(02 Aug 2014, 12:00 pm)BUSFAN wrote Any idea if the the MCV has been bought to replace one of the MAN Meridians or just another addition to the fleet.

I hope it won't replace either of the MAN Meridians W6/W666 WMS as they're lovely vehicles, both to drive and ride on as a passenger. At the moment they seem to be using YJ60 as they used to use the large Solo GO03 WMS (before it went off to Consett to do Nexus schools a couple of years ago) ie on Stanhope - Bishop Auckland route between 9am - 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays (and all day on non schooldays) when loadings are lighter. With Tuesdays traditionally being Crook market day and Thursdays market in Bishop, loadings are heavier as people still seem to travel more then, even though Bishop market only has three stalls on a good day. Although I don't know that the saving in fuel consumption between the MAN's and the Evolution would be as much as with the Solo, which is why they used to substitute the Solo for an MAN. They could also probably get away with using the new bus when a Meridian is off for maintenance; recently they've had to substitute a Trident decker which isn't popular with the old dears as there aren't many seats downstairs. The other day they used the MCV up dale on the backshift (5pm Stanhope to Bishop, 6pm back to Cowshill, 7.15pm Cowshill to Crook and 8.10 to Stanhope, then LT to Bishop most days to bring Bingo biddies home via Willington and Tow Law), usually a smaller Solo, or even the Bluebird - now that is an awful bus.