31/03/04
D Taylor kindly advises that Go North East Leyland Nationals 4700/4 (FTN700/4W) have been re-instated at Percy Main. This has allowed service 309 to be converted to full size bus operation.
Marty B tells me that Stagecoach on Teesside have a further Scania N113 / Alexander, this time it's 28937 (H437EFT). The future does not look too rosy for the two remaining mk1 Lynxes, especially 29607 (F607UVN) which sounded somewhat ill when I last travelled on it.
Northumbria Coaches Mercedes 609 DHZ3248 ex E113FLP is currently for sale on Ebay. Can't say I'll be sad to see it go after my ride on it on the 564!
23/03/04
Something I forgot to mention earlier is that Richard Smiles has confirmed that the Middlesbrough Council contracts for Middlesbrough - Hemlington services 603-7 will now stay with their current operators, after Leven Valley decided not to take up the contracts.
19/03/04
Marty B kindly informs me that Arriva Tees & District Optare Vecta 1543 (L543FHN) is the latest one to gain Cummins power.
News Kindly supplied by Richard Smiles for Stagecoach North East is that Leyland Titans 10675/827 (NUW675Y, A827SUL) are now listed for scrap, while Leyland Atlantean / Alexander 15810 (EJR110W) has departed for preservation in Sunderland, and Leyland PD3/4 / Northern Counties "Queen Mary" 19917 (PRX189B) is sold to a Southdown preservation group. Lynx 29112 (F112HVK) is another to go to Redby at Sunderland.
16/03/04
Ian S tells me that Arriva Durham County Optare Delta 4007 (J867UPY) caught fire at 7pm today, and had it's interior and near side badly damaged.
15/03/04
Richard Smiles tells me that having won the contract for the 603/4/5/6/7 from 25/04/04, Leven Valley have decided not to take them up! It is therefore not clear who will end up operating these services.
John Atkin tells me that Abbey Coaches have added Leyland Tiger / Duple E237MBX to stock. He enthused that it has a Cummins engine!
The Volvo / Marcopolo recently acquired by Atkinsons, Ingleby Arncliffe is registered X995JJH and is prepared to the same high standard as the rest of the fleet.
A further movement at Go North East is of Volvo Olympian 3818 (S818OFT) from South Shields to Washington.
12/03/04
Richard Smiles has kindly passed on details of contract changes in Middlesbrough from 29/04/04. These are generally minor in nature, the most obvious changes being early morning Middlesbrough - Coulby Newham circulars 603/4/5/6/7 which will be operated by Leven Valley, rather than Arriva (605-7) or Stagecoach (603/4), and services 666/667 Middlesbrough - Nunthorpe which will be run by Stagecoach rather than Arriva. This could be fun for two of regular correspondents.......!
Another bus with North East Connections has turned up for sale on Ebay. This time it is one time United Leyland Tiger / Plaxton 1325 (C40CWT) - fore some time a regular on the X14 Bishop Auckland - Middlesbrough.
11/03/04
Here are the Moorsbus arrival and departure boards I promised yesterday CLICK HERE!
Gary Mitchelhill has kindly provided details of the latest allocations at Arriva North East & Northumbria. Changes not previously noted are Leyland olympian 7221 (D157FYM) which moves from Peterlee - Ashington, displacing MCW Metrobus 614 (GYE515W) to Durham, and in turn sister 611 (GYE396W) to Jesmond, allowing Leyland Olympian 7216 (D160FYM) to go for refurbishment. MCW Metrobus 619 (A930SUL) is now for cannibalisation. The Volvo B10Ms are numbered 2871-3/5/9 (H922/3/5/17/2XYT). Optare Vectas 1501/3 (J661UHN, K503BHN) are removed from the fleet, along with Optare Metrorider 868 (M868KCU). Stuart Gray tells me that the latest Bishop Auckland Optare Vecta 1549 (L549GHN) is the latest to suffer engine failure.
Stuart also tells me that Go Northern are to give up service 89 Bishop Auckland - Rose Hill, while evening journeys on the 2/2B Bishop Auckland - Spennymoor are to permenantly taken on by JSB from 17/04/04.
