(05 Jan 2022, 8:56 pm)peter wrote You'd assume the Orbit Streetlite is on loan rather than a permanent allocation (perhaps covering for 5508 which hasn't been in service for a while according to BusTimes).
I think there are a few factors suggesting that the current Solo's won't be running out of Hexham for much longer. Firstly if GNE are successful in their ZEBRA bus fund bid then they will be replaced with electric vehicles. Secondly, service 74 at least will require a Euro 6 vehicle as it goes into Newcastle (and GNE don't seem to be upgrading any Solo's to Euro 6) and potentially (though I'm purely speculating) the contracts for the Hexham services may stipulate Euro 6 vehicles going forwards in which case the Solo's will almost certainly be replaced. I'd imagine, this will allow some of the older SR's to be withdrawn or move into the driver training fleet (it's mentioned on the GNE Fleet Archive that Solo's are to become the main training vehicle).
Yes, the Orbit Streetlite will be on loan to Hexham, but I think it might run on service 74, but I could be wrong and it could be covering for 5508, maybe on the X84/X85.
Interesting times ahead for Hexham depot, could GNE lose the Hexham contracts this year realistically?