Just heard the following on the 7 - Bing bing bong, volume test! (at various different volumes) random.

What date are the MAX X93 B9TLs due to enter service, thinking I might do my trip up Middlesbrough etc during the upcoming week maybe.

(24 Jan 2015, 6:30 pm)Malarkey wrote What date are the MAX X93 B9TLs due to enter service, thinking I might do my trip up Middlesbrough etc during the upcoming week maybe.

They are expected to enter service either tomorrow or Monday from what I've heard.

(24 Jan 2015, 6:31 pm)Jimmi wrote They are expected to enter service either tomorrow or Monday from what I've heard.

Thanks Jimmi, will keep lookout for further updates on here, sure someone will know the confirmed date.

(24 Jan 2015, 6:52 pm)Malarkey wrote Thanks Jimmi, will keep lookout for further updates on here, sure someone will know the confirmed date.

Should be out tomorrow I understand. If not then Monday certainly. Guess who is long weekend

(24 Jan 2015, 6:59 pm)tyresmoke wrote Should be out tomorrow I understand. If not then Monday certainly. Guess who is long weekend

Thanks Tyresmoke, now to debate whether to stop up tomorrow night and watch WWE Royal Rumble or go to Middlesbrough on Monday as the Weather looks to be quite nice, looks like it will sunny/clear blue skies between 9 and 12 before going cloudy.

(24 Jan 2015, 7:11 pm)Malarkey wrote Thanks Tyresmoke, now to debate whether to stop up tomorrow night and watch WWE Royal Rumble or go to Middlesbrough on Monday as the Weather looks to be quite nice, looks like it will sunny/clear blue skies between 9 and 12 before going cloudy.

Baring in mind what Kuyoyo said the other day, if they enter service tomorrow the X93 is every 2 hours and only 4 of the 6 B9s will be out. May be best to leave it until a weekday or a Saturday depending on how many vehicles you wish to photograph. 

(24 Jan 2015, 7:13 pm)Robert wrote Baring in mind what Kuyoyo said the other day, if they enter service tomorrow the X93 is every 2 hours and only 4 of the 6 B9s will be out. May be best to leave it until a weekday or a Saturday depending on how many vehicles you wish to photograph. 

Highly unlikely you're going to find someone dedicated enough to stand in a bus station for five hours to catch all of the examples out in service, anyway... Especially when it's this cold.

(24 Jan 2015, 7:18 pm)Dan wrote Highly unlikely you're going to find someone dedicated enough to stand in a bus station for five hours to catch all of the examples out in service, anyway... Especially when it's this cold.

Its tropical out there man!

(24 Jan 2015, 7:18 pm)Dan wrote Highly unlikely you're going to find someone dedicated enough to stand in a bus station for five hours to catch all of the examples out in service, anyway... Especially when it's this cold.

I would like a shot of just one tomorrow but annoyingly it is hard since Arriva changed it's Sunday timetables before the changes it would have been possible.

(24 Jan 2015, 7:20 pm)citaro5284 wrote Its tropical out there man!

If only the weather could be as warm as GNE's 5325... A nice 28.4 degrees, according to the clock on the front of the bus!

(24 Jan 2015, 7:13 pm)Robert wrote Baring in mind what Kuyoyo said the other day, if they enter service tomorrow the X93 is every 2 hours and only 4 of the 6 B9s will be out. May be best to leave it until a weekday or a Saturday depending on how many vehicles you wish to photograph. 

I certainly wont be going Middlesbrough Tomorrow as there bot all about on a Sunday up there, iirc when I last up there after the Stagecoach Stockton Open Day, I only seen a handful of Vehicles in the Hour I was there so to be honest for an Explorer on a Sunday is pointless, would rather go up on a weekday when there is more about and go to more places. 

(24 Jan 2015, 7:18 pm)Dan wrote Highly unlikely you're going to find someone dedicated enough to stand in a bus station for five hours to catch all of the examples out in service, anyway... Especially when it's this cold.

Unless you name is Bazza.

It's a pity the first bus to Darlington on a Sunday moring (service 8) gets to Harrowgate Hill just a few minutes after the X66 as If there was a bus about 10 minutes earlier I could have got the X66 in time to catch a shot of the 1020 X93 then jump straight onto an X10 a few minutes later then providing the X10 got into Peterlee on-time I could have caught the 22 to Dalton Park or Sunderland, BUT NO! once again I have to suffer due to the lack of an earlier bus to Darlington on a morning which means I've not been able to do Moorsbus or Dalesbus services because I can't get into Darlington early enough *sigh*

(24 Jan 2015, 4:55 pm)transit2014 wrote Passed 7402 heading south between Chester le Street and Durham on the A1(M) this afternoon in the last hour or so. Have to say looked smart with the branding from what I could see.

One went overhead at Picktree roundabout at about 1545.
Didn't catch id, but saw it branded for X93.

(24 Jan 2015, 8:37 pm)Andreos1 wrote One went overhead at Picktree roundabout at about 1545.
Didn't catch id, but saw it branded for X93.

