(30 Apr 2014, 3:46 pm)minibus1474 The solution, he had been told, was swop the cadets for the ex pulse b10's, which are much more reliable. The cadets would then be used at riverside on 67/69 and 95/96/64, meaning that when a breakdown occurs, riverside could attend much quicker.
(30 Apr 2014, 3:46 pm)minibus1474 The solution, he had been told, was swop the cadets for the ex pulse b10's, which are much more reliable. The cadets would then be used at riverside on 67/69 and 95/96/64, meaning that when a breakdown occurs, riverside could attend much quicker.
This morning I got on my regular 21. The driver opened the doors and immediately asked me 'can I ask you something because I know your a bus spotter (I prefer the term 'enthusiast'). I told him to go ahead (he had probably heard me talking to my mate on the front seats upstairs, he isn't an enthusiast like me and I bet he doesn't even listen to a word I say. He asked me 'are we getting rid of these (B5s), because apparently they cost a fortune to run'. I told him I didn't know, but the only new buses speculated to be new to Chester this year would be the new Limes. A look of dissappoinment came across his face. I spoke with my mate when we got upstairs, and he said he wasn't surprised the B5's (he used the actual word B5 so I think he had been listening) were possibly going to go (he doesn't understand how stuff gets debated and then finalised) because the stop announcements were a 'waste of money'.
He stopped again when I got off, and I spoke to him for about ten seconds. He said he had heard they were due to get B9s. I told him about the 'rough order list' for 2014, and I told him the rumour about the new B5s for the Red Arrows and those B9s onto the Pronto and PVR increase on a few different services.
It just seems strange for a driver to ask me if the B5s of all buses on the 21 of all services was going to get replaced.
(30 Apr 2014, 3:57 pm)Marcus He asked me 'are we getting rid of these (B5s), because apparently they cost a fortune to run'.
(30 Apr 2014, 3:57 pm)Marcus He asked me 'are we getting rid of these (B5s), because apparently they cost a fortune to run'.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:02 pm)citaro5284 No and they don't
(30 Apr 2014, 3:46 pm)minibus1474 Probably will be left as 'red', as a regularly 5 driver has told me 2 weeks ago that nexus were unhappy about the amount breakdowns, which was leading to a lot of mileage lost due to length of time it takes Riverside to attend. The solution, he had been told, was swop the cadets for the ex pulse b10's, which are much more reliable. The cadets would then be used at riverside on 67/69 and 95/96/64, meaning that when a breakdown occurs, riverside could attend much quicker.
(30 Apr 2014, 3:54 pm)citaro5284 Quite correct, hence why they are both getting painted red. However they should only be used on 67/69 as it is a straight swap.....but you know Riverside
(30 Apr 2014, 3:46 pm)minibus1474 Probably will be left as 'red', as a regularly 5 driver has told me 2 weeks ago that nexus were unhappy about the amount breakdowns, which was leading to a lot of mileage lost due to length of time it takes Riverside to attend. The solution, he had been told, was swop the cadets for the ex pulse b10's, which are much more reliable. The cadets would then be used at riverside on 67/69 and 95/96/64, meaning that when a breakdown occurs, riverside could attend much quicker.
(30 Apr 2014, 3:54 pm)citaro5284 Quite correct, hence why they are both getting painted red. However they should only be used on 67/69 as it is a straight swap.....but you know Riverside
(30 Apr 2014, 3:54 pm)citaro5284 Quite correct, hence why they are both getting painted red. However they should only be used on 67/69 as it is a straight swap.....but you know Riverside
(30 Apr 2014, 3:54 pm)citaro5284 Quite correct, hence why they are both getting painted red. However they should only be used on 67/69 as it is a straight swap.....but you know Riverside
(30 Apr 2014, 4:12 pm)Andreos Constantopolous Cadets on the hills of Gateshead? Wonder how they get on with those!
Is there not another option available such as swapping the cadets with a more reliable and powerful bus from another depot?
(30 Apr 2014, 4:12 pm)Andreos Constantopolous Cadets on the hills of Gateshead? Wonder how they get on with those!
Is there not another option available such as swapping the cadets with a more reliable and powerful bus from another depot?
(30 Apr 2014, 4:20 pm)Dan I'd argue that the only 'spare' vehicles are Volvo B10s...
For Stanley, could you imagine a Cadet covering for something on the Lime? For Chester, same again. For Deptford, they've only got three Volvo B10s.
So you're left with Volvo B10s at Riverside (which will no doubt appear on there with a Cadet allocation anyway).
(30 Apr 2014, 4:20 pm)Dan I'd argue that the only 'spare' vehicles are Volvo B10s...
For Stanley, could you imagine a Cadet covering for something on the Lime? For Chester, same again. For Deptford, they've only got three Volvo B10s.
So you're left with Volvo B10s at Riverside (which will no doubt appear on there with a Cadet allocation anyway).
(30 Apr 2014, 4:26 pm)Andreos Constantopolous How about Cadets for the spare Solars at Deptford?
The routes that Deptford operate are a touch less hilly than those of the 67 and 69 and would help with route standardisation where Solars are running alongside Cadets on the 29.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:26 pm)Andreos Constantopolous How about Cadets for the spare Solars at Deptford?
The routes that Deptford operate are a touch less hilly than those of the 67 and 69 and would help with route standardisation where Solars are running alongside Cadets on the 29.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:29 pm)Dan Reason the Solars are allocated to service 29 is because of interworking with scholars - contractual requirement for them to be full sized singles.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:29 pm)Dan Reason the Solars are allocated to service 29 is because of interworking with scholars - contractual requirement for them to be full sized singles.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:36 pm)Andreos Constantopolous Had a feeling that may have been the case.
