(12 Jun 2015, 7:33 pm)northern156 wrote Going back to this if I may.
I disagree. Once it gets past pensioner pass am, the services between Carlisle and Newcastle as a whole (not a lot of people travelling further than Hexham would be bothered to change buses to GNE there) can get very busy, I've been on 1000-1200 services before which haven't been able to fit any more standees on.
This is also true for some peak-time services I've been on from both Carlisle and Newcastle (the latter mostly being people going to bloody Throckley!)
Streetlites wouldn't last very long, given their unreliability on other routes. An increase of frequency would be needed if this was the case also.
As much as I dislike them, I'd say the Omnicities are good for the single-deck operation of the route (those or my preferred choice, the Pulsars which aren't restricted) with double-deck operation possibly going to VDL SB300/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s or ADL Enviro 400s (I think the former would be more suitable).
The main reason I give for it to be upgraded to MAX/Sapphire is it could run in direct competition with the hourly rail service. Hell, the X85 to Carlisle would take around the same time as the train, given it doesn't have excessive calling points.
Mind you, none of this would properly work if Stagecoach were to run as they do so now - they haven't changed to match Arriva exactly in the past couple of timetable changes (for example keeping the one service per day via Gilsland, the 1754 Carlisle to Hexham) as well as changing the route number to match Arriva's.
If Stagecoach didn't really want to change a lot, the vehicles they currently use (ADL E300s) are absolutely fine; although I've seen them pretty busy at times - E400s could be used here.
Tottaly agree with you! Though the double decker couldn't be VDL SB300 Wright Gemini 2s as there totally not suited to this route,
Enviro 400s with uprated engines would be the best choice, Even better if any dealer stock Volvo B9TLs were for up for grabs ( Doubt it though )
Scania omnicites will be fit for another 10 years if Arriva give them a full overhaul from the chassis up, converting them to MAX in the process.
MAX would probably be the most likely
Also get 1415 from Belmont to Jesmond to act as a spare to save the Belmont kerfuffle
and im sure I read somewhere that Arriva are converting it to MAX standard
