(13 Aug 2026, 8:39 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I  heard they also won the contract from Stagecoach to operate service 19 between Benton Estate and Walker, and that some people may be unhappy about the change of operator due to stops being missed out at the BT Call Centre, and the inability to put on an extra bus when needed.

Think you mean the 18

(13 Aug 2026, 7:48 pm)LVK 404L wrote And you are posting this because ???

How long have they done the 520 for?
The X22 as you said was withdrawn in July
The X43 diversion due to congestion is from when?

You really need to start considering what you are posting.!

I got the infromation from Google , not the official Northstar website and sometimes Google can be out of touch with updates , I did also check the Northstar site for validation and the website apparently refreshes their information every day and the information on the Northstar website matches with the google one , so the details I gave put on are about 2-3 months old , but is still valid.

520 been Northstar since 10th May 2026
X43 diversion since 28th July 2026

(13 Aug 2026, 10:57 pm)V514DFT wrote Think you mean the 18

You got me there. Fat fingers are to blame.

(14 Aug 2026, 2:42 pm)EastGatesheadRider wrote I got the infromation from Google , not the official Northstar website and sometimes Google can be out of touch with updates , I did also check the Northstar site for validation and the website apparently refreshes their information every day and the information on the Northstar website matches with the google one , so the details I gave put on are about 2-3 months old , but is still valid.

520 been Northstar since 10th May 2026
X43 diversion since 28th July 2026

With the greatest respect I would therefore not post such out of date info.

The 520 has been operated for over 3 months and the X43 diversion will have just been for that one day 

People reading your posts will not know that the info you are posting is most likely out of date

(14 Aug 2026, 3:17 pm)MurdnunoC wrote You got me there. Fat fingers are to blame.

There was a 19 many moons ago though

This information is up to date

Between 20th August and 21 August roadworks on Cleadon Lane near Whitburn Pond will effect service 558

Instead , the 558 will turn down Sandy Chare and right on to Moor Lane then right again back up into Cleadon , all times will remain the same.

I see that northstar have a bus sales website, however it doesn't work properly as none of the buttons or links actually do anything. I am not sure who to contact about this.

(21 Aug 2026, 12:35 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I see that northstar have a bus sales website, however it doesn't work properly as none of the buttons or links actually do anything. I am not sure who to contact about this.

Appears all the DOE's are for sales

(21 Aug 2026, 6:44 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote Appears all the DOE's are for sales

There are, but none of the buttons or links work. If they are selling singles or coaches you cant find out.

Sounds like someone's accidently made it public before it was ready.

Last nights 10:32 from Whitburn Cricket Club used YXII CRK instead of a Mellor Strata and I liked it more , hopefully the ADLEnviro200's become usual on the 558

(21 Aug 2026, 6:44 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote Appears all the DOE's are for sales

All DOE's are up for £22,000 each along ex NatEx B7TL Gemini for £8,000. 

https://northstarbus.co.uk/sales/

(22 Aug 2026, 4:11 pm)Malarkey wrote All DOE's are up for £22,000 each along ex NatEx B7TL Gemini for £8,000. 

https://northstarbus.co.uk/sales/

Have they got anything in to replace them?

(22 Aug 2026, 4:36 pm)Michael wrote Have they got anything in to replace them?

Dan said to me several months back when I seen him in Newcastle he had some Volvo B9TL Wright Gemini 2's at Thorntons but nothing has come of them as of yet.

Quite surprised to see to DOE's going so soon as some of them have only recently been painted into Northstar Livery and are very well presented for there age. You also have remaining ALX400's being withdrawn so there is at least 8 Double Deckers to come in if not more.

(22 Aug 2026, 5:48 pm)Malarkey wrote Dan said to me several months back when I seen him in Newcastle he had some Volvo B9TL Wright Gemini 2's at Thorntons but nothing has come of them as of yet.

Quite surprised to see to DOE's going so soon as some of them have only recently been painted into Northstar Livery and are very well presented for there age. You also have remaining ALX400's being withdrawn so there is at least 8 Double Deckers to come in if not more.

Thanks for the reply, decent replacements.

(22 Aug 2026, 4:11 pm)Malarkey wrote All DOE's are up for £22,000 each along ex NatEx B7TL Gemini for £8,000. 

https://northstarbus.co.uk/sales/

Unsure these listing's are even meant to be there at this moment, pretty sure the ex NXWM B7TL was sold months ago to be made into a playbus or something like that

Doesn't look like the sales list has been updated for a while since some of the MOT's have expired on the DOEs. Also the Northstar painted DOE's aren't for sale it seems as the image of the bus doesn't match the registration, but it does look as if Northstar owns Ten of them, whether some has been sold or not is another question, but working out this was the list of DOEs and I'm guessing he had them all allocated fleetnumbers on paper too which I assume matches the registration order.

431 - LX09 AXV - In Service (London Red)
432 - LX09 AXW - In Service (Northstar Livery)
433 - LX09 AXY - Reserve / For Sale (London Red)
434 - LX09 AXZ - Reserve / For Sale (London Red)
435 - D25 NST (LX09 AYE) - In Service (Northstar Livery)
436 - LX09 BXG - Reserve / For Sale (London Red)
437 - E25 NST (LX09 BXH) - In Service (Northstar Livery)
438 - E26 NST (LX09 BXJ) - In Service (Northstar Livery)
439 - LX09 BXK - Reserve / For Sale (London Red)
440 - LX09 BXL - Reserve / For Sale (London Red)

A further Ex Stagecoach East Scotland ADL E300 27613 (304) SP59 CUG has been added to the fleet.

