(26 Jun 2021, 6:22 pm)54APhotography wrote    many problems, not at liberty to say, just hope it improves

I’ve heard it doesn’t like changing gear..?


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(26 Jun 2021, 6:46 pm)Dan wrote I’ve heard it doesn’t like changing gear..?


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That's one, you've probably heard more....

Whilst I admire Stagecoach going to the effort of putting open toppers on the Es. It’s a bit half arsed still isn’t it? Unless they change it nobody is really wanting to get an open top tour of the Nook on the E6. At the very least they should stand alone the E1 and put them on there. Even then I don’t really want to be going along Highfield Road From Horsley Hill on the top deck, and I live around there!

Going up Prince Edward road is scary thought a tree was going take my eye out

(26 Jun 2021, 10:31 pm)deanmachine wrote Whilst I admire Stagecoach going to the effort of putting open toppers on the Es. It’s a bit half arsed still isn’t it? Unless they change it nobody is really wanting to get an open top tour of the Nook on the E6. At the very least they should stand alone the E1 and put them on there. Even then I don’t really want to be going along Highfield Road From Horsley Hill on the top deck, and I live around there!

Indeed, using them on a service is not at all ideal, as you say Highfield Road is bad, and as ds1197 says , Prince Edward is bad for overhanging trees and North Guards in Whitburn is serious, saw two people duck for cover.. I assume in the peak six weeks they will not work independently along the coast..

Early Stagecoach Tridents have a reputation of being unable to pull the skin off a rice pudding.

(26 Jun 2021, 10:31 pm)deanmachine wrote Whilst I admire Stagecoach going to the effort of putting open toppers on the Es. It’s a bit half arsed still isn’t it? Unless they change it nobody is really wanting to get an open top tour of the Nook on the E6. At the very least they should stand alone the E1 and put them on there. Even then I don’t really want to be going along Highfield Road From Horsley Hill on the top deck, and I live around there!

Is it that much different to GNE having their open toppers on the 56 etc last year?  Southwick and Washington are hardly places to cruise open top either!

I don't understand why they couldn't have just put the seasider back on at North Shields

(27 Jun 2021, 1:17 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote I don't understand why they couldn't have just put the seasider back on at North Shields

I guess that costs money in drivers, fuel, dead mileage etc and they maybe arent confident the passenger demand would cover it.  Assuming these remain on the E's at Sunderland, the driver and mileage would have run anyway, just now with an open topper rather than an E300.

The seasider was quite popular. Wonder if another company will take it over next year

(27 Jun 2021, 1:55 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote The seasider was quite popular. Wonder if another company will take it over next year

If that happened GNE would probably be a good candidate as they’ve already got the open toppers at Percy Main as because the CAZ comes into effect in Newcastle they’ll have to get some Euro 6 buses for the Toon Tour.


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(27 Jun 2021, 1:07 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Is it that much different to GNE having their open toppers on the 56 etc last year?  Southwick and Washington are hardly places to cruise open top either!

I agree but that was just trying to bring a bit of cheer on a miserable time with lockdowns and what not. If that’s what they’re doing, it’s great, it’s better than nothing, but they could introduce a full coastal service if they wanted to.

Like I said, at the very least they could make the E1 standalone. It’s not the best area around the Hill, but at least it’s only a short section away from the Coast Road.

Wouldn't surprise me that the Volvo B7TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 69** get used if stagecoach give the contract up to run the seasider. Or even some different decker

(27 Jun 2021, 3:42 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Wouldn't surprise me that the Volvo B7TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 69** get used if stagecoach give the contract up to run the seasider. Or even some different decker

Seasider with Stagecoach was not contracted was it.  Sure it was Commercial.

(27 Jun 2021, 4:50 pm)ifm001 wrote Seasider with Stagecoach was not contracted was it.  Sure it was Commercial.

I'm pretty sure it was commercial too, largely by the fact GCT weren't running it!

Hopefully if stagecoach decides to give it up. I remember stagecoach lost the sightsee trip round Newcastle and GNE got it with a new and improved route.

