LATEST NEWS DIGEST DECEMBER 2002

30/12/02

A further Arriva Northumbria Scania / Northern Counties to enter service at Blyth is 7253 (M178LYP). Olympian E221WBG remains at Ashington, and KVTipple has reported that it has been used as staff shuttle to Morpeth.

Withdrawn Go North East Optare Metroriders 358/67/75/7 are stored at South Shields.

27/12/02

Further ex London Scania deckers to enter service with Arriva Northumbria are 7251/2 (L160/1GYL) at Blyth. A pair of former MTL Olympians - E221WBG, F234YTJ as far as I could see - will confirm, are parked up at Ashington in reserve.

MPD 543 has entered service with Go Wear Buses at Deptford, while Optare Metrorider 384 is acting as a crew ferry at the same location.

Go Northern Olympian 3930 (R389LGH) and B6 8418 (M418PVN) are in Asda overall advert livery.

25/12/02

Arriva North East are to withdraw services 53/153 (Peterlee - Sunderland) and 180 (Ingleby Greenhow - Coulby Newham) from 5th January 2003.

Stagecoach North East are to renumber the entire fleet into a new national series from early January. Richard Smiles has kindly provided a list of the revised fleetnumbers, now incorporated into my fleetlist.

22/12/02

I now have the registration of Jayline's Van Hool Pop star tourer - 6258VZ. Further vehicles not noted previously are Ford Transit NK51YFA, and Mercedes mini PCZ5344. MPD T72JBA, Renault S75 E905GCU and MCW Metrorider E760XWL have left the fleet.

Additions to Stock at Wildings of Blackhall are Ford R1115 / Plaxton FDN244W, PJI8353 in smart two-tone blue and white livery, and Neoplan Skyliner LBZ8368 in the livery of Mostonian of Manchester.

A notable fleet member at Jack's Coaches of Middlesbrough is former Cleveland Transit Leyland Leopard BPY403T.

Among several PSVs parked up at Scott Bros Haulage in Stockton (used as an overspill by Compass Royston) are Arriva Optare Deltas 4013/4, scrap Olympian 7318 (EEH908Y) and accident damaged Olympian 7291 (CUB66Y).

21/12/02

Arriva Northumbria Scania N113 / Northern Counties 7250/6-8 (L159GYL, N181-3OYH) have entered service at Blyth in full Arriva London "Cow Horns" livery.

Go Wear Buses have a further Olympian in the shape of 3901 (R550LGH) at Washington. The full batch of MPDs for Washington 523-42 are in service now.

19/12/02

Neil Wise advises that Arriva Durham County de-roofed Olympian 7425 is to be rebuilt using the roof of Rush Travel (ex Hull) Dominator C111CAT! Also, he advises that stored Optare Vecta 1537 has been repainted - expect it back on the streets before long!.

News from my anonymous informant is that Abbey Coaches MCW metrorider F563HPP has donated it's coach seats to F188YDA.

18/12/02

KVTipple informs me that Arriva Northumbria ex London Scania 7257 (N182OYH) is in service from Blyth. It is still in London red with dual doors. A report on busesnortheast has stated that N181OYH is also in use.

17/12/02

Tom Dodds has noted Arriva Durham County Metrorider 2602 heading south on the A1 - still without Bumper. Neil Wise confirms this has arrived at Darlington for MOT after being seen to at Ashington.

16/12/02

Neil Broadley informs me of the presence of some Scania N113 / Northern Counties in the back of Arriva Northmbria's Blyth depot. Nine are expected to come up from London.

News from the Go North East Website is that MPDs 526-33 are in service at Washington, and that the entire batch is now delivered. Optare Solos 450/1 move to Chester-le-Street, and 452/4/67/8 move to Winlaton. Metroriders 362/3, 372 and Dart 8080 are withdrawn.

10/12/02

My informant tells me that Abbey Coaches are to cut-up former Hartlepool National 2 KAJ216W for spares. It's dual purpose seats are to be fitted to Bristol RE GHB146N apparently!

Neil Wise tells me that Arriva North East Metrorider 2602 is at Ashington for an MOT and anti-corrosion work. Olympians 7291/4, and Metroriders 928, 2603 are sold.

07/12/02

Arriva North East Metrorider 2602 (L602FHN) is currently parked up at Ashington minus front bumper - reason unknown. Bishop Auckland Olympian 7285 (G762UYT) was today noted working for Durham, while Metrorider 2643 (P643FHN) was working for Darlington.

03/12/02

The Go North East website has recorded further MPD deliveries as 526/39/40 (NA52AWJ, AXC/D). Also recorded are the reregistration of Volvo B10M / Plaxton 7058/9 (JCN822, FCU190) to M58/9LBB, and of Volvo B12M / Plaxton 7086/7 (NL52WVY/Z) to JCN822, FCU190.

02/12/02

Gary Mitchelhill kindly gives an update on the Go Wear Buses MPD deliveries. In service at Washington are 523-5 (NA52AWF-H), which have displaced Optare Solos 448/9/53 to Winlaton. He also advises that Leyland National 4711 (FTN711W) is in use as a driver trainer.

01/12/02

Gary Mitchelhill kindly advises that the first new MPD for Go Wear Buses has arrived at Washington. It is registered NA52AWF, but as yet carries no fleet number. He also advises that Washington now have Olympian 3899.

Phil Logie advises that Continental Coaches have a further Bristol VR AHU518V.