(18 Nov 2020, 3:39 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Go North East X-lines 6377 / NK70 BYV by kieron mathews, on Flickr

6377 has transferred to Riverside with 6376 going the opposite way



All 4 of the E400s for Hexham are now at Saltmeadows awaiting branding


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6377 is now at Chester le Street and 6376 has been at Washington since 8/11/2020.
Go North East 6377 / NK70 BYV. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

(19 Nov 2020, 8:30 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote 6377 is now at Chester le Street and 6376 has been at Washington since 8/11/2020.
Go North East 6377 / NK70 BYV. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

That front display though! So much better

Shame they aren't retrofitting them to the buses on the route that actually needs them, especially if they bring back the Newcastle to Durham runs.

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(19 Nov 2020, 8:30 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote 6377 is now at Chester le Street and 6376 has been at Washington since 8/11/2020.
Go North East 6377 / NK70 BYV. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

I caught with it later in the day and a ride out to West Auckland and back from Low Fell, Have to say it is a lovely motor and handled the X21 route without any struggle compare to the 4 cyliner OM934 Streetdecks and the B5TL's.

I personally think Go North East should've purchased more of these for the X-Lines network as I think although I like the E400MMC's these were far more superior.

Here is my shot of 6377 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

(19 Nov 2020, 5:17 pm)Malarkey wrote I caught with it later in the day and a ride out to West Auckland and back from Low Fell, Have to say it is a lovely motor and handled the X21 route without any struggle compare to the 4 cyliner OM934 Streetdecks and the B5TL's.

I personally think Go North East should've purchased more of these for the X-Lines network as I think although I like the E400MMC's these were far more superior.

Here is my shot of 6377 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

Didn't get a chance to have a ride today as I kept missing it! 

I wonder where it'll be tomorrow as it seems to be moving around the depots quickly

(19 Nov 2020, 5:17 pm)Malarkey wrote I caught with it later in the day and a ride out to West Auckland and back from Low Fell, Have to say it is a lovely motor and handled the X21 route without any struggle compare to the 4 cyliner OM934 Streetdecks and the B5TL's.

I personally think Go North East should've purchased more of these for the X-Lines network as I think although I like the E400MMC's these were far more superior.

Here is my shot of 6377 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

They're lovely motors but if the E400MMC is just as capable for the most part and also eligible forbBSOG, the 6 cylinder StreetDeck would make no sense. 

The only ways I could see these entering main service in the North East are Arriva ordering for the X15/X18/X93 and even then, they'd likely only order for the X93 as the E400 & E400MMC can handle the X15 & X18 fine for a 5 year lifespan if not slightly more.

GNE took the sensible option of getting coaches for the X9 & X10.

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Will 6377 get used by Consett on the X47/X70/X71 to compare against the E400MMC before any new interworking patterns disallow?

Bus Vannin have recently taken delivery of 10 OM936 Streetdecks.

(19 Nov 2020, 6:53 pm)L469 YVK wrote They're lovely motors but if the E400MMC is just as capable for the most part and also eligible forbBSOG, the 6 cylinder StreetDeck would make no sense. 

The only ways I could see these entering main service in the North East are Arriva ordering for the X15/X18/X93 and even then, they'd likely only order for the X93 as the E400 & E400MMC can handle the X15 & X18 fine for a 5 year lifespan if not slightly more.

GNE took the sensible option of getting coaches for the X9 & X10.

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Will 6377 get used by Consett on the X47/X70/X71 to compare against the E400MMC before any new interworking patterns disallow?

From a minute of Googling, the enhanced rate of BSOG that the E400MMC is eligible for appears to be 6p per km. (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that, I spent no time researching it!)
Forgetting about the X9/X10, the longest GNE route is the X21 at around 50km long, that's £3 per journey. Having a quick play on BusTimes, it looks like they seem to do about 8 journeys per day, plus a couple 21 runs on the evening, so say around 450km per day, so they'd make around £27 per day running 'eligible' vehicles.

