(25 Aug 2017, 2:54 pm)RobinHood Apparently this one has a higher spec engine, hence the trial.

(25 Aug 2017, 5:18 pm)omnicity4659 StreetDeck SK17 HHC has moved to Redcar, for use there instead of the high-speed interurban routes at Ashington.

(25 Aug 2017, 7:56 pm)mb134 So, what exactly was the point of sending it there initially, did they have a change of mind this week without even seeing it in service? 

(25 Aug 2017, 9:52 pm)omnicity4659 Top speed is 50mph, and as StreetLites can't keep to time on any of the expresses its been decided its useless!

(25 Aug 2017, 10:10 pm)L469 YVK Don't want to go off topic too much here but it's a bit of a sad way that Wrightbus and the bus industry has gone in general. Yes there is some big demand for lightweight and fuel efficient vehicles and these should be ordered where suited and are suitable for a good few routes. But, looking at the double decker markets, there are only 3x options for more heavy duty work or intense interurban work now:

- ADL E400MMC with ZF (meaning competitors subsidising Stagecoach not that Arriva seem to mind as such lately but might change)
- Scania ADL E400MMC with ZF (good but too heavy duty)
- Ensignbus BCI Excellence (looks good but unproven)

Wrightbus should consider offering the Streetdeck and Streetlites with bigger engines (Cummins 6.7?) and gearbox options that are approproately setup as required.

(25 Aug 2017, 10:11 pm)mb134 Wonder what the hell was going through the heads of whoever sent it to Ashington in the first place at this point! Assuming someone at Ashington depot piped up and told someone that trialling it on the Alnwick expresses would be a completely pointless task if it was limited to 50?

They are going to be seriously hard pressed in a couple of years when it comes to replacing 7412-6, 4653/9, and probably 7511-3 (Including 7511-13 in that because, while only 9 years old, they've had a rough 9 years). One double deck on the market has already been ruled out, currently it seems pigs will fly before Arriva buy anything with a Volvo chassis (even though B8RLEs are probably the best option to replace 4653/9) and Streetlites/E200MMCs aren't capable. That leaves E400 MMCs, and the ones on the X21/22 don't strike me with an awful lot of confidence.

(25 Aug 2017, 10:32 pm)omnicity4659 Wonder how that happened. 

What I'm told is that the X15 is earmarked for new buses next year, when I was told about the StreetDeck coming for trials, the lad did say that those were the types that were coming. 

What I assume will happen, is that the E400s off the X15 cascade onto the X20, withdrawing or transferring 7412-6.

(25 Aug 2017, 10:48 pm)mb134 It's suicide if they are the type coming. The X15 needs all the help it can get as it is, putting buses on that are limited to 50mph is as close to giving up the service as you can get. It stinks of Arriva, as per usual, doing everything on the cheap. The decision to buy B9TLs for the X93 was clearly, as feared, a false dawn. They took over a successful business in Northumbria, that specified buses highly, and bought vehicles appropriate for the routes they'd be allocated to, and have ran it into the ground. 

Again, moving 7511-3 to the X20 is just a disaster waiting to happen. They've been blasted up and down the A1 for the past 9 years, and to expect them to continue to do so is sheer folly. Those 3 should really be moved to the 35 if anything, 7514 is the only one branded for the X15 that should be kept on the expresses. Both the X15 and X20 need brand new vehicles, and not things that are limited to 50mph that will have absolutely no chance of keeping anything on time.

(25 Aug 2017, 10:10 pm)L469 YVK Don't want to go off topic too much here but it's a bit of a sad way that Wrightbus and the bus industry has gone in general. Yes there is some big demand for lightweight and fuel efficient vehicles and these should be ordered where suited and are suitable for a good few routes. But, looking at the double decker markets, there are only 3x options for more heavy duty work or intense interurban work now:

- ADL E400MMC with ZF (meaning competitors subsidising Stagecoach not that Arriva seem to mind as such lately but might change)
- Scania ADL E400MMC with ZF (good but too heavy duty)
- Ensignbus BCI Excellence (looks good but unproven)

Wrightbus should consider offering the Streetdeck and Streetlites with bigger engines (Cummins 6.7?) and gearbox options that are approproately setup as required.

(27 Aug 2017, 10:20 am)Jimmi @S830OFT
Supposedly, the StreetDeck is here until Friday.

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(27 Aug 2017, 10:43 am)Jimmi @S830OFT

Demonstration loans tend to vary by operator and manufacturer, Go North East only had the Enviro400 City and MMC demonstrators for about a fortnight each (the former later got a second two week trial). One thing to bare in mind is we got this on Monday but spent half the week in Ashington depot not doing anything.

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(29 Aug 2017, 2:41 pm)omnicity4659 Contactless Payment stickers are currently being rolled out across the whole fleet.