For February 2021

Thread for February 2021

Appreciate that this thread may only get a few replies, but I was struggling to fit it in to one of the already existing threads so was left with no choice but to create a new thread entirely.

In essence, they've been fiddling around with the destination displays. Again.

This time it seems to be to make the route-varying letter smaller (see here: https://flic.kr/p/2kw3c9k). I've seen a couple of other photos this evening of a couple of 1As of which both had the smaller number so they must be seriously considering rolling this out.

What's the theory behind this one? Is there a small glimmer of evidence that suggests that passengers may find it easier to read the *full* route number when displayed in this way?

I've noticed a significant increase in vehicle failures at Ashington recently, particularly on the Alnwick routes.

Just today the following failed:
7512 made it only a few trips into its 35 this morning.
7529 on the X15 around Belford.
7553 on the X18 around Amble.
7555 on the X14 at Newcastle.
7556 on the X15 at Berwick.

7511/12 appear to be increasingly unreliable, when I was last on 7511 in the summer it was ghastly. 7514 has just returned from 2 weeks off the road, before that it was struggling to make it through a day of service - indeed on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th it was taken out of service on the same board two days running. The 64 and 15 plates (the latter batch *still* had internal Yorkshire branding last I was on one late last year) are going the same way as the rest too, indeed 7555 was restricted to the 35 for a few months last year due to overheating on anything else. The Scanias are probably best ignored, all 3 are somehow out on MAX work today but that happens about once a week at best. 7445 has made it into service a whopping 5 times since Christmas Eve, though only actually completed a full board on 3 of those.

The near constant issues with the MAX deckers means that the 14-plate E400s are getting punted onto the X15/18 etc in their place as presumably they can cope better, leaving the MAX E400s to crawl through their day on the Sapphire routes instead. 

While new vehicles are desperately needed for those routes, I can't help but think engineering standards at Ashington are also falling. The same buses breaking constantly, something being kept on the 35s for months because of overheating (here's an idea, fix it?), 5-6 year old buses unable to perform on their branded routes, all this screams of a poor attitude by the engineering staff and a "that'll do" approach, rather than fixing stuff properly first time.

Then there's the appearance of their vehicles:

• https://flic.kr/p/2koADah. "Does that bumper fit Dave?" "Aye but its the wrong colour and shape" "It's fine man, lets go for lunch".
  
• https://flic.kr/p/DZiNTW. https://flic.kr/p/2kjBhcJ. That's the same vehicle 3 years apart, the same slice through the bodywork between the decks at the rear.
  
• https://flic.kr/p/2kqdeRL. Dented, discoloured, rusting panels all the way along one side.
  

Are depot management blind? Surely, even if they don't have a budget for full repaints, they can make stuff look half presentable.

The new MD being an "experienced engineering director" evidently means sod all. I see Whitby/Redcar had 2 Streetlites on the X93 today too due to a "shortage of serviceable deckers".

What is this? Are services completely off during them times or just particular journeys?

Bustimes.org are indicating that the new Nightingale Shuttle will be numbered "CS", will start to run at 5:22am - then every 20 minutes until 7:12am - then every 15 minutes until 23:49pm and starts on Monday.

https://bustimes.org/services/cs-concord...al-north-e

Had to create a new account as I couldn't get a new password

I've tried emailing the site through the form with no success lol

A sad day for us older types as Worswick Street bus station finally met its demise yesterday.

From 1929 when it first opened until yesterday the old big Northern logo was still visible along with some MetroCity Taxis signage.

I guess this also ends Newcastle Councils dream of moving buses out of Eldon Sq and back to East Pilgrim St.

The site is part of the Reuben brothers redevelopment and will include offices, a garage and a pub...whatever a pub is.

Many happy memories of the 723, 722, 735 and the Durham Road bus wars...ah when we had competition and a not for profit bus network that actually served people and wasn’t just for likes on twitter.

For Rare/Odd Workings January 2021, please stay safe guys,and DO NOT go out your way to find rare/odd workings

For Rare/Odd Workings January 2021, please stay safe guys,and DO NOT go out your way to find rare/odd workings