people are missing the point to the post by Arriva... people need to check the date haha

Arriva North East
Important update: From Wednesday 2nd April all passengers travelling with mobile phones will be required to turn them to ‘airplane mode’ or completely off to enable our latest traffic light change technology to work correctly on all buses. Thank you for your cooperation.


Georgina Chelsea Sansom Whos ridiculous idea was that?! Who would do that if they are on a short journey? Not to mention that you need a signal to enable your m-ticket?!? #pointless
Like · Reply · about a minute ago

Lizzie Ormerod Hutchinson Is this on all buses or in certain area's of the country.

Had me fooled, too. Thought we were still in March!

Nice to see that Arriva can be bothered with dumb April Fools gags but can't be bothered with service updates? Isn't the A174 closed at Loftus? Doesn't this affect people traveling on the 5 to Easington and 4 to Whithy? It's not as if any diversion takes a few minutes.

(01 Apr 2014, 8:36 am)robisdave15 wrote Nice to see that Arriva can be bothered with dumb April Fools gags but can't be bothered with service updates? Isn't the A174 closed at Loftus? Doesn't this affect people traveling on the 5 to Easington and 4 to Whithy? It's not as if any diversion takes a few minutes.

Is it? I can see suggestions on Twitter that it was closed at some point yesterday evening but I was on 5s all last night and it was open all night as far as I could tell!
I notice they didn't even mention the closure of Skinningrove all weekend either, though!

Was on the BBC Local News several times this morning, closed in both directions between North Road and Dam Street. Just spoke to the driver on the 1000 X4 and it's open! Sorry Arriva and thanks for your PM Scott.

(31 Mar 2014, 4:59 pm)Roland Pratt wrote Are you joking? From coaches to DP Omnicities to Temsas?!

Should be sticking with Omnicities on there, along with the X26/X27 as mentioned previously.

(31 Mar 2014, 8:12 am)tyresmoke wrote Was on our chassis wash on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Should be going back to Ashington once they pick it up I guess.
Temsa 4702 was also in our yard on Friday afternoon

Further to this, I am told 7484 is due to go to Redcar and 7488 should be transferring down too.

This is one reason not to travel Arriva to Scarborough? The squealing brakes on this thing - 7494 - are appalling! No good on the climbs either? She's right down the box on Yearby Bank!

Nothing like a ride on an Ommnicity, especially with a driver whose up for it! 4652 has just left the Bus Station (1115) on a 5 trip to Easington. Shame we ain't got a fleet of these.

(01 Apr 2014, 9:31 am)tyresmoke wrote Should be sticking with Omnicities on there, along with the X26/X27 as mentioned previously.


Further to this, I am told 7484 is due to go to Redcar and 7488 should be transferring down too.

4702 was in Redcar depot yesterday with a new windscreen glued on.

(02 Apr 2014, 10:27 am)robisdave15 wrote Nothing like a ride on an Ommnicity, especially with a driver whose up for it! 4652 has just left the Bus Station (1115) on a 5 trip to Easington. Shame we ain't got a fleet of these.

Agree. Shame they didn't get considerably more of them as they are the only thing with anything approaching the comfort of the Leopards and Tigers of years ago.

1301 has moved to Belmont depot, and was operating Service 64 today.

On VOSA today.

PB0002717/256 - ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP

Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Durham and Hartlepool given service number 57/57A effective from 04-May-2014. To amend Route.

7501 back at Whitby on X93 has it been swapped with a B7 thats actually meant to be at ashington I wonder ( 7501 at Whitby temp in any case)

Yes, agree with what Roland said about the Ommnicity, just a shame the one's we have on our - Teesside/East Cleveland - routes are in the hands of Arriva.

Has a lowlander been trialled on the X93?
What Ashington/Belmont routes could the B7s be used on!

What is the age of the coaches for the X15?

How many Lowlanders have we got? X93 has a PVR of at least 6.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:40 pm)robisdave15 wrote How many Lowlanders have we got? X93 has a PVR of at least 6.

None at Redcar/Whitby. If you mean all together, 13, 7436-40 at Ashington, 7441-44 at Belmont, then ''Coast and Castles'' 7453-56.

The EcoCity's are pretty dam good busses, powerful, comfy and lots of space... Has anyone considered them on the X93 in the far future. It's far fetched but it's virtually the only bus that hasn't been mentioned yet regarding all this X93 talk.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:41 pm)Tom wrote None.

Thirteen, but only four which would perhaps be of use.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:42 pm)Dan wrote Thirteen, but only four which would perhaps be of use.

Just edited my OP, misunderstood his post. The four will be staying at Ashington for either the 20/X20 or 14/X14 if you mean 7453-56.

The B7's could displace some of the older DAF ALX 400's on the 35 at Ashington. And with regards to the 57 reg lowlanders, there's only 4 at Ashington leaving 2 short of the X93 PVR requirement.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:43 pm)Tom wrote Just edited my OP, misunderstood his post. The four will be staying at Ashington for either the 20/X20 or 14/X14 if you mean 7453-56.

I think he was meaning how many Lowlanders do Arriva North East have as a whole, I.e. what's the possibility of them ending up on the X93. Only four 57-reg ones, and they would be the likely candidates if any.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:44 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote The B7's could displace some of the older DAF ALX 400's on the 35 at Ashington. And with regards to the 57 reg lowlanders, there's only 4 at Ashington leaving 2 short of the X93 PVR requirement.

Could get a upgrade to Sapphire in the future?
Will the X15/X18 be Sapphire spec or not?

But on the note of being two short of a mataching fleet PVR, I would happily overlook that knowing that 4 out of 6 are pure reliable and powerful workhorses.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:45 pm)Dan wrote I think he was meaning how many Lowlanders do Arriva North East have as a whole, I.e. what's the possibility of them ending up on the X93. Only four 57-reg ones, and they would be the likely candidates if any.

Whitby are going to need 6 deckers for the X93 - so I think we can safely rule out the Lowlanders.
For now at least, the B7s are staying at Redcar - reading what a driver has said, 7494 managed fine on the service just needs a few minor faults sorting out. If anything, if the NE management decide to abandon the use of the B7TLs on the X93 then it will likely be back to the DB300s from Blyth for this summer.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:50 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote But on the note of being two short of a mataching fleet PVR, I would happily overlook that knowing that 4 out of 6 are pure reliable and powerful workhorses.

Sorry, but when 2 of the 4 are restricted to routes local to the depot at a depot with a slightly decent engineering team, then they aren't ideal candidates for the X93 given Redcar's track record.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:46 pm)Tom wrote Could get a upgrade to Sapphire in the future?
Will the X15/X18 be Sapphire spec or not?

The only Sapphire route for the North East this year are 5/5a, X3/X3a, 4/X4 and X21/X22.
The SB4000s for the X15 are 55-reg.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:54 pm)Kuyoyo wrote The only Sapphire route for the North East this year are 5/5a, X3/X3a, 4/X4 and X21/X22.
The SB4000s for the X15 are 55-reg.

Thanks, just out of interest, do Ashington drivers work out of Alnwick depot, or is it only certain drivers, e.g do only Alnwick drivers do Alnwick-Berwick, and Ashington - Alnwick to Newcastle? Just curious.

(02 Apr 2014, 5:46 pm)Tom wrote Could get a upgrade to Sapphire in the future?
Will the X15/X18 be Sapphire spec or not?

I don't think the X93 will and the E400's would not cope on the X15. However, due to a change from the B9TL order to E400 order for the X18, then with the 6 for the X21 and X22 being Sapphire spec, then I'd say that it could be a possibility for the X18.