(28 Sep 2021, 10:21 pm)Train8261 wrote They need to sort allocations out like

306 is a mix of Deckers, Solos, StreetLite and VDL Pulsar

52/53/54 is a mix of StreetLite & Solos with the odd Pulsar and decker chucked in

43/44/45 is the same as the 306 taking away the Solos

X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 is mainly DB300 Wright Gemini with the odd few Pulsar chucked in

X14/X15/X18 is mainly all deckers but a mix of E400 and MMC

X21/X22 is Mainly always MMC but with the odd Solo thrown is as well

I'd say the only routes that have full allocations all the time is the 685 & 51/51A

I mean the 306 is branding on two different buses

(28 Sep 2021, 10:21 pm)Train8261 wrote X14/X15/X18 is mainly all deckers but a mix of E400 and MMC

(28 Sep 2021, 10:21 pm)Train8261 wrote X21/X22 is Mainly always MMC but with the odd Solo thrown is as well

(28 Sep 2021, 10:44 pm)Storx wrote The reason there's no allocations per say is because buses get swapped around at Blyth and Jesmond to keep buses on time. It's better than the alternative of curtailing buses short to keep things on the same route. I know which option I'd rather have and nearly every normal customer would agree.

Arriva also have mixed allocations for some routes as there's some boards busier than others. What's the point in having deckers on something when all it needs a full single.

This forums the dull the last few weeks. Just constant moaning about allocations when it's the least of problems atm with a massive driver shortage and because of Covid, parts shortages aswell.

(29 Sep 2021, 4:15 am)citaro5284 wrote It will be interesting how this would work if the rumoured new depot at East Hartford gets built and Blyth closes, as they will not have the buses at Blyth to play around with.

(29 Sep 2021, 4:15 am)citaro5284 wrote It will be interesting how this would work if the rumoured new depot at East Hartford gets built and Blyth closes, as they will not have the buses at Blyth to play around with.

(28 Sep 2021, 8:58 pm)Keeiajs wrote Lets face it Arriva has given up. There is still MAX branding off 4 years ago. Vinyl Wraps to cover stuff up. 

Arriva aren't ordering many new buses (bar london) they will probs just end up selling off Depots.

(01 Oct 2021, 5:50 pm)Driver9*** wrote Main reason a lot of Blyth Geminis are being done is because they were still showing X10/11 "Up to every 10 minutes" which is not the case now and never will be again, 15 mins is more than adequate as long as DD are used.

(04 Oct 2021, 7:56 pm)Cock Robin wrote They're going to need a hell of a lot of new buses in 5 or so years time when the Pulsars and Temsas need replacing,  not to mention deckers and Solos. They haven't had continous investment like GNE and Stagecoach.

(04 Oct 2021, 8:18 pm)Train8261 wrote Arriva should take ideas from other Arriva companies up and down the country.

Optare Versa, StreetDeck, E200MMC, Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 2, Mercedes-Benz Citaro

(04 Oct 2021, 8:25 pm)Storx wrote Must have missed the continuous fleet renewal at Stagecoach mind. They're in a worse place atm imo with buses which need withdrawing now nevermind in 5 years and there's nothing planned. Not to mention the majority of the fleet haven't been refurbished since new and are extremely outdated, regardless to what people thought of the Arriva refurbs.

They've also got an awful lot of 08/58/09/60/11/61 buses which will need renewing at the same and since some of them are cheap MAN rubbish they'll need replacing aswell.

Arriva has always ran it like that though, with a similar scenario between 2001 - 2007 where nothing was really ordered except it was much much worse than it is now with the leaking Scania's at Blyth which we're shot, Olympians still in the smartie interior and stuff like this https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8142/7637379970_d717e9fefc.jpg running on frontline services. People would have a field day on here if it was back then.

Not to mention ex Darts from anywhere they could find them, Metroriders everywhere which were completely shot and Prestige's which the less said is better.

(04 Oct 2021, 10:08 pm)L469 YVK wrote I think the big thing back then was the likes of N3** OTY and P4** CCU and M3** FTY were built to last.

If Arriva had a fleet of B9TLs and E400s (latter not used on any Alnwick X routes or X93), they'd be fine.

