(04 Aug 2022, 1:00 pm)BusLoverMum wrote I'm not that fussed about headrests that have had other people's heads on them.

 or seats that have had other peoples bums on them?

Arriva must be the worst for comfort stagecoach always been no.1 bur yeah arriva seats have no padding padding at all

(04 Aug 2022, 3:43 pm)ne14ne1 wrote  or seats that have had other peoples bums on them?

I usually have clothing of some sort on my own bum.

Though I have learned to look at a seat very carefully before sitting on it. Some are pretty grim.

(04 Aug 2022, 6:50 am)mb134 wrote I've done countless 1h+ journeys on Pulsars with Civic V2 seating in recently, while I miss the extra sense of privacy given by headrests I genuinely noticed no difference in comfort. Looking around the E400 I'm on this morning, I can't see a single person sitting upright who is even touching the headrest (those who are slouched, different story, and that's arguably going to do more to someone's back...).

Glad someone said this, I honestly think I prefer the lower seats for the opposite reason why you prefer the headrests in the sense the bus feels much more open and brighter.

I never use the headrests, they're in an awkward place. imo Blyth's 12 plate Pulsars and Gemini's were much nicer before the 'MAX' refurb.

The plastic (eLeather) seating is worse, can't stand the stuff.

(04 Aug 2022, 4:47 pm)BusLoverMum wrote I usually have clothing of some sort on my own bum.

Though I have learned to look at a seat very carefully before sitting on it. Some are pretty grim.

This is exactly why I like the leather seats, nothing soaks into them, and they just wipe clean

(02 Aug 2022, 11:00 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Is there a reason recent ADL vehicles for GNE and now Arriva have been registered near the factory (YX/SK) rather than being registered with North East (NK) plates?

Is it just laziness or are there still delays with the DVLA that would affect that sort of thing?

I know it's a little thing, but having local plates to me gives a better impression, and not as if they're cast offs from another operator.

It's not unique to these MMCs. Many MMCs are registered to their factory area Normally on YX & SN registrations for ADL examples and YN registrations fir scania examples. This isn't really an issue and is only noticeable in areas away from the factory (the North East being a perfect example).

Not a new thing either - Sunderland's gas buses are YN63 and YR14.

According to buslistsontheweb the fleet numbers/regs confirmed so far are:

7563 - SK22 BWE
7564 - SK22 BWF
7565 - SK22 BWG
7566 - SK22 BWH
7567 - SK22 BWJ
7568 - SK22 BWL

(05 Aug 2022, 10:45 pm)wibblejunior wrote According to buslistsontheweb the fleet numbers/regs confirmed so far are:

7563 - SK22 BWE
7564 - SK22 BWF
7565 - SK22 BWG
7566 - SK22 BWH
7567 - SK22 BWJ
7568 - SK22 BWL

They're being stored until September, so will almost certainly be re-registered.

(06 Aug 2022, 8:28 am)mb134 wrote They're being stored until September, so will almost certainly be re-registered.

Any confirmation whether they're ZF or Voith?

I'll eat my hat if Arriva went with ZF!

I think stockton should grt Enviro 200mmcs to arriva what is actually coming to Arriva Stockton/Redcar

One of the new MMCs destined for Ashington has been re-registered. 7570 has been spotted sporting the VRM SK72 CVL.

(10 Aug 2022, 11:41 am)Cobalt271 wrote One of the new MMCs destined for Ashington has been re-registered. 7570 has been spotted sporting the VRM SK72 CVL.

If they're going through the trouble of re-registering them, why not just re-register them on a local plate?

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(10 Aug 2022, 12:36 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If they're going through the trouble of re-registering them, why not just re-register them on a local plate?

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

There's probably a legality issue there, I assume DVLA won't allow it.

It is possible

(10 Aug 2022, 12:36 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If they're going through the trouble of re-registering them, why not just re-register them on a local plate?

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

Suggests that ADL have done the re-registrations on behalf of Arriva?

