(14 Sep 2024, 10:10 am)Dan wrote On the subject of E400MMCs…
Following the recent BSIP-funded enhancement, I’m told the PVR increased such that the requirement for low-height X-lines E400MMC increased, meaning there is no longer an equivalent-specification spare bus available. This means, on a daily basis, Streetlites and E200MMCs are being allocated to these services.
When left without a spare, the mind boggles that 6339 is in use on rail replacement duties for LNER between Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed / Edinburgh today, resulting in even more single-decks being allocated to the X30 and friends.
Unlike most on this forum, I actually don’t disagree with BSIP funding being used to improve some of the services which are likely to be sustainable once the funding runs out. But I’d be narked if I were NECA, when the operator has made an intentional decision to downgrade a service which is currently being propped up by public subsidy.
Is it such a bad thing the E200MMC's are being used instead? There appears to be a few boards which miss both peaks so don't really see the issue with them. They're pretty much identical spec anyway and much higher quality than some of the other X Lines junk lingering around, B5's in particular.
It's arguably better using the high quality singles on a route that doesn't need deckers than having deckers lingering around empty all the time.
Why the Streetlite's are on today, who knows, but GNE and allocations are as bad as Arriva lately.