(27 Mar 2018, 5:20 am)Dan wrote I would hope that Arriva are strongly considering upgrading the customer specification to MAX again on these vehicles. It feels like a lot of what's going on with Yorkshire stripping newer vehicles from the North East at the moment is coming at the expense of the customers. After all, why should customers on the 17 have W-reg Cadets reinstated, when the alternative was planned to be a much newer bus?

Especially when they continue to promote the 308 as a MAX service in all new service change information. 

Do wonder if there'd be a case for false advertising if they don't do something to those vehicles soon?

2870 has landed at Redcar and is out on 62s today

(27 Mar 2018, 5:20 am)Dan wrote Not quite Euro 6 conversion.

Believe they (and others in the region) have received funding to fit a SCRT system of sorts to a number of their buses operating in key areas across the region (South Tyneside, Newcastle, and somewhere else), which, on paper, means that the buses meet the emission standards of a Euro 6 bus.

Depending on the terms and conditions of the contract, this could see them attached to a set of routes for the foreseeable future.

Can see the frustration, and I wonder if this move would have happened regardless of whether they had received this grant?

I would hope that Arriva are strongly considering upgrading the customer specification to MAX again on these vehicles. It feels like a lot of what's going on with Yorkshire stripping newer vehicles from the North East at the moment is coming at the expense of the customers. After all, why should customers on the 17 have W-reg Cadets reinstated, when the alternative was planned to be a much newer bus?

Whoops, didn't realise that.

The vehicles, if they get refurbished, will not be refurbished to MAX specification, as the brand is being phased out gradually. The standard Arriva spec offers all the same luxuries, wifi, USB etc.

What if the ex-Yorkshire Pulsar Geminis are just a stop gap measure until newer buses are delivered for the 308?

It's not as of Nick Knox would announce that new buses (StreetDecks) are due (like what he 'implied' for the X21/X22); just like the same reasons that GNE don't announce new orders.

The only new buses expected are for the X15.

(04 Mar 2018, 4:59 pm)9920up wrote Friday night (2.3.18) saw Pulsar 1508 being returned backwards to Darlington depot courtesy of a tow truck. Front drivers side had taken an impact. Skirt, front and side panels will all need renewing!

1508 is now back in service at Darlington

(26 Mar 2018, 8:25 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Does Arriva serve the Metrocentre? Has Arriva ever served the Metrocentre?

Just a random question as I can't think of any of Arriva's services ever serving the Metrocentre. Stagecoach, GNE and Stanley Travel go there and I am sure other bus operators do too. Phoenix did until recently with the 84, not sure what they operate currently.

Only when it had its version of the 10s

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(26 Mar 2018, 8:42 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thank you. So they don't serve the Metrocentre anymore? Any idea why they don't? Stagecoach has 3 services (6/7 and the 100 shuttle) and GNE has a lot. Arriva is missing out. A possible discussion for the Stagecoach discussion, why does the 6 not run late evening but the 7 continues much later? 6 and 7 is the same route I think but the  goes off.

I believe Arriva used to serve Kenton too? Northumbria Motor Services used to operate the 9 or 32 apparently many years ago with old buses.

Because it ran every other hour, on Saturday only, so hardly anyone bothered.

Northumbria used to run 9/9A which then became 9X lasted until late 2000s. Initially Olympians then when it became the 9X with Optare Metroriders brand new for it. Sadly it was left to decline and ran poorly by the time Arriva took over. Was then withdrawn. A great shame as I was a fantastic bus service.

(29 Mar 2018, 6:03 am)Coastliner700 wrote Northumbria used to run 9/9A which then became 9X lasted until late 2000s. Initially Olympians then when it became the 9X with Optare Metroriders brand new for it. Sadly it was left to decline and ran poorly by the time Arriva took over. Was then withdrawn. A great shame as I was a fantastic bus service.

Thanks. Do you have any information on the 9/9A/9X route/frequency/popularity etc?

