(04 Apr 2019, 5:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote To be honest, even when it was United and Northumbria, they had older stock kicking around well after other operators got rid of vehicles of a similar status/age.

Guessing its just how they do things. They certainly like getting their moneys worth!

But back in the days of United and Northumbria the vehicles they had back then the likes of the National's and ECW Olympians were built to last though. 

Look at some the vehicles up here in the North East which have since been preserved, most of them despite their age are in way better nick than the vast majority of vehicles in the current fleet at Arriva.