(31 May 2026, 8:18 pm)busesofthenortheast wrote 7596/7 where permanent vehicles at Blyth actually, they where covering for services while Blyth waiting for their charges to be installed for the BYDs to enter service, the only reason why 7596/7 are moving to Redcar is because they are going to be used on school boards from what I’ve heard

No there wasn't permanent  there are steps in vechales at blyth until byds are ready  ik people  who high above

(31 May 2026, 9:16 pm)Dan manger wrote No there wasn't permanent  there are steps in vechales at blyth until byds are ready  ik people  who high above

I believe busesofthenortheast is correct on this one. They are only moving due to the school contract.

(Yesterday, 7:46 am)Shrek wrote I believe busesofthenortheast is correct on this one. They are only moving due to the school contract.

Actually, for once someone is correct - until this move to Redcar, there was no plans for 7596 and 7597 once Blyth’s BYDs entered service, given technically they were only allocated to Blyth due to the delay in getting those BYDs in service meaning some of the E400s would run out of MOT before their replacements were on the road.

(31 May 2026, 7:46 pm)Dan manger wrote Well im telling  u ur wrong!!!! 
 Its not all about northrumbra u  moan about 7596 97  moving to Redcar  those where never a permanent  vechale at blyth only temporary  but northrumbra  veg do love to argue

It's not moaning, it's just criticism and they deserve it.

Blyth has 15 single deckers for a PVR 6
Ashington has 22 single deckers for a PVR 12
There's 8 E400's which will be withdrawn soon and can barely do a days service
There's 11 14/64 Plate E400's which can barely do a days service (5/11 VOR and all of Ashington's are local)
There's now planned to be 6 B9TL's coming which can barely do a days service.
There's 12 quite reliable 17 Plate E400MMC's but they're off to Yorkshire supposedly because they can't do a days service on a route they're not meant to be on anyway.
Now 2 more reliable E400MMC's are going away.
There hasn't been a new bus in Blyth since 2013 and they went to Yorkshire and 6 buses isn't going to scratch the service. 

Maybe there's a reason why people are pissed off up here, considering it's been blighted with vehicle shortages for ages now. The train service coming along adding fuel to the fire as it's made locals realise how crap Arriva really are, especially customer service wise as the Northern guards are fantastic across the board.

(Yesterday, 9:00 am)Storx wrote It's not moaning, it's just criticism and they deserve it.

Blyth has 15 single deckers for a PVR 6
Ashington has 22 single deckers for a PVR 12
There's 8 E400's which will be withdrawn soon and can barely do a days service
There's 11 14/64 Plate E400's which can barely do a days service (5/11 VOR and all of Ashington's are local)
There's now planned to be 6 B9TL's coming which can barely do a days service.
There's 12 quite reliable 17 Plate E400MMC's but they're off to Yorkshire supposedly because they can't do a days service on a route they're not meant to be on anyway.
Now 2 more reliable E400MMC's are going away.
There hasn't been a new bus in Blyth since 2013 and they went to Yorkshire and 6 buses isn't going to scratch the service. 

Maybe there's a reason why people are pissed off up here, considering it's been blighted with vehicle shortages for ages now. The train service coming along adding fuel to the fire as it's made locals realise how crap Arriva really are, especially customer service wise as the Northern guards are fantastic across the board.

Maybe what a friend of mine yesterday in a group chat

Answer Ashington and Redcar have routes that make money. Blyth is a **** hole and doesn’t- not helped by the Northumberland train set with its subsidised fares

One depot is always going to lose out - see Stockton in Durham County, 10 new Evoras when the depot last had new buses in 2014 and the vast majority of the fleet is over 15 years old (and those Evoras are replacing the ex-Merseyside Pulsars from what I undertsand - compared to Redcar who are losing the native ones).

(Yesterday, 9:00 am)Storx wrote It's not moaning, it's just criticism and they deserve it.

Blyth has 15 single deckers for a PVR 6
Ashington has 22 single deckers for a PVR 12
There's 8 E400's which will be withdrawn soon and can barely do a days service
There's 11 14/64 Plate E400's which can barely do a days service (5/11 VOR and all of Ashington's are local)
There's now planned to be 6 B9TL's coming which can barely do a days service.
There's 12 quite reliable 17 Plate E400MMC's but they're off to Yorkshire supposedly because they can't do a days service on a route they're not meant to be on anyway.
Now 2 more reliable E400MMC's are going away.
There hasn't been a new bus in Blyth since 2013 and they went to Yorkshire and 6 buses isn't going to scratch the service. 

Maybe there's a reason why people are pissed off up here, considering it's been blighted with vehicle shortages for ages now. The train service coming along adding fuel to the fire as it's made locals realise how crap Arriva really are, especially customer service wise as the Northern guards are fantastic across the board.

I dont get your "Blyth has this PVR of single deckers". Half the time the X routes dont even warrant at double decker

(Yesterday, 9:45 am)Nerd4321 wrote I dont get your "Blyth has this PVR of single deckers". Half the time the X routes dont even warrant at double decker

They all do at the peaks though. 

Majority of routes don’t need deckers most of the time, but it’s the peaks you need to cater for - and every Arriva express out of Newcastle in the PM peak is a full standing load on a Pulsar (even the X7 and X8 look to have picked back up).

