(15 Jun 2016, 4:34 pm)Dan I'd hope not. Percy Main struggle to cover a PVR of 16 with one Volvo B9TL as it is - hence the frequent allocation of Volvo B7s to the Cobalt Clipper...
I reckon it's more likely that some Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7s will form part of the TEN's PVR.
I know that the revised Hexham TENs look like they're running the same way in terms of PVR that the Castles Express runs with a long layover.
In terms of the PVRs for the TEN, they stand as follows Monday to Saturday:
10 = 7
10A (Blackhall) = 3
10A (Rockwood = 2
10B = 4
Total PVR = 16
Sunday PVR remains unchanged.
If the Monday to Saturday PVR was to stand at 15, then I'd say another B7TL would just about do but going up to 16, then I strongly think that Deptford will lose one of their corporate spares. I know that isn't ideal but given that Percy Main has had to run with 1x corporate spare (if not on the Bedlington / Ashington work) covering for 16x vehicles since September 2014, then I can't see why Deptford can't, even more so given the fact that they don't have to face competition like Percy Main do. I know the TENs don't face much competition but if the opportunity is there to keep the service at near specification as possible without making another service
'completely' (Deptford would still have one spare) lose out, then it would be more than justified.
Even more so if GNE were willing to make a few allocation changes, they could even do this with Riverside gaining another B9TL on the same basis of 6084 that should any of 6043-6048 be off the road, then it has to be swapped with a B7TL at the earliest opportunity.
- 6100 to Percy Main displacing 6101(T)
- 6101(T) to Riverside as a corporate spare seeing use on 10A / 10B - no fluid allocations allowed
- 7x B9TLs (excl 6101 or 6084) alongside 1x spare B7TL based at Hexham
- 8x B9TLs (inc 6101 & 6084) alongside 1x B7TL (part of TEN allocation) based at Riverside alongside 3963 / 3964 as spares.
