(27 Sep 2022, 6:56 pm)toward6931 wrote the problem is Stockton's E300s as far as i know aren't CAZ compliant, so by transferring MMCs from Newcastle to Stockton for E300s that aren't compliant, so you are literally pouring money down a drain.
as for more Deckers most Newcastle services are very busy and more services could do with an uplift in capacity in my opinion.
so as for more double Deckers in the Tees area i doubt this would happen unless either there's a cascade of vehicles elsewhere which saying as most divisions are trying to uplift capacity modestly after covid there's a slim chance of bagging a few, another option is that a lot of near end of life tridents are going so maybe being lucky and try to grab a few of them.
or finally my preferred option would be that if in the slim chance of new MMCs double decks arrive in Newcastle. for example if 25 new vehicles turned up i would do the following.
put all 25 in service at walkergate. the 5 2007 registered E400s throughout the fleet go to Stockton allowing 5 single decks (ideally) ALX300s to go to hartlepool allowing a capacity uplift and maybe 4 of the worst E200s to get scrapped and one vehicle spare.
next ten of the 2008 E400s go to Sunderland to allow 5 E200s to cascade to hartlepool (again replacing 5 of the worst examples to be disposed of) and four single decks (any CAZ compliant) to go to slatyford or if none available 4 to go to Stockton to replace ALX300s or defective E300s. maybe 2 ALX300s and 2 of the GEN1 E300s to be used as engineering spares.
finally ten vehicles perhaps either 2010 or 2011 E400s go to slatyford allowing maybe 3 E200s to cascade to hartlepool and 6 single decks to cascade elsewhere (any none CAZ compliant) examples. this gives a healthy ratio of increasing capacity and also replacing obsolescent vehicles
Sure a better investment would be some single deckers to get shot of the ALX300's aswell. Mechanically they may be sound but for someone who rarely travels on Stagecoach and ended up on one the other day they really shouldn't be in service. They're 17 year old and are showing it.
Arriva get slated for fleet presentation but their worse than anything they've got.
ie.
Sunderland:
Long Enviro 200 MMC for E1/E2/E6 displace 11 plates to Newcastle to withdraw ALX300's (some have E6 mods already and others can be done).
Midi Enviro 200 MMC for 23/10/11 withdraw MANviros and displaced Enviro 200 to Hartlepool
Hartlepool:
Midi Enviro 200 MMC for 1 withdraw MANviros
South Shields:
Midi Enviro 200 MMC for 10/11/12 withdraw MANviros and Darts
You've removed the actual problematic buses in the North East rather than sending crap to Stockton.