GNE have a large fleet of B9TLs and unless the EV bid is approved for the Cobalts & Angel (meaning perhaps StreetDecks cascaded onto the 27 or 56 with some B9TLs cascading elsewhere within GNE or GAG), they'll likely be run in frontline service for 12-15 years.

ANE ordering new vehicles for the X15/X18, X21/X22 and X93 would be a good starting point. Plenty of decent cascades available from these down.

In turn, the cascades would upgrade the X14 (newer E400), X20 (B9TL), 43/44/45 (newer E400) and 308 (E400MMC voith).

(04 Oct 2021, 10:25 pm)Storx wrote Not sure on the OTY batch at Blyth like they we're bloody awful. You couldn't sit on the seats near the windows splits when it was raining from water pouring in and they used to absolutely stink of damp. Horrid buses by the end and some of them were with withdrawn early at 13 year old, shocking build quality. The Gemini's and Pulsar's are much better built machines imo and will last awhile yet. The Commanders lasted 18 year without any real bother and could've easily lived on in service.

Can't argue against the Olympians though but they we're seriously outdated by the end especially on the X21/X22, that said I wouldn't purchase new buses for it though and would focus personally on the likes of the X66/X67, X26/X27 which are crying for investment and the X15/X18 due to the problem's with reliability.

It's the Solo's which need replacing imo as they're life expired pretty much now (usually 12 year for a minibus) and they're falling apart some of them, 2809 in particular for being extremely unreliable (potentially the worst bus in the North East).

(04 Oct 2021, 10:25 pm)Storx wrote Can't argue against the Olympians though but they we're seriously outdated by the end especially on the X21/X22, that said I wouldn't purchase new buses for it though and would focus personally on the likes of the X66/X67, X26/X27 which are crying for investment and the X15/X18 due to the problem's with reliability.

It's the Solo's which need replacing imo as they're life expired pretty much now (usually 12 year for a minibus) and they're falling apart some of them, 2809 in particular for being extremely unreliable (potentially the worst bus in the North East).

(05 Oct 2021, 10:41 pm)Jimmi wrote Think the Omnis based at Darlington could be gone by end of this year/start of next once the 3 ex Tiger OmniLinks land (one snapped with it's new paint job today so shouldn't be long) and think most of the remainder will go once the refurbishment of the gas buses at Darlington is complete.

Solos is an interesting one because of CAZ, can't seem them paying to convert what will be 14 year old life expired Solos for it, not convinced even transferring Darlington's 11 year old Solos would be worth it either and likely will depend whatever else happens to services, think frequency cuts with larger buses like what's happened with the 1 & 2 already is possible again.

A decker order, ideally for X15/X18 would probs be enough to sort out the worst of our problems, just really the 20 year year B7TLs that are an issue and even then depends how you look at it as to whether it's a major issue or not, maybe another Northumberland route if they're willing to splash the cash but I doubt it. I can't much major investment really occurring until about 2024 when the oldest Pulsars and VDL Geminis hit 15 years of age.

(05 Oct 2021, 10:41 pm)Jimmi wrote Think the Omnis based at Darlington could be gone by end of this year/start of next once the 3 ex Tiger OmniLinks land (one snapped with it's new paint job today so shouldn't be long) and think most of the remainder will go once the refurbishment of the gas buses at Darlington is complete.

Solos is an interesting one because of CAZ, can't seem them paying to convert what will be 14 year old life expired Solos for it, not convinced even transferring Darlington's 11 year old Solos would be worth it either and likely will depend whatever else happens to services, think frequency cuts with larger buses like what's happened with the 1 & 2 already is possible again.

A decker order, ideally for X15/X18 would probs be enough to sort out the worst of our problems, just really the 20 year year B7TLs that are an issue and even then depends how you look at it as to whether it's a major issue or not, maybe another Northumberland route if they're willing to splash the cash but I doubt it. I can't much major investment really occurring until about 2024 when the oldest Pulsars and VDL Geminis hit 15 years of age.

• &Train82611411 and 1408 have both lost there Max branding and now have just the Arriva Logo