(08 Nov 2014, 9:09 am)John_R wrote I've just seen 4805 leaving Faverdale in the direction of A1M on the back of a low loader.

(10 Nov 2014, 8:08 pm)mb134 wrote Will Arriva refurbish the 05-plate Darts at some point? Was on one at the weekend and it seemed a bit tired, can't remember the exact fleetnumber though

(10 Nov 2014, 8:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote They're due to be disposed of shortly... maybe next year? Book value lower than the Cadets I am told (!)

1476 is on sapphire service 7 again today

1320-8 from Southern Counties (E200s) - seating presently marked as B34F up from B32D however it remains to be seen when they appear what seating they will be (in comparsion, 1301-3/5-7/9/13/5 are B40F and 1304/8/10-2/4 are B38F).

(11 Nov 2014, 10:49 am)DaveyBowyer wrote What a waste seeing 7453 - 56 going to Durham. Two of them would be ideal extra buses for the Summer X93.

(11 Nov 2014, 9:48 am)Jimmi wrote Where was this and what time?

(11 Nov 2014, 10:51 am)tyresmoke wrote Except they won't match the spec of the B9TLs so it's likely that they will get similar MAX deckers for the summer season.

(11 Nov 2014, 1:16 pm)Dan wrote Just guess you've got to balance retaining the same spec with having vehicles which will cope and not breakdown. I'd anticipate that any route details would be removed prior to this happening, too.

(11 Nov 2014, 2:51 pm)Andreos1 wrote A Vxxx DNL MPD was NIS with a fitter behind the wheel, heading towards Durham from Darlington (on the A1) this morning.

(11 Nov 2014, 2:49 pm)Jimmi wrote 1647 on the 5, is it really acceptable to allocate a 16 year old ex London Dart that is making a terrible knocking noise, heating on full pelt making me choke or maybe that's because it smells like burning. Why are we getting buses that are bad enough on the 9/10 round Darlington just so the X66 can have OUR!!! better buses because its buses are away getting refurbished, seriously some of the buses on the 5/5A are about 16 months old, yet we are presently getting 16 YEAR OLD buses that are not suitable for the 1/5/5A. Arriva you have let us down once again.

(11 Nov 2014, 5:20 pm)RobinHood wrote YOUR buses?

Why don't you just relax a little. You know why the buses are allocated slightly surprisingly at the moment. It's only temporary. How the depot allocate their vehicles, is up to them, not you.

Darlington are usually pretty good, so a conscious decision to use Pulsars on the X66 is probably down to a reason, my guess, reliability.

I'll ask Arriva to give you a ring in the morning to make sure their allocation suits you... Sod anyone else.

(11 Nov 2014, 2:06 pm)Jimmi wrote Now have the displeasure of 1306 on the 8 with the seats with zero leg room which has caused me to put my legs on the seat. Also it is very loud yet very slow.

It's late too!

(11 Nov 2014, 5:50 pm)Cock Robin wrote Well, it has been at Redcar. It was lucky to get out alive.

(11 Nov 2014, 5:39 pm)Jimmi wrote Problem is the Darts aren't suited to the 1/5/5A or X66 and there has been lots of complaints from people about the allocation of old Darts to these services and will affect reliability on the 1/5/5A and the 5/5A can't keep to the timetable as it is and allocating bus that are well past it going up hills will make it the reliability even worse as older buses are more prone to brake downs too and to make matters even worse Walting Road is closed in Bishop Auckland  so the 5/5A are diverted so slow old Darts are going to be no use at keeping to the timetable. I don't see how it is fair how the regular passengers of the 1/5/5A should have to suffer these old Darts while the Pulsars are allocated to another service and when the MAX refurbishment is done will we get the benefits of the MAX features, no we have to suffer horrific allocations and breakdowns and being late just so the service which has buses missing get to have decent buses. I will say Darts and Prestiges are not ideal on the X66 so they aren't using them on there but it still seems unfair that another service has to suffer while the X66 gets investment.

Also 4007 on the 8 yesterday, what if a wheelchair user wanted to travel from Chilton Lane to Darlington but couldn't board the bus as there was no ramp to allow them to access to board the bus so they either go home or have to wait an hour as there is no other service that runs there

(11 Nov 2014, 5:20 pm)RobinHood wrote YOUR buses?

Why don't you just relax a little. You know why the buses are allocated slightly surprisingly at the moment. It's only temporary. How the depot allocate their vehicles, is up to them, not you.

Darlington are usually pretty good, so a conscious decision to use Pulsars on the X66 is probably down to a reason, my guess, reliability.

I'll ask Arriva to give you a ring in the morning to make sure their allocation suits you... Sod anyone else.

(11 Nov 2014, 5:53 pm)tyresmoke wrote Perhaps they should have swapped some Darts with B10BLE's from Stockton or Redcar, they could handle the X66 day in day out no problem.