I've seen 7418 and an e400 on the 64, so far, today. Another e400 went out on the X46 and there was an assortment of vehicles, mostly double deck, sitting around dbs.
Loadings aren't huge, but it's early in the week, people had a chance to do their food shops on Saturday and are less likely to be wanting to do other types of shopping than before Christmas - Newcastle was pretty quiet, yesterday, although unaffected by the strike. I expect they will be fuller, during the day, midweek, when all but the best preppers' hoards will be depleting, all the kids are back at school and people have a better idea of what might turn up, when.
RE: Arriva North East: Planned Industrial Action