(10 Oct 2017, 8:59 pm)Michael wrote What do they do for that test?

(10 Oct 2017, 10:04 pm)Malarkey wrote I'll be honest with you here Michael, I haven't a clue.

(08 Oct 2017, 1:07 am)DAmbassador wrote It’s almost like the fleet purchasing policy went out of the window when HM Govt waved a bag of cash infront of a Hybrid purchase option   

I’d imagine Riverside are probably the only depot currently able to maintain the Hybrids alongside CLS. 

On the subject of Angels...wonder if we'll finally get our beloved pink angel livery back   Or perhaps a rebrand back to the original 21 brand.

(05 Oct 2017, 6:45 pm)EMalarkey wrote I believe they are B9 Gemini's

(11 Oct 2017, 11:06 pm)MbusmanT wrote To be fair, the Hybrids are Volvo/Wright Gemini of which Go North East have a large number (B7TL, B9TL and now B5TL) so they were hardly a diversion from fleet purchasing policy.
The hybrids are maintained under contract by Volvo.

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Is this definite that they are getting Volvo B9 from London?

(12 Oct 2017, 4:42 pm)Coppercap40 wrote 5242 is suffering from an identity crisis, it thinks it is a double decker 3887 !!!

(11 Oct 2017, 11:06 pm)busmanT wrote Is this definite that they are getting Volvo B9 from London?

(12 Oct 2017, 2:31 am)nk55 wrote Nothing confirmed, you would know either way.

(13 Oct 2017, 8:52 am)Michael wrote On the VOSA email:


GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Director(s): KEVIN CARR, DAVID CURRY, ALEXANDER PAUL EDWARDS, GEORGE COLIN McPHERSON, DAVID ALLEN BROWN, Simon Patrick Butcher

117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Removed operating centre: SITE 11,, SALTMEADOWS ROAD, GATESHEAD, NE8 3AH

(13 Oct 2017, 1:49 pm)Malarkey wrote Does this mean they are closing Saltmeadows?

(13 Oct 2017, 2:04 pm)Citaro5326 wrote 3983 is now in a black base , any suggestions

(13 Oct 2017, 2:04 pm)Citaro5326 wrote 3983 is now in a black base , any suggestions

(13 Oct 2017, 3:49 pm)S813 FVK wrote From what I understand, these number changes don't mean that the company needs to have that many vehicles kept at each depot, they just can't go over it.

(13 Oct 2017, 3:57 pm)Malarkey wrote 3983 in Black - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/37003145163/in/dateposted/

5304 has also returned to Go North East in the Corporate Livery - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/37003244033/in/feed

(13 Oct 2017, 5:54 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote It's for the Special Events fleet, which I hope isn't anything strenuous.... would of thought they would have held out for more Omnidekkas for standardisation. Still 9 04 plates, 10 54 plates, 5 05 plates, 10 55 plates and 4 06 plates on N94UD down in Brighton apparently, if that Brighton low emission zone thingy is still planned they'll be wanting some of them away surely.

Also, for those in the know - what does the special events fleet entail?

(14 Oct 2017, 8:24 am)Swiny1 wrote Dan do you think GNE will win some of the contracts back. Awful seeing Kingsley (cowboys) operating so much. Some of the buses they have now must be leased but I still think they will balls up

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(14 Oct 2017, 8:43 am)Tom wrote Some of the buses used on the scholars look a mess. Stanley travel have had a President on scholars with a written paper sign for as long as I can remember, and those B7s from London look a mess. One of them still has half of a advert on the back.

(14 Oct 2017, 8:46 am)Swiny1 wrote Totally agree. Scary they are carrying young kids about. My work uses Kingsley for different events and some of your the staff commemted lately on how scary the buses/ driving were

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* The staff

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(14 Oct 2017, 8:24 am)Swiny1 wrote Dan do you think GNE will win some of the contracts back. Awful seeing Kingsley (cowboys) operating so much. Some of the buses they have now must be leased but I still think they will balls up

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(14 Oct 2017, 11:40 am)Dan wrote It is a pity that quality is not taken into consideration with the scholars and Miscellaneous Works contracts.

I'm not suggesting that the likes of Go North East or Arriva are perfect, but at least you can have a bit more confidence that the children who use these services are safe and in the event that something does go wrong, the buses are all equipped with CCTV and telematics systems.

I don't think every independent operator is the same, but this year's significant loss of contracts from Arriva and Go North East has resulted in a large number of smaller independent operators gaining more work, and I think the quality of the vehicles sourced has reduced somewhat. Nightingale Coaches' gains last year saw a fleet of ex-London double-decks acquired which were repainted externally, and they looked pretty tidy. This year is a completely different kettle of fish: buses running around with no fleet names, legal lettering, destination displays, etc. I regularly pass double-decks in Kingsleys Coaches' fleet on my way to work - some of them have what appears to be a bed sheet in the front windscreen on the upper saloon, with some form of advert on it! The ex-London stock Stanley Travel has taken is still running around in London base colours, and again, leaves a lot to be desired.

Go North East has already bailed Nexus out with one or two contracts - one bus from the Special Events fleet has been allocated to a scholars service previously operated by Nightingale Coaches (if I remember rightly) for the past few weeks.