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(21 Feb 2026, 11:47 am)Busesinnewcastle wrote Seems like another Slatyford bus has broke down 26065 on the 685
(21 Feb 2026, 1:07 pm)BusEnthusiast.com wrote E200MMCs should never ever be on the 685 icl.The route will destroy them,and evidently here will cause them to break down.They should also not use their E400MMCs whatsoever because they’re already in dire conditions tbh.The 685 was decent with the E300s icl,the 272**.However i personally think that they need to pass on the 685 to Walkergate as they have a much better fleet and can actually maintain buses well.As said before Slatyford are collapsing slowly but surely if they dont do anything with the fleet situation
(21 Feb 2026, 11:47 am)Busesinnewcastle wrote Seems like another Slatyford bus has broke down 26065 on the 685
(21 Feb 2026, 2:27 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Yes I was spare at the depot today checked that bus over (nothing wrong with it) as a spare bus it went out on the 685 replaced 26276 which was constantly showing engine management light (would have probably broke down) and then 26065 ended up breaking. They need new buses for the 685 the older buses are not good enough.
(21 Feb 2026, 5:53 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Yeah I agree. Walkergates would be absolutely fine on there. 26281 has been replaced by 10535 on the 685 another one broken on there
(21 Feb 2026, 8:33 pm)col87 wrote So the E200MMCs where fine at Stockton yet within a year of Newcastle having them they have managed to make them knackered. No doubt now they are knackered Hartlepool will end up with some.
(21 Feb 2026, 2:27 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Yes I was spare at the depot today checked that bus over (nothing wrong with it) as a spare bus it went out on the 685 replaced 26276 which was constantly showing engine management light (would have probably broke down) and then 26065 ended up breaking. They need new buses for the 685 the older buses are not good enough.
(21 Feb 2026, 8:34 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote They were knackered within the first few months of having them. Drivers up here just abuse them
19673 is now at Slatyford
(21 Feb 2026, 8:34 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote They were knackered within the first few months of having them. Drivers up here just abuse them
19673 is now at Slatyford
And 10639 to walkergate
(21 Feb 2026, 8:34 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote They were knackered within the first few months of having them. Drivers up here just abuse them
19673 is now at Slatyford
And 10639 to walkergate
(21 Feb 2026, 9:04 pm)Storx wrote I don't know but maybe the issue isn't the vehicles but it's actually the engineering. It wouldn't be the only depot in the North East.
It's just been hidden by the fact that the place must have a crazy number of spares, like unless I'm incorrect bar the 6 E200's on the 32/32A the rest of them aren't actually needed there on paper and there's 19 of the things there.
(21 Feb 2026, 9:50 pm)BReDemPTiion wrote 19673 was a loan I drove a driver to Walkergate to pick it up to replace 36469 on the 30/31/36 as that had to go on 32’s to replace 37316.10642 came in to Slatyford last night around 8ish as it was pulled from service. I wish they would bring back the 272s for the 685 and as for the e10s for the 32s when do you find out if it’s going ahead and when do u think we will get them?
Not sure why 10639 has gone to Walkergate but 10642 is currently sat at Walkergate broken with no ticket machine on the bus.
I’m hoping the plan is 6 Yutong E10’s for the 32/32A service which is looking very likely but unsure if it’ll be E10’s or something else. 36468-36477 will hopefully go but 37312-37319 will probably stay in case they need some for the 32’s (low charge on an EV for example)
Then once the remaining E12’s are out for 30/31/36 they can get rid of the horrible 241**’s and 277**’s
(21 Feb 2026, 9:50 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote I’m hoping the plan is 6 Yutong E10’s for the 32/32A service which is looking very likely but unsure if it’ll be E10’s or something else. 36468-36477 will hopefully go but 37312-37319 will probably stay in case they need some for the 32’s (low charge on an EV for example)
Then once the remaining E12’s are out for 30/31/36 they can get rid of the horrible 241**’s and 277**’s
(21 Feb 2026, 10:15 pm)Storx wrote Aye wouldn't be a bad move either, hopefully after that they can then look at some deckers and sort out the problems across the region for once and all; the 62/63 on paper is the sort of route which seems like they'd be ideal for really and it's not like it's some little basketcase route. It's arguably due for investment regardless, being 10 year now.
(21 Feb 2026, 10:42 pm)PH - BQA wrote They need a significant decker order - they send saloons onto far too many routes which they can't handle.
The 22, 37, 38, 62, and 63 should have saloons nowhere near them and yet here we are.
