(13 Jan 2014, 8:58 pm)VolvoMarkII wrote Allegedly Redcar/Whitby are to swap an E400 for a Gemini at Blyth sometime next week, as part of a trial to see how they handle the X93, in preperation for the summer. If it works well, they may be another 5 swapped permanent.

I witnessed some of the issues last year and the drivers seemed to be unhappy with the E400 performance on the hills and valleys between Middlesbrough & Scarborough, ultimately resulting in late operation.

(13 Jan 2014, 9:07 pm)tyresmoke wrote Indeed they are! I've argued for a B9 to be trialled from Yorkshire but it seems Geminis will be chosen.

The E400s have been absolutely terrible, with very few of them being on the road at present (as usual) - 7501 has been dumped at Ashington for a number of weeks now.

(14 Jan 2014, 12:09 am)tyresmoke wrote Jesmond based Optare Solo 2815 has been repainted all white. Reason unknown at present.

(14 Jan 2014, 8:36 am)Dan wrote 4080 Awaiting Disposal – Reinstated at Redcar

4097 Redcar – Awaiting Disposal

7367 Awaiting Disposal – Ashington (Replaces Fire Destroyed 7510).


Many thanks to Richard Smiles for providing the information.

(14 Jan 2014, 1:30 pm)bcal3119 wrote Still saw 7367 last week on X20....so the last Olympian still got to leave the fleet

(15 Jan 2014, 6:44 pm)Dan wrote In relation to the Versa demonstrator - currently with Xelabus (as shown here), but returns to Optare tomorrow.
Another very short demonstration, and equally as pointless. Optare must realise that operators cannot get an idea of how the bus performs in a two-week period when approximately half of that is dedicated to familiarisation purposes?

(15 Jan 2014, 7:11 pm)G-CPTN wrote The Versa is not new (2006/7), and several local operators such as GNE must have acquired examples, therefore why is Optare hawking it around?
ArrivaNorthEast had a demonstrator in 2008:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/4515552342/in/set-72157616724137034
Was it not deemed worthy of ordering?

http://www.optare.com/images/brochures/versa%20brochure.pdf

Are sales falling off and are they hoping to fill their order books before they discontinue it?

(14 Jan 2014, 4:56 pm)tyresmoke wrote Could be gone sooner than you think! Unconfirmed reports that 3 ex London deckers have turned up at Ashington depot from Thorntons... If they are for North East then they should replace Olympian 7367 and DAF Spectras 7482/3.

(15 Jan 2014, 8:48 pm)VolvoMarkII wrote Heading for North West allegedly. Some are due North East, but still in London.

(13 Jan 2014, 6:25 pm)Dan wrote Got nothing on having it on frontline service in Durham though.

The Versa and Streetlite Max GNE had on demonstration are going around all GA operators for slightly longer durations than normal demonstrations.

Plymouth Citybus can hardly make a decision based on GNE's trial - their services are nothing like GNE's 44, 58 etc.

(16 Jan 2014, 11:45 am)palatine3833 wrote We were told it was only actually here for familiarisation, not for a demonstration so it was essentially once the entire depot has been familiarised it went back.

(16 Jan 2014, 4:06 pm)Dan wrote Interesting. This would certainly suggest an order is in mind this year.

(16 Jan 2014, 4:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote It would but as far as I know there's none definitely on order, but may be some in an extension to the order.

Interesting to hear the Arriva Bus app is being promoted on TFM Radio and Metro Radio, with a competition to give away various goodies... Its definitely been interesting to watch on my days off to see how things are doing!

(16 Jan 2014, 4:41 pm)Tom wrote When will the Northumbria area of the Live map be active?

(16 Jan 2014, 4:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote It would but as far as I know there's none definitely on order, but may be some in an extension to the order.

Interesting to hear the Arriva Bus app is being promoted on TFM Radio and Metro Radio, with a competition to give away various goodies... Its definitely been interesting to watch on my days off to see how things are doing!

(16 Jan 2014, 4:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote It would but as far as I know there's none definitely on order, but may be some in an extension to the order.

Interesting to hear the Arriva Bus app is being promoted on TFM Radio and Metro Radio, with a competition to give away various goodies... Its definitely been interesting to watch on my days off to see how things are doing!

(16 Jan 2014, 9:05 pm)busman101 wrote I agree on the interesting to see how things are doing - not very well when I had a look the other morning in the peak. There where some huge gaps in the 6 as well - unless some buses weren't showing. The app is brilliant, but you need to get the buses on time to get more folk to use them.

(16 Jan 2014, 9:12 pm)Dan wrote In regards to the app, is it just me who can't keep track of one specific vehicle or is it a universal problem? It always seems to disappear then re-appear about 10-15 seconds later.
If it is a universal problem, does anyone know why it's happening? I can't imagine there being any fault in picking up a signal from a bus at Central Station in Newcastle, but that one cut off a number of times while moving before cutting off completely about 15 minutes ago.

(16 Jan 2014, 9:05 pm)busman101 wrote I agree on the interesting to see how things are doing - not very well when I had a look the other morning in the peak. There where some huge gaps in the 6 as well - unless some buses weren't showing. The app is brilliant, but you need to get the buses on time to get more folk to use them.

(16 Jan 2014, 9:34 pm)Kuyoyo wrote At least people waiting for the 6 know when their bus is likely to turn up when using the app, unlike people waiting for the 21