That's another 2 vehicle types which have just gone out the Arriva fleet in the past week or so, the Optare Solo and Temsa Avenue.

Must say, can't say I'll miss either tbh. 

The Optare Solo (non SR) has really gone out, under the radar, since they were everywhere at one point.

I kind of hope a Temsa Avenue gets preserved, even if it is a warning to future generations.

(19 Dec 2025, 9:27 pm)Storx wrote That's another 2 vehicle types which have just gone out the Arriva fleet in the past week or so, the Optare Solo and Temsa Avenue.

Must say, can't say I'll miss either tbh. 

The Optare Solo (non SR) has really gone out, under the radar, since they were everywhere at one point.

With former 2810 being withdrawn from Tunbridge Wells, I believe that would be the last 28XX Solo Arriva NE has owned gone? Sad to think since I quite liked those Solos and there were a canny amount of them.

2863 2866 still in operation at arriva midlands

(19 Dec 2025, 8:42 pm)ross13 wrote Yes 2841 has officially been withdrawn

Newly transfer to darlington 

Darlingtons 1369 ex yorkshire1449 1450 as arrived at darlington and 1369 is out on the x66

(19 Dec 2025, 7:21 pm)9920up wrote Is it the end for Solo 2841? Currently has the "red steering wheel cover of death" in place as well as a " no service " label in the windscreen. Sleeping quietly in Darlington yard.

Yes allegedly been sold as well

I had the misfortune of using Arriva yesterday, Service 2 from Blyth to Morpeth. I was waiting for the 1152 departure which failed to operate (arrived at Blyth around 1215 and left Not in Sevice). The 1222 did operate, one of the infamous Solo SRs. This made it to the Phoenix taxi office before breaking down. Driver was advised to continue (bus was absolutely rammed) and it limped to Bedlington Station before dying. The bus after the one I was one (1252 departure) also failed to operate. According to the driver the Solo had only just been released from engineering replacing a full sized single decker.

Seemingly big gaps in service and unreliable vehicles (the driver was told by the engineer that there was a lack of available vehicles). Once I arrived in Morpeth (close to 1400) I noticed a very cosy Pulsar on the X18 heading North towards Alnwick.

Take this with a pinch of salt, but I was on DM01-MD today and the driver was having a conversation with a GNE Q3 and/or an Ashingtkn driver and they said that having tried the BYD at Blyth their and othwrs drivers concensusr was that DM01-MD was the nicer of the two. Obivsally that is very subjective and the real proof will be when the BYDs enter service and get bedded in.

(23 Dec 2025, 11:36 pm)solsburian wrote Take this with a pinch of salt, but I was on DM01-MD today and the driver was having a conversation with a GNE Q3 and/or an Ashingtkn driver and they said that having tried the BYD at Blyth their and othwrs drivers concensusr was that DM01-MD was the nicer of the two. Obivsally that is very subjective  and the real proof will be when the BYDs enter service and get bedded in.

Chatting to a driver on Friday about the new BYD he said he's been out in it a couple of times and is really impressed. As you say, it is likely subjective like with any vehicle and different drivers will have different preferences.

(24 Dec 2025, 7:23 am)Shrek wrote Chatting to a driver on Friday about the new BYD he said he's been out in it a couple of times and is really impressed. As you say, it is likely subjective like with any vehicle and different drivers will have different preferences.

I should learn to spell haha. Anyway, from what I’ve experienced so far, EVs give a far quieter and smoother ride, resulting in a better onboard experience.

Ex Yorkshire (now allocated to Darlington) Pulsar 1450 has entered service at Darlington on 1/5s

(09 Jan 2026, 3:50 pm)ross13 wrote Ex Yorkshire (now allocated to Darlington) Pulsar 1450 has entered service at Darlington on 1/5s

I heard Ex Arriva Yorkshire 1450 now Arriva North East 1450 is gonna be used as Stockton Garage Trainer the same as 1534 is Durhams Garage Trainer & 1430 is Redcars Garage Trainer

(10 Jan 2026, 6:57 am)busesofthenortheast wrote I heard Ex Arriva Yorkshire 1450 now Arriva North East 1450 is gonna be used as Stockton Garage Trainer the same as 1534 is Durhams Garage Trainer & 1430 is Redcars Garage Trainer

1450 will be eventually going to Stockton but due to the high number of VORS are Darlington is temporary allocated there for service

New engineering management still not sorting the basics at Ashington.

