(04 Dec 2022, 10:59 am)L469 YVK wrote 30 minute layover in Stanley would be commercial suicide given that the X30/X31 can be easily done with a PVR of 3x in most instances with peak extras thrown in. Yes by all means make the X45 standalone and with changeovers with outside of Hownsgill, that should help with driving hours.Yes, but for the X45/X30/X31 interwork a 30 min layover in Stanley would be great, they're constantly 20 mins late leaving Consett to head to Newcastle, even worse coming back to Consett a 30 min at Stanley would be ideal so they will leave on time.
X21 PVR is currently 8x and with a long layover at Eldon Square would be 9x. Surely as mentioned on the other thread moving 6341-51 to Riverside and having a fleet of 15x vehicles (with 2x spare) to choose from covering both the X10 & X21 would be more sensible. Minus the old X21/X22 'Sapphire' branding, Arriva Ashington are effectively doing that now with the 17 plate and 72 plate E400MMCs doing both the X14/X15/X18/X20 and X21/X22.
imo X45 should be a PVR 6 with a large layover, or just increase it to every 20 mins, it doesn't get delays due it being dead I can tell you that, or traffic I was on one yesterday, it arrived in Consett 2 mins late, left 15 mins late.