(22 Feb 2014, 11:29 am)CatsFast101 wrote I'd agree with Dan that MPD replacements need to be a priority. NorthTyne Links need replacements as does TyneDale Links, East Durham, OK Way & W5/W6, there's also the 99/27X which are MPD routes now also. I'm unsure of what PVR of East Durham is? I thought it was 13 with 1 spare (Plus they've gained an additional spare recently giving 15). 16/17 therefore required for East Durham, 11 NorthTyne Links, 5 TyneDale Links, 2 OK Way, 4 W5/W6, 2 99, 1 27X. That's 41/42 MPD replacements. Quite a lot and don't know how GNE will manage this by 2016 let alone 2015!
I gave the PVR of the East Durham network in my post above... The PVR of the East Durham network based at Peterlee is 12, and the PVR of service 238 is 2. Peterlee currently have 15 branded vehicles and Deptford currently have 3 branded vehicles. Realistically, Go North East aim to have one spare vehicle for every 8 branded - I don't think it's irrational to suggest that having one spare at Deptford and two spares at Peterlee if they were to be upgraded to Versas though. Newer vehicles are of greater quality and are therefore more reliable.
603-606 (services W5/W6) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2016, and 618/619 (East Durham) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2017. As I said before, I don't think Go North East have treated MPD withdrawal as a 'top priority' - so we could perhaps add an extra year onto their expected life span - as is the case with all of the other MPDs in the fleet.
I'd expect that the North Tyne Links batch would be replaced by the current "Nexus" liveried Solos. These would in turn be replaced by Euro 6 examples, allowing Go North East to go for more contracts and look better than their competitors in the tender process.
Providing Go North East keep all of the tendered Hexham work, I'd suggest that new vehicles (Solo SRs) could be on order here too.
(22 Feb 2014, 11:32 am)Tom wrote Some of the 2003 MPD's are actually very nice, so 570-74 might not need to be replaced...
It's really not to do with the ride quality though, it's down to numbers. They were purchased with a date of withdrawal of 2015 in mind - they've been paid for now, and they can go. If they stay for much longer, they are increasing the average age of the fleet.