(21 Feb 2020, 10:02 am)streetdeckfan wrote As long as they don't go for the 4 cylinder they should have plenty of poke. GNE went for the 4 cylinder with their E400s and they feel like they're about to roll back down on the way up Dunston Bank (same with their E200s in Whickham)
As for the quality with Wrightbus, we'll know what it's like under the new owners once GNE eventually receives their StreetDecks. Their 16 plate StreetDecks are pretty shoddy, but the 67 plates are a vast improvement, I can't say what it was like before they went into administration, but it certainly has to be better than what ADL were like a year or two back!
Having said that, so far GNE's E200/E400s have been fairly solid, with the only real issues coming from the awful quick release windows that are more rattly than a Streetlite door!
I believe that ANEs current MMCs are the 6.7L engine so that shouldn't be an issue.
To be fair I don't think ADL have had poor build quality for a number of years now - the 14 plate E400s onwards seem in good shape, with the 2009 batch possibly the worst offenders.
To me Wright looked to be doing everything on the cheap for a number of years, the emergency exit door on the Streetlites a prime example. The quick release glass isn't an issue on any of the E400MMCs I've been on, be it Arriva or Stagecoach so I can't comment there.