(14 Jul 2015, 10:49 pm)Diamond One wrote Think there is a temp timetable on operation got X12 got a timetable from Middleabrough travel shop the other day I am sure tyresmoke aka scott will back me up on this one

X12 timetable for the Milburngate Bridge works:

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/globalassets...dge-tt.pdf

and service 64 for the bridge works:

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/globalassets...dge-tt.pdf

1403 has had a crash (bump) into some railings in Bedlington Station, looks like it's went too close to them when going around a corner, tearing a couple off from what I can see, causing havoc

The Sapphire X21/X22 E400s have received GREEN "Hello from Arriva" stickers on the cab doors. Green and blue don't go at all...

(15 Jul 2015, 3:14 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The Sapphire X21/X22 E400s have received GREEN "Hello from Arriva" stickers on the cab doors. Green and blue don't go at all...

Not the Sapphire welcome stickers that every other Sapphire vehicle in the fleet carry then?

(Also, bit late, been nearly a year since the launch...)

Was on 7502 today, a buggy was getting off as I got on, and when the woman asked the driver to lower the bus,he pressed the button but nothing happened, eventually someone on the bus helped them off, seems the kneel function is broken, sure I read any DDA compliant bus has to have this working? Which made me think, what will happen if, when DDA rules come into full effect, features such as this malfunction, will the vehicle have to be taken out of service immediately?

(15 Jul 2015, 3:14 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The Sapphire X21/X22 E400s have received GREEN "Hello from Arriva" stickers on the cab doors. Green and blue don't go at all...

Typical Ashington.... have they really been going around this long with nothing on them?!
I'm trying to get ours replaced as they're looking a bit tatty now...

(15 Jul 2015, 3:44 pm)mb134 wrote Was on 7502 today, a buggy was getting off as I got on, and when the woman asked the driver to lower the bus,he pressed the button but nothing happened, eventually someone on the bus helped them off, seems the kneel function is broken, sure I read any DDA compliant bus has to have this working? Which made me think, what will happen if, when DDA rules come into full effect, features such as this malfunction, will the vehicle have to be taken out of service immediately?

It's going to be interesting isn't it

(15 Jul 2015, 3:54 pm)tyresmoke wrote Typical Ashington.... have they really been going around this long with nothing on them?!
I'm trying to get ours replaced as they're looking a bit tatty now...


It's going to be interesting isn't it

I emailed Arriva about it a couple of months ago actually (as a point at the end of an email, think I was complaining about how horrendously late my bus had been all of that week, with no apparent explanation, and decided to mention it), and they gave me the response that went something like "we are under strict orders from HQ not to display stickers on our Sapphire vehicles"....even when every other Sapphire vehicle I've seen has them?!

I guess, if Ashington are putting what sounds like generic stickers on them, they may never have received the proper Sapphire ones, and so may not actually know they exist? 

Maybe you could have some words to get Ashington sorted out with some


Regarding the latter point, if that actually does need to happen, I wonder if the people who made the regulations have ever actually tried to run services?

Arriva have now updated the X12 timetable into their livemap and tracking system, so buses should show their timekeeping as expected.

Speaking of which, because of the extra time the X12 has been given between the science site and Durham bus station, it was a whopping 10 minutes early. Hardly ideal for those travelling from New Elvet for example, beyond Durham Bus Station and towards Newcastle...

(15 Jul 2015, 5:28 pm)aureolin wrote Arriva have now updated the X12 timetable into their livemap and tracking system, so buses should show their timekeeping as expected.

Speaking of which, because of the extra time the X12 has been given between the science site and Durham bus station, it was a whopping 10 minutes early. Hardly ideal for those travelling from New Elvet for example, beyond Durham Bus Station and towards Newcastle...

Timing point is at the science site and then the bus station so unless you start timing for every stop then that's something we'll have to put up with. By all accounts it's not been as busy as we expected!

Talking of the X12 - boards for this week are...

Stockton working the 0611 Stockton, 0612 Middlesbrough, 0642 Middlesbrough, 0740 Middlesbrough and 0705 Durham-Mbro starts, with Durham doing the others. We are also doing the 1705 Middlesbrough-Chester with an additional bus

(15 Jul 2015, 5:33 pm)tyresmoke wrote Timing point is at the science site and then the bus station so unless you start timing for every stop then that's something we'll have to put up with. By all accounts it's not been as busy as we expected!

Talking of the X12 - boards for this week are...

Stockton working the 0611 Stockton, 0612 Middlesbrough, 0642 Middlesbrough, 0740 Middlesbrough and 0705 Durham-Mbro starts, with Durham doing the others

It'd actually left the science site 3 early, which was part of the problem.

But yeah, I'd actually say the roads are a lot quieter than your normal weekday outside of uni term time. I get what you're saying about timing points, but there's got to be a level of common sense somewhere. A bus passing stops 8-10 minutes early, because it's not a timing point, is still going to result in a dissatisfied customer. Yet I appreciate that waiting at every single stop would end up with the same result!

(15 Jul 2015, 5:41 pm)aureolin wrote It'd actually left the science site 3 early, which was part of the problem.

But yeah, I'd actually say the roads are a lot quieter than your normal weekday outside of uni term time. I get what you're saying about timing points, but there's got to be a level of common sense somewhere. A bus passing stops 8-10 minutes early, because it's not a timing point, is still going to result in a dissatisfied customer. Yet I appreciate that waiting at every single stop would end up with the same result!

