6329 on the back of 1001 at plawsworth on the a167

(21 Nov 2025, 9:33 am)alexanderdennis0312933 wrote 6329 on the back of 1001 at plawsworth on the a167

Has had a compressor fault for the past few days

6186 has been withdrawn.

I assume the bus involved at Palmersville last week will be uneconomical to repair given its age, it looked like one of the 62**'s inherited from London

(28 Nov 2025, 3:04 am)V514DFT wrote I assume the bus involved at Palmersville last week will be uneconomical to repair given its age, it looked like one of the 62**'s inherited from London

It was 6207 and back out on the Friday. The damage was only minor I assume.

A similar thing happened with a Stagecoach bus on Market Street. The shelter was a heap on the floor but there wasn't a mark on the bus. At most it'll have needed some body filler and red paint.

8322 died in Lanchester this morning on the dupe X15

These electrics can't come soon enough

There are currently 5 ADL 400 sheds on the 21, supplemented by a Tyne Valley Ten, a Crusader and the usual host of 15 year old Geminis, whilst just 6 Streetdecks have made it on the 21

6319 is roaming around the 67/69, 6326 on the 51/52, 6319 on the 58 with another 3 on X21 duties

(01 Dec 2025, 12:26 pm)Ambassador wrote These electrics can't come soon enough

There are currently 5 ADL 400 sheds on the 21, supplemented by a Tyne Valley Ten, a Crusader and the usual host of 15 year old Geminis,  whilst just 6 Streetdecks have made it on the 21

6319 is roaming around the 67/69, 6326 on the 51/52, 6319 on the 58 with another 3 on X21 duties

I hope you are not thinking these new electrics will be kept on the 21.....

(01 Dec 2025, 1:27 pm)citaro5284 wrote I hope you are not thinking these new electrics will be kept on the 21.....

One can hope in vain to get something that doesn't leak or have flooring like an ice rink

As the electrics were funded by the government for the specific route, hopefully this comes with a requirement to keep them on that route contractually.

Will be a very new experience for Arriva Blyth doing proper allocations. For GNE riverside they will lose a lot of spares for the X21 and X10 which currently are often 67 plate streetdecks. Wonder what will be the backs ups then, especially for X21, as for the X10 they will probably still use the 20 plate streetdecks.

MIght mean all the old stuff goes on the X21 if Riverside lose the 67 plates.

(02 Dec 2025, 1:06 am)Arriva7446 wrote As the electrics were funded by the government for the specific route, hopefully this comes with a requirement to keep them on that route contractually.

Will be a very new experience for Arriva Blyth doing proper allocations. For GNE riverside they will lose a lot of spares for the X21 and X10 which currently are often 67 plate streetdecks. Wonder what will be the backs ups then, especially for X21, as for the X10 they will probably still use the 20 plate streetdecks.

MIght mean all the old stuff goes on the X21 if Riverside lose the 67 plates.

To be fair the 308 Hybrids had the same condition, and they wandered very fast. 

GoNorthEast will probably keep them on the 21 though to be fair. Isn't it more because the Streetdeck's are knackered more than bad allocations, sure someone mentioned it awhile back?

6157 getting a lift back to Hownsgill via Alpha this evening,

hi everyone, can anyone tell me how long 6072 is going to be based in consett.thank you

654 operating from Consett today.

6337 doing a turn on 47s tonight with engine rear door fully open!

6352 expired at Dalton Park on the X10 forcing the cancellation of the 10.10 from Boro

6353 also conked out at Gateshead this morning

Crusader 6004 and Angel 6326 filling in on X10 duties

6182 is the latest Voyager to be withdrawn! Only 3 remaining in service.

(09 Jan 2026, 10:47 am)WestDurhamSwift wrote 6182 is the latest Voyager to be withdrawn! Only 3 remaining 

I wonder what else consett will remove from line services with the introduction of  the new deckers

(09 Jan 2026, 11:37 am)ouston man wrote I wonder what else consett will remove from line services with the introduction of  the new deckers

I imagine the 3 remaining voyagers, total of 4 gone. 

5/6 of the new Wright buses going onto the X45 with the 5/6 of the Enviro 400 becoming part of the other Xline services PVR I imagine. 

Assuming cascades from Riverside will help withdrawn the Ex Manchester Geminis.

Has anyone any photos of the new deckers up at consett please.

(09 Jan 2026, 2:35 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote I imagine the 3 remaining voyagers, total of 4 gone. 

5/6 of the new Wright buses going onto the X45 with the 5/6 of the Enviro 400 becoming part of the other Xline services PVR I imagine. 

Assuming cascades from Riverside will help withdrawn the Ex Manchester Geminis.

You'd imagine nearly 50 of the oldest buses will be withdrawn, and the fleet outliers like the Optare deckers will be gone. Maybe even some of the second hand Streetlites they've brought in recently, although that's just wishful thinking for me.

(09 Jan 2026, 2:35 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote I imagine the 3 remaining voyagers, total of 4 gone. 

5/6 of the new Wright buses going onto the X45 with the 5/6 of the Enviro 400 becoming part of the other Xline services PVR I imagine. 

Assuming cascades from Riverside will help withdrawn the Ex Manchester Geminis.

X45 currently is technically allcoated anything and everything - as there's not enough E400MMC to cover the X30/X70 PVR and X45 PVR as well as sufficient spares.

For the E400MMC, either:

- Consett get 6352-55; which alongside 6338-51 would be enough to cover the X30s/X70s; X5/X15 and 4x spare

or.........

