(15 Jan 2018, 7:18 am)Dan wrote Chester-le-Street only have two Coast & Country branded Streetlites spare on a Sunday (due to them being used on other services like the 28, 34 and X22) and had three VOR on Friday (meaning the two branded spares, and the Beamish Streetlite, were all probably going to be in use on Sunday, if they didn't get them back on the road).
During refurbishment, as well as having Next Stop Announcements fitted, the Mercedes Citaros have had new "Wi-Fi enabled" destination controllers fitted, meaning that both the destinations and Next Stop Announcements can be updated remotely. It meant that the test programme and 'proper' programme could be sent to the bus remotely. The Streetlites don't have this special kind of destination controller.
As well as this; when running all variations of the 8/8A, 78/78A, it's probably more efficient to start at the Sunderland end rather than slap bang in the middle of the route (round trip on the 78, 8A Sunderland - The Galleries return, 8 Sunderland to Stanley, 78A Stanley to Chester-le-Street return, then 8 Stanley to Sunderland).
Aside from that, yes, much more convenient for me to work from Deptford, when it's only 5 minutes down the road...
As S813 FVK suggests, it doesn't matter too much what bus is used. As long as it's a bus with a TFT monitor when the 'proper' bus is a TFT monitor, and conversely LED when it's usually an LED.
Any chance, diversions could be put in place on the stop announcements in the future, with WIFI enabled destination controllers fitted, like for example, with Timber Beach Road closed in Sunderland, the 8 could say:
"This is the 8 to Stanley, there's a diversion in place between via Colima Avenue and the A1231 as Timber Beach Road is closed", "the closest stop would be Queen Alexandrea Bridge North End"
Or when approaches B&Q "This bus isn't stopping on Timber Beach Road due to roadworks, please use the enterprise park shuttle bus"
These would stop once its back on to normal route and continue with normal announcements.
Obviously it could be shorter, but that was just an example.