(20 Oct 2013, 2:11 pm)Michael wrote Oh ye, forgot about that, can someone do a list on all Movements so far? Thanks

Solars 4956-60 - Washington to Chester-le-Street
Solars 4964-65 - Washington to Deptford
Solar 4966 - Washington to Gateshead
B10BLEs 4912-14 - Washington to Stanley
Olympian 3820 - Percy Main to Gateshead
Presidents 6015 and 6042 - Stanley to Winlaton
President 6031 - Stanley to Gateshead
Waggonway DAF's 4984-4987 - Withdrawn

(20 Oct 2013, 2:11 pm)Michael wrote Oh ye, forgot about that, can someone do a list on all Movements so far? Thanks

You'll see all movements to date in this period's updates. Our NEB Update should be done by 5.

(20 Oct 2013, 2:11 pm)Tom wrote Not really - The X70/X71 uses deckers but doesn't really need them! - 4912/3/4 will probably see use on there. The X30 needs deckers, as it is generally quite busy!

4848, 4849 and 4904 were all on the X70/X71 the other day, and coped quite well!

I think the best thing would be a mixed allocation, the overall PVR of X30/X31/X70/X71 is 9. I would suggest sourcing 5 Deckers from somewhere, second hand. And then using 4 Solars from fab56. Brand all 9 again as West Durham Swift, hopefully to give some service reliability which has deteriorated recently.

However it's rumoured that Omnicity from the 309/310 will be heading to Stanley for X30/X31.

(20 Oct 2013, 2:16 pm)Tom wrote Solars 4956-60 - Washington to Chester-le-Street
Solars 4964-65 - Washington to Deptford
Solar 4966 - Washington to Gateshead
B10BLEs 4912-14 - Washington to Stanley
Olympian 3820 - Percy Main to Gateshead
Presidents 6015 and 6042 - Stanley to Winlaton
President 6031 - Stanley to Gateshead
Waggonway DAF's 4984-4987 - Withdrawn

Thanks =)

(20 Oct 2013, 11:38 am)Dan wrote Mercs out today on the 4:
5366/60/68/63/58/64

Photographs of all on the links below:
5358, 5360, 5363, 5364, 5366, 5368.

Also found one of 5359. Whether this was a replacement or not, I don't know... I thought the PVR on a Sunday was 6 though! See photo here.

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and unfortunately will not be posting regularly. however, hopefully the posts I do make will be informative and useful to other members of the forum.

My local route is the connections 4 and I was wondering if anyone has traveled on a one of the new mercs and also whether the next stop announcements are working?

(20 Oct 2013, 3:13 pm)randomdude wrote Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and unfortunately will not be posting regularly. however, hopefully the posts I do make will be informative and useful to other members of the forum.

My local route is the connections 4 and I was wondering if anyone has traveled on a one of the new mercs and also whether the next stop announcements are working?

I think citaro5284 had said they were out testing last week, so I'd assume so.

(20 Oct 2013, 3:13 pm)randomdude wrote Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and unfortunately will not be posting regularly. however, hopefully the posts I do make will be informative and useful to other members of the forum.

My local route is the connections 4 and I was wondering if anyone has traveled on a one of the new mercs and also whether the next stop announcements are working?

I used several of the new Mercs today whilst taking photos, and I noted one or two vehicles where the Next Stop Announcements were not working. The rest did, and I believe they were the same Real Radio voices as on the X1 - just didn't have any cheesy lines (praise the Lord!)

Wi-Fi didn't work for me though.

(20 Oct 2013, 3:17 pm)aureolin wrote I think citaro5284 had said they were out testing last week, so I'd assume so.

Oh no! I guess I will just have to put up with Gary and Lisa's deafening voices being blasted every morning.

(20 Oct 2013, 2:01 pm)Michael wrote I thought Stanley needed those deckers?

When the deckers took over X70/71 they cut the peak services as previously there were two OmniCity journeys close together to cope with loadings. So presumably the route needs deckers at the peaks unless they restore the extra journeys. But whatever happens, bring back the branding.

(20 Oct 2013, 2:19 pm)CatsFast101 wrote I think the best thing would be a mixed allocation, the overall PVR of X30/X31/X70/X71 is 9. I would suggest sourcing 5 Deckers from somewhere, second hand. And then using 4 Solars from fab56. Brand all 9 again as West Durham Swift, hopefully to give some service reliability which has deteriorated recently.

However it's rumoured that Omnicity from the 309/310 will be heading to Stanley for X30/X31.

Considering there's a 3 in 3 out swap here, has no one considered they might convert the 15/15A back to a single decker route? Having travelled on the route just over a week ago, unless it desperately requires one at school times, it doesn't need 3 on all day as including myself there were only 7 people maximum on it.

(20 Oct 2013, 3:47 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Considering there's a 3 in 3 out swap here, has no one considered they might convert the 15/15A back to a single decker route? Having travelled on the route just over a week ago, unless it desperately requires one at school times, it doesn't need 3 on all day as including myself there were only 7 people maximum on it.

Don't they interwork with a scholar service? I believe that's the reason for the allocation of double deckers..?

(20 Oct 2013, 11:35 am)RM2186 wrote It does of course stop at Follingsby Roundabout

Suppose... but it's not all that significant a place though compared to Heworth, Concord, The Galleries, Houghton and even Fence Houses!