- X5/X15 get B9TLs

- X30s/X70s get mixed double & single allocations with the surplus E200MMC from the X66, and 3x or 4x E400MMC spare. This means 11x or 12x E400MMC stay at Consett

- 4x or 5x E400MMC move to Riverside alongside 6352-55 and get allocated for the X21 - due to the current X1 StreetDecks not being enough to cover the 56 PVR + spares.

(09 Jan 2026, 2:35 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote I imagine the 3 remaining voyagers, total of 4 gone. 

5/6 of the new Wright buses going onto the X45 with the 5/6 of the Enviro 400 becoming part of the other Xline services PVR I imagine. 

Assuming cascades from Riverside will help withdrawn the Ex Manchester Geminis.

Think it depends what is running the 56 and/or X21 since there's not enough buses from Washington to do the 56 without taking some of the X21 allocation. 

I don't know why but I have feeling those ones going to Consett but were meant to be for the X21 but they've been diverted to shut some people up.

There's also the B5TL's to go somewhere.

Maybe all the 70 Plates might end up at Sunderland with the B5TL's going in the opposite direction for the X21 again, with the more powerful one (forgot it's number) and the 2 spare new ones making up the PVR?

Who knows tbh, could guess all day really.

(09 Jan 2026, 7:41 pm)Storx wrote Think it depends what is running the 56 and/or X21 since there's not enough buses from Washington to do the 56 without taking some of the X21 allocation. 

I don't know why but I have feeling those ones going to Consett but were meant to be for the X21 but they've been diverted to shut some people up.

I second the last statement. 

Unless for a specialist purpose such as the X10, X93 etc, it makes far more sense having the same individual vehicle type allocated to one depot if enough PVR to cover use unless part of a bigger batch or PVRs aren't big enough at one depot. Blyth did it with the Cityzens and have mostly done that with the DB300s.

Plus, unless the Ultroliners are used on the Sunday 47, X15 or 16B boards - they'll be sort of wasted at Consett.

(09 Jan 2026, 7:46 pm)L469 YVK wrote I second the last statement. 

Unless for a specialist purpose such as the X10, X93 etc, it makes far more sense having the same individual vehicle type allocated to one depot if enough PVR to cover use unless part of a bigger batch or PVRs aren't big enough at one depot. Blyth did it with the Cityzens and have mostly done that with the DB300s.

Plus, unless the Ultroliners are used on the Sunday 47, X15 or 16B boards - they'll be sort of wasted at Consett.

Yeah definitely, mind it seems like they've been diverted from Deptford to shut Washington up aswell as it seems like they were very much going on the 56 at some point. Probably not a co-incidence either considering these two depots were the two most impacted by bus shortages.

Where the other 11 were meant to go originally who knows, X45/47 maybe?

That probably would've been a better upgrade aswell imo as it's improving routes which are running around with old vehicles, rather than replacing the newest vehicles in the fleet and it's not like those 3 routes are basketcase routes.

I really don't understand why the 47 is being treat like the underdog of the X45 anyway, these two badly need to renumbered as adjoining numbers and advertised as the 15 minute service which they are, it's just an own goal not doing it.

(09 Jan 2026, 8:11 pm)Storx wrote Yeah definitely, mind it seems like they've been diverted from Deptford to shut Washington up aswell as it seems like they were very much going on the 56 at some point. Probably not a co-incidence either considering these two depots were the two most impacted by bus shortages.

To be fair, I'd say the X1 is a sensible route for the Cummins Ultroliners.

As for the 56, who knows with the StreetDecks - but like the 309/310(307), it was targeted for GKN modifications back in 2014/15. So maybe StreetDecks will be okay if looked after and appropriate spare vehicles.

Not being funny or anything but

56/60/20/20A have all had the same buses for over a decade, 12 years and theyre some of the busiest routes Deptford has had no investment since 2016.

Consett full fleet of StreetDecks & E400MMC, X10 Coaches, X1 Full Fleet of StreetDecks, 53/54 Brand New Buses.

In 2020 there should have been an order to replace the 56/60 & 20/20A and 21/X21 & X10/4

This would have went that the Angels could go onto the 10/10A/10B + 16/16A, X21 Buses could have went onto the 58, City Riders could go on the Loop/51/52.

Drifters could have been used to replace the older Citaros much earlier for the 35.

20/20A StreetDecks could have been used for 49/49A letting the 17 plates go onto 1. 6301-7 could have stayed on the 50.

4 Mercedes could have been sent onto 2/2A

Also, GNE could do with reviewing thhe X30 / X70 interworking patterns.

If GNE did the following, this would straightaway reduce the low-height PVR to 8x vehicles and no major changes other than Shield Row benefiting from the Gateshead link rather than East Stanley.

- X30 - does the current daytime X32 route between Sunniside and Newcastle instead of via Whickham & Dunston. Interworks with X73 to give links from Catchgate and Annfield Plain to Team Valley North & Gateshead.

Note that the route change above would allow sufficient running time taking into account interworking with the X73.

- X31 - no change.

- X32 - does current evening & Sunday X30 route via Shield Row, Whickham and Dunston.

- X70/X71/X72/X73 - No change.

Interworkings
X31/X70/X71 - PVR 8x
X30/X73 - PVR 4x

The fundermental issues with buses

for people who dont drive -
- the bus turns up

people that drive
- features USB Wires
- Tables
- Nice Look
- Comferable

NO one is getting abus when they drive when you get EX London, crap buses that are freezer (6335 especially I froze on that )