So, if we assume that they run that distance 6.5 days a week (as the Sunday timetable runs hourly), and extrapolate that over a year, they're looking at about £9k a year they could be making, over the lifetime of the vehicle that quickly adds up.

Because of that, financially it makes no sense to go with the 6 cylinder StreetDeck over the E400MMC.

However, financially it makes sense to go with the 4 cylinder over the E400MMC assuming the route isn't too demanding. The StreetDecks are quite a bit cheaper than the E400MMCs (£225,000 vs £240,000, both to GNE spec), the StreetDecks is considerably more efficient (9mpg vs 6mpg, from the little information I could find online anyway). 

Plus, there's the end product, from what I've seen other people say about the new StreetDecks, and my own experience, they're leagues ahead of the E400s. Fit and finish of the E400s in comparison is bad, even the new ones seem to be developing a few rattles already.

Does anyone know what's up with Streetdeck 6363 at Consett as, if bus times is right, it hasnt been out since 24th Oct?

6363 that was originally 6371!!! Last time I seen it parked at the back of Riverside depot against the fence visible from Costco car park. May be awaiting a part/s under warranty but that's just a guess could be totally wrong

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Just saw one of the X84/X85 E400s go past Gateshead Interchange, and I must admit I don't think it looks as good in the flesh as it does in photos.
Maybe once they're vinyled up my opinion will change though

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(19 Nov 2020, 10:02 pm)Swiny1 wrote 6363 that was originally 6371!!! Last time I seen it parked at the back of Riverside depot against the fence visible from Costco car park. May be awaiting a part/s under warranty but that's just a guess could be totally wrong

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It’s still at riverside, inside getting worked on.


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Managed to catch 6377 today, and I must say it's fantastic! In fact, I think it finally means a StreetDeck regains the status of my favourite bus in the fleet! (Replacing 6337, an E400MMC, which I obviously loathe)

The engine is so smooth, in fact at idle you can barely tell it's even running, I honestly thought the stop start had kicked in. Even on the motorway the engine noise is a faint rumble rather than the cry for help you get with the 4 cylinder. 
The ride comfort of the new suspension is on par, if not better than any coach I've travelled on, even on the normally spine shattering bumps around Low Fell it was smooth. 

The only downside was none of the USB ports, wireless chargers or sockets were working, I spoke to the driver and apparently they have no way of turning them on, unlike the older StreetDecks. Then again, I've never been on a new StreetDeck with them working! 

I also think I'm starting to tolerate the new colour scheme, obviously I don't think I'll ever like the shit stained walls, but I do like the white trim and light coloured ceiling, it makes it feel a lot brighter. The larger glass window looks a lot better from the inside, even if it looks awkward outside.

(20 Nov 2020, 11:13 am)streetdeckfan wrote Just saw one of the X84/X85 E400s go past Gateshead Interchange, and I must admit I don't think it looks as good in the flesh as it does in photos.
Maybe once they're vinyled up my opinion will change though

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Go North East: YX70OKP Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC by emdjt42, on Flickr

Go North East: YX70OKP Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC by emdjt42, on Flickr

Here’s a couple of photos of one of them at Saltmeadows


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So with the displaced B9s replacing Citaros on Crusader and E400 MMCs replacing Citaros on X84/85, does this mean we will start seeing them being disposed of, or will they be kept to replace the OmniCity buses?

(21 Nov 2020, 9:16 am)cnjb800 wrote So with the displaced B9s replacing Citaros on Crusader and E400 MMCs replacing Citaros on X84/85, does this mean we will start seeing them being disposed of, or will they be kept to replace the OmniCity buses?

Disposed off I think unfortunately. Even though there's some freshly repainted ones that are in far worse condition than some of the Crusaders and Tynedale Expresses. Shame.