I saw 1462 expired in Newcastle around 1550, after not making run out this morning. Once again, given their track record, you’d assume whatever issue it had wasn’t properly fixed.

7548, which broke down on the 434 on Tuesday and didn’t appear yesterday, broke down on the X14 tonight on the last run.

1393, which didn’t make runout yesterday morning, was sent for this mornings Wooler and broke down - resulting in a once per day service running 90 minutes late.

1538, which failed on the X18 yesterday, failed to make runout this morning and then failed to complete the X21 board it was put on.

Of the 17 plates, only 6 tracked today. 7548 and 7552 both expired at different points, so there are 4 fully functioning buses out of a batch of 12.

As much as the engineering isn’t getting any better, it isn’t being helped by quite frankly moronic allocations. Sending 16 year old Pulsars to do daily Wooler services while you allocate 3 year old MMCs on the 434 should be a sackable offence. The amount of Pulsars and Streetlites sent onto X18 boards recently is laughable given the known capacity issues on a few of them - 1404 did two school runs on its board today.

Things might not change “overnight” - as is the frequent response to the criticism of the inept morons running that place - but even the Titanic turned quicker than this. Seems to be no appetite from management to draft in extra vehicles - while Blyth gained 3 extra MMCs over November and December to paint a whopping 1 bus at a time (and stopped short of completing their full batch of *6* 12-plate Pulsars, once again displaying the inability of the people running this circus to see through any plan).

Hopefully the lack of action prompts the local councillor to follow up on her meeting with them, baffled that the Traffic Commissioner hasn’t been involved yet given the state of the 35.

(15 Jan 2026, 9:43 pm)PH - BQA wrote New engineering management still not sorting the basics at Ashington.

I saw 1462 expired in Newcastle around 1550, after not making run out this morning. Once again, given their track record, you’d assume whatever issue it had wasn’t properly fixed.

7548, which broke down on the 434 on Tuesday and didn’t appear yesterday, broke down on the X14 tonight on the last run.

1393, which didn’t make runout yesterday morning, was sent for this mornings Wooler and broke down - resulting in a once per day service running 90 minutes late.

1538, which failed on the X18 yesterday, failed to make runout this morning and then failed to complete the X21 board it was put on.

Of the 17 plates, only 6 tracked today. 7548 and 7552 both expired at different points, so there are 4 fully functioning buses out of a batch of 12.

As much as the engineering isn’t getting any better, it isn’t being helped by quite frankly moronic allocations. Sending 16 year old Pulsars to do daily Wooler services while you allocate 3 year old MMCs on the 434 should be a sackable offence. The amount of Pulsars and Streetlites sent onto X18 boards recently is laughable given the known capacity issues on a few of them - 1404 did two school runs on its board today.

Things might not change “overnight” - as is the frequent response to the criticism of the inept morons running that place - but even the Titanic turned quicker than this. Seems to be no appetite from management to draft in extra vehicles - while Blyth gained 3 extra MMCs over November and December to paint a whopping 1 bus at a time (and stopped short of completing their full batch of *6* 12-plate Pulsars, once again displaying the inability of the people running this circus to see through any plan).

Hopefully the lack of action prompts the local councillor to follow up on her meeting with them, baffled that the Traffic Commissioner hasn’t been involved yet given the state of the 35.

Meanwhile, Redcar is surprisingly the best performing depot at the moment, loaning out vehicle after vehicle to Stockton, Durham and Northumbria and still managing to do their services at the same time. Kind of a shock to be honest considering Redcar was shocking not that long ago.

Mind, there is still Pulsars knocking about on the X4 and X93 along with Evoras branded for the X4 on the X93 and the X93 Branded B9's on the 62. Kind of a mess of allocations which is typical for Redcar as they've always put stuff out on anything they feel like, but from an engineering point of view, Redcar seemed to be getting vehicles out on the road as quickly as possible and in great condition.

Yeah every vehicle at Ashington coming back from off road has 2 or 3 false starts normally. 3051 had about a week of false starts, but so did 1497, 7564, 7546, 1393... It's a very consistent pattern.

