Arriva North East

[W179 SCU]

RE: Arriva North East
I am thinking of visiting Teesside in a week or two, and I would like some info on the bus services there! I know all the services, but cannot find any arriva fleetcards! Does any of yous know of good services to photo there? Also, are any steps entrance darts/optare prismas still in service? If so, what services do they operate on?

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:00)W179 SCU Wrote:  I am thinking of visiting Teesside in a week or two, and I would like some info on the bus services there! I know all the services, but cannot find any arriva fleetcards! Does any of yous know of good services to photo there? Also, are any steps entrance darts/optare prismas still in service? If so, what services do they operate on?

At the moment, the only routes likely to be of any interest on Teesside are the 7 from Stockton to Yarm (unpredictable allocations, somedays it's entirely MPD, some days it has 3 Prestiges or Cadets and 3 MPDs, or even some days 3 Cadets or Prestiges, 1 of the other and 2 MPDs) and the X66 (Darlington-Middlesbrough) for exactly the same.

The Step Darts are normally to be found on either the 22/71 or the 64/64a (64a on Saturdays only). 3007 is usually found on the 81 (Marske Estate-Guisborough/Stokesley).

[W179 SCU]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:26)kuyoyo Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:00)W179 SCU Wrote:  I am thinking of visiting Teesside in a week or two, and I would like some info on the bus services there! I know all the services, but cannot find any arriva fleetcards! Does any of yous know of good services to photo there? Also, are any steps entrance darts/optare prismas still in service? If so, what services do they operate on?

At the moment, the only routes likely to be of any interest on Teesside are the 7 from Stockton to Yarm (unpredictable allocations, somedays it's entirely MPD, some days it has 3 Prestiges or Cadets and 3 MPDs, or even some days 3 Cadets or Prestiges, 1 of the other and 2 MPDs) and the X66 (Darlington-Middlesbrough) for exactly the same.

The Step Darts are normally to be found on either the 22/71 or the 64/64a (64a on Saturdays only). 3007 is usually found on the 81 (Marske Estate-Guisborough/Stokesley).

I am glad the step darts are still in service!

Also, I see the X66 has some rather unusual allocations! - Sometimes its a coach and sometimes its a Solo! Thanks Tony, it is a shame every other route is more or less boring!

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:30)W179 SCU Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:26)kuyoyo Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:00)W179 SCU Wrote:  I am thinking of visiting Teesside in a week or two, and I would like some info on the bus services there! I know all the services, but cannot find any arriva fleetcards! Does any of yous know of good services to photo there? Also, are any steps entrance darts/optare prismas still in service? If so, what services do they operate on?

At the moment, the only routes likely to be of any interest on Teesside are the 7 from Stockton to Yarm (unpredictable allocations, somedays it's entirely MPD, some days it has 3 Prestiges or Cadets and 3 MPDs, or even some days 3 Cadets or Prestiges, 1 of the other and 2 MPDs) and the X66 (Darlington-Middlesbrough) for exactly the same.

The Step Darts are normally to be found on either the 22/71 or the 64/64a (64a on Saturdays only). 3007 is usually found on the 81 (Marske Estate-Guisborough/Stokesley).

I am glad the step darts are still in service!

Also, I see the X66 has some rather unusual allocations! - Sometimes its a coach and sometimes its a Solo! Thanks Tony, it is a shame every other route is more or less boring!

The X66 is normally 3 of the Coaches (1207/9/14 usually, 1208 does occasionally appear) and 2 of anything Darlington has spare, more normally it's two Dart SLFs or Prestiges.
One 7 duty does currently work onto the last 6 at 1740, and that does occasionally throw up a unusual appearance - though I'm still waiting for the day a Pulsar or an OmniCity turns up on it (4661 did appear on the 7 a while ago but on the working behind the one that does the last 6). The vehicle off the 6 (normally an MPD) goes to do the evening 27s from 1820.

[W179 SCU]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:34)kuyoyo Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:30)W179 SCU Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:26)kuyoyo Wrote:  At the moment, the only routes likely to be of any interest on Teesside are the 7 from Stockton to Yarm (unpredictable allocations, somedays it's entirely MPD, some days it has 3 Prestiges or Cadets and 3 MPDs, or even some days 3 Cadets or Prestiges, 1 of the other and 2 MPDs) and the X66 (Darlington-Middlesbrough) for exactly the same.

The Step Darts are normally to be found on either the 22/71 or the 64/64a (64a on Saturdays only). 3007 is usually found on the 81 (Marske Estate-Guisborough/Stokesley).

I am glad the step darts are still in service!

Also, I see the X66 has some rather unusual allocations! - Sometimes its a coach and sometimes its a Solo! Thanks Tony, it is a shame every other route is more or less boring!

