(02 Dec 2022, 7:16 pm)2023 Stagecoach bus handbook shows 11 of the new E400 coming for Walkergate as the only ones in the batch for the north east wrote hopefully with the new deliveries whenever they turn up it will solve a few problems,
if it was down to me i would grab the 24 -2015 gold service Scania's from Preston. sending them to walkergate using the first 4 to oust 2 of the single Deckers and have 2 as spare to prevent E200s getting used on high-capacity services.
the next 20 i would use to cascade 10 double decks each to Newcastle and Sunderland. those 10 at each depot in my plan would then oust 5 E200s and 4 single decks to other depots. obviously, this plan would rely on reliability of vehicles to work but would mean that Newcastle has 3 more spare double decks and Sunderland 1 more.
meaning until brand new double decks you are relying on a bigger number of spare vehicles to get you through but have increased capacity on a good number of routes across 2 cities.
until details of the Newcastle delivery come in for definite I would speculate on a minimum of 25 vehicles, hopefully the majority of which will head to slatyford to use for the 62/63 services which routinely end up with 300/200 vehicles which can barely cope with the number of passengers, especially as the 62 is now extended down to throckley which is now the longest route (I believe) by a significant margin further exacerbating capacity and route punctuality
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