(05 Nov 2014, 10:52 am)Dan wrote Think this is slightly different, as the nightly/Sunday X21s are formed from 21 journeys Newcastle - Durham.

Arriva's allocations are purely to allow buses to leave Blyth on time, and are far more excessive than Go North East's planned allocations. As far as I know, the Hybrids have never appeared off route...

Yes, they are scheduled to do that but they were bought to operate between Durham and Newcastle.

(05 Nov 2014, 5:13 pm)palatine3833 wrote Yes, they are scheduled to do that but they were bought to operate between Durham and Newcastle.

But they still do - the evening and Sunday X21 boards from Durham are formed by 21 services from Newcastle.

The difference here is that one is scheduled and one isn't. The former means that Go North East is continuing to allocate the vehicles to the service for which they received funding to allocate these vehicles to and are merely allowing another route to be more environmentally friendly when service 21's vehicle requirements are lower, whereas the latter means that the service which Arriva North East received funding for isn't being allocated these vehicles and another service is instead.

Well you never...... 7802 on the X5! Absolutely no call for it whatsoever. Either run a hybrid service on the 308 or pay back the finding and paint them into normal Arriva livery. And what Sapphire service X21 / X22? A MAX specification bus in place of it? Don't mind the occasional rare and odd but not on a constant basis (unplanned and to no benefit of the funded service) and particularly where funding is involved!

1305 on service 24 approaching Peterlee bus station for Hartlepool

(06 Nov 2014, 3:12 pm)cbma06 wrote 1305 on service 24 approaching Peterlee bus station for Hartlepool

Pity the poor souls who have to ride THAT on the 24.

2868 on 1/5
1517 on X1

Unidentified Solo on 23s today (again). Have only seen the new(er) Pulsars on the 22 today though, which is better than the rest of the week!

A few odd workings from this week that I've seen...
Monday 3rd
1639 on X66, 4508 on 21A and 4658 on 28


Tuesday 4th
1512 on X1/X2 by the end of the day (having started on 5's and being replaced), 4007 on 1/5, 4801 on X66

Wednesday 5th
1490 on 9/27A til lunchtime (replaced by 1905), 2827 on 22/64 and a notable mention for 7485 on X93 (!)


Thursday 6th
1753 on 9/27A (replaced 1923, towed in)

X66 yesterday was 4001/7, 4656, 1424/8.
Seems the last two trips are now on X66 boards rather than local buses as before.
The first bus now runs light from Darlington which seems stupid (like the last Stagecoach 1 running back to Hartlepool light at 630pm).

(06 Nov 2014, 5:44 pm)Cock Robin wrote X66 yesterday was 4001/7, 4656, 1424/8.
Seems the last two trips are now on X66 boards rather than local buses as before.
The first bus now runs light from Darlington which seems stupid (like the last Stagecoach 1 running back to Hartlepool light at 630pm).

It's not that far from Faverdale to Middlesbrough to be fair. Less mileage than us sending 6 buses light from Stockton to Easington on a morning, and 3 to Brotton 

(06 Nov 2014, 5:49 pm)tyresmoke wrote It's not that far from Faverdale to Middlesbrough to be fair. Less mileage than us sending 6 buses light from Stockton to Easington on a morning, and 3 to Brotton 

You'd think it could do one pick up in Darlington even if it didn't do North Road etc.

(06 Nov 2014, 4:08 pm)Dan wrote Unidentified Solo on 23s today (again). Have only seen the new(er) Pulsars on the 22 today though, which is better than the rest of the week!

I wonder what bus is working on the U1 in Durham, has anybody seen the U1 in Durham lately, maybe their using a streetlite on there.

I wonder what bus is working on the U1 in Durham, has anybody seen the U1 in Durham lately, maybe their using a streetlite on there.

On the first day of the StreetLites on the 23 the U1 was using a 09 reg Pulsar. Not seen it since.

Maybe they aren't on the 23 because they are having problems maybe.

(06 Nov 2014, 6:03 pm)Jimmi wrote On the first day of the StreetLites on the 23 the U1 was using a 09 reg Pulsar. Not seen it since.

Maybe they aren't on the 23 because they are having problems maybe.

I think that will be the likely answer. We rarely get 10 out on a morning, 1512 was taken off at 1350 today for 1556.

An MPD ended up doing one of the rush hour 6's this evening, around 5ish. Far from ideal!

(06 Nov 2014, 5:58 pm)cbma06 wrote I wonder what bus is working on the U1 in Durham, has anybody seen the U1 in Durham lately, maybe their using a streetlite on there.

The U1 has been Pulsar operated all week, using one of the old livery examples.

One of the Streetlites has been going back and forth all week NIS. From the bus station over Millburngate Bridge. I'd assume Belmont are using it as a staff shuttle due to the frequency.

(06 Nov 2014, 9:57 pm)aureolin wrote The U1 has been Pulsar operated all week, using one of the old livery examples.

One of the Streetlites has been going back and forth all week NIS. From the bus station over Millburngate Bridge. I'd assume Belmont are using it as a staff shuttle due to the frequency.

Wonder if they're using it for driver familiarisation still?

(06 Nov 2014, 10:15 pm)tyresmoke wrote Wonder if they're using it for driver familiarisation still?

Yes, unfortunately not all of the drivers have been familiarised and this is the reason there is one off every day.

1639 and 2863 are running in pairs on the X66.

This is Jimmi reporting in Darlington getting soaked, especially now as I have upto an extra 20 minute wait

1639 and 2863 are running in pairs on the X66.

1508 is now on the X66 possibly replacing one of these two. 1410 is on too.

2843 is on 1/5
Also 4001 on 2

2843 is on 1/5

 Also 4001 on 2

Oh no! Not another bloody Solo on the 5

(07 Nov 2014, 10:48 am)Jimmi wrote 1508 is now on the X66 possibly replacing one of these two. 1410 is on too.

2863 is still on 

2863 is still on

1508 will have replaced the late running 1639 then.
So we now have: 1410 1424 1508 2863 and 4656 on the X66 which means no Prestiges on there today as 4001 is on the 2 and who knows where 4007 is.

2851 on 75/76

2843 is on 1/5

Oh no! Oh no! OH NO!!! It's on my 5A home!!!

1639 is now on the 2 after it's appearance on the X66 this morning.

4001 on the 2
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...091957254/
2843 on the 1/5A
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...546341679/
2851 on the 75/76
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...546969037/

4502 on X1/X2 and Hybrid reg ending AZL on X11

7529 is on the X20 this morning 

Double decker on service 24, too far to id it, should be arriving into Peterlee bus station heading to hartlepool