(25 Feb 2026, 5:33 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 26078 and 26080 have been on the 685 two days in a row. Maybe they’ve found 2 good buses for it. It’s not very good that they’ve had to go with older 66 plate E200MMC’s to try and find reliability for the route!

10485 now back at Slatyford

(27 Feb 2026, 5:00 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 10485 now back at Slatyford

Yep parked on the back yard. Looks good in the new livery. Wonder when it’ll be back out in service. 26063 down for repaint now also, must have brought 10485 back when they dropped it off.

(27 Feb 2026, 8:32 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Yep parked on the back yard. Looks good in the new livery. Wonder when it’ll be back out in service. 26063 down for repaint now also, must have brought 10485 back when they dropped it off.

Ah right that’s not been out for ages that. I wonder if 10640 will be the next one after its accident a few weeks ago. I see them 2 buses are on the 685 again haha. You got any idea where 26289 is not been out for a good few months. I see 26292 is back out on the roads aswell

(27 Feb 2026, 8:38 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Ah right that’s not been out for ages that. I wonder if 10640 will be the next one after its accident a few weeks ago. I see them 2 buses are on the 685 again haha. You got any idea where 26289 is not been out for a good few months. I see 26292 is back out on the roads aswell

10640 just sat on the back yard so could well be going for repaint after 26063. 

26072 on the 685 today to give 26080 a break but seems to be the 260**’s being used on there now instead of the 262**’s. 

26289 has came back out in service today so hopefully it’s been fixed for good.

(28 Feb 2026, 8:14 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 10640 just sat on the back yard so could well be going for repaint after 26063. 

26072 on the 685 today to give 26080 a break but seems to be the 260**’s being used on there now instead of the 262**’s. 

26289 has came back out in service today so hopefully it’s been fixed for good.

Yes 10640 could be. Wonder what’s happening with 10650. 
Yes I noticed 26072 on there wonder if it’s always going to be all the older ones on there now 
Yes hopefully. It has been not many buses from Slatydord off the road now

I prefer them 66 plate Enviro 200MMC's, much better seats for long journey on the 685, although I think they only have chargers at the front, not on all seats.

(28 Feb 2026, 9:28 pm)Arriva7446 wrote I prefer them 66 plate Enviro 200MMC's, much better seats for long journey on the 685, although I think they only have chargers at the front, not on all seats.

Yeah the seats are a lot more comfortable I think there’s more padding in them. Yes I’m not to sure

(28 Feb 2026, 10:20 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Yeah the seats are a lot more comfortable I think there’s more padding in them. Yes I’m not to sure

Anyone know where 11289 is not been out in nearly a month?

Want happen to 73103 been off for long time.

(03 Mar 2026, 3:22 am)Glen1974 wrote Want happen to 73103 been off for long time.

It was involved in a serious none fault hit and run RTA, it was taken for storage while waiting police and insurance clearance before quite serious rebuild work could start.

Thank mate

(23 Feb 2026, 9:42 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 10642 back at Slatyford and 10639 not out from walkergate. Supprised Slatyford have not had to borrow a walkergate bus considering all there’s off the road. 26072 was pulled from the 685 and replaced with 10643 that’s 5 days in a row a bus have broke down on that route

Re 685.  Are the buses breaking down out on the route thus requiring recovery or send a fitter and inconveniencing passengers, or is it the need to swap buses on return to Newcastle.

A radical suggestion - if Slatyford and Stagecoach NE do not have suitable vehicles for the 685 why not run the route as an outstation of Carlisle?  Carlisle provide the buses which get swapped over in Carlisle as and when for maintenance, Slatford provides the drivers?

Whatever goes on the 685 has to be reliable which is why when Carlisle needed to allocate doucble deckers, they quickly redirected 2 new E400MMCs fthe back of an order or 20 for Morecambe as the 55 reg ALX400s (the newest double deckers Carlisle had at the time) used to breakdown too much somewhere enroute.  The ALX400s only lasted one school term (Autumn).

(04 Mar 2026, 10:19 am)Brampton Trev wrote Re 685.  Are the buses breaking down out on the route thus requiring recovery or send a fitter and inconveniencing passengers, or is it the need to swap buses on return to Newcastle.