Either way, the Cadets are going to struggle on the 67 and 69s.
If the 5 was proving too troublesome and wasn't an easy enough run for them, leading to mileage being lost - I dread to think what will happen to them after a few climbs of Beacon Lough Bank.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:36 pm)Andreos Constantopolous Had a feeling that may have been the case.
Either way, the Cadets are going to struggle on the 67 and 69s.
If the 5 was proving too troublesome and wasn't an easy enough run for them, leading to mileage being lost - I dread to think what will happen to them after a few climbs of Beacon Lough Bank.
I'm in agreement with Andreos and Tom on the points they have made in relation to the Cadets.
And what about that massive Hill Climb up to Winlaton, literally 2 Seconds after you come out of Blaydon, I had 5210 on the 49B a few months back and that struggled, if it was a Cadet I could them going up in Flames after a few trips up there, along with the Banks at the Opposite end of the Route towards Wardley.
I have to say the best option is to send them to Percy Main for the 17/17A in exchange for a Few Renowns from there, like Tom has suggested. Other than that where else could they go in the Go North East Fleet.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:54 pm)NEBCD Malarkey I'm in agreement with Andreos and Tom on the points they have made in relation to the Cadets.
And what about that massive Hill Climb up to Winlaton, literally 2 Seconds after you come out of Blaydon, I had 5210 on the 49B a few months back and that struggled, if it was a Cadet I could them going up in Flames after a few trips up there, along with the Banks at the Opposite end of the Route towards Wardley.
I have to say the best option is to send them to Percy Main for the 17/17A in exchange for a Few Renowns from there, like Tom has suggested. Other than that where else could they go in the Go North East Fleet.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:54 pm)NEBCD Malarkey I'm in agreement with Andreos and Tom on the points they have made in relation to the Cadets.
And what about that massive Hill Climb up to Winlaton, literally 2 Seconds after you come out of Blaydon, I had 5210 on the 49B a few months back and that struggled, if it was a Cadet I could them going up in Flames after a few trips up there, along with the Banks at the Opposite end of the Route towards Wardley.
I have to say the best option is to send them to Percy Main for the 17/17A in exchange for a Few Renowns from there, like Tom has suggested. Other than that where else could they go in the Go North East Fleet.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:54 pm)NEBCD Malarkey I'm in agreement with Andreos and Tom on the points they have made in relation to the Cadets.
And what about that massive Hill Climb up to Winlaton, literally 2 Seconds after you come out of Blaydon, I had 5210 on the 49B a few months back and that struggled, if it was a Cadet I could them going up in Flames after a few trips up there, along with the Banks at the Opposite end of the Route towards Wardley.
I have to say the best option is to send them to Percy Main for the 17/17A in exchange for a Few Renowns from there, like Tom has suggested. Other than that where else could they go in the Go North East Fleet.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:54 pm)NEBCD Malarkey I'm in agreement with Andreos and Tom on the points they have made in relation to the Cadets.
And what about that massive Hill Climb up to Winlaton, literally 2 Seconds after you come out of Blaydon, I had 5210 on the 49B a few months back and that struggled, if it was a Cadet I could them going up in Flames after a few trips up there, along with the Banks at the Opposite end of the Route towards Wardley.
I have to say the best option is to send them to Percy Main for the 17/17A in exchange for a Few Renowns from there, like Tom has suggested. Other than that where else could they go in the Go North East Fleet.
(30 Apr 2014, 4:41 pm)Tom Why can't the Cadets be transferred to Percy Main temporarily, as the 17 isn't a demanding route. Allowing 5151-54 to go to Saltmeadows for the 5?
(30 Apr 2014, 4:41 pm)Tom Why can't the Cadets be transferred to Percy Main temporarily, as the 17 isn't a demanding route. Allowing 5151-54 to go to Saltmeadows for the 5?
(30 Apr 2014, 5:13 pm)Andreos Constantopolous I don't know the 17 route too well, but apart from a few places on North Tyneside, the entire area is pretty much flat and undemanding.
Either way, there has to be a better alternative than the option they have taken.
The B10s replacing the MPD's on the Blaydon - Wardley route was obviously for a reason (not just for additional capacity), so to replace them with a less powerful and less reliable vehicle seems very short sighted.
(30 Apr 2014, 5:13 pm)Andreos Constantopolous I don't know the 17 route too well, but apart from a few places on North Tyneside, the entire area is pretty much flat and undemanding.
Either way, there has to be a better alternative than the option they have taken.
The B10s replacing the MPD's on the Blaydon - Wardley route was obviously for a reason (not just for additional capacity), so to replace them with a less powerful and less reliable vehicle seems very short sighted.
(30 Apr 2014, 5:17 pm)Tom There aren't really any demanding places on the 17 route at all. Might struggle with Archer Street, but it's not too bad. The only other problem would be the Rosehill Bank from what I know, but the 17 route avoids that. Could be used on the 9 possibly? 5151-54 could then transfer to Saltmeadows, then 5247-49 and 5274 temporarily used on the 17.
(30 Apr 2014, 5:17 pm)Tom There aren't really any demanding places on the 17 route at all. Might struggle with Archer Street, but it's not too bad. The only other problem would be the Rosehill Bank from what I know, but the 17 route avoids that. Could be used on the 9 possibly? 5151-54 could then transfer to Saltmeadows, then 5247-49 and 5274 temporarily used on the 17.
