(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.

Stagecoach don't have an exactly new fleet but most of their Newcastle routes are basically hop on-hop off and although would benefit from some of the creature comforts, don't exactly need them. And Stagecoach keep their fleet in good condition too. I'm sure that if Stagecoach (and or GoNE) for that matter got a slice of the pie in Northumberland if Arriva got sold in divisions that they'd put some decent vehicles on the express routes to Newcastle.

It's only a spare bus though, there's no point have non Max deckers at Blyth as every route is Max branded now. There's also no point having newer buses sitting around doing nothing all day.

(19 Jul 2020, 6:59 pm)mb134 wrote 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.

tbf, they could all warrant new buses. 7601 - 7608 we're originally bought for the X7 and X8 anyway bar they were the 363/364 and X24/X25 (I think) at the time. The X9 is a funny one but it's pretty much the X3 at the Blyth end which was part of the next batch.