Arriva North East

[Metroline1511]

RE: Arriva North East

(27/08/2014 20:55)kuyoyo Wrote:  Now, it's North East's turn for what remains of the new order to be delivered. MAX-spec Enviro400s NK64EER, NK64EES,NK64EET and NK64EFM have arrived in the last 2 days, these being 4 of the 5 for the X18 (Newcastle - Alnwick - Berwick). At present, the PVR is 6 however that is said to be decreasing to 5 in October with the Northumberland County Council Cuts.

Also delivered today is the first of the 10.8m Streetlite - Jesmond-bound 1588 in 'Hybrid' livery for 'Coastliner' 306 (Newcastle - Tynemouth or Whitley Bay) (livery to tie-in with 7801-10 on the 308). Note, these 18 10.8m examples weren't due until the end of September - making them 4 weeks early.

It is interesting that the Streetlite is in the same liveries as other Hybrid buses in the area, most notably the Volvo B5LHs and the EcoCities. Talking of which, I did stop off in Darlington on the August Bank Holiday on the way to my Richmond - Hawes - Lancaster bus ride. I saw Solos on route 8 but EcoCities on routes 2, 8, 11 and 21, where I rode 4805. My route 26a ride was still a Solo, and a few months ago you did prepare me Kuyoyo that it would not have been upgraded yet, having to wait until the Autumn. A change (which you may have mentioned earlier) was that the X66s I saw were both OmniCities, including appropriately 1511!

This was indeed the day I sampled my first Arriva Sapphire bus ride, namely Pulsar 2 1514 on route 7 as planned. It was really comfortable, and the 2-tone blue leather reminded me of Elite coaches on Stagecoach Fife Express routes!

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(30/08/2014 17:15)Metroline1511 Wrote:  It is interesting that the Streetlite is in the same liveries as other Hybrid buses in the area, most notably the Volvo B5LHs and the EcoCities. Talking of which, I did stop off in Darlington on the August Bank Holiday on the way to my Richmond - Hawes - Lancaster bus ride. I saw Solos on route 8 but EcoCities on routes 2, 8, 11 and 21, where I rode 4805. My route 26a ride was still a Solo, and a few months ago you did prepare me Kuyoyo that it would not have been upgraded yet, having to wait until the Autumn. A change (which you may have mentioned earlier) was that the X66s I saw were both OmniCities, including appropriately 1511!

This was indeed the day I sampled my first Arriva Sapphire bus ride, namely Pulsar 2 1514 on route 7 as planned. It was really comfortable, and the 2-tone blue leather reminded me of Elite coaches on Stagecoach Fife Express routes!

Originally, it was known that 1582-9 were being delivered in Hybrid Livery to match 7801-10 as they are for the 306. However, it now seems all the standard Streetlites are in hybrid livery - which in my opinion the Hybrid/Sapphire/MAX-style liveries suit them a lot better than the application of the Standard livery on the Southern Countries ones.

As for MAX, we are presently 2 months behind in terms of the planned MAX launches - the launch for the brand on the X10/X11 takes place on Monday evening, when the original plan was for a June launch. The X15 vehicles have yet to be started on but should be done quicker than the X10/X11 Geminis as there's only 5 to do and all 5 will be at Blackburn at the same time. X26/X27/X66 won't be started on until the X15 vehicles are finished plus once Stockton's and Redcar's Streetlites enter service (Stockton's enter service in a fornight's time, Redcar's a week later) as I believe the plan is to have the freed-up Prestiges on X66s while the OmniCitys are away.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
With thanks to a contact, a full Streetlite and Enviro400 registration list

Wright Streetlite
Stockton
1550 NK14GFY
1551 NK14GFZ
1552 NK14GGA
1553 NK14GGE
1554 NK14GGF
1555 NK14GGJ
1556 NK14GGO
1557 NK14GGP
1558 NK14GGU
1559 NK14GGV
Redcar
1560 NK14GEU
1561 NK14GEY
1562 NK14GFA
1563 NK14GFE
1564 NK14GFG
1565 NK64EFB
1566 NK64EFC
1567 NK64EFD
1568 NK64EFE
1569 NK64EFF
1570 NK64EFG
1571 NK64EFH
1572 NK64EFJ
1573 NK64EFL
Durham
1574 NK64EEJ
1575 NK64EEM
1576 NK64EEN
1577 NK64EEO
1578 NK64EEP
Ashington
1579 NK64EEA
1580 NK64EEB
1581 NK64EEH
Jesmond
1582 NK64EEV
1583 NK64EEW
1584 NK64EEX
1585 NK64EEY
1586 NK64EEZ
1587 NK64EFA
1588 NK64EEF
1589 NK64EEG

