(13 Jun 2026, 5:36 pm)busesofthenortheast wrote It all depends on when they arrive because with Redcar depot closing they could possibly arrive at Stockton but let’s just wait and see what happens

And there won't be on any Stockton work routes 

There be on the 63 65 64s  as intended E200MMCs 18 of them  


Been told 1496 1502 will be sent to Whitby depo  

7596 97  will permanent be at Whitby including winter time tables incase they are in need of a replacement incase of a brake down 

2 deckers will also be on the 63 65 for school work

 X4s will be Evoras  as intended  as lites aren't sutble for the route

X3 x2 62 will be pulsars or possibly a E200MMC

(13 Jun 2026, 7:40 pm)Dan manger wrote And there won't be on any Stockton work routes 

There be on the 63 65 64s  as intended E200MMCs  18 of them  


Been told 1496 1502 will be sent to Whitby depo  

7596 97  will permanent be at Whitby including winter time tables incase they are in need of a replacement incase of a brake down 

2 deckers will also be on the 63 65 for school work

 X4s will be Evoras  as intended  as lites aren't sutble for the route

X3 x2 62  will be pulsars  or possibly a E200MMC

If there are two deckers going on the 63/64/65 circuit then how can they all be based at Whitby? Explain how you’d get Whitby drivers to operate those without a huge cost. 
With two boards being DD operated I think we all know the two spare E200s will go elsewhere, and will end up on a mix of work. I’d assume the X4 fleet will probably rotate as they do now without a fixed allocation.

(13 Jun 2026, 8:52 pm)tyresmoke wrote If there are two deckers going on the 63/64/65 circuit then how can they all be based at Whitby? Explain how you’d get Whitby drivers to operate those without a huge cost. 
With two boards being DD operated I think we all know the two spare E200s will go elsewhere, and will end up on a mix of work. I’d assume the X4 fleet will probably rotate as they do now without a fixed allocation.

 The spare  deckers 7578 79 80 81 
Obviously  two will more than likely go to Ashington like always for The winter period  that's where the other 2 would fit in to the 63 65 cycle for the schoolars


7726 31 will be allocated to the x93s  as by then the b9s should be at Ashington by then 


U normally also get two deckers on the 62s so I wouldn't be surprised if that's 7598.99 during the winter months

(13 Jun 2026, 11:26 pm)Dan manger wrote  The spare  deckers 7578 79 80 81 
Obviously  two will more than likely go to Ashington like always for The winter period  that's where the other 2 would fit in to the 63 65 cycle for the schoolars


7726 31 will be allocated to the x93s  as by then the b9s should be at Ashington by then 


U normally also get two deckers on the 62s so I wouldn't be surprised if that's 7598.99 during the winter months

I have it on authority from people in positions within the company where the decisions are made (and very likely Tyresmoke has similar information), that the deckers for the 63 are 7596 and 7597 - not to say of course once the X94 and Park & Ride finishes for the winter, others appear on there. With the clearance to use the deckers on 63 boards (naturally except those that work any X2 X3 or X4A trips), the likelihood of deckers appearing on the 62 will probably be minimum if ever.

(13 Jun 2026, 3:36 pm)Shrek wrote Looking at a post on LinkedIn from one of the partners at the launch, they seem to be suggesting they will be on the roads next week.

The last information I heard was similar as that posted above by Olympian - another infrastructure issue has delayed the roll out again.

(14 Jun 2026, 11:04 am)PH - BQA wrote The last information I heard was similar as that posted above by Olympian - another infrastructure issue has delayed the roll out again.

Sounds like this is an issue for a lot of companies, not just bus companies. I can understand why a lot of people are reluctant to go electric when the infrastructure is clearly so far behind schedule and not enough investment or available companies to do the work quickly.

If bustimes is to be believed, 7726 has entered service on the 09:45 X94.

(14 Jun 2026, 11:17 am)Shrek wrote Sounds like this is an issue for a lot of companies, not just bus companies. I can understand why a lot of people are reluctant to go electric when the infrastructure is clearly so far behind schedule and not enough investment or available companies to do the work quickly.

Could be a bustimes error, it would be a strange one, but 8007 has started to track on a 43 as of 20 minutes ago. If correct it’s replaced 7558 at Morpeth. 

Odd to only have one out as of midday if there were no issues - given majority of these have been at Blyth and ready for service for some time now.

https://flic.kr/p/2siN1VD

8007 first day in service

(Yesterday, 1:00 pm)Nerd4321 wrote https://flic.kr/p/2siN1VD

8007 first day in service

Onto the wrong route after just one journey on the 43, couldn’t make it up! 

