(19 Feb 2016, 5:01 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote 7501 - 7509 would've been suited to the likes of the 43/44/45. Their express work days are well and truly over.

If Arriva want to replace them, they better act fast as Euro 5 examples of the E400 and for that matter, the classic bodywork will most likely stop being produced this year.

If they haven't got anything lined up, then they will have to take the following into consideration when they replace them as having 2x vehicle types (MMC and Classic) would look absolutely s***e on a 'premium' route. It would either be a case of another route either in the N.E or nationally requiring 7x Sapphire Spec E400s or for that matter, how ever many Sapphire single decks Belmont / Darlington could release if the 7 became a fully double deck operation. If the latter was to happen, the most logical solution after 15x new deckers have been purchased, would be to transfer 7522-7524 to Darlington with 7525-7526 transferring to Belmont with 7527 alongside as a spare (Darlington / Belmont) with 7528 staying in Ashington as a spare with 7518 either staying at Ashington or moving to Belmont / Darlington depending on required needs. This would mean bar any spares, all of Ashington's Sapphire double deck operation would be to MMC / Euro 6 spec with Belmont's / Darlington's Sapphire double deck operation being to Classic / Euro 5 spec.

Regardless of the need however, the main issue would be what to do with the 57 plates as they've had it. No good sticking them on the 35 et al as that would simply dilute the Sapphire brand even further.

If Arriva were going to spend all that money on 15 brand new Sapphire double deckers for the X21/X22, then surely they would have done that in 2014 when the X21/X22 were launched as Sapphire rather than spend money refurbishing 57 reg Enviro 400's and buying some brand new double deckers only for them to be replaced by yet more double deckers a few years later, with some issues as to where would be a suitable home for the 57 reg Sapphire Enviro 400's.

I think we all need to face facts that the Enviro 400's currently used on the X21/X22 probably aren't going anywhere else anytime soon.