(16 Mar 2016, 5:56 am)Dan wrote It should be allocated to a preferred running board when it enters service (still at SMR - yet to go to Deptford for familiarisation) which will allow it to finish for 19:00 every day, but there may be instances where it is allocated to another running board instead. It has to be finished for 19:00 due to not being fitted with a vandal screen - this is a trade union agreement for driver safety.


The 829x and 83xx series examples should be withdrawn after 12 years (like the SPDs), as these are midibuses. Minibuses are also usually withdrawn after 12 years.

Full size single decks are the ones which should be withdrawn after 15 years - 51xx, 52xx, 53xx and 54xx series fleet numbers.

(16 Mar 2016, 7:13 am)Michael wrote Cheers Dan =).


Shame the 829x and 83xx only have 3 years left although some are getting quite bad, the 15 year old B10's should be withdrawn this year but that won't happen, hopefully the Versa's will take the role of the "Spare Fleet".

(16 Mar 2016, 7:16 am)NK53 TKT wrote You have no idea how bad some of 8310-8315 are, two months ago 8311 came to my estate, I got off and smoke was pouring out the back
EDIT: The only half decent one is 8314

(16 Mar 2016, 7:13 am)Michael wrote Cheers Dan =).

Shame the 829x and 83xx only have 3 years left although some are getting quite bad, the 15 year old B10's should be withdrawn this year but that won't happen, hopefully the Versa's will take the role of the "Spare Fleet".

(16 Mar 2016, 7:48 am)Dan wrote Don't bother with maths on a morning, eh?

They're 7 years old, so (should) have five years left in the fleet. Obviously some buses are retained for longer - prime example being the Volvo B10BLEs and Volvo Olympians. If reliability becomes a concern, they should be withdrawn in accordance with their predicted life span, to allow reduced engineering costs.

(16 Mar 2016, 7:48 am)Dan wrote Don't bother with maths on a morning, eh?

They're 7 years old, so (should) have five years left in the fleet. Obviously some buses are retained for longer - prime example being the Volvo B10BLEs and Volvo Olympians. If reliability becomes a concern, they should be withdrawn in accordance with their predicted life span, to allow reduced engineering costs.

(16 Mar 2016, 3:05 pm)Davie wrote The Ex Pronto President which is based at Deptford has lost it livery.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:02 pm)Dan wrote 6034 - it entered service at Deptford yesterday on the 36. Optare Metrocity demonstrator 9102 is now at Deptford for familiarisation.

All five Optare Solos for Hexham have now been delivered and the first for Percy Main has been delivered too (672 - NK16BXO). 668 to 671 are all now branded for Tynedale Links, and 667 will be done tomorrow.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:06 pm)Davie wrote Cheers for the info Dan.

Any idea when the Solo's will enter service?

(16 Mar 2016, 4:06 pm)Dan wrote Hexham's five are planned to enter service next week.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:06 pm)Dan wrote Hexham's five are planned to enter service next week.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:02 pm)Dan wrote 6034 - it entered service at Deptford yesterday on the 36. Optare Metrocity demonstrator 9102 is now at Deptford for familiarisation.

All five Optare Solos for Hexham have now been delivered and the first for Percy Main has been delivered too (672 - NK16BXO). 668 to 671 are all now branded for Tynedale Links, and 667 will be done tomorrow.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:10 pm)DanPicken wrote Just for scholars they said....
Hope the NTL becomes Pink Panther.

(15 Mar 2016, 9:18 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Yes its 15 years, But Optare products age faster than the likes of Wrights and ADL Products so id put a 12 year mark on them ( if they can make it till then! )

Versas are a worse product than the Solo, The Chassis/Suspension gets very torn and twisted, and the bodywork quality is comparable to a Wilkos toy car.

The mechanical part of Optare is quite simple but also complicated at the same time because both types have the same engine choices but here it is :

Solos : 4 Cylinder Mercedes ( Arriva have these )  or 6 Cylinder Cummins ISB ( most Scarlet Band ones )   with a Allison 5 speed or in some cases 4 speed Voith

Versas : 4 Cylinder Mercedes ( Same as in the Solo ) or a 6 Cylinder 5.9L Cummins ISB ( GNE Versas ) with the same Allison.

South Tyne Versas's have their Kickdown Disabled ( apart from 8294 ) and their engines have got to the state comparable to a Limp mode Pulsar. and have bodywork problems of a wide variety.

Euro 5 Versas are a lot better than Euro 4s but the bodywork and chassis lets it down.

I'm interested to see how the new Metrocity will be like.

---

(16 Mar 2016, 4:11 pm)Dan wrote I said the depots would make every effort to allocate them to scholars, but there may be instances where they have to be required elsewhere.

The North Tyne Links is being branded as indiGo. This has already been confirmed in the Route One magazine.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:14 pm)DanPicken wrote That's very stupid as it already exists and Pink Panthers used to be in North Tyneside.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:14 pm)DanPicken wrote That's very stupid as it already exists and Pink Panthers used to be in North Tyneside.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:37 pm)BJ10VUS wrote And for a few months in 2006, Pink Panthers used to be in County Durham. To be honest, most 'regular' passengers from Wallsend and North Shields probably aren't going to be using the bus in Peterlee and Durham.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:39 pm)LeeCalder wrote If your going to play that card, CityLink already exists, and that hasn't proved problematic, as far as I'm aware.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:40 pm)DanPicken wrote But they're on the same corridor.

(16 Mar 2016, 4:02 pm)Dan wrote All five Optare Solos for Hexham have now been delivered and the first for Percy Main has been delivered too (672 - NK16BXO). 668 to 671 are all now branded for Tynedale Links, and 667 will be done tomorrow.

(16 Mar 2016, 3:05 pm)Davie wrote The Ex Pronto President which is based at Deptford has lost it livery.

(16 Mar 2016, 5:16 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote 6034 on 39

(16 Mar 2016, 5:38 pm)S813 FVK wrote 557 has been repainted into the corporate livery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/25717599392/in/photostream/
670 in the new Tynedale Links livery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/25717289672/in/photostream/