(23 Feb 2026, 11:30 am)Kuyoyo wrote No, that's correct - 7 11.6m examples (I'm merely assuming on the length) for the 2 and 14 10.9m (again, assuming but that is the shortest length) for the rest of the town network bar the tendered 16 17 and 18.

Seems there's shorter variants around these days, as Metroline have 10.2m examples in service - https://www.facebook.com/buspix1/posts/m...276084647/

Can't imagine 10.9m buses would be able to do some of the Darlington locals, seem way too long.

(23 Feb 2026, 11:43 am)Storx wrote Seems there's shorter variants around these days, as Metroline have 10.2m examples in service - https://www.facebook.com/buspix1/posts/m...276084647/

Can't imagine 10.9m buses would be able to do some of the Darlington locals, seem way too long.

They certainly can - the short Streetlites are regularly used on the town network when there is a shortage of E200s. And indeed, with the extended 10 increasing the allocated PVR of the E200s to 14 (from 14), they'll be regularly making appearances on those boards. The 10, when standalone, could be worked by full sized vehicles.

So there will be seven Kites for the 2, and fourteen smaller Kites for everything other than 16, 17 and 18? 16 and 17 will have longer E200MMCs (electric?) and the 18 will have little E200MMCs as now? No Evoras for Darlington?

These are coming in the summer?

What about the 1, 5, 7 and X66/X67?

(23 Feb 2026, 12:04 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote So there will be seven Kites for the 2, and fourteen smaller Kites for everything other than 16, 17 and 18? 16 and 17 will have longer E200MMCs (electric?) and the 18 will have little E200MMCs as now? No Evoras for Darlington?

No - the 16 will likely be either a small E200MMC or remain worked by the Solo (3053). The 17 interworks with the 8 so will be large single deckers. Darlington are due 10 full size (11.8m) E200MMCs for an as-yet-unannounced route.

(23 Feb 2026, 11:48 am)Kuyoyo wrote They certainly can - the short Streetlites are regularly used on the town network when there is a shortage of E200s. And indeed, with the extended 10 increasing the allocated PVR of the E200s to 14 (from 14), they'll be regularly making appearances on those boards. The 10, when standalone, could be worked by full sized vehicles.

Aye must admit, I always thought certain routes were a no go. The 4, in particular, around the Brinkburn Avenue area. Cut down there once or twice when the main road is slammed through Cockerton, trying to get across Darlington and it's rather cosy.

(23 Feb 2026, 12:11 pm)Storx wrote Aye must admit, I always thought certain routes were a no go. The 4, in particular, around the Brinkburn Avenue area. Cut down there once or twice when the main road was trying to get across Darlington and it's rather cosy.

They do tend to keep the Streetlites on the 9/10/13 cycle rather than the 3/19 or 4 - however, all of them will be larger vehicles come the electric fleet's arrival. Although there has been times in the past when full-size vehicles have been used on the 4 - there was a morning trip on the front of an X21 board at one time, seeing the use of EcoCitys. And a Scania was used at one stage during the numerous Covid periods.

Ashington struggling extremely bad today. 7503/7509 & 7621 are all on Ashington routes today with the E400 on the 1 & DB300 on the 57/57A however was on the 1 this morning

(23 Feb 2026, 12:19 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Ashington struggling extremely bad today. 7503/7509 & 7621 are all on Ashington routes today with the E400 on the 1 & DB300 on the 57/57A however was on the 1 this morning

They have been at Ashington since Saturday - 7503 spent the day on 1s, 7509 spent the day on 2s while 7621 spent the day on the 1 board that then does evening trips on the 2.
Those E400s getting a last run-out - Blyth's changing points looked to be almost all fitted.

(23 Feb 2026, 12:23 pm)Kuyoyo wrote They have been at Ashington since Saturday - 7503 spent the day on 1s, 7509 spent the day on 2s while 7621 spent the day on the 1 board that then does evening trips on the 2.
Those E400s getting a last run-out - Blyth's changing points looked to be almost all fitted.

Unless plans have changed, a late March roll out was rumoured for the BYD’s

(23 Feb 2026, 12:34 pm)220631612 wrote Unless plans have changed, a late March roll out was rumoured for the BYD’s

BYDs are the replacement buses for the 43/44/45?

