No photos, as I was just going past the depot on my way home from work. It is of a similar style to Service 23

1576 seen about 5 minutes ago heading towards the Radisson in Durham, with "Arriva Graduates" on the blind. May be a good photo opportunity if it's spending the morning there.

The 7 I'm on is rammed, it arrived with lots of standees' thankfully alot got off at my stop and there is limited seat availability and some OAPS have just got on and have had to come not far from the back and they are slow walkers so this is slowing the bus down as the driver is waiting for them to sit down.

#sapphireovercrowding
#sortitout
#hashtagsonNEB

Hopefully they can battle on past Christmas without the overcrowding getting too heavy! Deckers are on order for the 7

(21 Oct 2014, 1:12 pm)tyresmoke wrote Hopefully they can battle on past Christmas without the overcrowding getting too heavy! Deckers are on order for the 7

Jimmi seems to use service 7 quite a lot, at various times of day, suggesting that overcrowding issues aren't limited to specific times... Are Arriva going to make a sensible move by ordering double deckers for the entire PVR, opposed to just a couple of boards where issues are most apparent?

It would also be a good time to buy an extra spare vehicle for the X21/X22 (the newest bus would make up part of the PVR whilst one of the older refurbed examples would be the spare)... We've seen that there is quite a few issues at Ashington at the moment, which, over time, will presumably get worse rather than better...

(21 Oct 2014, 1:26 pm)Dan wrote Jimmi seems to use service 7 quite a lot, at various times of day, suggesting that overcrowding issues aren't limited to specific times... Are Arriva going to make a sensible move by ordering double deckers for the entire PVR, opposed to just a couple of boards where issues are most apparent?

It would also be a good time to buy an extra spare vehicle for the X21/X22 (the newest bus would make up part of the PVR whilst one of the older refurbed examples would be the spare)... We've seen that there is quite a few issues at Ashington at the moment, which, over time, will presumably get worse rather than better...

No it'll be around half converted to deckers I understand, but the Pulsars displaced by them will go to service 6 along with a number of new single/double decks.

I think half of the problems at Ashington are of their own making, but it can be turned around, if Redcar can do it then I'm sure Ashington can... They've got a number of extra buses to make up for the E400s being away for refurb so they can't use vehicle shortages as an excuse, indeed I notice 7483 is still in use!

No it'll be around half converted to deckers I understand, but the Pulsars displaced by them will go to service 6 along with a number of new single/double decks.

Shame, was hoping for full double decker operation as during the daytime some runs can have lots of standees' the next day it can be a ghost town. The main problem area is Darlington Town Centre to Harrowgate Hill as it often has standees' throughout the daytime and is especially bad on an afternoon when colleges are coming out and other passengers are all wanting the bus, the other problem is the current allocation of MPDs to service 8 and Solos to service 21 as soon as you have to sit on the outside seat next to someone you don't know people will not get on the 8/21 and will just wait for the 7 to come also some people will only get the 7 from Darlington to Newton Aycliffe because it is the quickest I often see people let the 5/5A/8/21 go straight past even though by letting these buses go past they are actually getting to their destination later. The run I'm currently on has about 8 standees'

7439 is now at Belmont depot.

(21 Oct 2014, 1:43 pm)tyresmoke wrote No it'll be around half converted to deckers I understand, but the Pulsars displaced by them will go to service 6 along with a number of new single/double decks.

I think half of the problems at Ashington are of their own making, but it can be turned around, if Redcar can do it then I'm sure Ashington can... They've got a number of extra buses to make up for the E400s being away for refurb so they can't use vehicle shortages as an excuse, indeed I notice 7483 is still in use!

What deckers? E400's?

(21 Oct 2014, 3:30 pm)Tom wrote What deckers? E400's?

I believe so Tom, yes. Unsure on exact numbers or whether they'll be current or new (MMC) model though....
I would imagine the single decks therefore will be Streetlites but I will confirm when I can

(21 Oct 2014, 3:36 pm)tyresmoke wrote I believe so Tom, yes. Unsure on exact numbers or whether they'll be current or new (MMC) model though....
I would imagine the single decks therefore will be Streetlites but I will confirm when I can

Versas are better than Streetlites IMO...

(21 Oct 2014, 3:36 pm)tyresmoke wrote I believe so Tom, yes. Unsure on exact numbers or whether they'll be current or new (MMC) model though....
I would imagine the single decks therefore will be Streetlites but I will confirm when I can

Will the X21/22 get another bus, pretty sure one of the other Sapphire routes with a similar PVR (is it the Rhyl one?) to the X21/22 has two spares with brand new buses never mind when above half of the vehicles are 7 years old

Main problem with the Streetlites is apparently the brackets for the alternators aren't strong enough, and keep breaking. They're trying to source some stronger ones, failing that our engineers are looking at making their own...

Interesting conversation overheard from a driver in Haymarket. Requesting not to be allocated another streetlite, because "they're f****** s***". Few problems?

(21 Oct 2014, 3:40 pm)tyresmoke wrote Main problem with the Streetlites is apparently the brackets for the alternators aren't strong enough, and keep breaking. They're trying to source some stronger ones, failing that our engineers are looking at making their own...

