Cheers, I may be able to catch it if I'm lucky. On the subject of "Diamond" branded Mercs, sister 5289 was involved in an accident today. The damage is quite bad.

I have a photo, but I'm backlogged by a good three days worth of photos now! Fun!

Has anyone been to Peterlee to see the Wear Tees Express roadshow?

The words 'after the horse has bolted' spring to mind.
Surely this should have been done prior to the launch, not 2 months down the line?

(30 May 2013, 5:28 pm)Daniel wrote A Northern B10BLE broke down at Heworth today on the X3. Its replacement was "Drifter" Cadet 8259. 8259 was showing signs of being unwell after a run from Newcastle to Sunderland, and was replaced again.

Green MPD 506 was sent to Park Lane by an engineer after 30 minutes of waiting (and no doubt the driver actually radioed in beforehand also), but the driver went back to Deptford depot in the MPD to collect a "Wear Tees Xpress" B10BLE to work the return trip Newcastle to Sunderland.

Commendable that the driver caught up time on both occasions. Certainly a lot of fun and games on the X3's final days as it operates at present!

From reading your posts Daniel I feel as if you've been stalking me today, firstly regarding the Angel Hybrid etc at Gateshead Depot which seen as I was going up to Aiden House in my mates Car for the Tests for GNE.

Then the bit about the X3 at Heworth braking down, thing is I didn't see you once which is odd unless you were lurking in the shadows or I just wasn't paying attention to what/who was around me at the time.

I'm busy captioning my photos now so they'll be uploaded within the next hour or so.

(30 May 2013, 5:47 pm)Andreos1 wrote Has anyone been to Peterlee to see the Wear Tees Express roadshow?

The words 'after the horse has bolted' spring to mind.
Surely this should have been done prior to the launch, not 2 months down the line?

I went to the so called road show since I live down this end, waste of time, 3 fellas there holding the X7 scratch cards giving them out with just a very small stall of X7,X35 and east durham timetables and also a leaflet showing where you can go on there east durham buses.

Didn't win on the scratch card though, you would of thought that if there want passengers to use there X7 service, then the mininmal that you should be able to win on the scratch cards should be a single free journey, waste of time.

Citaro 5288 working service 8 at Washington Galleries.

(30 May 2013, 6:12 pm)cbma06 wrote I went to the so called road show since I live down this end, waste of time, 3 fellas there holding the X7 scratch cards giving them out with just a very small stall of X7,X35 and east durham timetables and also a leaflet showing where you can go on there east durham buses.

Didn't win on the scratch card though, you would of thought that if there want passengers to use there X7 service, then the mininmal that you should be able to win on the scratch cards should be a single free journey, waste of time.

I can see why they do these soft launches now, a blaze of publicity followed by a few weeks of the B10s breaking down wouldn't have been good.

Even the Angel had a fairly quiet launch (well aside the radio ads) I guess they've twigged people want a bus not a brand.

Ouch @ 5289, who'd that poor girl upset?!

Defiantly looks like we losing the brand now, shame cause it was the only Sunderland Brand intact from when they launched it in 2006, the rest is history, i mean as in same buses, not upgraded, only thing changed on it was the route.

Wondering now what we will see on it... a Silver Cadet/B10 would look great, i really hope, if its gonna get a re-launch, its not on a red background with a shitty design.

(30 May 2013, 7:41 pm)Liam wrote MPD 603 was being stripped of its 'Doxford Clipper' branding today at Saltmeadows.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

Mercedes Citaro 5289 was also sat in the yard with substantial damage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

looks like 4942 is on fire at saltmeadows while on x7 to middlesbourgh on your fotostream

(30 May 2013, 7:54 pm)daniel p wrote

(30 May 2013, 7:41 pm)Liam wrote MPD 603 was being stripped of its 'Doxford Clipper' branding today at Saltmeadows.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

Mercedes Citaro 5289 was also sat in the yard with substantial damage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

looks like 4942 is on fire at saltmeadows while on x7 to middlesbourgh on your fotostream

She was just being revved.

39 does need bigger buses seems strange mpd stripped. Wonder what the new clippers look like and what vehicles we get on the route

(30 May 2013, 7:41 pm)Liam wrote MPD 603 was being stripped of its 'Doxford Clipper' branding today at Saltmeadows.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

Mercedes Citaro 5289 was also sat in the yard with substantial damage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

That is only minor damage. I've seen minor damage a lot worse then that. All it need is a new light cluster and a new windscreen. Plus some T-Cut to get rid of the scratches.

(30 May 2013, 9:55 pm)GMitchelhill wrote

(30 May 2013, 7:41 pm)Liam wrote MPD 603 was being stripped of its 'Doxford Clipper' branding today at Saltmeadows.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

Mercedes Citaro 5289 was also sat in the yard with substantial damage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamrichard...otostream/

That is only minor damage. I've seen minor damage a lot worse then that. All it need is a new light cluster and a new windscreen. Plus some T-Cut to get rid of the scratches.

Looks pretty bad to me... The fact a Stanley engineer had to drive that Citaro from the accident scene to Saltmeadows with no window beside the dash and the front windscreen subject to smash if it went over a bump a little too hard too makes it even worse.
It may not look like a big job to fix, but it should have been towed.

When you've seen the damage to Arriva's 1452 and 1498, you'll see that's only a minor scratch in comparison! Few new panels and it'll be fine

Go Aheads' publicity leaflets for the new X40 Great Park service have a timetable error on them in which the service arrives at Newcastle before it leaves Regent Centre.

I'll scan my copy up tomorrow!

