(20 Feb 2014, 10:07 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote No cascades available though unless the Quaylink was to get New Buses, plus the Cadets are to Withdrawn come the end of 2014, so I would think it is likely that the M2/M3 may get New Buses.
Who said that the Cadets allocated to the 88 were due to be withdrawn at the end of this year? Their "shell life" may suggest this, but things don't always work out like that (just look at the B10BLEs and Olympians to prove that) - especially if there are greater priorities. All our company represenatives have said is 'early Cadets'; that in itself could be perceived differently by different people. To me it suggests that plans are still in the discussion stages and a solid plan (much like the vehicles on order this year) is no where near finalised.
I have always said that the ones allocated to the 5, as the eldest Cadets in the fleet, are due to be withdrawn at the end of the year - partly due to the reliability of the vehicles. The ones based at Washington aren't half as bad.
As things stand, which I have said many times now, services M2/M3 should receive the "QuayLink" branded Versas next year. This means that you'll have a number of Versas allocated with only a few other vehicle types - depot standardisation. Of course it would be impractical to have all Washington-based services allocated Versas (such as the X1 and the 4), but you can allocate as many Versas as possible.