(15 Nov 2025, 7:02 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Oh!   
Why was this posted in the Electric Buses thread then. 
 

You mean the "Electric buses/new orders" thread?

(15 Nov 2025, 7:03 pm)deanmachine wrote You mean the "Electric buses/new orders" thread?

So effectively Electric buses / Diesel Buses / Gas Buses / Hydrogen Buses? 
I see.

(15 Nov 2025, 7:14 pm)ne14ne1 wrote So effectively Electric buses / Diesel Buses / Gas Buses / Hydrogen Buses? 
I see.

Yes , New orders!!!!!!

(15 Nov 2025, 6:06 pm)citaro5284 wrote I heard a rumour a couple of months back that X1 were getting new diesel vehicles in January, so these could be them

Wasn't it said before the current E400MMC's on the X1 are moving to the 56?


Are the E400's on the X1 any good?

Wonder where the B9's from the 56 will go.

(15 Nov 2025, 6:51 pm)L469 YVK wrote DB300 had a 205bph Cummins but with a Voith Gearbox - as opposed to Stagecoach's E400 classics with 240/250bph Cummins & Voith.

These will either be 250BPH or 300BPH with 7 speed DIWA NXT gearboxes

Cool! Thanks for the info!

I look forward to trying these out!

---

(15 Nov 2025, 7:58 pm)Michael wrote Wasn't it said before the current E400MMC's on the X1 are moving to the 56?


Are the E400's on the X1 any good?

Wonder where the B9's from the 56 will go.

The X1 currently has 2020 Streetdecks 70 reg. I think these do ok on the X1, no real problems, but not as good as the B9's definitely. Passenger facilities slightly better on the Streetdecks with tables and wireless charging.

I personally think the 56 deserves better than 5 year old second hand buses, but as good as the B9s have been, they do need moving on ASAP. Especially on a service that runs 23 hours a day.

(15 Nov 2025, 8:10 pm)deanmachine wrote I personally think the 56 deserves better than 5 year old second hand buses, but as good as the B9s have been, they do need moving on ASAP. Especially on a service that runs 23 hours a day.

Same here, shame the route won't be getting anything new - wonder why they chose the X1 over the 56?

I wonder if we'll see another rebrand for the 56?

(15 Nov 2025, 8:10 pm)deanmachine wrote I personally think the 56 deserves better than 5 year old second hand buses, but as good as the B9s have been, they do need moving on ASAP. Especially on a service that runs 23 hours a day.

IMO - the B9TLs will probably be better on the 56 despite their age.

Although the B9TLs aren't as good on the extreme long distance stuff like their grandparents (aka the Olympians) - they're a pretty solid vehicle for the most part.

I do think it's a bit of a risk using mid-life StreetDecks which have been used on relatively demanding although not extreme work - given Washington had vehicle shortage issues which could've been attributed to these.

(15 Nov 2025, 9:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote IMO - the B9TLs will probably be better on the 56 despite their age.

Although the B9TLs aren't as good on the extreme long distance stuff like their grandparents (aka the Olympians) - they're a pretty solid vehicle for the most part.

I do think it's a bit of a risk using mid-life StreetDecks which have been used on relatively demanding although not extreme work - given Washington had vehicle shortage issues which could've been attributed to these.

Honestly, I disagree, like I said they're getting old and starting to get rather unreliable on the 56.

Has it actually been confirmed they're going onto the X1?

Surely they'd be coming in X Lines livery if they're going on an X Lines route? As far as I'm aware, X Lines isn't scrapped.

(15 Nov 2025, 9:14 pm)Storx wrote Has it actually been confirmed they're going onto the X1?

Surely they'd be coming in X Lines livery if they're going on an X Lines route? As far as I'm aware, X Lines isn't scrapped.

The photo could possibly be only one of a number of livery vehicles, they could still be some coming in xlines livery

Looking at the image, they don't look very high spec inside? I can't see any backwards facing seats implying there's tables? All grey plastic inside too rather than the nice dark red on the current X1s.

(15 Nov 2025, 9:43 pm)Retro Nero wrote The photo could possibly be only one of a number of livery vehicles, they could still be some coming in xlines livery

Or maybe 'XLines' is still kept as a brand, but incoroprated into the corporate livery......in a similar way that GoXpress was back in the day.

(15 Nov 2025, 9:43 pm)Retro Nero wrote The photo could possibly be only one of a number of livery vehicles, they could still be some coming in xlines livery

Yeah possibly. 

(15 Nov 2025, 9:43 pm)deanmachine wrote Looking at the image, they don't look very high spec inside? I can't see any backwards facing seats implying there's tables? All grey plastic inside too rather than the nice dark red on the current X1s.

