(18 Nov 2025, 6:37 pm)L469 YVK wrote I wouldn't be surprised either.

Maybe you're right about the 308 too. 

Until 2019 when Martijn unleashed the reigns to try and shake the 'secondary image' off the 309 - GNE made money the following ways:

* Cobalt peak times - wouldn't be unusual to see fully loaded 309 & X39 deckers especially before Utilitywise collapsed

* High Farm on the 310

Everything else on both routes was a bonus. GNE weren't too bothered about making the 309 more attractive over the 308.

GNE did put a dent into the 308 in March 2019 - but wasn't sustainable long term as they couldn't maximise driving hours due to the remote reliefs. GNE eventually realised they could ditch the 57 and merge Hadrian Park (311) into the traditional Coast Road corridor.

This would've put Arriva at advantage with the 308 if covid didn't happen having the 15 minute service to Blyth & North Tyneside over GNE's 20 minute frequency.

Yeah it's a funny old corridor, arguably the only corridor which there's only been any form of competition in the last 10 year really aswell. 

Who knows, and we'll never find out but I can remember Dan chipping in years ago saying that it wasn't great around COVID time - but then again nothing was then tbh.

Ashington currently missing 7 of the 20 X21/X22 boards. At least one 1 hour gap in services which should run every 20 minutes.

X22 alone is missing 3 of the 7 buses, or in other words they’re dropping 43% of trips. The 0704/0729 (16 late starting, so pointless)/0809/0839/0939/1039/1059 trips have all been cancelled and it’s not even lunchtime.

This is all excluding the trips dropped due to late running because of the weather, too.

Two separate buses have also failed on the 777.

They’ve had months to rectify this and nothing is being done, a masterclass in incompetent management. I remember posts on here saying that engineering management have changed - clearly it’s made zero difference, as the standards have got no better.

The late running is not helped by the vehicle situation as normally if vehicles are available they would swap at Ashington and send out a fresh vehicle but there hasn't been the availability to do so so the 57A ran 30 minutes late.

Normally the mini solo's I have not been a fan of, but I hope 2601 and 2 stick around for a while as without them there would not be enough vehicles for the 57 and 57A, and some of the other vehicles have been so poor. 7506 absolutely freezing!!! At least 2601 and 2 have heating on them! So they are actu8ally quite comfy at the moment!

Was just looking at something else but anyone know what's going on here, as that ain't going under there...

(19 Nov 2025, 11:22 am)PH - BQA wrote Ashington currently missing 7 of the 20 X21/X22 boards. At least one 1 hour gap in services which should run every 20 minutes.

X22 alone is missing 3 of the 7 buses, or in other words they’re dropping 43% of trips. The 0704/0729 (16 late starting, so pointless)/0809/0839/0939/1039/1059 trips have all been cancelled and it’s not even lunchtime.

This is all excluding the trips dropped due to late running because of the weather, too.

Two separate buses have also failed on the 777.

They’ve had months to rectify this and nothing is being done, a masterclass in incompetent management. I remember posts on here saying that engineering management have changed - clearly it’s made zero difference, as the standards have got no better.

It’s getting worse. Currently only 3/7 X22 boards out on the road, and only 9/13 X21/35s. 

Multiple one hour gaps in the X22 in particular. 

The allocations also don’t help - 7528, 7533, and 7554 all on the X18 today while MMCs crawl around on the 57. 

Operational supervisors clearly massively out of their depth, even in good weather they’re questionable but they continued to send X15s up/down the A1 this morning despite the journeys an hour previous being stuck. 

They chose to drop the 0704 X22 this morning, as usual, then sent the 0729 away late and it didn’t even make it to the second timing point resulting in a 70 minute gap in the morning peak.

Edit: 7528 has failed for the second day in a row on the X18, replaced by 1576. Yet another X22 missing.

