The 18th of July was the date of the annual Whitley Bay Rally. As the weather was cloudy all day this made the event much busier than Howlands last month which saw rain all day. The timetable was a minimum half hourly service but due to high demand buses were running around every 10 minutes throughout the day with full loads. Here are some photos from the event:

More Photos can be found at North East Transport Photos

Arriva North East

VDL / Wright Pulsar 1445 NK10 CFJ is the second to recieve 27 Branding with no further applied just yet.

Go North East

The five Volvo B10BLEs transferred from Oxford are 5151 T801 CBW, 5152 T802 CBW, 5154 T804 CBW, 5159 T809 CBW and 5160 T810 CBW with more thought to follow soon. All ex – MetroLink Mini Pointer Darts are now in Washington Street Shuttle Branding.

Arriva North East

Another Scania L113 / East Lancs delivered is 267 N179 PUT which is allocated to Durham. Further Wright Cadet refurbishment see 1911 W314 PPT back in service in a third variant of livery with the dark blue skirt being high and no white line on the front. Wright Cadet 1905 W307 PPT is now in a new look red branding for service 15 in the same style as applied to the Pulsars on services 9, 27 and 29. These brandings may have now been applied to other vehicles however at the time of writing only one vehicle was in each livery with 1441 NK10 CFD in 9, 1447 NK10 CFM in 27 and 1451 NK10 CFU in 29.

Go North East

Deliveries of Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties have continued with 3988 P817 SGP, 3989 P818 SGP, 3990 P819 SGP, 3991 P823 SGP, 3992 P824 SGP, 3993 P825 SGP and 3994 P829 SGP. This week saw many depot changes occur this week with Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties 3911 R553 LGH, Dennis Dart / Caetanos 8282 T429 LGP and 8283 T430 LGP and Volvo B10BLE / Wright Renown 4896 V986 ETN, 4897 V987 ETN and V988 ETN going to Chester-le-Street. Dennis MPDs 521 NK51 MKD , 573  NK53 TMY and 574 NK53 TMZ and Dennis SPDs 8201 V201 ERG, 8202 V202 ERG, 8203 V203 ERG, 8204 V204 ERG and 8205 V205 ERG went to Deptford.  DAF SB120 / Wright Cadets 8242 NA52 BUU, 8253 NK04 FOP, 8254 NK04 FOT and 8255 NK04 FOU and Volvo B10BLE / Wright Renown 4910 W491 SCU went to Gateshead while Dennis MPD 518 NK51 MJY went to Peterlee. Wright Solar 5288 NK54 NWB and Dennis SPD 8174 S374 ONL went to Washington while Dennis SPDs 8207 V207 ERG, 8208 V208 ERG, 8209 V209 ERG and 8210 V210 ERG went to Percy Main completing the moves. The first of many Volvo B10BLEs expected is T802 CBW which is from the Oxford Bus Company.

Stagecoach North East

Transferred to South Shields are Volvo B10BLE / Alexander 21141 R241 KRG, 21142 R242 KRG. 21147 R247 KRG and 21148 R248 KRG. Heading the other way to Stockton are Volvo B10M / Alexander 20123 P123 XCN, 20124 P124 XCN, 20125 P125 XCN and 20135 P135 XCN.

Compass Royston

Brand new Volvo B12M / Plaxton YN10 FZL has been purchased.

Tees Valley Stagecarriage

Volvo B10M / Alexander M452 VCW has been acquired.

Veolia

Link Up Solo YJ06 YRN has been painted into Veolia Red / Grey after a period of use with the remains of the Link Up sticker.

