(30 Apr 2014, 6:06 pm)Dan wrote The B10BLEs which appear on the 71 (PVR 2) are only allocated when they aren't required on the Lime owing to vehicles being VOR. Although B10BLEs should be allocated to service 71, the first point of call is to ensure that the "Lime" receives these over other vehicle types. Again, as I've already mentioned, imagine a Cadet on the Lime? There's also the issue of the swap needing five vehicles: Chester-le-Street only have four.

I'm positive Go North East would have considered all options and as they've not chosen to go with the ones we've suggested, there must be a reason why that option was considered to be worse than services 67/69.

Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare when am photoing the 71s it has at least 3 vehicles

(01 May 2014, 12:21 am)Racer_Experience wrote Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare when am photoing the 71s it has at least 3 vehicles

PVR for the 71 is only 2.

(01 May 2014, 12:21 am)Racer_Experience wrote Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare when am photoing the 71s it has at least 3 vehicles

Here's the timetable... PVR 2

Plain yellow MPD towed back from Peterlee to Deptford earlier. Seen on Stockton Rd at circa 1430.

(01 May 2014, 12:21 am)Racer_Experience wrote Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare when am photoing the 71s it has at least 3 vehicles

It's an hour to Houghton and back from Chester and with a half hour frequency it comes to a PVR of 2.

There's been an incident at Gateshead. GNE services that operate from H, J, K & L are operating from X66 drop off stand

Edit -

Incident is a man under a Metro train. Stands are closed due to emergency vehicles

(01 May 2014, 3:32 pm)Marcus wrote It's an hour to Houghton and back from Chester and with a half hour frequency it comes to a PVR of 2.

You are now the 3rd person to tell him that the 71 has a PVR of 2 although I do wonder what he meant by saying 'Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare' as the spare doesn't actually count as a services PVR.

(01 May 2014, 3:46 pm)gtom wrote There's been an incident at Gateshead. GNE services that operate from H, J, K & L are operating from X66 drop off stand

Edit -

Incident is a man under a Metro train. Stands are closed due to emergency vehicles

I hope he's okay

In other news: The final active Dennis SPD in the fleet (8228) has now officially been withdrawn from Hexham depot.

(01 May 2014, 4:11 pm)Dan wrote In other news: The final active Dennis SPD in the fleet (8228) has now officially been withdrawn from Hexham depot.

So has 5210 been branded then?

(01 May 2014, 4:15 pm)Tom wrote So has 5210 been branded then?

Not yet. It seems 8228 clung on for as long as possible but I think it was withdrawn before 5210 was branded due to issues the vehicle developed. Could be wrong though...

I don't know if anybody has noticed or mentioned it, but I think the 50's rear blind has been fixed. As some of you knew, the destination sometimes didn't fit on and it looked crammed in and untidy on the rear blind when heading to Shields. Now, instead of having the moving destinations on the second row, 5260 has been fitted with a rear blind that says 50, then South on one line and Shields on the bottom line. I don't know about Durham, but I would assume the same has been done. I think a couple of other OmniCities have had the same treatment as 5260, but I'm not sure.

(01 May 2014, 4:50 pm)Marcus wrote I don't know if anybody has noticed or mentioned it, but I think the 50's rear blind has been fixed. As some of you knew, the destination sometimes didn't fit on and it looked crammed in and untidy on the rear blind when heading to Shields. Now, instead of having the moving destinations on the second row, 5260 has been fitted with a rear blind that says 50, then South on one line and Shields on the bottom line. I don't know about Durham, but I would assume the same has been done. I think a couple of other OmniCities have had the same treatment as 5260, but I'm not sure.

Dan sent me a pic of one last weekend, so I spoke to CLS and asked them to change it. All the Omni's should be sorted soon

(01 May 2014, 5:17 pm)citaro5284 wrote Dan sent me a pic of one last weekend, so I spoke to CLS and asked them to change it. All the Omni's should be sorted soon

POWER!!

(01 May 2014, 5:18 pm)Marcus wrote POWER!!

Marcus - You have disabled Private Messaging so I cannot reply back, but the answer is 'yes'

(01 May 2014, 5:36 pm)citaro5284 wrote Marcus - You have disabled Private Messaging so I cannot reply back, but the answer is 'yes'

Alright cheers, I'll check on my PM thing now.

(01 May 2014, 3:49 pm)Robert wrote You are now the 3rd person to tell him that the 71 has a PVR of 2 although I do wonder what he meant by saying 'Actually it is 3 with the 3rd one being spare' as the spare doesn't actually count as a services PVR.

There's no allocated spare for the 71. Its whatever is in the depot at the time as was seen when the 50 branded omni appeared.

