(02 Feb 2014, 12:51 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote Dennis Trident 2 based vehicles have always been rubbish:[/quote]
- 7430 to 7435 couldn't cope on the 602 and Arriva had to bring in a batch of Volvo B10BLE's from Scotland. They then went to Blyth on the 308 and again, couldn't cope. Finally at Jesmond, they could only work Monday to Saturday daytime on the 306 and because they were worn they were when only 5 year old, Palatine 2's and Volvo B10BLE's had to operate the evening and Sunday 306 journeys to give the ALX400's a rest.
- GNE 3801 to 3804 ; 3858 to 3879 had to get the temperature sensors removed when new due to the fact that they constantly overheated. They struggled on several routes. They couldn't cope with thw Coaster extension to Kibblesworth / Wrekenton. They couldn't cope on the Angel when CLS gave Percy Main some Omnicities in exchange for the Lolynes. Ex London castoffs have to be brought up to replace the Lolynes. Lolynes have had trouble on the X25 and can't cope with the route.
- SNEW NK07 HBL went up in smoke in Killingworth as did Arriva's 7510 in Felton.
- Arriva 7501 to 7506 struggled on the 308 and literally crawled up the slip roads on the Coast Road. They were sluggish and they were requiring heavy maintenace at only 3 year old.
Having driven 7432-5 at Durham, it seems like the problem with these 4 has been the lack of TLC. Since 7434 has had its repaint, its a real workhorse, it keeps time better than most Pulsars and just laughs at hills; at times you have to remind yourself that it's a Trident because it certainly doesn't behave like one - 7432/5 have also had work done to their engines and are significantly improved on what they were when they first arrived at Belmont.