(15 Feb 2026, 9:44 pm)PH - BQA wrote 1588 died immediately upon arrival though, so I'm not sure you can blame Ashington engineering for that one. 

The entire point I'm making though is that it hasn't been an issue, comparatively, has it? The E400s are spending much longer off the road, and more frequently. With the exception of 7404 (which from memory may have been sent somewhere else), the B9TLs are doing significantly better - as Superman has posted above. 

If they're just plodding around on the 35 I don't see any issue with sending them to Ashington, and ultimately Arriva evidently don't either.

Aye and it's a fair point. Problem is if the the B9TL's are plodding around on the 35 then where the hell are the Enviro's going. 

I totally agree that they're worse though, it's why they should be on the 35, not anywhere near Newcastle either at Blyth or Ashington.

Mind we've changed the goalposts a bit here about microfleets in general though. 

I'd be all for sending the battered E400's aswell tbf. Probably be better in Leeds than the 17 Plates which could easily do a job on the X21/X22 or Blyth expresses.

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Edited: Mind that said, wonder if there's been a potential change here and the last bit is what's happening...

Would certainly explain the 2 random 72 Plates which have just turned up which happens to be the difference between the E400MMC's (12) and E400's (14). The E400's are objectively the biggest issue up here and wherever they go they're going to bring trouble with them. 

35: B9TL
X14/X15/X18/X20/X30/777: New E400MMC / 72 Plate E400MMC
X21/X22: 72 Plate E400MMC

X7/X8/X10/X11: 17 Plate / New E400MMC
306/308: 61 Plate DB300

That would certainly get the area out of the s**tstorm it's in right now tbh and easy routes in Yorkshire is pretty much where they should be really.