(01 Jan 2014, 1:47 am)Davey Bowyer wrote If Arriva are going to go for a double deck vehicle order, it'll most likely be 12 Volvo B5TL Gemini 3's or VDL DB300's Gemini 2's for the X10 and X11. This in turn would give 12 of the current fleet to Ashington / Alnwick to upgrade the X15 and X18 therefore allowing the X21 / X22 to become a mostly E400 operation. It's a possibility like.

(31 Dec 2013, 6:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote Seeing as its been posted elsewhere, I can now confirm that Arriva NE will be receiving 47 new vehicles next year across the region, with the potential for more if we do well
They will be a mix of midi, single and double deck vehicles, benefiting passengers from Northumbria to North Yorkshire...

(01 Jan 2014, 3:34 pm)citaro5284 wrote How many vehicles do Arriva North East have, from Northumbria to North Yorkshire, and what percentage of the fleet does these new vehicles replace?

(01 Jan 2014, 3:49 pm)Tom wrote Most of their vehicles are bloody awful, so probably about 75%.

(01 Jan 2014, 3:49 pm)Tom wrote Most of their vehicles are bloody awful, so probably about 75%.

(01 Jan 2014, 3:51 pm)Dan wrote What percentage is going to be replaced by these 40-odd buses, not what percentage needs to be replaced. :p

(01 Jan 2014, 3:34 pm)citaro5284 wrote How many vehicles do Arriva North East have, from Northumbria to North Yorkshire, and what percentage of the fleet does these new vehicles replace?

(01 Jan 2014, 5:40 pm)tyresmoke wrote You're looking at a total of 491 allocated and 54 in reserve/disposal as at the last allocation sheet.
So just under 10% of the fleet will be replaced this year.
Of course these figures will change with the upcoming merger of TGM Classic into Arriva. TGM Essex has just merged with Arriva Southern Counties too.

(01 Jan 2014, 6:47 pm)peter wrote Any further details? Will the Coach Operations be passing to ANE? etc

(04 Jan 2014, 5:53 pm)tyresmoke wrote As some of you probably know, major service changes take effect in Teesside from 16th February... Timetables should be out shortly but a brief summary of the changes is below...

Stockton
5/5A/5B - completely revised...
5 - will run half hourly from Middlesbrough to Easington via current route, except missing Hollybush estate in Skelton, and one journey each per hour will divert via Liverton Mines or Skinningrove (replacing simplified X4)
5A - will run half hourly from Middlesbrough to Brotton via current route as far as Skelton and then will divert via Hollybush estate and the industrial estate to serve the new(ish) Skelton Asda, before following the bypass to Brotton, operating both ways through Brotton, with a new terminal loop (serving Kilton Lane, A174 and back to Green Tree)
5B - evening journeys re-numbered to service 5 but continue along same route as present, with changes to times
The Loftus to Whitby link will be provided by Redcar operated service 4

6 - no change at present (due to be changed end of March following withdrawal of council funding)

7 - peak timetable changes to run every 12 mins to give extra time, Sunday 7A withdrawn from Leven Road, Kirk Road and Green Lane, following the same loop of Willey Flatts as normal service 7. Will continue to serve Kingsmead.

9 - revised timetable but still keeping its 15 minute frequency, and faster journey times on a Sunday.

15 - few early journeys withdrawn and changes to times at peak times.

17/17A/17B - completely revised
17 - Middlesbrough to Ingleby Barwick/Yarm - half hourly following same route as current 17B then extended to Ingleby Barwick, one journey terminating at Sober Hall and one extending to Kingsmead via Yarm replacing current X6. Runs to Bassleton Court at peak times (when new X17 operates)
17A - changes to times to give extra running time
17B - effectively the current 'short 17' to Lockerbie Walk. Will run Mon-Fri only however.
X17 - same route as current X6 but peak time service only, 17 will cover Ingleby-Yarm-Kingsmead during the daytime.

21A - changes to times, last journey in each direction withdrawn.

