(31 Mar 2015, 7:36 pm)Malarkey wrote I think Go North East would be wanting to offload the remaining 52reg Mini Pointer Darts while they can, so I wouldnt think Solo SRs for the East Durham Network is out of the Question Fozz, keep your fingers and toes crossed  , anyway the remaining 52reg MPDs are listed below.

524 - NA52 AWG
536 - NA52 AWY
537 - NA52 AWZ
538 - NA52 AXB
539 - NA52 AXC
541 - NA52 AXF
542 - NA52 AXG
543 - NA52 AXH
544 - NA52 AXJ
545 - NA52 AXK
546 - NA52 AXM
547 - NA52 AXN
548 - NA52 AXO

Alternatively Go North East could give them a Full Internal Refurb and do some more Eminox Modifications to boost there Euro Rating, maybe even retrofit a Flybrid System to them also and have them running for many years to come, who am I kidding ehh.

(31 Mar 2015, 8:11 pm)Michael wrote Those 13 could easily be withdrawn with a decent sized Solo order... hopefully that happens, wouldn't mind seeing a better version of East Durham or North Tyne Links.

(31 Mar 2015, 8:53 pm)Malarkey wrote Potential investment in Solos for the East Durham Network would also free up MPDs 560/562/564/565/573/574/618 and 619, which could replace 8247/8248/8250/8251/8252 at Washington, with 8253/8254 and 8255 from Washington and two Solars off the X66 replacing 8242/8243/8244/8245/8246 at Riverside, This would result in the 52reg Wright Cadets all being Withdrawn from Service.

#MalarkeyIsAManWithAPlan
#HashtagsOnNEB

(31 Mar 2015, 8:58 pm)Michael wrote I'm not sure GNE would want to replace the Cadet's with MPD's, means loss of seats... although that's good for services like the 82/82A which hardly has anyone on...

(31 Mar 2015, 9:13 pm)Malarkey wrote With the exception of peak time Journeys and the obvious service cut at both ends of the route (Heworth/Birtley), I would say Passenger Numbers have gone down dramatically and that the 82/82A would cope just fine with MPDs, as they did in the 10 Years prior to there removal from Service.

(31 Mar 2015, 9:19 pm)Davie wrote II'd like to see Go north east invest in some Optare Solo SR's for the 82 and 82A to replace the Cadets.  I hight doubt this would  happen though 

(31 Mar 2015, 9:43 pm)Malarkey wrote Problem with that is the Services cant even justify the Cost of such an Investment, which is why the Cadets got put on the 82/82A in the first place as it is a Loss Making Service, as are the 85/86, it has been well documented and rumored in the past that the Quaylink Versas would cascade onto the Washington Locals, but nothing materialised and likely wont with the upcoming Quaylink Service Changes, I would therefore like to think perhaps the Orbit Versas or the Nexus Solo SRs would cascade over in the future, by future I mean 2016 or 17 which is a while away yet.

(31 Mar 2015, 9:43 pm)Malarkey wrote Problem with that is the Services cant even justify the Cost of such an Investment, which is why the Cadets got put on the 82/82A in the first place as it is a Loss Making Service, as are the 85/86, it has been well documented and rumored in the past that the Quaylink Versas would cascade onto the Washington Locals, but nothing materialised and likely wont with the upcoming Quaylink Service Changes, I would therefore like to think perhaps the Orbit Versas or the Nexus Solo SRs would cascade over in the future, by future I mean 2016 or 17 which is a while away yet.

(01 Apr 2015, 10:42 am)MarcTheA4 wrote Tomorrow, I think I'll ride the 82/82A once or twice on my travels... Make my own judgement on their reliability!

(01 Apr 2015, 11:05 am)leestransportphotos wrote The problem is though most 82 passengers are elderly and cannot stand

(01 Apr 2015, 11:05 am)leestransportphotos wrote The problem is though most 82 passengers are elderly and cannot stand

(01 Apr 2015, 11:45 am)Tommy_1581 wrote It really comes round to whatever they have in the depot, it's a mixed allocation just like the Arriva 35/35A, I don't really like them putting StreetLites on a busy service of which requires a double decker, but I can live with it.

