For all the talk of there's no suitable decker on the market for the X9/X10's I can't believe no one has mentioned this (the shorter version of the two):

http://www.route-one.net/articles/Ensign...the_market

Particularly as they will build to an operator's specification - although I suspect the price tag may be too rich for GNE.

How many different buses are going to be prematurely aged by this route before something gives?  The figures can't be adding up as it stands surely?