(07 Oct 2017, 5:39 pm)Malarkey With the 50 it tends to be busier between Durham and Washington than the latter part of the route, same with the 1 it tends to be busier between Wrekenton and Newcastle than again the latter part of the route, unless of course it is a nice summers day whereby the services are rammed. For me with these services much like the Red Kite & Toon Link I think it would be better to have a split allocation of double/single deckers, placing the deckers on the peak time boards when it is likely to be busier.

(07 Oct 2017, 5:40 pm)Jimmi That's true, although I don't think it's quite busy enough when it's not really hot to justify double deckers and let's face it, this is Britain, we could possibly only have about 10 really hot days in a year. 

I'm struggling to think of anything other than the Coaster where they could be displaced to (providing they do come off the 21), really of the services that are already double deck operated, it would probably have to be something like maybe be a split between Chester-le-Street and Stanley depots for stuff like Toon Links, 15/15A, 13/X25 and 14/X22 although excluding the 15/15A all those services seem to be a mix of singles and double deckers and most other double decker routes have relatively modern stock (56, 309/310, X1).

(07 Oct 2017, 6:05 pm)Tom

---

I remember Dan saying why they were unlikely to go on the Stanley services but can’t recall why - someone might want to find the post haha

(07 Oct 2017, 6:09 pm)Jimmi I think it was something to do with the height of them being a problem on some of the Toon Link routes? May be wrong on that?

(07 Oct 2017, 6:26 pm)Tom Yeah maybe I can’t remember to be honest!

(07 Oct 2017, 6:09 pm)Jimmi I think it was something to do with the height of them being a problem on some of the Toon Link routes? May be wrong on that?

(07 Oct 2017, 6:45 pm)Ambassador The Hybrids aren’t entirely reliable and seem to be getting worse with age. A stop start service like the 27 would probably suit it more. Deckers always seem to struggle around Easedale Gardens and up in Kibblesworth.

Plus with 27 almost being a de facto metro replacement, the deckers you’d think would be welcome there.

(08 Oct 2017, 12:47 am)Andreos1 It's them non-standardised vehicles. The ones that an operator wouldn't buy, cos they're different to the rest of the vehicles in the fleet...

To be fair, when bought - they were vehicles with new technology. There was always going to be issues with them.

(08 Oct 2017, 1:07 am)Ambassador It’s almost like the fleet purchasing policy went out of the window when HM Govt waved a bag of cash infront of a Hybrid purchase option   

I’d imagine Riverside are probably the only depot currently able to maintain the Hybrids alongside CLS. 

On the subject of Angels...wonder if we'll finally get our beloved pink angel livery back   Or perhaps a rebrand back to the original 21 brand.

(07 Oct 2017, 6:53 pm)Jamie M The diversion adds 3 minutes onto the X30, it happens quite a lot now.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

(08 Oct 2017, 10:35 am)nk55 Can’t remember when the X30 diverted away from its current route, 3995/6 are allocated to the 15/15a and 3885-9 (whatever’s left) don’t see regular service, so there’s no need to divert the service.

(08 Oct 2017, 1:31 am)Jamie M Hybrids can be converted back to non-hybrid vehicles - but why are people so against the b5s going on hills? They manage fine on the X21 bank every single day.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

That said, a problem with the current crop of hybrids is that they are "probably over-engined", says Saint. He believes there is a gap in the market for a new family of engines designed with hybrids in mind. "Once you get below 4.5 litres, engines are designed for smaller LCVs and their duty cycles. Designs are unsuitable for hybrid buses. Some operators have found, to their peril, the problems with putting a small engine in a hybrid. It won't work, because it won't stand the bus' duty cycle."

(08 Oct 2017, 1:29 pm)Andreos1 That said, a problem with the current crop of hybrids is that they are "probably over-engined", says Saint. He believes there is a gap in the market for a new family of engines designed with hybrids in mind. "Once you get below 4.5 litres, engines are designed for smaller LCVs and their duty cycles. Designs are unsuitable for hybrid buses. Some operators have found, to their peril, the problems with putting a small engine in a hybrid. It won't work, because it won't stand the bus' duty cycle."

source: http://www.transportengineer.org.uk/transport-engineer-features/bus-stop-start/52720

A good read.

(08 Oct 2017, 5:44 pm)G-CPTN Remember the disastrous gas-turbine engines in the first QuayLink buses?