(19 Jul 2020, 6:40 pm)L469 YVK wrote I have to agree with Dan on this one. Arriva's MAX services should've been what GoNE's X-Lines services are.

I don't agree with everything GoNE do but as a whole, they do a decent job. At least "X-Lines" means "X-Lines" unlike Arriva who think a 52 plate tarted up ex-London B7TL rocked up on stand at Blyth ready to take the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 is acceptable.

While far from ideal, the B7TLs on those services have been refurbed to a good standard (and certainly don't feel their age inside) and meet the advertised spec. Not all of those routes will justify new vehicles, particularly the X9 which is usually quite quiet. If the vehicles are reliable, which I'm told they generally are, then I don't see a huge issue with using them on services which don't command new vehicles (or onto the 306, for example, to provide additional capacity). 

Outside of the NE, Transdev are a particularly good example of refurbing old buses and putting them to task on branded routes. 2003 B7TLs branded for their "CityZap" services.