(20 Aug 2023, 4:42 pm)Storx wrote You'd still have the B9 Decker's to run those few boards though.

X21/X22, I was more thinking though and the 35 during school holidays. They're coping alright now really, sure they could get away with another 2 if need be. 

Guess it depends what other investment happens, imo I still don't think it wouldn't be a bad replacement for the time being to get some DB300's (from London) for Blyth to see out the remaining Enviro's once the 43/44/45 changes come, if they're anything like the last lot, the B7's, I can't imagine many would complain - there should be a few released before next Spring and then the Blyth Enviro 400's (15 Plates) could go down to Redcar aswell to replace the B7's so they might not need as many and send 7609/7610 home in the process.


If Redcar can't run it with those buses then there is something wrong with the engineering imo. If the 15 Plates proove reliable then just reduce the Enviro 200/400 swap at Ashington.

As much as I like those 15 plate E400s, you're asking for trouble putting them onto the X93/94. They're brilliant buses when running right, but giving them to a depot who seem to have engineering issues when they're probably past their best doesn't bode well - they're double the age now than what the original E400s were when they were initially allocated to the X93, and that ended brilliantly. 

Ashington can in theory cope with an extra 2 single deckers, but all that will do is ensure that they'll be allocated to the X21/22 at a time where they'll want to be putting deckers on it as much as possible given the imminent train introduction. They currently have 2 spare deckers on paper and, while your suggestion would put them level, there's obviously always going to be at least one VOR. It creates problems on Saturdays, in particular, which is seeing even deckers head into town full & standing on matchdays (even on the final Saturday pre-season friendly) now with the reduced frequency. It also creates operational headaches when a Morpeth express/X20 needs replacing, recently it seems they've avoided putting a spare Pulsar on and instead have had to pull a decker off an X21/22 to work it instead.