(12 Nov 2014, 9:19 pm)RGR756V wrote I'm not sure that, even if there were provision for an E400 to be swapped with something at Shields that Stagecoach would want an E400 stood spare waiting for 'the call to action'? Especially on a service which I am assuming will carry mainly ENCTS passengers between the peaks, would it justify the cost of an extra E400?

At the risk of sounding controversial, by using a Volvo Olympian, do you inconvenience one passenger in a wheelchair or 50 able bodied? 

The fact that the Olympian was out fairly early this morning and fairly late this evening suggests a lot to me... An Enviro400 wouldn't just be 'stood spare', it would see regular use, based on reports today with the Olympian.

What happens if one of South Shields' allocated Enviro400s develops a fault and has to be off the road? Both Arriva and Go North East have allocated spare vehicles which possibly outweigh the costs of one of Stagecoach's Enviro400s to cover for buses which are VOR or to replace late-running services; it could be argued that these vehicles do not see as much use as a bus to that specification ordinarily would...