Complete incompetence.

(Yesterday, 2:08 pm)PH - BQA wrote Onto the wrong route after just one journey on the 43, couldn’t make it up! 

Complete incompetence.

Funnily enough, because that is what the board it’s allocated to does - 43/44/45 until 1400 then an X9 to Blyth, X7 to Newcastle, X11 back to Blyth, X8 back to Newcastle then a 45 to Dinnington returning as a 44 then back to Blyth as an X8 to finish. Short of having a major rewrite of the boards at this short notice, you’ll probably see them on other routes that are on 43 boards until the next rota change up there.

(Yesterday, 4:26 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Funnily enough, because that is what the board it’s allocated to does - 43/44/45 until 1400 then an X9 to Blyth, X7 to Newcastle, X11 back to Blyth, X8 back to Newcastle then a 45 to Dinnington returning as a 44 then back to Blyth as an X8 to finish. Short of having a major rewrite of the boards at this short notice, you’ll probably see them on other routes that are on 43 boards until the next rota change up there.

Apparently they were told that had to be sorted before they went into service and was put forward clearly to the management. No shock it hasn't been done, they know there'll be no comeback from the Mayor's office.

(Yesterday, 4:26 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Funnily enough, because that is what the board it’s allocated to does - 43/44/45 until 1400 then an X9 to Blyth, X7 to Newcastle, X11 back to Blyth, X8 back to Newcastle then a 45 to Dinnington returning as a 44 then back to Blyth as an X8 to finish. Short of having a major rewrite of the boards at this short notice, you’ll probably see them on other routes that are on 43 boards until the next rota change up there.

This is actually intentional, as they don't have the capacity for scholars services (which are linked to the 43/44/45 cycle), so they need to send the EV onto a different cycle to allow the diesel alternative to pick up the schools.

Arriva have lost two of the four schools from September, because they won't have the capacity needed.

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(Yesterday, 6:09 pm)Shrek wrote Apparently they were told that had to be sorted before they went into service and was put forward clearly to the management. No shock it hasn't been done, they know there'll be no comeback from the Mayor's office.

This just isn't true.

But, pretending that it is, the argument still doesn't stack up. There is absolutely nothing in the ZEBRA agreement that stipulates the services it must run on. Yes, they are earmarked for the 43/44/45 and likely spend most of their time on that cycle, but ultimately they don't need to run them on there contractually.

The only requirement of the funding is a minimum mileage or number of years running in the region ( whichever comes first).

(Yesterday, 6:10 pm)Superman wrote

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This just isn't true.

But, pretending that it is, the argument still doesn't stack up. There is absolutely nothing in the ZEBRA agreement that stipulates the services it must run on. Yes, they are earmarked for the 43/44/45 and likely spend most of their time on that cycle, but ultimately they don't need to run them on there contractually.

The only requirement of the funding is a minimum mileage or number of years running in the region ( whichever comes first).

I can categorically say that they have been told in writing that they had to be run on the 43/44/45 and the interworking was supposed to have been changed in March. I guess it is possible Arriva kicked back on it saying it wasn't part of the agreement (I'm not privvy to any further correspondence), but I can guarantee they were given those instructions in writing.

(Yesterday, 6:27 pm)Shrek wrote I can categorically say that they have been told in writing that they had to be run on the 43/44/45 and the interworking was supposed to have been changed in March. I guess it is possible Arriva kicked back on it saying it wasn't part of the agreement (I'm not privvy to any further correspondence), but I can guarantee they were given those instructions in writing.

Yeah, NECA don't get involved at that kind of detail level. They can request, with reasonable expectation, that the buses run on those services majority of the time, especially as both parties put those routes forward. That is fair and reasonable.

They certainly cannot instruct a private company on an interworking pattern though, it's absolutely not within their remit to do so. The interworking pattern in place now, only started as it is in March, as that was the original live date for the EV's.

If they have written demanding that level of operational detail, I'm not surprised it's been ignored.

(Yesterday, 4:26 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Funnily enough, because that is what the board it’s allocated to does - 43/44/45 until 1400 then an X9 to Blyth, X7 to Newcastle, X11 back to Blyth, X8 back to Newcastle then a 45 to Dinnington returning as a 44 then back to Blyth as an X8 to finish. Short of having a major rewrite of the boards at this short notice, you’ll probably see them on other routes that are on 43 boards until the next rota change up there.