So the 9/9A became the 9X before Arriva took over? I am sure I remember the little 9X Metrorider running around Kenton in about 2008 or so. The 9X seemed to just disappear suddenly. What do you mean by ran poorly and left to decline? In a largely Stagecoach area I would've though Arriva's 9X would be a welcome bus service, and they would've improved the service over the years to rival Stagecoach . I am sure Kenton Shops was Go Northern at one point? I think Arriva and Go North East could easily survive against Stagecoach in Kenton/Cowgate/Slatyford. The 74 and X84/X85 do fine against both Arriva and Stagecoach on shared corridors and the Nexus-secured 32A is used and gets some positive reviews.     

What did the X in 9X mean? Express is always before the service number, I think. 

Would you happen to know the fare between Newcastle and Cobalt on the Coastliner 306 and the X6?

7637,former arriva yorkshire 1542, currently bares both it's fleet numbers 7637 on the front and nearside and 1542 on the rear and offside.

(27 Mar 2018, 4:09 pm)Cock Robin wrote The only new buses expected are for the X15.

Where did you find that out?

(30 Mar 2018, 9:52 am)NewcastleOne wrote Where did you find that out?

It's been rumoured at Ashington depot, however the last I heard of it was that Enviro400s are being purchased for the route.

Would it be around £1.60 on the Coastliner 306 from Newcastle to Silverlink?

Which service is best to get to Cobalt/Siverlink from Newcastle, Stagecoach 22, GNE Cobalt Clipper 309/310 or Coastliner 306/308? Reliability/frequency, fares, journey time, comfort/onboard features, onward connections etc. Thanks.

(30 Mar 2018, 5:39 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Would it be around £1.60 on the Coastliner 306 from Newcastle to Silverlink?

Which service is best to get to Cobalt/Siverlink from Newcastle, Stagecoach 22, GNE Cobalt Clipper 309/310 or Coastliner 306/308? Reliability/frequency, fares, journey time, comfort/onboard features, onward connections etc. Thanks.

No it's £2.50 on the 22 and 306/308.

The 306/308 is definitely the best option. More frequent (7/8 mins), faster as it's direct along the coast road and reliable to an extent as there is often 2 22s together heading that way. 306 has WiFi but not sure about the 308 now the hybrids have gone. 22 depends on which bus turns up as some have WiFi, some don't. Not sure what you mean by onward connections though as the only other buses serving the Silverlink is the W3 and 19.

(30 Mar 2018, 6:00 pm)Tom wrote No it's £2.50 on the 22 and 306/308.

The 306/308 is definitely the best option. More frequent (7/8 mins), faster as it's direct along the coast road and reliable to an extent as there is often 2 22s together heading that way. 306 has WiFi but not sure about the 308 now the hybrids have gone. 22 depends on which bus turns up as some have WiFi, some don't. Not sure what you mean by onward connections though as the only other buses serving the Silverlink is the W3 and 19.

Thanks. I couldn't find the info anywhere.

All of the services are quite frequent, but the 306/308 are the most frequent and faster depending exactly where you need to be within Cobalt and Silverlink, and getting off at the church near Haymarket makes the 306/308 and 309/310 the best connections from St Mary's Place over to Silverlink with the 22 running from Market Street instead. Yes, the 22s are often close together for some unknown reason, and the route seems unusually long. I didn't know the 22 ever had WiFi, not many Stagecoach buses have WiFi. Connections to other places in Tyne & Wear, for example to Wallsend on the 22/42/42A, or back home to my largely Stagecoach area meaning it would only cost £4 to get the Stagecoach 22 and stick to all Stagecoach buses, or use all GNE services on Blue Zone Buzzfare at £5.10 getting to Cobalt/Silverlink and close to home on the Tynedale Express/Tynedale Links. 

Thanks for your help.

(30 Mar 2018, 6:23 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thanks. I couldn't find the info anywhere.

