Does anybody know how long it takes on services X20/20 from Newcastle - Amble, and how much would it cost?

(30 Jun 2015, 9:18 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I believe the X20 has been marked to go MAX - but what with is the million dollar question what with routes left right and centre requiring deckers.

As for the 33, given the plan to merge the Kirkhall part of the 2 into the short X14 with one an hour terminating in Morpeth rather than running to Newcastle, I wouldn't be too surprised if the 33 still works in with that.

Was it you who suggested a few weeks back that the Lowlanders would return to Ashington, if so, could these go MAX for the potentially extended X20 (imagine it would require 4 vehicles)?

(01 Jul 2015, 7:30 am)Davie wrote Does anybody know how long it takes on services X20/20 from Newcastle - Amble, and how much would it cost?

No clue on cost sorry, but complete journey time is 1 hour 27 minutes, Amble to Newcastle.

(01 Jul 2015, 7:32 am)mb134 wrote No clue on cost sorry, but complete journey time is 1 hour 27 minutes, Amble to Newcastle.

Cheers for the information

(01 Jul 2015, 7:31 am)mb134 wrote Was it you who suggested a few weeks back that the Lowlanders would return to Ashington, if so, could these go MAX for the potentially extended X20 (imagine it would require 4 vehicles)?

there has been a rumour of the 57 reg lowlanders moving back to ashington or if that could happen because of different reasons then that means either two events could happen. event 1 the x20 may have to wait to a set of buses become available but one of the drivers did say " that three of the temsa avenues may have to come to ashington to allow the x20 to go to a max route" but it has also been rumored that arriva may have to purchase some dealer stock

i have use quote show show what a driver told me

(01 Jul 2015, 7:31 am)mb134 wrote Was it you who suggested a few weeks back that the Lowlanders would return to Ashington, if so, could these go MAX for the potentially extended X20 (imagine it would require 4 vehicles)?

Indeed as the talk was Durham would take 7519-21 for the 6 when that goes Sapphire - but that would result in a net lose for Durham and with a large number of routes requiring deckers (X12, X4/X5, 6, X20) I think we'll have to wait and see what happens.

As for Temsas going MAX, don't believe anything - 4700/21-6 are all heading for Redcar once painted and refurbished (I believe e-leather seating is the plan to see if they can be 'improved'.......)

1461 has transferred back to Belmont its parked in the layover bays at Durham now

(01 Jul 2015, 11:51 am)Kuyoyo wrote Indeed as the talk was Durham would take 7519-21 for the 6 when that goes Sapphire - but that would result in a net lose for Durham and with a large number of routes requiring deckers (X12, X4/X5, 6, X20) I think we'll have to wait and see what happens.

As for Temsas going MAX, don't believe anything - 4700/21-6 are all heading for Redcar once painted and refurbished (I believe e-leather seating is the plan to see if they can be 'improved'.......)

would it be best to make the x20 every 20 minutes and put pulsars because there is quite a lot of them floating about and with the split between every 20 minutes it will/should level the passenger percentage on each run

(01 Jul 2015, 1:00 pm)buss14 wrote would it be best to make the x20 every 20 minutes and put pulsars because there is quite a lot of them floating about and with the split between every 20 minutes it will/should level the passenger percentage on each run

Between Newcastle and Ashington? I'd say that's a bit much. However, if another number could be found for Blyth's X30, they could do this and have the X20 / X30 run every 30 minutes combined between Wansbeck Hospital and Newcastle:

- X30 every 60 mins Mon to Sat daytime serving X21 route between Newbiggin and Ashington then X20 route to Newcastle.

(01 Jul 2015, 7:30 am)Davie wrote Does anybody know how long it takes on services X20/20 from Newcastle - Amble, and how much would it cost?

I think it'd be £5.10 for the single.

(01 Jul 2015, 3:57 pm)Tom wrote I think it'd be £5.10 for the single.

Cheers Tom.

Arriva do not seem to think they operate the 82/83 on an evening....

Facebook Poster - Do you run the 82 and 83 from washington to birtley on evenings. If so what tickets are valid on this
Arriva - This isn't operated by Arriva, this by Go Ahead Northern

(01 Jul 2015, 4:18 pm)citaro5284 wrote Arriva do not seem to think they operate the 82/83 on an evening....

Facebook Poster - Do you run the 82 and 83 from washington to birtley on evenings. If so what tickets are valid on this
Arriva - This isn't operated by Arriva, this by Go Ahead Northern

Customer services based in Luton... Say no more!

i just want to ask when blyths x4 and x5 get upgraded to max what will happen with the 1402 1403 will they get refurbed or not?

(01 Jul 2015, 4:18 pm)citaro5284 wrote Arriva do not seem to think they operate the 82/83 on an evening....

Facebook Poster - Do you run the 82 and 83 from washington to birtley on evenings. If so what tickets are valid on this
Arriva - This isn't operated by Arriva, this by Go Ahead Northern

Obviously this customer service representative must have started working with them when it was United! 

Just seen EcoCity 4807 and it has had all its vinyls removed including Arriva logos and the bits above the windows saying "this bus runs on gas" or something like that.

Wonder if these will get some town bus branding like the Solos will get at Darlington or something else?

EDIT: 4802 also devoid of vinyls.

(02 Jul 2015, 4:32 pm)Jimmi wrote Just seen EcoCity 4807 and it has had all its vinyls removed including Arriva logos and the bits above the windows saying "this bus runs on gas" or something like that.

Wonder if these will get some town bus branding like the Solos will get at Darlington or something else?

EDIT: 4802 also devoid of vinyls.

