(10 Jun 2014, 5:41 pm)Roland Pratt wrote So not holding them back for a big launch then?!

We don't have enough buses to do that with, need them back on the road to cover more to go away for refurbishment. All of the Sapphires are off the road already which means 9 double decks down. Plus 3 Geminis away for refurbishment means we have 12 to cover.

(10 Jun 2014, 5:44 pm)mb134 wrote Will the MAX vehicles recieve some kind of route sub-branding?

Yes they will do once they are all finished and returned. Note that the livery as applied to our Geminis is slightly different to the Yorkshire E400s despite both being done in the same place.

(10 Jun 2014, 5:41 pm)Roland Pratt wrote So not holding them back for a big launch then?!

If they did that, they would be about 20 + buses Short, as what would cover for them all ? until they were launched.

Updated & "Refurbished" Pocket Fleet List for Blyth attached.

(10 Jun 2014, 5:38 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Hahaha, It's on it heading uptowards Newcastle from Chilli Road @18:37!

You're joking...?

Would it not have been sensible to do the Sapphire and Max refurbishments at different times, so that there were enough spare double deckers to cover because on the X21, for example, yesterday at least 4 of the allocation were B10's and 1213 was even on there (I think it replaced a DB250 at some point). Also it would enable both the MAX and Sapphire services to have proper launches

(10 Jun 2014, 6:01 pm)Dan wrote You're joking...?

Nope. Here's an advert for the X10 and X11 when they get launched:

- New MAX buses operating as of now, enjoy your early morning commute to work on one (A.K.A, when most of our punters ain't using them) and if you like turbocharging, you'll like our even greener and slower hybrids that will take you home. Unfortunately, they won't be MAX spec and they will be slow, but feel free to bring a book and if you're tall, make sure you can sloutch as they don't have high back seating either!

(10 Jun 2014, 6:14 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Nope. Here's an advert for the X10 and X11 when they get launched:

- New MAX buses operating as of now, enjoy your early morning commute to work on one (A.K.A, when most of our punters ain't using them) and if you like turbocharging, you'll like our even greener and slower hybrids that will take you home. Unfortunately, they won't be MAX spec and they will be slow, but feel free to bring a book and if you're tall, make sure you can sloutch as they don't have high back seating either!

Yawn!

I think you'll find 'MAX' will be the same as 'Sapphire' - the vehicles will only be allocated to the X10/X11 and that's it.

(10 Jun 2014, 6:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yawn!

I think you'll find 'MAX' will be the same as 'Sapphire' - the vehicles will only be allocated to the X10/X11 and that's it.

The B5LH's were supposed to only be allocated to the 308 - did that happen?

(10 Jun 2014, 6:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yawn!

I think you'll find 'MAX' will be the same as 'Sapphire' - the vehicles will only be allocated to the X10/X11 and that's it.

But if a sighting has already been confirmed of one on service 308, that hasn't really happened...

Branded or not, the specification is still the same.

Just looking at the new timetables for X21/22 from July 6th and unless the X21 waits at Haymarket for 17 minutes before it's return journey, it looks like they might interwork. For example an X21 arrives at Newcastle at 17 mins past and the next X21 to Newbiggin is at 34 mins past, whereas the X22 is at 24 mins past. So could they do this: X21 to Newcastle, X22 to Ashington X22 back to Newcastle then X21 to Newbiggin?

A quick update regarding the closure of Haymarket Bus Station from Arriva's Facebook page, still nothing from Go North East, however...

"Haymarket Bus Station will be closed for the remainder of the evening. Coast Road services will be leaving from St Mary's Place. All other services will be leaving from Claremont Road outside the Hancock Museum. Drivers have been asked to leave stops 5 minutes later to give people the chance to reach these alternate bus stops."

(10 Jun 2014, 6:54 pm)Dan wrote But if a sighting has already been confirmed of one on service 308, that hasn't really happened...

Branded or not, the specification is still the same.

Although, its probably due to Haymarket Bus Station being closed this evening, which is affecting services and presumably allocations.

4660 is working the 0635 85/685 to Carlisle with someone who looks like a route learner.

Something I've noticed over the last few days is that many Belmont buses are now displaying the service number in a more bold text.

Here's another one again! Spotted a MAX spec DB300 working the X13 towards Blyth at 18:00 near Polwarth Drive!

(11 Jun 2014, 5:01 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Here's another one again! Spotted a MAX spec DB300 working the X13 towards Blyth at 18:00 near Polwarth Drive!

Anything goes up at Blyth. MAX is being sold as an upmarket prestige service, yet they're going to have been here there and everywhere before the service is officially launched!

Came back from Guisborough on 7484 this afternoon on the 1345 dep from Scarborough, while waiting for its arrival the Arriva app had it on time as far as the Moorsholm area but then it dropped 18 minutes we arrived at Middlesbrough at about 1620 where it was taken out of service and replaced by 7488 which had presumably been at Redcar.