Might of been to Volvo Bus and Coach at Crowther, wouldnt of thought had it came from Jesmond that it would that way, would expected to via Heworth and up onto the A19 otherwise.

(24 Jan 2015, 8:23 pm)Jimmi wrote It's a pity the first bus to Darlington on a Sunday moring (service 8) gets to Harrowgate Hill just a few minutes after the X66 as If there was a bus about 10 minutes earlier I could have got the X66 in time to catch a shot of the 1020 X93 then jump straight onto an X10 a few minutes later then providing the X10 got into Peterlee on-time I could have caught the 22 to Dalton Park or Sunderland, BUT NO! once again I have to suffer due to the lack of an earlier bus to Darlington on a morning which means I've not been able to do Moorsbus or Dalesbus services because I can't get into Darlington early enough *sigh*

Where are you travelling from Jimmi?

(24 Jan 2015, 11:52 pm)MrPottski wrote Where are you travelling from Jimmi?

Newton Aycliffe.

It would appear that the Max Volvo B9TL's are not out today, but should be out tomorrow on the X93.
One Volvo B7TL should be staying at Whitby for the foreseeable future.

(25 Jan 2015, 11:00 am)tyresmoke wrote It would appear that the Max Volvo B9TL's are not out today, but should be out tomorrow on the X93.
One Volvo B7TL should be staying at Whitby for the foreseeable future.

Will the rest be staying at Redcar, or moving elsewhere? 

(25 Jan 2015, 11:09 am)mb134 wrote Will the rest be staying at Redcar, or moving elsewhere? 

I believe they're due to move to Jesmond, as their higher capacity comes in useful on Nexus school contracts compared to the ALX400s currently allocated. These DAF ALX400s would move to Ashington & Durham as required to allow older vehicles to leave the fleet.

Wonder whether or not they'll swap two of them for two 57 reg Lowlanders for the X93. Would certainly be worth a punt.

(25 Jan 2015, 11:53 am)DaveyBowyer wrote Wonder whether or not they'll swap two of them for two 57 reg Lowlanders for the X93. Would certainly be worth a punt.

Why? The X93 runs with a PVR of 5 for the majority of the year, outside of the peak season. Whitby will have 6 Volvo B9TL's allocated to cover this. Luckily the peak season is outside of the peak on other routes.

(25 Jan 2015, 11:00 am)tyresmoke wrote It would appear that the Max Volvo B9TL's are not out today, but should be out tomorrow on the X93.

One Volvo B7TL should be staying at Whitby for the foreseeable future.

I was heading to Middlesbrough on the chance one would be out, thankfully I saw this post when I was heading through Aycliffe Village so I was able to jump off and go for the Durham bound 7 instead to speed up the trip and avoid tight connections. Annoyingly the 7 I'm on is busy and running late, only upside was I was able to get a shot of a Solo on the 8 to Darlington whilst I was waiting.

(25 Jan 2015, 12:14 pm)Jimmi wrote I was heading to Middlesbrough on the chance one would be out, thankfully I saw this post when I was heading through Aycliffe Village so I was able to jump off and go for the Durham bound 7 instead to speed up the trip and avoid tight connections. Annoyingly the 7 I'm on is busy and running late, only upside was I was able to get a shot of a Solo on the 8 to Darlington whilst I was waiting.

Should be in Durham now but were at Croxdale, damn you Arriva and your ridiculously tight Sunday timetables.

Evening 5A timetable is a joke too.

(25 Jan 2015, 12:17 pm)Jimmi wrote Should be in Durham now but were at Croxdale, damn you Arriva and your ridiculously tight Sunday timetables.



Evening 5A timetable is a joke too.

7 arrived in Durham 10 minutes late, only arrived in Durham with 3 minutes to spare for the 20, the late arrival also means I haven't been able to get lunch in Durham so now I'm going to have to waste time in Sunderland getting lunch now.

Don't see why extra running time couldn't be added to the 5A, 7 and 21 as they sit at Bishop / Durham and Peterlee Bus Stations for over 10 minutes, the 8 however only has something like two minutes in Spennymoor and it can be a challenge keeping to that timetable.

This is part of the reason I don't normally go out on a Sunday, that and a lack of buses with most operating hourly.

(24 Jan 2015, 10:20 pm)Malarkey wrote Might of been to Volvo Bus and Coach at Crowther, wouldnt of thought had it came from Jesmond that it would that way, would expected to via Heworth and up onto the A19 otherwise.

The thought crossed my mind too, but with the A1231 being just a few mins from Crowther, you would have thought it would have scooted down that way on the A19.

Could have been anywhere to be honest, sure one of the insiders will know

7520 is on tonight's N20 run.

(25 Jan 2015, 5:30 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote 7520 is on tonight's N20 run.

N20?

N20 - Amble to Blyth

When buses are refurbished, are they meant to be cleaned properly as well? Just as I'm currently on 7513 and it's pretty dirty internally, the floor, the plastic along the side under the windows (upstairs anyway) etc.

I'm sure when I was on the refurbished Sapphire examples last week they were cleaner than this.