(24 Jun 2015, 5:33 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote To be honest, would you really want to spend a day on the farce of which is the X12?

He has very little choice baring in mind thats one of the very few routes which he can get from A to B on...

(24 Jun 2015, 5:36 pm)S813 FVK wrote He has very little choice baring in mind thats one of the very few routes which he can get from A to B on...

True. I do feel sorry for Aureolin that he has to rely on the X12. It's worse than the infamous X21.

I do hope I receive one of these free day tickets from Arriva, as I live very close to the route the X12 follows, I have to say I'm thinking I might receive one. They appear to be posting them out in ''catchment areas''.

(24 Jun 2015, 7:43 pm)R852 PRG wrote I do hope I receive one of these free day tickets from Arriva, as I live very close to the route the X12 follows, I have to say I'm thinking I might receive one. They appear to be posting them out in ''catchment areas''.

You can have mine if you don't. It's worthless to me, as I have an annual ticket.

(03 Jun 2015, 4:42 pm)S813 FVK wrote "Arriva North East - Arriva Castleford Volvo B7TLs 659 (W659 CWX) and 664 (W664 CWX) were collected today and moved to Durham depot. There are expected to be up to 8 deckers coming to Durham to replace 7436-7444" received the source from a friend so may not be as accurate as it appears. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...=1&theater

Anyone know if these are still at Belmont? I've not seen anything reported about them since June 3rd...................

(24 Jun 2015, 8:16 pm)chrisnorthern wrote Anyone know if these are still at Belmont? I've not seen anything reported about them since June 3rd...................

Yes, reportedly being prepared for service. More or less ready to enter service now, apparently.

(24 Jun 2015, 8:27 pm)Dan wrote Yes, reportedly being prepared for service. More or less ready to enter service now, apparently.

Many thanks for the confirmation Dan

The recently repainted Solo's in Darlington look awful! I hope the town branding is applied really soon to spruce them up a bit! Any ideas on when this is due to happen?

1469 has now transferred to Stockton depot and has entered service on 29/29a today - it will be the 1015 29 to Marton then the 1135 29a to Stokesley.

Solo 2843 is also repainted seen today on the 12's in Darlington

(25 Jun 2015, 11:13 am)craigb wrote Solo 2843 is also repainted seen today on the 12's in Darlington

2855 has also lost its cream part, so that's in the same livery as 2843 and all the others that have been painted

(24 Jun 2015, 5:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote Interesting timing what with the quieter summer season but with disruptions upcoming?!
Talking of which I got a Teesside map off Stagecoach through the door yesterday

Yes, I got a Stagecoach one through the door this week as well. No sign of them in the bus station, or in M'bro library where they just seem to have deposited a load of Stagecoach leaflets.

(24 Jun 2015, 8:16 pm)chrisnorthern wrote Anyone know if these are still at Belmont? I've not seen anything reported about them since June 3rd...................

Apparently extra deckers now rather than replacing 7436 etc.

7802 has a mismatched front nearside panel in corporate colours of aquamarine, yellow and dark blue.

4505 and 4508 now withdrawn at Stockton. I am told by one of our inspectors that 1410 arrived back from Durham yesterday too

Why is Arrivas Ashington depot twinned with Yorkshires Heckmondwike depot? Baffles me but then again, i am no an Arriva insider so won't know the relationship between the two.

(28 Jun 2015, 11:13 am)S813 FVK wrote Why is Arrivas Ashington depot twinned with Yorkshires Heckmondwike depot? Baffles me but then again, i am no an Arriva insider so won't know the relationship between the two.

In terms of management, Arriva North East and Yorkshire are one large operation sharing an MD - Nigel Feltham, the man whose came up with the 'Sapphire' concept. I believe each North East depot is twinned with one of the Yorkshire depot (of course, I could be wrong on that).

Do you think Arriva should paint one of their buses from any of the Northumbria Depots into NMS livery next year to mark 30 years since Northumbria was launched?

(28 Jun 2015, 1:15 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Do you think Arriva should paint one of their buses from any of the Northumbria Depots into NMS livery next year to mark 30 years since Northumbria was launched?

Yes. Maybe even acquire the preserved Northumbria Optare Delta for a few months, ''on loan''.

