Don't think it's the worst thing that the OK Way is being dropped considering how frequently corporate liveried buses work the 18, at least now all the buses will be red. IMO it seems more noticeable when branded buses are missing on the 18 considering it only has a PVR of two, I've been to Bishop Auckland this afternoon and saw the same President a few times standing in for a MPD today. In some ways it would be ideal to have a spare Solo at Crook/Chester-le-Street for the 18 but it would be daft having a Solo and a double decker sit spare in Bishop Auckland all day when just one double decker can be spare for both the 18 and X21 and there isn't really any route at Chester-le-Street you could get away with allocating a Solo to, at a push you could maybe allocate them to the 34/34A.