(23 Feb 2026, 12:49 pm)IOrangeArrow49 wrote BYDs are the replacement buses for the 43/44/45?

The BYD’s will be allocated to the 43/44/45 but will help with the vehicle situation as not all the planned withdrawals will happen until the E400’s due arrive

(23 Feb 2026, 12:19 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Ashington struggling extremely bad today. 7503/7509 & 7621 are all on Ashington routes today with the E400 on the 1 & DB300 on the 57/57A however was on the 1 this morning

7503/9 and 7621 are there due to emissions issues - 7529, 7533, and 1539 are at Blyth in their place.

1497 and 7553 are on local work for the same reason.

Former redcar 1435, Yorkshire 1445 is now withdrawn

(23 Feb 2026, 5:57 pm)220631612 wrote The BYD’s will be allocated to the 43/44/45 but will help with the vehicle situation as not all the planned withdrawals will happen until the E400’s due arrive

E400s for which services? Don't remember them being mentioned before. So many new buses all over the place, it's hard to keep up! Very much looking forward to going on the new BYDs when they enter service.

3 hour gap in X22s towards Newcastle this evening, 2 of which would have been runs which people would have used to get to the match.

Aware there is a vehicle shortage, but things absolutely would have ran in ahead of the 18:47. You'd also reallocate resource to ensure one of the 17:14/17:47 ran.

Disgraceful decision making from whoever has allowed that to happen.

1387 now on Blyth routes

(24 Feb 2026, 8:43 pm)Nerd4321 wrote 1387 now on Blyth routes

7505 has appeared at Ashington too. 

7501 is also back out, tracking as 7502.

(24 Feb 2026, 8:19 pm)PH - BQA wrote 3 hour gap in X22s towards Newcastle this evening, 2 of which would have been runs which people would have used to get to the match.

Aware there is a vehicle shortage, but things absolutely would have ran in ahead of the 18:47. You'd also reallocate resource to ensure one of the 17:14/17:47 ran.

Disgraceful decision making from whoever has allowed that to happen.

Not excusing the allocating, but Ashington had a chronic day today in terms of breakdowns / buses being pulled.

SP_AN (unsure what E400 it was) and 3051 both broke down on the 57/57A alone, and it appears that's just the crux of it.

Seems like the reallocating ended up on the X15/X18/X20 though with whatever SP_AN ending up on an Alnwick run which is a pretty mental move if it's the same vehicle (which ironically had issues and got pulled at Morpeth).

(24 Feb 2026, 9:46 pm)Storx wrote Not excusing the allocating, but Ashington had a chronic day today in terms of breakdowns / buses being pulled.

SP_AN (unsure what E400 it was) and 3051 both broke down on the 57/57A alone, and it appears that's just the crux of it.

Seems like the reallocating ended up on the X15/X18/X20 though with whatever SP_AN ending up on an Alnwick run which is a pretty mental move if it's the same vehicle (which ironically had issues and got pulled at Morpeth).

7522 - as 7557 managed a couple of days and had to go back to Blyth as it failed (again). 

I’d assume it was the same genius that was responsible for the three hour gap in X22s that decided to send that shed on wheels on an X18.

Issues with cancellations aren't just confined to Ashington, it seems to be across the board within the North East, or certainly Darlington seems to be a chaotic mess from my observations

Yesterday I was in Bishop Auckland and 1450 was unable to provide my journey home on the 5, sods law the next 5 was E200MMC 2710 which was rather cosy, ended up getting the train home instead (2710 was taken off town services, replacing 7540 earlier in the day)

I ended up having a look on bustimes at the allocations for yesterday plus today and found multiple instances of buses being removed from services, either seemingly due to failures or has had to be pulled from town services or the 7 to cover other services where a bus had previously failed

Most of my experiences of Darlington services recently has been nothing but breakdowns, late running or buses being regulated at peak times leaving the following bus not being able to pick up all the passengers waiting due to capacity, just pleased I don't need to regularly rely on them, just these occasional instances have been grim enough

If this was a small bus company, they would be in front of the TC and probably have their licence taken away

Obviously that won't happen with Arriva.

It is very dire situation and has been for ages.

(24 Feb 2026, 10:45 pm)davao123 wrote If this was a small bus company, they would be in front of the TC and probably have their licence taken away

Obviously that won't happen with Arriva.

It is very dire situation and has been for ages.

