(11 Oct 2015, 11:01 am)S813 FVK wrote Just a question regarding the allocation of 5401 to services 45/46 from 25th October:
Will the service be similar to the Prince Bishops as i seem to remember somebody saying that the services get a long layover at Consett? When i read this, I immediately thought that the PVR could have been 8 without the lengthy layover but they have chosen to make the PVR 9 with a lengthy layover to improve the reliability of the service (but lose a spare vehicle in the process).
Service X43, which is currently allocated a red Streetlite, is being withdrawn and replaced by new services V7/V8 (which will operate with "Venture" branded Solo SRs).
To improve reliability of the "Red Kite" 45/46 services, an additional vehicle is being added to the PVR of the services, which will allow for increased running/layover time. The PVR will rise from 9 vehicles to 10, and 5401 will be the vehicle that forms part of the PVR of the "Red Kite" 45/46 services from 25th October. The red base livery used on the "Red Kite" branded vehicles is only marginally lighter than Go North East's corporate livery red, and as such, I cannot see it being repainted (but should be branded accordingly).
As I have said previously; 5419 will act as the spare vehicle for both the 8/78 and 45/46, but I'd imagine that services 8/78 will get priority if both have branded vehicles missing from service, given that it is branded for Beamish (and service 8 serves Beamish). As Stanley are losing a spare vehicle, there is no doubt that there will be an increase in the amount of corporate liveried vehicles which are not to the same specification as the usual branded Streetlites.