(22 Feb 2014, 1:06 am)CatsFast101 wrote If streetlites could be a viable option could they not be purchased for the simplicity group (42/61/39) & Orbit 51/52, and also with a rumoured upgrade on QuayLink. This allows then 33 Versas to be freed up, 17 for East Durham, 11 NTL, 5 South Tyne 5.
I'd think if any service, out of those MPD/Low Cost services, M2/M3 could probably justify new vehicles outright. 5 Versas could be bought for 700/701 to allow the 4 Solo to go onto W4/W5.
I'd then suggest upgraded Red Arrows to new vehicles, allowing 7 B9's to go onto Pronto, 3 onto angel (giving 1 spare and displacing B7's), 1 B9 goes onto Tyne Tees Xpress (allowing them to have 7 branded vehicles all B9's). This then creates spare deckers to displace older ones and withdrawn remaing Olympians.
Good ideas... I think Versas should be bought for the Simplicity and Orbit services, and 6 X Optare Solo for the ''Tynedale Links'' with the Versa going onto the ''East Durham'' and the ''North Tyne Links''. If my suggestion with the ''Coaster'' getting a upgarde and the 34 gettng the Omnicities, the total number of Versas would be perfect! 8303-8309/8319-8321 for the ''North Tyne Links'' and 8322-8330 for the busier ''East Durham'', with new Solos for the town services? This would allow 8331-38 to displace 5219-26 on the ''LOOP''?
So rather than the 33 X Solo SR and 8 X Versa, it'd be 7 X Optare Solo SR (one spare for Hexham) and 28 X Optare Versa (15 for Simplicity with two spare for Deptford, 9 for Orbit, with two spare at Riverside.) When the ''Quaylink'' gets upgraded, the Versas would transfer to Washington for the M2/M3.
This would displace all 2002 and most 2003 MPD's, 603-6 would remain on the W5/W6 and 618/9 would transfer to Riverside for use on the S1 and 27X/40A replacing MPD 547 to be withdrawn, and 8266 to replace a B10BLE. 573/4 would replace 542/4, 561 would remain in service with Deptford. Hopefully that and my other suggestions would replace all 2002 cadet, all B10BLE, all Lolynes and most 2002/2003 MPD's.