(29 Nov 2014, 10:24 pm)Tom wrote I can't understand why they brand buses for respective routes, and then put them on anything they want! I can't get why the hell they would put a X18 E400 on the X15, and a X15 E400 on the X18.

..and (at least) two X14 branded examples on the X18! Crazy...

(29 Nov 2014, 10:27 pm)Dan wrote ..and (at least) two X14 branded examples on the X18! Crazy...

Exactly! - They should have just put them in generic branding as they clear can't allocate, and put the main stopping points, e.g Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick.

On the X14 there was - 7475 and 7491.
On the X15 there was - 7454 and 7530.
On the X18 there was - 7515 and 7517.

That is absolutely ridiculous. Also, I find it stupid that they put the MPD's on the X14, as they are always busy, and the one I saw had about 12 standees! Was probably because of the X18 running 20 minutes late, which was also heaving. 

(29 Nov 2014, 10:24 pm)Tom wrote I can't understand why they brand buses for respective routes, and then put them on anything they want! I can't get why the hell they would put a X18 E400 on the X15, and a X15 E400 on the X18.

I imagine the same will happen at Darlington with the X26/X27 and X66.

Darlington are usually okay, but some journeys including Sunday daytimes interwork.

(29 Nov 2014, 10:45 pm)Jimmi wrote I imagine the same will happen at Darlington with the X26/X27 and X66.

Darlington are usually okay, but some journeys including Sunday daytimes interwork.

Ashington tend to allocate the MAX buses to the X21/X22 is Sapphires are missing leaving generally the X14 with crap. 

(29 Nov 2014, 10:36 pm)Tom wrote Exactly! - They should have just put them in generic branding as they clear can't allocate, and put the main stopping points, e.g Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick.

On the X14 there was - 7475 and 7491.
On the X15 there was - 7454 and 7530.
On the X18 there was - 7515 and 7517.

That is absolutely ridiculous. Also, I find it stupid that they put the MPD's on the X14, as they are always busy, and the one I saw had about 12 standees! Was probably because of the X18 running 20 minutes late, which was also heaving. 

7529 was on there as well!

(29 Nov 2014, 11:11 pm)mb134 wrote 7529 was on there as well!

Jokers...

(29 Nov 2014, 11:13 pm)Tom wrote Jokers...

Might sound pretty bad, but I don't blame the depot. Obviously they should have put the route branded ones on the correct route, but the reason they probably didn't have enough to put them all on correct routes is because some likely would have been covering for broken Sapphire's.... 

(29 Nov 2014, 11:17 pm)mb134 wrote Might sound pretty bad, but I don't blame the depot. Obviously they should have put the route branded ones on the correct route, but the reason they probably didn't have enough to put them all on correct routes is because some likely would have been covering for broken Sapphire's.... 

Aye, which they shouldn't be doing. If customers on the X14, X15 and X18 are promised free wi-fi and leather seats, why should they have to suffer as a result of the Sapphires being VOR?

(29 Nov 2014, 11:17 pm)mb134 wrote Might sound pretty bad, but I don't blame the depot. Obviously they should have put the route branded ones on the correct route, but the reason they probably didn't have enough to put them all on correct routes is because some likely would have been covering for broken Sapphire's.... 

They could do with an additional spare vehicle for the X21/X22 as they only have one. Redcar get a 2nd with a lower PVR (and same questionable allocating skills...)

(29 Nov 2014, 11:18 pm)Tom wrote Aye, which they shouldn't be doing. If customers on the X14, X15 and X18 are promised free wi-fi and leather seats, why should they have to suffer as a result of the Sapphires being VOR?

Totally agree they shouldn't be doing it, however I can see why they do. If Arriva had used an ounce of common sense they would have realised that, if you use buses that have been hammered on the X18 (or previous versions) or X93, on a route that is still quite demanding, you're going to have problems...

(29 Nov 2014, 11:22 pm)mb134 wrote Totally agree they shouldn't be doing it, however I can see why they do. If Arriva had used an ounce of common sense they would have realised that, if you use buses that have been hammered on the X18 (or previous versions) or X93, on a route that is still quite demanding, you're going to have problems...

