(14 Mar 2021, 11:48 am)GNE6312 wrote Could they not find a 2nd hand astromega or something to use on the X11 seeing as its longer than the 2 gne coach services so in theory Is more than entitled to a coach or would a coach like an astromega be too large?

Even if it could do the route, Whitby bus station (as JP6004 pointed out) and Eldon Square say hello, you've got to look at it financially. 

You'd need to find one in decent condition mechanically and internally, I can't imagine GNE would want the headache of it breaking down before it reached Whitby on its first day, or it having a shoddy interior. Then you need to look at operational costs. You'd need to do type training on it, you'd need to ensure engineering were up to speed with it, you'd need to find work for it from September(?) to March. Then you face the issue of what happens when something does go wrong, it would be non standard in the fleet so you likely won't have any parts lying around that are suitable to fix it - so that's a tow job from Scarborough. 

Whereas with 6377, it's a vehicle already in the fleet. It has an interior that is up to spec, it won't need a refurb or repaint. Mechanically, for this summer at least, it should be absolutely fine. You have normal routes you can use it on September to March, you have drivers already type trained, you have parts available in engineering so if something goes wrong there's a higher probability of being able to fix it on location. 

This route needs, realistically, to be operated as low-cost as GNE feel comfortable with. It's a once a day seasonal route, if you start increasing initial outlay on Astromegas (which don't actually seat too many more than 6377, particularly the smaller variants) then you'll take the route from something which can potentially make a decent little profit to something which loses thousands. Remember that the only real data GNE will have to go on with this is how the ANE X60 did, and that was cut because it was essentially a pensioner shuttle to Scarborough. There are ways around that (primarily timing the southbound journey before passes kick in) which GNE will likely explore, but the entire route is a rare bit of ambition in the NE network, so for this year at least it would be beyond silly to invest more than is needed.