(27 Nov 2019, 8:54 pm)L469 YVK wrote Call me sceptical but I just don't see how the new batch are going to perform well particularly on some of the Hownsgill routes. 6333 will be starting to show it's true colours with it now being allocated to the X21 properly away from a more suitable start - stop type of route.
As someone who spends far too much of their time on the Streetdecks, I have to disagree there. 6332 (which is from the same batch as 6333) has been allocated to the X21 pretty much exclusively since new and it always has been the best one on the route, from both a passenger's perspective and from what I've heard, a drivers perspective as well.
They're far superior to the 16 plates we have on the X21 in basically every way, they're more reliable, more comfortable (both seat and suspension wise), quieter, and quite a bit better on the motorway.
Like I said a while back, one of the new drivers took a wrong turn in Bishop and ended up down Newton Cap Bank, and one of the newer Streetdecks (I think it may have been 6333) managed to do a hill start on there with no issue, so they certainly have some power
(27 Nov 2019, 9:01 pm)Stanleyone wrote Guess we’ll find out soon enough, like them or hate them but 28 streetdecks have been ordered for Consett routes. Streetlites have handled the routes well enough for 4 years and if it wasn’t for the rattles they probably would get such a bad name from drivers (IMO).
My only major complaint with the Streetlite is that god damn door! Other than that they're perfectly decent!
I still prefer the E200 over them, but honestly there's not that much in it between them, other than the rattling door. Then again the E200s have the creaking windows!
Without trying both out, I personally think the Streetdeck would be a better fit than the E400 for the Consett routes, the E400 is perfectly good, but the low height upstairs is enough for me to not like travelling on them