(12 Mar 2015, 5:51 pm)aureolin wrote I'd hope so, or it's the most disappointing and unimaginative order for a long time.
My current prediction for orders:
''Lime'' Services 8/8A/78/78A - current PVR of 13 vehicles - 13 branded vehicles and 2 corporate liveried spares.
''Red Kite'' Services 45/46 - current PVR of 9 vehicles - 9 branded vehicles and 1 corporate liveried spare.
''X66'' Service X66 - current PVR of 4/5* vehicles - 4 branded vehicles.
*PVR of 5 on Saturdays, 4 on Monday-Friday and Sunday(?).
Obviously, this has already been established, but I thought to go over it again. However, this would be the consequent cascades that I am forecasting:
''Lime'' Services upgraded - allowing up to 15 vehicles to be taken off front-line duties.
Chester-le-Street's Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 4843 will be withdrawn immediately. 4906, 4907 and 4909 are transferred to Riverside, allowing 4845 and 4846 to be withdrawn too. 4853, 4854 and 4855 also withdrawn - with Chester-le-Street's Lime PVR being 7, this could work. The spare Streetlite also providing an extra spare vehicle at the depot, allowing 4896 to also be transferred out, possibly even withdrawn too.
When the Streetlites roll into Stanley, it will allow Volvo B10BLEs 4897, 4898, 4899, 4900, 4901 and 4902 to be withdrawn as each individual arrives. For example: first Streetlites enters the depot, 4897 makes it's way to Riverside, and so on. Must be said though, that I think with 4841 being a bit of an odd-one-out in the ''Toon Link'' branded group, the cascade of 4906, 4908 and 4909 to Riverside could allow it's withdrawal.
''X66'' Service upgraded - allowing up to 4 vehicles to be taken off front-line duties.
Although I don't know if any vehicles will really be withdrawn following the introduction into service of the X66 Streetlites, I'm sure it was mentioned previously that the vehicles would be amongst the first to arrive following purchase. I imagine the spares currently allocated on a daily basis after the departure of the X66 bendies will remain in service, as the majority are, at the end of the day, still DDA and thus able to stay in service. Chances are 4843 and 4853-55 will be withdrawn from Chester-le-Street and the aforementioned group of vehicles will be sent along to keep the vehicle numbers at the same level.
''Red Kite'' Services upgraded - allowing up to 10 vehicles to be taken off front-line duties.
I *predict* that 5234-5242 will be put into the corporate fleet livery following the arrival of Streetlites for their current brand. 5234, 5235 and 5236 will replace 4903 and 4904 at Stanley, but also the often forgotton 4847. 5237-5240 then replace B10BLEs 4906-4909, by this point at Riverside. 5241 and 5242 allow the withdrawal of 4910 and 4911, also at Riverside.
Anyway, there's my prediction for the subsequent cascades after the arrival of these new vehicles... Now, I need a drink!
Marcus