(31 May 2015, 10:32 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Nice to know someone reads my posts on other forums - the 08/58-reg Solos are being repainted, those back so far are in normal livery minus the cream 'cow horn'. All we know for sure at present is that Darlington service 3/3a/3b, 4, 9/10 and 13a/13b are all getting branded (13a/13b, as we know, using 2852-61). As for WiFi on the older Solos - the only Solos I can confirm should be getting WiFi are Stockton's 7 when they get repainted for the 7.

(01 Jun 2015, 2:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It won't be Max or Sapphire - a new brand will have to be agreed with Stagecoach.

(01 Jun 2015, 3:03 pm)danpick wrote Stagecoach could make it Gold.

(01 Jun 2015, 2:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It won't be Max or Sapphire - a new brand will have to be agreed with Stagecoach.

(01 Jun 2015, 2:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It won't be Max or Sapphire - a new brand will have to be agreed with Stagecoach.

(01 Jun 2015, 3:27 pm)Tom wrote Why?

(31 May 2015, 5:44 pm)aureolin wrote Why does the depot's preference come into it? If someone at Arriva has signed off painting and branding an extra vehicle for the X12, then surely that should be used in the first instance? It's a ridiculous situation having an 'X12' branded vehicle going round Durham on everything but the X12, and it confuses customers.

(31 May 2015, 6:48 pm)Jimmi wrote Do I use the contact us page http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/contact-us/ or some other way?

(01 Jun 2015, 3:46 pm)Cock Robin wrote So you'd rather they put a single decker on and leave people behind or at best have them crammed in like sardines?

(01 Jun 2015, 3:50 pm)Cock Robin wrote Whinger. 

(01 Jun 2015, 3:50 pm)Cock Robin wrote Whinger. 

(01 Jun 2015, 3:51 pm)aureolin wrote As oppose to sending a single decker round with X12 plastered all over it, on anything but the X12? Because that's not going to be confusing is it? It wasn't me who branded the single decker

You'd be first to complain if your jar of Bisto contained Nescafe instead. It's an equal example of branding being applied to the wrong product.

Why brand a bus up if it's not going to be used on route, and the reason it's not, is for the examples you've described.

(01 Jun 2015, 4:37 pm)mb134 wrote Just had a look at the ANE Live Map to check where my bus was,  and noticed a X18 running 93 MINUTES late!!!!!

(01 Jun 2015, 4:37 pm)mb134 wrote Just had a look at the ANE Live Map to check where my bus was,  and noticed a X18 running 93 MINUTES late!!!!!

(01 Jun 2015, 4:49 pm)Tom wrote Is it still going too?

In the summer one from Berwick was 1h 15 minutes late, and the one from Alnwick came in 10 minutes late just after that one had left so that was fun and games. The whole bus was heaving and they done nothing about it. 

(01 Jun 2015, 4:49 pm)Tom wrote Is it still going too?

In the summer one from Berwick was 1h 15 minutes late, and the one from Alnwick came in 10 minutes late just after that one had left so that was fun and games. The whole bus was heaving and they done nothing about it. 

(01 Jun 2015, 4:52 pm)mb134 wrote Not sure, it's not on at all if it is still running, and I imagine it is, however I know sometimes if a bus breaks down the tracker will stop for some time, and eventually start moving again, not changing how late it is. Still says it's 93 late now, near Amble 

(01 Jun 2015, 4:52 pm)Robert wrote Yep - if i have the right bus, it is operating the 15:40 X18 service from Morpeth to Alnwick.

(01 Jun 2015, 4:16 pm)Dan wrote Let's not forget that customers on the X12 are not receiving the product that they 'technically' pay for. It wouldn't be as bad if the spare was already out and there was no more "MAX" specification vehicles available, but customers on the X12 service are being deprived of the "MAX" standard (ie Wi-Fi) based on the fact the spare is allocated elsewhere on a daily basis.

Didn't see any Lowlanders today, but that's primarily because I only saw Stockton's runs (one was 1443 but I can't remember the other).

(01 Jun 2015, 5:06 pm)Cock Robin wrote I'm sure they'd rather be 'deprived' of the 'Max standard' than be deprived of a seat or worse still deprived of the chance of getting on at all.

(01 Jun 2015, 3:54 pm)Cock Robin wrote I look at the service number on the front.

(01 Jun 2015, 5:06 pm)Cock Robin wrote I'm sure they'd rather be 'deprived' of the 'Max standard' than be deprived of a seat or worse still deprived of the chance of getting on at all.

(01 Jun 2015, 6:33 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Following the update of the destinations on X21/X22 E400s - at least 2 or all of them have now gained problems with the NSAs. They won't change from Haymarket Barras Bridge/Seacrest Road.

More fun and games...

(01 Jun 2015, 5:00 pm)Tom wrote That's a disgrace!

(01 Jun 2015, 7:48 pm)mb134 wrote Think it's still going, there's one leaving Morpeth now 57 minutes late...

59...

(01 Jun 2015, 7:51 pm)Tom wrote Haha something really needs to be done about the whole Northumberland network really.

The only services that are relatively fine from my experience are the 1, 2, 20/X20 and 35/35A

(01 Jun 2015, 7:55 pm)mb134 wrote Blyth's are a disgrace to be honest, used the X10/11 and X13 to get to Cramlington in the Easter Holidays, and I think maybe one was on time, the rest were late. 

I've noticed an improvement in X21/22 recently too, and I find generally Ashington drivers do try and push it to get on time, within what they can do. 

Don't really know much about how Blyth work, but the fact they have to pretty much switch every vehicle on arrival in Blyth surely tells us something? 

The 20/X20 can be awful at times too like  

(01 Jun 2015, 7:56 pm)Tom wrote Yeah, I doubt it would happen, but the whole network needs looking at.

I've never had any problems with the X20, that's why I mentioned it

(01 Jun 2015, 8:01 pm)mb134 wrote I've had a couple myself, but nothing massive, maybe 8 minutes late tops. 

Think the equipment Blyth has is shot, and this is something I've been wondering for a long time, how do they look after their buses :
7501-6 are shot, as are most of their Gemini's from my experience, 

Ashington's 7507-13 (excluding 7510 for obvious reasons) are better, although 7511-3 are miles better than 7507/8/9.

They need 7458/66 constantly, and they had 7470 when I used an X5, unless they don't have enough to cover PVR's anyway, this suggests Gemini's are off the road.