Ex Arriva North West Mercedes Mellor Strata (12) LM17 WLU has entered service today taking the number of Strata's in the fleet to 4.

Are Northstar taking over the 941 from Tuesday? I read on here they were, but it hasn't appeared on Bustimes yet. Stanley Travel working the 07:10 has.

(29 Aug 2026, 6:08 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Are Northstar taking over the 941 from Tuesday? I read on here they were, but it hasn't appeared on Bustimes yet. Stanley Travel working the 07:10 has.

Travel North East website shows Northstar running the 0640 from Stanhope Street & the afternoon journey.

I've noticed the 18s have been pulled from Benton Estate completely with absolutely zero consultation or service change notice. It's baffling people stick up for this company the way they do when their lack of professionalism is thriving at the moment.

I'm also honestly shocked to find out not notifying the public about service changes isn't actually against the law. Even more evidence of us bus passengers just being left in the dark and treated like dirt on a shoe while operators confuse and disrupt people as much as they please.

(30 Aug 2026, 3:31 pm)SN69 ZRC wrote I've noticed the 18s have been pulled from Benton Estate completely with absolutely zero consultation or service change notice. It's baffling people stick up for this company the way they do when their lack of professionalism is thriving at the moment.

I'm also honestly shocked to find out not notifying the public about service changes isn't actually against the law. Even more evidence of us bus passengers just being left in the dark and treated like dirt on a shoe while operators confuse and disrupt people as much as they please.

It’s a Nexus contract, changes happened at Nexus request. Clearly Nexus saw fit given there’s a road closure that prevents the 18 serving it.

(30 Aug 2026, 3:31 pm)SN69 ZRC wrote I've noticed the 18s have been pulled from Benton Estate completely with absolutely zero consultation or service change notice. It's baffling people stick up for this company the way they do when their lack of professionalism is thriving at the moment.

I'm also honestly shocked to find out not notifying the public about service changes isn't actually against the law. Even more evidence of us bus passengers just being left in the dark and treated like dirt on a shoe while operators confuse and disrupt people as much as they please.

Posters in relation to the diversion/temporary route change are displayed onboard the buses.

Recall when I was in the area the other week, there was signs warning of road closures on Halisham Avenue preventing the 18 from reaching Longbenton High School.

To be honest, it be highly unprofessional of Northstar if their drivers just ram raid their way through said roadworks so they could reach the terminus. Sod any roadworkers that they run over or damage to any vehicles they cause.

Just ignore him, folks… He is trying to get a rise.

For the first time in years, customers on service 18 say the service is reliable and punctual. This doesn’t fit Lewis’ agenda or narrative, but is thanks to the work to improve reliability conducted by Northstar and in conjunction with Nexus.

Yes, there have been challenges with roadworks since March. Yes, service 18 has returned to serving parts of the route temporarily omitted for the duration of these roadworks, whether that be St Peter’s Basin in the past or Benton Estate now.

As an alleged daily user of the service, Lewis already knows that the buses have posters informing customers of Benton Estate being omitted for the duration of the school holidays whilst roadworks were carried out.

The roadworks were completed this week, and the 18 will return to serving Benton Estate from next Tuesday, in-line with the plans set at the start of the school holidays.

(30 Aug 2026, 11:12 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Recall when I was in the area the other week, there was signs warning of road closures on Halisham Avenue preventing the 18 from reaching Longbenton High School.

To be honest, it be highly unprofessional of Northstar if their drivers just ram raid their way through said roadworks so they could reach the terminus. Sod any roadworkers that they run over or damage to any vehicles they cause.

Yes I can confirm for the last couple of weeks the road has been closed! I imagine the thousands of people who get on the 18 (he didn’t seem happy when single deckers get used on it as it’s the most popular route in Newcastle) will be up in arms!

(30 Aug 2026, 5:41 pm)NEtransport wrote Posters in relation to the diversion/temporary route change are displayed onboard the buses.

Surprised he didn't spot them with how frequently he claims to use the service!

(31 Aug 2026, 4:47 pm)Adrian wrote Surprised he didn't spot them with how frequently he claims to use the service!

Only taken him 6 weeks...

I'm just waiting for the accusations of Darth Dan is using Northstar as a cover to build a death star.

Honestly, the evil bus company that is Northstar had the cheek to send a bus to Seaburn today.

Tomorrow, Northstar will do something more evil and run a bus on time causing people to miss it because they slept in and got to the bus stop too late.

(31 Aug 2026, 4:47 pm)Adrian wrote Surprised he didn't spot them with how frequently he claims to use the service!

I've actually used the 18 a few times recently to avoid the random downpours we seem to be getting and I've been impressed by the consistent internal cleanliness. Granted I've been using them on one of their first journeys of the day, but the same applies when I use the equivalent Stagecoach service for my journey - and they frequently have litter or stained e-leather seating at 7am (they're also frequently running late, which I was led to believe was impossible for Stagecoach).