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(07 Nov 2017, 11:53 am)James101 wrote Is that not the same as the Dennis Dart pre Transbus, Enviro etc?
(08 Nov 2017, 3:34 pm)Andreos1 wrote The Dart fell in to the midi-bus category and was never meant to last as long as these full sized Streetlite Max's.
Suppose that goes back to what I was saying the other day.
If a Streetlite is supposed to have a lifespan of a midi-bus, how can its slightly longer cousin which is built with the same components (complete with the same rattles, shakes and squeaks), last a few years longer?
(09 Nov 2017, 12:54 am)James101 wrote I thought an SPD was up to 43 seated, and Streetlite Max 45 - surely both ‘full size’? Yet the built quality etc of an SPD wasn’t all too different to a SLF or MPD?
The Arriva output from Peterlee wasn't all super-powered Deltas, Scanias and Olympians. They had some Metrobuses and ex-london Leyland Olympians which could have rolled back down Crimdon Dene given half a chance.
(09 Nov 2017, 8:06 am)Andreos1 wrote The majority of that batch and others like it, ended up scrapped. A few were traded on.
Not many gave the 15 years service a full sized single decker is designed for. Unlike the R Reg Renowns, which came before and were still hanging around after.
If we compare the V reg SPD intake to GNE's similar sized/capacity/aged Solar's, again there is only one winner in terms of life-span and durability.
edit:
Ironically 8163 is/was on the rally scene!
(05 Nov 2017, 1:25 pm)tcts24 wrote OK took a Pennine 7 (EBR850S) IN 1978, having checked the fleet history it was the only Seddon they ever had. Darlington on the other hand developed a habbit of buying naff buses eg. Daimler Roadliner, Seddon Penine RU, single deck Dennis Dominator and of course the infamous Ward Dalesman! It would be interesting to see if theres anyone on here old enough to remember some of these buses and can compare them to Solos and Streetlites of today. My native Hartlepool had RU demonstrator HBU451J on loan in 1972. We also had the single deck Dominators but had the good sense to get rid of them in favour of REs a decade older. I'm 35 and I barely remember our Dominators so I can't really pass judgement. I do however remember the rather dire Wadham Stringer bodied Dennis Falcons Hartlepool had. At the time, they were among the younger buses we had available in the town (including much of the Tees fleet) so didn't seem all that bad as a customer. In hind sight though, I'd take a Streetlite any day!I drove the Seddon when it was new it was noted as very economical. There were some issues with the throttle and it had a manual gearbox and you were not able to jump across the gate to select gears and needed to follow the gate I also drove the X1 streetlites from new and found the steering heavy similar to the Leyland Tigers of the 1980's this was very tiresome as the route had tight turns at Roddymoor, Stanley and Tow Law.When they first came we thought the 2 with merc engines superior but soon the cummins engined examples settled in and proved to be better The gear change was often jerky and raised comments from customers.Voith reset parameters on several occasions and the drvers developed a style to help but this was an extra burden on the driver while trying to keep time on a busy service I now drive Volvo engined coaches and these are so much smoother and a pleasure to drive
(12 Nov 2017, 2:12 pm)upt50k wrote I drove the Seddon when it was new it was noted as very economical. There were some issues with the throttle and it had a manual gearbox and you were not able to jump across the gate to select gears and needed to follow the gate I also drove the X1 streetlites from new and found the steering heavy similar to the Leyland Tigers of the 1980's this was very tiresome as the route had tight turns at Roddymoor, Stanley and Tow Law.When they first came we thought the 2 with merc engines superior but soon the cummins engined examples settled in and proved to be better The gear change was often jerky and raised comments from customers.Voith reset parameters on several occasions and the drvers developed a style to help but this was an extra burden on the driver while trying to keep time on a busy service I now drive Volvo engined coaches and these are so much smoother and a pleasure to drive
(04 Jan 2019, 7:19 pm)GNE6312 wrote Blyth's fleet is the oldest in Arriva northumbria with it's newest buses being the 5 12 reg pulsars which will be turning 7 years old in the next few months since the hybrids have gone. Here is my suggestion to modernise the fleet at Blyth:57/A does not meet Max Spec as there isn’t one as its a discontinued brand, 57/A does not a Pulsar size bus anyway
9x volvo b5tl wright gemini 3s for the X7/8 + another 2 spare (fleet numbered 7638-46) this displaces 7601-8 to jesmond for the 52/3/4 to displace streetlites 1581-8 to stockton for to replace the cadets with 1574-8 staying at jesmond for to be used alongside 7601-8 and pulsars 1493/1501/3 will go to Ashington to be used on the 57/A to upgrade them to MAX