More than likely! Launch is very soon I believe

(02 Jul 2015, 4:55 pm)tyresmoke wrote More than likely! Launch is very soon I believe  

4806 has lost all the vinals removed as well

(02 Jul 2015, 4:55 pm)tyresmoke wrote More than likely! Launch is very soon I believe

Seen a few more.

Hope they get a bit of a touch up repaint as you can clearly see where the large Arriva logo has been removed from the side although the branding may cover the logo. Given the Sapphire Pulsars off the 7 didn't get repainted for the 24 I doubt these will either.

does anyone know if S616 KHN and R424 COO are still at the back of ashington depot?

sorry for asking thousands of questions just i have been looking at the fleet list for arriva. the description at the bottom says 6 of ex north west pulsars are being put inton sapphire spec but what is expected to the remaining ones are they all going to the same depot or are they being split in to different depots?

sorry about my lack of puntuation and sorry if this has been mentioned before

All 10 will be going to Durham depot to be utilised on Sapphire service 6. Alongside E400s 7519/20/21 (to be) transferred from Ashington

(02 Jul 2015, 7:34 pm)tyresmoke wrote All 10 will be going to Durham depot to be utilised on Sapphire service 6. Alongside E400s 7519/20/21 (to be) transferred from Ashington

When are these being transferred?

(02 Jul 2015, 7:34 pm)tyresmoke wrote All 10 will be going to Durham depot to be utilised on Sapphire service 6. Alongside E400s 7519/20/21 (to be) transferred from Ashington

I'm not convinced that the E400s are suitable for that route...

(02 Jul 2015, 8:38 pm)aureolin wrote I'm not convinced that the E400s are suitable for that route...

Isn't a great deal of choice though? 

I believe you use the X12 (please correct me if I'm wrong!! ), would you say the Gemini's used on there are better than the E400's used elsewhere, as those are the only real alternatives I can see for Sapphire refurb (obviously not those exact ones)

(02 Jul 2015, 8:44 pm)mb134 wrote Isn't a great deal of choice though? 

I believe you use the X12 (please correct me if I'm wrong!! ), would you say the Gemini's used on there are better than the E400's used elsewhere, as those are the only real alternatives I can see for Sapphire refurb (obviously not those exact ones)

The Geminis are as flat as a fart now. They've no power in them for a bus that's only 6 years old in most (if not all cases), and I'm convinced they're responsible for some of the issues with timekeeping on the X12. The Pulsars on the other hand can absolutely power through the route. 

The 6 is a similar kettle of fish. A lot of rural areas for the bus to make up time, whether it be between villages, or on the Sunderland Bridge approach to Durham City. The Pulsars have no issues with this in my opinion, but the Lowlanders that tend to make their way on there are shockingly bad.

(01 Jul 2015, 11:51 am)Kuyoyo wrote Indeed as the talk was Durham would take 7519-21 for the 6 when that goes Sapphire - but that would result in a net lose for Durham and with a large number of routes requiring deckers (X12, X4/X5, 6, X20) I think we'll have to wait and see what happens.

As for Temsas going MAX, don't believe anything - 4700/21-6 are all heading for Redcar once painted and refurbished (I believe e-leather seating is the plan to see if they can be 'improved'.......)

Aren't Redcar lucky! They some would have served Middlesbrough routes better!

(02 Jul 2015, 8:57 pm)Sparkle wrote Aren't Redcar lucky! They some would have served Middlesbrough routes better!

Redcar already have the rest of the UK's examples, hence why Redcar are getting the rest of the stock models (same as a large number of the stock Centros have now ended up with Yorkshire Tiger). Stockton's allocation will be largely Pulsar by the end of the year bar 7 Solos, 10 Streetlites and 1923/4 (if they stay)

(02 Jul 2015, 8:48 pm)aureolin wrote The Geminis are as flat as a fart now. They've no power in them for a bus that's only 6 years old in most (if not all cases), and I'm convinced they're responsible for some of the issues with timekeeping on the X12. The Pulsars on the other hand can absolutely power through the route. 

The 6 is a similar kettle of fish. A lot of rural areas for the bus to make up time, whether it be between villages, or on the Sunderland Bridge approach to Durham City. The Pulsars have no issues with this in my opinion, but the Lowlanders that tend to make their way on there are shockingly bad.

Oh dear, if they're as flat as Blyth's, then the Enviro's will be better hands down, I prefer Ashington's 57-plates to Blyth's Geminis, as I've said on a number of occasions

Which Lowlanders, the Y-EBR batch, or the 57 plate batch? If they do come back to Ashington I hope they have a proper look at them before putting them into service...

(02 Jul 2015, 8:48 pm)aureolin wrote The Geminis are as flat as a fart now. They've no power in them for a bus that's only 6 years old in most (if not all cases), and I'm convinced they're responsible for some of the issues with timekeeping on the X12. The Pulsars on the other hand can absolutely power through the route. 

The 6 is a similar kettle of fish. A lot of rural areas for the bus to make up time, whether it be between villages, or on the Sunderland Bridge approach to Durham City. The Pulsars have no issues with this in my opinion, but the Lowlanders that tend to make their way on there are shockingly bad.

Having done two round trips on the X12 this week, with 7619 and 7626 I can say that there is no issue with the buses that could affect timekeeping.  I ended up holding the bus at 40mph between Coxhoe and Sedgefield and then Sedgefield and Stockton and yet was still on time.  I think the issue lies with the drivers not being bothered about timekeeping, hoping that they can get knocked out of service etc.  7618 is the only Gemini which has a lack of power as it does struggle on the hill beside Shincliffe Village, but 7619/26/27 are flying machines.