I wonder if this is the start of the end of regional branding. I know it's very hard to tell as you can't see the seat covers but from what you can see it looks very very similar to GA74 ZEB which has a GoAhead interior which I thought was a very random thing to do if they had no intention of rolling it elsewhere.

(15 Nov 2025, 9:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote IMO - the B9TLs will probably be better on the 56 despite their age.

Although the B9TLs aren't as good on the extreme long distance stuff like their grandparents (aka the Olympians) - they're a pretty solid vehicle for the most part.

I do think it's a bit of a risk using mid-life StreetDecks which have been used on relatively demanding although not extreme work - given Washington had vehicle shortage issues which could've been attributed to these.

I agree i think the B9 s are great on the 56. Sometimes a case of be careful what you wish for. In respect of new buses. If they do get new buses need to be something decent to replace them

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

(15 Nov 2025, 8:01 pm)Arriva7446 wrote Cool! Thanks for the info!

I look forward to trying these out!

---

The X1 currently has 2020 Streetdecks 70 reg. I think these do ok on the X1, no real problems, but not as good as the B9's definitely. Passenger facilities slightly better on the Streetdecks with tables and wireless charging.

Not sure why I said E400MMC's haha

Hopefully they'll be decent on the 56 (if they move that way)

(16 Nov 2025, 11:31 am)Swiny1 wrote I agree i think the B9 s are great on the 56. Sometimes a case of be careful what you wish for. In respect of new buses. If they do get new buses need to be something decent to replace them

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Thinking about GNE's native B9TLs......they've done a similar length of time on primarily 'frontline' work in comparison to the original Go Coastline S*** FVK/OFT and Northumbria P*** CCU Palatines.......which is pretty good and some examples especially the 56 & Cobalts still have plenty of useful life left in them - some examples that haven't been constantly ragged along the Tyne Valley or up / down the A19 could easily do 15-20 years frontline work without too many major issues.

IMO - the 56 would be a better candidate for future EV bids rather than 5 year old StreetDecks.

The ideal routes for cascading mid-life StreetDecks down are the 51/52/93/94, 27, 57, 307/309.

I was chatting with a Percy Main driver and their preference would be for the Cobalt B9TLs to do the 301 with the StreetDecks used on the 307/309 instead - given the length of the 301 and the hilly terrain on the Western part of the route too.

I doubt any driver would want to lose reliable vehicles coping well on a decent route for slightly younger but same spec Streetdecks that can’t cope meandering along Durham Road

Though it’s an ongoing obsession on this forum

As someone who has driven Streetdecks and B9's (native and otherwise), Streetdecks seem more suited to local start stop work which I would argue the 56 sort of is as there is no real high speed non stop running sections. The B9's when allocated to my scholars work often used to overheat after the high speed non stop running (the Voyager ones however seemed to be ok). I would say, as a driver, that Arrivas DB3000 Geminis are a nicer drive and a lot smoother than a Streetdeck though.

Overall, a B9 you have a big engine with a fair amount of grunt not doing very much whereas the current Streetdeck is a small engine working very hard. I would say that the newer Streetdeck with the new engine has scope to be a significant improvement on the original version.

(16 Nov 2025, 12:18 pm)L469 YVK wrote Thinking about GNE's native B9TLs......they've done a similar length of time on primarily 'frontline' work in comparison to the original Go Coastline S*** FVK/OFT and Northumbria P*** CCU Palatines.......which is pretty good and some examples especially the 56 & Cobalts still have plenty of useful life left in them - some examples that haven't been constantly ragged along the Tyne Valley or up / down the A19 could easily do 15-20 years frontline work without too many major issues.

IMO - the 56 would be a better candidate for future EV bids rather than 5 year old StreetDecks.

The ideal routes for cascading mid-life StreetDecks down are the 51/52/93/94, 27, 57, 307/309.

I was chatting with a Percy Main driver and their preference would be for the Cobalt B9TLs to do the 301 with the StreetDecks used on the 307/309 instead - given the length of the 301 and the hilly terrain on the Western part of the route too.

Literally couldn't have put that any better myseld

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

---

(16 Nov 2025, 6:09 pm)morritt89 wrote As someone who has driven Streetdecks and B9's (native and otherwise), Streetdecks seem more suited to local start stop work which I would argue the 56 sort of is as there is no real high speed non stop running sections. The B9's when allocated to my scholars work often used to overheat after the high speed non stop running (the Voyager ones however seemed to be ok). I would say, as a driver, that Arrivas DB3000 Geminis are a nicer drive and a lot smoother than a Streetdeck though.

