(31 Aug 2026, 10:30 pm)Jimmi wrote One of them is BT14DKK, the other one was speculated to be BT14DKE but unsure which is which under the private plates.

In the past, in cases like this, I've checked the vehicle info plate for the full chassis or body number, and cross-referenced back using BusListsOnTheWeb.co.uk.

That does require you to actually be able to find the vehicle info plate, mind!

(01 Sep 2026, 9:50 am)Ianthegoon wrote In the past, in cases like this, I've checked the vehicle info plate for the full chassis or body number, and cross-referenced back using BusListsOnTheWeb.co.uk.

That does require you to actually be able to find the vehicle info plate, mind!

They're under B5's rather than 7900's btw.

Unsure why guessing they're different under the hood. 

I had a look yesterday.

The chassis is Volvo B5LH, the name of the bodywork is Volvo 7900.

Same goes for the coaches, although they known as Volvo 9700, the chassis is the Volvo B11R etc.

It's just that they marketed as a complete bus by Volvo as they own the coach builder.

Nice acquisition for L&G. Was always a fan of these in the Lothian fleet.

(01 Sep 2026, 10:34 am)Rapidsnap wrote The chassis is Volvo B5L, the name of the bodywork is Volvo 7900.

Same goes for the coaches, although they known as Volvo 9700, the chassis is the Volvo B11R etc.

It's just that they marketed as a complete bus by Volvo as they own the coach builder.

That makes sense.

Guess Buslistonthewebs need to update their category names as they're a bit messed up. Currently got a 7900 chassis which is just the electric examples marked as single hybrids then the single hybrids are in the B5LH category marked as hybrid double deckers. 

Side note does anyone know why these were withdrawn from Edinburgh, they seem rather young?

One caught fire a few month back in Edinburgh. Think some were sold to Inverness Council.

First Bus also had a number of them in Essex and Berkshire, they were withdrawn due to a concerning fire on one of their vehicles in Essex.
First Berkshire Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...868404348/
First Essex Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...213920306/

The Electric ones in Harrogate were sold as Volvo 7900e, the chassis on these is Volvo BE (Battery Electric) which has been replaced by the BZL range. Only Harrogate, Stagecoach West Scotland got these for normal service, one was sold to Ireland for use on a hotel shuttle at Dublin Airport whilst a handful are on car park duties at Birmingham Airport, there was a demo which has disappeared. Harrogate got rid of their examples, whilst Stagecoach continue to use theirs at Kilmarnock.
Stagecoach Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...2220281311
Harrogate Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...0610324286

Ironically some of the examples for Lothian passed through Volvo Bus and Coach at Washington for their PDI having arrived via Port of Tyne.
Here is one example, no ID sadly. https://flickr.com/photos/gjm-photogenic/51780793351

(01 Sep 2026, 4:44 pm)Rapidsnap wrote One caught fire a few month back in Edinburgh. Think some were sold to Inverness Council.

First Bus also had a number of them in Essex and Berkshire, they were withdrawn due to a concerning fire on one of their vehicles in Essex.
First Berkshire Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...868404348/
First Essex Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...213920306/

The Electric ones in Harrogate were sold as Volvo 7900e, the chassis on these is Volvo BE (Battery Electric) which has been replaced by the BZL range. Only Harrogate, Stagecoach West Scotland got these for normal service, one was sold to Ireland for use on a hotel shuttle at Dublin Airport whilst a handful are on car park duties at Birmingham Airport, there was a demo which has disappeared. Harrogate got rid of their examples, whilst Stagecoach continue to use theirs at Kilmarnock.
Stagecoach Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...2220281311
Harrogate Example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...0610324286

Ironically some of the examples for Lothian passed through Volvo Bus and Coach at Washington for their PDI having arrived via Port of Tyne.
Here is one example, no ID sadly. https://flickr.com/photos/gjm-photogenic/51780793351

Ah interesting, didn't realise they had fire issues.

I heard those Harrogate could only do 25 mile or so before or running out of battery. Absolute junk really, god knows why anyone sane would buy them. Just not realistic at all.

(01 Sep 2026, 10:45 pm)Storx wrote I heard those Harrogate could only do 25 mile or so before or running out of battery. Absolute junk really, god knows why anyone sane would buy them. Just not realistic at all.

