(5 hours ago)Storx wrote Can't say I agree with your prediction here like even known some of it makes sense. I kinda want to say, but I do kinda expect to be wrong:
New Buses:
8x X21
4x X10
13x X1
??x 21
??x 58 (can't be bothered to check these 2 and I've forgot)
Displacements:
Cobalt B9TL: Washington (14/34/50/Spares)
6352-55: Consett (Expresses)
6377: Riverside (X21/X10 Spare)
6301-7/6315-6333/6356-6361: Percy Main (301/307/309/Spares)
6362-6376: Deptford (56)
Enviro 200 MMC: Washington (4)
301 Streetlites: Consett (6) / Replace Versa's
Remaining B9TL's: Everywhere displacing older vehicles
Withdrawn:
All Citaros
All 10.8m Versa's
Dual Door Vehicles/B7TL's/Older B9TL's
It's probably better to have most the Daimler Streetdeck's together in one place with suitable spares since they're rather unreliable, rather than having them split all over. The B9TL's being a good upgrade for the 50 and the Enviro 200 MMC's actually being used on a busy route rather than sitting on secondary routes - at best.
I really can't see the X21 Streetdeck's going to Washington though, because it doesn't make sense to send an X1 example to Sunderland, to then send one of the same batch from Riverside to Washington but then again it is GNE.
Don't think we're miles away from each other tbh. While I take your point on the E200 MMC's, from a fleet standardisation POV 17-plate Streetlites on the 4 makes much more sense - with the E200's staying at Consett for the 6 with the other MMC's, with the exception of some at Hexham (which is linked to Consett from an engineering perspective if I'm not mistaken?).
Similarly I can't see 6301-7 ending up on a flagship service like the 307/309, not least when they're only three years younger than the current B9's, seems like a lot moving about for no reason - they seem to have done alright at Washington on the 50 so not sure any real need to send them all to Percy Main. Not sure if there's as much traction behind the 307/309 Streetdeck rumour unlike the 301 anyway.
With regard to the X21 examples it was more from a fleet-numbering perspective but I guess could send more to Sunderland and hold back a few of the current X1's - just think Washy would need a couple extra Streetlites, 1 as an extra spare for the X1, and 1 spare for the 50/14, technically could have 1 for the 34 decker board but wonder if that could be done with an ex-56 B9 really. Also reckon at least 3 should stay at Riverside, 1 as spare for the X21 and 2 as spares for the 21 as pretty sure they're getting 18 vehicles for a PVR of 18.