4511 repaired and back on the road! (on 63)

Could anyone give me any indication as to how much a single ticket would be on the X18 from Newcastle to Embleton (Just past Alnwick) for me as a 14 year old. Also does anyone have any experience with the Travelsure connections at Alnwick, will I have to pay for this journey or is it covered by an Arriva ticket?

Thanks

(06 Aug 2015, 7:25 pm)Sidthebusbabe wrote Could anyone give me any indication as to how much a single ticket would be on the X18 from Newcastle to Embleton (Just past Alnwick) for me as a 14 year old. Also does anyone have any experience with the Travelsure connections at Alnwick, will I have to pay for this journey or is it covered by an Arriva ticket?

Thanks

Single is £5.90 for an adult which you'll probably have to pay, unless you ask for a half which is £2.50.

Travelsure connections won't be guaranteed sadly. What do you need to connection for, pretty sure the X18 goes to Embleton?

Thanks for that, £5.90 doesn't seem too unreasonable.

Some journeys terminate at Alnwick and the timetable says that at Alnwick passengers wishing to travel further should connect with Travelsure, I may avoid that particular journey however but would I have to pay if I changed my mind?

(06 Aug 2015, 7:32 pm)Sidthebusbabe wrote Thanks for that, £5.90 doesn't seem too unreasonable.

Some journeys terminate at Alnwick and the timetable says that at Alnwick passengers wishing to travel further should connect with Travelsure, I may avoid that particular journey however but would I have to pay if I changed my mind?

I've just checked the timetable and I didn't realise how far Embleton was from Alnwick, so you may be looking at a £6.50 single. 

Yeah the connections are not guaranteed (and quite tight!) so I'd avoid them if you can and just get the direct service as the X18 service isn't the most reliable. You could get the X15 though, which is a bit more reliable but still a bit risky, both the X15 and X18 arrive around the same time in Alnwick.  You would have to pay yeah, no idea on that price though, but it's £5.90 Newcastle to Alnwick unless the fares have gone up within the last couple of months which I don't think they have.

Ok, still not too bad really. I think I may make the return trip instead next week. The situation is that my family and I are going to stay for a week in Embleton, so I thought I might seek in a sneaky journey on the X18 on the way, however I might use the X18 at the conclusion of the holiday to get home, when my personal timings are more relaxed.

Thanks

(06 Aug 2015, 7:47 pm)Sidthebusbabe wrote Ok, still not too bad really. I think I may make the return trip instead next week. The situation is that my family and I are going to stay for a week in Embleton, so I thought I might seek in a sneaky journey on the X18 on the way, however I might use the X18 at the conclusion of the holiday to get home, when my personal timings are more relaxed.

Thanks

Aye coming back may be a bit nicer, 418 arrives into Alnwick at 57 mins past (nice route, goes into a few of the smaller villages the X18 doesn't), then either the coastal X18 at 02 mins past or the faster X15 back departs at 04 mins past. 

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks, I'll do that

Had a ride on 7530 from Amble this morning. Very good ride, few rattles but you know what the roads are like up there. Held it at 62mph on the A1 no problem, climbed hills no problem and gear changes good too. Lets hope that Ashington can look after them and get a good 5 years (potentially 7 years) out of them.

On 1525 now about to leave Blyth (the only place with the new Arriva Northumberia timetable but only 2 33 35/35a 43 52 53 57/57a 306 308 X10/X11 X16 X20 X21/X22 and X30 presently) and it appears Arriva have also gone for the Chrome affect plug/double USB port on these refurbished Pulsars.

(08 Aug 2015, 10:08 am)Kuyoyo wrote On 1525 now about to leave Blyth (the only place with the new Arriva Northumberia timetable but only 2 33 35/35a 43 52 53 57/57a 306 308 X10/X11 X16 X20 X21/X22 and X30 presently) and it appears Arriva have also gone for the Chrome affect plug/double USB port on these refurbished Pulsars.

Looking very posh!

Would there be scope to upgrade the plugs on the rest of the Sapphire vehicles to the Chrome sockets, look far better than the white in my opinion?

(08 Aug 2015, 10:12 am)mb134 wrote Looking very posh!

Would there be scope to upgrade the plugs on the rest of the Sapphire vehicles to the Chrome sockets, look far better than the white in my opinion?

Can't see that happening myself.

(08 Aug 2015, 10:12 am)mb134 wrote Looking very posh!

Would there be scope to upgrade the plugs on the rest of the Sapphire vehicles to the Chrome sockets, look far better than the white in my opinion?

Go North East upgraded their sockets on the 25 new Streetlites to the chrome ones shown in Kuyoyo's photo, as they came fitted with standard plastic ones.

So yes; if Arriva wished to splash the cash, they could do it.

(08 Aug 2015, 10:46 am)Dan wrote Go North East upgraded their sockets on the 25 new Streetlites to the chrome ones shown in Kuyoyo's photo, as they came fitted with standard plastic ones.

So yes; if Arriva wished to splash the cash, they could do it.

I wouldn't think so, if Ashington can't replace a panel and paint it I don't think they'll have the competence to replace the power sockets...

(08 Aug 2015, 10:49 am)GX03 SVC wrote I wouldn't think so, if Ashington can't replace a panel and paint it I don't think they'll have the competence to replace the power sockets...

Can think of more important things to spend money on than the colour of plug sockets!

How does the Alnwick Outstation work? Are any drivers actually based there?

(08 Aug 2015, 6:53 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote How does the Alnwick Outstation work? Are any drivers actually based there?