Overall, a B9 you have a big engine with a fair amount of grunt not doing very much whereas the current Streetdeck is a small engine working very hard. I would say that the newer Streetdeck with the new engine has scope to be a significant improvement on the original version.

I agree with what your saying but the 56does need quite a bit of poke its really busy times are pretty tight and they cope well . The 56 is a pretty main stream route and the street decks like street lites are more suited (.as the name) to work that is round the streets for me but I do appreciate that opinion is divided which is fair enough. I was looking the other day and every single 56 B9 was on the road which cant often be said about other models

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

(16 Nov 2025, 6:09 pm)morritt89 wrote As someone who has driven Streetdecks and B9's (native and otherwise), Streetdecks seem more suited to local start stop work which I would argue the 56 sort of is as there is no real high speed non stop running sections. The B9's when allocated to my scholars work often used to overheat after the high speed non stop running (the Voyager ones however seemed to be ok). I would say, as a driver, that Arrivas DB3000 Geminis are a nicer drive and a lot smoother than a Streetdeck though.

Overall, a B9 you have a big engine with a fair amount of grunt not doing very much whereas the current Streetdeck is a small engine working very hard. I would say that the newer Streetdeck with the new engine has scope to be a significant improvement on the original version.

To be fair, it's pretty much what they were designed for, similar to the B5TL's. They were blatently going for the London market but all the operators went for Hybrids instead which made both pretty much redundant from day one there.

I don't really understand why GoNorthEast bought them for what they were put on, it was pretty much obvious a tiny engine with a turbo was never going to work long term. Similar with Transdev with the Coastliner and B5TL's there aswell which are getting bailed out by a bunch of B9TL's and B7LRE's ironically.

(16 Nov 2025, 7:38 pm)Storx wrote To be fair, it's pretty much what they were designed for, similar to the B5TL's. They were blatently going for the London market but all the operators went for Hybrids instead which made both pretty much redundant from day one there.

I don't really understand why GoNorthEast bought them for what they were put on, it was pretty much obvious a tiny engine with a turbo was never going to work long term. Similar with Transdev with the Coastliner and B5TL's there aswell which are getting bailed out by a bunch of B9TL's and B7LRE's ironically.

To be fair, they weren't a bad shout IMO on the 21 and with the right care & suitable spares which was a strategy adopted by GNE in the 2010's (1x spare for every 7 or 8 purchased) - they'd be fine on the 21.

The decisions for the Castles Express and X9/X10 were both rather stupid in my opinion.

It also would've heleped if Volvo had've reverted to post Leyland acquisition strategy - and offered either a Volvo D8K or Cummins ISBe 6.7 as options for the B9TL replacement.

Just spotted this on the "Friends of Buses and Coaches" Facebook page.


Go North East brand new Second Generation Wright Electroliner which will offer more range. This will be useful for the Angel of the North services.




Thank you to James Brompton for the information and photo.

(17 Nov 2025, 8:57 pm)Michael wrote Just spotted this on the "Friends of Buses and Coaches" Facebook page.


Go North East brand new Second Generation Wright Electroliner which will offer more range. This will be useful for the Angel of the North services.




Thank you to James Brompton for the information and photo.

Why’s the diagonal colour change so far forward?

They aren’t e-leather seats are they?!

(16 Nov 2025, 12:52 pm)Ambassador wrote I doubt any driver would want to lose reliable vehicles coping well on a decent route for slightly younger but same spec Streetdecks that can’t cope meandering along Durham Road

Though it’s an ongoing obsession on this forum

(17 Nov 2025, 9:30 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Why’s the diagonal colour change so far forward?

I know theres a reported 25 Electrics coming but does anyone know how many ultroliners are due? If they are for the X1 or even 56 youd have to be looking at 14/15 of them.

How many diesel StreetDecks do GNE have on order?

Maybe it's a sign that GNE are happy with the Cummins ISBe 6.7 - but haven't been impressed with ADL.

Ironically - the X1 was supposed to receive E400MMC's until the plans were changed for the Derwentside low bridge interworkings.

I'm also surprised given the clear limitations and to allow future flexibility that GNE did not opt for a low height option.

(17 Nov 2025, 8:57 pm)Michael wrote Just spotted this on the "Friends of Buses and Coaches" Facebook page.


Go North East brand new Second Generation Wright Electroliner which will offer more range. This will be useful for the Angel of the North services.




Thank you to James Brompton for the information and photo.

Sure these are not for "The Keighley Bus Company"