4× volvo B8RLE wright eclipse 3s for the X9 + another 2 spares (fleet numbered 1615-20) which allows 1502/4/5 to join the other pulsars at Ashington for the 57/A which withdraws 1800/1 and displaces the solos to other depots which needs medibuses (1 to redcar which withdraws 1753 which is the oldest dart non to Blyth as they get new medibuses more on thatlater on in the post)
3 more volvo B8RLE wright eclipse 3s (fleet numbered1621-3) to replace 1401-3
10x volvo B5LH wright gemini 3s for the 308 (the new 7801-10) displcing 7628-34 to whitby/redcar for to be spares for the X93 (7630-4)which allows the ALX 400s usualy used on the summer X93 to go where required when required all year round aswell as 2 to be used on the whitby park and ride (7628/9) displacing 7609/10 to jesmond for to be used alongside sisters 7601-8 on the 52/3/4 (all 10 to be repainted to the new livery 4 at a time with 7416/24/5/6 to go to jesmond and 7635 to go to Belmont full time to replace 7416 with 7416 joining 7424-6 as travelling spares with 7636/7 going to whitby as spares for the whitby park and ride)
Finaly 5x wright streetairs (like the lothian ones) for the 2 with 2 spares (1624-30) displacing the solos to the 1 to replace the darts
This will give blyth good investment and more importantly the best fleet in Arriva north east
What does every one think?
(04 Jan 2019, 9:51 pm)NewcastleOne wrote 57/A does not meet Max Spec as there isn’t one as its a discontinued brand, 57/A does not a Pulsar size bus anyway
X9&2 don’t need 2 spare buses each remember a route to Spare Bus ratio is 8:1 (usually)
The Streetairs are completely useless so no
Blyth does not need the bus Fleet but do agree that the Darts and Cadets need to leave as they are tried but yet again it only take an Arriva Bus a few years for that to happen.
308 just had its buses refurbished so it does not need any new buses at this moment.
Whitby don’t need extra spare buses as the ALX400s (which you Replace) are covers for X93 that would again be a waste of resources especially as Arriva are not huge investors.
(05 Jan 2019, 7:16 am)GNE6312 wrote I know thats what I was trying to change. Arriva should learn from a company with good investment like lothian (who have a really modern fleet) or more locally gne (who like lothian have a really modern fleet)The problem is(and I know where you are coming from) Arriva were bought for one reason. To subsidise to German Railway. DB who own Arriva take out sums of profit and re invest in areas of DB which could be debt,Rail Improvements or stations. Lothian
Lothian and gne are bith good companies and buy new buses when the previous buses are getting or want to put different buses on a different route and not spending 3 months with buses with the wrong branding for the wrong route like on the X15 with 7554/6 when 7555 is fully de branded and 7553 only has rear branding. An example of lothian doing the sensible option and debranding them and rebranding them right a way is when the 49 got deckers and the 'queen of scots' eclipses went on another route they got debranded right a way ready for use on other routes. Gne done the same when the 09 versas were going to cls they repainted them then entered them in srvice. That us just one example the list goes on and on. Arriva need investment.
(08 Jan 2019, 1:15 am)omnicity4659 wrote Blyth's core service fleet are aged between 2009 and 2012. Yes, the oldest Geminis are approaching 10 years old, but they're still modern for their age. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
As for the 1 and 2, there does need to be investment in larger buses for both routes as it is a bit of a squeeze at peak times. Brand new buses aren't the way forward.
The 685 is another route which needs new buses, which Stagecoach are delivering on their end, the OmniCitys are really tired but are powerful, so are probably better placed at Darlington or Ashington on express work.
One way that could see more investment would be the abolishment of free travel for ENCTS pass holders, and instead charge a flat fare. This would bring in revenue to invest in more buses, more often.
(08 Jan 2019, 7:54 pm)omnicity4659 wrote I would suggest that it would be rolled out countrywide as opposed to specific to this case.
(08 Jan 2019, 1:15 am)omnicity4659 wrote Blyth's core service fleet are aged between 2009 and 2012. Yes, the oldest Geminis are approaching 10 years old, but they're still modern for their age. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
As for the 1 and 2, there does need to be investment in larger buses for both routes as it is a bit of a squeeze at peak times. Brand new buses aren't the way forward.
The 685 is another route which needs new buses, which Stagecoach are delivering on their end, the OmniCitys are really tired but are powerful, so are probably better placed at Darlington or Ashington on express work.
One way that could see more investment would be the abolishment of free travel for ENCTS pass holders, and instead charge a flat fare. This would bring in revenue to invest in more buses, more often.
