(28 Sep 2024, 5:10 pm)Storx wrote Must say talking about Hownsgill, I can't remember a depot which has gone backwards in terms of fleet age as that depot has in recent years.
The amount of downgrades is absolutely embarrassing and it's not just the past couple year. I'd be interesting to compare the fleet age in 2019 to now, using the buses which were at the depot at the time if they were still there as I wouldn't be surprised if it's worse which is piss poor considering it was 5 year ago and that's not even the newest fleet it had, since it got massive investment with most of it took away.
If I remember it was though:
V's: Same Solo's
X70/X71: 62 Plate B9TL
78: 15 Plate Streetlite's
X45/X46/X47: 15/16 Plate Streetlite or 15 Plate B9TL
16/16A: 66 Plate Streetlites
15/15A: Citaro's
So well for progress...
I think the main driver was that 6304-07 ended up leaving so that they could be prioritised on Euro 6 routes, and StreetLites disappearing of the 16/16A in a swap for then ex Coaster B5LH's.
Saying that, if Percy Main end up with StreetDecks on the Cobalts when the Angel goes EV, the current Cobalt B9TL's have had very charmed lives and interior wise are decent spec. They wouldn't be too bad on something like the X5/X15 or 16/16A.