(15 Jul 2026, 10:30 am)Storx wrote Couldn't you just put a notice on the bus instead...

If someone wants to go where the bus is on diversion they still need to get that bus regardless; it's just confusing for everyone else as no-one knows what the diversion is anyway...?

I did that once and got a load of abuse for not telling people about the diversion...

(15 Jul 2026, 11:37 am)F114TML wrote I did that once and got a load of abuse for not telling people about the diversion...

Must admit I'm not surprised one bit, you could personally no doubt tell some 'karens' that there's a closure and it'd be still your fault they didn't listen somehow.

Mind you must be living under a rock to not know about the Gateshead closures, they've been well published everywhere - credit where it's due for once.

Apart from 6231 and the recent streetdeck refurbs have any of the other ex london GAL b9s had a seat retrim?

(15 Jul 2026, 1:51 pm)Storx wrote Must admit I'm not surprised one bit, you could personally no doubt tell some 'karens' that there's a closure and it'd be still your fault they didn't listen somehow.

Mind you must be living under a rock to not know about the Gateshead closures, they've been well published everywhere - credit where it's due for once.

I’d appreciate less of the sexist language.

And the joy of DFDS 6210 this morning. Lord it was painful.

The front door and drivers cab sensor get going off, it took about 8 goes to reverse off haymarket and struggled to get above 30 on the coast road.

That and its sisters have a constant smell of damp too

(15 Jul 2026, 1:51 pm)Storx wrote Must admit I'm not surprised one bit, you could personally no doubt tell some 'karens' that there's a closure and it'd be still your fault they didn't listen somehow.

I was once on a bus heading eastwards across Newcastle city centre, and the centre had a big march or rally on, so the route was diverting around the edge.
Before starting the diversion, the driver made a very clear announcement about what was going on, to allow anyone who wanted the centre to hop off and walk in, but was generally shouted down and abused by a group of morons near the front.
The driver shrugged and started off on the diversion.
At which point the morons leapt to their feet and demanded to know what was going on, as they wanted the city centre!
The driver cheerfully ignored all their, "I must get off NOW!" demands, and took them out to the east of the centre, the next booked stop on the normal route, before he would stop to allow them off!  

(16 Jul 2026, 6:56 am)Ianthegoon wrote I was once on a bus heading eastwards across Newcastle city centre, and the centre had a big march or rally on, so the route was diverting around the edge.
Before starting the diversion, the driver made a very clear announcement about what was going on, to allow anyone who wanted the centre to hop off and walk in, but was generally shouted down and abused by a group of morons near the front.
The driver shrugged and started off on the diversion.
At which point the morons leapt to their feet and demanded to know what was going on, as they wanted the city centre!
The driver cheerfully ignored all their, "I must get off NOW!" demands, and took them out to the east of the centre, the next booked stop on the normal route, before he would stop to allow them off!  

Yeah I've had similar, clearly announce the diversion then as soon as I start "where you going?"

(16 Jul 2026, 6:56 am)Ianthegoon wrote I was once on a bus heading eastwards across Newcastle city centre, and the centre had a big march or rally on, so the route was diverting around the edge.
Before starting the diversion, the driver made a very clear announcement about what was going on, to allow anyone who wanted the centre to hop off and walk in, but was generally shouted down and abused by a group of morons near the front.
The driver shrugged and started off on the diversion.
At which point the morons leapt to their feet and demanded to know what was going on, as they wanted the city centre!
The driver cheerfully ignored all their, "I must get off NOW!" demands, and took them out to the east of the centre, the next booked stop on the normal route, before he would stop to allow them off!  

Best one I had; pulled up, loaded about 20 people on before someone realised and pointed out I had Not in Service on the front!

I had a funny incident not too long ago when I was getting the Arriva ADL Enviro 400EV.

According to Bus Times it was on the 306. However when it turned up the blind was displaying random stuff (as partly shown here - https://flickr.com/photos/gjm-photogenic/55319871127). I checked with the driver if he was the 306 and gave me a weird look. When the bus got to North Shields and he saw the blind displaying gobbledygook in the reflection of a car window in front of him. And when he got to the Law Courts stop where I was alighting he checked with me that if it was displaying that when he picked me up as he admitted that he only seen the blind issue when he was behind another vehicle. Apparently no other passenger questioned it. It seemed he got it fixed as when I passed it on the coaster, the blind was displaying normally.