The 2010 Howlands Bus Rally happened on the 13th June with various vintage buses present. Here are a few photos from the event:

More photos can be found at North East Transport Photos

Arriva North East

The final VDL Pulsars delivered to Stockton are 1458 NK10 CGG, 1459 NK10 CGO and 1460 NK10 CGU. Scania OmniCity repaints at Whitby are now 4648 NK05 GXB, 4649 NK05 GXC  4650 NK05 GXD and 4653 NK05 GXG. Also of note is the possible change of depots to OmniCitys 4654 NK05 GXH and 4656 NK05 GXL as they have not been seen around Durham in the last few weeks. Although the following information is now slightly out of date due to a lack of updates, here are the buses moved withdrawn after the Northumbria changes: In general Jubilee buses moved to Ashington although Leyland Olympians 7201 H481 PVW and 7202 H485 PWV moved to Jesmond. Also odd was DAF / Plaxton Prestiges 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4005 and 4049 moving to Blyth along with Ikarus 4108 L532 EHD. Dennis MPDs 1709, 1715, 1723 and 1799 moved to Jesmond while withdrawals were to Mercedes Varios  2647, 2648, 2649, 2653, 2657, 2660, 2661, 2662, 2663 and 2664.

Go North East

Quaylink services Q1 and Q2 will be taken over by Go North East after the 18th July. The current Designline Olymbuses will be withdrawn and replaced by 9 new Optare Versas with enhanced Euro 5 engines. All Wright Solars allocated to MetroLINK have been painted in a new smart livery running every 10 minutes. Further Metrobus Volvo Olympians are now in service at Stanley being 3984 P821 SGP, 3985 P822 SGP, 3986 P826 SGP and 3987 P827 SGP. Many yellow repaints have also taken place in the last few weeks being all refurbished ex – Arriva MPDs. Sole Bluebird LMB 612 NK53 TJV has also been painted yellow and has been re-instated at Washington. Prince Bishops route 20 is the first to receive the new “Key” machine, replacing the “Buzz Fare” machine.

Stagecoach North East

After the 18th July Stagecoach will lose their Quaylink Q1 and Q2 contracts. (See Go North East heading for more information)

Tees Valley

Mercedes 709 / Alexander N201 LFV has been acquired for the 516 Guisbrough Town Service. Listed for disposal is Volvo B10 B L509 TKA.

Kingsley’s

Acquired is Iveco 130E18 SA02 UMU.

Scarlet Band

Solos repainted into new fleet livery are NX55 FFR, YJ55 YGG and YJ55 YGL leaving YJ55 YGM and YJ55YGO in white.

Arriva North East

Refurbished Wright Cadets 1905, 1906 , 1908, 1909, 1910, 1110 and 1113 are all back in use at Stockton. Scania / East Lancs 0274 P274 VRG has been painted out of Northumbria Express branding and is now allover red pending the soon coming Northumbria changes.

Go North East

Volvo Olympian 3985 P822 SGP has been aquired and is allocated to Stanley, being painted in Yellow pending Yellow Bus vinyls. More painting has occured this week including Wright Solar 5228 NK54 NWB being painted white while Wright Cadet 8255 NK04 FOU is painted marroon. Alexander Dennis Mini Pointer Dart 569 NK53 TMO is painted Silver for the change of Services M2 and M3 toWashington Street Shuttle while ex Arriva Mini Pointer Dart 620 V729 DNL has been refurbished looking very smart.

The South Shields Model Bus Event happened on the 8th May with various working layouts present. Although this news is now quite out of date, here are a few pictures of layouts from the event:

Arriva North East

As reported earlier, VDL Pulsar’s 1448 NK10 CFN and 1449 NK10 CFO that were loaned Durham have returned to Stockton. Plaxton Prima 1206 V206 DJR has moved to Ashington as an extra for service 685 while 1207 V207 DJR, 1208 V208 DJR and 1209 V209 DJR have been placed into reserve pending the change of service X66 to coaches.

Go North East

Dennis Dart / Plaxton 8234 NK51 MKF and 8235 NK 51 MKG have been repainted all over Red, thought to be the further buses heading into Northern livery. Further Wright Cadets have been painted into Crusader maroon being 8252 NA52 BVJ, 8253 NK04 FOP and 8254 NK04 FOT. Services M2/M3 are to be changed to  the Washington Street Shuttle brand with M3 being withdrawn to Chester-le-Street. The current Mini-pointer darts are to remain on the service.