All of the services are quite frequent, but the 306/308 are the most frequent and faster depending exactly where you need to be within Cobalt and Silverlink, and getting off at the church near Haymarket makes the 306/308 and 309/310 the best connections from St Mary's Place over to Silverlink with the 22 running from Market Street instead. Yes, the 22s are often close together for some unknown reason, and the route seems unusually long. I didn't know the 22 ever had WiFi, not many Stagecoach buses have WiFi. Connections to other places in Tyne & Wear, for example to Wallsend on the 22/42/42A, or back home to my largely Stagecoach area meaning it would only cost £4 to get the Stagecoach 22 and stick to all Stagecoach buses, or use all GNE services on Blue Zone Buzzfare at £5.10 getting to Cobalt/Silverlink and close to home on the Tynedale Express/Tynedale Links. 

Thanks for your help.

No problem, and the 22 is very unreliable for some reason heading to Silverlink, but normally ok going towards Throckley. If you are coming from a Stagecoach area then the 22 would probably be best if time is not an issue.

(30 Mar 2018, 6:28 pm)Tom wrote No problem, and the 22 is very unreliable for some reason heading to Silverlink, but normally ok going towards Throckley. If you are coming from a Stagecoach area then the 22 would probably be best if time is not an issue.

Yes, I have noticed that. Rather interesting. Yes, I travel from a Stagecoach area, but can walk to a different area with GNE/Arriva options, and sometimes I get the infrequent GNE 74 from my area. I need a cost and time balance. I have always got the Cobalt Clipper using a Day Rover, previously £7.00, now £7.20, due to coming form a Stagecoach area then getting a GNE service. So I don't need the cheapest (£4.00 on Stagecoach) necessarily when the connection, reliability and journey time are worse. I can use mostly SNE then just get a single to Silverlink on Arriva or GNE to get there faster and get the 22 back to Market Street. That will be £6.50, cheaper than my usual £7.00 and justifiably higher than £4.00 for a less convenient service.

Your help is much appreciated.

7609 with Whitby Park & Ride livery.
Arriva North East 7609 NK59DMO by jonathon, on Flickr

The 9/9A ran from Central Station, through town, Claremont Road, Spiral Tongues, Stamfordham Road, Springfield Road, Ponteland Road, Harehills Avenue, Ponteland Road, Kenton Lane 9- clockwise around Kenton Bar, 9A anti clockwise. Then back again. Both ran hourly.

About 1990 Ok Travel took over in the evenings and on Sundays.

They were changed during the day by Northumbria during mid 90s operating via Bowfell Avenue to Harehills Avenue and also via North West Radial Road. Ok keeping the evening and Sunday 9/9A. During early 00s it became hourly as 9 Go Gateshead and then Low Fell Travel ran it.

It was withdrawn in 2008/9

The end of bus service over 20 years that went through steady decline hence becoming a minibus.

(30 Mar 2018, 8:32 pm)Coastliner700 wrote The 9/9A ran from Central Station, through town, Claremont Road, Spiral Tongues, Stamfordham Road, Springfield Road, Ponteland Road, Harehills Avenue, Ponteland Road, Kenton Lane 9- clockwise around Kenton Bar, 9A anti clockwise. Then back again. Both ran hourly.

About 1990 Ok Travel took over in the evenings and on Sundays.

They were changed during the day by Northumbria during mid 90s operating via Bowfell Avenue to Harehills Avenue and also via North West Radial Road. Ok keeping the evening and Sunday 9/9A. During early 00s it became hourly as 9 Go Gateshead and then Low Fell Travel ran it.

It was withdrawn in 2008/9

The end of bus service over 20 years that went through steady decline hence becoming a minibus.

Thanks, Coastliner700.

Stagecoach has really taken control of the whole area. Arriva and Go North East could easily compete with Stagecoach along Ponteland Road and Stamfordham Road and through Kenton. 

I thought Go Gateshead served Kenton, but in the daytime, and I remember the Arriva 9X minibus being very small. I never knew the evening and Sunday operations were a different operator, and that OK Travel, Go Gateshead and Low Fell Travel ran the 9 as well as Northumbria/Arriva, which I knew about.

I thought 2008/09 was the sort of time it was, very unfortunately, withdrawn.

There needs to be more competition really, or go the other way and work together.

Sadly I believe Arriva didn’t want it they seemed to miss journeys out the last ones because they were late. Often missing parts of the journey. And the end was soon after.