(Yesterday, 9:45 am)Kuyoyo wrote Maybe what a friend of mine said yesterday in a group chat

One depot is always going to lose out - see Stockton in Durham County, 10 new Evoras when the depot last had new buses in 2014 and the vast majority of the fleet is over 15 years old (and those Evoras are replacing the ex-Merseyside Pulsars from what I undertsand - compared to Redcar who are losing the native ones).

Aye not surprised either really, obviously I respect how Arriva want to run but to me from a passenger point of view. Going down the old (un)managed decline approach when there's a railway line in town also causing issues just seems a quick fire route to make things worse. I don't expect much but I always thought they'd attempt to put some form of fight out against the train and not necessarily brand new buses either but they've done nothing

It's almost like they've just gave up, and the fleet presentation just backs it up. The sort of thing being like sending the 16/17 Plate E400MMC's for a decent refurb and sending them here. They're old but they're a massive improvement to what's here now. I'm sure some of us would've moaned on here but at the end day we're irrelevant it's what the public sees and they'll see something more modern. The new buses going elsewhere where there's more money and everyone wins. 

Must say I do feel for Stockton aswell, obviously not my area, but the fleet is poor there too.

(Yesterday, 9:45 am)Nerd4321 wrote I dont get your "Blyth has this PVR of single deckers". Half the time the X routes dont even warrant at double decker

Happy to be corrected, it's just what the PVR actually is rather than opinion. There might be a few boards on the 43/44/45 which are singles but obviously they're due to be replaced.

Unless it's changed there used to be big problems that if you had a single which missed the morning peak, then it hit the afternoon peak instead and vice versa.

Blyth are not the poor child in any sense of the imagination. They are getting more new vehicles than both Durham & Stockton are, as an example.

The vehicle intake/withdrawal plan at both Ashington and Blyth removes around a dozen single deck vehicles overall, so the number of double deckers will increase as a percentage. Yes, that might not be to the satisfaction of some, but it is what it is.

A business will always put it's new investment where it will get the biggest return. It's basics and an unfortunate reality for those who may not agree. This will mean that some locations simply will not get the investment they think they are due, likely cascades most of the time.

(Yesterday, 6:28 pm)Superman wrote Blyth are not the poor child in any sense of the imagination. They are getting more new vehicles than both Durham & Stockton are, as an example.

The vehicle intake/withdrawal plan at both Ashington and Blyth removes around a dozen single deck vehicles overall, so the number of double deckers will increase as a percentage. Yes, that might not be to the satisfaction of some, but it is what it is.

A business will always put it's new investment where it will get the biggest return. It's basics and an unfortunate reality for those who may not agree. This will mean that some locations simply will not get the investment they think they are due, likely cascades most of the time.

A dozen removed seems slightly too low given the actual board allocations. It's not really about what's to the 'satisfaction of some', more based on what Arriva themselves have boards allocated as. 

Ashington, on paper, should need 12 for the 1/2/57 - and I believe there is 1x 35 single decker board. 13 overall - they currently have 26. 

Blyth have, I believe, 4 boards allocated as single deckers (the 553 and 3x X9 boards). They currently have 13 saloons. 

Between the depots that's 39 saloons for a PVR of 17. Even if you say there's an approximate spare percentage of 14%, that's only an additional 2-3, taking you to 19-20. So you'd think there should nearer to 19 saloons withdrawn, not 12.

(Yesterday, 7:24 pm)PH - BQA wrote A dozen removed seems slightly too low given the actual board allocations. It's not really about what's to the 'satisfaction of some', more based on what Arriva themselves have boards allocated as. 

Ashington, on paper, should need 12 for the 1/2/57 - and I believe there is 1x 35 single decker board. 13 overall - they currently have 26. 

Blyth have, I believe, 4 boards allocated as single deckers (the 553 and 3x X9 boards). They currently have 13 saloons. 

Between the depots that's 39 saloons for a PVR of 17. Even if you say there's an approximate spare percentage of 14%, that's only an additional 2-3, taking you to 19-20. So you'd think there should nearer to 19 saloons withdrawn, not 12.

Romers are Stockton depot could be closing down

(4 hours ago)Dan manger wrote Romers are Stockton depot could be closing down

Opposite - rumours are the land around Stockton depot has been acquired and it's Redcar which is closing. Indeed there's details that Redcar's staff have been invited to a meeting at 6pm this evening.

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And in Blyth-related news - it appears 7723 has entered service today on 306/308 tracking as 7624.

(4 hours ago)Kuyoyo wrote Opposite - rumours are the land around Stockton depot has been acquired and it's Redcar which is closing. Indeed there's details that Redcar's staff have been invited to a meeting at 6pm this evening.

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And in Blyth-related news - it appears 7723 has entered service today on 306/308 tracking as 7624.

An ‘Important Business Update’ no less… with all staff urged to make every effort to attend

(31 May 2026, 7:35 am)Storx wrote Can't see 1500-1505 going mind, not yet.

7601-7608, 7611-15, 7557/8/60/2, 7501/3/6/9, 1389/90/1/2/3/1404/19/63/80/93/5/6, 7541-52, 7596/7

That's what's going imo.

The only missing bit is do the 7541-52 go to Yorkshire and if they do what's leaving Ashington to Blyth. Is it the E400's or is it a chunk of the 72 Plate E400MMC's as both could go really.

Yorkshire Management want to get rid of their 58 plate e400s quickly as they are costing a ton to repair and keep on the road and numerous drivers have said some deckers from the north east, could be coming to replace them. Not sure which batch