I think Go North East would be wanting to offload the remaining 52reg Mini Pointer Darts while they can, so I wouldnt think Solo SRs for the East Durham Network is out of the Question Fozz, keep your fingers and toes crossed  , anyway the remaining 52reg MPDs are listed below.

524 - NA52 AWG
536 - NA52 AWY
537 - NA52 AWZ
538 - NA52 AXB
539 - NA52 AXC
541 - NA52 AXF
542 - NA52 AXG
543 - NA52 AXH
544 - NA52 AXJ
545 - NA52 AXK
546 - NA52 AXM
547 - NA52 AXN
548 - NA52 AXO

Alternatively Go North East could give them a Full Internal Refurb and do some more Eminox Modifications to boost there Euro Rating, maybe even retrofit a Flybrid System to them also and have them running for many years to come, who am I kidding ehh.

Those 13 could easily be withdrawn with a decent sized Solo order... hopefully that happens, wouldn't mind seeing a better version of East Durham or North Tyne Links.

Those 13 could easily be withdrawn with a decent sized Solo order... hopefully that happens, wouldn't mind seeing a better version of East Durham or North Tyne Links.

Potential investment in Solos for the East Durham Network would also free up MPDs 560/562/564/565/573/574/618 and 619, which could replace 8247/8248/8250/8251/8252 at Washington, with 8253/8254 and 8255 from Washington and two Solars off the X66 replacing 8242/8243/8244/8245/8246 at Riverside, This would result in the 52reg Wright Cadets all being Withdrawn from Service.

#MalarkeyIsAManWithAPlan
#HashtagsOnNEB

Potential investment in Solos for the East Durham Network would also free up MPDs 560/562/564/565/573/574/618 and 619, which could replace 8247/8248/8250/8251/8252 at Washington, with 8253/8254 and 8255 from Washington and two Solars off the X66 replacing 8242/8243/8244/8245/8246 at Riverside, This would result in the 52reg Wright Cadets all being Withdrawn from Service.

#MalarkeyIsAManWithAPlan
#HashtagsOnNEB

I'm not sure GNE would want to replace the Cadet's with MPD's, means loss of seats... although that's good for services like the 82/82A which hardly has anyone on...

I'm not sure GNE would want to replace the Cadet's with MPD's, means loss of seats... although that's good for services like the 82/82A which hardly has anyone on...

With the exception of peak time Journeys and the obvious service cut at both ends of the route (Heworth/Birtley), I would say Passenger Numbers have gone down dramatically and that the 82/82A would cope just fine with MPDs, as they did in the 10 Years prior to there removal from Service.

With the exception of peak time Journeys and the obvious service cut at both ends of the route (Heworth/Birtley), I would say Passenger Numbers have gone down dramatically and that the 82/82A would cope just fine with MPDs, as they did in the 10 Years prior to there removal from Service.

II'd like to see Go north east invest in some Optare Solo SR's for the 82 and 82A to replace the Cadets.  I hight doubt this would  happen though 

II'd like to see Go north east invest in some Optare Solo SR's for the 82 and 82A to replace the Cadets.  I hight doubt this would  happen though 

Problem with that is the Services cant even justify the Cost of such an Investment, which is why the Cadets got put on the 82/82A in the first place as it is a Loss Making Service, as are the 85/86, it has been well documented and rumored in the past that the Quaylink Versas would cascade onto the Washington Locals, but nothing materialised and likely wont with the upcoming Quaylink Service Changes, I would therefore like to think perhaps the Orbit Versas or the Nexus Solo SRs would cascade over in the future, by future I mean 2016 or 17 which is a while away yet.

Problem with that is the Services cant even justify the Cost of such an Investment, which is why the Cadets got put on the 82/82A in the first place as it is a Loss Making Service, as are the 85/86, it has been well documented and rumored in the past that the Quaylink Versas would cascade onto the Washington Locals, but nothing materialised and likely wont with the upcoming Quaylink Service Changes, I would therefore like to think perhaps the Orbit Versas or the Nexus Solo SRs would cascade over in the future, by future I mean 2016 or 17 which is a while away yet.

Aye good point. I totally agree with what you said earlier  but the MPDS, I think they'd be good for them services 

Problem with that is the Services cant even justify the Cost of such an Investment, which is why the Cadets got put on the 82/82A in the first place as it is a Loss Making Service, as are the 85/86, it has been well documented and rumored in the past that the Quaylink Versas would cascade onto the Washington Locals, but nothing materialised and likely wont with the upcoming Quaylink Service Changes, I would therefore like to think perhaps the Orbit Versas or the Nexus Solo SRs would cascade over in the future, by future I mean 2016 or 17 which is a while away yet.

