Go North East: 7121 / BX65WDC
Go North East's Riverside-based Volvo B11RT/Caetano Levante 2 7121 (BX65 WDC), which carries a purple temporary variant of the "X-lines" branding, is pictured here on Thorpe Road, Peterlee, whilst working "X-lines" service X9 to Peterlee then Middlesbrough. 05/09/20
In order to improve reliability and passenger comfort, coaches are being introduced to Go North East's flagship X9 and X10 routes, which operate between Newcastle and Middlesbrough, via Dalton Park (X10) and Peterlee (X9).
Coaches operated on the X9 service back in 2009, but were later replaced by conventional double-deck buses for capacity and accessibility requirements.
Through the years since, the X9/X10 services have seen a few different Wright-bodied Volvo chassis double-deck vehicle combinations; including Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7s, Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9s, and latterly Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5s. With each upgrade has come a time at which reliability has started to dwindle: conventional buses have a certain lifespan on these heavy-endurance routes and need to be replaced after a few years.
The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the X9/X10 services has seen passenger numbers stagnate, such that the services can be operated by lower capacity vehicles without issue.
This autumn, Go North East will take delivery of seven pre-owned Volvo B11RT/Plaxton Elitei interdeck coaches from sister operating company Oxford Bus Company, previously used on the company's high-profile X90 service operating between Oxford and London, until the service was withdrawn late last year.
They are currently undergoing repaint and refurbishment work at Hants & Dorset Trim, and until they are delivered, Go North East has introduced a temporary fleet of Caetano Levante coaches on the X9 & X10 services. Three of these coaches are twin-axles from the Northern Coaching unit, and four are former National Express tri-axles, which were otherwise out of use, due to the service reductions on the National Express network associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The four tri-axles (7120 - 7123) have received a temporary livery to promote the new, bigger and better, coaches, which are due to arrive this autumn.
Go North East: 7121 / BX65WDC
Go North East's Riverside-based Volvo B11RT/Caetano Levante 2 7121 (BX65 WDC), which carries a purple temporary variant of the "X-lines" branding, is pictured here on Thorpe Road, Peterlee, whilst working "X-lines" service X9 to Peterlee then Middlesbrough. 05/09/20
In order to improve reliability and passenger comfort, coaches are being introduced to Go North East's flagship X9 and X10 routes, which operate between Newcastle and Middlesbrough, via Dalton Park (X10) and Peterlee (X9).
Coaches operated on the X9 service back in 2009, but were later replaced by conventional double-deck buses for capacity and accessibility requirements.
Through the years since, the X9/X10 services have seen a few different Wright-bodied Volvo chassis double-deck vehicle combinations; including Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7s, Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9s, and latterly Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5s. With each upgrade has come a time at which reliability has started to dwindle: conventional buses have a certain lifespan on these heavy-endurance routes and need to be replaced after a few years.
The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the X9/X10 services has seen passenger numbers stagnate, such that the services can be operated by lower capacity vehicles without issue.
This autumn, Go North East will take delivery of seven pre-owned Volvo B11RT/Plaxton Elitei interdeck coaches from sister operating company Oxford Bus Company, previously used on the company's high-profile X90 service operating between Oxford and London, until the service was withdrawn late last year.
They are currently undergoing repaint and refurbishment work at Hants & Dorset Trim, and until they are delivered, Go North East has introduced a temporary fleet of Caetano Levante coaches on the X9 & X10 services. Three of these coaches are twin-axles from the Northern Coaching unit, and four are former National Express tri-axles, which were otherwise out of use, due to the service reductions on the National Express network associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The four tri-axles (7120 - 7123) have received a temporary livery to promote the new, bigger and better, coaches, which are due to arrive this autumn.