http://www.flickr.com/groups/2211136@N22/?added=3

Feel Free to Join as an alternative to other groups

This group is for those interested in Buses in the NorthEast whether it be GNE/Stagecoach/Arriva or Independent Companies from across the region. This will also provide as alternative to the NorthEast Buses Forum, which is an Excellent Forum and well worth looking at. northeastbuses.co.uk/ or Bazza Houston's Facebook Group Go North East Bus Enthusiasts Group. www.facebook.com/groups/386629251416598/

This group is for anything with it's uploading photos to show other members, making posts on the latest News/Rumours floating about regarding E.g. GNE. There will be Fleet Updates which can be posted by anyone at anytime as I'm not going to strictly say I'm doing this as if it's my job to do so. This group will be a relaxed environment and a welcoming one at that.

East Durham MPD on the 38s/61s today... I saw it at 13:50ish while in school. So yeah, would have left Park Lane a moment or two beforehand on the 61s.

(28 Feb 2013, 7:31 am)Daniel wrote As for the MetroLink Solars, I'd have said that, having NL52 regs, they wouldn't be quite as bad as other Solars within the fleet. I believe that these NL52 regs will be staying post 2015 withdrawals, as they just scrape the minimum Euro standard. The customer demand is high enough for a double deck (or an enhanced higher seating capacity single deck) operation to be feasible though, so the likelihood of the MetroLink service being one that gains some of the 80 new buses this year is high in my opinion.

The 'MetroLink' needs single deckers because of Fatfield Bridge, so higher seating capacity single deck vehicles will be what the Solars will be replaced with if new vehicles are to arrive.

8307 Drifter on 36 today.

(28 Feb 2013, 4:24 pm)tom.robinson206 wrote

(28 Feb 2013, 7:31 am)Daniel wrote As for the MetroLink Solars, I'd have said that, having NL52 regs, they wouldn't be quite as bad as other Solars within the fleet. I believe that these NL52 regs will be staying post 2015 withdrawals, as they just scrape the minimum Euro standard. The customer demand is high enough for a double deck (or an enhanced higher seating capacity single deck) operation to be feasible though, so the likelihood of the MetroLink service being one that gains some of the 80 new buses this year is high in my opinion.

The 'MetroLink' needs single deckers because of Fatfield Bridge, so higher seating capacity single deck vehicles will be what the Solars will be replaced with if new vehicles are to arrive.

Before everything happened with the Red Arrows Citaros, Go North East told me on Open Line they were considering new double deckers for the service, and that all would be revealed by the end of 2012.
If they said that, surely they must have been willing to re-route those services to comply with that.
Obviously it didn't happen, and the timetable frequency increased instead, but the thought was there nevertheless. If it had happened, I could imagine that the services would have followed the current route in place owing to the closure of Fatfield Bridge?

I doubt the M1 would have its frequency increased, so the possibility is always there - no matter how unlikely it is!

Hi,
The X7 does anybody what type of bus this route will be using.
Thanks
Stew

(28 Feb 2013, 5:24 pm)2bagstew wrote Hi,
The X7 does anybody what type of bus this route will be using.
Thanks
Stew

Stew, it is unconfirmed at the moment. One of many rumours circulating is that the service will use Percy Main's yellow dual-door Renowns.
If not, it'd probably use Peterlee's existing MPDs.

Seeing a lot about the yellow dual door renonwns at Percy main on here, so what's the crack are they staying at Percy main and being branded or are they moving else where, if they are moving whats replacing them and will the replacements be branded eventually for the 1, or is the whole branding thing just another gne lie ????

(28 Feb 2013, 5:52 pm)Wellsey18 wrote Seeing a lot about the yellow dual door renonwns at Percy main on here, so what's the crack are they staying at Percy main and being branded or are they moving else where, if they are moving whats replacing them and will the replacements be branded eventually for the 1, or is the whole branding thing just another gne lie ????

A lot of us just pass on the common speculation from other sources, including myself in my "Daily Dosages". One current rumour is that they're moving to Peterlee for the X7 service, but a hell of a lot of people disagree with that too (owing to Peterlee not being a full depot etc).
As I said yesterday, Percy Main are said to be receiving some ex-Pulse Renowns, which will be in Northern livery. These could accomodate for the loss of the yellow dual-door ones. Similarly, Winlaton have already received some replacements for the dual-door B10BLEs they'd be losing if the above rumour were true - the ex-Crusader ones! These are going into Northern livery though, which would mean that the Pulse brand would be getting revoked. Is it possible that the PVR drops below six in the upcoming changes? If so, explains why the brand is being pulled!

Another thing is i would like to see go north east buy some more versas as well, think they would be suitable for a few Percy,main routes as well!

(28 Feb 2013, 6:34 pm)Rob wrote The question is why were the Pulse B10 examples never refurbished? Would it be wise to replace Euro 3 B10 examples with older Euro 2 examples?

As much as I'd like to see their withdrawal which your post seems to hint at, I don't think it's happening... I mean, Go North East have withdrawn a great deal of vehicles lately and many depots are already struggling. I agree that the Pulse Renowns weren't ever refurbished on the basis that they'd soon be withdrawn, but surely their time hasn't yet arrived?
Without those 80 new vehicles in the fleet, we can't afford to continuously withdraw vehicles.

(28 Feb 2013, 6:34 pm)Rob wrote The question is why were the Pulse B10 examples never refurbished? Would it be wise to replace Euro 3 B10 examples with older Euro 2 examples?

Some of the ex. 'Crusader' Volvo's are 'W' reg, which is newer than 'T', although it's not really much of a difference. Although, saying that, having used the dual-door Volvo's on the 'Fab 57', which are similar to those used on 'Pulse', I must say that I find the ex. 'Crusader' vehicles are nicer and have a more friendly seating layout due to the lack of centre door.