Does it matter where the bus is registered at the end of the day?

Plenty of other vehicles have been registered out of area including GNE's 4x Red Kite B9TLs (now at GoEY) and ANE's VDL DB250 Lowlanders (7453-56)

7575 has arrived at Darlington, registered as SK72 CVR. 7573 at Blyth as SK72 CVO.

Not 100% but these may have ZF gearboxes.

(10 Aug 2022, 9:44 pm)mb134 wrote 7575 has arrived at Darlington, registered as SK72 CVR. 7573 at Blyth as SK72 CVO.

Not 100% but these may have ZF gearboxes.

Certainly reported on Facebook that they’re ZF.


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(10 Aug 2022, 9:44 pm)mb134 wrote 7575 has arrived at Darlington, registered as SK72 CVR. 7573 at Blyth as SK72 CVO.

Any reason why they're at Darlington and Blyth when Ashington has enough space to store them?

(11 Aug 2022, 12:00 am)Storx wrote Any reason why they're at Darlington and Blyth when Ashington has enough space to store them?

Do they? It looks like Ashington have had to modify their yard to accomodate the extra buses from Blyth, although can't tell without having a closer look.

(10 Aug 2022, 9:51 pm)Dan wrote Certainly reported on Facebook that they’re ZF.


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What has happened with Arriva? They're all of a sudden making sensible decisions lately!

Wonder if they would've done the same with 7541-52 if ZF was available back with S/S in 2017?

(11 Aug 2022, 5:48 am)L469 YVK wrote What has happened with Arriva? They're all of a sudden making sensible decisions lately!

Wonder if they would've done the same with 7541-52 if ZF was available back with S/S in 2017?

Local management team im told had a significant input in the vehicle choice and mechanical spec.

However the internal spec is an Arriva wide standard, hence the poor seat choice.

(11 Aug 2022, 6:07 am)RobinHood wrote Local management team im told had a significant input in the vehicle choice and mechanical spec.

However the internal spec is an Arriva wide standard, hence the poor seat choice.

Which makes sense for the X14/X15/X18/X20

Thinking about it, if Blyth's turn next year, would it not make sense to purchase a further 12x for Ashington to use on the X21/X22 to standardise Ashington and then.......put 7541-50 on the 308 with 7551 & 7552 as Blyth spares?

The Voith setup would work perfectly on the 308 given the stop-start nature of the route.

(11 Aug 2022, 5:48 am)L469 YVK wrote What has happened with Arriva? They're all of a sudden making sensible decisions lately!

Wonder if they would've done the same with 7541-52 if ZF was available back with S/S in 2017?

I think they have been reading all your comments and thought, better follow this lad's advice!

(11 Aug 2022, 7:11 pm)citaro5284 wrote I think they have been reading all your comments and thought, better follow this lad's advice!

Ooooh, well maybe a revised 43 (and new 43A) and 20 minute X7 to finally see off the pointless X8 will be in their next round of changes?

So when the new buses enter service what will happened to the buses they are replacing?

Also are we expecting a whole north east fleet upgrade or just Northumberland

(11 Aug 2022, 6:07 am)RobinHood wrote Local management team im told had a significant input in the vehicle choice and mechanical spec.

Picture of the gear selector on Facebook seems to confirm them as Voith, not ZF (as posts on the same page seemed to suggest). Assume the local management are happy with how the Voith gearboxes are doing in 7541-52 and so have went with the same again. 

Understand that quite a few standard E400s have had lots of recurring issues with their ZF gearboxes (7530 as an example), so this could be another factor in the decision making.

(12 Aug 2022, 8:43 am)Ryland wrote So when the new buses enter service what will happened to the buses they are replacing?

Also are we expecting a whole north east fleet upgrade or just Northumberland

Rumours to be a mass displacement of things to see off all the B7's at Ashington, Jesmond, Durham and Redcar/Whitby. How and what going where is just a guess.