(26 Jul 2020, 10:10 pm)L469 YVK wrote What made GoNE consider the Volvo B5TL back in 2017? I know there wasn't really much suitable alternative to choose from other than the ADL E400MMC or Scania ADL E400MMC.
I’d speculate promises from Volvo that the B5TL was a suitable replacement to the B9TL with its twin turbos and fancy tech. Clearly not in the same league when it comes to hauling double deckers at speed. It’s all well and good having the same performance, but useless if it can’t be had reliably, and reliability would be hard to test on a demonstration, you’d have to rely on promises from Volvo.
It’s a shame really, Volvo have effectively lost their hold as being the go to double decker chassis in the UK due to the B5TL being nowhere near as good as it’s predecessors.