Anyone seen the Max spec E400 kicking about today?

Forgot to mention that yesterday morning in Barnard Castle (just after 8 o'clock) there were THREE Arrivas buses in Galgate, two dennis dart SLFs and an X1 The Best One branded Pulsar. One of the Darts was screened with 76A Barnard Castle, the Pulsar was not in service and the remaining Dennis Dart was screened with 76 Darlington which I then followed out of the town. Any ideas why this happened???

I travelled on the MAX spec 7611 on the X10 14.50 out of Blyth yesterday. Looks very smart with the new leather? seating. Presumably some exterior branding will be applied when more have been refurbished.

(13 Jun 2014, 7:45 am)forster wrote I travelled on the MAX spec 7611 on the X10 14.50 out of Blyth yesterday. Looks very smart with the new leather? seating. Presumably some exterior branding will be applied when more have been refurbished.

Pictures of Max spec decker show it as looking very smart but I think this is a lot of money spent on a fairly new bus that looked smart in interurban livery anyway.Arriva now have in effect a three tier layer of service giving the impression that some customers are more important to them than others when I think they should have put their resources into preventative work to ensure the buses do not breakdown in between services This is a current project.Would Service 7 have been a success with just new pulsars in standard livery (without Ray Stennings swoops)? Darlington's X1 does well because they try to be reliable which is a key factor in what customers want.They will tolerate it being a bit late as long as it turns up.Again something that the may independants of the past were noted for.

The white shirts and driver blazers were once the arriva norm until blazers were dropped.The buses should be presented to the highest standard with all damage repaired asap and to a good finish(not roughly filled and poorly painted) whether they are new or old.
Arriva have changed Day Tickets to Routesavers something which does not roll off the tongue.Customers still call them Day TIckets or Day riders (inherited from Stagecoach) and seldom refer to them as Savers.Seemed a waste of more money to me. What do others think.

(10 Jun 2014, 5:38 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Hahaha, It's on it heading uptowards Newcastle from Chilli Road @18:37!

Well, got some news for you thanks to confirmation posted on a group on Facebook - at present, the 1738 308 from Blyth and the 1848 return from Newcastle run off the X10/X11 so for now until any related changes when the 'MAX' branding is launched, that working may throw up a 'MAX' livered vehicle.

A photo on Facebook has confirmed the return of 7608 (NK59 DMF).

(13 Jun 2014, 2:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote A photo on Facebook has confirmed the return of 7608 (NK59 DMF).

Photo of it when freshly repainted:
https://flic.kr/p/nXvCL4

(10 Jun 2014, 6:23 pm)Tom wrote The B5LH's were supposed to only be allocated to the 308 - did that happen?

Well said Tom. Some people live in cloud cuckoo land!

(13 Jun 2014, 8:33 am)upt50k wrote Pictures of Max spec decker show it as looking very smart but I think this is a lot of money spent on a fairly new bus that looked smart in interurban livery anyway.Arriva now have in effect a three tier layer of service giving the impression that some customers are more important to them than others when I think they should have put their resources into preventative work to ensure the buses do not breakdown in between services This is a current project.Would Service 7 have been a success with just new pulsars in standard livery (without Ray Stennings swoops)? Darlington's X1 does well because they try to be reliable which is a key factor in what customers want.They will tolerate it being a bit late as long as it turns up.Again something that the may independants of the past were noted for.

The white shirts and driver blazers were once the arriva norm until blazers were dropped.The buses should be presented to the highest standard with all damage repaired asap and to a good finish(not roughly filled and poorly painted) whether they are new or old.
Arriva have changed Day Tickets to Routesavers something which does not roll off the tongue.Customers still call them Day TIckets or Day riders (inherited from Stagecoach) and seldom refer to them as Savers.Seemed a waste of more money to me. What do others think.

Totally agree UPT!

Just seen a pop-up add for the Sapphire Deckers while browsing Wikipedia!

(10 Jun 2014, 6:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yawn!

I think you'll find 'MAX' will be the same as 'Sapphire' - the vehicles will only be allocated to the X10/X11 and that's it.

So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.

(13 Jun 2014, 7:50 pm)Robert wrote So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.

Arriva has less money to pay out with "MAX", as they don't have to retro fit power sockets - a fairly difficult (and expensive) job, as I understand it? That's the main difference between "MAX" and "Sapphire" anyway.

(13 Jun 2014, 7:50 pm)Robert wrote So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.

The only notable difference (beside the branding of course) is that MAX branded buses do not have plug sockets while Sapphire does, but both have leather seats and free-wifi. Addtionally only Express Services will be upgraded to MAX specification (i.e any which have a route number beginning with X) while any type of service can be upgraded to Sapphire specification.