I don't know where you've all got this idea from that the 82/82A services are loss-making... If they were, why would they exist (in whichever form they take?)

I think the Cadets were moved from the 88/88A to keep them more local, as there was concerns with reliability on the South Tyne services. It also UPGRADED services M2/M3 (at the time) to provide vehicles with a larger capacity, and the Cadets are much more reliable for short journeys in and around Washington...

Tomorrow, I think I'll ride the 82/82A once or twice on my travels... Make my own judgement on their reliability!

Tomorrow, I think I'll ride the 82/82A once or twice on my travels... Make my own judgement on their reliability!

Make note of passenger numbers to. =)

No way are Solo SR's big enough for peak times... There are standees on the Cadets! It seems only regular users of the 82 only realise this though. All this talk of putting smaller buses is in my opinion silly

I think Go North East have this allocation because they see the passenger numbers justify it. As has been said by more than one person before - Go North East know how many passengers use their services.

Granted, having standees at peak times (taking Lee's word for it - never experienced it myself) is not the best of things, but surely it's not the worst of things either; all buses have dedicated room for standees, so they should be catered for regardless of whether or not they can get a seat. The only real problem, in my opinion, is when passengers are refused travel due to so many passengers.

The problem is though most 82 passengers are elderly and cannot stand

The problem is though most 82 passengers are elderly and cannot stand

Same case with nearly all services, though.

The problem is though most 82 passengers are elderly and cannot stand

It really comes round to whatever they have in the depot, it's a mixed allocation just like the Arriva 35/35A, I don't really like them putting StreetLites on a busy service of which requires a double decker, but I can live with it.

In the end of the day, if the 82/82A is a loss making service, then GNE may consider running it at peak times only with a double decker. Then if the local residents complain, GNE can just say that they should have used the bus during the day. Maybe a local independant can take over the daytime journeys.

It really comes round to whatever they have in the depot, it's a mixed allocation just like the Arriva 35/35A, I don't really like them putting StreetLites on a busy service of which requires a double decker, but I can live with it.

In the end of the day, if the 82/82A is a loss making service, then GNE may consider running it at peak times only with a double decker. Then if the local residents complain, GNE can just say that they should have used the bus during the day. Maybe a local independant can take over the daytime journeys.

It's not a mixed allocation... It's allocated DAF SB120/Wright Cadet vehicles.

As there are no spare Cadets at Washington, or if one is VOR or wrongly allocated elsewhere, other vehicles can be allocated.

It's not a mixed allocation... It's allocated DAF SB120/Wright Cadet vehicles.

As there are no spare Cadets at Washington, or if one is VOR or wrongly allocated elsewhere, other vehicles can be allocated.

Ah right, just every time I see the 82 it's got a MPD or a Cadet on them. Saying that only two passengers were on the 82 that I saw yesterday.

Ah right, just every time I see the 82 it's got a MPD or a Cadet on them. Saying that only two passengers were on the 82 that I saw yesterday.

The MPDs should be allocated to the 85/86.

Ah right, just every time I see the 82 it's got a MPD or a Cadet on them. Saying that only two passengers were on the 82 that I saw yesterday.

Depends where you see it. The Galleries to Concord stretch is busier than the Birtley to The Galleries stretch for example.

It really comes round to whatever they have in the depot, it's a mixed allocation just like the Arriva 35/35A, I don't really like them putting StreetLites on a busy service of which requires a double decker, but I can live with it.

In the end of the day, if the 82/82A is a loss making service, then GNE may consider running it at peak times only with a double decker. Then if the local residents complain, GNE can just say that they should have used the bus during the day. Maybe a local independant can take over the daytime journeys.

Washington only have a few different vehicle types, so it doesn't take much for anything else to appear on it.

I believe the '4' branded Merc's are the only ones stabled at Washington currently, that haven't ran the route.

Cadets and MPD's seem to be the vehicle of choice.
B7 and B9 deckers have appeared, as have Versa's and Solar's.

Chinese whispers in the foothills of Consett! V8 is getting bigger buses (Streetlites?) and the 47 is extended to Consett in place of the V9. If it happens, there would be surplus Solos available.

Chinese whispers in the foothills of Consett!  V8 is getting bigger buses (Streetlites?) and the 47 is extended to Consett in place of the V9.  If it happens, there would be surplus Solos available.

The V8 isn't getting new buses but the 78 is. Heard nowt about the 47 being extended and V9 been withdrawn as a result though.