(01 May 2014, 6:00 pm)nk55 wrote There's no allocated spare for the 71. Its whatever is in the depot at the time as was seen when the 50 branded omni appeared.

Bob on, there are only 2 buses on the 71 and there's no dedicated spare for the route - it gets what it's given, until the wifi equipped, 2+1 leather seated, hot tub fitted dream buses come...........

(01 May 2014, 8:09 pm)busman101 wrote Bob on, there are only 2 buses on the 71 and there's no dedicated spare for the route - it gets what it's given, until the wifi equipped, 2+1 leather seated, hot tub fitted dream buses come...........

I dread to think what the promo event will entail for hot tub fitted buses.

(01 May 2014, 8:13 pm)aureolin wrote I dread to think what the promo event will entail for hot tub fitted buses.

I've got a few ideas on what it might entail.......................

(01 May 2014, 4:15 pm)Tom wrote So has 5210 been branded then?

Am going to Hexham tomorrow to inspect if it is I will let you know pronto but now I can say "Horay no more SPDs" I love Hexham such a nice place and people are friendly folk during 2012 I used to pop to Hexham very often with my old Fairbridge team

(01 May 2014, 8:13 pm)aureolin wrote I dread to think what the promo event will entail for hot tub fitted buses.

I imagine it'll be held in Fence Houses regardless!

(01 May 2014, 8:45 pm)BJ10VUS wrote I imagine it'll be held in Fence Houses regardless!

Sounds like a plan!
Actually, nah - having seen some of the residents whilst they are wearing clothes...

Busman - Lumley it is then!

5210 has not been branded.

4911 has now arrived back at Percy Main following repaint and in exchange, 5274 is now at Saltmeadows Rd for repaint into corporate livery.

Additionally, 4910 has now arrived at Saltmeadows Rd for repaint into corporate livery.

(02 May 2014, 6:05 am)Dan wrote 4911 has now arrived back at Percy Main following repaint and in exchange, 5274 is now at Saltmeadows Rd for repaint into corporate livery.

Additionally, 4910 has now arrived at Saltmeadows Rd for repaint into corporate livery.

Just refreshing both up?

Will 4911 go back in to soccer bus livery? (when the season starts again)

(02 May 2014, 6:40 am)Michael wrote Just refreshing both up?

Will 4911 go back in to soccer bus livery? (when the season starts again)

4911 will be going into corporate livery as far as I know, thereby removing another "brand" (if you want to call it a brand) from the network. Promotional liveries have really had their day it seems, and Go North East have gradually removed these from the fleet - quite often by directly withdrawing the vehicles (in the case of the DAFs). You'll notice that a number of 'pointless' brands are being removed from the network and these are being turned into corporate livery services (such as "South Tyne" 5, "Pulse" services 67/69, etc) - I believe this is done in mind to increase the overall quality of brands in the network.

5274 is getting freshened up, yes. It retained its "Red Kite" red base livery which is slightly different to the shade of red of Go North East's corporate livery. The others (5247-49) were all repainted in late 2012 if memory serves, so won't be due for repaint just yet.

(02 May 2014, 6:46 am)Dan wrote 4911 will be going into corporate livery as far as I know, thereby removing another "brand" (if you want to call it a brand) from the network. Promotional liveries have really had their day it seems, and Go North East have gradually removed these from the fleet - quite often by directly withdrawing the vehicles (in the case of the DAFs). You'll notice that a number of 'pointless' brands are being removed from the network and these are being turned into corporate livery services (such as "South Tyne" 5, "Pulse" services 67/69, etc) - I believe this is done in mind to increase the overall quality of brands in the network.

5274 is getting freshened up, yes. It retained its "Red Kite" red base livery which is slightly different to the shade of red of Go North East's corporate livery. The others (5247-49) were all repainted in late 2012 if memory serves, so won't be due for repaint just yet.

Do you know when 6099/6100 and 6116/6117 will be branded?

(02 May 2014, 6:48 am)Tom wrote Do you know when 6099/6100 and 6116/6117 will be branded?

I'm afraid that I don't have a definitive date.

(02 May 2014, 6:40 am)Michael wrote Just refreshing both up?

Will 4911 go back in to soccer bus livery? (when the season starts again)

Im guessing 5274 will be the first of many repaints of buses from the 'Northern' livery to the newer spare livery. The Omnicities and the Ex-London B7 Plaxton Presidents are the only buses that they will really need to repaint as well as the Lolynes and Vykings before their withdrawl. The Vykings should go first imo as they seem to be the most unreliable and the Lolynes still have a few month less so they could easily prioritise the worse bus and get rid of the better ones afterwards.