The X66 is normally 3 of the Coaches (1207/9/14 usually, 1208 does occasionally appear) and 2 of anything Darlington has spare, more normally it's two Dart SLFs or Prestiges.
One 7 duty does currently work onto the last 6 at 1740, and that does occasionally throw up a unusual appearance - though I'm still waiting for the day a Pulsar or an OmniCity turns up on it (4661 did appear on the 7 a while ago but on the working behind the one that does the last 6). The vehicle off the 6 (normally an MPD) goes to do the evening 27s from 1820.

Ok, cheers! - So I have saw Olympians and Solos on the X66. How often does this happen?

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:38)W179 SCU Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:34)kuyoyo Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:30)W179 SCU Wrote:  I am glad the step darts are still in service!

Also, I see the X66 has some rather unusual allocations! - Sometimes its a coach and sometimes its a Solo! Thanks Tony, it is a shame every other route is more or less boring!

The X66 is normally 3 of the Coaches (1207/9/14 usually, 1208 does occasionally appear) and 2 of anything Darlington has spare, more normally it's two Dart SLFs or Prestiges.
One 7 duty does currently work onto the last 6 at 1740, and that does occasionally throw up a unusual appearance - though I'm still waiting for the day a Pulsar or an OmniCity turns up on it (4661 did appear on the 7 a while ago but on the working behind the one that does the last 6). The vehicle off the 6 (normally an MPD) goes to do the evening 27s from 1820.

Ok, cheers! - So I have saw Olympians and Solos on the X66. How often does this happen?

Olympians - used to be often but obviously not now given they are no longer allocated to Darlington
Solos - occasionally

[W179 SCU]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 15:47)kuyoyo Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:38)W179 SCU Wrote:  

(09/09/2012 15:34)kuyoyo Wrote:  The X66 is normally 3 of the Coaches (1207/9/14 usually, 1208 does occasionally appear) and 2 of anything Darlington has spare, more normally it's two Dart SLFs or Prestiges.
One 7 duty does currently work onto the last 6 at 1740, and that does occasionally throw up a unusual appearance - though I'm still waiting for the day a Pulsar or an OmniCity turns up on it (4661 did appear on the 7 a while ago but on the working behind the one that does the last 6). The vehicle off the 6 (normally an MPD) goes to do the evening 27s from 1820.

Ok, cheers! - So I have saw Olympians and Solos on the X66. How often does this happen?

Olympians - used to be often but obviously not now given they are no longer allocated to Darlington
Solos - occasionally

Ah yes! I forgot the Olympians have gone! - Any thing else?

[Metroline1511]

RE: Arriva North East
This is a bit of a bombshell regarding route X66. I enjoyed riding an Olympian on it on August Bank Holiday 2009 but believed it was most if not all coach now. I have pencilled in Easter to go back to Middlesbrough, with a view to riding a coach on route X66 on Easter Sunday. Suddenly I feel a bit unassured. My idea is to travel Middlesbrough - Stockton - Darlington - Richmond - Lancaster, connecting with the 832 to Lancaster. I therefore cannot afford for too many successive X66s to be other vehicles.

I could ride the X66 on the Saturday, but I have already earmarked a leather-seated OmniCity and a Temsa Avenue, as well as a couple of hours in Saltburn. If absolute push comes to shove, maybe I should come to Middlesbrough on Good Friday evening. I usually work Good Friday nowadays but do have Easter Monday off.

[kuyoyo]

RE: Arriva North East

(09/09/2012 20:39)Metroline1511 Wrote:  This is a bit of a bombshell regarding route X66. I enjoyed riding an Olympian on it on August Bank Holiday 2009 but believed it was most if not all coach now. I have pencilled in Easter to go back to Middlesbrough, with a view to riding a coach on route X66 on Easter Sunday. Suddenly I feel a bit unassured. My idea is to travel Middlesbrough - Stockton - Darlington - Richmond - Lancaster, connecting with the 832 to Lancaster. I therefore cannot afford for too many successive X66s to be other vehicles.

I could ride the X66 on the Saturday, but I have already earmarked a leather-seated OmniCity and a Temsa Avenue, as well as a couple of hours in Saltburn. If absolute push comes to shove, maybe I should come to Middlesbrough on Good Friday evening. I usually work Good Friday nowadays but do have Easter Monday off.

Next Easter might be a little too late for Coach operation - it's rumoured (and expected) that 1207-9/14 will be transferring to Jesmond at some point in the not-to-near future to replace 1201-5 for convertion to driver trainers to replace the B6s 1001-3/5. Sunday (and therefore Bank Holidays) X66 trips are always Solo worked as they interwork with the 75 in Darlington.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Arriva North East
Thank you for preparing me that it would probably be impossible to ride a coach on route X66 next Easter Sunday. If they are moving to Jesmond, do you know what is likely to replace them on route X66?

It is interesting to note that route 75 is Solo on Sundays, as I rode an ex-London 10.7m Dart on it in July.

I noticed Darlington with a large allocation of Solos now, and rode 11-reg 2868 in July. It is likely to be rareish to have pure Solos (as against Solo SRs) with 2009 moquette. It seems that some ex-Stagecaoch Darts have been replaced by Solos.