Arriva tend to prioritise all of the contracted services, which I guess is because they don't want to be fined for missed trips. In many cases it makes sense, like the 57A and 777 are just hourly anyway, but when it gets to that stage that they are missing so many other trips, it really has an impact.

They should hire in some buses like GNE did earlier this year if things are this bad. Then they can spend time fixing buses which have been off the road for ages like 1497 and 7564.

7609 is at bliyth for parts only for the other db300s

Just got a text off my mate who uses the 44 5 days per week and has only been on a new electric bus twice! He has just said there is one on the 308? I thought these were only for the 43.44.45 and the x7 and x8?

(09 Apr 2026, 2:38 pm)Rob44 wrote Just got a text off my mate who uses the 44 5 days per week and has only been on a new electric bus twice!  He has just said there is one on the 308?  I thought these were only for the 43.44.45 and the x7 and x8?

The new BYD electric buses for the 43,44 and 45 aren't in service yet. It sounds like May is when they'll start when all the infrastructure is in place in the depot.

The Enviro 400EV demonstrator is still at Blyth. It's had the odd run on the 43 etc but is generally on the X7/X8/306/308.

(09 Apr 2026, 4:10 pm)Shrek wrote The new BYD electric buses for the 43,44 and 45 aren't in service yet. It sounds like May is when they'll start when all the infrastructure is in place in the depot.

The Enviro 400EV demonstrator is still at Blyth. It's had the odd run on the 43 etc but is generally on the X7/X8/306/308.

Im assuming May 10th maybe as the 43 timetable suggests it wont do the 448 anymore as someone mentioned the journeys that terminate at Bedlington wont happen anymore

(09 Apr 2026, 5:47 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Im assuming May 10th maybe as the 43 timetable suggests it wont do the 448 anymore as someone mentioned the journeys that terminate at Bedlington wont happen anymore

448 will be operated by Ashington.

7551 at Blyth last 2 days.

(10 Apr 2026, 3:02 pm)Arriva7446 wrote 7551 at Blyth last 2 days.

Hopefully a trial to see if it can operate from there, rather than them heading South. 

Those, plus the 6 new ones, plus the 2 72 Plates, already there, would be a nice upgrade for the X7/X8/X10/X11 which are desperate for something better. The 61 Plates DB300's running the 306/308/X9. Be a decent upgrade for Blyth really.

Be better than 6 new buses and whatever crap they can find elsewhere.

(13 Apr 2026, 8:29 pm)Storx wrote Hopefully a trial to see if it can operate from there, rather than them heading South. 

Those, plus the 6 new ones, plus the 2 72 Plates, already there, would be a nice upgrade for the X7/X8/X10/X11 which are desperate for something better. The 61 Plates DB300's running the 306/308/X9. Be a decent upgrade for Blyth really.

Be better than 6 new buses and whatever crap they can find elsewhere.

Ashington engineering have absolutely massacred the reliability of the 17-plate batch over the past 6 months or so, almost like they've been told they're moving elsewhere. From a batch which were pretty strong performers it's fairly common now for over half to be VOR on any given day. There are some which still seem fairly good, but some of them are up there with the Pulsars in how bad they are - 7545 one prime example.

(13 Apr 2026, 8:59 pm)PH - BQA wrote Ashington engineering have absolutely massacred the reliability of the 17-plate batch over the past 6 months or so, almost like they've been told they're moving elsewhere. From a batch which were pretty strong performers it's fairly common now for over half to be VOR on any given day. There are some which still seem fairly good, but some of them are up there with the Pulsars in how bad they are - 7545 one prime example.

Is there anything Ashington hasn't broke lately; sure a bit a Blyth magic will fix them.

It's arguably better than the alternative which is no doubt the 14/64 Plate E400's which Ashington have also ruined but there's a few of them which really are useless. Noticed a fair few 64 Plates have been spending their time on the 57/57A the past week or so.

(13 Apr 2026, 9:02 pm)Storx wrote Is there anything Ashington hasn't broke lately; sure a bit a Blyth magic will fix them.

