(07 Apr 2021, 10:22 am)Cobalt271 wrote 1407 tracks as itself because it's now permanently Ashington based according to the latest fleet list.

(07 Apr 2021, 4:58 pm)RobinHood wrote Heading to Blyth this weekend.

(07 Apr 2021, 5:51 pm)Cobalt271 wrote No it isn't.

(07 Apr 2021, 5:51 pm)Cobalt271 wrote No it isn't.

(07 Apr 2021, 6:12 pm)RobinHood wrote Okay then, but I can assure you it is.
1407, 1409, 1461, 1462, 1463 and 1475 will move to Blyth this weekend.

1579 and 1580 going to Durham.

(07 Apr 2021, 7:44 pm)Cobalt271 wrote Ashington can't afford to lose any Buses as it is for a start, the X18 Summer TT is about to kick in. 

(07 Apr 2021, 7:48 pm)mb134 wrote On paper, though, Ashington are currently 5 buses up (4 once the summer X18 comes on). 7445/6/84/86 and 7510 are, in theory, surplus to requirements - especially when dupes are no longer needed. If their engineering staff could figure out how to fix the buses properly, rather than bodge jobs, then the B7s wouldn't have been needed at all for the past few months.

(07 Apr 2021, 6:12 pm)RobinHood wrote Okay then, but I can assure you it is.
1407, 1409, 1461, 1462, 1463 and 1475 will move to Blyth this weekend.

1579 and 1580 going to Durham.

(07 Apr 2021, 7:44 pm)Cobalt271 wrote Ashington can't afford to lose any Buses as it is for a start, the X18 Summer TT is about to kick in. Blyth are receiving 1461,62,63 alongside 1481,2 & 3.

(07 Apr 2021, 7:59 pm)Storx wrote For the sakes of keeping things together you'd think they'd send 1579/1580 to Jesmond with 1408/1411 moving to Blyth instead since Jesmond don't need them currently since the X16 doesn't exist and Blyth has a tonne of MAX routes and it keeps all the Streetlite Max's in the eco livery together.

(07 Apr 2021, 8:00 pm)RobinHood wrote I'll let you into a little secret. I have already seen the allocation that was circulated internally at Arriva today.

(07 Apr 2021, 8:00 pm)RobinHood wrote I'll let you into a little secret. I have already seen the allocation that was circulated internally at Arriva today.

Ashington are losing 1407 plus their two Streetlites.
1481 and 1482 are X12 branded and are going to Stockton (due to a short term transfer of work), not Blyth. 1483 is staying at Durham, as that is also X12 branded.

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Ive been told that those two are earmarked to replace the Omnicities at Ashington eventually. The X16 is still, on paper, "temporary" cancelled between Newcastle and Morpeth.

All of the Eco branded stuff, including Darlington gas buses are planned refurbishment this year.

(07 Apr 2021, 7:58 pm)Cobalt271 wrote I would be careful about what you say it's very slanderous. I'm a Driver with Arriva & can assure you there's no "bodge jobs" where safety is concerned!

(07 Apr 2021, 8:20 pm)Storx wrote Also whoever mentioned Ashington being short Cobalt I believe, there'd be cancellations today if it was next week as 1580 has been on the 57 all afternoon with nothing seemingly to replace it.

(07 Apr 2021, 8:48 pm)mb134 wrote That shouldn't be the case though. At the last service reduction, Ashington's PVR dropped by 5 iirc. Essentially the Volvo B7s and one Scania should have been reserve vehicles. They lost no vehicles. 

Now, their PVR is increasing by 1 (still 4 lower than what it was in January), yet are still struggling with vehicles? Something isn't right, clearly.

(07 Apr 2021, 9:22 pm)Storx wrote Possibly stuck in a bit of rut in a sense certain vehicles are just outright useless (7510 / 7445 / 7446 / 7484 / 7486) and aren't fit for purpose on any route at Ashington or are constantly broken / been off the road for months (2809 / 4653 / 4659 / 4664 / 7530 / 7556)

It's no wonder they're not maintaining things to be fair when you've got so much junk to deal with. Now I'm by no means an expert at buses but 7510, 7445, 7446, 4563, 4569 and 4664 should be no-where near a depot that only has routes which are fast express work or travel >40 mile away from the depot. 

(07 Apr 2021, 9:38 pm)mb134 wrote Agreed, and they badly need investment. However, I don't think that should excuse the frequency with which their vehicles are removed from service the day they return after a breakdown/period off road. 7525, I think it was, in Jan/Feb had a period of a week or so where it came back, broke, was off for a few days, returned and broke the next day (and repeat). 7530 was a similar story yesterday, taken off early afternoon in its first day in service since March 24th. Again, I'm not suggesting that they're letting them out in an unsafe condition - but if the bus has been road tested or fixed correctly it shouldn't break/be taken off on its first day back. I understand there will be occasions where this does happen, but as regularly as it seems to? 

