(23 Nov 2025, 4:23 pm)Bob5666 wrote 1499 is in a terbble state fair worst than i have seen anywhere else in the north east

Yeah it is. All cushions old and scruffy and collapsed. Needs new cushions.

(23 Nov 2025, 7:59 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Yeah it is. All cushions old and scruffy and collapsed. Needs new cushions.

For a bus which is almost exclusively used on a hospital contract, which staff are encouraged to use to commute, it’s an absolute disgrace. 

Multiple seats are covered in thick black dirt, from memory the back row has a couple of cushions which are heavily soiled. This should be getting picked up on initial use checks. 

The general cleanliness on the rest of it isn’t much better, grime on the sidewalls and on the seat handles. Floor doesn’t look like it’s seen a proper clean in years. If I’m using it to commute it tends to be on one of its first trips of the day so, unless everyone each day has gone through a field before getting on, all of this dirt is carrying over and it isn’t leaving the depot clean each morning.

Theres rumors going around stating that the B9's are planned to leave Redcar and replaced by more 72 plate E400MMC's. Is there any truth in this. They still have a long life left in them.

I know theres going to be 2 E400MMC's being customized and transferred over to Whitby for the Park & Ride which I'm surprised they don't just use 2 B9's for it and use the transferred E400's on the X93. Also, they could be thrown on 62 duties which frees up some single deckers to be spare or for other services.

(26 Nov 2025, 9:51 pm)Mike_98 wrote Theres rumors going around stating that the B9's are planned to leave Redcar and replaced by more 72 plate E400MMC's. Is there any truth in this. They still have a long life left in them.

I know theres going to be 2 E400MMC's being customized and transferred over to Whitby for the Park & Ride which I'm surprised they don't just use 2 B9's for it and use the transferred E400's on the X93. Also, they could be thrown on 62 duties which frees up some single deckers to be spare or for other services.

Its true i herd the same x93 will be fully mmcs all year around castcade the b9s to easier work  and its brand new deckers whitby getting i also been inform

(26 Nov 2025, 10:37 pm)Bob5666 wrote Its true i herd the same x93 will be fully mmcs all year around castcade the b9s to easier work  and its brand new deckers whitby getting i also been inform

any reason why the B9s are being moved from the NE? seems quite odd, considering theyre barely 11 years old. unless, of course, there is a limited storage of parts.

(27 Nov 2025, 2:29 pm)TechnicallyTurkish wrote any reason why the B9s are being moved from the NE? seems quite odd, considering theyre barely 11 years old. unless, of course, there is a limited storage of parts.

There starting to become a issue on relbilty for sevice x93 number of brakes down  which is leading the sevice to be cancled so  there investing in the x93 for once.instend of elsewhere

(27 Nov 2025, 3:31 pm)Bob5666 wrote There starting to become a issue on relbilty for sevice x93 number of brakes down  which is leading the sevice to be cancled so  there investing in the x93 for once.instend of elsewhere

aye, makes sense then. always been a burden those B9s. wonder if theyll ever be repainted either; highly doubt it atp. i reckon theyre gonna head somewhere down south after those MMCs come in.

Just spotted this post on Facebook from a councillor for Pegswood Ward, confirming a new engineering manager at Ashington and the new buses for 2026

? Update on Arriva Bus Services ?

Today I met with Arriva to discuss the ongoing issues with driver shortages and bus breakdowns meaning an unacceptable service of the 35 bus.

To their credit, they were open and honest, acknowledging that the current situation is simply not good enough. I left with them every single bit of correspondence I have had on this matter.

There is a lot to process so I have bullet pointed the best I can:

They have improved pay and conditions and have recruited more drivers.
They admitted that an aging fleet has caused problems, with buses not running
They are looking at the bus timetable to build in "more slack" so that buses do not run late and therefore there is not a knock in effect for other services.
Previously, one engineer manager covered two depots, which meant maintenance suffered. In the coming weeks, Ashington Depot (home of the 35 bus) will have its own dedicated engineer manager.
More staff have also been recruited to work on the buses.
For children who are receiving detentions, I have been advised that if you contact school and ask them to contact Arriva they will ensure the school are aware of the issues they are having.

