(24 Sep 2017, 7:38 pm)L469 YVK wrote What I mean is that with the Angel being mostly a 'hop on hop off' service and if it was to get new 17x new Streetdecks, would it  not make more sense to order 4x Streetdecks on top of this for the 45/46/47 then do the following with the 4x Red Kite B9TLS:

- 6118/19/20 to Chester Le Street as spares for the Angel
- 6121 to Crook as spare for the Castles Express

The only thing that would perhaps need to be fitted on these would be next stop announcements and they'd be good to go. Plus, bearing in mind that whilst the spares would only be sent out if there was a shortage of Steetdecks on the Angel, 4x Streetdecks on the 45/46/47 plus any other misc workings including Sundays would be out and about more often; saving GNE fuel costs as well as allowing GNE to claim more enhanced BSOG payments too plus passengers on the decker boards would benefit from the same features that the Streetlites have incuding NSA's, E-Leather Seating and Plug Sockets. Plus Chester Le Street would benefit from 3x spare vehicles instead of 2x which can come in quite handy at times.

Additionally not forgetting that 6118-21 came as dealer stock and with less mileage under their belts, GNE could easily sell them for more money should they ever become surplus to requirements.