Probably deserves it's own thread. Not much to say yet as it's just rumours atm.

Can't imagine ex Loftus / Redcar drivers being very happy about that commute though, if true. It's as bad as Jesmond to Blyth / Ashington and Chester Le Street to Washington / Riverside and both those went down very badly.

Only thing we know for sure right now is that all Redcar staff (presumably minus the ones on the road!) have been called to a meeting at 6pm tonight. The notice only went up yesterday as far as I understand.

Fingers crossed Redcar stays open as it oversees Whitby  depot to

The proposal as I understand it, is to merge Redcar and Stockton into Stockton depot site, plus some additional work going into Whitby.

Whitby will become an outstation of Stockton. Redcar site would close. No changes to the network however.

Additional land on Boathouse Lane has been acquired to accommodate everything.

Formal consultation starts on June 4th, with a driver and depot staff briefing taking place tonight.

(Yesterday, 4:31 pm)Superman wrote The proposal as I understand it, is to merge Redcar and Stockton into Stockton depot site, plus some additional work going into Whitby.

Whitby will become an outstation of Stockton. Redcar site would close. No changes to the network however.

Additional land on Boathouse Lane has been acquired to accommodate everything.

Formal consultation starts on June 4th, with a driver and depot staff briefing taking place tonight.

What additional work is that for Whitby

Any changes wouldn't take effect until the late summer.

Just one thing I can square off, the same line was used about not cutting services when Stokesley and Lotus faced closure.

I just can't see them keeping a late night 63 Redcar bound and the final one back to the lakes after 11pm.

I hope another operator looks at Redcar depot.

(Yesterday, 6:31 pm)Humbletravel wrote Any changes wouldn't take effect until the late summer.

Just one thing I can square off, the same line was used about not cutting services when Stokesley and Lotus faced closure.

I just can't see them keeping a late night 63 Redcar bound and the final one back to the lakes after 11pm.

I hope another operator looks at Redcar depot.

It would have been better closing Stockton depot down and everything working out of Redcar  which would of worked just as better ?

(Yesterday, 7:02 pm)Dan manger wrote It would have been better closing Stockton depot down and everything working out of Redcar  which would have worked just as better ?

Redcar is a newer site but quite remote to the majority of Stockton operations. You can run all of Redcar’s work from Middlesbrough since the 81 went. 

I’m hearing it will happen pretty suddenly too. The good thing is that all jobs are safe with operations transferring to Stockton & Whitby.

(Yesterday, 7:10 pm)tyresmoke wrote Redcar is a newer site but quite remote to the majority of Stockton operations. You can run all of Redcar’s work from Middlesbrough since the 81 went. 

I’m hearing it will happen pretty suddenly too. The good thing is that all jobs are safe with operations transferring to Stockton & Whitby.

Can't imagine the drivers will be too keen on that though.

Assume there will be some payments to make people move as it's a fair trek. Hopefully they've learnt their lessons after the shambles of Jesmond and Chester Le Street (Gilbert being involved in that mess).

They always say services won’t be affected, then very soon after they are cut.
Can you imagine the first 5 of the day from Easington will still run, for example, if a bus is having to come through from Stockton or Whitby instead of Redcar?

(Yesterday, 7:52 pm)tvd wrote They always say services won’t be affected, then very soon after they are cut.
Can you imagine the first 5 of the day from Easington will still run, for example, if a bus is having to come through from Stockton or Whitby instead of Redcar?

The first 5 of the day starts at 4:58am and goes onto an X4 all day so that board would work out of Whitby Depot if the closure of Redcar depot is happening, Stockton drivers still have to drive light to and from Easington & Stockton depot so it’s not really just the 04:58am 5 that goes onto the X4 is the only issue

(Yesterday, 7:37 pm)Storx wrote Can't imagine the drivers will be too keen on that though.

Assume there will be some payments to make people move as it's a fair trek. Hopefully they've learnt their lessons after the shambles of Jesmond and Chester Le Street (Gilbert being involved in that mess).

