(27 Jun 2014, 9:14 pm)tyresmoke wrote The Max livery should be completed with branding once all of them are completed in a few months time, they're just doing 3 at a time I understand. Yorkshire are having some done by Bus & Coach world at Blackburn at the same time

Will the branding be of the route etc or just have MAX wrote everywhere?

(27 Jun 2014, 9:18 pm)mb134 wrote Will the branding be of the route etc or just have MAX wrote everywhere?

I believe they will be route branded - as well as Max in a brand together. The seats have Max branding on them internally too... All to do with upgrading the longer distance routes across the North East and Yorkshire (whereas Sapphire is a UK-wide project by Arriva UK).

I can see why route branding works from a marketing perspective, but it's utterly pointless branding anything operated from Blyth, seeing as nobody is forcing them to get their house in order.

(27 Jun 2014, 9:14 pm)tyresmoke wrote Believe they're dealer stock so will presumably be full height. East Yorkshire have just got some from Volvo dealer stock and they are full height ones.


The Max livery should be completed with branding once all of them are completed in a few months time, they're just doing 3 at a time I understand. Yorkshire are having some done by Bus & Coach world at Blackburn at the same time

If they are dealer stock won't they have high back seats then? When are they due?

the same this will happen just like the 308 b5lh's they go on nearly every route

(28 Jun 2014, 6:32 pm)phillip wrote the same this will happen just like the 308 b5lh's they go on nearly every route

Here's a question for you all. How long do you think Arriva will keep the B5LH on the 308 and, do you think it will be the next candidate for a Sapphire upgrade?

(28 Jun 2014, 9:11 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Here's a question for you all. How long do you think Arriva will keep the B5LH on the 308 and, do you think it will be the next candidate for a Sapphire upgrade?

Believe they have to keep them on for so many years, in line with Green Bus Fund rules? 5 springs to mind?

(28 Jun 2014, 9:12 pm)aureolin wrote Believe they have to keep them on for so many years, in line with Green Bus Fund rules? 5 springs to mind?

It may depend on the funding given, but I certainly believe it was 5 years for Go North East's B5LHs on the Angel - think we discussed it a little while ago when discussing upgrading the Angel.

(28 Jun 2014, 9:46 pm)Dan wrote It may depend on the funding given, but I certainly believe it was 5 years for Go North East's B5LHs on the Angel - think we discussed it a little while ago when discussing upgrading the Angel.

I wonder what route they'll end up on. It probably won't be the 306 but I'd probably say it'll be the 43 or moved elsewhere.

(28 Jun 2014, 10:50 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I wonder what route they'll end up on. It probably won't be the 306 but I'd probably say it'll be the 43 or moved elsewhere.

I don't think they will be going anywhere for a while.

Is it only the Streetlites for the 306 that will be in the Green Hybrid livery? (obviously the Sapphire ones won't be) I was just wondering since they are all Micro Hybrid

(29 Jun 2014, 2:49 pm)mb134 wrote Is it only the Streetlites for the 306 that will be in the Green Hybrid livery? (obviously the Sapphire ones won't be) I was just wondering since they are all Micro Hybrid

Yes just the ones for the 306. It's nothing to do with them being micro hybrids (that's just a name... It's basically regenerative braking) - more to do with keeping the same brand along the Coast Road with the 308 being in the same livery. The others will be in standard or Sapphire livery obviously.

Is the x15 to berwick meant to get some newer coaches or is it just double deckers

(29 Jun 2014, 4:36 pm)Philly rf wrote Is the x15 to berwick meant to get some newer coaches or is it just double deckers

Don't think the coaches could be sourced, so Omnicities and E400's.

Question for Scott to answer if possible please.
Do the buses on the short X93 between Whitby and Scarborough interwork with the Middlesbrough to Scarborough service ?
For instance the 1120 from Middlesbrough arrives Scarborough at 1333,
there is a return working at 1345 due Middlesbrough at 1559, but the 1215 from Scarborough arrives Whitby at 1312 so cannot make the 1306 back to Scarborugh so how does the changeover work ?

(29 Jun 2014, 9:26 pm)Coppercap40 wrote Question for Scott to answer if possible please.
Do the buses on the short X93 between Whitby and Scarborough interwork with the Middlesbrough to Scarborough service ?
For instance the 1120 from Middlesbrough arrives Scarborough at 1333,
there is a return working at 1345 due Middlesbrough at 1559, but the 1215 from Scarborough arrives Whitby at 1312 so cannot make the 1306 back to Scarborugh so how does the changeover work ?

The buses on the short workings stay on them all day, including the two from Redcar (which start/finish with a Mbro-Scar journey) - just with huge layovers in Whitby which count as the drivers' breaks.
Indeed that means the Middlesbrough-Scarborough journeys work on their own too, with drivers changing over in Whitby.

Does anyone know if there is any upcoming news or bus refurbishment/changes to service 2 from Blyth- Morpeth/Kirkhill?

