09 Aug 2015, 5:35 pm
#417
(09 Aug 2015, 5:12 pm)Tom Do you know where the newer MPDs will be heading? (619 etc.)
A number of the older MPDs have now been withdrawn and are in storage at Saltmeadows Road.
Cascades for the newer vehicles will take place when all fourteen vehicles arrive at Peterlee, which is when I'll be able to confirm the movements.
(09 Aug 2015, 5:13 pm)danpick So am I right in thinking that some Solo's will be in service from start of play?
Yes, eight vehicles will enter service from morning run-out (allowing one vehicle to remain as a spare at Peterlee). The remainder of the PVR (5 vehicles) will be made up by MPDs until approximately 11:00am, which is when it is planned to replace these vehicles at Peterlee Bus Station.
(09 Aug 2015, 5:16 pm)danpick Also looking at your Flickr Dan is the 901 Stadium Of Light part of having every station on the System programmed also why do they have X1 programmed?
We are currently rolling out a new programme to all depots which is easier to manage 'behind the scenes' and should prevent route numbers being on the wrong side of the display. This involves a lot of work on weekends and requires an electrician to change switch settings on the destination displays, so will take time to roll out to all buses in the fleet (but we're getting there!)
This new programme for each depot contains a standardised list of Metro Replacement destinations (one for every station on the network - listed in order), and I have also removed the scrolling so that it is easier to read. I've never had a chance to see these destinations on a bus yet, so tried it out while I had the chance. Certainly unlikely to see that destination on an Optare Solo SR for real (especially as normal Metro Replacements would continue to Sunderland or Park Lane - rather than my local station), but that's what it'll look like if one is ever allocated to the 900/901!
The new programme for Deptford is more 'universal', so to speak, and contains destinations for Deptford, Peterlee and Washington. The programme for Deptford Depot included destinations for service X1 before I got my hands on it: they provide vehicles on service X1 on Boxing Day! All that has changed is it now has the special route number font.