Alba Travel

After winning a contract for the Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus brand new Optare Solo SRs YJ10 EZA and YJ10 EZZ have been purchased.

Arriva North East

Two further VDL Pulsars have delivered for Stockton which are 1453 NK10 CFX and 1454 NK10 CFY. Wright Cadets / DAF SB120s have been fully refurbished with the new floor, seating, livery and Hanover LED Displays. These are thought to be 1906 W308 PPT, 1910 W313 PPT and 1914 W319 PPT. VDL SB200 / Plaxton Centros have been moved with 02 YJ58 FFB and painted white 04 YJ58 FFC have been moved to Durham and 03 YJ58 FFG has been moved to Ashington.

Mini Pointer Dart 1715 V715 DNL is now at Blyth and now Optare Metrorider 2716 R716 MHN has moved to Jubilee depot. Dennis Dart / Plaxton 1686 J220 HGY has moved to Durham, along with MPDs 1709 V709 DNL, 1710 V710 DNL, 1711 V711 DNL, 1712 V712 DNL and 1713 V713 DNL. VDL Pulsar 1438 NK10 CEX has been loaned to Stockton from Redcar. Also it is blieved that Durham has been loaned 2 VDL Pulsars which are 1448 NK10 CFN and 1449 NK10 CFO from Stockton.

 

Go North East

Dennis Trident / East Lancs 3808 V303 EBR, 3804 V304 EBR,  3871 W181 SCU and 3872 W182 SCU have all gained Sir Bobby Robson Foundation Livery for new service X25 and DAF SB120 / Wright Cadet 8255 NK04 FOU has been painted in Crusader maroon. Movements include MPDs 518 NK51 MJY, 519 NK51 MJK and 520 NK51 MJC have been moved to Deptford, 534 NA52 AWW has been moved to Washington, 563 NK53 TLN, 571 NK53 TMV, 572 NK53 TMX, 573 NK53 TMY 574 NK53 TMZ are now at Gateshead so 556 NK53 TKU, 557 NK53 TKV, 558 NK53 TKX, 559 NK53 TKY, 560 NK53 TKZ have moved to Hexham which are to replace ex Arriva 620 V729 DNL, 621 V730 DNL, 622 V731 DNL, 623 V732 DNL and 624 V749 ECU which are going for refurbishment.

Tees Valley Stagecarrige

They have now acquired ex Go North East Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties K108 YVN.

Tees Valley Coach Travel

They have acquired Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties K576RRH and Volvo B6 / Northern Counties L261AKH.

Weardale Motor Services

Weardale have acquired the Cathedral Bus operations from John Bell Travel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scarlet Band

Optare Solos YJ55YGG, NK55FFR, YJ55YGL and NX55FFS have been painted in Scarlet Band’s new standard red and cream livery.

Procters

Procters have acquired Iveco/Irisbus minibus NX10CLA.

Arriva North East

VDL Pulsars have now started to be delivered to Stockton with NK10 CFG, NK10 CFJ and NK10 CFL being the first in service (Fleet Numbers not yet known). Also delivered are 1441 NK10 CFD and 1447 NK10 CFM which  have also recently entered servce. Further  Scania L113 / East Lancs for Stockton are 266 N432 XRC and 264 N170 PUT while Plaxton Prima 1213 V213 DJR is now in reserve despite being newer than equivalent Primas.  Scania OmniCity changes took place this week with 4664 NK07 FZG transferring to Durham with use being on service X1/X2, 43 and 49. In the other direction from from Durham to Whitby was 4650 NK05 GXD which was immediately painted into Interurban and seeing use on service 93.

Go North East

Service 28/28A are to be known as the Waggonway from the 18th April with various DAF / SB220 Plaxton Prestiges receiving logos. In livery so far are 4983 R971 FNW, 4984 R972 FNW and 4986 R979 FNW.

Stagecoach North East

Volvo Olympian / Alexander 16705 N705 LTN has been delicensed.

JSB Travel

Transferred to Reays (Wigton, Cumbria) is Plaxton Primo YX59 BZO.