Where DB got the buses from is fairly straightforward. The majority of the buses used were the 100 2006 batch of AX type buses.
These were ordered as part of the fleet replacement programme and not as part of the 100 extra buses now promised by santa Cullen.
(funny how those 100 extra buses that Cullen announced last month are already arriving now, I could have sworn it took around a year from ordering a bus to delivery)
As the first part of the 2006 replacement fleet arrived the old (1992/3) buses were put into storage, the later batches of new buses were not put into service at all.
All the new deliveries were used on the Ryder Cup, for many of them it was the first services they provided.
With the stored buses returned to normal service during the golf there was nominally enough buses to keep most of the timetabled services running but DB run a large number of un-timetabled extras for the weekday peaks and there was not nearly enough buses and drivers to cover this.
Following the Ryder Cup the new buses were transferred to their respective garages and are all now operating normal services.
In my opinion keeping the new deliveries back for a few weeks was the right decision, the golf was a huge tourist event and providing new, clean buses was undoubtedly good PR. FYI most of the 20 odd buses that had entered service on the 7 route around 2 months before the Ryder Cup had already been defaced inside with most having had windows etched.
Despite the predictable bellyaching of the coach tourism council nothing untoward happened regarding the DB fleet and they do not have any reserve to pull "out of their hat" in their fleet or staff rosters. The availability of 100 extra buses and particularly drivers to cover the extra work had taken months of planning and was only achievable for a very short period of time. I doubt any DB drivers were able to take holidays that week.
In order to accomadate the 100 extra permanent buses Broadstone garage is being re-opened and DB are now recruiting extra drivers.
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