(20 Oct 2013, 3:53 pm)Dan wrote Don't they interwork with a scholar service? I believe that's the reason for the allocation of double deckers..?

I don't think they do, nothing in the timetable to suggest that anyway.

Will 4961/2/3 be moving away from Washington?

(20 Oct 2013, 4:26 pm)Tom wrote Will 4961/2/3 be moving away from Washington?

nope there stopping as spares as Washington lost there renowns to Stanley

(20 Oct 2013, 4:26 pm)Tom wrote Will 4961/2/3 be moving away from Washington?

Solars 4956-60 - Washington to Chester-le-Street
Solars 4964-65 - Washington to Deptford
Solar 4966 - Washington to Gateshead

Solars 4961 - 4963 - Staying at Washington

Copy and pasted from a post from Tom on page 166 =)

(20 Oct 2013, 4:33 pm)Michael wrote Solars 4956-60 - Washington to Chester-le-Street
Solars 4964-65 - Washington to Deptford
Solar 4966 - Washington to Gateshead

Solars 4961 - 4963 - Staying at Washington

Copy and pasted from a post from Tom on page 166 =)

I wasn't sure if 4961/3 were staying!

I did confirm the movements in this post... just saying!

News is up now for anyone who wants it in a clearer format.
Article here.

the citaros do have a nice interior and feels different to the 07/08/10 reg batch bit like the 2 06 reg plated ones at Percy Main when i might photograph the rest tomorrow and them begin my streetlite photos outside Park Lane (Drifter) and Newcastle town centre near 27 stop (Saltwell Park)

(20 Oct 2013, 5:23 pm)CitaroFavourite wrote the citaros do have a nice interior and feels different to the 07/08/10 reg batch bit like the 2 06 reg plated ones at Percy Main when i might photograph the rest tomorrow and them begin my streetlite photos outside Park Lane (Drifter) and Newcastle town centre near 27 stop (Saltwell Park)

You won't be seeing any Streetlites in Sunderland just yet...
One of our Go North East representatives gave us a launch date for the Drifter batch earlier this evening..!

(20 Oct 2013, 5:23 pm)CitaroFavourite wrote the citaros do have a nice interior and feels different to the 07/08/10 reg batch bit like the 2 06 reg plated ones at Percy Main when i might photograph the rest tomorrow and them begin my streetlite photos outside Park Lane (Drifter) and Newcastle town centre near 27 stop (Saltwell Park)

Broaden your horizons man Loads of better places along both routes for photographing.

I haven't been inside one of the Connections 4 buses yet, but I'm interested to see how it's laid out with the emergency exit in the middle. Home via Houghton (and Fencehouses) might be on the cards tomorrow.

(20 Oct 2013, 5:27 pm)aureolin wrote Broaden your horizons man Loads of better places along both routes for photographing.

I haven't been inside one of the Connections 4 buses yet, but I'm interested to see how it's laid out with the emergency exit in the middle. Home via Houghton (and Fencehouses) might be on the cards tomorrow.

If it's of any use at all...

(20 Oct 2013, 5:29 pm)Dan wrote If it's of any use at all...

Cheers, but just confused me more. I'm trying to play spot the difference now! I'll have a see for myself tomorrow.

(20 Oct 2013, 5:27 pm)aureolin wrote Broaden your horizons man Loads of better places along both routes for photographing.

I haven't been inside one of the Connections 4 buses yet, but I'm interested to see how it's laid out with the emergency exit in the middle. Home via Houghton (and Fencehouses) might be on the cards tomorrow.

I won't be photoing the ''Connections4'' services in a Bus Station! In fact, from now on, very little of my images will be based in a Bus Station, they'll be somewhere more remote, a little more interesting!

(20 Oct 2013, 5:26 pm)Dan wrote You won't be seeing any Streetlites in Sunderland just yet...
One of our Go North East representatives gave us a launch date for the Drifter batch earlier this evening..!

who my mates uncle might help too he works at deptford

(20 Oct 2013, 5:42 pm)CitaroFavourite wrote who my mates uncle might help too he works at deptford

See post here.

(20 Oct 2013, 5:43 pm)Dan wrote See post here.

10th November i will be up extremely early again my pal chris will get some luck on his local 60 route where as my mates uncle will be happy driving it

(20 Oct 2013, 5:27 pm)aureolin wrote Broaden your horizons man Loads of better places along both routes for photographing.

I haven't been inside one of the Connections 4 buses yet, but I'm interested to see how it's laid out with the emergency exit in the middle. Home via Houghton (and Fencehouses) might be on the cards tomorrow.

That's exactly what I am doing once I get a new camera in a week or 2, For the Connections 4 I'm planning on taking photos at the Following Points.

Heworth
Heworth Golf Club/Bypass Exit
Concord
Washington Galleries
Fallowfield Way/Fatfield Bridge
Bottom End of Barnwell/Shiney Row
Fencehouses (Maybe - If the head of Fencehouses "eezypeazy" is cool with it)
Houghton le Spring

If I have missed any other good Areas for Photos, please do inform me of them and i'll try and fit them in.

(20 Oct 2013, 5:33 pm)Tom wrote I won't be photoing the ''Connections4'' services in a Bus Station! In fact, from now on, very little of my images will be based in a Bus Station, they'll be somewhere more remote, a little more interesting!

It's certainly the way to do it in my opinion. I personally find it better finding new places to photograph from. Dan and Peter Barclay have got a couple of cracking shots of the new Mercs on route today.