(12 Sep 2019, 2:20 pm)streetdeckfan Only 4 of the Castles Express Streetdecks are being kept on the X21 once the new Streetdecks arrive, so the other 3 will become corporate (presumably 6301-6304)

6304-6307, 6332 and 6333 will be repainted into X-Lines, along with 2 new Streetdecks.
What this means is there will be 3 different interior specs on the X21

I knew about two different specs, but didn't make the connection on cascaded vehicles and then the 6332/3.

Surely it would have made more sense to have kept it to two different interiors and had 6332/3 in corporate livery along with one of the new vehicles?

Or is that just me?

(12 Sep 2019, 2:49 pm)Andreos1

I knew about two different specs, but didn't make the connection on cascaded vehicles and then the 6332/3.

Surely it would have made more sense to have kept it to two different interiors and had 6332/3 in corporate livery along with one of the new vehicles?

Or is that just me?

The 67 plates are a lot more reliable than the 16 plates. So they have moved some of the 16 plates into a spare role replacing 6332/6333

(12 Sep 2019, 2:56 pm)JP6004

The 67 plates are a lot more reliable than the 16 plates. So they have moved some of the 16 plates into a spare role replacing 6332/6333

I still think if you're going through the hassle of repainting all of them, you might as well just replace the lot instead of having three different specs on one service

Just palm the 16 plates off on the X45/46/47 where they'll be wrecked anyway

(12 Sep 2019, 3:03 pm)streetdeckfan

I still think if you're going through the hassle of repainting all of them, you might as well just replace the lot instead of having three different specs on one service

Just palm the 16 plates off on the X45/46/47 where they'll be wrecked anyway

You got a spare £1million for an extra 4 vehicles?

(12 Sep 2019, 3:18 pm)JP6004

You got a spare £1million for an extra 4 vehicles?

(12 Sep 2019, 3:24 pm)streetdeckfan As it happens, I don't.
They could just take some of the new Streetdecks from the X45/46/47 though.

Thats what I'm thinking.

There must be another way, rather than having a situation like this.

I was just thinking about my reply to JP6004 when your post appeared.

(12 Sep 2019, 3:03 pm)streetdeckfan

I still think if you're going through the hassle of repainting all of them, you might as well just replace the lot instead of having three different specs on one service

Just palm the 16 plates off on the X45/46/47 where they'll be wrecked anyway

Aren't the Red kite services the main bread winner at Hownsgill, surely having brand new buses is more of a priority given how long the Castles Express buses have been in service?

As for 3 different interiors, despite the age gap, aren't they all pretty high standard and very much the same, apart from colours etc

Dare I get into a discussion of where a bus is more likely to be 'wrecked'. Are we on about the road surface conditions & damaged that way or the population of the area? I would argue if its population that a bus has more of a chance getting damaged in Durham City or Bishop than Consett or Newcastle (as someone in works in all 4 locations)

(12 Sep 2019, 3:24 pm)streetdeckfan As it happens, I don't.
They could just take some of the new Streetdecks from the X45/46/47 though.

Or they could not bother purchasing a further 2 vehicles for X21. They could save £500k, leave customers with a less reliable service and leave the 14yr old omnidekka as the dedicated spare.

Perhaps also you have a high frequency 21 running alongside the X21 for a lot of the route, which customers can easily transfer onto between Durham and Newcastle. A lot better than being stranded out in the country

(12 Sep 2019, 3:37 pm)Arcticrossy92

Aren't the Red kite services the main bread winner at Hownsgill, surely having brand new buses is more of a priority given how long the Castles Express buses have been in service?

As for 3 different interiors, despite the age gap, aren't they all pretty high standard and very much the same, apart from colours etc

Dare I get into a discussion of where a bus is more likely to be 'wrecked'. Are we on about the road surface conditions & damaged that way or the population of the area? I would argue if its population that a bus has more of a chance getting damaged in Durham City or Bishop than Consett or Newcastle (as someone in works in all 4 locations)

(12 Sep 2019, 3:49 pm)streetdeckfan I see where you're coming from, but I think with the red kites being 3 different services, having 2 different interiors would be less jarring than having them all on one service.
The specs are actually quite different, the 16 plates have sockets at every seat whereas the 67 plates (and presumably 69 plates) only have them at the tables, the 67 plates have extra padding on the seats as well as being different colours, and the 69 plates will only be part leather and a different colour yet again. The 16 plates are also missing the glass staircase.

I don't get your logic - in one breath saying it's naff having different batches of StreetDecks on the X21, and in the next saying allocate 6301-07 to the X45/6/7 (so you'd have the same issue there?!) There have been two different interior specifications since May. 6332 had made up the PVR of the X21 with just 7 branded for a PVR of 8, since the route was extended to Tindale Crescent (and indeed since delivery 6332 has spent most of its time being the spare bus for the X21).

