(01 Sep 2025, 1:09 pm)Storx wrote Aye that's fairs wasn't aware how quick it was to get one to hook it up. 

Can confirm it has been sighted out and about today, assume for driver familiarisation.

Was thinking.....but would be great to see the last one delivered in NMS livery - in time to mark 30 years (1996) since Cowie/Arriva in Northumbria and 40 years since NMS was formed.

(03 Sep 2025, 3:04 pm)PH - BQA wrote Can confirm it has been sighted out and about today, assume for driver familiarisation.

Still hasn't tracked in service. Not sure what services they are putting it on, but I'd love to see it. Hopefully it will be in service in the near future.

(04 Sep 2025, 10:38 am)OrangeArrow49 wrote Still hasn't tracked in service. Not sure what services they are putting it on, but I'd love to see it. Hopefully it will be in service in the near future.

It’s to be based at Blyth and used on the 43/44/45 and their associated scholars

(06 Sep 2025, 9:46 pm)220631612 wrote It’s to be based at Blyth and used on the 43/44/45 and their associated scholars

Has it been on the 43/44/45 yet? It hasn't tracked on Bustimes. Associated scholars? 693 and 699?

Thanks. Really hope I get to see it.

ADL's Arriva Arrival


https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpbsp/54769562815/


Here we see one of the five Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV seed vehicles that have been supplied to the major groups by ADL to give the group a long-term demonstrator of the model.


DM01-MD (AR74 ZEB) is seen here at rest in Arriva Northumbria Blyth depot, with the angle of the shot gained over an 8/9 foot brick wall. Being tall has it's advantages sometimes  .


DM01-MD (AR74 ZEB) has arrived from Arriva Midlands where she has been in use since late last year.

Wonder with this new electric bus Blyth will have to be more strict with their allocations. I think some of the 43/;44/45 boards work onto other services at the moment though.

(07 Sep 2025, 5:19 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Wonder with this new electric bus Blyth will have to be more strict with their allocations. I think some of the 43/;44/45 boards work onto other services at the moment though.

As long as all the 43/44/45 journeys are covered and not at the expense of other services, Arriva should be fine.

Wouldn't surprise me if some of the other evening and possibly Sundays services at Blyth see use of these.

On a separate note - with expensive fuel bills eliminated and the assets there to use, could be an opportunuty to introduce some night services with some support & backing from NECA

(01 Sep 2025, 11:50 am)citaro5284 wrote These companies now have portable chargers, so I think it will be able to be ran from Ashington if required.

Also, I notice it is one of the vehicles ADL built for the big four - Stagecoach, First, Arriva and Go Ahead as it has the ZEB registration on it so probably doing the rounds.

Big 5. National Express got one too

SC74ZEB
AR74ZEB
GA74ZEB
FB74ZEB 
NX74ZEB

Has AR74 ZEB been out yet on the 43/44/45? Tracking as Blyth spare or not, does anyone know?

Thanks.

(08 Sep 2025, 2:43 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Has AR74 ZEB been out yet on the 43/44/45? Tracking as Blyth spare or not, does anyone know?

Thanks.

According to bustimes under its own fleet number it hasnt been out

https://bustimes.org/operators/arriva-no...a/vehicles

(08 Sep 2025, 2:43 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Has AR74 ZEB been out yet on the 43/44/45? Tracking as Blyth spare or not, does anyone know?

Thanks.

No, sufficient numbers of drivers will need to be familiarised before it’s out in service, from experience at Stagecoach the company are likely to enforce a strict electric familiarisation package as the whole feel of driving is totally different

(09 Sep 2025, 10:32 am)Teessider2014 wrote No, sufficient numbers of drivers will need to be familiarised before it’s out in service, from experience at Stagecoach the company are likely to enforce a strict electric familiarisation package as the whole feel of driving is totally different

Disappointing though that a vehicle is just standing around waiting for drivers to be familiarised when it could be on the road.

Maybe a better solution would have been to train a few drivers and keep it on a certain running board and even maybe restrict it to a limited number of hours and swap drivers duties around

(08 Sep 2025, 2:43 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Has AR74 ZEB been out yet on the 43/44/45? Tracking as Blyth spare or not, does anyone know?

Thanks.

It's currently out on the 306 tracking as 7607.

(09 Sep 2025, 4:06 pm)Shrek wrote It's currently out on the 306 tracking as 7607.

Has it been tracking as 7607 for days or just today? Always going to be on Bustimes as 7607? Be good to see it.

Driver on the 19:00 X11 said today was its first day.

(09 Sep 2025, 10:49 am)citaro5284 wrote Disappointing though that a vehicle is just standing around waiting for drivers to be familiarised when it could be on the road.

Maybe a better solution would have been to train a few drivers and keep it on a certain running board and even maybe restrict it to a limited number of hours and swap drivers duties around

While agree that having a bus sitting around doing nothing useful is not good, perhaps there has been some static training/familiarisation? From my observations, Blyth drivers operate all routes the deport serves, so it would make sense to maximise training on EVs for all drivers.

(09 Sep 2025, 8:22 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Driver on the 19:00 X11 said today was its first day.

Hopefully I'll see it soon. Northumbria got it for 2 or 3 months?

When it's on the 43/44/45, it won't actually be in Blyth, unlike today on the X9 and X11. Be interesting to ride it.