I asked for a realistic timeline for improvements, as I don’t want to give false hope. Arriva assured me that residents should start to see progress within a few weeks, once the new engineer manager settles in. The 35 bus has been made a priority.

Looking further ahead, Arriva confirmed that in 2026 a new fleet of 120 buses for the north east will be introduced, which should bring significant improvements across the network.

I know this is not necessarily an instant improvement, but lets keep and eye on it in the New Year and see where we are.

Which buses are order for Arriva again?

(06 Dec 2025, 9:53 am)Shrek wrote Looking further ahead, Arriva confirmed that in 2026 a new fleet of 120 buses for the north east will be introduced, which should bring significant improvements across the network.

I know this is not necessarily an instant improvement, but lets keep and eye on it in the New Year and see where we are.

Wow, A 120 New Buses in 2026, literally replacing 50% of the NE Fleet with this order. 

If Arriva Yorkshire's recent arrivals are anything to go by then it will be ADL E200/E400 MMC's and you also have the BYD BD11's starting arrive at Blyth.

7564 and 3051 appear to be back in use at Ashington, although 1497's return yesterday looks to have only lasted about 10 minutes.

1497's second return lasted about 15 minutes this time. That is mainly based on bustimes but I did try and look when it was meant to be passing my house and nothing came.

(Yesterday, 3:55 pm)Arriva7446 wrote 1497's second return lasted about 15 minutes this time. That is mainly based on bustimes but I did try and look when it was meant to be passing my house and nothing came.

 
1497 has been an absolute shed for years at this point. With it not getting a repaint, you'd hope it is in line for the scrapyard in 2026 with the new vehicles arriving.

When Darlington get their electric vehicles, what will happen with their streetlites? I imagine they will be sent to Stockton/Durham/Redcar/Northumbria to replace aging pulsars? Or could be sent south?

(10 hours ago)Mike_98 wrote When Darlington get their electric vehicles, what will happen with their streetlites? I imagine they will be sent to Stockton/Durham/Redcar/Northumbria to replace aging pulsars? Or could be sent south?

I don't know but I'd imagine they'll see off the 09/10 Pulsars at Durham and Darlington with the 61 Plates displaced to Durham.

(9 hours ago)Storx wrote I don't know but I'd imagine they'll see off the 09/10 Pulsars at Durham and Darlington with the 61 Plates displaced to Durham.

 Wont be redcar good chance stockton for streetlites

(7 hours ago)Bob5666 wrote  Wont be redcar good chance stockton for streetlites

I’d be surprised if their Streetlites went anywhere. E200s most likely to be leaving (the region) if anything!

(7 hours ago)Bob5666 wrote  Wont be redcar good chance stockton for streetlites

Stockton supposed to be getting 18 brand new E200MMCs but it may change including some Evoras from the 24 that are coming to Tees Valley next year, haven’t heard anything about Stockton getting Streetlites

(10 hours ago)Mike_98 wrote When Darlington get their electric vehicles, what will happen with their streetlites? I imagine they will be sent to Stockton/Durham/Redcar/Northumbria to replace aging pulsars? Or could be sent south?

Unsure of any exact plans, other than there's only due to be 7? full size singles for electrics, the rest I think will be smaller which would displace the 14* E200MMCs. Darlington is due to get the E400MMCs from Belmont (likely 12 if Arriva retain the Whitby Park & Ride next year), so unless anything else moves in, that's only 19 buses and Darlington currently have 40 full size single deckers (23 Pulsars and 17 StreetLite's), I imagine 11 of those Pulsars will be withdrawn (the 09/59/10 plates) so certainly some of either the remaining Pulsars / StreetLite's or a mix of both types will still be required at Darlington.

* there was a suggestion previously that 2 E200MMCs may be retained at Darlington for the 16, 18 & Dalesbus services.

(10 hours ago)Mike_98 wrote When Darlington get their electric vehicles, what will happen with their streetlites? I imagine they will be sent to Stockton/Durham/Redcar/Northumbria to replace aging pulsars? Or could be sent south?

As stated, the 7 full sized electrics for the 2 will displaced older Pulsars for withdrawn while the midi-sized ones for the rest of the town network are to release the E200MMCs for cascade (mentions of them being bound for Yorkshire to replace their 2014 mini E200s - which will be 12 years old by that stage and are already in a poor state now).