(25 Nov 2025, 9:38 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Maybe it's just an issue that has happened recently as both Arriva and Go North East have also had these exact issues this month. 

Arriva Blyth have moved 7502, 7506 and 7636 to Ashington due to this problem, and Go North East have a lot of buses affected too, mainly some of the Tyne Valley 10 ones, eg 6071, 76, 80

I don't know why all of this has come to light this month, but it seems a general issue, not just stagecoach.

7506 is still at Blyth depot being used on the 553.

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(26 Nov 2025, 8:44 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Are stagecoach operating the Arriva 308 on Boxing Day this year? Nothing on there about it

No, JH are running it

(25 Nov 2025, 11:34 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Makes no sense how just a few of them can be affected but the rest of the batch are absolutely fine.

They are all fitted with NOX reporting kit alongside the actual exhaust conversion. The kit reports the NOX values regularly to ensure the bus is emitting what it says it is. 

When that kit fails to report, it is removed from the list of allowed vehicles and then becomes subject to fines. This has recently started to be fully enforced by Newcastle City.

The issue unfortunately is that repair and replacement of the reporting kit is not fast, so that is why some buses are okay and some aren't. The bus might be perfectly fine, but if it's not communicating, it's not allowed in the CAZ.

you could always split journeys for example work say 6am- 2pm then the same bus does a short to the depot on a different service (to assist capacity or to regulate a late bus running service etc) then goes on charge for 2hrs and back out at 5pm till last bus but you could have this as a staggered pattern.

45min of "fast charge" can increase mileage by 40miles giving it that little umph for the last bus

(04 Dec 2025, 8:48 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Work at Slatyford depot for the electric chargers is due to commence on the 16th December. I’d imagine it’ll still be a good few months before all 18 Yutongs are in service on the 30/31/36 but it’ll be interesting to see how they manage them. There’s no way they’ll be able to manage early morning to late night, there will be no spares to swap them over etc.

There will more than likely be a re-working of the 30/31/36 boards at your next rota change to move towards a similar set-up to Sunderland's Es and all of Stockton's boards - whereby buses aren't out from early morning until late evening anymore. Stockton changed to this form of working last autumn with backshift drivers now mainly have breaks at the depot and taking a bus from the yard for their back half of driving (not always the originally allocated bus for that board either during the week - Sundays it's a different story as only a handful of late turns have fresh buses come from the depot, the majority on Sundays stay out from start of service until end of service).

(Yesterday, 6:51 am)Kuyoyo wrote There will more than likely be a re-working of the 30/31/36 boards at your next rota change to move towards a similar set-up to Sunderland's Es and all of Stockton's boards - whereby buses aren't out from early morning until late evening anymore. Stockton changed to this form of working last autumn with backshift drivers now mainly have breaks at the depot and taking a bus from the yard for their back half of driving (not always the originally allocated bus for that board either during the week - Sundays it's a different story as only a handful of late turns have fresh buses come from the depot, the majority on Sundays stay out from start of service until end of service).

Granted Slatyford depot has a different set of routes, but some of the dead mileage and boards that Stockton have in place now, is absolutely bonkers.

(Yesterday, 10:28 am)Andreos1 wrote Granted Slatyford depot has a different set of routes, but some of the dead mileage and boards that Stockton have in place now, is absolutely bonkers.

It's as almost the tech wasn't there yet and they've rushed it out anyway. Wouldn't be the first time aka. gas buses.

It'll be interesting to see how these cope in a few years time with battery degradation even known they're not as bad as they used to be, but it seems they've got absolutely no spare capacity, at all, so even a 5-10% degradation would be a serious issue.

(05 Dec 2025, 4:22 pm)Superman wrote They are all fitted with NOX reporting kit alongside the actual exhaust conversion. The kit reports the NOX values regularly to ensure the bus is emitting what it says it is. 

When that kit fails to report, it is removed from the list of allowed vehicles and then becomes subject to fines. This has recently started to be fully enforced by Newcastle City.

The issue unfortunately is that repair and replacement of the reporting kit is not fast, so that is why some buses are okay and some aren't. The bus might be perfectly fine, but if it's not communicating, it's not allowed in the CAZ.

Slatyford’s 19385 and 19386 have suffered the same fate and are not allowed in the city centre now as well. What do we think they plan is with them then, can’t go on the 6/7 so Walkergate for the 18? Or maybe Sunderland swap with 19440/444?

(Yesterday, 8:43 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Slatyford’s 19385 and 19386 have suffered the same fate and are not allowed in the city centre now as well. What do we think they plan is with them then, can’t go on the 6/7 so Walkergate for the 18? Or maybe Sunderland swap with 19440/444?