(15 Jan 2026, 11:18 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Yeah every vehicle at Ashington coming back from off road has 2 or 3 false starts normally. 3051 had about a week of false starts, but so did 1497, 7564, 7546, 1393... It's a very consistent pattern.

Yes, and it’s been ongoing for years. 7530 is exactly the same, and that’s been that way since about 2021. First day back for it today since December and they’ve put it onto an X18 - mental decision making. 

They send things back out without proper road tests, so as soon as they’re pushed back into service prematurely and need to do more than a trip around Ashington they break - every time.

(16 Jan 2026, 7:43 am)PH - BQA wrote Yes, and it’s been ongoing for years. 7530 is exactly the same, and that’s been that way since about 2021. First day back for it today since December and they’ve put it onto an X18 - mental decision making. 

They send things back out without proper road tests, so as soon as they’re pushed back into service prematurely and need to do more than a trip around Ashington they break - every time.

Wow on an X18, that's crazy! I probably would have put it on a 1 or a 2, indeed 7553 is on the 2 so it could have done that board instead.

Looks like 7578 is on the X18 today though which is sensible at least.

(16 Jan 2026, 12:17 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Wow on an X18, that's crazy! I probably would have put it on a 1 or a 2, indeed 7553 is on the 2 so it could have done that board instead.

Looks like 7578 is on the X18 today though which is sensible at least.

In fairness it has managed it, but insane to choose to put it on there when it's managed about 5 days of service in the past 3 months.

This is the wrong thread for it but while Ashington's reliability remains very poor, perhaps a ray of light with the new management is that on NUFC home matches it seems that Arriva Northumbria are running duplicate busses (at least at Blyth depot).

(18 Jan 2026, 12:48 am)solsburian wrote This is the wrong thread for it but while Ashington's reliability remains very poor, perhaps a ray of light with the new management is that on NUFC home matches it seems that Arriva Northumbria are running duplicate busses (at least at Blyth depot).

In fairness, even through DB times they always tended to put dupes on for home matches during the week. Usually Ashington did an X21 or X22, and an X18 - they no longer do the latter as there’s a later X15 now. 

Blyth always seemed to be however many drivers they could get to stay back, but there always tended to be an X10/11 dupe and a coast from memory.

(18 Jan 2026, 12:48 am)solsburian wrote This is the wrong thread for it but while Ashington's reliability remains very poor, perhaps a ray of light with the new management is that on NUFC home matches it seems that Arriva Northumbria are running duplicate busses (at least at Blyth depot).

Doesn't seem like Blyth is in much better shape, I fancied a change and thought I'd use the bus because I haven't used it for awhile and I'll be lucky if this shed gets back (7602) with absolutely zero heating to boot. 

Something very wrong and whatever it is they've forced a restart to get it moving 

Noticed it's been off road for the past 3 days so it seems like it's not just Ashington throwing things out which shouldn't be out.

Just reminded me why I use the train tbh. 

---

Thankfully it grinded itself back, just had a little look around BusTimes and there seems to be gaps creeping in again. 

Guessing the E400MMC's were masking the issues.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...zI4GHqbuJw

Apologies for the link being the Chronicle, but the absolute lies being spouted by the Arriva spokeswoman are on a different level.

"A number of immediate measures were implemented, including the allocation of additional spare vehicles at Ashington Depot and managerial changes within the engineering team. These actions remain in place and have contributed to improved reliability, as reflected in performance data, although we recognise that further improvement is still required. It was made clear that the additional vehicles were introduced to support day-to-day reliability and were never intended as a complete or permanent solution. The issues affecting Service 35 are more complex and require a more fundamental, longer-term response. We are therefore developing longer-term solutions, including a revised timetable and wider network changes. These cannot be introduced immediately due to statutory notice periods, and the revised timetable will be more substantial than minor adjustments. It is expected to be introduced as soon as possible. Looking ahead, Ashington Depot will receive 25 brand new double-deck buses from late May into early summer. This will allow older, less reliable vehicles to be withdrawn, improving reliability across the local network, including Service 35"

Firstly, no additional vehicles were ever allocated to the depot. 7578 is now there, but in the period referred to there was not a single additional vehicle allocated despite the high number of vehicles being used as repaint floats (for a grand total of 3 repaints to be completed).