General comment: Modest battery ranges are not necessarily daft. They were/are designed for a different operating and recharging style, building in frequent (largely automatic?) quick top-ups at the terminal(s) of the route. That means the buses don't have to lug round the weight (and cost) of the large battery packs that are needed to give a day-long range. The smaller batteries are easier to fit into the vehicle, too. Obviously, the strategy relies on an integrated network of recharging facilities at bus stations etc, so it’s a lot less flexible. It also requires schedules to build in a little more layover time than we typically see in the UK, so there is some loss of network productivity. It can also mean the depots don't need such extensive recharging facilities. 

It's more like the concepts that are being developed for dual-mode trains (or trams) using batteries to span non-electrified sections, with the batteries recharged when the train is running "under the wires". And some people are talking about an essentially similar style for electrifying HGV operation, with electrified lanes on motorways supplemented by relatively modest battery-powered range for the "last few miles".
 
As it needs a fully integrated system of infrastructure, buses, technology and services, it is easy to see why the alternative strategy of "big battery pack and overnight depot recharging" is the normal way it is being done to date.

I'm not sure what caused the issue with the Harrogate vehicles, but I've heard that the frequent recharging of the battery (basically everytime it came into Harrogate Bus Station it would hook up) reduced the range of the batteries. Not sure if the Citaro Es are affected on the shorter town routes, I know on other services the electric vehicles go longer between charges with the ADL Enviro 400EVs going either to Ripon or Leeds and back. Along with some Citaro Es going to Leeds via the lengthly 7 route via Wetherby. So hopefully the batteries last longer if the vehicles are rotated from the town routes.

Wondering if they are doing stuff with the L&G Buses at Whitburn Acad

They put an ECO4 LGC out for the 803 which I spotted , looked proper posh.

Then they used a fancy double decker in White (Branded) for the 525 towards South Shields.

(04 Sep 2026, 2:56 pm)EastGatesheadRider wrote Wondering if they are doing stuff with the L&G Buses at Whitburn Acad

They put an ECO4 LGC out for the 803 which I spotted , looked proper posh.

Then they used a fancy double decker in White (Branded) for the 525 towards South Shields.

Do you mean this bus

http://flic.kr/p/2sf97D5

If so thats the Jh Coaches E400MMC branded for the coach travel group

(31 Aug 2026, 10:30 pm)Jimmi wrote One of them is BT14DKK, the other one was speculated to be BT14DKE but unsure which is which under the private plates.

EC04 LGC is BT14 DKK - https://bustimes.org/vehicles/lagc-104-ec04lgc

(04 Sep 2026, 3:45 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Do you mean this bus

http://flic.kr/p/2sf97D5

If so thats the Jh Coaches E400MMC branded for the coach travel group

Yes I spotted it at the bus stop outside the Blue Micro Pub but im not sure any School Routes use that stop ?4

I don't know why this company can be allowed to operate contracted services with the attitude of one of their drivers.

I boarded the 960 this evening at Washington Galleries, the bus pulled up between the two stands with 'L&G Coaches' displayed on the destination. I ran over to board, boarded without any question.

The bus gets to Jarrow & the driver opens the cab door and shouts up "where are you going" I replied with "Marsden" she said it doesn't go there, I said it has every other year & I have boarded on a morning. She said "It's different on a morning, this is a private bus paid for by HMRC"

I replied back "If it's a private bus, then everybody would need permits to travel on it" she replied with "can you please vacate the bus as these people would like to go home", I replied with "where's this bus going", she said " the end of York Road."

She then demands that I get off the bus, I tried to explain that what she was doing is illegal as she is not following the advertised route, she said again it's not going to Marsden.

I said that she was discrimating against someone with a hidden disability, she burst out laughing saying "oh I'd love to know that one".

I decided it would be easier to just leave than make the situation worse, as this employee must have a very low life if throwing people off the bus on a route where it's the only bus, simply because she can't be bothered to complete the route it because it means she will finish work late.

All timetables online & at bus stops show the 960 as operating to South Shields in both directions.

She also did not register the 960 trip & continued the live tracking from the 803 service, before logging out of the machine at Hebburn. Based on previous tracking data, this appears to be a daily occurring thing.

