Arriva North East

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
3 years after the sale of the Scottish operation to McGills - the former-North West B6BLEs 45021-29/31-39/41/2 (X801-9/11-19/21/2 AJA) have now been formerly written off the North East's books.

[Barney]

RE: Arriva North East
I believe there was a launch of the new B9TLs for the X93 at Whitby yesterday. Any ideas when they will enter service?

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(22/01/2015 22:23)Barney Wrote:  I believe there was a launch of the new B9TLs for the X93 at Whitby yesterday. Any ideas when they will enter service?

Sunday or Monday depending on whether the issues with the tachographs are resolved - they are having trouble fitting them.

[N391OTY]

RE: Arriva North East

(22/01/2015 22:41)kuyoyo Wrote:  Sunday or Monday depending on whether the issues with the tachographs are resolved - they are having trouble fitting them.

I noted 7402/3/5 on X93 in Middlesbrough yesterday (Monday).

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Latest Fleet News

Stockton depot has now started to received the Solos from Darlington as a result of Darlington gaining former Durham Park & Ride 2852-61 - 2803/4/8/26 so far arrived with 2803/4 both having seen service. As such, 1771 has transferred from Stockton to Blyth, as have 1760/7/91 from Darlington.

As such, Byth-based Dennis Mini Dart/Alexander ALX200 1795/6 have been withdrawn as have 1742 and Darlington-based 1747, the later after engine failure. This as such means 1724 is reinstated to replace 1747 and marks the end of the V-ECU MPDs.

Prestige 4039 remains in service for now, pending the transfer of 4512 from Redcar to replace it - 4512 was replaced at Redcar/Whitby by one of the new B9TLs. After months of discussion, it has been decide to retain 2 of the ex-London B7TLs at Redcar for the summer X93 - this year's summer season has been extended to the pre-2012 length of late March to late October/early Novemeber - and as such 7485/6 have been selected as the best of the batch and are to be WiFi fitted and repaint into MAX livery (no interior refurbishment). In addition, sister 7489 has been retained at Whitby for use on the Whitby Park & Ride service as this summer will see two services = the P1 which will effectively be the same as last year's 171 running via the West Cliffe Hotel area, and the P2 which will be an express from the Park & Ride site to the Bus Station.

Recent refurbishments into MAX livery are Stockton-based Pulsars 1441-3, Durham-based 1415 and Blyth-based (ex-Durham) 1416. 1416 has been swapped for Blyth's newly refurbished Gemini 7610 to enable the entire Durham output on the X12/X2 to be double decker operation. The entire route will revert to a single number (X12) from 19th April 2015, likewise the X93 will be split up from March 27th but will retain the same number throughout. Also recently refurbished is Ashington-based Enviro400 7518 into Sapphire as a spare for the X21/X22.

MAX upgrades this year includes the 75/76 (Darlington to Barnard Castle, renumbered X75/X76 on 19th April) using Pulsars 1404-7, 20/X20 (Amble-Ashington-Newcastle) using Enviro400s 7519-21 (and as such means all NE Enviro400s will either be MAX or Sapphire) and the 85/685 (Newcastle-Haydon Bridge-Carlisle). Service 6 (Durham-West Auckland or Cockfield), 22 (Durham-Peterlee-Sunderland) and 24 (Durham-Peterlee-Hartlepool) are to be upgraded to Sapphire in the next few months.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Sapphire Upgrading 2015

In a change of plan:

The 22 (Durham-Peterlee-Sunderland) and 24 (Durham-Peterlee-Hartlepool) will now be launched in the spring instead of the 6 (Durham-West Auckland or Cockfield) due to long-term roadworks on the 6 route (which additionally affect the 7 between Darlington and Durham). As such, Streetlites 1595-1600 will now be allocated to the 22 rather than the 6 while the Pulsars released off the 7 by the new Enviro400s will be used on the 24 alongside an older example refurbished (presumably with 2 extra done as spares).

As such, this now means ex-North West Pulsars 1524-33 (3113-22) will instead be joined by a number of native examples in being refurbished to Sapphire specification for the 6 alongside the 2 new Enviro400s.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Arriva North East
Some interesting upgrades planned Kuyoyo. It will seem quite exciting that all Enviro400s will be Max or Sapphire! Mind you, Arriva North East still have plenty of Gemini integrals. I have read about the order for new buses for Arriva this week, and some modern single-deckers, presumably Pulsar 2s, are due for transfer from the North West (displaced by more new Enviro400s) to the North East.

It does look as though the North East will have more Max and Sapphire buses than anywhere else within Arriva.

[bramptontrev]

RE: Arriva North East
Re "MAX upgrades this year includes the 75/76 (Darlington to Barnard Castle, renumbered X75/X76 on 19th April) using Pulsars 1404-7, 20/X20 (Amble-Ashington-Newcastle) using Enviro400s 7519-21 (and as such means all NE Enviro400s will either be MAX or Sapphire) and the 85/685 (Newcastle-Haydon Bridge-Carlisle). Service 6 (Durham-West Auckland or Cockfield), 22 (Durham-Peterlee-Sunderland) and 24 (Durham-Peterlee-Hartlepool) are to be upgraded to Sapphire in the next few months. "

Which vehicles are planned for the 85/685?

[Gillmoss 0324]

RE: Arriva North East
Did a few Northumbria area vehicles in Newcastle over the weekend. Did a Sapphire Enviro400 on the X21 and was surprised the upper deck seating was refurb’d Estaban Civic’s rather than the coach seated type the Cmryu ones have. Sort of a shame in a way they’ve lost their ‘Operation Overdrive’ interiors as this made them a bit unique within Arriva. Also did a ‘Max’ Gemini on the X12 which kind of seemed about the same as the Sapphire Enviro400 but all told very good stuff from Arriva. Also did the B5 Gemini’s and Streetlite’s on the 306/308 CoastLiner routes too. Again good IMO but I was surprised the B5 Gemini’s had moquette seating rather than the E-Leather the ANW ones have. All round good stuff.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(18/03/2015 15:00)Gillmoss 0324 Wrote:  Did a few Northumbria area vehicles in Newcastle over the weekend. Did a Sapphire Enviro400 on the X21 and was surprised the upper deck seating was refurb’d Estaban Civic’s rather than the coach seated type the Cmryu ones have. Sort of a shame in a way they’ve lost their ‘Operation Overdrive’ interiors as this made them a bit unique within Arriva. Also did a ‘Max’ Gemini on the X12 which kind of seemed about the same as the Sapphire Enviro400 but all told very good stuff from Arriva. Also did the B5 Gemini’s and Streetlite’s on the 306/308 CoastLiner routes too. Again good IMO but I was surprised the B5 Gemini’s had moquette seating rather than the E-Leather the ANW ones have. All round good stuff.

Only the Welsh operation specify 2+1 coach-style seating upstairs - everywhere else have remained 2+2 seating for maximum capacity (same as the North East Sapphire Streetltes are 2+2 throughout while those down in the Shires are 2+1 in the low floor area).