The 35 was an absolute state when it was standalone, so I'm not sure how unlinking it from the X21 is expected to be a magic bullet either. It's not been reliable since it was every 15 minutes, and won't be until it's either that frequency again or has a very padded timetable (at which point it may as well be every 15 mins...). Assuming the same commercial genius that thought up the plan initially is involved in the new arrangements, how is it expected to be any better...

We know from posts on here that there will not be 25 new double deck vehicles for Ashington either, as posts have confirmed some of these as for Blyth. So that is another blatant lie. We also know that they are, in part, replacing the 17-plate MMCs rather than the 61-plate Pulsars which are beyond unreliable at this stage.

(21 Jan 2026, 7:55 pm)PH - BQA wrote https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...zI4GHqbuJw

Apologies for the link being the Chronicle, but the absolute lies being spouted by the Arriva spokeswoman are on a different level.

"A number of immediate measures were implemented, including the allocation of additional spare vehicles at Ashington Depot and managerial changes within the engineering team. These actions remain in place and have contributed to improved reliability, as reflected in performance data, although we recognise that further improvement is still required. It was made clear that the additional vehicles were introduced to support day-to-day reliability and were never intended as a complete or permanent solution. The issues affecting Service 35 are more complex and require a more fundamental, longer-term response. We are therefore developing longer-term solutions, including a revised timetable and wider network changes. These cannot be introduced immediately due to statutory notice periods, and the revised timetable will be more substantial than minor adjustments. It is expected to be introduced as soon as possible. Looking ahead, Ashington Depot will receive 25 brand new double-deck buses from late May into early summer. This will allow older, less reliable vehicles to be withdrawn, improving reliability across the local network, including Service 35"

Firstly, no additional vehicles were ever allocated to the depot. 7578 is now there, but in the period referred to there was not a single additional vehicle allocated despite the high number of vehicles being used as repaint floats (for a grand total of 3 repaints to be completed).

The 35 was an absolute state when it was standalone, so I'm not sure how unlinking it from the X21 is expected to be a magic bullet either. It's not been reliable since it was every 15 minutes, and won't be until it's either that frequency again or has a very padded timetable (at which point it may as well be every 15 mins...). Assuming the same commercial genius that thought up the plan initially is involved in the new arrangements, how is it expected to be any better...

We know from posts on here that there will not be 25 new double deck vehicles for Ashington either, as posts have confirmed some of these as for Blyth. So that is another blatant lie. We also know that they are, in part, replacing the 17-plate MMCs rather than the 61-plate Pulsars which are beyond unreliable at this stage.

Reading through the lines there, the changes sound bigger than just cutting them in half again mind.

What they are who knows, but wouldn't be surprised if either the X21 or 35 isn't every 20 minutes on it's full route after this tbh. I'm sure people could come up with all sorts of predictions on how to do that.

Whatever it is, hopefully they actually drive the routes before throwing them out as if it's anything like the 57/57A timetable then it's impossible. Unless you have no traffic, at all, and no-one boards the bus - which in reality isn't happening.

(21 Jan 2026, 9:06 pm)Storx wrote Reading through the lines there, the changes sound bigger than just cutting them in half again mind.

What they are who knows, but wouldn't be surprised if either the X21 or 35 isn't every 20 minutes on it's full route after this tbh. I'm sure people could come up with all sorts of predictions on how to do that.

Whatever it is, hopefully it involves the 57/57A somehow because the current timetable just does not work either.

If the resource is there, the 35 should be increased to every 15 minutes to be honest. The only time I can ever remember that route being reliable is when they were that frequent around 10 years ago. 

My maths might be slightly off, but I reckon if you just loop Newbiggin (Wansbeck Hospital - A189 - Spital - Cresswell Arms - Seacrest - Woodhorn - Wansbeck Hospital) on the X21 and interwork it with the X22 at Newcastle again you can keep them every 20 without changing PVR. 

57/57A is a different game - but to be honest that seems more bus related at the moment. It's a graveyard for anything that struggles with town by the looks of it - once those 10/61-plate Pulsars get turned into baked bean tins you'd hope it would be better.

(21 Jan 2026, 10:26 pm)PH - BQA wrote If the resource is there, the 35 should be increased to every 15 minutes to be honest. The only time I can ever remember that route being reliable is when they were that frequent around 10 years ago. 

