(01 Jun 2025, 9:32 am)RMF1254 wrote I travelled on the x18 last Friday afternoon, it came into Morpeth packed, some got off and it left Morpeth virtually full. A coach would have been useless, no luggage space on board, no easy access and probably slower loading. The Enviro 400MMC was perfectly fine and comfortable enough for a speedy run down the A1, plus a double decker on those routes is great for viewing the superb Northumbrian countryside. Arriva seem to have got it right here, just a shame Ashington lost some MMCs to Redcar / Whitby.
Difference being is that with Arriva Norhumbria's Ashington operation, the fleet can easily be rotated about.
Easy day on the X21/35 or X22 then a harder day on the X14/X15/X16/X18/X20.
Their E400 Classics bought in 2014-15 didn't do a bad job and were in no worse state than when GNE's 6043-48 came off the Tyne Tees Xpress after 5 years of service.
Ashington's MMCs 7541-52 as a whole have been alright, and probably had less trouble then some 'newer' StreetDecks in the North East.
GNE's issue with the X10 is that there's no fleet rotation. It's either all or nothing with 6352-55 and 6377. GNE need one single XLines fleet at Riverside covering both the X10 & X21 with a combined PVR of 12x. One hard day on the A19 then two easier days on the X21.
It's evident that E400MMC can be released from Consett for this if GNE reduce Whickham and Dunston back to half-hourly, which is more than sufficient and still double the pre November 2019 capacity when the X30 and peak X97 were single deck operated.