(24 Jan 2019, 8:49 pm)Brampton Trev wrote How busy does the 0705/20 get? it will no doubt be empty when it leaves Carlisle, but does it become fuller than a single decker anytime after Haltwhistle?
So there are 18 E400 MMCs on short distance stop/start low speed services in Lancaster & Morecambe and 2 on long distance high speed service to Newcastle.
What type of gearbox to cope with this wide variation of route profile? I assume all 20 have the same engine & gearbox spec. I did hear that ALX400 Tridents and the 555 route was not good on the gearbox due to the undulating nature of many miles of the 555 causing the gearbox to hunt up and down at times on some inclines.
The 0705 is empty till it hits Brampton, then picks up all the way to Haydon Bridge. By the time it reaches Melkridge/Haydon Bridge every seat is normally taken on the decker, with them alighting at Hexham school.
Underneath the batch are the same, however the 11157 has had gearbox mapping for the 685.
Probably the two most strenuous parts of the 555 is the up-hill climb from Grasmere and the climb out of Keswick, both of which are long steady inclines and the Keswick one has a few bends. I don't think I've ever been on a bus up those which haven't dropped into first gear on a slow climb. All the 555s have gearbox mapping for the route.