I didn't actually see one MAX vehicle on the X14, and at least one was missing from the X15. This isn't really acceptable. Especially when at least one MAX bus was on the X21/X22. I can see why they do it, but thye shouldn't as passengers on the X14 are getting a battered old bus, when they should be getting a modern bus with leather seats and wifi, something they aren't getting. 

The X21/X22 should, without doubt, have an additional spare, but I'm not sure where they can get it from. 

(29 Nov 2014, 11:27 pm)Tom wrote I didn't actually see one MAX vehicle on the X14, and at least one was missing from the X15. This isn't really acceptable. Especially when at least one MAX bus was on the X21/X22. I can see why they do it, but thye shouldn't as passengers on the X14 are getting a battered old bus, when they should be getting a modern bus with leather seats and wifi, something they aren't getting. 

The X21/X22 should, without doubt, have an additional spare, but I'm not sure where they can get it from. 

It is shocking, and all it will do is make customers start to distrust the company, "oh look we have free Wi-Fi" is a meaningless statement when no buses on the route on a particular day actually do. 

On the subject of a spare, they could always buy a new one or face the same problems as they currently are by refurbishing one of 7518-21...

With reference to the lack of availability of Wi-Fi - I travelled on a Lowlander which was allocated to service X15 today, and overheard customers asking one another why there was no provision of Wi-Fi on-board that vehicle...

(29 Nov 2014, 11:27 pm)Tom wrote I didn't actually see one MAX vehicle on the X14, and at least one was missing from the X15. This isn't really acceptable. Especially when at least one MAX bus was on the X21/X22. I can see why they do it, but thye shouldn't as passengers on the X14 are getting a battered old bus, when they should be getting a modern bus with leather seats and wifi, something they aren't getting. 

The X21/X22 should, without doubt, have an additional spare, but I'm not sure where they can get it from. 

Put a complaint in - csnortheast@arriva.co.uk. I can understand the odd vehicle being off the route, and therefore Wi-Fi not being provided, but it shouldn't be the norm on any given day.

(29 Nov 2014, 11:40 pm)Dan wrote With reference to the lack of availability of Wi-Fi - I travelled on a Lowlander which was allocated to service X15 today, and overheard customers asking one another why there was no provision of Wi-Fi on-board that vehicle...

I know you used to get that quite often elsewhere, especially on branded spares, but at least that's looking like it's starting to be resolved. It's funny, but at least if a red (spare) bus turns up for GNE, in place of a branded vehicle with WiFi, the expectation is it won't have WiFi, because it's a different colour bus. Quite hard to differentiate over at Arriva, but now people are getting used to the MAX vehicles vs standard Arriva vehicles, I wonder if the customers will acknowledge it the same?

It does remind me of a conversation we had on the forum ages ago too, around the X84/X85 on a Sunday. Not sure what is allocated these days mind, but it does go to show that customers are now expecting WiFi as part of their service provision, rather than something to just get them from A to B.

The X66 that leaves Middlesbrough around 0925 was a 2008 Solo.

(30 Nov 2014, 9:18 am)aureolin wrote Put a complaint in - csnortheast@arriva.co.uk. I can understand the odd vehicle being off the route, and therefore Wi-Fi not being provided, but it shouldn't be the norm on any given day.

I will - it also seems to happen on Sundays, I have seen MAX vehicles on the X21/X22 on Sundays. 

The Sunday PVR for the X18 is 6, but they only have 5 X18 branded buses.   

It's guaranteed there'll be something with the "wrong" branding on there on Sundays. (Of course it's nearly guaranteed on the other 6 days of the week too.) 

(30 Nov 2014, 9:57 am)Tom wrote I will - it also seems to happen on Sundays, I have seen MAX vehicles on the X21/X22 on Sundays. 

I know it would have cost more but I think Arriva could have done this instead of what they did do:
17 New E400's for X21/X22
7514-6 Refurbished for X15 along with the two Omnicities 
7517-21 Refurbished for X14, with one as a general spare
5 New E400's for X18 (As they have done)

Leaving 7501-9 and 7511-3 for other services, to improve reliability on the more "premium" ones...

X18 branded 7532 was on the X15 today...