(03 Jan 2014, 7:17 pm)Tom wrote 5208/9 is, saw them today.

As are 06/07.

least theirs only 4 which should be done in the next couple of weeks.

Theirs also all the Citaro's from Cobalt Clipper and their last few Omnicity's.

Anything else?

(03 Jan 2014, 7:10 pm)Ely1992 wrote How many Solars are still in Fab56 branding now, or have they all been painted ?

I saw 5206 still in Fab 56 branding today.
I also got a surprise when 6098 arrived in conord photo can be found here
along with 5210 in yellow
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99435494@N02/

Does anyone know where 8236 (The ''Key Mobile'' branded one) is likely to be?

(03 Jan 2014, 7:42 pm)Tom wrote Does anyone know where 8236 (The ''Key Mobile'' branded one) is likely to be?

By fleet allocation its currently based at Chester.


It hasn't being updated since 23.12.13 but don't think it has moved...if you need it i would hurry, it might only have a couple of weeks left in service,

If the date is correct by i think it was Dan, the Colbalt B9's will be in service on the 12.1.14.

There might be a few in service untill changes happen on the 26.1.14 to.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:47 pm)Michael wrote By fleet allocation its currently based at Chester.


It hasn't being updated since 23.12.13 but don't think it has moved...if you need it i would hurry, it might only have a couple of weeks left in service.

Aye, I meant what service - Thanks anyway.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:49 pm)Tom wrote Aye, I meant what service - Thanks anyway.

My best guess would be the 28/28A/34/34A.

Not sure though

(02 Jan 2014, 8:21 pm)andreos1 wrote The upper deck front seats are the best seats on a bus as a passenger. Even little kids heading out for the day realise that from a young age too.

I imagine the journey on the x70/71 on a decker, is much more enjoyable than the back of an Omnicity.

Not so sure about the seat by the door at the front of a Citaro mind...

Upstairs at the front on a decker on the X71 is great fun, apart from when the one I was on the other week clattered a tree branch and made such a crack - I thought the world was ending !

Sat downstairs when I was on the X71 the following week !!!

(03 Jan 2014, 7:49 pm)Tom wrote Aye, I meant what service - Thanks anyway.

It used to get on the 71 on a regular basis, but haven't seen it for a while (mainly Loylnes these days) nor 8289.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:54 pm)andreos1 wrote It used to get on the 71 on a regular basis, but haven't seen it for a while (mainly Loylnes these days) nor 8289.

Forgot about the 71. it might make the odd appearance on the 50/50A to.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:42 pm)Tom wrote Does anyone know where 8236 (The ''Key Mobile'' branded one) is likely to be?

The Lime every time I've seen it lately. For all of Chester's Darts.

(02 Jan 2014, 10:36 pm)CatsFast101 wrote At peak times the X35 current timetable runs later to allow delays to be recovered to help reliability. So when X35's usual depart at :00 & :30, at peak times I'm sure they depart at 4:35, 17:10, 17:40 etc. so on these journeys the bus that arrives having worked the X35 to Sunderland can then go back out onto an X35 to Hartlepool as opposed to operating the X36 out to Newcastle. This would then allow an X36 to Newcastle at these times to continue onto Hylton Riverside after reaching Park Lane.


Quite possibly, if the B9's are out on Sunday which hasn't officially been confirmed yet.

If the X35 and the X36 are to interwork, why not just make it a through service:

X35: Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Wardley - Downhill - Southwick - Monkwearmouth - Sunderland City Centre - Doxford International - Houghton-le-Spring - Hetton-le-Hole - Easington Lane - South Hetton - Easington Village - Peterlee - Hordon - Blackhall - Hartlepool

(03 Jan 2014, 8:08 pm)legend wrote If the X35 and the X36 are to interwork, why not just make it a through service:

X35: Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Wardley - Downhill - Southwick - Monkwearmouth - Sunderland City Centre - Doxford International - Houghton-le-Spring - Hetton-le-Hole - Easington Lane - South Hetton - Easington Village - Peterlee - Hordon - Blackhall - Hartlepool

I imagine passengers will be able to do that, just as they can with the LOOP. They just havr to sit on the bus during layover period.

(03 Jan 2014, 8:08 pm)legend wrote If the X35 and the X36 are to interwork, why not just make it a through service:

X35: Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Wardley - Downhill - Southwick - Monkwearmouth - Sunderland City Centre - Doxford International - Houghton-le-Spring - Hetton-le-Hole - Easington Lane - South Hetton - Easington Village - Peterlee - Hordon - Blackhall - Hartlepool

You want to pay the money to fit 9 buses with tachographs plus a few of the red spares as back-up? Unless you did advertise a through connection but have it as a split service to avoid the need for tachographs as per the X7.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:22 pm)Dan wrote As are 06/07.