Or they could by Versas, or Citaros?

(21 Oct 2014, 3:45 pm)aureolin wrote Interesting conversation overheard from a driver in Haymarket. Requesting not to be allocated another streetlite, because "they're f****** s***". Few problems?

They're very slow at first, they do get quicker the more they get used. Still not a fan of driving them though.

Latest allocation just landed...

Ashington
In - 4653/9 ex refurb
Out - 1207/14 to Yorkshire (due to be converted to trainers replacing their B10B's I believe)

Jesmond
In - 1582-9 Streetlites, 2834 from Darlington
Out - 4004/51 Disposal, 4504/07/10/11/12 to Redcar, 1410/2503 to Darlington

Darlington
In - 1410 (extra bus for 21/X21) & 2503 from Jesmond, 4812/13/14 new Ecocity
Out - 1762 to Durham, 4647/56 to refurbishment, 2834 to Jesmond

Durham
In - 1762 from Darlington (for 61/62)
Out - 7434 to Yorkshire Tiger, 2852-61 to reserve (repaint)

Redcar
In - 4504/07/10/11/12 from Jesmond
Out - 4648/50 to refurbishment, 1638/53/54 to disposal

Ecocity WX13GHN is now at Faverdale branded for Whoosh 21/X21.

(21 Oct 2014, 5:49 pm)John_R wrote Ecocity WX13GHN is now at Faverdale branded for Whoosh 21/X21.

Whoosh? Oh my god.

Whoosh? Oh my god.

Terrible isn't it.

(21 Oct 2014, 5:49 pm)John_R wrote Ecocity WX13GHN is now at Faverdale branded for Whoosh 21/X21.

Pic please?

(21 Oct 2014, 4:19 pm)tyresmoke wrote Latest allocation just landed...

Ashington
In - 4653/9 ex refurb
Out - 1207/14 to Yorkshire (due to be converted to trainers replacing their B10B's I believe)

Jesmond
In - 1582-9 Streetlites, 2834 from Darlington
Out - 4004/51 Disposal, 4504/07/10/11/12 to Redcar, 1410/2503 to Darlington

Darlington
In - 1410 (extra bus for 21/X21) & 2503 from Jesmond, 4812/13/14 new Ecocity
Out - 1762 to Durham, 4647/56 to refurbishment, 2834 to Jesmond

Durham
In - 1762 from Darlington (for 61/62)
Out - 7434 to Yorkshire Tiger, 2852-61 to reserve (repaint)

Redcar
In - 4504/07/10/11/12 from Jesmond
Out - 4648/50 to refurbishment, 1638/53/54 to disposal

Waste of time repainting the R and S reg Darts! And 1655 not going yet!

1655 already disposal, 1651 stays on as a hot bus until whitby park n ride ends on November 2nd

(21 Oct 2014, 6:52 pm)Willy Wonka wrote Waste of time repainting the R and S reg Darts! And 1655 not going yet!

1655 already in disposal - last Dart at Redcar is 1651.

As yet unmentioned changes include:

DAF SB220/Ikarus 4074/5/6 removed from Northumberland fleet, 4078/9 from Durham County fleet
Prestige 4045 removed from Northumberland fleet, 4027/41-3/6/62/3 from Durham County Fleet
DAF SB220/ALX300 4091-8 all removed from fleet

Dont have any details but apparently an X1 has hit a female on Stockton high tea time ish Not a pretty sight by all accounts

John_R Wrote:
Ecocity WX13GHN is now at Faverdale branded for Whoosh 21/X21.
Michael wrote:
" Pic please? "

No photo as I was just driving past the depot, the "Whoosh" is in a handwritten style in silver above the driver's window.

(21 Oct 2014, 7:35 pm)John_R wrote John_R Wrote:
Ecocity WX13GHN is now at Faverdale branded for Whoosh 21/X21.
Michael wrote:
" Pic please? "

No photo as I was just driving past the depot, the "Whoosh" is in a handwritten style in silver above the driver's window.

Early morning shot. They look quite smart actually.

Newly branded for the 21/X21 service, ANE 4814 gleams in the early morning lights at Faverdale
http://flic.kr/p/oPuSof

(22 Oct 2014, 6:01 am)MrPottski wrote Early morning shot. They look quite smart actually.

Newly branded for the 21/X21 service, ANE 4814 gleams in the early morning lights at Faverdale
http://flic.kr/p/oPuSof

Thanks for the pic MrPottski

It doesn't look bad. 

Redcar reserve Prestige 4001 was also in the Faverdale pits this morning

(21 Oct 2014, 7:01 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 1655 already in disposal - last Dart at Redcar is 1651.

As yet unmentioned changes include:

DAF SB220/Ikarus 4074/5/6 removed from Northumberland fleet, 4078/9 from Durham County fleet
Prestige 4045 removed from Northumberland fleet, 4027/41-3/6/62/3 from Durham County Fleet
DAF SB220/ALX300 4091-8 all removed from fleet