(21 Feb 2020, 10:42 am)mb134 wrote 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.

I had a ride on Arriva's 17 plate E400MMCs on the X21 and it was a horrific experience, I genuinely had to change buses because I couldn't tolerate the creaking and rattling coming from just about everywhere upstairs. The one I got on the way back was better, but not by much, it was still fairly rattly. The Unilink ones I got down in Southampton were about on par with GNE's so I can't say whether it's the general quality improvements or just Arriva's lack of maintenance.

From what I've been told, the issues with the quick release glass is more to do with them needing adjusting rather than an inherent issue, but all of GNE's E400s, and a few of their E200s have horrendous creaks and rattles coming from the windows, and you can visibly see the windows shaking as it goes over bumps, and if you touch the window, you can feel it flexing.

There's no way I can defend the Streetlites, although bar the emergency door, they do seem alright. The only other rattles I've picked up on are coming from equipment added by operators like displays and those awful Metro boxes that they never seem to secure properly! From my experience at least, if you ignore the emergency door (which admittedly is pretty difficult), the E200s are just as loud as the Streetlites, except they're more creaky than rattly, if that makes sense!

Same with the StreetDecks, as I said before, GNE's 16 plates aren't the best quality wise, but I can't fault their 67 plates, they seem to be screwed together very well! (also, don't be fooled by my name, I'm not oblivious to the many shortcomings of the StreetDecks!)