(21 Jan 2026, 5:51 pm)BusLoverMum wrote They must have a bit of cash to throw around, these days, with an event like that.

Never know, Kim might have helped them oot with the odd quid.....

(21 Jan 2026, 5:51 pm)BusLoverMum wrote They must have a bit of cash to throw around, these days, with an event like that.

But never any money available when paytalks are coming up

Today I was invited to attend the GNE Electric launch at Utilita Arena, here we see an overview of today launch:-


https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpbsp/55054289180/

(21 Jan 2026, 3:45 pm)Ambassador wrote On the 327 for investment, they aren't actually that bad inside. They always seem to be out in service (generally daily on the X39) so they must be mechanically sound

They ocasionally leak but then so do the current crop of Streetdecks!

Commercially they must turn a decent profit with the fare at £7.

Though the DFDS website calls them 'coaches' and shows a picture of the old ELC stock!

Having been on the transfer coaches at the other end in to and out of Amsterdam, I know which fleet I prefer!

On 6812 this fine morning

Doesn’t have the annoying factory fresh next stop announcement

Screens are showing the go electric branding and advertising the 58 now being all electric (spoiler it’s not yet)

6804,6808,6809,6812 all out today.

6818 still parked in same place from when it was towed in on the 18th. Back wheels on blocks of wood and in front of front wheels.

A RouteOne article relating to the E200EV has confirmed that build of 4 10.9m variants for Go North East has been completed and they're due for delivery soon.

https://www.route-one.net/news/alexander...its-debut/

"The first of those customer vehicles are four bound for Go North East. They are 10.9m long, have been completed, and are for delivery to the Go-Ahead Group subsidiary soon."

(22 Jan 2026, 2:01 pm)cainebj wrote A RouteOne article relating to the E200EV has confirmed that build of 4 10.9m variants for Go North East has been completed and they're due for delivery soon.

https://www.route-one.net/news/alexander...its-debut/

"The first of those customer vehicles are four bound for Go North East. They are 10.9m long, have been completed, and are for delivery to the Go-Ahead Group subsidiary soon."

X66 soon!!

(22 Jan 2026, 3:30 pm)Retro Nero wrote X66 soon!!

I was wondering what they were getting for the X66 E200EV’s or Yutong E12. I’m glad they’ve gone with the E200EV they look good, hopefully once they’ve used them for a while other companies will follow and order some of them instead of the Yutongs!

What's happening with Consett's new Streetdecks as theyre the one depot out of the 3 not to use any in service yet and still running the 07/57 B9s instead.

Giving the new E200EVs are only 10.9 metres long, are they be numbered 8810-8813 then?

(19 Jan 2026, 3:38 pm)Storx wrote Aye no arguments there, I still think the E200MMC's might leave Consett personally.

They'd be a good upgrade for a route elsewhere rather than running around as spares pretty much really. 

The 4 would be the obvious one, displacing out the Mercs and there's 10 of both. Be a decent upgrade really, unlike Streetlites but I get the arguments for keeping all the Enviros together aswell.

Or all the E200MMC end up at Consett with some of the quieter X30/X31/X32 and X70/X71/X73 boards reduced to singles - freeing up enough E400MMC as spares and allowing 8x E400MMC to be allocated to Riverside for the X21 given some of the 20/70 plate StreetDecks will likely be lost to Deptford alongside Washington's 6364-76.

6802, 6811, 6813 have entered service this morning

6816 came out late yesterday afternoon after 6325 was pinched to replace 6361 on X21

(22 Jan 2026, 10:00 pm)Tiger5105 wrote What's happening with Consett's new Streetdecks as theyre the one depot out of the 3 not to use any in service yet and still running the  07/57 B9s instead.

6379 & 6382 are out today, on school services believe it or not, what could possibly go wrong.