(21 Nov 2020, 9:16 am)cnjb800 wrote So with the displaced B9s replacing Citaros on Crusader and E400 MMCs replacing Citaros on X84/85, does this mean we will start seeing them being disposed of, or will they be kept to replace the OmniCity buses?

I don't think there's going to be many Omnicities left without the use of the Citaros. I know the B9TL's off the Toonlink, X5 and X15 we're supposed to be going to CLS for the X25 and there's more than enough spare Versa's around to replace the last few on the 34, 28 and the rest of CLS routes they pop up on occasionally.

Other than that you've got the batch at Washington which aren't going anywhere as they've just had Euro 6 mods and they'll only be able to be replaced with something much newer and also Euro 6.

(21 Nov 2020, 10:16 am)deanmachine wrote Disposed off I think unfortunately. Even though there's some freshly repainted ones that are in far worse condition than some of the Crusaders and Tynedale Expresses. Shame.

Sure it was said all the Crusader/Tynedale Express Citaro's 5337/5338, 5481-87 we're all down for withdrawal after they aren't needed for dupes anymore. Think it was said the Toonlink Omnicities will be withdrawn too.

Not sure if anymore Omnicities are due to be withdrawn though?


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Edit:

Has 5312 been withdrawn - as according to bustimes.org, it hasn't been out since the 12th August.

Thank you! One more question (sorry), what brand is the X5/15 currently?

(21 Nov 2020, 3:55 pm)cnjb800 wrote Thank you! One more question (sorry), what brand is the X5/15 currently?

X-Lines - Yellow version - https://www.flickr.com/photos/27974644@N07/50574982198/ - photo by A&LSP8

(21 Nov 2020, 4:01 pm)Michael wrote X-Lines - Yellow version - https://www.flickr.com/photos/27974644@N07/50574982198/ - photo by A&LSP8

I meant before X-Lines. Should have clarified.

(21 Nov 2020, 5:01 pm)cnjb800 wrote I meant before X-Lines. Should have clarified.

Fleet livery.

(21 Nov 2020, 5:06 pm)Michael wrote Fleet livery.

Thanks 

So given that.........

- There will be a bike guarantee on the X30/X70/X71
* meaning that there'd have to be suitable spares to avoid paying for taxis

- No more StreetDecks moving from Chester Le Street

I take it that the X31 will most likely be operated using surplus Volvo B9TL's (refurbished if needed)?

This is what I'm getting

- 8x new ADL E400MMC X30/X70/X71
- 3x 2019 ADL E400MMC X45/X46/X47
- 8x new StreetDeck X45/X46/X47
- 3x 2017 StreetDeck X45/X46/X47
- 4x 2016 StreetDeck X5/X15
- 4x Volvo B9TL X31 (presumably 6096-6099)
- 3x new ADL E400MMC spare covering a PVR of 30x

Please, just give up guessing...[emoji23]

You won’t ever guess it correctly. Ever.


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(25 Nov 2020, 7:03 pm)Dan wrote Please, just give up guessing...[emoji23]

You won’t ever guess it correctly. Ever.


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Ok, fair enough.

Any clues though?

When will the E400's enter service on the X84/X85?

(25 Nov 2020, 7:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote Ok, fair enough.

Any clues though?

No!


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(25 Nov 2020, 7:58 pm)Dan wrote No!


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Are you sure there's actually a plan and GNE aren't just winging it 

(25 Nov 2020, 7:53 pm)Michael wrote When will the E400's enter service on the X84/X85?

Saw a photo of 6353 at Hexham Bus Station today on Facebook which will be being used for driver familiarisation so they should enter service within the next week or so


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(28 Nov 2020, 4:48 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Saw a photo of 6353 at Hexham Bus Station today on Facebook which will be being used for driver familiarisation so they should enter service within the next week or so


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6353 at Eldon Square - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128789124@...ateposted/

Credit to Jordan & Zoe Bus Photographs