(25 Apr 2013, 5:55 am)the pilot wrote 8270 (Northern) on the 61 this morning. Arrived Sunderland Interchange around 06:30, sorry can't tell you when it left.

Regards,
Callum (sitting on 4934 to school).

It would have departed on the 06:33 #61 to Murton, and arrived back to Sunderland at 07:30.
Departs 07:32am, arrives back 08:38am.
Departs 08:47am, arrives back 09:53am.
Departs 10:02am, arrives back 11:08am.
Departs 11:17am, arrives back 12:23pm.
Departs 12:32pm, arrives back 13:38pm.

Follows same pattern as above until evening-time.

Seeing a "Northern" branded Cadet or SPD on the 61 is quite common lately, with several "Drifter" Cadets making their way onto the 60 rather than the 61 or X35 (latterly 38).

Fab56 5203 on 1100 X35.

I saw a vyking on the 17 this afternoon, has this been transferred to Percy for temp work or for full time work

Seems this was only a temporary allocation, as 5203 has just arrived back into Sunderland on a 56 from Newcastle! Could imagine she did the one run to Hartlepool at ther time I gave and returned, then changed to the 56s and has done one run of that.

(25 Apr 2013, 2:26 pm)Wellsey18 wrote I saw a vyking on the 17 this afternoon, has this been transferred to Percy for temp work or for full time work

I think it's temporarily replacing 3870 as that's currently getting repaired after its crash at Percy Main Metro the other week.

628 NK61 DBZ GNE Sunderland Connect Optare Solo SR on the 37 to Doxford Park.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/

Forgot to say yesterday that 6004 broke down in Wrekenton at about 4pm whilst heading to Easington Lane. A Washington Street Shuttle MPD replaced it. Would hate to be cramped on that during rush hour!

Cheers for your comments, hope to get a ride if the vykjng at some point before it goes back

Not sure which number, but a Northern branded B10BLE from Stanley was on the 45/6 last night - someone threw a bottle through the window and a baby received injuries. Was at McDonalds in Consett on it's way too Consett. Was an ambulance and 4 police vans..

What a world we live in..

8321 on 99 heading for hylton castle now.. 16;31

Seen this afternoon from work.. Drifter cadet was on 26... Just seen a drifter cadet on the 26 heading towards castletown... Cant confirm of its the same one

And a Laser on the 2A/C. Would have left Park Lane around 16:37ish.

East durham on 592

3964 wormed its way onto the 24 today, advertising The Festival of the North East.

(26 Apr 2013, 5:39 pm)Adam wrote 3964 wormed its way onto the 24 today, advertising The Festival of the North East.

3964 passing through Gateshead operating said route.

(26 Apr 2013, 3:51 pm)Daniel wrote And a Laser on the 2A/C. Would have left Park Lane around 16:37ish.

4945 made Silver Arrows.

(26 Apr 2013, 3:31 pm)Michael wrote 8321 on 99 heading for hylton castle now.. 16;31

Seen this afternoon from work.. Drifter cadet was on 26... Just seen a drifter cadet on the 26 heading towards castletown... Cant confirm of its the same one

8321 on 99

8259 making the 26

8216 on W5
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
4837 on OK1 at Middlesbrough and Bishop Auckland
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/

More photos on my Flickr Account and some more to be uploaded.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarkey/

Information on upcoming changes to 9 and X3 in the East Boldon Area -

X3 compromise! See extract from email sent to councillors who responded - 'the results of the consultation regarding proposed changes to services 9 and X3.

Although there was a lot of support for some elements of our proposals, there was a significant concern raised regarding the loss of the direct connection to Newcastle provided by service X3. This concern was also raised by yourselves. Therefore, I am pleased to say that the direct connection from East and West Boldon to Newcastle will remain.

There are fewer passengers using the service than we had hoped, and not enough to cover the costs of the driver's wages and fuel used to operate the service, and which means that it cannot continue in its current form, but we recognise the desire for this connection from the community. Service X3 will therefore continue to operate through to Newcastle hourly on Monday-Saturday daytimes, ensuring that the direct connection is still in place for those who really need it. The proposed X36 will also be introduced on an hourly basis, meaning that there will continue to be a half-hourly express service from North Road and Boldon Asda to Newcastle with Go North East.

Service 9 will remain largely unchanged, and there will continue to be four buses per hour between Boldon Asda, The Boldons and Sunderland.'

Source - https://www.facebook.com/EastBoldon

Very interesting re the X3 and X36!

According to the email, the X3 is making a loss.
Im guessing that the quiet points will be along Newcastle Road - places which are close to a metro station. However, there must be a demand from Boldon towards Newcastle (enough to have a half hour service anyway), considering there arent too many points in the Boldon area close to a Metro Station (East Boldon, Brockley Whins and Fellgate aren't very to close to the main housing/shopping/employment centres) of Boldon.
It is also interesting to see the councilors all seem to be from the Boldon area too (looking at the facebook group).

