B10BLE Status Updated
Active
Stockton: 21104, 21105, 21141, 21143, 21144, 21150
South Shields: 21142, 21145
Walkergate: 21138, 21146, 21148, 21153, 21155, 21156, 21157
Being prepared for service
Stockton:
21136,
21137,
21139,
21140,
21152 (Photos @ tyresmoke)
South Shields: 21147
Training fleet
Sunderland: 21101
South Shields: 21103 (Route Learner)
Storage
Stockton: 21158
Slatyford: 21102
B10BLE 21144 has been on the 36 today due to a shortage of useable buses this morning.
Further information tomorrow.
Following a breakdown, B10BLE 21150 replaced an Enviro300 on the 36.
A second morning with a lack of buses that didn't need minor or even major attention resulted in 37-branded 22061 being used on the 52/58 and sister 22064 on the 35. (37-branded 22062 was on the 12 yesterday).
Stockton is now back to full allocation strength with the reappearance of MAN ALX300 22470 this afternoon on the 13 as changeover for 16840 in time for Macmillan duty.
Last night saw Stockton's Assistant Operation Manager Peter Knight given a presentation to the 500 Group. Some details revealled regarding operations are as followed:
*Stockton's fleet is to remain untouched by the Olympics, instead Walkergate's Enviro400s are being covered by MAN Enviro300s coming from Yorkshire
*There are no plans to replace the Olympians as yet, and there's no expected plans for transfers from Newcastle upon the withdrawn of the B10BLEs (although offically only 21104/5 are allocated)
*21136/7/9/40/52 are being prepared at Stockton to move to the Busways side of the NE operation, indeed a depot visit after the presentation saw just 21137/40/52 in the yard
*Stockton management are aware of the capacity problems with the MAN Enviro300 on the 36 and are looking at possiably making a business case for deckers for the service. All I can say is watch this space!
I imagine the B10BLEs will therefore be heading for various dealerships after the Olympics. I also imagine that it will be all of them, once the few MANs off for engine/accident damage repairs return to service on paper.
(27/06/2012 18:37)mbonwick Wrote: [ -> ]I imagine the B10BLEs will therefore be heading for various dealerships after the Olympics. I also imagine that it will be all of them, once the few MANs off for engine/accident damage repairs return to service on paper.
Believe so. The suggestion is that 21104/5 will be the first two withdrawn. There is of course the possiably that these may stay in similar roles to sisters 21101/3 as part of the training division.
I would imagine that it will be the ALX300 examples, if any, that stay as trainers.
(27/06/2012 19:07)mbonwick Wrote: [ -> ]I would imagine that it will be the ALX300 examples, if any, that stay as trainers.
At the moment, 21103 is only a route learner at South Shields and I'm not sure on what role 21101 is filling at Sunderland. In effect, given it's only been two years or so since the Alexander PS-bodied Volvo B10Ms were converted into trainers to replace the Plaxton Verde-bodied Volvo B10Bs (which, of course, 21037 is still going). If any do stay, it may possiably be the five P-reg ones in the role of route learners at the depots with training vehicles (in effect, every depot bar Hartlepool).
(26/06/2012 21:14)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]B10BLE 21144 has been on the 36 today due to a shortage of useable buses this morning.
(27/06/2012 18:14)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ]Following a breakdown, B10BLE 21150 replaced an Enviro300 on the 36.
A second morning with a lack of buses that didn't need minor or even major attention resulted in 37-branded 22061 being used on the 52/58 and sister 22064 on the 35. (37-branded 22062 was on the 12 yesterday).
Stockton is now back to full allocation strength with the reappearance of MAN ALX300 22470 this afternoon on the 13 as changeover for 16840 in time for Macmillan duty.
21144 on the 36 on Tuesday - working the PM 36A run to James Cook Hospital
21150 on the 36 yesterday
22061 on the 52 yesterday
22064 on the 35 yesterday
22470 back in service
Another, as yet unreported, unusual working was that of
24114 on the 38 on Tuesday evening having replaced
(and been replaced on the 36) 22663 which had clipped a Pedestrian on a humpped crossing on Stockton High Street on its previous trip to the Glebe Estate (and missed most of its final Park End trip due to the Police involvement, fortunatly the Police took the Driver's side given the crossing involved has traffic lights which were green for the traffic). The unusual side of this is that this duty working onto the evening 12/610/611, and drivers are wary of taking the Enviro300s on any 611 trip bar the 2320 from Middlesbrough (which only goes as far as Trimdon Avenue Baldoon Sands) due to the tight Right hand turn out of Trimdon Avenue back onto Acklam Road. As 24114 wasn't anywhere to be seen during the depot visit that evening, it seems that it successive managed to do that turn and did the whole evening on the 12/610/611 alongside sister
24112 with 24111 also doing the 2240 12.
A note from yesterday which saw just one on the 6 54-reg MAN ALX300s in service by the end of the day. 22066 managed to do the full day, 22064 was out until about some point in the afternoon when it wouldn't start at North Tees Hospital. The other 4 (22061-3/5) were off all day. 22062 was planned to be used as a decker replacement mid-afternoon to get the decker off for the Macmillan run but only made it 0.2 miles from the depot(!) before it broke down and was towed back from the depot.
(01/07/2012 23:55)tyresmoke Wrote: [ -> ]Believe 27723-27740 (bar 27736) and 36461-3, 63, 65, 69-70, 72-75 from South Shields are going, unsure on what from Newcastle
(02/07/2012 00:28)tyresmoke Wrote: [ -> ]Makes sense, been talk of a large number of Enviro400's making their way to Manchester, replaced by Enviro300/Enviro400 from Yorkshire at Walkergate.
Brought these posts over from the 'London Olympics Bus Services' thread to highlight what vehicles are going to the Olympics from this division.