(10 Mar 2017, 4:35 pm)omnicity4659 wrote All the green StreetLites from Durham and Ashington are moving to Jesmond...

(10 Mar 2017, 5:08 pm)mb134 wrote Except they are complaining about the presence of express services...

https://www.facebook.com/gosforthtraffic/photos/a.299702410139440.62999.296686320441049/1139802902796049/?type=3&theater

See Stewart Falconer, John Dockerty and Susan Pike's comments.

(10 Mar 2017, 11:26 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The 23?

(10 Mar 2017, 5:08 pm)mb134 wrote Except they are complaining about the presence of express services...

https://www.facebook.com/gosforthtraffic/photos/a.299702410139440.62999.296686320441049/1139802902796049/?type=3&theater

See Stewart Falconer, John Dockerty and Susan Pike's comments.

IMG_0762.JPG (Size 157.58 KB | Downloads 30)

(10 Mar 2017, 11:31 pm)Jimmi wrote I have heard some rumours about the 23 possibly becoming a Sapphire route.

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(10 Mar 2017, 7:31 pm)Malarkey wrote Arriva Premium - Arriva Wales 4409 (J900 ABW) - Note the post also mentions that Arriva Wales have 12 (Enviro 400 City's) on order, wonder if we'll be seeing some up here on the X21/X22 then as rumoured.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/arrivanorthwestwaleswrexhamdepotfleet/32548880983/in/feed

(11 Mar 2017, 5:45 am)tyresmoke wrote Indeed, one of a few Sapphire projects up here in the NE this year I believe.

(10 Mar 2017, 4:48 pm)Malarkey wrote I don't think they are complaining about the presence of express services along there local corridor at all, I would say they are complaining about a service which is being operated by 17/18 Year Old Vehicles which carry a Euro 2 Vehicle Emission rating, while other services have seen significant investment whether that be with new vehicles like on the X21/X22 or have had an Interior Refurb with other upgrades such as Wifi retrofitted etc to improve a passengers experience of using it's services, why should those passengers using the 43/44/45 not be offered the same level of service as those on others on other routes along the same corridor.

(11 Mar 2017, 1:39 pm)Michael wrote Would be good for the X21 to join Sapphire too, means all the Sunderland will be Sapphire.

(11 Mar 2017, 1:31 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Standard spec E400, as most 14 regs are being retained.

(11 Mar 2017, 6:18 pm)L469 YVK wrote Anyway, here are my predictions:

Ashington:
X21 / X22: PVR 15 - 12x E400MMC + 7522,23,24 with 7525 as spare

Jesmond:
43/44/45: PVR 10 - 9x E400 7501-09 + 7518 and no spare due to the fact that if 7501-09 had not have been chosen to be upgraded to Sapphire, then these routes although receiving newer vehicles wouldn't have benefited from such cascade otherwise. Therefore, a  normal specification but reasonable quality double deck vehicle would suffice as a spare.

For the next moves, there are currently 6x Pulsars available for Sapphire service 7 between Darlington and Belmont as well as an additional one available at Jesmond. The moves would mean that with all 7x being put to use, the following Sapphire single deck vehicles consisting of (correct me if I'm wrong and they're used albeit with out any branding for the supposed routes) 1479, 1517 and 1595 would become available as spares.

Belmont / Darlington:
7: PVR 10
- 8x E400 7526-28 + 7534-37, 7540
- 2x Wright Pulsar 2 1522-23 with 1479 as spare at Darlington not respective of where the main 2x are based due to the higher number of boards being operated by Darlington

Belmont:
22: PVR 5 - 5x Wright Pulsar 2 1512-16

After the above, it would then leave 2x spare vehicles covering a PVR of 32x (7, 22, 23, 24) out of Belmont Depot. However, the number of spare vehicles could be increased should more become available if surplus and refurbished if needed.

(11 Mar 2017, 7:39 pm)L469 YVK wrote Opps, sorry about that, I meant service 23!  Will change my original post.