440 and 444 are regulars on the x24 duties on a Saturday and sunday and with 387 and 437 currently VOR i doubt they would swap anytime soon


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(Yesterday, 8:43 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Slatyford’s 19385 and 19386 have suffered the same fate and are not allowed in the city centre now as well. What do we think they plan is with them then, can’t go on the 6/7 so Walkergate for the 18? Or maybe Sunderland swap with 19440/444?

Ignoring, it's completely inappropiate, no reason they couldn't be used on the 6/7 is there? There's no low bridge unless I'm missing one somewhere?

Shouldn't be an issue now since the number 8 was withdrawn completely, so there's no risk of the buses going near the low bridge between the Arena and Newcastle Business Park.

(Today, 12:30 am)Rapidsnap wrote Shouldn't be an issue now since the number 8 was withdrawn completely, so there's no risk of the buses going near the low bridge between the Arena and Newcastle Business Park.

Yeah thought that would be the case, was thinking I can't think of any, so must've been legacy from the 8.

(Yesterday, 10:49 am)Storx wrote It's as almost the tech wasn't there yet and they've rushed it out anyway. Wouldn't be the first time aka. gas buses.

It'll be interesting to see how these cope in a few years time with battery degradation even known they're not as bad as they used to be, but it seems they've got absolutely no spare capacity, at all, so even a 5-10% degradation would be a serious issue.

Was more to do with the expectation that the advised range wouldn't be enough to have buses leaving the depot at like half 5-half 6 in the morning and staying out until midnight and beyond (Stockton's last bus in during the week gets into the depot about 25 past midnight off the last 12, Sundays it's quarter past midnight dead from Hartlepool off the last 36). The reality has been that they can last - indeed, they do manage the Sunday boards which stay out all day (admittedly the longest one there is the 58 board that leaves the depot at 5 past 8 and gets back at 5 past midnight - after 20 trips to Hardwick followed by 5 and a half trips on the 52). The East Cleveland boards were the main issues mainly due to the mileage and length of time out of the depot - one board was 0532-2328 and the other was 0610-2337 - hence why they broke it up and, on weekdays mainly, have buses coming off other work head up there part way through the day to cover trips.

In all fairness the deckers could be used on the 6/7 during peak hours as they both are quite packed during peak.wouldnt see a massive issue unless if im wrong.correct me if im wrong

Stockton's 73056 is currently on the 4 in Sunderland but isn't tracking. Does anyone know if this is a loan or transfer?

(Yesterday, 9:55 pm)Storx wrote Ignoring, it's completely inappropiate, no reason they couldn't be used on the 6/7 is there? There's no low bridge unless I'm missing one somewhere?

There’s 1 low bridge near the Metrocentre and only a freak closure of Scotswood bridge, the bus only bridge out of the interchange and the roads leading to the A1 the way the 6/7 come out of the Metrocentre would mean they’d have to go under that bridge and I’m sure pigs would fly before then but they refuse to put deckers on for that reason.

(6 hours ago)ReDemPTiion wrote There’s 1 low bridge near the Metrocentre and only a freak closure of Scotswood bridge, the bus only bridge out of the interchange and the roads leading to the A1 the way the 6/7 come out of the Metrocentre would mean they’d have to go under that bridge and I’m sure pigs would fly before then but they refuse to put deckers on for that reason.

Must say there's probably more chance of winning the lottery than that happening since it'd have to happen in literally the 5 minutes it got into the interchange. 

Pretty mental reason that, thought it might've been legacy from the 8. 

Surprised they have deckers on anything in Wallsend incase every road out of Wallsend is shut bar the one under the bridge...

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Btw missed the quote but fair play on the Stockton reason.

Regarding the excuse given for the 6/7 out of Metrocentre, the 941 runs every week using a Double Decker and has never had a reported problem with the road being closed & to my knowledge follows the 6/7 the same route to Lemington...

(6 hours ago)ReDemPTiion wrote There’s 1 low bridge near the Metrocentre and only a freak closure of Scotswood bridge, the bus only bridge out of the interchange and the roads leading to the A1 the way the 6/7 come out of the Metrocentre would mean they’d have to go under that bridge and I’m sure pigs would fly before then but they refuse to put deckers on for that reason.

Sure that has been blocked off and has bollards now

(2 hours ago)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Sure that has been blocked off and has bollards now

That's the other one further down the road.

(6 hours ago)Dans_bus_photos wrote Stockton's 73056 is currently on the 4 in Sunderland but isn't tracking. Does anyone know if this is a loan or transfer?

Wonder if its one of the Yutongs apparently coming to Sunderland to replace the gas buses alongside the 2nd hand Enviros?

73056 well on loan I think from stockton depot i don't know why.

(2 hours ago)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Sure that has been blocked off and has bollards now

There’s another one along past The Fed and the Driving Test Centre but yeah be a very rare thing that the 6/7 would have to go that way