In the end of the day, if the 82/82A is a loss making service, then GNE may consider running it at peak times only with a double decker. Then if the local residents complain, GNE can just say that they should have used the bus during the day. Maybe a local independant can take over the daytime journeys.

(01 Apr 2015, 11:48 am)Dan wrote It's not a mixed allocation... It's allocated DAF SB120/Wright Cadet vehicles.

As there are no spare Cadets at Washington, or if one is VOR or wrongly allocated elsewhere, other vehicles can be allocated.

(01 Apr 2015, 11:51 am)Tommy_1581 wrote Ah right, just every time I see the 82 it's got a MPD or a Cadet on them. Saying that only two passengers were on the 82 that I saw yesterday.

(01 Apr 2015, 11:51 am)Tommy_1581 wrote Ah right, just every time I see the 82 it's got a MPD or a Cadet on them. Saying that only two passengers were on the 82 that I saw yesterday.

(01 Apr 2015, 11:45 am)Tommy_1581 wrote It really comes round to whatever they have in the depot, it's a mixed allocation just like the Arriva 35/35A, I don't really like them putting StreetLites on a busy service of which requires a double decker, but I can live with it.

In the end of the day, if the 82/82A is a loss making service, then GNE may consider running it at peak times only with a double decker. Then if the local residents complain, GNE can just say that they should have used the bus during the day. Maybe a local independant can take over the daytime journeys.

(01 Apr 2015, 3:22 pm)grandad wrote Chinese whispers in the foothills of Consett!  V8 is getting bigger buses (Streetlites?) and the 47 is extended to Consett in place of the V9.  If it happens, there would be surplus Solos available.

(01 Apr 2015, 5:20 am)Dan wrote I don't know where you've all got this idea from that the 82/82A services are loss-making... If they were, why would they exist (in whichever form they take?)

I think the Cadets were moved from the 88/88A to keep them more local, as there was concerns with reliability on the South Tyne services. It also UPGRADED services M2/M3 (at the time) to provide vehicles with a larger capacity, and the Cadets are much more reliable for short journeys in and around Washington...

(01 Apr 2015, 3:33 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Just looked back through my notes and I've got this to say about my last two 82/82A (and 83 at the time) journeys.

83 - Washington to Birtley - Cadet 8260: no more than half a dozen people on when we left the Galleries, and people got on and off throughout the journey, eventually just myself and two OAPs onboard by the time we hit Birtley.

82 - Washington to Concord - Cadet 8255: this journey was quite crowded, about 2/3 of the bus was full when we left Washington, and like the last journey people got on and off throughout, but it died down towards Concord when a lot of people left the bus.

Obviously only one experience is from AFTER the changes, but thought I'd just share them anyway.

(01 Apr 2015, 3:35 pm)leestransportphotos wrote To be honest I agree with Malarkey, how can it be making money if like 90% of the passengers are pensioners who don't pay!

(01 Apr 2015, 3:35 pm)leestransportphotos wrote To be honest I agree with Malarkey, how can it be making money if like 90% of the passengers are pensioners who don't pay!

---

The 83 was one of the most pointless services i've ever seen when in Birtley

(01 Apr 2015, 3:29 pm)Malarkey wrote So explain to me then if the were not "Loss Making Services" why the 82/82As Frequency was reduced to Every 30 Minutes from Birtley to Washington and Concord to Heworth, other than not many Passengers using the Service between the two points, there has to be other reasons as to why you would cut the frequency of the Service in Half.

Would of thought with opening of the New Morrisons Supermarket and Housing Development on Birtley Northside, a frequency of Every 15 Minutes would be maintained and perhaps justified, As for the Allocation of Cadets that is fair point, at the time they were put onto the Service there were a lot of Standees on Service when using MPDs, so the Vehicle upgrade was Justified, but now as a Result of recent Service Changes I think they would cope just fine with MPDs  hence what I have said to Davie in my previous posts, obviously everyone has a difference of opinion when it comes to using these Services.