(10 Jun 2017, 10:59 pm)ENEB wrote I know I was on 7540 when I saw it leaving town on the 8. How was your ride on that?.There was a new driver at the Wheel of that solo as well.

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That journey was nothing to write home about, other than the fact I almost missed it due to the issues on the Stagecoach X55.

(10 Jun 2017, 11:08 pm)Jimmi wrote That journey was nothing to write home about, other than the fact I almost missed it due to the issues on the Stagecoach X55.

Oh I heard about that. Yer all the Frequenta spares are beyond tired. All the M880s are flying machines mostly due to them sitting around at Durham when they were on the park+ Ride. It's about time we got some Solo Srs.

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(10 Jun 2017, 11:11 pm)ENEB wrote Oh I heard about that. Yer all the Frequenta spares are beyond tired. All the M880s are flying machines mostly due to them sitting around at Durham when they were on the park+ Ride. It's about time we got some Solo Srs.

Doubt we'll see any Solo SRs anytime soon, especially as I think Arriva are going for E200 MMCs at the moment.

(10 Jun 2017, 11:15 pm)Jimmi wrote Doubt we'll see any Solo SRs anytime soon, especially as I think Arriva are going for E200 MMCs at the moment.

Oh them plastic things. I prefer the solos anyday. They've been a reliable bus for Arriva. Doubt they will the same reliability from E200 MMCS.

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(10 Jun 2017, 11:30 pm)ENEB wrote Oh them plastic things. I prefer the solos anyday. They've been a reliable bus for Arriva. Doubt they will the same reliability from E200 MMCS.

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(10 Jun 2017, 11:30 pm)ENEB wrote Oh them plastic things. I prefer the solos anyday. They've been a reliable bus for Arriva. Doubt they will the same reliability from E200 MMCS.

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If anything, the E200 MMC should be far more reliable than a Solo given that it has had reliability built into the design process. Much of the design of the E200 MMC is the same as that of the E400 MMC which, when being designed, looked at every reported fault with the original Enviro 400.

1427 on Sapphire 7, 09:15 from Darlington.

(11 Jun 2017, 8:16 am)Jimmi wrote 1427 on Sapphire 7, 09:15 from Darlington.

Why on Earth would they do that.


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(11 Jun 2017, 12:34 am)mb134 wrote If anything, the E200 MMC should be far more reliable than a Solo given that it has had reliability built into the design process. Much of the design of the E200 MMC is the same as that of the E400 MMC which, when being designed, looked at every reported fault with the original Enviro 400.

That's the thing a lot of Enthusiasts just slate the solos over the Enviros. Even from a drivers point of view the solos are great.

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(11 Jun 2017, 9:41 am)ENEB wrote

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That's the thing a lot of Enthusiasts just slate the solos over the Enviros. Even from a drivers point of view the solos are great.

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However majority of drivers will never have driven an E200 MMC. Having been a passenger on both, personally I find the E200 MMC miles ahead in terms of quality. 

What you have to bear in mind is that the E200 MMC covers all lengths from midi-bus to full length single deck. By ordering them, you can pretty much standardise your entire single deck fleet regardless of size.

1532 on the 24

X15 E400 on X18, various ALX300s and Pulsars on GNR, B5LH on X9, MAX Pulsar on 46.

(11 Jun 2017, 2:53 pm)omnicity4659 wrote X15 E400 on X18, various ALX300s and Pulsars on GNR, B5LH on X9, MAX Pulsar on 46.

Sundays at Jesmond:

43/46/52/53 all interwork as followed:
Round trip on the 46
52 to Cramlington
Round trip on the 43 to Newcastle and return
Round trip on the 53
Round trip on the 43 to Newcastle and return
52 to Newcastle
So, Pulsars on 43/46 aren't odd on Sundays - B10BLEs less so

(11 Jun 2017, 2:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Sundays at Jesmond:

43/46/52/53 all interwork as followed:
Round trip on the 46
52 to Cramlington
Round trip on the 43 to Newcastle and return
Round trip on the 53
Round trip on the 43 to Newcastle and return
52 to Newcastle
So, Pulsars on 43/46 aren't odd on Sundays - B10BLEs less so

Wasn't aware of this, so thanks 

(11 Jun 2017, 2:53 pm)omnicity4659 wrote X15 E400 on X18, various ALX300s and Pulsars on GNR, B5LH on X9, MAX Pulsar on 46.