Until the people running it change I doubt we will see much difference either. Lots of the current ANE management have only known how to run a business into the ground, they’ve got no idea how to grow it or how to run it successfully. 

The lack of urgency to do anything with the current situation across the region is abysmal. 

Lots of the people there couldn’t care less about the customers and it shows.

7580 back at Redcar/Whitby, 7599 up to Blyth, and 7533 back to Ashington as of last night/this morning.

(25 Feb 2026, 8:20 am)PH - BQA wrote 7580 back at Redcar/Whitby, 7599 up to Blyth, and 7533 back to Ashington as of last night/this morning.

I was confused when I saw 7599 in Arriva North East and Arriva Northumbria on bus times, is it a loan to Blyth or permanent? I was told 7598 and 7599 were for Whitby Park and Ride?

(25 Feb 2026, 5:28 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote I was confused when I saw 7599 in Arriva North East and Arriva Northumbria on bus times, is it a loan to Blyth or permanent? I was told 7598 and 7599 were for Whitby Park and Ride?

7599 is up on loan in place of 7580, which was one of the 5 helping at Ashington but has returned to Redcar. 

7599 can’t be used at Ashington as it has camera mirrors, so it went to Blyth and 7533 returned to Ashington.

7533 went to Blyth at the weekend in place of one of 7503/9 which can’t be used at Blyth due to emissions. 

Lots of movements currently, largely because of how much end of life stock there is! 

As an aside, to highlight how bad the Blyth vehicles are, 7522 has again been returned to Blyth because of how bad it is. 7620 the latest on loan to Ashington from them (in order, as part of the “everyone send a bus to Ashington” the ones Blyth have sent have been 7636/1505/7557/7522 - all have been sent back). The rest of the current swaps are emissions related I believe.

7580 was needed back at Redcar for test, 7581 was meant to go up instead however for whatever reason 7599 got sent instead. 7599 will return once Ashingtons fleet availability improves

(24 Feb 2026, 10:43 pm)Jimmi wrote Issues with cancellations aren't just confined to Ashington, it seems to be across the board within the North East, or certainly Darlington seems to be a chaotic mess from my observations

Yesterday I was in Bishop Auckland and 1450 was unable to provide my journey home on the 5, sods law the next 5 was E200MMC 2710 which was rather cosy, ended up getting the train home instead (2710 was taken off town services, replacing 7540 earlier in the day)

I ended up having a look on bustimes at the allocations for yesterday plus today and found multiple instances of buses being removed from services, either seemingly due to failures or has had to be pulled from town services or the 7 to cover other services where a bus had previously failed

Most of my experiences of Darlington services recently has been nothing but breakdowns, late running or buses being regulated at peak times leaving the following bus not being able to pick up all the passengers waiting due to capacity, just pleased I don't need to regularly rely on them, just these occasional instances have been grim enough

Durham isn’t exactly excelling, either. Regular cancelled boards on the 64 and that resulted in a 45 minute gap in conjunction with a late running, yesterday. Not as bad as 3 hours but this is a service that used to run 6 times an hour. (Mind, I had a half hour wait for a bus home to Durham from CLS, today and the only bus that turned up and was on time was the X12, which arrived in convoy with the 21 and X21)

Blyth have 1390 today as well according to Bustimes.

7522 been remarkably poor lately, especially considering that has had much easier life than the other 14 plates, but is performing much worse than them.

7503 is tracking on the 2 and the 57/57A. Which one is true?

(26 Feb 2026, 10:38 am)Arriva7446 wrote Blyth have 1390 today as well according to Bustimes.

7522 been remarkably poor lately, especially considering that has had much easier life than the other 14 plates, but is performing much worse than them.

1390 has been swapped for 7501, which is yet another bus which can't enter the CAZ. It was tracking as 7503 on the 2 today. Think there are now 5 or 6 at Ashington which can't go to Newcastle. 

To be honest the only 14-plate that seems to be any good at the moment is 7524, Blyth are using it most Sundays and from what I can see it's barely missed a day for months. 7522 is an absolute dog, 7525-8 are very hit and miss and I believe all 4 bar 7528 have missed big chunks recently. Bit of a shame really, as 7527/8 were always pretty good on the Alnwick routes (in addition to 7524) until 2022 - 7525/6 were always a bit more problematic from memory.