Arriva, learn, i doubt it haha

It seems ridiculous to shut a depot that actually brings in a high revenue in. Especially eith its x4 and x93/4 services. Would be a shame it if it closes. But it really shouldn't close

(Yesterday, 8:29 pm)Ryland wrote It seems ridiculous to shut a depot that actually brings in a high revenue in. Especially eith its x4 and x93/4 services. Would be a shame it if it closes. But it really shouldn't close

Agree i really hope it can be saved

I think the writing was on the wall when the 81 merged with the 28 tbh, yes it's a shame but at the end of the day the entire network starts and ends in Boro now, gone are the days of any localised network in Redcar and Cleveland.

Confirmed as closing, Whitby will become a stand alone depot

I wouldn't be too suprised that down the line that the Arriva Stockton depot would probably be replaced by a newer depot (with charging points) nearer to Middlesbrough Town Centre (Riverside Park / MIddlehaven), plenty of industrial areas to build on.

What extra capacity does the Whitby site have, potentially? Not a great deal I’d imagine? And what extra services would realistically be run from there, except more / all of the X4’s?

(Yesterday, 9:28 pm)tvd wrote What extra capacity does the Whitby site have, potentially?  Not a great deal I’d imagine?  And what extra services would realistically be run from there, except more / all of the X4’s?

Probably all the x4s will be run from Whitby

What do we reckon the chances are that the X94 gets scrapped and some more boards added to the X93

(Yesterday, 9:49 pm)TransitObserver wrote What do we reckon the chances are that the X94 gets scrapped and some more boards added to the X93

Knowing Stockton stupidly thats probably will happen  there can't run the x12s  nevertheless the x94s


4501 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 will be sent to Whitby depot for the x4s

(Yesterday, 11:02 pm)YDan manger wrote Knowing Stockton stupidly thats probably will happen  there can't run the x12s  nevertheless the x94s


4501 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 will be sent to Whitby depot for the x4s

Stockton has 2 boards for the X12 actually so yeah they can run the X12s, the one that does a half a 5 at 6:28am from Easington & a half 8 at 8:13am from Netherfields then goes onto an X12 all day from 8:55am the other board which starts at M’bro bus station at 6:50am does X12s all day

(Yesterday, 11:02 pm)Dan manger wrote Knowing Stockton stupidly thats probably will happen  there can't run the x12s  nevertheless the x94s


4501 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 will be sent to Whitby depot for the x4s

I think you’d need to provide some evidence to back up your claim. They’re no worse than Redcar who used to (before the changes) consistently have 2/3/4 63s missing.

We all know there are issues maintaining double decks at Stockton. Pure speculation but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the X94 be remodelled to run from Whitby and the X93s get even busier from Middlesbrough as a result…

Internally, the messaging is the network will be unchanged. Two X4 boards will move down to Whitby and run from there (with them running 5 out of 8 boards) and everything else will run from Stockton (including the X94 as now).

Whitby will basically be an outstation of Stockton, but with a bigger maintenance facility compared to now and engineering and driver managers based down there. Stockton depot will grow with some land being bought on Boathouse Lane.

Double deckers in Stockton was raised, but they have three pits to easily maintain them on, plus any heavy maintenance can go 20 minutes down the road to Darlington if they desperately need lifting on roll on lifters.

Driver pay is also being uplifted again to £16 an hour (the last pay change was in March, but this additional one will be from Summer), funded pretty much from a chunk of the savings being made from the merge. Staff facilities at Middlesbrough and Stockton are being upgraded along with the existing Stockton Depot. Electricification plans have been drawn up to convert Stockton into a full electric superdepot. The fleet at Stockton will be over 100 vehicles, so the economies of scale compared to paying to electrify two sites is probably the biggest single driver on this.

Some managers and supervisors are at risk of redundancy (or alternative roles) and no drivers are at redundancy risk, instead an option of moving to either Stockton or Whitby and almost certainly some kind of payment to cover the increased distance.

(Today, 6:49 am)Superman wrote Internally, the messaging is the network will be unchanged. Two X4 boards will move down to Whitby and run from there (with them running 5 out of 8 boards) and everything else will run from Stockton (including the X94 as now).

Whitby will basically be an outstation of Stockton, but with a bigger maintenance facility compared to now and engineering and driver managers based down there. Stockton depot will grow with some land being bought on Boathouse Lane.

Double deckers in Stockton was raised, but they have three pits to easily maintain them on, plus any heavy maintenance can go 20 minutes down the road to Darlington if they desperately need lifting on roll on lifters.

