(15/03/2014 22:44)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]Allocating 9 ex-London VLWs together on route X93 is really sensible. Unfortunately in the North West Arriva are spreading them over several garages, making it harder to track one down.
Only 6 are currently earmarked for the X93 - 3 are Ashington bound (7484 entered service this week while 7485 is currently on-loan to Redcar for trials on the X93 until electrical faults with 7494 have been sorted) while the other 2 are currently unallocated although as previously mentioned they may replace the two DAF DB250s transferring from Classic next weekend.
Even having 1 route solidly VLW will make it easy to track one down there. I may have over-estimated how many buses are needed for route X93.
(15/03/2014 23:13)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]Even having 1 route solidly VLW will make it easy to track one down there. I may have over-estimated how many buses are needed for route X93.
PVR of the X93 at present is 5 on the winter timetable. In past years, the Summer PVR has been 7 buses with Redcar working the extra 2 boards. This summer, however, I understand they may be looking at adding an eighth vehicle into the PVR, again Redcar will be operating 2 boards using OmniCitys or Temsas (whatever they can spare that has a Tachograph) while Whitby will work the rest with whatever deckers the X93 ends up.
(15/03/2014 23:29)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]PVR of the X93 at present is 5 on the winter timetable. In past years, the Summer PVR has been 7 buses with Redcar working the extra 2 boards. This summer, however, I understand they may be looking at adding an eighth vehicle into the PVR, again Redcar will be operating 2 boards using OmniCitys or Temsas (whatever they can spare that has a Tachograph) while Whitby will work the rest with whatever deckers the X93 ends up.
As Redcar has had some reliability problems.....Does it make sense allocating 8 B7TL on x93 if the pvr is increased, the remaining 3 B7s can replace 7367,7482,7483 at ashington.Redcar/whitby lose 6 Enviro400s to ashington.
In turn the 6 alx400s at ashington replace belmonts older 6 with 2 off them going to replace the 2 from classic!
I suppose their would be 3 B7s free during x93 winter timetable.Would Redcar have any alternative use for them?
If not they could go north after the summertimetable....
(16/03/2014 09:26)Buz Nut Wrote: [ -> ]As Redcar has had some reliability problems.....Does it make sense allocating 8 B7TL on x93 if the pvr is increased, the remaining 3 B7s can replace 7367,7482,7483 at ashington.Redcar/whitby lose 6 Enviro400s to ashington.
In turn the 6 alx400s at ashington replace belmonts older 6 with 2 off them going to replace the 2 from classic!
I suppose their would be 3 B7s free during x93 winter timetable.Would Redcar have any alternative use for them?
If not they could go north after the summertimetable....
No, because the ALX400s at Durham are the same age as those coming over from Classic. Plus not all X93 workings require deckers hence why there's only been 6 - enough to cover the Whitby workings while Redcar use single deckers on theirs. The B7s (or whatever decision is made regarding the X93) might only be a short-term measure for the route as there's currently potential should takings this summer be similar to last year for new stock for the route next year.
New information - 7485 (LJ51 DJD) is temporary on-loan to Redcar depot from Ashington to begin the trials of the type on the X93. 7494 (LF02 PLJ) is currently off the road with electrical problems, once those issues are sorted it will enter service on the X93 replacing 7485.
The first 2 vehicles confirmed to be transferring over from Classic to Jesmond this week are DAF DB250 7458 (T313 FGN) and Solo 2503 (YJ51 JWW). Blyth's sol DB250 7469 (X447 FGP) also transfers to Jesmond as part of a PVR change while Darlington lose 1302 to Durham to replace 1654 to Redcar via the paintshop.
T313 FGN was noted inside Jesmond depot yesterday evening and was still visible inside today. Too far away to see whether it was carrying any fleetnumber but of course it is still in white TGM livery.
(20/03/2014 22:33)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]New information - 7485 (LJ51 DJD) is temporary on-loan to Redcar depot from Ashington to begin the trials of the type on the X93. 7494 (LF02 PLJ) is currently off the road with electrical problems, once those issues are sorted it will enter service on the X93 replacing 7485.
The first 2 vehicles confirmed to be transferring over from Classic to Jesmond this week are DAF DB250 7458 (T313 FGN) and Solo 2503 (YJ51 JWW). Blyth's sol DB250 7469 (X447 FGP) also transfers to Jesmond as part of a PVR change while Darlington lose 1302 to Durham to replace 1654 to Redcar via the paintshop.
(20/03/2014 22:33)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]The first 2 vehicles confirmed to be transferring over from Classic to Jesmond this week are DAF DB250 7458 (T313 FGN) and Solo 2503 (YJ51 JWW). Blyth's sol DB250 7469 (X447 FGP) also transfers to Jesmond as part of a PVR change while Darlington lose 1302 to Durham to replace 1654 to Redcar via the paintshop.
(24/03/2014 23:27)N391OTY Wrote: [ -> ]T313 FGN was noted inside Jesmond depot yesterday evening and was still visible inside today. Too far away to see whether it was carrying any fleetnumber but of course it is still in white TGM livery.
T313FGN is 7458, it is due to be repainted very short I believe.
2503 (YJ51 JWW) has already been repainted but is restricted to the NHS Shuttle runs due to its Mobitec screens (while the rest of Jesmond's fleet including 7458 have Hanover LEDs). They are now the only vehicles passing to the main fleet now, with the rest of the work being up for tender in the summer (bar the AD122, whose future is currently up in the air).
7458 (T313 FGN) is currently in the paintshop being repainted. A further recent repaint is withdrawn MPD 1711 which will be part of the refurbishment pool for the summer when refurbishments are taking place, which brings me to this......
Introducing... Arriva Max
Max will be the new Arriva brand for express services, to be launched later in 2014. It will offer an upgraded specification for interurban services with free wi-fi and e-leather seating, so one step down from the "Sapphire" services but still upgraded. The North East will be the first to launch this in the UK group.
Services to be included in 2014 are:
- X10/X11 from Ashington... Refurbished VDL Gemini
- X14 from Ashington... Refurbished ADL Enviro 400
- X15 from Ashington... Refurbished coaches (believed to be transfers from GreenLine, those 55 plate Van Hools for example are heavily rumoured)
- X18 from Ashington... 6 new ADL Enviro 400
- X26/X27 from Darlington... Refurbished Scania Omnicity
- X66 from Darlington... Refurbished Scania Omnicity
Further Max services are expected to be announced for 2015.
7458 was noted in full latest Arriva livery working service 45 from Newcastle Haymarket today.
(06/04/2014 16:16)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]7458 (T313 FGN) is currently in the paintshop being repainted. A further recent repaint is withdrawn MPD 1711 which will be part of the refurbishment pool for the summer when refurbishments are taking place, which brings me to this......
Introducing... Arriva Max
Max will be the new Arriva brand for express services, to be launched later in 2014. It will offer an upgraded specification for interurban services with free wi-fi and e-leather seating, so one step down from the "Sapphire" services but still upgraded. The North East will be the first to launch this in the UK group.
Services to be included in 2014 are:
- X10/X11 from Ashington... Refurbished VDL Gemini
- X14 from Ashington... Refurbished ADL Enviro 400
- X15 from Ashington... Refurbished coaches (believed to be transfers from GreenLine, those 55 plate Van Hools for example are heavily rumoured)
- X18 from Ashington... 6 new ADL Enviro 400
- X26/X27 from Darlington... Refurbished Scania Omnicity
- X66 from Darlington... Refurbished Scania Omnicity
Further Max services are expected to be announced for 2015.