28/05/13

- Yellow MPD 542 made a somewhat uncommon appearance on service 26: see photo here.
- "The OK Expressway" 5232 made a rare appearance on "Lime" service 8: see photo here.


29/05/13

- "Northern" B10BLE 4912 made a somewhat uncommon appearance on "Red Arrows" service X1: see photo here.
- "Yellow Bus" Olympian 3833 made a somewhat uncommon appearance on "Tyne Tees Xpress" service X9: see photo here.
- "Fast Cats" Solar 4955 made an unusual appearance on Deptford Staff Shuttles: see photo here.


30/05/13

- "Angel" B5LH 6060 was at Go North East's Sunderland Road depot, having maintenance performed to her: see photo here.
- "Whey Aye Five 0" Solar 4927 was at Go North East's Sunderland Road depot, having maintenance performed to her: see photo here.
- "Yellow Bus" Olympian 3812 was at Go North East's Sunderland Road depot, having maintenance performed to her: see photo here.
- Ex-"Yellow Bus" Olympian 3829 has been stripped of the old "Yellow Bus" brand, and is now awaiting vinyls to be updated to the current "Yellow Bus" brand: see photo here.
- "Great Park & Ride" Solar Fusion 4951 made an unusual appearance on Saltmeadows Staff Shuttles: see photo here.
- "Doxford Clipper" MPD 603 is at Saltmeadows being prepared for a "Northern" repaint: see photo here.
- "Fab Fifty Six" Solar 4942 is at Saltmeadows having maintenance performed to her: see photo here.
- "Diamond" Citaro 5289 has been involved in an accident, and is now at Saltmeadows for repair: see photo here.
Close up shot: see photo here.
- Ex-"Drifter" Cadet 8258 has returned to service at Deptford, now in "Northern": see photo here.
- "The Centurion" B10BLE 5155 made it onto the 9 today: see photo here.
- "Drifter" Cadet 8259 started feeling unwell after a run out on the X3s (which was a replacement for a further "Northern" B10BLE breakdown): see photo here.
- "Wear Tees Xpress" B10BLE was 8259's replacement, so put in an extremely rare appearance on the X3: see photo here.
- "Diamond" Citaro 5288 made a rare appearance on the Limes today: see photo here.

TTX B9TL 6044 is at the Middlesbrough event today.

GNE have just posted this on their Facebook wall:

"Tyne-Tees Bus Run

It's the Tyne-Tees Bus Run this Sunday (2nd June).

Pop along and you might catch a glimpse of the new Centenary bus!

Enjoy!"

Any ideas as to which vehicle it is?

Has anyone seen 8319 the last couple of days? If not i wouldnt be surprised if that was being branded up as the centenary bus since it hasnt had northern stickers applied yet.

Spot the error anyone?

@Dan, I don't think so.
Go North East have got an older vehicle (not quite sure what type). It's being prepared in Saltmeadows now, but Saltmeadows is on lockdown so I can't provide a photo (yet).

8319 hasn't been used in a while to my knowledge though.

I drove passed saltmeadows today and in the back ground was a cream double decker couldn't really see to much of it and couldn't stop off as I was in a hurry!

Versa 8319 is still in red.
Laser Solar has returned to Deptford after its run to Saltmeadows for maintenance this morning. She is returning to service as I type this post.
SimpliCity Versa 8324 has also returned to Deptford, retaining her "SimpliCity" branding. She is, however, at the part of the depot where all of the withdrawn vehicles sit (or rather, those vehicles that cannot be allocated).Repainted MPD mentioned last night has not yet returned to Deptford, from what I can see.

So if it hasnt been seen for awhile then surely it could well be getting branded up since they havent put northern stickers on it? I cant imagine it being off for repair for the last week or so as its only 2 years old!

8319 shouldn't have ever been out in its current state (red base livery with no additional vinyls/branding added). Deptford are doing what they should be doing by keeping her off-road.

So your saying a bus should be kept off the road till it has been branded? What about the 'TEN' merc's that were running about for months with no branding should they have been kept in the depot all day?

(31 May 2013, 3:19 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote So your saying a bus should be kept off the road till it has been branded? What about the 'TEN' merc's that were running about for months with no branding should they have been kept in the depot all day?

8319 is an allocated spare - not a vehicle allocated to a service. There's a difference.
Deptford trying to keep a spare off the road that really shouldn't have been out is a good thing, and I commend them for that - using all other resources to keep it off road until branded/transferred.

But Deptford's short of vehicles at the minute so id have thought every possible bus would be out in service. But we'll just have to wait till sunday to see what bus has been branded up for the centenary. My moneys on 8319!

Has 8222 been re-engined? It's sounding like an MPD!

(31 May 2013, 3:27 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote But Deptford's short of vehicles at the minute so id have thought every possible bus would be out in service. But we'll just have to wait till sunday to see what bus has been branded up for the centenary. My moneys on 8319!

Yes, there is a vehicle shortage at Deptford at the moment, which is why vehicle repaints are being done one at a time.
It goes without saying, however, that if a vehicle is meant to be off-road, keeping it off-road is a good thing.

Are you suggesting that the Bristol VR (or what looks like a Bristol VR from what you could see of her until shutters were put down) is for something else other than the anniversary?
I'm happy to admit it could be, but why would Go North East inherit a heritage vehicle if it wasn't for something along those lines...?
Given that I doubt Deptford would be trusted to complete such extravagant branding, 8319 should have been transferred to Saltmeadows by now for completion.

8271 on 38
8273 on 60
Branded for 61 so why the hell are they not on that service