As far as I can see they seem to be fairly good at ensuring the 1, 39, and 40 are constantly decker allocated but the rest is an absolute minefield.
(21 Feb 2026, 10:48 pm)Storx wrote Aye agreed, not much Walkergate can do really they've got 16 saloons - arguably for a depot which currently has zero saloon work. They've got to go somewhere.
Always wonder whether the Stockport depot fiasco screwed everything up and half of the buses still stuck in Manchester were meant to come up here. Obviously been years so not really an excuse anymore mind. The 64/65/16 Plate E400MMC's clearly aren't staying as they're not being repainted.
(21 Feb 2026, 10:48 pm)Storx wrote Always wonder whether the Stockport depot fiasco screwed everything up and half of the buses still stuck in Manchester were meant to come up here. Obviously been years so not really an excuse anymore mind. The 64/65/16 Plate E400MMC's clearly aren't staying as they're not being repainted.
(22 Feb 2026, 8:49 am)Dans_bus_photos wrote Funny you say that as 10485 is at Sunderland in the process of being repainted
(22 Feb 2026, 8:54 am)Kuyoyo wrote The 64 plates, bar a small handful, are based at Little Hulton depot for school contracts in the Bolton and Wigan areas - vehicles used exclusively on the school franchises don't have to wear Bee Network livery hence why these haven't been painted. 10429, the example in the Armed Forces Covenant livery, has some sort of special dispensary to keep that livery despite being used on main Bee Network work. As for the rest of the vehicles at Stockport, despite all the older MMCs there still being Stagecoach-owned (except for the 17 and 69 plate examples), they have been modified internally with the TfGM-madated Next Stop Announcement system (from Mobitec - despite the vast majority of the Manchester fleets having standardised on Hanover displays).
(22 Feb 2026, 9:28 am)Storx wrote I know I'm just using BusTimes so the usual cavaets, but there's 18 of the 64 Plates at Stockport isn't there? No arguments about the school buses though; I know the it's the same reason the E200's haven't been done.
Thanks for confirming, had a feeling they were still Stagecoach owned, wasn't 100% sure. No doubt some of them were meant to be up here I guess but I suppose we'll never find that out. Be interesting to see where they end up in the future though.
(22 Feb 2026, 9:48 am)Kuyoyo wrote A number of Little Hulton-allocated E400MMCs were working 'on-loan' to Stockport in the last week to run additional 192 trips to assist with travel during the Piccadilly Station closure. I believe the only 64 plates normally based at Stockport are 10412/23-9.
(22 Feb 2026, 8:49 am)Dans_bus_photos wrote Funny you say that as 10485 is at Sunderland in the process of being repainted
(21 Feb 2026, 10:00 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 10642 came in to Slatyford last night around 8ish as it was pulled from service. I wish they would bring back the 272s for the 685 and as for the e10s for the 32s when do you find out if it’s going ahead and when do u think we will get them?
(22 Feb 2026, 11:06 am)ReDemPTiion wrote Apparently just waiting on contract being issued currently in another standstill period until 3rd March so probably anytime after that. It’s not 100% confirmed we’re getting EV’s for the 32’s but a lot of drivers in the depot are mentioning it now so it sounds quite likely.
(21 Feb 2026, 10:42 pm)PH - BQA wrote They need a significant decker order - they send saloons onto far too many routes which they can't handle.
The 22, 37, 38, 62, and 63 should have saloons nowhere near them and yet here we are.
As far as I can see they seem to be fairly good at ensuring the 1, 39, and 40 are constantly decker allocated but the rest is an absolute minefield.
(22 Feb 2026, 12:58 pm)F114TML wrote No, GCT kicked it back.
(22 Feb 2026, 12:48 pm)SN69 ZRC wrote To be fair though, Walkergate only have a PVR of three or four on their 62/63 runs and they prioritize deckers for the 60's. It's Slatyford who keeps putting the singles on the 60s
(22 Feb 2026, 2:13 pm)PH - BQA wrote Agreed that they seem to get their 60s better - but realistically it's more the fault of Stagecoach themselves than depot specific. They've got far too many buses up here which aren't suitable for the work they are used on.
(22 Feb 2026, 1:14 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote It's unbelievable GCT have declined it 2 years in a row. They must have expected to lose a lot of contracts when they bid for it, and have only lost the withdrawn M71, with Stanley Travel giving the X46 back to GCT as well. With a PVR of 6, it was a lot to commit to. But having won it last year, they should have been prepared for it this year.
