(04 Apr 2019, 4:08 pm)Malarkey wrote I just find it odd given Go North East got rid of the vast majority of there remaining 53 plate darts three years ago.

Seems like Arriva prefer to hang on to whatever they have for as long as possible until eventually it breaks completely, I bet they'd still have step entrance vehicles in service now if it wasn't for the implementation of PSVAR in 2016. 

A few of the mini pointer darts passed me on Monday while in Blyth and Morpeth on the 2 and one which was on the X9 and they didn't sound all that healthy.

Not really surprising considering other Arriva division's are or at least were running older MPDs around than we are, Wales were running some 51 plates around not long ago and 52 plates in the Midlands until that bit got sold off to Diamond.

Based on this, I can't see the Solos going to scrap until 2023 at the earliest