(17 May 2014, 8:15 am)AIG20 wrote I certainly will!

2 of them are currently sat in ADL Falkirk, next to a new style E400, awaiting to be delivered to Sunderland. Though they will need to be registered before hitting the road!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...201326104/
Copyrighted and owned by "Gary Mitchelhill"

U beat me to it! haha

Must say i do like the new style E400

(17 May 2014, 8:15 am)AIG20 wrote I certainly will!

2 of them are currently sat in ADL Falkirk, next to a new style E400, awaiting to be delivered to Sunderland. Though they will need to be registered before hitting the road!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...201326104/
Copyrighted and owned by "Gary Mitchelhill"

Gary reported (on Facebook) six of them to be in the yard - five of which he managed to photograph.

(17 May 2014, 8:37 am)AIG20 wrote I do as well.
I hope Stagecoach North East gets some in next years order.

Me too, they might as well make Sunderland fully gas, least then the Enviros can move around to rid of the Non DDA and some of the newer MAN's =)

(17 May 2014, 8:39 am)Dan wrote Gary reported (on Facebook) six of them to be in the yard - five of which he managed to photograph.

=D, they seem to be coming in decent batches

Wonder if they will wait for all 23 to be here before letting them out on the 3 and 13 routes

(17 May 2014, 8:45 am)AIG20 wrote So, I guess that means that 6 of them will be delivered next week. If that is the case, they should hopefully start entering service by the beginning of June. That's if nothing else needs to be done to the fuelling facility.

Hopefully, cant remember who but someone mentioned the gas fueling station was built to accommodate more gas buses

Worth a try...
http://www.stagecoach.com/competition.aspx

(17 May 2014, 10:20 am)Dan wrote Worth a try...
http://www.stagecoach.com/competition.aspx

Might as well do it


Also noticed on the new timetables for the 3 etc in Sunderland, it still has

We always try to run low floor easy access buses on this service. However, we may occasionally need to run a high floor vehicle for a journey.

When was the last time a high floor bus was used in Sunderland?

Least they still warning people

(17 May 2014, 10:33 am)AIG20 wrote I'm sure the last high floor vehicle used was 14672, which was subsequently scrapped due to mechanical issues.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27204054@N07/3182722012/
Copyrighted and owned by "Peter Barclay"

Thanks for the info, seems like it's flew over

Right i have spent the last 15 mins looking back and can't find the question i'm gonna ask


Will 28018-28040 be allocated to the 3/13 only or will they go on the likes of the 16/20 to?

I:e... 28001-28017 - 16/20 only
28018-28040- 3/13 only.

or we will we seem them mixed allocations

(18 May 2014, 9:44 am)Michael wrote Right i have spent the last 15 mins looking back and can't find the question i'm gonna ask


Will 28018-28040 be allocated to the 3/13 only or will they go on the likes of the 16/20 to?

I:e... 28001-28017 - 16/20 only
28018-28040- 3/13 only.

or we will we seem them mixed allocations

Mixed allocations, as the branding for each batch is exactly the same. Makes it more difficult for us photographers, who want to photograph them all!

(18 May 2014, 9:56 am)Dan wrote Mixed allocations, as the branding for each batch is exactly the same. Makes it more difficult for us photographers, who want to photograph them all!

Thanks Dan =)

That's good, wonder if the gas buses will become a Sunday allocation for most services which aren't gas bus allocated.

6 spares from 40, not be surprised if a couple will be used on the 4, like the odd 1 is now

haha ye

(13 May 2014, 9:12 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Couple of weeks ago one of the Sunderland MAN/ALX300 on the 12 came into town displaying the blinds for Service 2 in South Shields - presumably someone pointed this out as it was swiftly changed at Fawcett Street!

Only just noticed this - I'm sure Sunderland depot did the Boxing Day workings in South Shields a few years back, including the 1/2 and E2/E6, so that might be a reason for it?

(18 May 2014, 7:36 pm)AIG20 wrote Good point, I never thought of that!
Imagine if Sunderland Depot did the Boxing Day workings this year, with gas busses on the "E" services. That would be really good if that ever happened.

Would be intresting to see how they would cope on the E services

Sitting on the 18,which is 35155, have to say there decent buses, in good condition

(19 May 2014, 7:12 am)Michael wrote Sitting on the 18,which is 35155, have to say there decent buses, in good condition

Worst buses in the Sunderland fleet for me. Much prefer the slightly larger E200s.

(19 May 2014, 7:13 am)Dan wrote Worst buses in the Sunderland fleet for me. Much prefer the slightly larger E200s.

The gas buses are my fav
Although the E200's arent far behind

The darts are better than the MAN's though

(19 May 2014, 7:17 am)Michael wrote The gas buses are my fav
Although the E200's arent far behind

The darts are better than the MAN's though

See, I prefer the ALX300s over the E200s and Darts because they rattle less. Feel more solid, and the 220xx batch feel fairly quick too.

Gas buses are my fave in the Sunderland fleet too though.

