(14 Dec 2021, 5:59 pm)6049 wrote In all honesty, I don't see any reason when any bus should have an issue with the X21, other than that the StreetDecks which used to be on them seem to have been fairly problematic no matter where they've been put and as already mentioned, the B5s have been flogged on the X10 like the B9s were before that.

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The irony is that extra StreetDecks before COVID plus 6330-33 were to make up the PVR of the X21 when it was 12x alongside 6304-07.

But my argument given Consett's interworking patterns (evening 47/X30/X45/X72 and Sunday X30/X45/X46/X72) and the above initial order is that brand new StreetDecks are parked up in Consett depot during evenings & Sundays when they should be out on the road reducing running costs & making revenue.

Now if GNE used them (albeit diluting the XLines brand) on the Sunday 47/47A over fuel hungry B9TLs, that would make sense. But based on the September service changes, I would certainly opt from a cost based perspective to have Volvo B5TLs parked up during evenings & Sundays over brand new StreetDecks taking into account age, vehicle history and enhanced BSOG mileage. Not forgetting common decker fleet commonality across Washington & CLS depots.