You do realise these have been in the pipeline for years don't you? The boards should have been ready to go, it's not as if the buses snuck up on them. 

The board shenanigans aside, there are still multiple boards which exclusively operate the 43/44/45 (check 1578, 7522, 7524 as three I found within 30 seconds) . Given they pushed out one token bus, it really wouldn't have been hard to get it onto one of the boards that do the routes which:

A) The funding was awarded for.
B) All publicity has been focused around. 

Also, I believe the bus was swapped between boards on arrival at Blyth today - it should have gone back to Newcastle as an X9 (i.e what 1390 did last Monday, 1493 last Tuesday, and 1501 last Thursday), and therefore not seeing a 43/44/45 again for the rest of the day.

I had my first trip on a 26-plate MMC today, and they're still failing to get the basics right with these. No NSAs were working (across the one I was on, and the two I saw), and the rear destinations are still not programmed correctly. CCTV screen at the bottom of the stairs was showing the doors rather than the upstairs seating which it is designed to do.

God knows they need the BYDs in service though. 7506 was driving around with what appeared to be all N/S rear lights out, and clear accident damage to the front corner. Some of the Pulsars are a right state too, 1493 especially continues to look as bad as it has for the best part of a decade.

(Yesterday, 9:13 pm)PH - BQA wrote I had my first trip on a 26-plate MMC today, and they're still failing to get the basics right with these. No NSAs were working (across the one I was on, and the two I saw), and the rear destinations are still not programmed correctly. CCTV screen at the bottom of the stairs was showing the doors rather than the upstairs seating which it is designed to do.

God knows they need the BYDs in service though. 7506 was driving around with what appeared to be all N/S rear lights out, and clear accident damage to the front corner. Some of the Pulsars are a right state too, 1493 especially continues to look as bad as it has for the best part of a decade.

Never seen someone complain about a new bus so much

Didn't see you doing this when GNE new buses entered service. Half were missing back dest. A lot of the nsa didn't work. Complaining about a camera is a bit odd cause its "just showing the front door". 

Then you seem to go on a rant about Arriva fleet looking awful. Point to a bus in the gne fleet that looks smart. In fact look at all 14 coasters that have missing branding or miss colour panels. Look at half of Slatyford fleet for stagecoach running round with missing stickers for the new livery or some running round with the wrong panels. Take a look at GCT fleet who a company who have nsa implemented on 3 buses (that being the 3 26 regs) and tell me why aint they working. Oh and also dont forget about the constant gaffer tape on there buses

You can't sit here and take pot shots at Arriva for this then stay silent on the other company's. Its a bit odd and confusing. Yeah this maybe a discussion fourm but it seems Arriva have hurt you in the past and have decided to rant about them over and over again. Take a look at the rest of the north east and tell me everything thats wrong cause trust me it aint just Arriva who have buses running round looking like a state

(11 hours ago)Nerd4321 wrote Never seen someone complain about a new bus so much

Didn't see you doing this when GNE new buses entered service. Half were missing back dest. A lot of the nsa didn't work. Complaining about a camera is a bit odd cause its "just showing the front door". 

Then you seem to go on a rant about Arriva fleet looking awful. Point to a bus in the gne fleet that looks smart. In fact look at all 14 coasters that have missing branding or miss colour panels. Look at half of Slatyford fleet for stagecoach running round with missing stickers for the new livery or some running round with the wrong panels. Take a look at GCT fleet who a company who have nsa implemented on 3 buses (that being the 3 26 regs) and tell me why aint they working. Oh and also dont forget about the constant gaffer tape on there buses

You can't sit here and take pot shots at Arriva for this then stay silent on the other company's. Its a bit odd and confusing. Yeah this maybe a discussion fourm but it seems Arriva have hurt you in the past and have decided to rant about them over and over again. Take a look at the rest of the north east and tell me everything thats wrong cause trust me it aint just Arriva who have buses running round looking like a state

Once again, this is literally a forum to discuss the new vehicles. Point out a single thing I’ve posted which is factually incorrect. 

As for the rest of your ramble, it looks like you’ve conveniently ignored my extensive posts criticising Stagecoach and their inadequate scheduling and vehicle standards - to the point that I no longer commute with them (there are also plenty of posts from myself criticising GNE if you’d bothered to look). Regardless though, I’m unsure why you think I must criticise the other operators? For many people on this forum and in this region ANE are their local operator, and so it would stand to reason that they have far more visibility on their operations than either of the other two large companies. Obviously they’re therefore far better positioned to comment on the failings of Arriva than GNE or Stagecoach, let alone GCT.