All 3 of thr EV on the X66 were taken off round 5pm and swapped with two bees & a Crusader which is now down to 1 bee & Angel (leccy) why bother at this point in claiming you have upgraded a bus route

Optare Versa 8314 has now ended up at Washington after a day at Consett, becoming a regular on the 4.

Optare Versa 8324 is still up at Consett & seemed to have bravely been placed onto the 78, only for it to only reach Chester-le-Street on it's first run, presumably broken down...

Edit- Seemed it was taken off due to late running & has been placed back on the route heading back to Consett.

(17 Jul 2026, 8:26 am)S830OFT wrote Optare Versa 8314 has now ended up at Washington after a day at Consett, becoming a regular on the 4.

Optare Versa 8324 is still up at Consett & seemed to have bravely been placed onto the 78, only for it to only reach Chester-le-Street on it's first run, presumably broken down...

Edit- Seemed it was taken off due to late running & has been placed back on the route heading back to Consett.

Not sure if I have put this in the right place does anyone know if 6327 is a stand in for 6336 whilst VOR or is it  a cascade.thank you

5416 involved in a mishap, front end Badly damaged, imagine it will be off the road for a while.

(19 Jul 2026, 4:25 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote 5416 involved in a mishap, front end Badly damaged, imagine it will be off the road for a while.

It was a bit more than a "mishap." From what's been reported, the driver suffered a medical episode, which led to the bus crashing into a house. This incident could have been a lot worse than it was, and thankfully it appears the outcome wasn't even more serious. While the damage to 5416 is obvious, the priority should really be the driver and everyone else affected, rather than how long the bus will be off the road.

If you were aware that the driver had experienced a medical emergency and that other people were affected, describing it simply as a "mishap" could come across as dismissive, understating the seriousness of what happened, or lacking empathy because it focuses on the condition of the vehicle rather than the people involved.

Hopefully the driver and everyone else affected make a full recovery.

(19 Jul 2026, 6:50 pm)Malarkey wrote It was a bit more than a "mishap." From what's been reported, the driver suffered a medical episode, which led to the bus crashing into a house. This incident could have been a lot worse than it was, and thankfully it appears the outcome wasn't even more serious. While the damage to 5416 is obvious, the priority should really be the driver and everyone else affected, rather than how long the bus will be off the road.

If you were aware that the driver had experienced a medical emergency and that other people were affected, describing it simply as a "mishap" could come across as dismissive, understating the seriousness of what happened, or lacking empathy because it focuses on the condition of the vehicle rather than the people involved.

Hopefully the driver and everyone else affected make a full recovery.

Crikey. That really could have been even worse than it was.

(19 Jul 2026, 6:50 pm)Malarkey wrote It was a bit more than a "mishap." From what's been reported, the driver suffered a medical episode, which led to the bus crashing into a house. This incident could have been a lot worse than it was, and thankfully it appears the outcome wasn't even more serious. While the damage to 5416 is obvious, the priority should really be the driver and everyone else affected, rather than how long the bus will be off the road.

If you were aware that the driver had experienced a medical emergency and that other people were affected, describing it simply as a "mishap" could come across as dismissive, understating the seriousness of what happened, or lacking empathy because it focuses on the condition of the vehicle rather than the people involved.

Hopefully the driver and everyone else affected make a full recovery.

Glad you've managed to infer my entire level of empathy from one sentence about a bus, quite the talent. I'll make sure all future fleet updates come with a full risk assessment, medical report and witness statements before I mention a damaged bus. I was commenting on the vehicle, not writing the official accident report.

(19 Jul 2026, 9:50 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote Glad you've managed to infer my entire level of empathy from one sentence about a bus, quite the talent. I'll make sure all future fleet updates come with a full risk assessment, medical report and witness statements before I mention a damaged bus. I was commenting on the vehicle, not writing the official accident report.

I wasn't asking for the West Durham Air Accidents Investigation Branch to be called in swiftly. I was just suggesting that "medical emergency resulting in a bus hitting a house" is a bit beyond the definition of a mishap.