So stagecoach branded up for the seasider

(27 Jun 2021, 5:26 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Hopefully if stagecoach decides to give it up. I remember stagecoach lost the sightsee trip round Newcastle and GNE got it with a new and improved route.

So stagecoach branded up for the seasider

The Toon Tour is a merger of the old city sightseeing red and blue routes

(27 Jun 2021, 3:08 pm)deanmachine wrote I agree but that was just trying to bring a bit of cheer on a miserable time with lockdowns and what not. If that’s what they’re doing, it’s great, it’s better than nothing, but they could introduce a full coastal service if they wanted to.

Like I said, at the very least they could make the E1 standalone. It’s not the best area around the Hill, but at least it’s only a short section away from the Coast Road.

From an entirely different viewpoint, if the Wheatsheaf use all four (if at all possible) on the mixed E or a stand alone E1, what happens with the PVR? The whole point of these open toppers is they are not allocated from the daily running boards, surely that puts the Depot at risk of losing 3 or 4 of their buses

Into the fray today is 17239, captured in a number of spots but here she is in 'posh' Whitburn. Driver reports poor hill climbing and a slow throttle.

17239 X239NNO | Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 open top con… | Flickr

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(27 Jun 2021, 12:05 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Early Stagecoach Tridents have a reputation of being unable to pull the skin off a rice pudding.

Them era of Tridents particularly with the Voith gearbox weren't the best. ANEs (W*** RBB) were that poor they ended up getting pulled of the 602 after 3 years and replaced by DAF DB250 Lowlanders on the 308 after a further 2 years.

And Jesmond never sent them out on Sunday 306 boards. Was either a Volvo B10BLE or if deckers needed, a Volvo Olympian NC Palatine II / Volvo B7TL ALX400.

(29 Jun 2021, 8:59 pm)L469 YVK wrote Them era of Tridents particularly with the Voith gearbox weren't the best. ANEs (W*** RBB) were that poor they ended up getting pulled of the 602 after 3 years and replaced by DAF DB250 Lowlanders on the 308 after a further 2 years.

And Jesmond never sent them out on Sunday 306 boards. Was either a Volvo B10BLE or if deckers needed, a Volvo Olympian NC Palatine II / Volvo B7TL ALX400.

Lots of negativity about these open top buses. Me thinks the fare paying passengers will like them, whereas the ‘bus spotters’ of the world , will always criticise. I for one, look forward to a ride.

Tbh I just want the seasider back. Stagecoach said they would consider it for the summer but guess it won't happen this year. Or probably not again.

I'm guessing it must be happping sometime as the seasider ones haven't been debrand at all

(29 Jun 2021, 10:10 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Tbh I just want the seasider back. Stagecoach said they would consider it for the summer but guess it won't happen this year. Or probably not again.

I'm guessing it must be happping sometime as the seasider ones haven't been debrand at all

 With 17240/645 still at Slaty, it  could be they will run both Tynemouth and the Marsden coast. as you note, the Whitley Bay and Tynemouth images have not bee removed.

How many buses were needed on the Seasider. Cause two would work at least over the summer period when the kids are of for 6 weeks

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Plus Stagecoach must have not forgotten it. As according to Vosa.

It shows it was considered to come back in April last year

The timetable suggested 2 vehicles but I'm sure a third was used to cover lunch breaks.

Bit of a surprise, 17645 has just gone along Prudhoe Street North Shields with an instructor. Thinking this may be a route learner for the 10/11 off South Shields

A photo on Facebook shows  17645 - W645 RND in North Shields today with what looks like driver training being done

Note: not my photo

[attachment=9852]

Yeah there was a few staff on it when I saw it on the outskirts of North Shields.

(16 Jul 2021, 6:00 pm)Train8261 wrote A photo on Facebook shows  17645 - W645 RND in North Shields today with what looks like driver training being done

Note: not my photo

Route learning for the 10/11.

Strange they would use and open topper to route lern and use one from Walkergate