(03 Feb 2014, 11:18 pm)Y961 XBU wrote You would be shocked, theres a number of Plaxton Presidents and Wright Gemini 1's going into service with Arriva North West after being in London for 12 Years and they are proving to be very reliable, I think it depends on the quality of the Bus and the way it was looked after on how they cope after London life!
You have a point there and I agree, but I guess the main factor is the transition between what services the vehicles are allocated to before and after they move.
Here in the North East, we have a high speed express service which is allocated former London Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President vehicles. The vehicles allocated are said to be breaking down frequently and replacement vehicles are having to be provided regularly.
If the vehicles rarely exceeded 30mph or so in London, going up and down dual carriageways at 55mph isn't going to be a particularly great for them - the transition is simply too extravagant!
Although I don't wish to drift off-topic, what is the nature of the routes which your former London vehicles are allocated to? Are they normal town services, interurban, express..?