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Where are Whitby locals and the X93 buses depoted overnight? Is there an out-station in Whitby?

(20/10/2014 21:08)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]Where are Whitby locals and the X93 buses depoted overnight? Is there an out-station in Whitby?

Yes, they have a depot share with Procters-owned Esk Valley Coaches at Stainsacre Lane Industrial Estate, Fairfield Way, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4PU.

(20/10/2014 21:49)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, they have a depot share with Procters-owned Esk Valley Coaches at Stainsacre Lane Industrial Estate, Fairfield Way, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4PU.

Thanks for that information. I noticed that you posted on another site that the B9TLs for the X93 have been registered now. Are they in service yet and are they coping better with those steep hills between Scarborough and Whitby? I presume that the decision to buy bigger and thirstier engines for this route probably was not taken lightly

(24/10/2014 16:57)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that information. I noticed that you posted on another site that the B9TLs for the X93 have been registered now. Are they in service yet and are they coping better with those steep hills between Scarborough and Whitby? I presume that the decision to buy bigger and thirstier engines for this route probably was not taken lightly

They haven't yet entered service - in fact until I was informed this afternoon that they were being stored at Thorntons of North Seaton (near Ashington) I didn't even know they had arrived.

As above, the long-awaited 6 Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s (some of the last examples built) arrived at Thorntons during the week. The registration are as followed:

7401 NK64 FSF
7402 NK64 FSG
7403 NK64 FSJ
7404 NK64 FSL
7405 NK64 FSN
7406 NK64 FSO

Additionally, the 3 ex-demonstrator MAN EcoCitys entered service today on the 21 (Darlington-Peterlee). They are numbered as followed:

4812 WX61 FXO
4813 WX61 HSL
4814 WX13 GHN

Please note that 4812/3 are based on the MAN A22 chassis while 4814 is the same as the production examples on the A69 (or 18.270) chassis.

Streetlites 1579/80 entered service at Ashington depot during the week - along with 1581, these carry branding for the 35 (Morpeth-Newbiggin) with no mention of the 35A (Morpeth-Newbiggin Woodhorn) which they are to be found on during the week (weekday 35s interwork with the college service 100, so all 35/100 workings are booked for DAF DB250s). Sisters 1574-8 officially debut on the 23 (Sunderland-Peterlee-Hartlepool) tomorrow however 1575/8 have both been used on the U1 in the last few weeks. As such, this just leaves MAX-specification examples 1590-4 to be delivered (due in January with Euro6 engines) and the 2014/5 order is complete.

9 Alexander Dennis Enviro200s are in the process of being transferred to the diversion from Southern Counties. These are their 4071-9 (GN10 KWH/KWJ/KWK, YX10 EBN/EBO/EBP/EBU/EBV/EBZ). These are to be refurbished at Thorntons to single door domestic DDA standard and repainted into standard Arriva livery to replace 1301/3-5/10-5 at Durham on the 64.

Another surprising note is of the recent redundancy of the Jesmond paintshop staff. It is believed that all repaints will now be done by outside contractors - likely to be Thorntons. These should start with the ex-Durham Park & Ride Solos 2852-61 which are as of today redundant with the end of the contract.

The loss of Enviro200s 4071-79 from Southern Counties is a shock. They were ousted from TfL route 66 in August, having been replaced by Gemini integrals a year older from route 38. As they were dual-doored it was expected that these would be redeployed in London, but this no longer looks destined to happen.

(01/11/2014 21:09)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]The loss of Enviro200s 4071-79 from Southern Counties is a shock. They were ousted from TfL route 66 in August, having been replaced by Gemini integrals a year older from route 38. As they were dual-doored it was expected that these would be redeployed in London, but this no longer looks destined to happen.

They were offered to North East - as the X-GGO Darts are a mix bag (some were upgraded to meet the DDA standard while some weren't hence the different in seating capacity) and Durham's 64 requires an upgrade.

Revised details sees the 'Older' X1 renumbered X12 in January prior to the upgrading of 'The Best One' X1 to MAX specification. The X2/X12 are also being upgraded later in the year hence the renumbering to avoid confusion.