Aleander Dennis Enviro400
Ashington
7529 NK64EFM
7530 NK64EER
7531 NK64EES
7532 NK64EET
7533 NK64EEU

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Enviro400 7529-33 all entered service today - 7529/30/2 on X18s and 7531/3 on the X21/X22.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Stockton's Streetlites (1550-59) entered service on Tuesday (1553 in Brotton on the last 5A on Tuesday) - however the day didn't go well. The first example out of the depot (1556 worked the 0540 5 from Easington - the earlier 0500 trip is worked by Redcar depot on the front of an X4 turn and as such goes Sapphire next week) developed door problems on Cargo Fleet Lane and the driver struggled onto North Ormesby before ringing in, and a reset was suggested however an issue with the hand break meant it wouldn't restart. Indeed, by the end of the day, 9 breakdowns had occurred (including 1556's) with 1554 being towed in from Carlin How. By today however, they'd reach a stage where all 10 were out - sadly it was short lived as 1553 keeps throwing up an emission fault.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Refurbished Pulsars 1440/1512 returned to their home depots of Redcar and Stockton on Friday afternoon. 1440 has reportedly re-entered service today, bring the Sapphire standard to the 22/64/64a rotation.

Redcar's Streetlites entered service on Tuesday 23rd September without any issues that plagued the Stockton examples the week before. All 14 were used on that day - 1573 replaced 1561 on X4/4 by mid morning with 1561 later re-appearing on the X3/X3a by mid afternoon working the 1750 X4 to Easington from Middlesbrough 15 minutes late (behind a 25 minutes late 1735 X4/4 to Whitby and minutes in front of the 1805 X4 to Saltburn).

Durham's 1578 entered service on Friday on the U1, while Ashington placed their so-far-sole delivered example 1581 out on 35As 2 days earlier.

Scania OmniCitys 4653/9 and Enviro400s 7511-3 returned from refurbishment last weekend, days after 7515-7 moved to Blackburn. 4648-50 are listed as the first OmniCitys to be treated for the X26/X27/X66 however at present it is believed that 4651 has gone to Blackburn instead of 4648. 7514 is also due to move to Blackburn for refurbishment.

[Barney]

RE: Arriva North East
I'm doing a few days in the north east next week with three mates and we are reliant on public transport. We intend to get the train to Scarborough and then use the X93 to Whitby. Can anybody tell me what is the best Arriva ticket to buy? Will we have to buy single tickets or is there an Arriva day ticket for this route? I've tried to find out from the Arrive website but without success. Thanks.

[Barney]

RE: Arriva North East

(06/10/2014 17:01)Barney Wrote:  I'm doing a few days in the north east next week with three mates and we are reliant on public transport. We intend to get the train to Scarborough and then use the X93 to Whitby. Can anybody tell me what is the best Arriva ticket to buy? Will we have to buy single tickets or is there an Arriva day ticket for this route? I've tried to find out from the Arrive website but without success. Thanks.

Did a trip on the X93 yesterday from Scarborough to Whitby. The ex London Gemini s fly along the straight but seriously struggle o the hills. I honestly thought that the bus wqs going to start rolling backwards on two occasions and it only had a few passengers on it. Is this normal?

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(16/10/2014 08:28)Barney Wrote:  Did a trip on the X93 yesterday from Scarborough to Whitby. The ex London Gemini s fly along the straight but seriously struggle o the hills. I honestly thought that the bus wqs going to start rolling backwards on two occasions and it only had a few passengers on it. Is this normal?

That is normal - they actually have to stop on the ascent out of Robin Hoods Bay/Flyingthorpe to change down gears. They are however due for replacement very shortly by B9TLs 7401-6 (which are due any day now).

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Redcar-based ALX200-bodied Darts 1103/4 are on-loan to Stockton depot for Yarm Fair weekend (when 7 Darts are required - Stockton only have 5 on the allocation). In exchange, Redcar are using Cadet 1914/22 (both of which were originally new to Redcar back in 2000).