(12 Jan 2016, 11:12 pm)Kuyoyo wrote So, what deckers should have been done for the 6 then? And, considering there's only 3 E400s and the X20 needs 4........
We also now have to consider that 7412-5 now have no home considering these ALX400s are going on the X20 (and also to Durham - I did hear Jesmond were due some so I expect they are the ones now losing out on the B7s). So, where do 7412-5 go now? No good for the Summer X93 if they can't handle the X20 which is a far less demanding route.
As for 13 year old ex-London deckers on demanding routes you claim is 'beyond belief' - 7484-91/3/4 managed the X93 fine when they arrived from London 2 years ago when they were more-or-less the same age as 7412-5. Ok yes, they had to stop half way up Flyingthorpe Bank to drop down a gear but still.
Did the 6 really require any deckers? Not when ive ridden it, VDLs Suit it just right. Nor does the 24 ( Though haven't ridden the 24 enough to say )
I'm not a expert on Ashington but I believe there's 2 MAX Spare E400s with one supposedly allocated to the X14 and one Spare.
Them 3 E400s could have been allocated to the X20 with the remaining spare also allocated with 2 of the less reliable B7TLs 7412-15 batch to cover then the remaining B7TL can be sent wherever needed.
Too late now though as them E400s are now Sapphire.