Driver pay is also being uplifted again to £16 an hour (the last pay change was in March, but this additional one will be from Summer), funded pretty much from a chunk of the savings being made from the merge. Staff facilities at Middlesbrough and Stockton are being upgraded along with the existing Stockton Depot. Electricification plans have been drawn up to convert Stockton into a full electric superdepot. The fleet at Stockton will be over 100 vehicles, so the economies of scale compared to paying to electrify two sites is probably the biggest single driver on this.

Some managers and supervisors are at risk of redundancy (or alternative roles) and no drivers are at redundancy risk, instead an option of moving to either Stockton or Whitby and almost certainly some kind of payment to cover the increased distance.

Reading this it is starting to make more sense. 

Will Stockton receive 3 of the Evora’s for the X4 if they’re doing 3 of them boards?

Will Stockton receive 7578/9/80/81 for the X94 when Whitby get the new ones for the X93? 

The 18 E200MMC’s that Redcar were getting for the 62/63/64 are they still coming but going to Stockton instead? 

Also the Evora’s that Stockton were getting (brand new) still coming as well? 

It is sad to see what’s happening but if drivers are getting a pay increase and travel expenses covered then it’s not a bad plan especially if they plan to electrify Stockton depot.

(11 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote Reading this it is starting to make more sense. 

Will Stockton receive 3 of the Evora’s for the X4 if they’re doing 3 of them boards?

More than likely be 4 but I imagine it will be as now - all 10 classed as allocated to Stockton but rotating between Stockton and Whitby.

(11 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote Will Stockton receive 7578/9/80/81 for the X94 when Whitby get the new ones for the X93? 

More than likely

(11 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote The 18 E200MMC’s that Redcar were getting for the 62/63/64 are they still coming but going to Stockton instead? 

I'm guessing so - of course with the rumour of 7596/7 moving as well for the 63/64/65 school boards, more than likely we'll see some of them getting about a bit.

(11 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote Also the Evora’s that Stockton were getting (brand new) still coming as well? 

Likewise more than likely - given these are due to replace 1379-85/7/8 at Stockton

(10 hours ago)Kuyoyo wrote More than likely be 4 but I imagine it will be as now - all 10 classed as allocated to Stockton but rotating between Stockton and Whitby.


More than likely


I'm guessing so - of course with the rumour of 7596/7 moving as well for the 63/64/65 school boards, more than likely we'll see some of them getting about a bit.


Likewise more than likely - given these are due to replace 1379-85/7/8 at Stockton

Thanks mate. I really hope this doesn’t affect Arriva the same way it did when Jesmond closed. A lot of drivers left as they didn’t want to travel to either Blyth or Ashington and they’re still struggling from that closure to this day.

(11 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote Reading this it is starting to make more sense. 

Will Stockton receive 3 of the Evora’s for the X4 if they’re doing 3 of them boards?

Will Stockton receive 7578/9/80/81 for the X94 when Whitby get the new ones for the X93? 

The 18 E200MMC’s that Redcar were getting for the 62/63/64 are they still coming but going to Stockton instead? 

Also the Evora’s that Stockton were getting (brand new) still coming as well? 

It is sad to see what’s happening but if drivers are getting a pay increase and travel expenses covered then it’s not a bad plan especially if they plan to electrify Stockton depot.

7578 79 80 81 may go to northrumbra for winter period again like there have done until summer season starts

(7 hours ago)Dan manger wrote 7578 79 80 81 may go to northrumbra for winter period again like there have done until summer season starts

7578-7581 will probably be used as refurb floats in the winter to allow buses to go for repaint

(9 hours ago)TransitObserver wrote Thanks mate. I really hope this doesn’t affect Arriva the same way it did when Jesmond closed. A lot of drivers left as they didn’t want to travel to either Blyth or Ashington and they’re still struggling from that closure to this day.

The distances involved this time are much smaller than Newcastle to Blyth or Ashington for example. Plus, there isnt another operator in the immediate area to simply go and apply to (whereas Newcastle have Stagecoach and GNE in very close proximity). The next closest major operator is, also in Stockton.

Interestingly lots of political concern around running buses in Redcar & Cleveland from a Stockton base will be terrible and wont work etc.
They seem to forget what Stagecoach currently do with Service 1 and 2.