(11 Dec 2020, 11:57 pm)L469 YVK wrote Well GNE wouldn't specify deckers for the X45/X46/X47 if they didn't feel they were justified. There has been a lot of growth since the StreetLites back in 2015 and growth will likely further increase with 'XLines'.
As things stand at Percy Main not taking into account any re-mods, refurbs or temporary reallocations / PVRs:
- 13x + 2x spare Volvo B5LH - 1A/1B
- 16x + 2x spare Volvo B9TL - 309/310/311
That then leaves 6099 free. Then at Deptford again not taking temporary measures into account, you have 15x B9TLs there with only 11x (+1 spare) needed for the 56. That then leaves 3x free. Branding for CityRider has also been revised to every 15 minutes.
So taking the above into account, that would then provide Consett with 3x vehicles to either make up the X45/X46/X47 PVR or the X31.
Don't forget, only 6336 & 6337 are getting bike racks. 6338-40 aren't unless that has changed. Consett will need at least 2x spare with racks unless GNE want to cough up for taxis.
GNE would still offer a half hourly 'bike' service from both Stanley & Consett albeit missing out East Stanley as well as links from Stanley to Gateshead (Sunniside to Gateshead part covered by X70/X71)
It also doesn't make sense though to send buses to Oxford as surplus when they actually needed the deckers for the service. There's always been deckers for some runs for the X45/X46/X47 but it doesn't mean that all of them need to be deckers in the same way as the X7/X8/X9 don't at Blyth. As long as you have deckers on the runs ie the ones that's run into town at the morning rush hour and the ones out in the evening then the ones inbetween probably don't warrant them. A 15 minute decker service through mostly villages is overkill imo.
The 8:02, 8:25, 8:36 runs out of Consett could all easily be ran by singles. As if doing quick maths and using a 1 hour 10 minute run for each bus, they should be one of the 4 runs between 17:22 to 17:55 runs towards Newcastle so they've missed the Newcastle peak out aswell. It's how the Blyth buses works and it makes sense.
There's the equivelant X7/X8/X9 run for the 8:02, https://bustimes.org/vehicles/189800?date=2020-12-11
There's the one for what would be the 8:25, https://bustimes.org/vehicles/189597?date=2020-12-09
Then there's the third one: https://bustimes.org/vehicles/190086?date=2020-12-09
They all miss both peaks and I don't believe there's any school runs which can mess things up either.