(06 Sep 2014, 10:40 am)Dan wrote I'd suggest the trial has been very successful.

For a light-weight vehicle, 5375 has exceeded my expectations to say the very least. I had a ride of it on August 30th from Stanley all the way back to Sunderland on the 8, and I was impressed. The vehicle did get very warm at the back, and I could feel that the vehicle was being pushed to its limits (especially on the small A19 stretch), but it's managed to keep to time which suggests that it can cope.

I really do think that Go North East will invest in a light-weight vehicle for the "Lime" - whether it's the Streetlite or the Versa, I do not know. I do think this will be a temporary stop-gap measure, which will tie the services over for a few years (perhaps the 2018/19 financial year) before heavy-weight vehicles are brought in. That way, Go North East can upgrade the "Lime" again (or whatever it may become) and upgrade another service with fairly new vehicles. I'd also suggest the same will happen with the Citylink.


If you want to have a go, it'll be on the 11:53 #8 from Sunderland.

(06 Sep 2014, 10:59 am)Michael wrote Least its done good, i really thought it would struggle with it being a long route....

Not being a streetlite expert... could they not get a bigger engine for it.

I do hope we still a citaro on the routes.. but if we have to have versa or streetlite, thats fine with me.

If its gonna be like a stop gap order like the city... what do u think the city link will get in a couple of years?

(06 Sep 2014, 10:59 am)Michael wrote If its gonna be like a stop gap order like the city... what do u think the city link will get in a couple of years?

(06 Sep 2014, 11:04 am)Robert wrote Suppose its too early to say that yet. Personally, would something like the Citaro be any good? Thats saying, the bus market could easily change between now and then so it may provide better options for the services. That question has actually got me wondering slightly.

(06 Sep 2014, 11:13 am)Michael wrote Atm i would think the citaros are expensive, i do hope we see more citaro orders....

Might be wrong and we may get citaro orders this year...

(06 Sep 2014, 11:16 am)Dan wrote You're right.
Manufacturers are cashing in on the introduction of Euro 6 to the bus market, with prices being a lot higher compared to previous years.

It's a similar story on the mobile phone market. A new iPhone is released with x, y and z features, which allegedly deliver an improved user experience, but is priced higher than the previous model when first released. Manufacturers know that they can do this, because although some people will wait until the price goes down, a lot of people will still want to be one of the first to have this new product.

Mercedes Citaros are expensive regardless, simply due to the fact they're of a high quality build... A Euro 6 one is even more expensive though.

(06 Sep 2014, 11:16 am)Dan wrote You're right.
Manufacturers are cashing in on the introduction of Euro 6 to the bus market, with prices being a lot higher compared to previous years.

It's a similar story on the mobile phone market. A new iPhone is released with x, y and z features, which allegedly deliver an improved user experience, but is priced higher than the previous model when first released. Manufacturers know that they can do this, because although some people will wait until the price goes down, a lot of people will still want to be one of the first to have this new product.

Mercedes Citaros are expensive regardless, simply due to the fact they're of a high quality build... A Euro 6 one is even more expensive though.

(06 Sep 2014, 2:36 pm)Michael wrote Will the last 2 remaining Limes be stripped of their branding so they are just plain green?

(06 Sep 2014, 2:44 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Saw one last Sunday and it looked like they were already starting to debrand it.
The front and rear branding had gone.

(06 Sep 2014, 11:11 am)Dan wrote Originally, I think they were wanting Volvo B9TLs for the Citylink, to assist with higher loadings at peak times. Obviously, they're no longer available, but I'd imagine that they'd still want to go for double decked vehicles.

Go North East are usually very good at allocating double decked vehicles to services which perhaps don't actually justify them during the day time, but during peaks, do. It's something which we've discussed elsewhere on the board, which other operators aren't quite as good at.

As you can imagine, heavy-weight double deckers are more expensive than light-weight single deckers, and have higher running costs too.

