(28 Oct 2014, 6:01 pm)aureolin wrote I'd say eighty two forty three.

(28 Oct 2014, 9:53 pm)Dan wrote Me too.

With Stagecoach fleet numbers, I say 'twenty seven five oh six'.

(29 Oct 2014, 9:02 am)Andreos1 wrote Although long gone, I am sure a lot of the older members will remember the 777.

Did you call it the 'seven, seven, seven' or the 'three sevens'?

(29 Oct 2014, 9:02 am)Andreos1 wrote Although long gone, I am sure a lot of the older members will remember the 777.

Did you call it the 'seven, seven, seven' or the 'three sevens'?

(01 Nov 2014, 12:55 am)Marcus wrote I would say it's the same with scholars, it's always the 'eight eight five', never the 'eight hundred and eighty five'!

Moving on, and just really random and out of the bag, what is everyone's favourite depot? Obviously spanning across all three major operators, to make it equal. For GNE mine would be Chester, while for Arriva it would probably be Belmont or the late Waddington Street depot. As for Stagecoach, which I rarely use at all, I would probably go for Slatyford or Walkergate.

(01 Nov 2014, 11:45 am)aureolin wrote Probably Stagecoach's Wheatsheaf depot in Sunderland. I'm not convinced that Arriva or GNE have any control over their individual depots, as it always comes across as each depot management team, are running it how they want to run it. More so with Arriva than GNE mind. 

(01 Nov 2014, 5:54 pm)Tom wrote Yes I agree - Percy Main and Blyth come to mind.
Also, Arriva seem to reject buses unlike GNE.

(01 Nov 2014, 6:11 pm)mb134 wrote You've gotta love their allocations though, don't know too much about GNE but I gather they're Blyth's equivalent?
If I'm honest I see the rejection of buses as a good thing, any issues should therefore be rectified with the vehicle if this i why it was rejected.

(01 Nov 2014, 6:11 pm)mb134 wrote You've gotta love their allocations though, don't know too much about GNE but I gather they're Blyth's equivalent?
If I'm honest I see the rejection of buses as a good thing, any issues should therefore be rectified with the vehicle if this i why it was rejected.

(01 Nov 2014, 6:45 pm)aureolin wrote Do you not think that ultimately it undermines the senior management team? If a vehicle isn't to standard, then it should be repaired at the earliest opportunity. Whether that be pre or post transfer. Different depots shouldn't have different standards as to what is acceptable, therefore the fact a transfer is happening should be trivial.

(01 Nov 2014, 6:45 pm)aureolin wrote Do you not think that ultimately it undermines the senior management team? If a vehicle isn't to standard, then it should be repaired at the earliest opportunity. Whether that be pre or post transfer. Different depots shouldn't have different standards as to what is acceptable, therefore the fact a transfer is happening should be trivial.

(10 Nov 2014, 6:13 pm)AIG20 wrote If one of Stagecoach North East's MAN ALX300s are preserved in the future, I think it would most likely be 22480 (T480 BNL) as apparently a lot of money has been spent on that vehicle over the years - which is why it is 1 of 2 non-DDA ALX300s left in service at Slatyford.

I'm really glad that Plaxton Prestige bodied VOLVO B10BLE 21104 has been preserved, but I would have also liked to see one of the ALX300 bodied ones preserved as well. I would also like to see the last ALX200 standing, 33101 (R101 KRG), preserved as well as that has only got 20 days left in service before its tax runs out.

(10 Nov 2014, 6:49 pm)AIG20 wrote 22480 (T480 BNL):

• Exterior
  
• Drivers Cab
  
• Interior (From the Front)
  
• Interior (From the Back)
  

Images owned by Flickr user "mdw9121" - who I think is a friend of Sean Blair, who owns Ex-Stagecoach NE Volvo B10B/Alexander Strider 21002 (M902 DRG) and who is a member of the Tyne & Wear Bus Preservation Group.

(10 Nov 2014, 7:03 pm)AIG20 wrote I don't know, but I do hope that it does get preserved.

(10 Nov 2014, 7:05 pm)Robert wrote following on from early thread posts...