And 04

(03 Jan 2014, 8:11 pm)Kuyoyo wrote You want to pay the money to fit 9 buses with tachographs plus a few of the red spares as back-up? Unless you did advertise a through connection but have it as a split service to avoid the need for tachographs as per the X7.

I mean like the X7 (I think)

Sunderland 4 H'Pool

You never no, someone might get a shot of a new decker, and a solar together, been a great shot! More chance of winning the Euromillions but you never know.

(03 Jan 2014, 9:02 pm)Ely1992 wrote You never no, someone might get a shot of a new decker, and a solar together, been a great shot! More chance of winning the Euromillions but you never know.

Already happened, Sean Blair take a bow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77351420@N04/11736223225?nebuses/

(03 Jan 2014, 8:09 pm)Dan wrote I imagine passengers will be able to do that, just as they can with the LOOP. They just havr to sit on the bus during layover period.

The layover in Sunderland is just a bit too much to make the X35/X36 a through service

(03 Jan 2014, 9:04 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Already happened, Sean Blair take a bow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77351420@N04/11736223225?nebuses/

Great shot, wasnt expecting to see that, not so quickly anyways!

(03 Jan 2014, 9:04 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Already happened, Sean Blair take a bow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77351420@N04/11736223225?nebuses/

Shame he didn't get the blinds on both. I unfortunately had the same problem, so chose not to upload my photograph.
Should be easily achieved tomorrow.

(03 Jan 2014, 7:54 pm)andreos1 wrote It used to get on the 71 on a regular basis, but haven't seen it for a while (mainly Loylnes these days) nor 8289.

8289 was on the 937 that runs onto Lambton Worm this morning as I had the pleasure of travelling on it !

(03 Jan 2014, 8:11 pm)Kuyoyo wrote You want to pay the money to fit 9 buses with tachographs plus a few of the red spares as back-up? Unless you did advertise a through connection but have it as a split service to avoid the need for tachographs as per the X7.

And who is going to sit on a bus between Newcastle & Hartlepool for two and a half hours! If GNE want provide a service between them then just extend X1 from Easington Lane to Hartlepool every 30 min instead of X35. With three extra vehicles on X1 it would fit nicely.

(03 Jan 2014, 8:00 pm)Michael wrote Forgot about the 71. it might make the odd appearance on the 50/50A to.

Shocking. Fancy forgetting about the 71 .
Mind you're not alone... GNE seem to have forgotten about it too! *bdum tish!

(03 Jan 2014, 9:13 pm)andreos1 wrote Shocking. Fancy forgetting about the 71 .
Mind you're not alone... GNE seem to have forgotten about it too! *bdum tish!

How will you cope when the 71 is potentially 'upgraded' to Renowns? If the X25 is in line to receive an 'upgrade' (Y-reg Solars, ahah), then that's what you'll end up with!

In an earlier post somebody mentioned about freeing up some of the poor B7s on the pronto and use the presidents from Stanley for them, if you took the 2 from Percy Main as DFDS you would have the PVR of 7 the service needs.

(03 Jan 2014, 9:17 pm)Dan wrote How will you cope when the 71 is potentially 'upgraded' to Renowns? If the X25 is in line to receive an 'upgrade' (Y-reg Solars, ahah), then that's what you'll end up with!

Y and 51 reg SPD's or V/W reg Loylnes replaced by R reg Renowns - yup, as I was saying, definately a forgotten (neglected?) service :p

(03 Jan 2014, 9:31 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote In an earlier post somebody mentioned about freeing up some of the poor B7s on the pronto and use the presidents from Stanley for them, if you took the 2 from Percy Main as DFDS you would have the PVR of 7 the service needs.

That's a great deal of money for what it's worth, though. If the Pronto is in line to receive investment next year, it's an awful lot of expense...
While I do not use the service regularly, I have never encountered a journey which has operated late. Obviously services do frequently run late so I must be lucky in that sense, but it can't be that bad... I have had the misfortune of waiting around an hour for the X7 to turn up...

(03 Jan 2014, 9:33 pm)Dan wrote That's a great deal of money for what it's worth, though. If the Pronto is in line to receive investment next year, it's an awful lot of expense...
While I do not use the service regularly, I have never encountered a journey which has operated late.

I used it today and had Lolyne 3869 (I think!) there, which was spot on time, and 6021 back, which was spot on time, although it did leave Eldon Square a couple of mins late. B7 seemed to cope well.

(03 Jan 2014, 9:35 pm)Tom wrote I used it today and had Lolyne 3869 (I think!) there, which was spot on time, and 6021 back, which was spot on time, although it did leave Eldon Square a couple of mins late. B7 seemed to cope well.

Precisely. There always seems to be a spare vehicle at Bishop Auckland bus station, and no doubt this is to cover for vehicles if they are going to arrive late. The passenger is not affected.