(20 Feb 2014, 8:06 pm)Kuyoyo wrote To be quite frank, B9TLs aren't truly designed for the demands of the X9/X10 and X15 due to the amount of non-stop running along major trunk roads. As previously discussed, the best vehicles for these routes (and I would also count the X18 in that) are Coaches rather than buses. Astromegas would be far more suited to the X9/X10 plus would last the full 15 years expected of vehicles these days on the routes (6043-8 will need pensioning off in 3-4 years time).
They weren't desinged for non stop trunk road runs but they're doing okay though for a modern bus. They don't breakdown too often. However, you're right in the fact that they weren't designed for trunk road runs. In my opinion, the only two engines that can cope with trunk road and rural runs with an optimum life span of 7 years are the Volvo D10-245 and the DAF/VDL DB250.