(26 Jan 2021, 12:11 am)mb134 wrote Aye I didn't put anything about them into my post as I remembered it had been discussed recently, but yeah it's really not ideal. The MPDs, Scanias and older E400s really need to be put to work on something else. 

The cynic in me wonders if the seemingly patch and go approach is implemented by local management to an extent in order to force DBs hand to open the purse strings.

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Oh without a doubt there are issues elsewhere, but isn't it funny that two of the depots that seemingly have some of the worst reliability at the moment are ones that are relying on 05 plate Scanias and 2008/9 E400s to run demanding express work? 

I only mention Ashington as I've never noticed it be quite as bad as the past few months have been. I think the same buses continually being problematic is indicative of poor maintenance routines, I get it happening once or twice but when you see the same stuff fail as often as some of them do, it's stands out. For as long as I've paid attention, Durham County have always looked to be worse than Northumbria in terms of general standards so I hold the latter to a higher standard, perhaps that's why this is standing out more.

I noticed it a few years back when the 57 Reg E400's used to be on the X21/X22, 9 times out 10 you wouldnt see a full allocation of 400s on there, you'd always get the renowns jumping in, and the likelyhood of it being 4510 or 4511 was very high, towards the end 4510 and 4511 were the worst 2 out of the lot,were literally falling apart, and must of had a severe leak somewhere cus they stank of damp,but were still seen as 'fit' to serve the public even after they left Newcastle/Northumberland, what i'll never fully understand is why 4512-4515 were the only ones refurbished along with the ALX300's,but ive since then found the answer, cus its Arriva,they do everything half arsed