(26 Jul 2022, 7:45 pm)Storx wrote Depends what goes where, the 57 is still running with Euro 5 buses atm. Can't see them using Versa's at Hexham. It's a low cost depot for a reason, there's no need for bigger buses imo.
The fact they've been trialing things over there would suggest that they've got plans to get a few new buses. I doubt they'd lose the contracts though it's been Arriva / GNE since forever pretty much.
Technically there's enough Streetlites in the 5453-5469 batch for the 6/12 and 57. But also they seem to be putting deckers on the 57 atm, I reckon if the 58 get's something due to the surplus Streetdecks, the EG Rider's could go on the 57 or alternatively the new ex-London deckers due go on the 57 if any are euro 6 or get upgraded.
I mean they already use 5 Versa's at Hexham, since these changes it's decreased to a requirement of 3 but I don't see why that wouldn't re-increase so they had Euro 6 buses. Those smaller Versa's could displace 5377-79 to be with the rest of the batch. You could have 5377-83 to Washington for the 25/28/29, and 5384-90 stay at Riverside for the 57. 8321-28 go Hexham for the 684, 680, 688 which use Versa's already, the 74 which needs a Euro 6 bus and the AD122 and 687 (which in the past has had MMC's on it technically) are upgraded as a by product. Then the 681, 683, 686 and 689 could still use the Solo's.