(04 Jun 2025, 4:23 pm)S830OFT wrote I think some of the issues was that the X4 was just too demanding for those Wright StreetLites after about five years. Stockton had a similar problem, which resulted in 1550 - 1559 being used more locally & then 10/61 plate Pulsar 2s typically being used for the 5/5A. It did not help that during the summer the X4 was always busy & experienced constant delays, without accounting for the fleet reliability issues at the time either.
With ten Evoras expected, the PVR of the X4 is eight buses, with the 95/323 at Whitby also using a full size bus that should take it to nine. I would suspect they'll then just keep the last Evora as a typical spare between the two Depots & be allocated to just about anything...
The main fleet at Redcar by this stage would then just consist mainly of VDL Pulsar 2s, Gemini 2s (spare for the winter) & Optare Solo SRs (which are ideal for the 81) - with another ten Temsa Avenues able to be withdrawn once the Evoras fully enter service.
I'd imagine the whole lot of the Temsa's will be going at the same time. The Evora's at Luton are already going into service which will displace what they're displacing to Liverpool (forgot what it is) which will be displacing the Pulsars out of Merseyside pretty much asap. Have to remember these never ordered for the North East and we're diverted here with Liverpool taking the X4 Streetlites instead