(27 Feb 2024, 2:10 pm)Andreos1 wrote Officially, all sorts of factors are taken in to account when allocating a route. 
This could be loads, the road network on the route, low branches and other external factors. 
Internal factors could include driver sign-off, vehicle availability etc.

In reality, we know it's often the throw of a dice and a lucky dip.

Todays dice have the 16:45 50 ex Durham as Solo SR 686 (unless it gets swapped at the galleries), in what world would a minibus be acceptable on a peak service out of durham, instead of a double decker. It was cosy on 657 yesterday and that was about 11am ish.