Allocating light-weight single deckers to the "Citylink" for x amount of years means that they've delivered higher profits compared to previous years with the allocation of the artics, and this helps when Go North East are submitting capital expenditure to Go-Ahead, because higher profits mean that heavy-weight vehicles can be justified easier. Double deckers, which would presumably be fitted with Wi-Fi and power sockets, would hopefully see passenger growth, and this is how they would workaround the higher running costs to deliver the same, if not higher, profit levels. Of course, this is a few years away yet, so anything could happen...

(06 Sep 2014, 2:44 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Saw one last Sunday and it looked like they were already starting to debrand it.
The front and rear branding had gone.

(06 Sep 2014, 2:48 pm)Michael wrote Would look daft, if they kept them branded, hopefully they remove it from the site soon to!

(06 Sep 2014, 11:16 am)Dan wrote You're right.
Manufacturers are cashing in on the introduction of Euro 6 to the bus market, with prices being a lot higher compared to previous years.

It's a similar story on the mobile phone market. A new iPhone is released with x, y and z features, which allegedly deliver an improved user experience, but is priced higher than the previous model when first released. Manufacturers know that they can do this, because although some people will wait until the price goes down, a lot of people will still want to be one of the first to have this new product.

Mercedes Citaros are expensive regardless, simply due to the fact they're of a high quality build... A Euro 6 one is even more expensive though.

(06 Sep 2014, 2:47 pm)aureolin wrote I think free WiFi has to be seen as a necessity with any new order. It's the one feature that bus travel has over any other mode of local/regional transport at the minute.

(06 Sep 2014, 4:11 pm)morritt89 wrote I know a lot of people like the Mercedes but I'm now fan myself. Regarding build quality though (or maybe over enthusiastic drivers?) have you seen the dashboard area on some of the Laser branded examples?

(06 Sep 2014, 5:49 pm)Racer_Experience wrote 4921 is now red seen here photographed by me on my own turf https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/15157277122/in/photostream/

(06 Sep 2014, 4:13 pm)Dan wrote Whilst I do agree, and think that Wi-Fi should become standard on all buses, I don't think it will (just yet).

There are a lot of services that are primarily used by passengers that don't have smartphones or where most (if not all) journeys are short hops. I'm guessing that this is the reason why the "Saltwell Park" and "Venture" branded buses aren't Wi-Fi enabled, and I'd suggest that the same will apply to the new X66 buses too.


The dash is appalling on most of the "Laser" branded examples, but you do quite regularly see drivers smacking the buttons to open/close the doors...

(06 Sep 2014, 7:07 pm)northern156 wrote Red corporate livery 3941 was working a 10B through Prudhoe earlier on.

Is this a B7 or a B9? It looks like it has the original Gemini bodywork (which to me would suggest B7) but sounded like a B9TL.

(06 Sep 2014, 7:08 pm)Marcus wrote I think 3941 is a B7. Not too good with engines and stuff.

(06 Sep 2014, 5:50 pm)Dan wrote Reported here.

(06 Sep 2014, 8:14 pm)Racer_Experience wrote wonder how many days it has been in service must have been out the paintshop last night or something i saw it coming home on 27 which was 4916 at 1st i thought it was 4922 but anyhow got 4921 fresh out of the paint shed

(06 Sep 2014, 8:16 pm)Dan wrote 4921 returned to service on Friday, after being repainted. Today was its second day in service.

(06 Sep 2014, 8:18 pm)Racer_Experience wrote didnt see any photos on flickr yesterday the only one who has took one on its 2nd day was me but others will follow my example weather its on X10 or not

(06 Sep 2014, 8:21 pm)Robert wrote And that makes you special because...? Not every bus enthusiast that takes photos has a flickr account so we are all unable to identify whether you were the first person to take a photo of 4921 after its repaint or on the 2nd day in service (whichever you are claiming)

(06 Sep 2014, 8:24 pm)Racer_Experience wrote others could have been yesterday but i wasn't fussed who it was 4921 is a special vehicle to me was the 1st photo i ever took

(06 Sep 2014, 10:38 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote It's not competition Bazza, Who cares who got the first photo of a Repainted Bus.