(25 Apr 2023, 6:38 am)F114TML wrote There was at least three singles on yesterday - one versa and two streetlites (didn't get numbers cos I was driving). In fact, I'm sure I only saw one Cityrider decker yesterday... and it was on the X20 (which still, somewhat hilariously, has 'via Arnison Centre' on the dest screen).

There was one parked at the back of Deptford depot, but it seems to have gone.

Yer. WHenever its the X20 Sunderland on the display its set as the one from Langley Park all the time. Im not sure whether drivers just select the wrong one, but whenever i see it it still seems like the old dest from Langley

(25 Apr 2023, 8:18 am)nova347 wrote Yer. WHenever its the X20 Sunderland on the display its set as the one from Langley Park all the time. Im not sure whether drivers just select the wrong one, but whenever i see it it still seems like the old dest from Langley

Well, either there isn't a dest that just says 'Sunderland' or 'Park Lane', or the drivers are just selecting the first one (like how a lot of Stagecoach buses ran around with the 'RIP Queen Elizabeth' display until mid-January - it was the first one that appeared)

(25 Apr 2023, 8:36 am)F114TML wrote Well, either there isn't a dest that just says 'Sunderland' or 'Park Lane', or the drivers are just selecting the first one (like how a lot of Stagecoach buses ran around with the 'RIP Queen Elizabeth' display until mid-January - it was the first one that appeared)

There isn't a code for park lane from Doxford, just the old Langley Park settings, believe it or not they haven't been updated for those trips ( a joke I know).

(21 Apr 2023, 9:50 pm)DeltaMan wrote To cut a long story short, they're were too clever by half and effectively removed two buses an hour from the peak AM timetable (what would be the 602) and we're surprised buses were overloaded by the time they left Ryton, which ended up with the 11X running.

When GNE took over the routes, they kept the 602 and 604 numbers, but changed the X66 to the X12, so that was clever....

The bendys were in use on the 10B long before the Arriva takeover, that was when this service was High Spen/Rockwood Hill to Newcastle (via Scotswood Road).

Not long after the Arriva switch, the number used for short workings via Scotswood Road into Newcastle was turned into 604, again using bendies on certain journeys.

When the 604 turned into the 11, bendies were again used on peak time AM journeys, however they started on the main road at Low Prudhoe, rather than the interchange .  Subsequently the journeys were renumbered 11A, when the main 11 service went to Blackhall Mill, using Citaro bendies.  

Once the X66 Streetlites arrived, various journeys were operated on other routes prior to going onto the X66 later in the day, including a 12 (Winlaton to Newcastle), M6 (Lanchester to MetroCentre), even an X30/Q3/Q3 at one point.

Regards

(27 Apr 2023, 11:49 am)westy3738 wrote The bendys were in use on the 10B long before the Arriva takeover, that was when this service was High Spen/Rockwood Hill to Newcastle (via Scotswood Road).

Not long after the Arriva switch, the number used for short workings via Scotswood Road into Newcastle was turned into 604, again using bendies on certain journeys.

When the 604 turned into the 11, bendies were again used on peak time AM journeys, however they started on the main road at Low Prudhoe, rather than the interchange .  Subsequently the journeys were renumbered 11A, when the main 11 service went to Blackhall Mill, using Citaro bendies.  

Once the X66 Streetlites arrived, various journeys were operated on other routes prior to going onto the X66 later in the day, including a 12 (Winlaton to Newcastle), M6 (Lanchester to MetroCentre), even an X30/Q3/Q3 at one point.

Regards

Was the Q3 a thing back then, as the Q3 is mostly the old X40/40A

Have 3941/43 left Deptford?

(29 Apr 2023, 8:18 pm)Unber43 wrote Have 3941/43 left Deptford?

3941 was duel tracking a few days ago and it just happens that a few days ago 3941 did duel track as a Q3 while that did Depford school routes etc. And today it did a Q3 so it might have been the other bus which is tracking as 3941 as it was a Saturday and 3941 might not have moved.

(29 Apr 2023, 8:18 pm)Unber43 wrote Have 3941/43 left Deptford?

