(09 Dec 2023, 10:09 am)L469 YVK wrote Doesn't sound a bad idea to be honest.
However, something needs done with Consett's interworking patterns, as the E400's would be way more suited elsewhere where the extra muscle is needed.
A single fleet of E400 covering both the X10 & X21 at Riverside would sort a number of issues out including not having the same vehicles getting a daily hammering down the A19, plus would allow the TVT B9TL's to be parked up on Sundays with E400s covering the Sunday 10/10A/10B boards.
I'm not sure how feasible it would be or how many people use the 47 from Shotley Bridge to Newcastle, but I've always thought it would be better for Hexham / Consett to run the 10/10A/10B. If you extended the 10A runs from Blackhall Mill through to Consett in replacement of the 47. It means that you wouldn't have dead running for miles from Riverside, in return Riverside could take over the X30/X31 and possibly the 6 which then might help with your Enviro idea there.
If engineering needed to work on one of the vehicles then they could just swap it out at Consett and keep flipping the vehicles around similar to Arriva does at Alnwick and Whitby. Dead running from Stanley will be closer than Hexham from Riverside.