(22 Oct 2023, 2:14 pm)Arcticrossy92 wrote If memory serves correctly, the hybrids were originally ordered for the 21, to replace the Dual-door Red B7s on there. Travelled on those hybrids a lot when they were new on the 21, and they were far superior to anything else that had been on there, at that time. I personally loved them!
They were awful on Arriva's 308 though with the slip roads on the Coast Road! Arriva ended up increasing the PVR to 10x but 7801-10 ended up moving to West Yorkshire not long after!
As for Tyne Valley Ten B9TLs being off the road, would it not be better having a "Sunday" allocation consisting of Angel StreetDecks and XLines B5TL's to conserve the B9TLs?
Wonder when GNE eventually receive EV's for the 21, whether the StreetDecks will end up on the Tyne Valley Ten, or they will end up on the 56 or 307 & 309 with less leggy B9TLs making up the numbers on the Tyne Valley Ten.
Bearing in mind, 6071-83 have been worked hard as the Tyne Valley Ten didn't really have much 'cover' for the full PVR until 2017 and even then, 6043-48 weren't the most reliable after being hammered up and down the A19 for 5 years!
Quite a testament to older vehicle build quality and reliabilty given ex-Arriva 7370-77 did the 602 for 6 years then pretty much spent the rest of their next 10-11 years on the Ashington & Alnwick 'X' routes bar short stints at Blyth & Jesmond.