(06 Aug 2020, 8:43 pm)mb134 wrote #X18 - Newcastle Haymarket to Morpeth (16:12 - 16:47) - Arriva North East 7531They do exactly what they say on the tin. I slated them years back but 7529-33 have really stood their test on the X18. I hope GNE move the 6 cylinder StreetDeck to Hexham temporarily (in the winter months when fewer cyclists) and allocate an E400MMC as spare on the X9/X10. They've only briefly trialled an E400MMC twice (1x Voith version [with City bodywork] and 1x ZF version [pink 9077]).
With a fair bit of time before either of wanted to be home, we decided upon a trip up to Morpeth to finish off the day. 7531 on it's branded route of the X18 was our transportation for the blast up the A1 and, while E400s are often blasted by enthusiasts, this sat at 55-60mph without any fuss. Reasonably surprisingly it was also virtually rattle free which, along with the smart interior, resulted in a very pleasant trip into Northumberland. Despite arriving into Morpeth early, we weren't quite able to make the connection onto the X14 back to Newcastle - instead opting to wait for 4664 on the X15.
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