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(17 Sep 2025, 11:47 am)Bob5666 wrote 1370 76 38 are loans but I herd some changes in November December involved Stockton sevices
(17 Sep 2025, 11:47 am)Bob5666 wrote 1370 76 38 are loans but I herd some changes in November December involved Stockton sevices
(17 Sep 2025, 12:07 pm)PH - BQA wrote The company has been badly managed at a senior level for years, and they’ve got no commercial acumen so further service cuts is the only answer they know.
Had there been investment in newer vehicles, driver retention, or service improvements the picture may/would have been better - but incompetence from the top down has resulted in this.
It’s ridiculous really, that in an area immune to the threat of franchising and one which Stagecoach have invested heavily into, that Arriva can’t make their business work.
(17 Sep 2025, 5:17 pm)Superman wrote You’ve drawn all of that from just a few fleet moves?
Let’s be real—Arriva has been stretched thin by DB, and only now, under new ownership, is investment starting to flow in. But, of course, that doesn't happen overnight.
Arriva Yorkshire is set to receive 50 new vehicles later this year, while the North East is due at least 60 next year, not counting the electric vehicles. And that’s just the beginning. Darlington plans to go fully electric by 2027/28, and Blyth is already trialing an electric vehicle with plans to expand to additional services, simply because the data suggests the ranges are a problem - they are actually testing if that is true.
There are other, more significant things happening under the skin of the business, most of it not seen, but at least one big project next year will be in North East.
That level of detail might not be widely known, which is why assumptions like this are so far off the mark. It’s almost laughable how inaccurate they are, but the proof will be in the pudding.
You may wish to bookmark this post and come back to it in 18 months time.
(17 Sep 2025, 7:28 pm)PH - BQA wrote Obviously I haven't taken it from one set of vehicle movements, it's been obvious to anyone keeping an eye on the business for a number of years. You mention 2027/8 and other years in the future (for maybe 2 depots), that is of no use to anyone using these services now or for the past few years.
The cuts to the Teesside network (which have been confirmed on here by those with connections inside Arriva) follow on from other large cuts to the Darlington and Durham networks over the last few years. There has been little to no innovation in the route network (in ADC, slightly different in Northumbria with the constant council tenders), and even when they do make a positive change the tone in their announcements implies surprise that people have started to use the route - see the 16.
Bar the new vehicle investment situation, which seems to be slowly changing but still far too little to late in some instances, all of the problems with the company at present can be attributed to NE management. They have failed to innovate, they have failed to uphold standards, and they have consistently failed to ensure resources are there to fulfil service delivery. Lots of the issues in the NE could be fixed without huge investment, just some standards would do, but it is clear that those running the NE depots have no standards. Even back to when DB invested, new buses looked fresh for about a week before they were let to rot.
You say these takes are laughable, but do you use the services? Do you see these vehicles every day? The 57/58-plate E400s are a disgrace when you see them in Newcastle compared to the vehicles operated by any other company. I saw a Northstar DOE this evening on my commute home which, while still red, looked smarter than anything I've seen operate out of Blyth for years. Services out of Newcastle in the peak are constantly either missing or significantly delayed. I see services in the peak leaving Newcastle with crush loads because they've been allocated a Pulsar rather than a decker (Coast Road and Ashington expresses in particular). I see long distance runs to Scotland using clapped out Pulsars with low-back dirty/unpadded moquette seats rather than any of the buses with more comfortable high back, re-trimmed, e-leather seating. I see double deckers allocated to the 434 because of unserviceable minibuses, leaving saloons to take match day loads on the X21. All of these are real life observations from someone who pays money to use these services.
Let's say there are improvements next year, are they not more likely to be down to the changes at the very top more than the NE level? I'd love to see the business improve, and I think the introduction of new vehicles will help it get there, but the local management of this business for years now has been abysmal and unless that is also changing then any investment will likely be mismanaged anyway. This post, as with my previous one, is in my view an accurate picture of the business in its current state from the outside looking in. If there are things happening internally, then these need to be significant, need to happen quickly, and must be implemented properly.
(24 Sep 2025, 8:42 am)Bob5666 wrote Buses off at Stockton
1460 1452 1482 1485 1486 1488 1553 1430 1405
(24 Sep 2025, 8:42 am)Bob5666 wrote Buses off at Stockton
1460 1452 1482 1485 1486 1488 1553 1430 1405
(18 Oct 2025, 9:27 am)Kuyoyo wrote Yarm Fair Saturday sees 2706 2711 and 2713 on-loan to Stockton for use on the Kirklevington 7s. In exchange, 1492 1555 and 1562 are on-loan to Darlington (although I understand 1562 has been taken out of service).
(20 Oct 2025, 4:31 pm)Storx wrote I'm unsure it will be personally. There's loads of spares around doing paint duties and they'll be getting withdrawn soon anyway.
Unless the insurance pays for it, I can't see it getting repaired.
(20 Oct 2025, 4:31 pm)Storx wrote I'm unsure it will be personally. There's loads of spares around doing paint duties and they'll be getting withdrawn soon anyway.
Unless the insurance pays for it, I can't see it getting repaired.
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(28 Oct 2025, 6:55 pm)Superman wrote The full list of 2 November fleet changes as follows:
1357 from Darlington to Disposal
1370 from Stockton to Redcar
1376 from Stockton to Redcar
1378 from Stockton to Redcar
1389 from Stockton to Blyth
1405 from Stockton to Disposal
1422 from Stockton to Reserve Fleet
1430 from Stockton to Reserve Fleet
1432 from Stockton to Reserve Fleet
1441 from Blyth to Durham
1442 from Stockton to Durham
1443 from Blyth to Durham
1482 from Blyth to Durham
1530 from Reserve Fleet to Disposal
1534 from Stockton to Training School
1589 from Durham to Darlington
2601 from Ashington to Arriva North West
2602 from Ashington to Arriva North West
2603 from Ashington to Arriva North West
2841 from Darlington to Disposal
3052 from Reserve Fleet to Ashington
3053 from Reserve Fleet to Darlington
3905 from Reserve Fleet to Disposal
4701 from Redcar to Disposal
4702 from Redcar to Disposal
4709 from Redcar to Arriva Midlands
4718 from Redcar to Arriva Midlands
4719 from Redcar to Arriva Midlands
4721 from Redcar to Disposal
4724 from Redcar to Disposal
7526 from Blyth to Ashington
7578 from Redcar to Blyth (temp repaint cover)
7579 from Redcar to Blyth (temp repaint cover)
7580 from Redcar to Blyth (temp repaint cover)
7581 from Redcar to Reserve Fleet
7609 from Redcar to Disposal
7610 from Redcar to Disposal