Tyne Tees Express 3963 on the 24A thus evening

Fatfield bridge isn't the only problem, there is also the road bridge at the bottom of Barnwell that 2A/2C/M1 go under after Fatfield Bridge.

GNE could quite easily re-route the M1 so that it goes down the Motorway like the X1 and have it come off at it current diversion and have it go along the riverside and back onto its normal route at the opposite end of the bridge.

Plus there wouldn't be major loss with re-route as the 2A/2C can cover the Bottom of Barnwell and the 3 stops leading to Fatfield Bridge, Plus the service operates every 10 minutes. On top of that No-one really gets on or off at those stops mentioned anyways.

So with that being said Buying double deckers for the M1 would be welcomed by myself as a regular user of the service. I remember about 2 years ago there was talk of putting bendies on the service but that was scrapped due road layouts in Houghton le Spring and Concord.

(28 Feb 2013, 5:40 pm)Daniel wrote

(28 Feb 2013, 5:24 pm)2bagstew wrote Hi,
The X7 does anybody what type of bus this route will be using.
Thanks
Stew

Stew, it is unconfirmed at the moment. One of many rumours circulating is that the service will use Percy Main's yellow dual-door Renowns.
If not, it'd probably use Peterlee's existing MPDs.

They used to use the yellow MPD's on the old 211 Peterlee to Middlesbrough route I hope they don't use them they are not good enough to do the route in the time given..

DAILY DIGEST: 28/02/13

Quite a short and sweet update, this one is!

Contrary to what I had said in a previous update, 5160 is reported to still retain its "Pulse" branding. On the other hand, an enthusiast reports that either 5155 OR 5165 was in Gateshead depot today, wearing a fresh "Northern" coat, rather than the yellow base livery or "Pulse" branding which we commonly associate with those vehicles respectively. No reports on 4838 yet. We are yet to gain a photo of this, so please do get in touch if you have one.

Ex-"Crusader" 4837 which now carries "Northern" branding has been transferred from Gateshead depot to Winlaton. It was seen today working "Toon Link" services - do check out the photo below:
4837 (North East And Regional Bus Photos)

Finally (told you it was short), odd workings today. Though many were reported, very few have been uploaded to Flickr. The few that were uploaded to Flickr can be viewed below:
"Whey Aye Five 0" 4929 on "Waggonway" service 28A (North East And Regional Bus Photos)
"Coaster" 5270 on "DFDS Seaways" service 327 (S.Blair250)


_____________________

Should any additional resources be given to us overnight, I shall include them in tomorrow's DD.

!

Contrary to what I had said in a previous update, 5160 is reported to still retain its "Pulse" branding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
Photo from kuyoyo (5160)

Odd Allocations

8220 on 11 http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5314 69a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5329 10a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
3964 on 97
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
8261 on 58
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
4841 on 57
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/

Photos courtesy of kuyoyo

Also daniel as noted in my GNE Update for yesterday there was a yellow renown in Gateshead Depot don't which one though, don't think it was there for repaint though as that would of occured at Saltmeadows or Thorntons of Ashington as they split the work.

(28 Feb 2013, 10:41 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote !

Contrary to what I had said in a previous update, 5160 is reported to still retain its "Pulse" branding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
Photo from kuyoyo (5160)

Odd Allocations

8220 on 11 http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5314 69a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5329 10a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
3964 on 97
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
8261 on 58
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
4841 on 57
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/

Photos courtesy of kuyoyo

Also daniel as noted in my GNE Update for yesterday there was a yellow renown in Gateshead Depot don't which one though, don't think it was there for repaint though as that would of occured at Saltmeadows or Thorntons of Ashington as they split the work.

Still don't have Tony as a contact on Flickr, that's why I hadn't seen the photo and still classed it as 'reported'. Nevertheless, proof can be seen on the link above as Adam pointed out.

R.E odd allocations, think I'll stick with the ones I gave - those aren't particularly odd!

Ta for the help anyway, feel free to PM me with details in future. Just try to do it before 9pm as that's when I like to do it by.

(28 Feb 2013, 10:51 pm)Daniel wrote

(28 Feb 2013, 10:41 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote !

Contrary to what I had said in a previous update, 5160 is reported to still retain its "Pulse" branding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
Photo from kuyoyo (5160)

Odd Allocations

8220 on 11 http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5314 69a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
5329 10a
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
3964 on 97
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
8261 on 58
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/
4841 on 57
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60502549@N0...otostream/

Photos courtesy of kuyoyo

Also daniel as noted in my GNE Update for yesterday there was a yellow renown in Gateshead Depot don't which one though, don't think it was there for repaint though as that would of occured at Saltmeadows or Thorntons of Ashington as they split the work.

Still don't have Tony as a contact on Flickr, that's why I hadn't seen the photo and still classed it as 'reported'. Nevertheless, proof can be seen on the link above as Adam pointed out.

R.E odd allocations, think I'll stick with the ones I gave - those aren't particularly odd!

Ta for the help anyway, feel free to PM me with details in future. Just try to do it before 9pm as that's when I like to do it by.

Even if you did have me as a contact, they would have only just become available as I have only just put them up online.

8220's appearance on the Toon Link was actually replacing something just as odd - 3942.

Also, I would agree with Daniel, 5313/29's appearances on the 10A can still be classed as normal considerin there's only 12 B9TLs here so far with 3942 making the amount of sliver deckers in service 13. Once 6083 arrives, that will make 14, enough to cover the PVR of the 10/10A and 5313/4/29 should be able to join their sisters at Gateshead.