Happens on our 5's too.... school holidays will regularly see us arriving in Middlesbrough upto 10-12 minutes early, depending on how long you wait in North Ormesby (if you stuck to timetable it would be upto 6-7 mins...) - it's hard to justify sitting there when everyone just wants to be in town, 5 minutes down the road.

I accept that this is different with the onward service to Newcastle though. It's a hard balance to strike when traffic levels are/can be so variable. It may turn out that the addition of extra resources for the bridge work has been a huge waste of time but I guess you can't win either way.

(15 Jul 2015, 3:54 pm)tyresmoke wrote Typical Ashington.... have they really been going around this long with nothing on them?!
I'm trying to get ours replaced as they're looking a bit tatty now...


It's going to be interesting isn't it

it looks as ashington are having some issues with both 57 reg buses max and sapphire.

Upcoming Service changes on Teesside from Sunday sees both Stockton and Redcar's PVR drop (Redcar's by 1, Stockton's by 3) and as such sees the following fleet changes:

Redcar
1301 to disposal

Stockton
1908 4501 4506 to disposal

There is a launch for Frequenta at Darlington Market Place today between 11am and 1pm.

(16 Jul 2015, 7:06 am)Tom wrote There is a launch for Frequenta at Darlington Market Place today between 11am and 1pm.

Damn Arriva with their last minute notice launches [emoji34]

Sticking to my trip to Scarborough as planned.

(16 Jul 2015, 7:10 am)Jimmi wrote Damn Arriva with their last minute notice launches [emoji34]

Sticking to my trip to Scarborough as planned.

Yeah it sounds a bit better then some of their other launches mind.

Games, music and giveaways apparently.

EcoCity 4812 is making a buzzing noise on the 21 this morning.

With thanks to contacts, the Frequenta vehicles will be as followed:

3/3a/3b: 2830/2/3/5/6/41
4: 2859-61, 2862
9/10: 2863-9
13a/b: 2852-8
2: 4801-8
Generic: 2843/9/50
Unconfirmed: 2851 (reckon it will be generic)

I'm glad there's 3 '59 reg solos on the 4, finally some wifi on my local service!

(16 Jul 2015, 6:25 pm)JoshP wrote I'm glad there's 3 '59 reg solos on the 4, finally some wifi on my local service!

Still no WiFi on my service!

As part of the 'Frequenta' scheme, the Solos have a landmark on their rear wall - marketed as 'Frequenta and beyond'. They are as followed:

Banard Castle (found in 2830/2/68)
Stockton 'Infinity Bridge (found in 2850)
Middlesbrough 'Transporter Bridge'
Durham 'North Road under Durham Viaduct'
Shildon 'Locomotion - Main Building' (found in 2843)

Photos @ Steven Hodgson

(16 Jul 2015, 6:40 pm)Kuyoyo wrote As part of the 'Frequenta' scheme, the Solos have a landmark on their rear wall - marketed as 'Frequenta and beyond'. They are as followed:

Banard Castle (found in 2830/2/68)
Stockton 'Infinity Bridge (found in 2850)
Middlesbrough 'Transporter Bridge'
Durham 'North Road under Durham Viaduct'
Shildon 'Locomotion - Main Building' (found in 2843)

Transporter bridge is 2855
Infinity bridge at Stockton is 2854
Shildon locomotion is in 2856 I think

(14 Jul 2015, 7:11 pm)aureolin wrote So does that mean that the local authority gets charged five times for every journey, despite it effectively being a through-fare? 

It's good to see services being financially viable, but this seems a bit dodgy. On normal services the passes will only work once, and if it's possible to use the pass again when routes are split it'll give Arriva ideas on routes like the X93 to make pass holders come up for a new ticket at Guisborough and Whitby !

So it's basically the council tax payer who will be paying more than they should be, to further subsidize OAP's days out.

The unfairness with the ENCT scheme is it's free and unlimited: I have no problem with the old folk having a number of free journeys, or unlimited discounted travel, but giving them free unlimited journeys just means they see no value or cost in the service whatsoever, and those of us who pay have to pay more.

By the looks of things 1522 has now moved back to Durham with 1523 coming in its place, to be confirmed when I next see 1523

2869 has also lost its rear end advert for Sadie the bra lady

(17 Jul 2015, 10:09 am)Stuartphin1639 wrote By the looks of things 1522 has now moved back to Durham with 1523 coming in its place, to be confirmed when I next see 1523

2869 has also lost its rear end advert for Sadie the bra lady

I'm think I saw 1523 was on a Darlo run the other day so this probably has happened. Also saw 1522 on a Belmont run (providing Belmont are actually doing the run I saw at the moment).

Good, that rear advert has looked a mess for a long time!

(17 Jul 2015, 10:13 am)Jimmi wrote I'm think I saw 1523 was on a Darlo run the other day so this probably has happened. Also saw 1522 on a Belmont run (providing Belmont are actually doing the run I saw at the moment).

Good, that rear advert has looked a mess for a long time!

Yeah 1523 has just passed me with a Darlington driver on it so 1522 has gone back and 1523 Has arrived at Darlington

Last day of Teesside service 17B is operated by 1903 and 1917 today.

Repainting of Darlington's Solos is now complete. However, some still are unbranded:

2859 is yet to be branded for the 4 (2860/1/2 all done)
2864/8 are the only examples branded for the 9/10 at present

1509's announcements weren't working on the 5A this afternoon, screen looked to be off and there was no announcements from what I could hear.

Do you think any of the Northumbria Depots (most likely either Blyth or Ashington) will trial the E400MMC at somepoint?