1408 (X16 branded) on 306/308 today, as well as a Streetlite. Think this is rare/odd now, as the 306 should be Pulsars?

Jesmond's 'deckers were on Metro Replacement today.

(11 Jun 2017, 3:15 pm)Dan wrote 1408 (X16 branded) on 306/308 today, as well as a Streetlite. Think this is rare/odd now, as the 306 should be Pulsars?

Jesmond's 'deckers were on Metro Replacement today.

Not sure if all of the Pulsars have been refurbished yet, so I guess a Streetlite could still be correct?

Potentially also an opportunity for Jesmond to start branding the Pulsars that have been completed.

(11 Jun 2017, 3:28 pm)mb134 wrote Not sure if all of the Pulsars have been refurbished yet, so I guess a Streetlite could still be correct?

Potentially also an opportunity for Jesmond to start branding the Pulsars that have been completed.

Their latest allocation sheet seems to suggest that the 306 should be operated entirely by Pulsars now - I assume if branded ones aren't available/haven't been refurbished yet, then unbranded ones should be allocated instead?

7456 was operating the 57 on Thursday. 

7502 also appeared in Ashington Bus Station on an X20 to Alnwick around 18:00, though this could be the one that works off an X21/22 board?

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(11 Jun 2017, 3:30 pm)Dan wrote Their latest allocation sheet seems to suggest that the 306 should be operated entirely by Pulsars now - I assume if branded ones aren't available/haven't been refurbished yet, then unbranded ones should be allocated instead?

Yeah that's fair enough. My thinking was that it could be covering for anything that was currently away for a refurbishment, still doesn't make it a correct working though!

1512 should be operating the next 306 to Tynemouth

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(11 Jun 2017, 3:31 pm)mb134 wrote 7456 was operating the 57 on Thursday. 

7502 also appeared in Ashington Bus Station on an X20 to Alnwick around 18:00, though this could be the one that works off an X21/22 board?

Last bus to Alnwick is 1729, and the bus stays up there. This is a X20 board.



Plenty of DLAs in Jesmond depot earlier, explains why I couldn't see any VLWs.

(11 Jun 2017, 3:46 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Last bus to Alnwick is 1729, and the bus stays up there. This is a X20 board.

Ah okay, so it was just running very late! Assuming it must have replaced a break down somewhere along the line. 

Haven't seen 7416 either of the times I've been through to Newcastle this week, or around Ashington, do you know whereabouts it is?

(11 Jun 2017, 3:54 pm)mb134 wrote Ah okay, so it was just running very late! Assuming it must have replaced a break down somewhere along the line. 

Haven't seen 7416 either of the times I've been through to Newcastle this week, or around Ashington, do you know whereabouts it is?

I couldn't see it when I was at Ashington depot today, it may have been parked out of sight.

I saw it a couple of weeks ago in the depot, so I assume it's still here.

(11 Jun 2017, 4:14 pm)omnicity4659 wrote I couldn't see it when I was at Ashington depot today, it may have been parked out of sight.

I saw it a couple of weeks ago in the depot, so I assume it's still here.

Assuming that it's still pretty unreliable then? 

On the topic of Ashington, hopefully they get a chance to look at some of the 14 plate E400's before the new vehicles arrive. 7522 has gone without a Sapphire logo on the front for as long as I can remember, and the upstairs front panel of 7524 is an absolute disgrace for a 'premium' service. Noticed a couple of other things, but I can't remember what they were.

(11 Jun 2017, 4:22 pm)mb134 wrote Assuming that it's still pretty unreliable then? 