It's arguably better than the alternative which is no doubt the 14/64 Plate E400's which Ashington have also ruined but there's a few of them which really are useless. Noticed a fair few 64 Plates have been spending their time on the 57/57A the past week or so.

The way that Ashington have looked after the 14/64/15 plates is a disgrace. 7530 alone should see the entire engineering team fired, it's been problematic for years and they're no closer to getting it right - even before the 72-plates arrived, just check how often it was pictured away from the X18/in the depot (/general lack of photos of it) in 2021. 

I'd not be so sure on "Blyth magic" either, given the state of some of the things they have running around. Quite a few of their sheds were sent on loan to Ashington and rejected even by them for how bad they were. 

Ultimately all comes down to the standards set by local management which, as I have said for years and years, is absolutely horrific. There are people employed in high positions at that company who would struggle to get a job anywhere else, let alone at the level they operate at.

(13 Apr 2026, 9:17 pm)PH - BQA wrote The way that Ashington have looked after the 14/64/15 plates is a disgrace. 7530 alone should see the entire engineering team fired, it's been problematic for years and they're no closer to getting it right - even before the 72-plates arrived, just check how often it was pictured away from the X18/in the depot (/general lack of photos of it) in 2021. 

I'd not be so sure on "Blyth magic" either, given the state of some of the things they have running around. Quite a few of their sheds were sent on loan to Ashington and rejected even by them for how bad they were. 

Ultimately all comes down to the standards set by local management which, as I have said for years and years, is absolutely horrific. There are people employed in high positions at that company who would struggle to get a job anywhere else, let alone at the level they operate at.

Honestly can't disagree with any of that tbf.

Mind that said, you could say Blyth were playing their cards right. I'd be sending my crap to Ashington aswell; less work for a week, since the most troublesome ones ironically aren't originally their vehicles (rightfully or wrong).

Standards are shocking though; it always has been tbh; especially the days of the East Lancs Cityzens running around leaking like a sieve and absolutely wreaking of mould. Looking back wouldn't want to know what you were breathing in on those things tbh.

(13 Apr 2026, 9:24 pm)Storx wrote Honestly can't disagree with any of that tbf.

Mind that said, you could say Blyth were playing their cards right. I'd be sending my crap to Ashington aswell; less work for a week, since the most troublesome ones ironically aren't originally their vehicles (rightfully or wrong).

Standards are shocking though; it always has been tbh; especially the days of the East Lancs Cityzens running around leaking like a sieve and absolutely wreaking of mould. Looking back wouldn't want to know what you were breathing in on those things tbh.

Makes you wonder after so much decline and so many cut backs if they even went to run the business? Shocking to think what Northumbria was and how it’s been run down from 8 (Berwick, Alnwick, Morpeth, Ashington, Blyth, Whitley Bay, Jesmond & Hexham) to two

Arriva northumbria decker mmc involved in the incident bus vs hgv

(14 Apr 2026, 5:14 pm)Ryland wrote Arriva northumbria decker mmc involved in the incident bus vs hgv

It was 7549 I have seen photos  decker is an easy fix  but no im not allowed to share the photo from the owner

Main thing is hopefully no one was injured 

 Replace cover will probably be Stockton as there have a few sat around doring nothing

(14 Apr 2026, 9:30 pm)Dan manger wrote It was 7549 I have seen photos  decker is an easy fix  but no im not allowed to share the photo from the owner

Main thing is hopefully no one was injured 

 Replace cover will probably be Stockton as there have a few sat around doring nothing

If 7549 need anything to replace it while it gets repaired it be more likely be a bus from Blyth not Stockton because Ashington already has a Stockton pulsar on loan which is 1456

Having seen a photo of 7549, the damage is minimal - literally, the front windscreen is slightly cracked where the impact presumably happened. I can't see it being off for very long unless further damage is noticed during the likely inspection.