New Brands have been added to the GNE buses by brand they are:

OK Way - 571/572 - Brand Complete
Diamond - 5290
Waggonway - 4986

Other photos added to current brands are:

WTX - 4906/07
TTX - 6045/46
East Durham - 537/673
Fast Cats - 4975
Pronto - 6038
OK Expressway - 5330/33
Northern - 4837/8216

View Here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...182824739/

Re 3964. Wonder what will happen to it once the Festival has finished?

The base colour Im guessing is painted on, rather than having a giant vinyl wrap.

Well the festival thing is June, so will probably return to Northern in about August :L

so what your saying, is that it will get another all over repaint?
3 licks of paint in less than a year?

(26 Apr 2013, 11:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote so what your saying, is that it will get another all over repaint?
3 licks of paint in less than a year?

why cant they repaint it as a back up to ten brand?

Removing the branding after June would remove the paintwork most likely - so will need a repaint. There are already two back ups available to depots for the TENs. Looking across the Gemini networks I'd probably say Red Arrows needs another spare!

However, 3964 isn't the best bus in the world. This is the bus that has had many breakdowns and engine rebuilds. When it came out newly Northern Red it did a couple of X66 runs and then engine packed in. Came back few days later on a trip to Middlesbrough, packed in. I've only ever got one decent photo of it as a Northern branded bus, as majority of the time is VOR! So having it as a Northern spare for the easy town networks, like the past few days, is probably the better option to it being over the pits all the time!

I'm surprised she manages the 24 on an almost daily basis. That seems to be her allocation both before and after repaint/rebrand.

Waverley Road is quite steep, but she manages it fine (see here, here and here for shots if you're unfamiliar with Waverley Road). Often makes a few odd noises, but other than that..!

Having said that, in the past two days, she has been taken out of service early twice while being on the 24 for two different reasons...

I think Bazza's thinking behind the "TEN" backup was that 3941 has been away for so long now, leaving 3942 to be the only designated spare (forgive me if I've got that the wrong way round - it's early and I can't be bothered to check). It obviously isn't permanent, but I understand what he means. Hopefully 3941 should be back on the road by August though...

If the engine on this vehicle is that unreliable - will it get another repaint in August, or are we looking towards a slow withdrawal.

To spend more money on a bus with a limited life expectancy seems strange.

As for it working the 24, that isnt an easy route. Apart from the section between Gateshead and Kells Lane, it is basically all hills. Waverley Road has been mentioned, but Chowdene Bank and Hertford arent exactly easy stretches either.
If the engine is that unreliable, then this is probably the shortest route from Sunderland Road. At least it won't breakdown at the back of beyond and is in easy reach to go and work on/collect.

Re the X1. Most of the time I have seen a cover/replacement on it, it seems to be an ex-London Trident working.

3964 is only 7 years old, so it's at the halfway stage of its life expectancy so a new engine would be justify as would a mid life refurbishment internally (though to be honest all 7 ex-Tyne Tees Express B7TLs could do with that). If fully repaired, it would make an additional low floor decker cover for the X9/X10.

Least we gonna get both services (X3/X36).. Wonder if the X36 will run its routes GNE had chosen but will connect for every 30 mins at boldon asda.


X3 will only require 2 buses once changes happen..

X36 Will probleys take around 55/60 mins to Newcastle. (might also require 2 buses)

Wonder if these 2 buses could be branded but probleys be B10's, Unless GNE want to boost the euro engine and use versa's from the 36?


By VOSA, the 36 and 99 will still change but the 26 might stay the same as now... tbh i was hoping it would move to heworth and not jarrow still...

The 9, looks like it will stay every 30 mins...

Edit: Wonder what the frequancy of the 36 will at now, since the X36 will only be hourly instead of half hourly..

Only asking incase the X36 will be a seperate service now.

Didnt catch fleet number, but a Simplicity Versa is working the 2a/2c today.

The email says that there will continue to be four buses per hour between Boldon ASDA, East Boldon and Sunderland on the current 9/X3 corridor. Since the 9 is to be "largely unchanged", perhaps this route will continue every 30 minutes instead of the proposed 20 minute frequency. The email also says that X3 will operate hourly through to Newcastle, so I'm wondering if it would operate half hourly as far as Boldon ASDA - which would make up the four buses per hour on the East Boldon corridor (if the 9 stays at 2 an hour).

I'm also wondering if the same is planned for X36 - half hourly to Boldon ASDA, then hourly to Newcastle. While there would be an hourly service to Newcastle from East Boldon (X3) and North Sunderland (X36), passengers in East Boldon could also be able to take the alternate short working of X3 to Boldon ASDA and then hop onto the Newcastle-bound X36 to complete their journey - so in effect, a half hourly service to Newcastle is offered on both routes, (alternate buses on each route being direct, or a change being required).

I think keeping a fairly regular frequency on the existing 36 route is needed - the bus I got home this afternoon was fully seated with a couple of standees. If the X36 was half hourly through North Sunderland, that would combine with a half hourly 36 to provide the proposed 15 minute frequency. An irregular frequency of an hourly X36 and a half hourly 36 would kill the route IMO.

Best to wait and see, hopefully details will be out soon

Decker making the X3 today, in the form of 3982 (sounding vile and very sluggish!)