I don't know where you've all got this idea from that the 82/82A services are loss-making... If they were, why would they exist (in whichever form they take?)

I think the Cadets were moved from the 88/88A to keep them more local, as there was concerns with reliability on the South Tyne services. It also UPGRADED services M2/M3 (at the time) to provide vehicles with a larger capacity, and the Cadets are much more reliable for short journeys in and around Washington...

So explain to me then if the were not "Loss Making Services" why the 82/82As Frequency was reduced to Every 30 Minutes from Birtley to Washington and Concord to Heworth, other than not many Passengers using the Service between the two points, there has to be other reasons as to why you would cut the frequency of the Service in Half.

Would of thought with opening of the New Morrisons Supermarket and Housing Development on Birtley Northside, a frequency of Every 15 Minutes would be maintained and perhaps justified, As for the Allocation of Cadets that is fair point, at the time they were put onto the Service there were a lot of Standees on Service when using MPDs, so the Vehicle upgrade was Justified, but now as a Result of recent Service Changes I think they would cope just fine with MPDs  hence what I have said to Davie in my previous posts, obviously everyone has a difference of opinion when it comes to using these Services.

Just looked back through my notes and I've got this to say about my last two 82/82A (and 83 at the time) journeys.

83 - Washington to Birtley - Cadet 8260: no more than half a dozen people on when we left the Galleries, and people got on and off throughout the journey, eventually just myself and two OAPs onboard by the time we hit Birtley.

82 - Washington to Concord - Cadet 8255: this journey was quite crowded, about 2/3 of the bus was full when we left Washington, and like the last journey people got on and off throughout, but it died down towards Concord when a lot of people left the bus.

Obviously only one experience is from AFTER the changes, but thought I'd just share them anyway.

To be honest I agree with Malarkey, how can it be making money if like 90% of the passengers are pensioners who don't pay!

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Just looked back through my notes and I've got this to say about my last two 82/82A (and 83 at the time) journeys.

83 - Washington to Birtley - Cadet 8260: no more than half a dozen people on when we left the Galleries, and people got on and off throughout the journey, eventually just myself and two OAPs onboard by the time we hit Birtley.

82 - Washington to Concord - Cadet 8255: this journey was quite crowded, about 2/3 of the bus was full when we left Washington, and like the last journey people got on and off throughout, but it died down towards Concord when a lot of people left the bus.

Obviously only one experience is from AFTER the changes, but thought I'd just share them anyway.

The 83 was one of the most pointless services i've ever seen when in Birtley

To be honest I agree with Malarkey, how can it be making money if like 90% of the passengers are pensioners who don't pay!

But don't DCC or who ever is in control of these OAP passes not pay for their journeys instead?

To be honest I agree with Malarkey, how can it be making money if like 90% of the passengers are pensioners who don't pay!

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The 83 was one of the most pointless services i've ever seen when in Birtley

Didn't appear to be as popular as the 82!

The Galleries to Concord section of the route takes quite a few cash fares. Especially from around the Barmston area. That's certainly been my experience when using the routes.

Personally I dont think you can argue with my point of View when it comes to the Washington Local Services, as I lived where I am currently living (Lambton) for 15 Years now, and before that from the Day I was Born I lived at (Barmston), so I have lived on the Route all my life at two different points, which just so happen to be the two sections of the Route in which we are debating are the Busiest in terms of Passenger Numbers, and of course I have lived through numerous variations of the current service provided, just I thought I would share this for this those who are unaware and would like to continue having a topical debate with me on this batch of services  .

So explain to me then if the were not "Loss Making Services" why the 82/82As Frequency was reduced to Every 30 Minutes from Birtley to Washington and Concord to Heworth, other than not many Passengers using the Service between the two points, there has to be other reasons as to why you would cut the frequency of the Service in Half.

Would of thought with opening of the New Morrisons Supermarket and Housing Development on Birtley Northside, a frequency of Every 15 Minutes would be maintained and perhaps justified, As for the Allocation of Cadets that is fair point, at the time they were put onto the Service there were a lot of Standees on Service when using MPDs, so the Vehicle upgrade was Justified, but now as a Result of recent Service Changes I think they would cope just fine with MPDs  hence what I have said to Davie in my previous posts, obviously everyone has a difference of opinion when it comes to using these Services.

Just because a 15-minute frequency could not be justified on two sections of the route does not mean to say that it's a "loss-making service". Are you suggesting that the 56 is a "loss-making service" because it was reduced to a 12-minute frequency opposed to its previous 10 minute frequency? I think not.

As for the majority of passengers being concessionary pass holders - all bus operators receive a "no better no worse off" average fare for these customers.