Arriva North East

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East
Well, it's been all go this week:

The 'MAX X1' Streetlites were formally launched this afternoon (Thursday 23rd April) in Bishop Auckland using Euro6 Daimler-powered 1593. It's expected all 5 should be in service from tomorrow.
The rest of the 2015 Streetlite order - Sapphire-spec 1595-1601 - have now all entered service at Durham depot on services 22 (Durham-Peterlee-Sunderland) and 24 (Durham-Peterlee-Hartlepool) in unbranded condition.

In a major cock-up, the allocation of the Sapphire Enviro400s has now been changed:
7535-7/40 are now branded for the 7 and will be based at Darlington (7540 was originally intended for Durham depot)
7539 is presently branded Sapphire in the style of Ashington-based spare 7518 (and Rhyl's 2 spares) but only temporary pending the 24 branding vinyls being delivered - it will remained at Durham
7534/8's status is currently unknown but one of the 2 will now be allocated to Durham depot rather than Darlington depot in place of 7540

Stockton-based MAX-livered Pulsar 1442 has now had its advert frames removed. Sisters 1441/3 are also due to have theirs removed prior to the application of the X12 branding (as of Monday 20th April, the X2 has also been renumbered X12) as I'm lead to understand that the X12 will feature some 'additional' branding over the other MAX routes.

Despite the arrival of the Solos at Stockton depot, the depot is still up one vehicle with Cadet 1904 still in use. Until May 17th, one of the originally doomed Cadets (1903 despite the allocation sheet showing 1904) remains to cover the additional weekday journeys on the 6 as the Pulsar used between 0930 and 1600 goes to work the extra X12s. From 18th May, the am journey on the X12 to Framwellgate Moor will instead be on the front of a 21a running board while the shortened afternoon journey will now start in Durham Bus Station and will be operated by Durham depot.