Repainting 6332 and 6333 for the X21 provides customers on this route with a more reliable service, and displaces the older StreetDecks to become spare vehicles for the 21/X21 (three rather than just two). The three oldest StreetDecks, 6301 - 6303, have been identified as some of the most problematic (incurring the most defects and/or off service most frequently).

The partial renewal of the fleet with two new buses having been ordered also shows Go North East's commitment to improving commuter services and investing into its new X-lines brand.

I'm with JP6004 on this one...

(12 Sep 2019, 4:07 pm)Dan

I don't get your logic - in one breath saying it's naff having different batches of StreetDecks on the X21, and in the next saying allocate 6301-07 to the X45/6/7 (so you'd have the same issue there?!) There have been two different interior specifications since May. 6332 had made up the PVR of the X21 with just 7 branded for a PVR of 8, since the route was extended to Tindale Crescent (and indeed since delivery 6332 has spent most of its time being the spare bus for the X21).

Repainting 6332 and 6333 for the X21 provides customers on this route with a more reliable service, and displaces the older StreetDecks to become spare vehicles for the 21/X21 (three rather than just two). The three oldest StreetDecks, 6301 - 6303, have been identified as some of the most problematic (incurring the most defects and/or off service most frequently).

The partial renewal of the fleet with two new buses having been ordered also shows Go North East's commitment to improving commuter services and investing into its new X-lines brand.

I'm with JP6004 on this one...

(12 Sep 2019, 4:20 pm)streetdeckfan What I'm saying is having 2 different batches is better than 3 different batches.
I personally think having 2 batches on the Red Kites would be less of an issue because there are 3 different services, but with the X21, there'll be 3 different batches spread around only 8 buses!

I'm not opposed to having 2 batches, but 3 is too much imo.

(12 Sep 2019, 4:20 pm)streetdeckfan What I'm saying is having 2 different batches is better than 3 different batches.
I personally think having 2 batches on the Red Kites would be less of an issue because there are 3 different services, but with the X21, there'll be 3 different batches spread around only 8 buses!

I'm not opposed to having 2 batches, but 3 is too much imo.

Although not ideal to have non standard interiors, 99.9% of people will care more if the bus turns up as opposed to if the seat colour is the same as the previous bus.

Let's not forget there are other services like the Little Coasters which have multiple non standard interiors

(12 Sep 2019, 4:23 pm)Dan Colours aside, they're more or less the same (high) specification...

I don't think Joe Bloggs travelling on the X21 will care too much that one bus has the GNE logo embossed into it, and one has the GNE logo stitched.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

(12 Sep 2019, 4:27 pm)streetdeckfan If that was my issue, I would have brought up that the 16 plates have the old GNE logo on, and the 67 plates have the newer but not the most recent logo on, but I'm not that picky

The Washington indigo have the old and new font fleet numbers

(12 Sep 2019, 4:26 pm)JP6004

Although not ideal to have non standard interiors, 99.9% of people will care more if the bus turns up as opposed to if the seat colour is the same as the previous bus.

Let's not forget there are other services like the Little Coasters which have multiple non standard interiors

(12 Sep 2019, 4:30 pm)streetdeckfan But Little Coasters aren't a 'flagship' service, X-Lines is, or at least they want it to be.
I'm not saying it's a big issue, all I'm saying is there are ways that it could have been avoided

I disagree - it couldn't have been avoided. If Go North East want to keep momentum on their X-lines project, then work had to commence now. The repainting of 6332/33 and the purchase of two new StreetDecks shows Go North East are willing to invest in this premium brand, but money doesn't grow on trees.

The Red Kite group of services probably make a lot more money than the X21 does, so why should the Red Kite have to receive older buses?

(12 Sep 2019, 4:34 pm)Dan

I disagree - it couldn't have been avoided. If Go North East want to keep momentum on their X-lines project, then work had to commence now. The repainting of 6332/33 and the purchase of two new StreetDecks shows Go North East are willing to invest in this premium brand, but money doesn't grow on trees.

The Red Kite group of services probably make a lot more money than the X21 does, so why should the Red Kite have to receive older buses?

(12 Sep 2019, 4:40 pm)streetdeckfan I see where you're coming from, but I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on the matter.

Surely it would have been possible to spec the new ones for the X21 to match the 67 plates, that would have avoided this discussion

I'm sure this will be rectified when they come to be retrimmed in a few years

(12 Sep 2019, 4:47 pm)JP6004

I'm sure this will be rectified when they come to be retrimmed in a few years