Ambassador's Official Electric Review

Good points

They seem pacey
Legroom is excellent (though not in seats at the front and the thick pillar makes those seats feel very enclosed)
Stop bells on every seat
Stairs are easy and there's no low ceiling
No engine vibrations
Removal of tables and additional capacity


Minor bad points
The lack of handrails upstairs - instead there are seat grab handles but they are slightly less accessible.
A bit clinical - the solid white ceiling is a bit of a drab effect
The seats are very very very very very uncomfortable - even LNER standard seats feel more cushioned
No idea why - the ticket machines on every one I've been seem to be taking an age to recognise QR codes on app tickets

Think the lack of seats downstairs is going to annoy some people. I was on 6811 and the back had 5 people in (3 forwards, 2 back) , quite tight, and it might be a regular thing with people who don't want to go upstairs, especially as these are used on short trips a lot. I went upstairs in the end.

Like the dimming lights when moving.

Back right actually has a USB, which is not usually the case due to emergency exit door. It is high up on the wall, pretty much next to your head.

I thought seats were ok, but not as good as the old ones. The real leather when new was very good, but has got a bit flat now, but is still probably better. Though I don't think the new seats are that bad, but then again I am not a regular on GNE buses, I am used to some of the dodgy worn out fabric seats on Arriva Pulsars.

As Streetdecks have a habit of engine vibrations, that won't be an issue. I think the new diesel ones might have this eventually though even though it is a different engine, I was on 6396 back seat and you can feel slight vibrations, you can't feel it sitting elsewhere but they are still new and even when I sit back seat on some older buses there is no vibrations, so I wasn't really sure on that. It was good on hills though (22 route), and seemed good acceleration. It was much quieter than the normal engine.

I also had 6328 though and that was pretty decent actually. Better than I thought having read about these buses but not been on one for ages. It had some new seating at the back, either new leather or e leather in the same design as the rest, the remainder of the seating was in good condition (downstairs) and there was no engine vibrations or rattles. It was actually quite nice. Is this 6328 just a good one? or are these not that bad. I did hear some others with really really loud engine fans though which is not great, and I know they are not going to be great on fast work, they accelerate slowly and are limited speed.

(23 Jan 2026, 7:44 am)NL62WVW wrote 6802, 6811, 6813 have entered service this morning

6816 came out late yesterday afternoon after 6325 was pinched to replace 6361 on X21

Any information on fleet number ultroliners at consett. I have only seen  6384 at the consett bus station.

Something is telling me this based on a guess of the E200MMC's covering some X30/X70 boards.

Some of the X21 StreetDecks will have to go to Deptford to fill the 56 PVR and spare coverage.

If 5 or 6 of them are left over and the X21 goes to E400MMCs, could they not end up on the X45 - with the Cummins examples doing the arguably slightly tougher 47?

They'd only be in service Monday to Saturday due to Consett's Sunday interworkings, so would be well rested and the evening boards could be swapped out with E400MMCs or Cummins StreetDecks running of the X30/X70s and 47

(23 Jan 2026, 12:08 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Think the lack of seats downstairs is going to annoy some people. I was on 6811 and the back had 5 people in  (3 forwards, 2 back) , quite tight, and it might be a regular thing with people who don't want to go upstairs, especially as these are used on short trips a lot. I went upstairs in the end.

Like the dimming lights when moving.

Back right actually has a USB, which is not usually the case due to emergency exit door. It is high up on the wall, pretty much next to your head.

I thought seats were ok, but not as good as the old ones. The real leather when new was very good, but has got a bit flat now, but is still probably better. Though I don't think the new seats are that bad, but then again I am not a regular on GNE buses, I am used to some of the dodgy worn out fabric seats on Arriva Pulsars.

As Streetdecks have a habit of engine vibrations, that won't be an issue. I think the new diesel ones might have this eventually though even though it is a different engine, I was on 6396 back seat and you can feel slight vibrations, you can't feel it sitting elsewhere but they are still new and even when I sit back seat on some older buses there is no vibrations, so I wasn't really sure on that. It was good on hills though  (22 route), and seemed good acceleration. It was much quieter than the normal engine.

I also had 6328 though and that was pretty decent actually. Better than I thought having read about these buses but not been on one for ages. It had some new seating at the back, either new leather or e leather in the same design as the rest, the remainder of the seating was in good condition (downstairs) and there was no engine vibrations or rattles. It was actually quite nice. Is this 6328 just a good one? or are these not that bad. I did hear some others with really really loud engine fans though which is not great, and I know they are not going to be great on fast work, they accelerate slowly and are limited speed.

The Wrightbuses have had the dimming lights since 2016.