(26 Jul 2021, 6:19 pm)Arcticrossy92 wrote Sad to see these buses leave! Were a massive upgrade on the Presidents/Lolynes/Olympians running around on the X30/X31 (Lanchester-Newcastle) ,Agree about them being an improvement over Lolynes & Presidents but an improvement over Volvo Olympian Palatine II's?
Remember the first morning on got on one and couldn't believe how much more powerful they were going up Maiden Law bank, and how overall they were better for the passenger. Some of those old presidents felt like they were going to go back down the hill!
Now they were TANKS in the NE. GNE X9/X10 & Arriva 501/505/518/X60 no bother! Hills on GNE's Derwentside routes no bother! Only buses ever been close to matching them have been DAF/VDL DB250s and Volvo B9TLs although perhaps the 6-Cylinder StreetDeck will go one better.