(31 Jul 2014, 11:20 pm)Stuart Phin wrote With you saying that I have heard rumours that 3 gas buses are going on the 8/8a was told by a driver that works at darlo

You can't believe everything drivers tell you, one driver said last year that service 7 was getting double deckers, which of course we knew wasn't the case.

They could be going on the 8/8A but then again they could go on the 21 or something else, we'll just have to wait and see.

(31 Jul 2014, 8:20 pm)Jimmi wrote I had 7456 on the X21 between Ashington and Newcastle and it was brilliant.

They're brilliant motors and got a real kick like the Palatines! The Voith gearbox is the only drawback though for long distance work but the engine makes up for that. Shame Darwen went bust like becuase they are great buses.

(31 Jul 2014, 8:15 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 7453-6 are going to Durham as part of the standardisation (given Durham will also have 7436-40 from Ashington)

They could transfer from there to Whitby during the summer when the PVR goes upto 8.

(01 Aug 2014, 8:29 am)DaveyBowyer wrote They're brilliant motors and got a real kick like the Palatines! The Voith gearbox is the only drawback though for long distance work but the engine makes up for that. Shame Darwen went bust like becuase they are great buses.

Erm, Darwen (East Lancs, now part of Optare) only built the bodywork. The chassis is a VDL (DAF) construction.

(01 Aug 2014, 8:31 am)DaveyBowyer wrote They could transfer from there to Whitby during the summer when the PVR goes upto 8.

When the summer timetable starts at Spring Bank Holidays, and Durham will need all the deckers for schools still, I doubt it.

(01 Aug 2014, 11:19 am)Kuyoyo wrote When the summer timetable starts at Spring Bank Holidays, and Durham will need all the deckers for schools still, I doubt it.

They're putting those Lowlanders on schools? What a waste!

(01 Aug 2014, 11:36 am)Dan wrote They're putting those Lowlanders on schools? What a waste!

No, likely be going on 46/48 as that is said to be going entirely double deckers. The older Lowlanders are more likely for school work - still would leave Durham short if 7453-6 were to head to Redcar/Whitby in May 2015 when the summer X93 timetable comes into effect.

(01 Aug 2014, 11:43 am)Kuyoyo wrote No, likely be going on 46/48 as that is said to be going entirely double deckers. The older Lowlanders are more likely for school work - still would leave Durham short if 7453-6 were to head to Redcar/Whitby in May 2015 when the summer X93 timetable comes into effect.

Not as bad then.

Surely any depot is going to be short, if they're giving away two buses to Redcar/Whitby for the summer X93 timetable?

I can only assume that the Volvo B7TLs will end up transferring there instead - leaving Ashington short? If that were the case, and if the Lowlanders are superior to the Volvo B7TLs, I don't see why two Volvo B7TLs couldn't go to Belmont, releasing two Lowlanders...

(01 Aug 2014, 11:46 am)Dan wrote Not as bad then.

Surely any depot is going to be short, if they're giving away two buses to Redcar/Whitby for the summer X93 timetable?

I can only assume that the Volvo B7TLs will end up transferring there instead - leaving Ashington short? If that were the case, and if the Lowlanders are superior to the Volvo B7TLs, I don't see why two Volvo B7TLs couldn't go to Belmont, releasing two Lowlanders...

7445 and 7446 wouldn't be bad. They're in good nick for their age.

(01 Aug 2014, 11:46 am)Dan wrote Not as bad then.

Surely any depot is going to be short, if they're giving away two buses to Redcar/Whitby for the summer X93 timetable?

I can only assume that the Volvo B7TLs will end up transferring there instead - leaving Ashington short? If that were the case, and if the Lowlanders are superior to the Volvo B7TLs, I don't see why two Volvo B7TLs couldn't go to Belmont, releasing two Lowlanders...

Going on this summer's track record, Redcar/Whitby are going to need more than 2 extra deckers for the summer 2015 season.......

(01 Aug 2014, 11:59 am)DaveyBowyer wrote 7445 and 7446 wouldn't be bad. They're in good nick for their age.

And then you're leaving Jesmond short, especially when 7445/6 are required for specific 43/44/45 running boards.

Do Ashington actually have any single deckers left to operate their boards that single deckers are down for?

(01 Aug 2014, 12:03 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Going on this summer's track record, Redcar/Whitby are going to need more than 2 extra deckers for the summer 2015 season.......

So either way, some depots are going to lose out to allow more resources to be pumped into the X93... It goes back to what was said originally, about the fact only six Volvo B9TLs were purchased...

(01 Aug 2014, 12:21 pm)mb134 wrote Do Ashington actually have any single deckers left to operate their boards that single deckers are down for?

