(11 Feb 2015, 6:09 pm)Dan wrote Although does this suggest that, over time, ADL products lose their touch? We've been quick to sing the praises of new ADL Enviro400s lately, but there doesn't seem to be many positive comments about older examples...I guess you could look at it that way, however:
The Red Kite services, as Michael pointed out, have had their allocated OmniCitys since 2007 (ie 8 years this year). The same could apply to the Pronto if it was to receive investment. In my opinion, I don't think the ADL Enviro400s on the X18 will be quite as nice in 2022...
7501-13 (excluding 7510) were new in January 2008.
7514-21 were new 1 and a half years later.
Now, I rode 7517 (still a 5 and a half year old bus) on Sunday for a 3 and a half hour X18 journey from Berwick to Morpeth, and I can honestly say that it was a mile better than any of the 57 reg examples despite only being a year younger. I then rode 7508 the other day on an X21, it had no pace and took ages to get up to any sort of speed at all. I really do not think that 7517 can get that bad in a year and a bit. Therefore, in my opinion, the newer batches are better buses, or maybe have been looked after a bit better?