(04 Dec 2023, 7:54 am)Unber43 wrote no its not an option

It wouldn't be the worst idea. 2024/25 (when the line opens), coincides with the mid-life span of 7541-52. If passengers numbers were still sufficient to sustain healthy loads but using more fuel efficient single deckers (and a small number of decker boards thrown in for school / college times for the X21/35), that would be a better option rather than slashing frequencies or cutting routes.

Plus 7541-52 being cascaded would help get rid of the oldest and most unreliable deckers and also the X93 issue being sorted with some of the 72 plates being released and older but more charmed classic E400's doing the X20.

Something like this as a starting point..........
- 21x 11.8m E200MMC / Cummins 6.7 - 35/X21/X22
- 7541-52 - Darlington / Belmont - 7
- 7563-74 - Ashington - X14/X15/X18
- 7575 - Ashington and Redcar/Whitby float
- 7576-81 - Redcar/Whitby - X93/X94
- 7537-40 - Ashington - X20

Plenty of scope for cascades / refreshes too after the above

Put it this way....if GNE had've stayed single deck for the X30/X31 and 45/46/47, they wouldn't have had their frequencies slashed for 'commercial' reasons post covid.