With 7510, I'm sure they had a suitable rear diff for it in 7513 (which is now at Alpha according to a post on a FB group) so I'm not sure what happened there. The Scania's and the 57/09-plate E400s are not in a good way at all. With the Volvo's, the two 05 plates seem to be very hit and miss, but again agreed they're not really suitable for that sort of depot if there isn't a route like the 35. 7484 seems ridiculously reliable for how old it is, the last time I got it (last summer) the driver seemed to be enjoying it, and commented on it being decent on driver changeover at Ashington. 7486 I'm not sure on, but I assume has a serious problem as it hasn't surfaced since February while the rest of the B7s have been in constant service. 

On the vehicles in your first paragraph, 7556 was off due to an accident so shouldn't be out of action much longer.

(08 Apr 2021, 7:38 pm)GNE6312 wrote Apparently 1407, 1475 & 1461 are now at Blyth with 2 more Durham based pulsars due to move north tomorrow.

(09 Apr 2021, 3:01 pm)MichealAaron wrote So something I want to point out. I think Ashington should withdraw 1800/1801/2809/2812/2813. Mainly because there are showing to be performing badly on the 57/57A rota. Cause today 7484 and 7515 are on it today with a failed 2813 without 2812 or 2809 replacing it. It makes me wonder now that 1579 and 1580 have gone to Belmont that now leaves 1407 being the only long single decker at Ashington which is rarely allocated to the 57 rota. I think Ashington should ethier.

A/ get the darts from Blyth and put them on or

B/ bring two long single decekrs up to replace them like VDL Pulsar. Cause there isn't a need for a decker to be put on that route as it's never busy enough  to have one on. I think the 57/57A should have VDL Pulsar allocated full time. Like give 1407 a full time allocation. Pretty sure Blyth won't mind giving 1497 up to Ashington then all you need is two more Pulsar

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Btw this is just my opinion about the darts and solos at Ashington

(09 Apr 2021, 3:01 pm)MichealAaron wrote So something I want to point out. I think Ashington should withdraw 1800/1801/2809/2812/2813. Mainly because there are showing to be performing badly on the 57/57A rota. Cause today 7484 and 7515 are on it today with a failed 2813 without 2812 or 2809 replacing it. It makes me wonder now that 1579 and 1580 have gone to Belmont that now leaves 1407 being the only long single decker at Ashington which is rarely allocated to the 57 rota. I think Ashington should ethier.

A/ get the darts from Blyth and put them on or

B/ bring two long single decekrs up to replace them like VDL Pulsar. Cause there isn't a need for a decker to be put on that route as it's never busy enough  to have one on. I think the 57/57A should have VDL Pulsar allocated full time. Like give 1407 a full time allocation. Pretty sure Blyth won't mind giving 1497 up to Ashington then all you need is two more Pulsar

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Btw this is just my opinion about the darts and solos at Ashington

(07 Apr 2021, 10:22 am)Cobalt271 wrote 1407 tracks as itself because it's now permanently Ashington based according to the latest fleet list.

(07 Apr 2021, 8:20 pm)Storx wrote Yeah that's fair then, nice to see there's some refurbs planned.

Blyth and Ashington seem rather short on buses though mind, I know Ashington has been mentioned but Blyth has pretty much gained 4 buses for an allocation of 8 since 1401/1402 have gone (supposedly). I haven't done the maths but there doesn't seem to be enough buses without 7410/7411/7490 being frontline but I could be wrong or it's that's the lot of spares especially with the duplicates.

Also whoever mentioned Ashington being short Cobalt I believe, there'd be cancellations today if it was next week as 1580 has been on the 57 all afternoon with nothing seemingly to replace it.

(09 Apr 2021, 6:39 pm)MichealAaron wrote I'm just saying this and I aint being harsh to Arriva but Arriva won't invest in new buses. I don't think they have had new buses for ages now. If I remember correctly the last order they had was the E400MMC for Ashington. The darts and solos need to be taken of as there proven to be not the best lately

(09 Apr 2021, 8:49 pm)GNE6312 wrote During full allocation Blyth should have 4 left over decksrd between dupes with 1 left over during dupes as 3 Blyth buses are required on dupes for the 308, X7 & X11. Blyth should in theory be recieving 2 deckers from Durham seeing as 7485/87 were only meant to be there when 7609/10 were at Blyth (I think) although not sure weather Durham will send 7485/87, 2 other decksrs or nothing except the pulsars is a mystery. If Blyth don't get anymore deckers they may need to consider putting on or 2 dupes up to contract to someone else.

(10 Apr 2021, 8:17 am)Storx wrote Thanks for that, had a feeling it would be rather tight with the dupes on especially when Blyth doesn't have the most reliable fleet at the best of times.