On the topic of Ashington, hopefully they get a chance to look at some of the 14 plate E400's before the new vehicles arrive. 7522 has gone without a Sapphire logo on the front for as long as I can remember, and the upstairs front panel of 7524 is an absolute disgrace for a 'premium' service. Noticed a couple of other things, but I can't remember what they were.

7522 got a Sapphire logo when the rear advertisements were fitted, but then got involved in another bump and got new panels again. It would be nice for them to get the contractor out again to tidy the fleet up, but I doubt they'll call them out again now the new buses are due very soon.

As for 7524, I've made them aware of this multiple times but nothing seems to get done about it.

(11 Jun 2017, 4:59 pm)omnicity4659 wrote 7522 got a Sapphire logo when the rear advertisements were fitted, but then got involved in another bump and got new panels again. 

As for 7524, I've made them aware of this multiple times but nothing seems to get done about it.

Ah okay. Permanently seems to be getting knocked that one, think it was the one that went for a few months with no logos on the offside. 

A lick of paint would be just about good enough, think it's been like that for over a year now. 

7504 was going around with silver tape along a panel behind the rear wheel arch last week, again not giving a great impression.

When is it that Ashington get these new buses? seems to have been talked about for a while now.

(11 Jun 2017, 6:37 pm)Pulsar wrote When is it that Ashington get these new buses? seems to have been talked about for a while now.

In the ANE press release for the May fare increase, it states that the GNR routes are to be upgraded to Sapphire standard "soon". As the E400s that are moving from Ashington will probably need a touch up, I imagine that the new buses will be arriving over the next month or so.

I was told June by someone at Doxford Park, so any time now.

(11 Jun 2017, 6:49 pm)mb134 wrote In the ANE press release for the May fare increase, it states that the GNR routes are to be upgraded to Sapphire standard "soon". As the E400s that are moving from Ashington will probably need a touch up, I imagine that the new buses will be arriving over the next month or so.

I'm lead to believe that the current X21/22 E400's will all be repainted into New Sapphire/Premium Livery ( The Livery that the new MMC's will be in ) Once displaced, Which could explain the lack of tidying up of the current branding.

Also once the New MMC's are in service, It will be likely that all repaints from then on will be in the new Corporate/Variant's, As all current brands will then be Out of date, Or atleast Sapphire and Interurban will be, MAX will stay strong for the near future.

(11 Jun 2017, 8:30 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I'm lead to believe that the current X21/22 E400's will all be repainted into New Sapphire/Premium Livery ( The Livery that the new MMC's will be in ) Once displaced, Which could explain the lack of tidying up of the current branding.

Also once the New MMC's are in service, It will be likely that all repaints from then on will be in the new Corporate/Variant's, As all current brands will then be Out of date, Or atleast Sapphire and Interurban will be, MAX will stay strong for the near future.

Branding isn't the issue currently, bar the Sapphire logo on 7522, everything I've noticed is internal.

(11 Jun 2017, 8:30 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I'm lead to believe that the current X21/22 E400's will all be repainted into New Sapphire/Premium Livery ( The Livery that the new MMC's will be in ) Once displaced, Which could explain the lack of tidying up of the current branding.

Also once the New MMC's are in service, It will be likely that all repaints from then on will be in the new Corporate/Variant's, As all current brands will then be Out of date, Or atleast Sapphire and Interurban will be, MAX will stay strong for the near future.

MAX is going, hence the MAX spec vehicles that have been built at ADL are in allover teal.

The reason for the lack of tidying up on the Sapphires regarding vinyls, is the call-out cost for the contractor and the cost of producing vinyls, there's also the time that the vehicles have to be VOR and parked in the wrong part of the depot, which causes disruption when services begin in the morning.

Either 4809/10/11 are on the X66

(11 Jun 2017, 7:01 pm)omnicity4659 wrote I was told June by someone at Doxford Park, so any time now.

Further to this - "end of June" is what I've been told today.