(22 Jan 2018, 5:31 pm)Dan wrote I made a post on a bus enthusiasts' Facebook Group earlier, and it's provoked quite a bit of discussion. Many of those who have commented on that post aren't members of this forum, and still stick to their guns that StreetDecks are hideously unreliable, cheap (and so on)... So I'm intrigued to see what sort of opinions members of this forum have in comparison.

My original post on said group was:

I use the 21 each day to travel to work.  This morning was the first time since all of the new ones have been here that I've travelled on something different when 3965 turned up.  That was cold and the window seal next to my seat was dripping a lot of water in.  The usual Streetdeck was much missed this morning.  Hopefully the arrival of the spares will see off these relics.

Generally, the new buses seem reliable (as they should be given that they are only 6 weeks old) and comfortable, although on a couple, the panel above the rear window upstairs at the back already rattles quite loudly when the bus is moving - 6317 is particularly bad with 6325 and 6331 also having the same issue.  

As I travel by myself, I am not a fan of the tables and try to avoid them where possible.  I've never seen anyone using the table for anything other than standing their bag on and at the time I travel there aren't many people travelling in groups, so their use is limited as, in my experience, people travelling by themselves generally prefer not to have to engage with others (particularly commuters in rush hour).  The other problem with the table seats is the amount of passengers who sit with their feet up on the facing seats.

That said, the tables are the only feature I don't like and assuming that the reliability is maintained and that maintenance teams can keep on top of the rattles which are starting to develop, they are a big upgrade on the hybrids, B7s, Omnidekkas and the mixture of single deckers which they replaced.