(20 Sep 2014, 4:54 pm)Dan wrote In the event of a branded vehicle being unavailable, a Scania L94UB/Wright Solar should be allocated to service 88/88A. However, these are also the 'red spares' for service 4 too. Washington has four, but one is allocated to service 88 on a daily basis as it interworks with a scholars service which stipulates the use of a full sized single decker, meaning that there are three spare vehicles to share between a PVR of 20 (which, to be honest, should be enough spares).

Washington has no spare Cadets at the moment, and all of these vehicles should be allocated to services M2/M3, and they have one spare MPD which should be allocated to services W5/W6. MPD 544, which is on loan to Washington until the end of this month for the shuttle service being operated in Hebburn on behalf of Northumbrian Water, has been VOR a number of times - meaning that Washington has had to dig into their own spare MPD fleet to cover for this vehicle.

This means that the only spare vehicles Washington tends to have are Volvo B7TLs. Those that aren't allocated to service X1 to cover for branded vehicles, and those that aren't allocated to scholar services, are allocated to services M2/M3 and W5/W6. Even if Washington did have the ability to use the spare MPD, double deckers are preferable on services M2/M3 because MPDs can and would be overcrowded at some points during the day.


You're thinking of 8260, which was the "Northern" branded spare for services 88/88A, when the other Cadets were branded "South Tyne". This vehicle has been at Washington since May 2012, and was not transferred to cover for the loss of 8249.

As already pointed out, 8250 was the other Cadet which suffered an engine bay fire - this time near Wardley. The vehicle's damage was not severe and it is still undergoing repairs. Again, no spare vehicle was provided.


A point I hadn't thought of, and a very valid one at that. I imagine you're right, and this will also influence some of the allocations for Washington too.