Only have MPDs - there's now of course only 3 Single decker boards (on the 35/35a) as the X14/14 board will now likely be allocated a double decker likewise the 2 X21/X22 are now E400s.

(01 Aug 2014, 12:24 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Only have MPDs - there's now of course only 3 Single decker boards (on the 35/35a) as the X14/14 board will now likely be allocated a double decker likewise the 2 X21/X22 are now E400s.

Actually the 35 should get 6 deckers for the time being until the Streetlites arrive

(01 Aug 2014, 12:25 pm)tyresmoke wrote Actually the 35 should get 6 deckers for the time being until the Streetlites arrive

I was talking to one of the staff at hey sham docks and they said that the streetlite are due to be sent to jesmond depot for 15th august and then they should be sent to ashington about 1st september

(01 Aug 2014, 12:30 pm)Philly rf wrote I was talking to one of the staff at hey sham docks and they said that the streetlite are due to be sent to jesmond depot for 15th august and then they should be sent to ashington about 1st september

They'll likely be the rest of Redcar batch - I believe Ashington's are due late September.

(31 Jul 2014, 6:51 pm)tyresmoke wrote Yes the Scanias will be moving away from Durham upon receipt of the Pulsars from Darlington in November. Obviously 4663 has already gone (now at Jesmond) replaced temporarily by an MPD from Yorkshire. There may be a chance that other short term replacements may be sourced to free up the Scanias earlier than that, in order to speed up the refurbishment program, just like they are doing at present.

Glad to report that the 21 will be gaining bigger vehicles soon!

The Streetlites for the 35, 306 and 23 are all due around the end of September, around the same time.

As I posted yesterday...

Disruptions due to Stockton International Riverside Festival this weekend:
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/content.aspx?id=34359743374

(01 Aug 2014, 12:24 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Only have MPDs - there's now of course only 3 Single decker boards (on the 35/35a) as the X14/14 board will now likely be allocated a double decker likewise the 2 X21/X22 are now E400s.

Is it not more expensive to run double deckers compared to single deckers? If so credit to Arriva, not always trying to make as much money as they can

Just noticed this on Arriva timeline:

http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/summer-2014/




Win a year's FREE bus travel when you play the Arriva Bus Game Ever fancied running your own bus depot? Go on, give it a go! You’ll face many challenges including traffic issues, breakdowns, re-routing – so see if you can keep the buses running on time. As you play, you can pick up some great prizes including a year’s FREE travel, 4 monthly passes, 4 weekly passes, 10 day passes and 10 Love2shop vouchers. Add this to some of our great DAYS OUT offers and summer is going to be fun and games this year. - See more at: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/summer-2014/#...7WDZr.dpuf

supposed to be a mobile app for this game some time next week.

(01 Aug 2014, 6:15 pm)cbma06 wrote Just noticed this on Arriva timeline:

http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/summer-2014/




Win a year's FREE bus travel when you play the Arriva Bus Game Ever fancied running your own bus depot? Go on, give it a go! You’ll face many challenges including traffic issues, breakdowns, re-routing – so see if you can keep the buses running on time. As you play, you can pick up some great prizes including a year’s FREE travel, 4 monthly passes, 4 weekly passes, 10 day passes and 10 Love2shop vouchers. Add this to some of our great DAYS OUT offers and summer is going to be fun and games this year. - See more at: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/summer-2014/#...7WDZr.dpuf

Got to Level 5 and got bored. You can't actually get your third bus to go out because it doesn't let you scroll down.

(01 Aug 2014, 6:16 pm)Dan wrote Got to Level 5 and got bored. You can't actually get your third bus to go out because it doesn't let you scroll down.

Your lucky, I couldn't even get the bus out of the depot lol.

should of been a bit more realistic then Arriva management could learn a thing or two.

"Play our new Arriva BusTown game and get to Level 2 by this Sunday to be automatically entered into our competition to win 1 of 10 Love2Shop vouchers. Please note you can only access this via desktop. Our mobile game will be ready next week! "

(01 Aug 2014, 6:16 pm)Dan wrote Got to Level 5 and got bored. You can't actually get your third bus to go out because it doesn't let you scroll down.

Played to Level 2....and a bit and got bored.