My maths might be slightly off, but I reckon if you just loop Newbiggin (Wansbeck Hospital - A189 - Spital - Cresswell Arms - Seacrest - Woodhorn - Wansbeck Hospital) on the X21 and interwork it with the X22 at Newcastle again you can keep them every 20 without changing PVR. 

57/57A is a different game - but to be honest that seems more bus related at the moment. It's a graveyard for anything that struggles with town by the looks of it - once those 10/61-plate Pulsars get turned into baked bean tins you'd hope it would be better.

Aye don't disagree with the 35, I've seen it a few times at the Morpeth side and it's always looking healthy, to be honest. Could be an opportunity to drop it down to singles aswell since there's way too many of the things and like you said they're the most unreliable vehicles anyway. 

Not sure it's just vehicle related the 57/57A tbf, the timetable is tight as an understatement and it's got no recovery (has 3 minutes at Whitley). All you need is a wheelchair, or a set of traffic lights and it's shot to pieces and that's before going into the fact the 57A timetable between Ashington and Cramlington has zero extra time at peak times and is literally impossible. It badly needs to interwork with something like on a Saturday but obviously you need a service, then give it some layover time at Whitley so it can actually recover, when things do go wrong. It's pretty likely there's going to be something considering how much ground they cover.

7514 on loan to Darlington

This is going to sound daft and Arriva would still need suitable Euro 6 spare deckers for the majority of Ashington's work.

But if they do a PVR of 6 on the 35 with a padded 20 minute frequency and sufficient running / recovery time, would 7401-06 not suffice for a few years with some TLC, just staying on the 35?

(22 Jan 2026, 2:18 pm)L469 YVK wrote This is going to sound daft and Arriva would still need suitable Euro 6 spare deckers for the majority of Ashington's work.

But if they do a PVR of 6 on the 35 with a padded 20 minute frequency and sufficient running / recovery time, would 7401-06 not suffice for a few years with some TLC, just staying on the 35?

Wouldn't make much sense imo as the 35 would be useful for junk like 7530 instead which are just as bad - if not worse.

I don't know what the plan with Whitby is but personally I'd be moving out the 72 Plate E400MMC's and 2 16 Plate E400MMC's if they end up on the P&R out, not the B9TL's.

Once the new buses come:

2x B9TL - P&R
6x New E400MMC's - All Year Round X93/X94
4x B9TL - Summer Extras X93/X94 / Spares

Is more than enough buses down there and the same they've had for years, having 72 Plates running around on a P&R or doing nothing is a complete waste - believe the Summer frequency is 8 buses if I remember right.

Ashington, in particular, would really benefit from having the 72 Plates back.

(22 Jan 2026, 3:28 pm)Storx wrote Wouldn't make much sense imo as the 35 would be useful for junk like 7530 instead which are just as bad - if not worse.

I don't know what the plan with Whitby is but personally I'd be moving out the 72 Plate E400MMC's and 2 16 Plate E400MMC's if they end up on the P&R out, not the B9TL's.

Once the new buses come:

2x B9TL - P&R
6x New E400MMC's - All Year Round X93/X94
4x B9TL - Summer Extras X93/X94 / Spares

Is more than enough buses down there and the same they've had for years, having 72 Plates running around on a P&R or doing nothing is a complete waste - believe the Summer frequency is 8 buses if I remember right.

Ashington, in particular, would really benefit from having the 72 Plates back.

The whole point of the new E400MMCs going to Whitby is to displace the now-aged B9TLs away from the highly demanding work they've been used on since new on the X93/X94 corridor (don't forget the X94 boards spend most of their day running between Whitby and Scarborough - the part with probably the most demanding of the hills along the corridor) plus given they are only 5 years younger than 7609/10, they'll soon be too old for the P&R contract in any case, hence the reason for 7594/5 being earmarked for that if Arriva retain it. I understand from a source within Arriva, the B9s may already have a new home lined up under the original plans.

I also have been told why the new E400MMCs for Ashington are intended to replace 7541-52 - those have smaller fuel tanks than the newer examples, which means they have issues when being used on certain Morpeth Express boards as a result (not due to the fuel tank but Stockton once had something similar happening when 1512 was based at the depot as the Sapphire spare - it almost always ended up on the same board, which happened to be the first bus out of the depot and the last bus into the depot, and was known to be running on fumes when it got back in).