(11 Mar 2017, 3:10 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote Supposedly the X21/X22 Darlington/Middlesbrough to Peterlee/Sunderland are going MAX

(12 Mar 2017, 10:48 am)Michael wrote Ah right, using the gas buses?, be good if it was all pulsar.

(12 Mar 2017, 10:55 am)Jimmi wrote Not really possible to use gas buses on the X22 due to it being operated by Stockton depot and only Darlington depot have the facilities to refuel them. Was rumours of the X21 getting Pulsar's but uncertain if this is still the case.

(12 Mar 2017, 10:48 am)Michael wrote Ah right, using the gas buses?

(12 Mar 2017, 10:58 am)2bagstew wrote Arriva where looking too use Pulsar2 on the X21 when it goes MAX but the have gone quiet.


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(12 Mar 2017, 11:06 am)Jimmi wrote Difficult to say what may or may not happen really due to the changes in logos and brandings at Arriva. There is also the matter of where EcoCity's would go if they are removed from the X21.

(11 Mar 2017, 11:20 pm)Tom wrote I'm pretty sure the pvr of the 43, 44 and 45 is more than 10 too

(12 Mar 2017, 11:14 am)2bagstew wrote I was thinking the same maybe the X21 maybe one of the first services to use the new green logos. Or nothing could change, anyway I think they won't be any changes until Durham CC have renewed there bus contracts due to start the end this October.
Tenders are being sent out.



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(12 Mar 2017, 11:24 am)Jimmi wrote Thought the new Durham County Council contracts started sometime in July, or has things changed?

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(12 Mar 2017, 11:18 am)Kuyoyo wrote X21/X22 will be going MAX with their current vehicle allocations. X22 is said to be going MAX by July - giving the full time launch of the half hour frequency between Middlesbrough and North Tees Hospital is said to be starting then.

(12 Mar 2017, 11:26 am)2bagstew wrote They have extended the original by 3 months

(12 Mar 2017, 10:56 am)JoshP wrote So, just to clarify, with the changes to the X21/X22 deckers, will service 7 in Darlo benefit? Maybe some of the newer deckers? Reducing the number of pulsars which will then be used on the 23? Or am I reading everything the wrong way?

Also when is the NE fleet due to start the rebranding into the new Arriva liveries (Premium, Epresss etc...) will anything change internally or just externally?

(12 Mar 2017, 11:48 am)omnicity4659 wrote The new E400s for Ashington's X21/X22 are the only ones this year for the North East, I'm told. 

The rollout of the teal liveries is imminent, there should be some buses at Thornton's being repainted teal, if not due there very soon. The new Arriva logo and Premium, Express etc don't get rolled out until 2018, with vehicles carrying "ARRIVASapphire" "ARRIVAMax" in the interim.

(12 Mar 2017, 11:32 am)Jimmi wrote Should be interesting to see how refurbs will work with Darlington's EcoCity's especially with the different seats being used in the ex demonstrator examples and the fact that most of the recent MAX refurbishments in the North East have USB charging ports, not quite sure where you would put them on the ex demo's as I ain't sure you would be able to put them on the backs of the seats.


Thanks, last I heard it was charging in July.

(12 Mar 2017, 11:57 am)L469 YVK wrote Opps, it will be more as I have completely disregarded the fact that the 43 got extended to Morpeth.

Therefore, it would stand like this

Ashington:
- X21/X22 PVR 15 - 12x E400MMC + 7522,23,24 and 7525 as spare

Jesmond:
- 43/44/45 PVR 13 - 7501-09 + 7526-28 + 7518 with no dedicated spare and a suitable double deck vehicle being used in place if required

However, due to there only being 3x 09 plate Sapphire Enviro 400s at Belmont for service 6 (7519-21), they could be brought up in exchange for
7526-28 which would in turn keep the age of the vehicles on service 6 roughly the same as well as the age of the vehicles on the 43/44/45 roughly the same too.

(12 Mar 2017, 12:37 pm)Kuyoyo wrote There's a reason Jesmond got 1512 from Stockton - not all the 43/44/45 turns are booked for deckers you know...........