(31 Oct 2022, 7:02 pm)peter wrote Yeah, I was aware of the Blyth plans and the limit on single decks - wasn't sure if plans had changed since then. It still works though, let's assume they bin the 55 or run that from Ashington, the PVR of the 51/52/53/54 is 13 (currently 12 because the 53 is terminating short once per hour). You'd just have to use a decker as an extra spare. 

Yeah I did think about the X7/8/9 getting new vehicles in my original post, I don't know the area well and was under the impression they might not perform as well as the X10/11 or 306/308. Indeed, I recall when they were in the Quorum plum livery. I can certainly see the X8 being withdrawn as otherwise the PVR's too high. The new plans allow 43 double deckers - the PVR of the 306/308, X7/8/9 an X10/11 is 40. If you got rid of the X8 then you'd cut a chunk out of the PVR of 14 on the X7/8/9 circuit, which would probably be about right. 

I don't think they should be replacing them but I reckon they might given they've already sent 7511/12 down there. Or they may leave them on the 43/44/45 another year - they had ex-London W/X-reg ALX400's before so have always had an old clapped out fleet.

I think all the 08 plate Solo's have been withdrawn (at least on paper). Are the 59-plate and 11-plate any better given they're a touch younger?

Don't think so as far as I'm aware.

Personally I think the 51 will be downgraded to minibus again at some point once they find something to actually run them (assuming the grounding issues were on there somewhere).

It's a weird one as Arriva don't always renew things you'd expect like the X14 and X20 getting new buses on paper probably aren't too routes which really deserve them but they got them and the 35 has some relatively new Enviro's aswell.

Wonder if there might be a case for a batch of something for the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 at some point which would result in all 61 plates doing the 306/308 for a couple year and the 59 plates being split up replacing the oldest Enviro's for the 43/44/45/X46 - there should be enough of them.

Well at one point today there was 2/5 of them on the 57/57A, one hasn't turned up as it's broken and depending on what the spare machines are 2856 is off the road today aswell so it's pretty much back to square one again. I'm not sure whether it's a vehicle issue either but they losing time in random places aswell.