A radical suggestion - if Slatyford and Stagecoach NE do not have suitable vehicles for the 685 why not run the route as an outstation of Carlisle?  Carlisle provide the buses which get swapped over in Carlisle as and when for maintenance, Slatford provides the drivers?

Whatever goes on the 685 has to be reliable which is why when Carlisle needed to allocate doucble deckers, they quickly redirected 2 new E400MMCs fthe back of an order or 20 for Morecambe as the 55 reg ALX400s (the newest double deckers Carlisle had at the time) used to breakdown too much somewhere enroute.  The ALX400s only lasted one school term (Autumn).

Surely Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire have to be receiving some investment in New Buses soon as the large majority of the fleet is around 15 years old, particularly at Carlisle. 

I know they have plans for Electric Buses by 2030 and have had previous failed Zebra Bids but I do think for the likes of the 685 they need something that can handle the demands of the route, something like a Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora or Mercedes Citaro Hybrid via a joint bid between both divisions.

In addition I think a batch of 4 buses for the X24 would be ideal as I was on an E12 yesterday and I didn't think they were suitable for the Motorway Section of the route.   

Beyond that I can't think of any services that would require heavy duty diesel buses.

With regards to the 685, could they not (if reliability is that much of an issue) swap the vehicle at each end of the route (after doing 1 trip not the full roind trip) and have a floating allocation for the service between Carlisle and Newcastle depots?

With regards to the X24 and the high speed sections, I don't think the electric buses they seem any worse than a Streetlight or Streetdeck (just quieter, quicker and getting upto and maintaining speed). Does anyone know what speed they are limited to?

(04 Mar 2026, 4:45 pm)morritt89 wrote With regards to the 685, could they not (if reliability is that much of an issue) swap the vehicle at each end of the route (after doing 1 trip not the full roind trip) and have a floating allocation for the service between Carlisle and Newcastle depots?

With regards to the X24 and the high speed sections, I don't think the electric buses they seem any worse than a Streetlight or Streetdeck (just quieter, quicker and getting upto and maintaining speed). Does anyone know what speed they are limited to?

Top speed on an E12 is 50MPH.

Yutongs are limited to 50. Almost all of the diesels are too (with aftermarket limiters)

(01 Mar 2026, 4:13 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Anyone know where 11289 is not been out in nearly a month?

Anyone know if 26292 is getting painted. Had a few panels all different yesterday out back and now it’s not there now?

(04 Mar 2026, 8:25 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Anyone know if 26292 is getting painted. Had a few panels all different yesterday out back and now it’s not there now?

26291*

(04 Mar 2026, 8:40 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 26291*

I think it’s inside engineering (I’m a driver there) but not 100% sure. If it’s going for repaint it’ll probably be waiting until 26063 comes back.

(04 Mar 2026, 8:49 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote I think it’s inside engineering (I’m a driver there) but not 100% sure. If it’s going for repaint it’ll probably be waiting until 26063 comes back.

Ah right well it could do with a repaint the state of it haha. I see the 262s are back on the 685

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(04 Mar 2026, 9:38 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Ah right well it could do with a repaint the state of it haha. I see the 262s are back on the 685

I also see 27228 is back at walkergate and Slatyford haven’t gained another bus?

(04 Mar 2026, 9:38 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote I also see 27228 is back at walkergate and Slatyford haven’t gained another bus?

It was only at Slatyford temporarily as it was getting fined entering the city centre. 10639 did go to walkergate briefly but that has returned to Slatyford so all should be fine.

(04 Mar 2026, 8:40 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 26291*

26291 is back out in service again this evening.

(05 Mar 2026, 6:50 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 26291 is back out in service again this evening.

Yes I have just saw that. Not getting repainted then haha. anything on
the evs for 32/32a

(05 Mar 2026, 6:50 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 26291 is back out in service again this evening.

What’s up with 10650 just been sat out the back for over a month and not moved?

(05 Mar 2026, 10:56 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote What’s up with 10650 just been sat out the back for over a month and not moved?

That could be waiting to go for repaint then have some work done. 10485 hasn’t been out since 27th January, went for repaint now having some work done inside of engineering.

(05 Mar 2026, 11:22 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote That could be waiting to go for repaint then have some work done. 10485 hasn’t been out since 27th January, went for repaint now having some work done inside of engineering.

Ah right thought so. Wonder if Slatyford will get a few buses of walkergate if there losing the 18 they won’t be needing 3/4 buses