10/03/04
The 2004 Moorsbus timetables are now online. The service is quite a bit different this year, requireing fewer buses and with varying days of service. A selection of additional "normal" routes are now included - giving more variety. Neil Wise tells me that Arriva will be providing two buses this year, from Peterlee and Darlington. Having worked out the diagrams, it would seem that Leven Valley are not involved this year. I will upload a spreadsheet of useful arrivals and departures to aid journey planning in the next day or so.
08/03/04
A few more moves at Go North East are of Leyland Olympian 3743 (B743GCN) from Percy Main to Bishop Auckland, while sister 3735 (B735GCN) is withdrawn. Optare Metroriders 358/64 (S358/64SCN) and Lynx 4819 (J43JGB) habe been sold.
07/03/04
Mark Westgarth (who braved the potential chaos of Newcastle yesterday) kindly reports a number of sightings from Arriva Northumbria's Jesmond depot. MCW Metrobus 611 (GYE396W) has retuned from Durham, while sister 625 (C354BUV) now has a fixed destibnation display for schools work. Ex Scotland Volvo B10M / East Lancs H922XYT was noted receiving attention, while Ex London Olympian 7216 (D160FYM) remains in service in London Red on a regular schools service.
Jayline, Horden's Mercedes Vario / Plaxton has been converted from manual to automatic transmission.
I can confirm that Go Northern do indeed now have Volvo B10B / Alexander 4808/9 (L208/9KEF) in use at Bishop Auckland, regularly used on the 684 Newcastle - Ovington.
Four withdrawn Stagecoach in South Shields Leyland Lynxes have been moived to Hartlepool, and are alongside the withdrawn Lynxes and Mercedes minis already present. Three that coutld be identified were 29110/24/6 (F110/24HVK, H126ACU).
06/03/04
Peter Tuck kindly reports that Continental Coaches, Stockton have a further pair of ex EYMS Bristol VRTs. The latest pair are WTU487W and PAG517W - bringing Continental back up to a highly respectable total of six VRTs.
Today's metro strike resulted in some re-arrangement of vehicle rostering by all three of the major operators in Tyne & Wear. Arriva Northumbria had a selection of elderly Olympians and Metrobuses out on the M55 in place of the usual MPDs to provide extra capacity, and had an extra bus in the 308 cycle to absorb late running. Go North East were using Volvo Olympians on the 527, with it's new Scanias working the 35/35A, and spare SPDs on the 319 Jarrow shorts (as I found to my cost!). Double deckers were also used on the 187/8 with various single deckers covering on the X88 and at least one of the Washington expresses. Stagecoach had double deckers out on the X34 (and needed them!) and were running a variety of short duplicate workings in Newcastle. Walkergate borrowed several South Shields vehicles for this, with South Shields in turn borrowing B10Ms from Sunderland as well as Hartlepool B10M 20300 (M410SPY). The Shields Ferry was also cancelled for the afternoon, with a pair of MCW Metrobuses from Kingsleys providing a tuneful replacement.
02/03/04
Steve Hurst kindly informs me that Northumbria Coaches have gained an Optare Solo GP02DVP previously used at Gatwick Airport car parks.
01/03/04
Further movements revealed on the Go North East website are of Volvo Olympian 3820 (S820OFT) from South Shields to Washington, Optare Spectra 3841/2 (K309/10FYG) from Washington to Percy Main, and MPD 543 from Sunderland to Washington (at last!). Leyland Olympians 3656/744 (C656LJR, B744GCN) are removed from service at Percy Main, while Leyland National 4703 (FTN703W) has come off at Chester-le-Street. Sold are Optare Metroriders 340/62/94 (J940JJR, K362SCN, M934FTN), MCW Metrorider 447 (F504ANY), Leyland Olympian 3736 (B736GCN), Leyland Nationals 4677/94/9/701/3/20 (UPT677V, FTN694/9/701/3W, TJR720Y) and Leyland Lynx 4818 (H51NDU).
James Ingram tells me that Arriva Tees & District DAF SB220GS / Plaxton 4080 (T81AUA) has been damaged after having it's handbrake released by children in Whitby Bus Station..