(19 May 2014, 7:18 am)Dan wrote See, I prefer the ALX300s over the E200s and Darts because they rattle less. Feel more solid, and the 220xx batch feel fairly quick too.

Gas buses are my fave in the Sunderland fleet too though.

I just hope 1 day that Sunderland depot is 100% gas.
Not sure if the 18/19 requure a bus that size though.

Is there a smaller version of the gas buses which Sunderland or can u only get them in one size

(19 May 2014, 7:33 am)AIG20 wrote 22675, 35156, 28017, Trainer 20551, and a newer (54 plate) ALX300 are all sat at the rear of Sunderland Depot. Hopefully the rear of the depot should start filling up with new gas buses from today - as that is where new buses are usually placed when delivered.

Thanks for the info.

Have a feeling all 23 will be here in 2 weeks, if we get around 6 a time and they are delivered every few days.

(Not even 9am, so my maths maybe rubbish)

(19 May 2014, 7:37 am)Michael wrote Thanks for the info.

Have a feeling all 23 will be here in 2 weeks, if we get around 6 a time and they are delivered every few days.

(Not even 9am, so my maths maybe rubbish)

The usual procedure is to send batches of two vehicles every day, Monday to Friday.
Providing they're all manufactured and start arriving from this week (as scheduled), we can expect they'll therefore arrive within three weeks.

Given that it takes just over three hours to get from Falkirk to Sunderland by car, we can expect that it will take three and a half hours for buses. Add a 30 minute break at a service station, and you're up to four hours.

I know most deliveries for Go North East (from Optare and Wrights) departed at around 8am, so I'd expect ADL to work at a similar time - although there are exceptions to this, I remember Optare delivering rather late at night with a Solo, and indeed I think I recall aureolin noting one of the new E200s being delivered last time after dark too.

I'll check the depot before and after school - equipped with my camera, of course.

Delivery of the gas Scanias was down for 5 per week, though that's just a formality, ADL will release them as soon as they're ready and there's drivers available to deliver them. They may be delivered via a local Scania dealer first for final pre-delivery checks.

ADL a fair bit slower than other manufacturers then!

(19 May 2014, 7:33 am)AIG20 wrote 22675, 35156, 28017, Trainer 20551, and a newer (54 plate) ALX300 are all sat at the rear of Sunderland Depot. Hopefully the rear of the depot should start filling up with new gas buses from today - as that is where new buses are usually placed when delivered.

Rear has now been cleaned up with only 28017 and 22082 being parked there. No sign of 28018-40 yet.

(19 May 2014, 10:11 am)Dan wrote Rear has now been cleaned up with only 28017 and 22082 being parked there. No sign of 28018-40 yet.

And as a final update for the day, nothing at 16:00 either. Those two buses above still parked there and an engineer was washing something with a hose.
22080/81 were also VOR receiving attention this morning, which I forgot to mention.

I'm sure AIG20 will be back with an update prompt at 08:30am tomorrow, and I'll provide an update at about mid-day.

(19 May 2014, 3:09 pm)AIG20 wrote Unfortunately, I don't start college until 1:15 tomorrow, so it will be about midday when I go past as well.

Ah! I reckon 07:45am will be too early to get there for, so just resorting for the 'after school' option instead. Only in until 11:30am!

(19 May 2014, 4:06 pm)Dan wrote Ah! I reckon 07:45am will be too early to get there for, so just resorting for the 'after school' option instead. Only in until 11:30am!

What a halfer!

(19 May 2014, 10:11 am)Dan wrote Rear has now been cleaned up with only 28017 and 22082 being parked there. No sign of 28018-40 yet.

Only 22082 and the training bus is parked up around the back now.

28017 is in the sheds (think its that one, couldnt see)

(19 May 2014, 4:20 pm)Michael wrote What a halfer!

Only up-side to these exams, going in for an hour or two each day and then coming back home!

In until 11:30am Tuesday & Wednesday, from 11:30am until 15:00 on Thursday and off all morning on Friday (have to go in for the afternoon - some sort of 'good luck lunch' hosted slap bang in the middle of the exams, after 11 of them have already taken place!)

Gets better in June too - can leave from 10:00am on Mon 2nd! Bliss!

(19 May 2014, 4:27 pm)Dan wrote Only up-side to these exams, going in for an hour or two each day and then coming back home!

In until 11:30am Tuesday & Wednesday, from 11:30am until 15:00 on Thursday and off all morning on Friday (have to go in for the afternoon - some sort of 'good luck lunch' hosted slap bang in the middle of the exams, after 11 of them have already taken place!)

Gets better in June too - can leave from 10:00am on Mon 2nd! Bliss!

Only the best part of school haha

Wish i was only in till 11am tomorrow

Either way, last assignment due in tomorrow then i'm done!

(19 May 2014, 4:29 pm)Michael wrote Only the best part of school haha

Wish i was only in till 11am tomorrow

Either way, last assignment due in tomorrow then i'm done!

Had the first of my 3 exams today. Celebrated afterwards with a trip on the Clipper 310 and the ferry to South Shields .