(09 Sep 2025, 8:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Hopefully I'll see it soon. Northumbria got it for 2 or 3 months?

When it's on the 43/44/45, it won't actually be in Blyth, unlike today on the X9 and X11. Be interesting to ride it.

Not sure myself if it is 2 or 3 months, but the person who added it to Bustimes has said 2 months, but can't confirm myself.

Although today was its first day in public use, it has been on the road driver training other days. Saw it last Friday doing that I think.

(09 Sep 2025, 9:55 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Not sure myself if it is 2 or 3 months, but the person who added it to Bustimes has said 2 months, but can't confirm myself.

Although today was its first day in public use, it has been on the road driver training other days. Saw it last Friday doing that I think.

Thanks. 2 months isn't long, so I might not get many photos. Definitely ride it when I know it's on. Where do you recommend to photo it and ride it?

Find it easier when buses track. So I didn't go looking for it on driver training.

(09 Sep 2025, 11:08 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thanks. 2 months isn't long, so I might not get many photos. Definitely ride it when I know it's on. Where do you recommend to photo it and ride it?

Find it easier when buses track. So I didn't go looking for it on driver training.

Depends if it will be used on lots of different services like today. 

If used on all Blyth services I think a good ride would be from Newcastle to Cramlington on either X9, X10 or X11. That way you get the fast sections to see how it performs on the A1 Dual Carriageway. Cramlington to Blyth is mostly slow apart from the bit between Boghouses and Bebside on the X9. X7 and X8 don't have any dual carriageway and the 306/308 are all stops with the only fast bit Seaton Sluice to Blyth on the 308. 43/44/45 are mostly slow services. The best bit of these routes would be the section on the 43 from Cramlington to Morpeth. Some good fast parts and hills around too. X7 Blyth to Seghill is not too bad a journey either.

Again if used on all services, the most scenic location for photos would be anywhere along the coast between Whitley Bay and Blyth on the 308, or the X7 does the same section between Blyth and Seaton Sluice Roundabout and then there are some more scenic bits on the X7 past Seaton Deleval Hall. There is also the X9 around Northumberlandia or the 43 in Morpeth.

If it does just stick to 43/44/45 definitely the Morpeth section would be best. It is slow going all the way to Morpeth from Newcastle on the 43 but there are express services available for the return. 

All services serve Haymarket though so that would be the best option for ease and convinience.

It's out again today tracking as 7607.

(09 Sep 2025, 11:08 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thanks. 2 months isn't long, so I might not get many photos. Definitely ride it when I know it's on. Where do you recommend to photo it and ride it?

Find it easier when buses track. So I didn't go looking for it on driver training.

Cramlington Manor Walks, is the best place, as it's the only place where it's going to hit, eventually, unless it's on the 306/308 boards.

It'll be impossible to work out where it'll be otherwise as Blyth regulate like hell so there's no way possible to tell where it'll end up. It's already been regulated off the X7/X8/X10/X11 interworking onto the X9 today, for instance.

(10 Sep 2025, 10:59 am)Storx wrote Cramlington Manor Walks, is the best place, as it's the only place where it's going to hit, eventually, unless it's on the 306/308 boards.

It'll be impossible to work out where it'll be otherwise as Blyth regulate like hell so there's no way possible to tell where it'll end up. It's already been regulated off the X7/X8/X10/X11 interworking onto the X9 today, for instance.

Thanks, Storx. Cramlington makes sense if Blyth are putting it on the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11, and it's good for passengers they regulate like hell. I thought it was meant to be going on the 43/44/45.

Of course, likewise Haymarket and Regent Centre (which also covers if they move it onto the 306/308, can easily catch a bus or the Metro to Haymarket from Regent Centre). Been on a 306 before from Whitley Bay, that changed into an X11 at Haymarket.

I've had it suggested to me that this one might spend more time on Blyth services in order to see how they work on the x services, looking ahead for future investment. 

Something I noticed on the order for the 43/44/45, the original plan was funding for 13 double and one single decker. Looking at the LinkedIn post, it appears that has changed to 14 BYD doubles now.

(10 Sep 2025, 10:53 pm)Shrek wrote I've had it suggested to me that this one might spend more time on Blyth services in order to see how they work on the x services, looking ahead for future investment. 

Something I noticed on the order for the 43/44/45, the original plan was funding for 13 double and one single decker. Looking at the LinkedIn post, it appears that has changed to 14 BYD doubles now.

Are Durham not due some electrics, thought I seen something a while back they had got some funding for X46 and something else.  Was that not for 14?

(11 Sep 2025, 6:19 am)citaro5284 wrote Are Durham not due some electrics, thought I seen something a while back they had got some funding for X46 and something else.  Was that not for 14?

I know Durham are due some, I'm not sure what they are getting. But apparently it's confirmed the BYD on the LinkedIn post are heading to Blyth.

Arriva electric seen today at Seaton Sluice, showing NIS. Appears to be on driver familiarisation. Reg. No. AR74 ZEB  Fleet No? (Below rear window) DM01-MD

Apologies, pictures upside down.

anyone else turned their phone upside down and the screen goes from portrait to landscape ???

(11 Sep 2025, 7:21 am)Shrek wrote I know Durham are due some, I'm not sure what they are getting. But apparently it's confirmed the BYD on the LinkedIn post are heading to Blyth.

Durham expected to receive 14 of their own too.
For services X46/48 and 64.