27/27A - revised to run Middlesbrough to Netherfields only, still upto every 7/8 mins (cut to 10 mins on Sat), no through buses to Marton (replaced by new 29)

28 - revised to run every 20 mins to Nunthorpe, with hourly extensions to Lingdale. Will divert via Saltersgill estate (replacing service 30), but will then run direct up Marton Road (not serving Easterside or Marton Manor) to Southern Cross before serving Mallowdale enroute to Nunthorpe, instead of Eagle Park (which is covered by new 29A)

29/29A - revised to run every 20 mins to Southern Cross, splitting into 2 service 29s to Cypress Road (replacing 27A) and one 29A to Stokesley via Eagle Park (replacing 28), Nunthorpe village and Great Ayton.

30 - replaced by service 28 in Saltersgill

X6 - withdrawn, replaced by new peak X17 and daytime 17


Redcar
4 - completely withdrawn in its current form

22 - revised timetable during Mon-Sat daytime, evening buses will stay the same. Sunday 22A withdrawn and is replaced by new Sunday service X4. Service 22 will continue to operate hourly between Middlesbrough and New Marske as present.

63 - extra bus added to PVR to help aid reliability, revised timetable with some journeys finishing at Redcar High St at peak times, instead of the bus station

64/64A - revised timetable to give 4 64A's and 2 64s per hour, to an unchanged route

81/81A - revised timetable which will see the 'long' journeys to Stokesley operate as service 81A, via Green Lane estate in Redcar. 'Short' journeys numbered 81 will now terminate at Guisborough Market Place instead of Farndale Drive to aid reliability.

X3/X3A - revised route which will still run half hourly, from Middlesbrough to Saltburn, extending to Skelton via Hob Hill. X3 will then run Skelton Medical Centre and the High Street extending upto Lingdale (replacing withdrawn service 4). X3A will operate direct to Skelton High St via Coniston Road then via Hollybush estate to North Skelton, then via the bypass to Skelton Asda where it will terminate. Sunday buses will run every hour between Redcar and Lingdale as service 3.

X4 - Revised route and timetable which will see X4 run half hourly from Middlesbrough to Loftus, via Redcar and Saltburn (combined with X3/X3A to give a 15 min frequency), operating direct from Carlin How to Loftus, no longer serving Liverton Mines or Skinningrove (replaced by service 5). In Loftus buses will continue to Whitby as service 4 (replacing X5 on this section)

Will try and get some operational details (PVRs etc) as soon as I can.

(05 Jan 2014, 8:27 pm)citaro5284 wrote Seems quite an upheaval. Just by the listing the changes, will this result in a reduction of PVR across Teesside?

(05 Jan 2014, 8:27 pm)citaro5284 wrote Seems quite an upheaval. Just by the listing the changes, will this result in a reduction of PVR across Teesside?

(06 Jan 2014, 4:31 am)Davey Bowyer wrote Here's an interesting fact folks. Do you really want to know why the 308 struggles with timekeeping? It's not because of the Hybrids, it's because each way (Tynemouth AM /Newcastle PM), the X9 operates at the sacrafice of the 306 only operating every 30 minutes at Peak Time! I know Arriva want to provide a service to the Cobalt, but they need to put a proper infastructure in place. The 308 is popular enough as it is. If it has to carry the weight if the 306, then it will almost certainly struggle with timekeeping!

(06 Jan 2014, 9:12 am)tyresmoke wrote The X9s run against the peak flow which shouldn't cause too many issues! Majority of passengers are heading into Newcastle on a morning. Go North East do the same by using some 310s to work their X39s, meaning a half hourly service to North Shields.

(06 Jan 2014, 9:48 am)Dan wrote Are they not travelling to work? I'd have thought that morning express services to Cobalt Business Park were to take people to work, rather than into Newcastle (where they will probably meet a connection to another bus when going home)...
Can't say I understand why both Arriva and Go North East would operate a service in the opposite direction to the demand...

(06 Jan 2014, 10:25 am)tyresmoke wrote I was more on about the passengers heading out of Newcastle to the likes of Tynemouth and Whitley Bay (306) Dan, Cobalt demand exists hence a service is operated.

(07 Jan 2014, 10:01 pm)Tom wrote Why did Arriva ever withdraw the X60/X61, always seemed busy too me...?

(07 Jan 2014, 10:01 pm)Tom wrote Why did Arriva ever withdraw the X60/X61, always seemed busy too me...?

(07 Jan 2014, 11:14 pm)tyresmoke wrote X60 wasn't as busy in its last few years but yes the concessionary passes killed them both. Connections still available from Darlington and Durham onto X93 in Middlesbrough for majority.