(04 Oct 2021, 10:08 pm)L469 YVK wrote I think the big thing back then was the likes of N3** OTY and P4** CCU and M3** FTY were built to last.

If Arriva had a fleet of B9TLs and E400s (latter not used on any Alnwick X routes or X93), they'd be fine.

GNE have a large fleet of B9TLs and unless the EV bid is approved for the Cobalts & Angel (meaning perhaps StreetDecks cascaded onto the 27 or 56 with some B9TLs cascading elsewhere within GNE or GAG), they'll likely be run in frontline service for 12-15 years.

ANE ordering new vehicles for the X15/X18, X21/X22 and X93 would be a good starting point. Plenty of decent cascades available from these down.

In turn, the cascades would upgrade the X14 (newer E400), X20 (B9TL), 43/44/45 (newer E400) and 308 (E400MMC voith).

Not sure on the OTY batch at Blyth like they we're bloody awful. You couldn't sit on the seats near the windows splits when it was raining from water pouring in and they used to absolutely stink of damp. Horrid buses by the end and some of them were with withdrawn early at 13 year old, shocking build quality. The Gemini's and Pulsar's are much better built machines imo and will last awhile yet. The Commanders lasted 18 year without any real bother and could've easily lived on in service.

Can't argue against the Olympians though but they we're seriously outdated by the end especially on the X21/X22, that said I wouldn't purchase new buses for it though and would focus personally on the likes of the X66/X67, X26/X27 which are crying for investment and the X15/X18 due to the problem's with reliability.

It's the Solo's which need replacing imo as they're life expired pretty much now (usually 12 year for a minibus) and they're falling apart some of them, 2809 in particular for being extremely unreliable (potentially the worst bus in the North East).