(03 Sep 2022, 12:48 pm)P814VTY wrote I think I was just observing how Ashington have had 2 injections of new buses in 5 years. It was obviously justified, but you're right about the Geminis at Blyth. Yes they're going to be 14 year old next year, but they just power through 19 hour days of service (5am - midnight)

(03 Sep 2022, 5:49 pm)RobinHood wrote Ashington will always get the investment due to the high mileage that their fleet undertakes.

Durham is in need of investment more than Blyth!!

(03 Sep 2022, 8:35 pm)tyresmoke wrote The fact they’re still pushing 17 year old B7s across the Moors on the X93/X94 says a lot about the state of the fleet. They do a sterling job to be fair but have had expensive engine work once again to keep them going.


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(03 Sep 2022, 9:04 pm)mb134 wrote Arguably though, what else do they do for it? 

Obviously those B7s will need replacing, but they're not going to replace them with new vehicles. It's a very seasonal route, and I'd imagine through the winter it might barely justify new vehicle investment at all, never mind for 3 seasonal extras. 

Cascade wise, E400s from Ash aren't going to cut it. DB300s from Blyth? At that point you may as well keep the B7s going for a bit longer, at least engineering know them (and realistically only need them to work half the year anyway!). I'd think the best solution would probably be to retire a couple of the B9s into that seasonal role, with maybe a new batch of MMCs as the main allocation either next year or the one after?

Transdev Blazefield have older examples running all year around branded up for the Pendle Wizz - does that say a lot about the state of their fleet? Last I checked they seem to get a hefty share of the industry back patting.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:12 pm)Storx wrote ex London stock would be probably the best bet. There's going to be loads of DW's coming up soonish and no-one is really going to want them so can't see the value being too great since they're a unique bus which only Arriva bought as far as I'm aware or the T's alternatively.

Could get some to get rid of the 57/09 plate Enviro's and whatever is doing the X46 at Durham (still B7's?) which really need to go the highway aswell as they're all shot to pieces.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:21 pm)mb134 wrote Possibly, but are they going to be *that* much better than B7s which have had lots of mechanical attention in anything but age profile? Whack some private plates on the B7s à la Transdev and away you go. 

The 09 plate E400s are fine on easier work (local Durham work such as the 43s, 64s, 48s, even X46s I'd think), it's only the express stuff they're well past by this point. They still have 2-3 years left before they'd likely be considered end of life for most companies, let alone ANE. I'd tend to agree with the B7s in general though, the youngest ones are approaching 18 years old (and they've been 'looked after' by Durham for the last few years of their life...). Obviously my thoughts on the X94 ones differ a bit at present to the rest of them.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:33 pm)Storx wrote Aye that's true but guess there's the cost savings of removing a niche few buses which are pretty much obsolete nowadays in terms of parts etc might outweight and it's Arriva and they're known to do weird things at times ie repainting all the Darts at Blyth then withdrawing them pretty much straight away.

(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?

(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?

(04 Sep 2022, 7:38 pm)RobinHood wrote Considering most companies run their vehicles until at least 15 years old, suggests Blyth are not quite in the need for new fleet just yet. Within the next 5 years, yes.

Durham have Solos that actually turn 15 next year, along with double deckers that are anywhere between 17-20 years of age, so they are over their period of expected life - hence the view Durham are more in need at this time.

(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?