(28 Feb 2015, 9:01 pm)Dan wrote Carlisle had a few odd workings today:
Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire: 24123 / PX59AZN by danielgrahamm, on Flickr
Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire: 37121 / YY14WFM by danielgrahamm, on Flickr
Not so odd them, Dan - a MAN E300 is often used if one of the two ADLs is out of service (inspection/service, MOT, repairs etc) on the 685 - today I noticed 24124, 24118 is another popular one to venture across to Newcastle.
I think because of this (also due to the MANs being notoriously unreliable) some E200s cover the 79 and 179 to Annan and Dumfries respectively.
Word on the street is that the E200s aren't worth having for Carlisle due to the low passenger numbers so a new fleet of Solo SRs are being ordered with the E200s being cascaded elsewhere (I would guess Lillyhall). That's just something I've heard though, timescales and validity I do not know.