(28 Jun 2015, 11:21 am)Kuyoyo wrote In terms of management, Arriva North East and Yorkshire are one large operation sharing an MD - Nigel Feltham, the man whose came up with the 'Sapphire' concept. I believe each North East depot is twinned with one of the Yorkshire depot (of course, I could be wrong on that).

Nigel Featham. He's the regional MD of North East, Yorkshire, and Yorkshire Tiger. Nick Knox is still the (area) MD of North East.

(28 Jun 2015, 1:15 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Do you think Arriva should paint one of their buses from any of the Northumbria Depots into NMS livery next year to mark 30 years since Northumbria was launched?

Maybe one from each of the depots? Then Ashington could have a "Northumbria Sapphire", Blyth could have a "Northumbria MAX", with Jesmond having a "Northumbria", might be quite nice? 

On Sapphire they could redo the NSA's so that instead of blue, they were red and grey?

(28 Jun 2015, 4:03 pm)mb134 wrote Maybe one from each of the depots? Then Ashington could have a "Northumbria Sapphire", Blyth could have a "Northumbria MAX", with Jesmond having a "Northumbria", might be quite nice? 

On Sapphire they could redo the NSA's so that instead of blue, they were red and grey?

NSA's are pretty time consuming to do to be honest.

(28 Jun 2015, 4:17 pm)citaro5284 wrote NSA's are pretty time consuming to do to be honest.

what they should done is and i know is a little bit late but they should have kept a P-CCU bus behind before they sold them off

(28 Jun 2015, 4:26 pm)buss14 wrote what they should done is and i know is a little bit late but they should have kept a P-CCU bus behind before they sold them off

I'd like to have seen that like, think 7410/2/3/4/7 were sold to another company, could always get one back?

(28 Jun 2015, 4:26 pm)buss14 wrote what they should done is and i know is a little bit late but they should have kept a P-CCU bus behind before they sold them off

I think it was the right decision to sell the older buses. The fleet needs to be modern. Keeping a vehicle which gives Arriva an image of "old, tatty and noisy" buses and is step-entrance just to please some nostalgic enthusiasts is highly unlikely especially when that would be the only non-easy access vehicle in NE.

(28 Jun 2015, 4:45 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I think it was the right decision to sell the older buses. The fleet needs to be modern. Keeping a vehicle which gives Arriva an image of "old, tatty and noisy" buses and is step-entrance just to please some nostalgic enthusiasts is highly unlikely especially when that would be the only non-easy access vehicle in NE.

Quite right, people will now be expecting modern low floor buses to operate their services not old step entrance buses so these won't be ideal especially with the DDA deadline for double deckers being January 2017. I doubt most passengers would even realise the connection to Northumbria, most will just see it as an old double decker.

Perhaps they could maybe place a bus into a special livery, they previously had 7445/7446 in special liveries to commemorate the 100th anniversary of United.

(28 Jun 2015, 4:17 pm)citaro5284 wrote NSA's are pretty time consuming to do to be honest.

Wonder if this is why the vehicles allocated to "Sapphire" service 22 (Sunderland - Durham) have not yet been programmed - despite entering service a month or two ago?

Mind, adding a bog standard "Sapphire" screen opposed to having Hanover's generic screen with their logo on isn't too difficult...

(28 Jun 2015, 4:17 pm)citaro5284 wrote NSA's are pretty time consuming to do to be honest.

(28 Jun 2015, 4:59 pm)Dan wrote Wonder if this is why the vehicles allocated to "Sapphire" service 22 (Sunderland - Durham) have not yet been programmed - despite entering service a month or two ago?

Mind, adding a bog standard "Sapphire" screen opposed to having Hanover's generic screen with their logo on isn't too difficult...

That is true, I was thinking of start to finish with getting co-ordinates for each stop, getting the audio recorded, sorting out the powerpoint slides and then putting them all together.  Then after that, it all needs testing 

(28 Jun 2015, 5:03 pm)citaro5284 wrote That is true, I was thinking of start to finish with getting co-ordinates for each stop, getting the audio recorded, sorting out the powerpoint slides and then putting them all together.  Then after that, it all needs testing 

Ashington had 7507 on NSA testing at least two months before the Sapphire launch...

(28 Jun 2015, 5:03 pm)citaro5284 wrote That is true, I was thinking of start to finish with getting co-ordinates for each stop, getting the audio recorded, sorting out the powerpoint slides and then putting them all together.  Then after that, it all needs testing 

You kidding me? I would love to do that.