After the transfer of some buses. 1407 is on the X7 and 1461 is on the 308

Ridiculously poor showing from Ashington today:

1401/2, 7484, 7515, 7530 and 7553 all spending the day on Sapphire work.

16 year old 7445 spent the day on the X14.

2 E400 MMCs have spent all/part of the day on the 57 cycle in place of Solos.

Blame lack of investment as much as you'd like, and no doubt it plays a part, but they've had 2 months of a reduced PVR to get their house in order and failed. You wonder what the engineering staff and/or local management have actually been doing in that time.

Ashington don't care anymore. They have lost 1407 for whatever reason. Apparently 1401 and 1402 have gone to Ashington. The darts and solos are even becoming terrible. No wonder Ashington shoves Decker's on the 57 rota

Ashington need serious investment, some OM936 streetdecks or More MMCs for expresses and some more reliable minibuses would do them the world of good.

(12 Apr 2021, 7:27 pm)GNE6312 wrote Ashington need serious investment, some OM936 streetdecks or More MMCs for expresses and some more reliable minibuses would do them the world of good.

Agreed. Bar the minibuses, the average age of the fleet isn't bad. The issue is that the express routes absolutely kill buses at the best of times, and those 57/09 plates are beyond shot.

But Arriva won't spend money

To my horror and surprise the 57/57A doesn't have a decker on it today

(15 Apr 2021, 8:36 am)Micheal Aaron Parker wrote To my horror and surprise the 57/57A doesn't have a decker on it today

Ok

What in theory should the 57/57A be allocated.

(15 Apr 2021, 9:42 am)ASX_Terranova wrote What in theory should the 57/57A be allocated.

MPDs 1800/1801 and 2 Solo's.

But its been deckers as of late

2837 was on the 53 at about 14:45 today (16/4/21)

7634 on 57A today (18/4/21)

(18 Apr 2021, 4:28 pm)V514DFT wrote 7634 on 57A today (18/4/21)

Not really a rare working, Blyth do a few runs on a Sunday and also do a few runs around 7pm during the week and throw anything on. It's always either a Gemini or Pulsar, quite often a Gemini lately though.

Aye. They can go through 3 different buses on that route on a Sunday

2871 on Sapphire x4 to Whitby. 12-00 ex Boro.

1402-57/57A

Arriva North East | 1801 by VDyLan Transport Photography, on Flickr

MPD 1801 providing MAX capacity, performance and comfort today.

Meanwhile 7446 was on the X20 (prior to dying in Alnwick), and 7484 spent another day giving X21/22 passengers some Swedish pleasure (not really rare at this point to be honest).

https://flic.kr/p/2kUsnyx 1402 having its legs tired on the 57rota

1493 - X7 school duplicate between Seaton Delaval and Blyth this afternoon, the same X7 duplicate that should be allocated deckers as it Caries around 50+ students so whoever allocated that is slightly stupid.

The 685 seems to be operated solely by Pulsars these days. I cannot remember the last time I saw an Omnicity in Cumbria. Are 4660, 4661 and 4662 banned from travelling far these days?

An E400 is a regular appearance for the afternoon schooltime round trip.

(30 Apr 2021, 6:20 pm)Brampton Trev wrote The 685 seems to be operated solely by Pulsars these days.  I cannot remember the last time I saw an Omnicity in Cumbria.  Are 4660, 4661 and 4662 banned from travelling far these days?

An E400 is a regular appearance for the afternoon schooltime round trip.

I don't think the branded 685 buses can do the full route as they kept breaking down at Hexham and not being able to do a full journey