(16 Dec 2024, 11:00 am)Adrian wrote I'd say it was good planning tbh. Something we're often quick to criticise operators for not doing.

They knew it'd be busy on the first day, as not only would you have a lot of locals taking an interest, but you'd also have spotters coming from all over to be one of the first to ride the service/line and take photos/video.

It'd have left dozens of people behind if it was running as a 2 car set. Even the 4 car set I was on out of Ashington, that left with standees.

Yeah can't disagree to be honest. Obviously it wouldn't be an issue if there was enough rolling stock in the North East in the first place but that's another discussion altogether. 

I personally still think it was a big mistake withdrawing all the Pacers. 

I know they were terrible vehicles but for a match day or what not surely it's better to have an awful vehicle bolted onto a more modern vehicle than being left on the platform. It's not as if there was enough of them to act as Christmas trees for the others to keep them going.