Yes, we all know every year it rarely reaches South Shields on an evening with every company that has had it, but to throw someone off at Jarrow & not operate to Marsden, and be so unpleasant is just unjustified.

(09 Sep 2026, 4:40 pm)S830OFT wrote I don't know why this company can be allowed to operate contracted services with the attitude of one of their drivers.

I boarded the 960 this evening at Washington Galleries, the bus pulled up between the two stands with 'L&G Coaches' displayed on the destination. I ran over to board, boarded without any question.

The bus gets to Jarrow & the driver opens the cab door and shouts up "where are you going" I replied with "Marsden" she said it doesn't go there, I said it has every other year & I have boarded on a morning. She said "It's different on a morning, this is a private bus paid for by HMRC"

I replied back "If it's a private bus, then everybody would need permits to travel on it" she replied with "can you please vacate the bus as these people would like to go home", I replied with "where's this bus going", she said " the end of York Road."

She then demands that I get off the bus, I tried to explain that what she was doing is illegal as she is not following the advertised route, she said again it's not going to Marsden.

I said that she was discrimating against someone with a hidden disability, she burst out laughing saying "oh I'd love to know that one".

I decided it would be easier to just leave than make the situation worse, as this employee must have a very low life if throwing people off the bus on a route where it's the only bus, simply because she can't be bothered to complete the route it because it means she will finish work late.

All timetables online & at bus stops show the 960 as operating to South Shields in both directions.

She also did not register the 960 trip & continued the live tracking from the 803 service, before logging out of the machine at Hebburn. Based on previous tracking data, this appears to be a daily occurring thing.

Yes, we all know every year it rarely reaches South Shields on an evening with every company that has had it, but to throw someone off at Jarrow & not operate to Marsden, and be so unpleasant is just unjustified.

You should report this to Nexus customer services as it’s totally unacceptable.

(09 Sep 2026, 4:45 pm)NEtransport wrote You should report this to Nexus customer services as it’s totally unacceptable.

I genuinely can't see them doing anything. The sad thing is every small company that has operated the route would always skip parts out, but if somebody wanted Marsden or South Shields they would always take them, sadly this L&G driver has made her own rules up to the extreme and would rather throw people off who have a valid ticket just to make her job easier.

It would make me overjoyed if ten to twenty people swarmed that bus and wanted various stops between Jarrow and South Shields and if she tried to throw them all of, put up a big resistance.

The 939 also doesn't seem to reach Sunderland a lot of the time, although one would hope they aren't throwing passengers off mid route & telling them to get on another bus operator...

& For a so called "HMRC Contract" they are happy to depart Waterview Park 7 minutes early.

https://bustimes.org/journeys/932813391

Report it and send your complaint via email and follow up with a FOI request a month later

---

If it is a private and exclusive for HMRC only should it not show as Private Hire at the front or contract hire etc and why is the service funded by the taxpayer (council not central government) 

If it is private hire.... and you have a hidden disability etc .... was your disabled / concessionary pass accepted as payment? 

And not the private hire agreement?

The breaking contract, regardless it being a 9xx work service, it's still a public service and anyone can board and alright where they see fit (For example get on in Jarrow and get off in Horsley Hill), and therefore the company should run the full route regardless if the vehicle is running empty or not, as not only they be fouling the contract, they also run afoul of the TC for failing to operate a service.

The 960 is indeed a contracted service, albeit a service contracted by Nexus and not the DWP. It isn't classed as a closed door service, in fact all Nexus contracts do allow normal people to use all services, school services were included (if you're brave enough) hence some say Scholars - All Passengers Welcome (as shown here on a 2024 shot - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...3834438447), not sure if it's the case now, but all nexus contracted work services are still available to everyone.

Any closed door contracts I can think of is home to school contracts for Private Schools usually in the hands of coach companies, though one notable contract is the Jewish School in Gateshead which is operated by Go North East. As for work contracts, again Go North East has the Hospital Contract between the RVI and Freeman Hospital which is for NHS Staff Only, I believe it's also because it carries sensitive items / documents between the two locations too. I've seen Wardley Coaches going around picking people up for a work contract, not sure where they take them to, but have seen one of their coaches going through Wallsend and Walker picking and dropping people off.

Definitely report it, try reporting it to L&G there self, 'm sure our managers wouldn't be happy if our drivers were coming off service in the middle of a route..