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Confirm on Facebook that 1/2 will move to Ashington depot on the 22nd of this month

Confirm on Facebook that 1/2 will move to Ashington depot on the 22nd of this month

That's incorrect. 

The 1 is moving on Sunday the 27th, with the 2 following at the end of March (also the 27th I believe).  

Arriva's rotas work Sun-Sat iirc (hence why any service changes come into play on a Sunday), so it would be chaos moving work on the 22nd (a Tuesday).

Does anyone know which vehicles have transferred/will transfer from Blyth to Ashington to operate service 1?

Does anyone know which vehicles have transferred/will transfer from Blyth to Ashington to operate service 1?

Probably buses. Perhaps a horse and cart or a charabanc for a spare.

Does anyone know which vehicles have transferred/will transfer from Blyth to Ashington to operate service 1?

4 Pulsars due to transfer across tomorrow. Believe it's 4 of the corporate liveried ones, with the other 4 currently at Blyth transferring next month with the 2.

Does ashington depot have specific rotas for different routes or a small bus rota and a big bus rota or do drivers drive something different every day?

Does ashington depot have specific rotas for different routes or a small bus rota and a big bus rota or do drivers drive something different every day?

Yep, the minibus rota at Ashington has a set of drivers, supposedly, who are happy with it as it avoids Newcastle. They're quite a friendly bunch aswell tbh given the general comments about Arriva drivers on here. The local pensioners seem to know them by name nowadays on the 57/57A.

Yep, the minibus rota at Ashington has a set of drivers, supposedly, who are happy with it as it avoids Newcastle. They're quite a friendly bunch aswell tbh given the general comments about Arriva drivers on here. The local pensioners seem to know them by name nowadays on the 57/57A.

Thanks I've just applied for ashington depot as they have some nice long routes I'd love to drive.

Thanks I've just applied for ashington depot as they have some nice long routes I'd love to drive.

No worries, best of luck with it.

Does ashington depot have specific rotas for different routes or a small bus rota and a big bus rota or do drivers drive something different every day?

There's the minibus rota as Storx has said, which includes the 57/A and 58, then a few different conventional rotas. 

The main one does the bulk of the 35s, X20s, X21/22s. There's the Morpeth rota which primarily does the X14/5/8, with some 35s and X20s thrown in (believe also some X21/22s on Saturdays at present). In addition, the Alnwick rota is staffed by Alnwick outstation based drivers, and primarily focuses on the X15/8 - given the nature of it, majority of X18 coasts are done by Alnwick drivers. I'm told the 1 will be added to the main Ashington rota, with the 2 going onto the Morpeth one. 

Believe drivers generally start on the minibus rota before moving up.

7524 and 7528 allocated to the 1 for the first day of Ashington operation. (*According to Bustimes*)

Would they not be better eventually converting the 1&2 to a MidiBus operation (StreetLites etc) and have the following rotas:

- 1/2/57/57A/58
- 35/X21/X22
- X14/X15/X18/X20

Would they not be better eventually converting the 1&2 to a MidiBus operation (StreetLites etc) and have the following rotas:

- 1/2/57/57A/58
- 35/X21/X22
- X14/X15/X18/X20

Haven't they just recently converted them to full-size single-decks?

A Streetlite would be classed as a full-size single-deck too.

There's the minibus rota as Storx has said, which includes the 57/A and 58, then a few different conventional rotas. 

The main one does the bulk of the 35s, X20s, X21/22s. There's the Morpeth rota which primarily does the X14/5/8, with some 35s and X20s thrown in (believe also some X21/22s on Saturdays at present). In addition, the Alnwick rota is staffed by Alnwick outstation based drivers, and primarily focuses on the X15/8 - given the nature of it, majority of X18 coasts are done by Alnwick drivers. I'm told the 1 will be added to the main Ashington rota, with the 2 going onto the Morpeth one. 

Believe drivers generally start on the minibus rota before moving up.

Surprised at the 1/2 thought they might have retimetabled them and interworked them like 1 to Blyth -> 2 to Morpeth -> 2 to Blyth -> 1 to Ashington/Widdrington

Would they not be better eventually converting the 1&2 to a MidiBus operation (StreetLites etc) and have the following rotas:

- 1/2/57/57A/58
- 35/X21/X22
- X14/X15/X18/X20

1/2s wouldn't really work with anything less than a full size single deck on their current half hourly frequency. Even on a Pulsar, there's frequently full seated loads in the peaks with Ashington college etc.

Haven't they just recently converted them to full-size single-decks?

A Streetlite would be classed as a full-size single-deck too.

Would they not be classed as a "lightweight" single deck for a starters rota? A bit like the Versas on GNE's Q3 and the Blue rota? (if I'm correct)

Would they not be classed as a "lightweight" single deck for a starters rota? A bit like the Versas on GNE's Q3 and the Blue rota? (if I'm correct)

Go North East’s blue rota is based on work which is contracted (to enable a more competitive bid) or is low margin - nothing to do with vehicle type.

The X20 at Deptford is ran by blue rota drivers, and that’s allocated heavyweight Mercedes Citaros.

The X84/X85 at Hexham until fairly recently ran with brand new ADL E400s.


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The X84/X85 at Hexham until fairly recently ran with brand new ADL E400s.


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That's a surprise! Thought it would've been same rota as the 10(10A/10B) with local work on Blue Rota?

1/2s wouldn't really work with anything less than a full size single deck on their current half hourly frequency. Even on a Pulsar, there's frequently full seated loads in the peaks with Ashington college etc.

Further to that, the loadings of the 57/57a/58 don't really warrant anything bigger than a Solo.

Re. the comments about the driver's on the 57/57a, some have mentioned to me that they do prefer that rota than the Newcastle ones. Most of them are very canny too.

With the 1 going to Ashington so has 1409, 1432, 1461 & 1497

The 2 now appears to be working out of Ashington. Passed 7510 and a sapphire MMC on there earlier.

The 2 now appears to be working out of Ashington. Passed 7510 and a sapphire MMC on there earlier.

It moved when the service changes happened on the 27th March

It moved when the service changes happened on the 27th March

Alongside 1429, 1462, 1463 & 1475.

Forgot it was happening! The two resident Ashington buses appearing on there reminded me haha