Thanks Scott for clearing that up for me

Will the second lot of ex-london DAF's be withdrawn before the original Lowlanders with them being a year older, or will the Lowlanders be withdrawn first since they didn't recieve a refurbishment?

I must admit I'm not really much of an Arriva expert (not adventurous with them - I only travel in the Durham area with them and rarely stray away from the X2, 64 or 42). I was scanning the website the other night, and came across an ad for the ArrivaConnect Card, which is being launched in the Luton area. I assume it is the Arriva equivalent of the GNE Key Card or StagecoachSmart.

Just interested in people's thoughts and opinions.

Also, Admins, feel free to remove this thread if one's already been created.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:27 pm)Marcus wrote I must admit I'm not really much of an Arriva expert (not adventurous with them - I only travel in the Durham area with them and rarely stray away from the X2, 64 or 42). I was scanning the website the other night, and came across an ad for the ArrivaConnect Card, which is being launched in the Luton area. I assume it is the Arriva equivalent of the GNE Key Card or StagecoachSmart.

Just interested in people's thoughts and opinions.

Also, Admins, feel free to remove this thread if one's already been created.

It's exactly that. They're just about 4-5 years behind the Go Ahead Group in introducing the technology. No one I've spoken to has an indication of when it may be rolled out to the North East, so I'm stuck with paper tickets for now.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/connect/

(30 Jun 2014, 5:42 pm)aureolin wrote It's exactly that. They're just about 4-5 years behind the Go Ahead Group in introducing the technology. No one I've spoken to has an indication of when it may be rolled out to the North East, so I'm stuck with paper tickets for now.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/connect/

Must say if it does become a success and result in introduction in the North East - I will certinatley get my hands on one to make me feel a bit more confident with Arriva. Their regular fares are outrageous! About this time last year I used them regularly, and every journey I was charged a half fare. Now, at 13 years old, I'm forced to pay £2.70 on the X2 for a 15 MINUTE JOURNEY from Chester to Durham. As one of my inspirations would say - 'Unbelievable!'

(30 Jun 2014, 5:42 pm)aureolin wrote It's exactly that. They're just about 4-5 years behind the Go Ahead Group in introducing the technology. No one I've spoken to has an indication of when it may be rolled out to the North East, so I'm stuck with paper tickets for now.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/connect/

Only thing they've got one up on Go-Ahead for is the real-time technology - which I know Go-Ahead are still sorting out.

I think they want it to be a bit more reliable than the Live Map which Arriva offers, as Go-Ahead spotted one or two flaws in it.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)Marcus wrote Must say if it does become a success and result in introduction in the North East - I will certinatley get my hands on one to make me feel a bit more confident with Arriva. Their regular fares are outrageous! About this time last year I used them regularly, and every journey I was charged a half fare. Now, at 13 years old, I'm forced to pay £2.70 on the X2 for a 15 MINUTE JOURNEY from Chester to Durham. As one of my inspirations would say - 'Unbelievable!'

Not sure how many times I've told you, it's different with Arriva. You only get charged half fare (well I only ever have) until you are 16. Same with Stagecoach.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)Dan wrote Only thing they've got one up on Go-Ahead for is the real-time technology - which I know Go-Ahead are still sorting out.

I think they want it to be a bit more reliable than the Live Map which Arriva offers, as Go-Ahead spotted one or two flaws in it.

I find Arriva's website hard to use - but I guess that's due to the fact that I'm more GNE-based. Don't even get me started on the route maps!

(30 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)Tom wrote Not sure how many times I've told you, it's different with Arriva. You only get charged half fare (well I only ever have) until you are 16. Same with Stagecoach.

Driver's seem to disagree. Despite me trying to explain that in the past I've just gotten on with a half, they seem to insist that I don't qualify.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:48 pm)Marcus wrote I find Arriva's website hard to use - but I guess that's due to the fact that I'm more GNE-based. Don't even get me started on the route maps!

My mam asked me to print off a couple of timetables a little while ago when she wanted to go to a few places like Middlesbrough etc...

She couldn't stand the Arriva timetables I'd printed out because some were over 8 pages.

I'm not keen on Arriva's website either though, but I guess it's entirely group based as to what is actually done to improve it.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:51 pm)Dan wrote My mam asked me to print off a couple of timetables a little while ago when she wanted to go to a few places like Middlesbrough etc...

She couldn't stand the Arriva timetables I'd printed out because some were over 8 pages.

I'm not keen on Arriva's website either though, but I guess it's entirely group based as to what is actually done to improve it.

I just pick them up in Durham Bus Stn - the prepared timetables are alright - but like I say after spending so long looking at GNE timetables I just don't get them.

Why don't you get an Arriva Teencard? Half adult fare up to the maximum of £1?

Agree regarding the real time technology Dan. One of the biggest gripes I have is that if a bus loses data connection, it disappears off the map, rather than just reporting it's last known location.

(30 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)Tom wrote Not sure how many times I've told you, it's different with Arriva. You only get charged half fare (well I only ever have) until you are 16. Same with Stagecoach.

I thought Stagecoach was 85p flat?