Yeah though I'm not sure how many. Think it's 5 buses though so I would say about 12 or 13

(08 Aug 2015, 9:52 pm)tyresmoke wrote Yeah though I'm not sure how many. Think it's 5 buses though so I would say about 12 or 13

Isn't the outstation/depot at rothbury motors?


And I forgot to mention it earlier on ashington lent Morpeth a sapphire decker today as it went on X14 I seen it leaving hay market at about 17:20 couldn't remember what fleet number it was, all I remember was it took over from 4653

(08 Aug 2015, 11:34 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote Isn't the outstation/depot at rothbury motors?


And I forgot to mention it earlier on ashington lent Morpeth a sapphire decker today as it went on X14 I seen it leaving hay market at about 17:20 couldn't remember what fleet number it was, all I remember was it took over from 4653

Morpeth depot closed years ago. 

The Sapphire E400 was a last resort, what I'm being told.

With Arriva claiming to have seen the X10 / X11 become more popular since it was upgraded to MAX, do you think that these will be the next services to be upgraded to Sapphire?

(09 Aug 2015, 9:16 am)DaveyBowyer wrote With Arriva claiming to have seen the X10 / X11 become more popular since it was upgraded to MAX, do you think that these will be the next services to be upgraded to Sapphire?

Why the hell would they do that? They can't just upgrade services to Sapphire as they like it.

(09 Aug 2015, 9:16 am)DaveyBowyer wrote With Arriva claiming to have seen the X10 / X11 become more popular since it was upgraded to MAX, do you think that these will be the next services to be upgraded to Sapphire?

Are you taking the p**s?

It was only last year that the service was upgraded to MAX, and the year before (?) that the service was branded as X10/X11...

The service is fine as it is. Why does it need a pointless upgrade?

(09 Aug 2015, 9:25 am)GX03 SVC wrote Are you taking the p**s?

It was only last year that the service was upgraded to MAX, and the year before (?) that the service was branded as X10/X11...

The service is fine as it is. Why does it need a pointless upgrade?

Not saying that it needs one at all Tommy.

Why do drivers on the Darlington 5A on Sundays seem to forget the route? Just seen the Darlington 5A head over the Bridge at Shildon Rail Station!

(09 Aug 2015, 9:16 am)DaveyBowyer wrote With Arriva claiming to have seen the X10 / X11 become more popular since it was upgraded to MAX, do you think that these will be the next services to be upgraded to Sapphire?

No I don't think so. All MAX routes have been generating growth since they were branded. No surprise to see the rest of the Blyth expresses following suit.

(09 Aug 2015, 9:55 am)tyresmoke wrote No I don't think so. All MAX routes have been generating growth since they were branded. No surprise to see the rest of the Blyth expresses following suit.

Was more of a generic question that I was asking TBH, just wanted to see what peoples thoughts were. Personally, I don't think that they would for the following reasons:

- Blyth have a very high vehicle utilisation.

- MAX at least gives Blyth some flexibility on allocations now with the X7, X8 and X9 becoming MAX whereas with Sapphire, passengers on the X10 / X11 would see a worse and less consistent service owing to regulation (Sapphires on the 308 and B5s on the X10 / X11).

What other routes do you think that could get a Sapphire upgrade then? If that's the case, I don't think any Northumbria routes will get one for a while then.

(09 Aug 2015, 10:03 am)DaveyBowyer wrote Was more of a generic question that I was asking TBH, just wanted to see what peoples thoughts were. Personally, I don't think that they would for the following reasons:

- Blyth have a very high vehicle utilisation.

- MAX at least gives Blyth some flexibility on allocations now with the X7, X8 and X9 becoming MAX whereas with Sapphire, passengers on the X10 / X11 would see a worse and less consistent service owing to regulation (Sapphires on the 308 and B5s on the X10 / X11).

What other routes do you think that could get a Sapphire upgrade then? If that's the case, I don't think any Northumbria routes will get one for a while then.

I'm not sure there are many options left. Got to be careful not to overload the region with them. They're already close to doing this in Durham in my opinion... I would like to see some expansion into new areas next, maybe with bolt ons to existing routes.

Power sockets aren't working on Sapphire 1530. The chrome does look really good though.

I had to do a bit of a double-take when the announcement said "Your next stop is more cock" (Moorcock)..!

Been a few problems with the announcements already and I have only been on for five minutes... Next Stop is Burnhope Way roundabout on the audio for the 'This is Peterlee Bus Station' screen, for example.

The screen keeps on going a funny colour too when it changes slide. It does that on the Streetlites too, which is strange...

(09 Aug 2015, 11:25 am)Dan wrote Power sockets aren't working on Sapphire 1530. The chrome does look really good though.

I had to do a bit of a double-take when the announcement said "Your next stop is more cock" (Moorcock)..!

Been a few problems with the announcements already and I have only been on for five minutes... Next Stop is Burnhope Way roundabout on the audio for the 'This is Peterlee Bus Station' screen, for example.

The screen keeps on going a funny colour too when it changes slide. It does that on the Streetlites too, which is strange...

I had a ride on 7539 on the 22 yesterday and the screen was one stop behind the voice announcements for most stops between Peterlee Bus Station and Dalton Park. The screen seemed a bit blue too.

(09 Aug 2015, 11:25 am)Dan wrote Power sockets aren't working on Sapphire 1530. The chrome does look really good though.

I had to do a bit of a double-take when the announcement said "Your next stop is more cock" (Moorcock)..!

Been a few problems with the announcements already and I have only been on for five minutes... Next Stop is Burnhope Way roundabout on the audio for the 'This is Peterlee Bus Station' screen, for example.

The screen keeps on going a funny colour too when it changes slide. It does that on the Streetlites too, which is strange...

One of Sapphire's features    The Enviros do that too...