Other confirmed upgrades planned next year include the upgrading of the 6 (Durham-West Auckland/Cockfield) to Sapphire using brand new Streetlites and Enviro400s along with so many of Darlington's Sapphire Pulsars displaced from 7s by new Enviro400s. There's also potential that the remaining Blyth-Newcastle Express ('Quorum Express' X4/X5 and the X13) will be upgraded to MAX specification.

(02/11/2014 12:16)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]They were offered to North East - as the X-GGO Darts are a mix bag (some were upgraded to meet the DDA standard while some weren't hence the different in seating capacity) and Durham's 64 requires an upgrade.

Revised details sees the 'Older' X1 renumbered X12 in January prior to the upgrading of 'The Best One' X1 to MAX specification. The X2/X12 are also being upgraded later in the year hence the renumbering to avoid confusion.

Other confirmed upgrades planned next year include the upgrading of the 6 (Durham-West Auckland/Cockfield) to Sapphire using brand new Streetlites and Enviro400s along with so many of Darlington's Sapphire Pulsars displaced from 7s by new Enviro400s. There's also potential that the remaining Blyth-Newcastle Express ('Quorum Express' X4/X5 and the X13) will be upgraded to MAX specification.

I rode an X-GGO Dart in 2012 and it seemed a bit cramped sitting on the seat with my feet above the right wheel arch. The single-door conversion did not look altogether elegant really.

Will the Enviro400s for route 7 be Sapphire? When I rode the Sapphire Pulsar there in August it seemed really busy, so the Sapphire buses must have generated additional traffic.

I may have an exaggerated vision here, but it seems that more new or refurbished Arriva North East buses than not are to Max or Sapphire standard.

(02/11/2014 18:55)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]I rode an X-GGO Dart in 2012 and it seemed a bit cramped sitting on the seat with my feet above the right wheel arch. The single-door conversion did not look altogether elegant really.

Will the Enviro400s for route 7 be Sapphire? When I rode the Sapphire Pulsar there in August it seemed really busy, so the Sapphire buses must have generated additional traffic.

I may have an exaggerated vision here, but it seems that more new or refurbished Arriva North East buses than not are to Max or Sapphire standard.

Yes, the 7 remains Sapphire just it requires extra capacity (much like a certain AM trip on the 5 presently does as a result of school loadings which has resulted in the last board out of the depot working a duplicate journey as far as Swans Corner before going light to Brotton to start properly).
A little birdy has mentioned that all Sapphire routes are performing above and beyond the expectation of DB.

As next year means the end of the road for the Cadets (1901-17/20/2 - although some of them won't actually see 2015), the Wright-bodied B10BLEs (4501/2/4-15) and the Y-registered Lowlanders (7436-44) plus presumably some or all of 1301-15 (the X-GGOs) there is major investment required. It's already speculated that Stockton will gain some Pulsars from Durham with the Sapphire upgrade to the 6. As for the specification of new vehicles - it all depends on the route. North East's definition of MAX is 'Quick Links' hence so far the only routes upgraded as those of express nature (the only real exceptions are the 14 between Morpeth and Thornton but that's due to the interworking with the X14 - and the evening/Sunday 26A but that is just a variation of the X26 and now interworks with the X66s on Sundays).

I've just returned from another short break in the Scarborough area with my wife and was a little disappointed to see that the new B9TLs have yet to enter service on the X93. I was even more disappointed to note that most of the X93s were being operated by Temsa Avenues currently allocated to Redcar depot.

I had sold the break to my wife on the basis that the view from the top deck from Scarborough to Whitby was very impressive. It is fair to say that she was not at all impressed by the ride quality of a packed Temsa nor the cramped seating layout at the rear of the bus. (I thought it wise not to mention that the 'shower cubicle' she was sitting next to was the engine and that it was prone to going up in flames without warning.)

Whilst waiting for the return trip from Whitby two elderly women explained that they had both experienced deckers failing out of Robin Hoods Bay in recent weeks. Does this explain the use of Temsas?