(16 Mar 2024, 10:03 pm)Storx wrote imo the 21 should be curtailed at CLS, with an extra X21 running instead which could then interwork with the 6 at the Southern end of the route which is an mess (timetabled to follow each other). Most people would have a stop to Durham anyway because of the limited stop nature of the X12 serving most places.
Also throw an extra bus into the X21 aswell and give an extra 5 minutes per bus as the 4 minute layover for the length of the route is stupid, as an understatement.
How can extra X21's run when GNE don't even have vehicles available to run the current 21/X21 never mind extras.
With full heights going on the X71/X72 (StreetDecks), 6x E400MMC from Consett + 6102 need shifted to Riverside alongside existing 6352-55 and 6377. Would sort a lot of the vehicle quality & reliability issues out.
StreetDeck:
- 6356-60 - Consett - X71/X72 (and non low height decker boards)
- 6361 - Consett - Spare
- 6362-63 - Riverside - Spare but no use on X10
- 6377 - Riverside - X10/X21
E400MMC:
- 6336-37 - Consett - Spare
- 6338-45 - Consett - X30/X31/X45
- 6346-55 - Riverside - X10/X21
B9TL:
- 6102 - Riverside - X10/X21
Note that Consett would still have sufficient spares (currently have 3x E400MMC covering a PVR of 19x for X30/X31/X45/47/X71/X72).
Riverside would have a lot more flexibility especially with suitable vehicles to cover the X10. Any issues found, another E400MMC gets put on for the day or swapped over with a suitable spare in place filling in on the X21.