Now you see, this is how i pronounce fleet numbers:
4 digits (example: 8243) - eighty two forty three
3 digits (example: 524) - five two four
5 digits (example: 27051) two seven oh five one

same applies with service numbers:
2 digits (example: 43) - forty three
3 digits variation 1 (example: 130) - one thirty
3 digits variation 2 (example: 131) - one three one
3 digits variation 3 (example: 100) - one hundred

for express services or services with a prefix or suffix, take the 2 digit rule and add the letter sound in front or at the end

(08 Nov 2014, 10:39 pm)Marcus wrote Just to keep this thread going - if you, as an individual, had to preserve a bus - what would it be and why. Give reasons, etc.

For me, while I would love to go for a B10BLE or a DAF, would definitely be a single deck rather than a decker, I'd honestly like to preserve an ALX300, for myself. From Stagecoach, I've just always loved them! - I know there are a few in the preservation world already, like.

However, if it had to be a decker, I'd go for a Palatine 1 or 2, it would have to be an Olympian of sorts.

Anyone else?

(10 Nov 2014, 7:12 pm)mb134 wrote Would have loved to have seen one of Arriva's M-FTY or P-CCU Olympians preserved, as I spent most of my childhood on those. Amazing machines...

(10 Nov 2014, 7:15 pm)Marcus wrote Never really rode many Arriva Olympians, to be honest. A handful of ALX400s on the X24, one on a really old Olympian down in Hartlepool for the marina a few years ago, and one on the 64 a while back. Quite disappointed in myself, to be honest, they are fantastic machines!

I've not even done so much about GNE's Olympians. I've rode them dozens of times, but the only fleet numbers I can count on my head are 3821, 3822, 3825, 3830, 3831, 3832 & 3833.

(10 Nov 2014, 7:27 pm)mb134 wrote Could it have been one of the ex-GNE Leylands? Think I remember seeing a photo of them down there... They were absolute beasts as well!

I've never been on a GNE Olympian (except 7203/4/5 when they were transferred to Arriva, so technically still not a GNE one as such) but they're all pretty special. In my opinion the Palatine 2 bodywork looks nicer and more modern than some of the current stuff...

(10 Nov 2014, 7:32 pm)Andreos1 wrote Just hoping Davey Bowyer sees the mention of ANE Olympians

(10 Nov 2014, 7:32 pm)Marcus wrote Not sure. Where is the nearest depot to Hartlepool?

Was about 2007 or 2008, but I just remember sitting at the top upstairs with my parents. The bus was a right old banger, like! Could well have been, are you referring to the ex-Bargain Buses?

Coming back from the marina I remember it was something a bit more modern, may have been a Vyking of sort?  

You don't seem like much a GNE person, so if you were to get an X30/X31 (presuming you live in the Newcastle areas?) from Eldon Square, which has a chance as an Palatine 2, then if you were to hover around and see if you could hop on one you may well ride one before they're all slaughtered!

You could do....

#X30 - Newcastle to Stanley
#43 - Stanley to Durham
#15 - Durham to Consett
#X71 - Consett to Newcastle

Something like that?

(10 Nov 2014, 7:32 pm)Marcus wrote Not sure. Where is the nearest depot to Hartlepool?

Was about 2007 or 2008, but I just remember sitting at the top upstairs with my parents. The bus was a right old banger, like! Could well have been, are you referring to the ex-Bargain Buses?

Coming back from the marina I remember it was something a bit more modern, may have been a Vyking of sort?  

You don't seem like much a GNE person, so if you were to get an X30/X31 (presuming you live in the Newcastle areas?) from Eldon Square, which has a chance as an Palatine 2, then if you were to hover around and see if you could hop on one you may well ride one before they're all slaughtered!

You could do....

#X30 - Newcastle to Stanley
#43 - Stanley to Durham
#15 - Durham to Consett
#X71 - Consett to Newcastle

Something like that?

(10 Nov 2014, 8:03 pm)Tom wrote But the chances of getting a Olympian is quite unlikely, your most likely with Presidents on the X30/15/X71, and a Citaro on  the 43.

(10 Nov 2014, 8:04 pm)Marcus wrote But it is possible, isn't it?