3941 is VOR at Volvo.  3942 is on loan to Riverside and also VOR, whilst 3943 is on loan to Washington.

6182 being towed south on the A1 this evening. 

Withdrawn?

(02 May 2023, 3:22 pm)BFK wrote 3941 is VOR at Volvo.  3942 is on loan to Riverside and also VOR, whilst 3943 is on loan to Washington.

Not the greatest situation with the 56 having 3-4 single deckers on today.

Graphite Solo 676 was lurking at the Broomfield Avenue end of Battle Hill Drive with an engineer sat in it at around 5pm today, not sure if it was being used to swap with a B9TL that was on the 41/41A.

EDIT / UPDATE

Just had a nosy on bus times. Looks like 676 was in use on the 41/41A from early afternoon and decided to have enough after doing 5 and a half trips. It was replaced by 6204.

What's gonna happen with the Connections 4 brand once those citaros get withdrawn?

Have all coaches now returned to Nat Ex work, I see 7132 has been rebranded back into Nat Ex, will former Seasider 7128 be rebranded into Nat Ex livery as well

(03 May 2023, 4:39 pm)N1cholas wrote Have all coaches now returned to Nat Ex work, I see 7132 has been rebranded back into Nat Ex, will former Seasider 7128 be rebranded into Nat Ex livery as well

7108, 7111, 7128 and 7132 are going back on the network.

7132 already is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sunderland Graphite solo 677 is now at Consett which probably spells the end for the Venture solos.

And the graphite brand...

(03 May 2023, 5:49 pm)Dan wrote 7108, 7111, 7128 and 7132 are going back on the network.

7132 already is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whats the dealio with 6062 Dan, is it a gonner?

(04 May 2023, 9:19 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Sunderland Graphite solo 677 is now at Consett which probably spells the end for the Venture solos.

No, just temporary loans.

(04 May 2023, 9:19 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Sunderland Graphite solo 677 is now at Consett which probably spells the end for the Venture solos.

676 is also there aswell

(05 May 2023, 7:17 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote 676 is also there aswell

Will the graphites ever head back to wearside. They really should get them back on the 39s

665 has turned up at Washington depot tonight

Not sure I've seen it mentioned and it's certainly not worth creating a new thread (move it to a more relevant one if needs be), but noticed a 626 Coach Hire coach showing a Go North East logo on the blind.

Hiring in again?

(11 May 2023, 5:05 pm)Andreos1 wrote Not sure I've seen it mentioned and it's certainly not worth creating a new thread (move it to a more relevant one if needs be), but noticed a 626 Coach Hire coach showing a Go North East logo on the blind.

Hiring in again?

Assisting with driver training. Not for service.

(09 May 2023, 8:50 pm)MCN881L wrote 665 has turned up at Washington depot tonight

Saw that yesterday in Sunderland, from the way that I saw it go, it looked like it was doing the 8 driving training. As with it going to every 30 mins they probably need more trained.

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5371 back in service today.

Does anyone know what's happened to 6336

(11 May 2023, 7:50 pm)itsadam wrote Does anyone know what's happened to 6336

It was parked up at the rear of Consett depot for a while. I saw it on the maintenance bay a coue of weeks back so assuming it's still there?

(11 May 2023, 7:54 pm)Tiger5105 wrote It was parked up at the rear of Consett depot for a while. I saw it on the maintenance bay a coue of weeks back so assuming it's still there?

Been ages since I've seen it .

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What's the crack with 6325 and 6309 as well

6309 was on the X5/X15 today, passed it at Whitton Gilbert
saw 6336 and 6337 both in the maintenance bays at houndsgill last weekend
also 641 and 643 look to be parked up. With the other withdrawn solos

Seems like 5401 has moved from Deptford to Consett a few days ago.

Still say 6336/7 never really fitted into the fleet, especially from a reliability point of view, and still think they’ll be sold on somewhere else.  I also think the original angel hybrids will be on their way shortly, fleet is ageing quickly and the cost to keep the older hybrids on the road must be massive.  A lot of the b9s are also coming of age now, and time is catching up on them.