Arriva have posted details of the service changes they are making to the 85, 685 and X85 from the 31st of August on their website:

There will be a number of changes to services 85, 685 and X85 from Sunday 31st August 2014:
•Earlier Monday to Friday morning journey from Newcastle, Hexham, Haydon Bridge and Haltwhistle to Carlisle, arriving there for 0800
•Monday to Friday morning peak buses to Carlisle retimed to improve punctuality and offer more convenient arrivals for commuters
•Extra mid-morning bus from Carlisle, Brampton, Haltwhistle and Haydon Bridge to Newcastle, arriving in the city for 1030
•More fast buses between Newcastle, Corbridge and Hexham at peak commuter times, following customers’ requests
•Better value fares between Brampton, Warwick Bridge and Carlisle, including a brand new Routesaver ticket valid on all buses
•New service 185 providing regular all-year round links from Carlisle, Brampton and Haltwhistle to Greenhead, Longbyre, Low Row, Gilsland and Hadrian’s Wall at Walltown

Unfortunately, the service 85 journeys at 0757 from Hexham to Newcastle, and at 0835 and 1710 from Newcastle to Hexham are withdrawn due to low usage.

Link: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/content.aspx?id=34359743378

At the moment no new timetable has been published.

So about Darlo's future changes!

6 omincities for X26/27
5 New max streetlites for X1
3 ecocities for 21a

That would then leave 9 solo's and 5 pulsar's to replace the 1997-2000 older MPDs and SLFs.
Meaning 3 pulsar's could work 75/76, 2 spare for depot use or otherwise exchange.....
I presume the 1/5 will keep all their pulsar pvr of 10.
Service 8/8a could work 2005 MPDs or a mixture of what's left from ecocities & solo's.
Guess they would be short of solo's for town services if they were to dispose of all the older MPDs.That's where the Durham park & ride's slot in !
Will they have a spare bus in max livery for multi use on all xpress routes?

(01 Aug 2014, 8:10 pm)buznut wrote So about Darlo's future changes!

6 omincities for X26/27
5 New max streetlites for X1
3 ecocities for 21a

That would then leave 9 solo's and 5 pulsar's to replace the 1997-2000 older MPDs and SLFs.
Meaning 3 pulsar's could work 75/76, 2 spare for depot use or otherwise exchange.....
I presume the 1/5 will keep all their pulsar pvr of 10.
Service 8/8a could work 2005 MPDs or a mixture of what's left from ecocities & solo's.
Guess they would be short of solo's for town services if they were to dispose of all the older MPDs.That's where the Durham park & ride's slot in !
Will they have a spare bus in max livery for multi use on all xpress routes?

Darlington are loosing all MPDs, they are getting 5 Solos from Durham as the 23 will be getting new Streetlites and the Park and Ride Solos, I think they are getting Darts 1305-8 from Redcar as well.

(30 Jul 2014, 9:09 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Since when?
You are going to have to enlighten us...

There were often drivers taking part in discussions on the old fb pages.
Used to love the bod at the time, wading in and ensuring rules were followed.

#observationsonfb
#hashtagsonNEB

I used to love the Bod too and the discussion pages - one of the worst things Facebook ever did was get rid of them as you could have some really sensible conversations...........

(30 Jul 2014, 9:38 pm)aureolin wrote Reckon it's more of a partnership than free advertising. Their logos are plastered all over several buses driving round the NE all day, but yeah... Win win situation definitely.

Reminds me of the Metro. Some corporate boffin coming up with a cracking idea to take away regional accents in favour of "professionalism". Whilst I'm not a fan of my journey being interrupted by two pratts from the radio, at least it's a regional accent.

I reckon my idea of Charlotte off Geordie Shore doing the next ones was a go-er... If not, I'm sure Jimmy Nail would be game?

We need a like button on here as I'd be right up for getting Charlotte from Geordie Shore to do some next stop action #tashingon

(01 Aug 2014, 7:56 pm)peter wrote Arriva have posted details of the service changes they are making to the 85, 685 and X85 from the 31st of August on their website:


Link: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/content.aspx?id=34359743378

At the moment no new timetable has been published.

Would have thought the 17.10 would be busy, with it being peak time.

(01 Aug 2014, 9:40 pm)busman101 wrote I used to love the Bod too and the discussion pages - one of the worst things Facebook ever did was get rid of them as you could have some really sensible conversations...........

Obviously with it being fb, everyone knew who everyone was.
There wasn't a mask of anonymity to hide behind.

The discussions were certainly enlightening - a certain fella in a little village off the a1 in Northumberland made the FPF campaign looking tame in comparison!

(01 Aug 2014, 9:45 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Would have thought the 17.10 would be busy, with it being peak time.

That the one I mentioned a few days ago? Could have sworn it was 17:20 but may have been 16:20.
Tyndalexpress departs 5 mins in front of it, leaving Arriva's X85 to carry fresh air.

(01 Aug 2014, 9:47 pm)Dan wrote That the one I mentioned a few days ago? Could have sworn it was 17:20 but may have been 16:20.
Tyndalexpress departs 5 mins in front of it, leaving Arriva's X85 to carry fresh air.

1720 X85 remains (with a new 1620) while the 1710 85 is getting the chop.