(29 Jan 2016, 9:39 pm)James101 Hello! First time contributor, though Ive long thought this is a great platform for discussion with some interesting debate.

Apologies if this has been previously discussed; does anybody know why 4973's branding for the X35 was changed at some point from 'every 30 minutes' to 'every 60 minutes'. I'm certain this route has been essentially the same since 2006!

See links to photos:

March 2014: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60671109@N08/13110067123/

Dec 2015: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27204054@N07/23552489070/

(29 Jan 2016, 9:49 pm)R852 PRG Evening James, welcome to the forum. At a guess, I'd suggest it's to do with the X36's reduction in frequency from every 30 minutes to hourly, even though the branding only applies to the X35 on 4973, as the locations listed are only served by the X35 and not the X36. Bizarre nevertheless. I'd put it down to some confusion from the vinyl appliers when the bus was being rebranded or some vinyls were being replaced.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:04 pm)James101 That seems a likely explanation - thank you. 

Whilst we're with the X35, would it be correct to say this is the only branded route that has never have a refresh in either style or vehicle type since the 2006 'big bang' of route branding. It seems a bit unloved!

(29 Jan 2016, 10:04 pm)James101 That seems a likely explanation - thank you. 

Whilst we're with the X35, would it be correct to say this is the only branded route that has never have a refresh in either style or vehicle type since the 2006 'big bang' of route branding. It seems a bit unloved!

(29 Jan 2016, 10:01 pm)dannygee Has 3941 tranferred to percy main for some reason??

(29 Jan 2016, 10:15 pm)South Tyne Lad Its more likely the DFDS service might of required more vehicles today but arnt they worked by Riverside anyways?
If not then it will just be in Percy Main till tomorrow when it will go back to Riverside.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:11 pm)R852 PRG Wouldn't personally surprise me if the Fast Cats receives some investment in the next couple of years, as the Solars are ageing and could do with being replaced in my opinion, to then spend their final years in the spare vehicle fleet. I'd make an educated guess and assume Streetlites would be on the agenda, if so.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:20 pm)Michael Hopefully they do, i agree on Streetlites for the X35 if it got new buses.

Would you include the X36 for new buses to?

(29 Jan 2016, 10:22 pm)R852  PRG It falls under the same brand name, so I'd have thought so. They interwork at Sunderland, don't they? Like asking if they should have only bought Streetlites for the 78 and not the 8.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:13 pm)Michael Welcome to the forum

I think you're right about it not getting a refresh for a while, hopefully it should be getting a refresh soon.

I really like the brand, hopefully when they get a refresh, the brand won't change.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:24 pm)S813 FVK Not anymore. It wa stopped when one of the X36s was curtailed to terminate at Downhill.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:24 pm)S813 FVK Not anymore. It was stopped when one of the X36s was curtailed to terminate at Downhill.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:24 pm)James101 Personally I think the 'Fast Cats' brand doesn't have the polish and style of others, the font particularly looks a bit clumsy I think. That and presumably the name is a pun on a fast route to Sunderland compared the the shared parts of route 35/36; it doesn't really relate to the folks of Hartlepool and the Durham coast who'd be in for an long run if they chose the X35 over Arriva's 23!

(29 Jan 2016, 10:27 pm)Michael Ye, the cats are quite plain but its still catchy, i hope if we see a brand refresh we'll see the brand improved on the cat front.

I don't think Fast Cats relates to anything on the route, however i'm sure someone can confirm that.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:27 pm)Michael Ye, the cats are quite plain but its still catchy, i hope if we see a brand refresh we'll see the brand improved on the cat front.

I don't think Fast Cats relates to anything on the route, however i'm sure someone can confirm that.

(29 Jan 2016, 10:20 pm)Michael Hopefully they do, i agree on Streetlites for the X35 if it got new buses.

Would you include the X36 for new buses to?

(29 Jan 2016, 10:31 pm)S813 FVK I don't think the brand has any route relations, but i do think they are killing two birds with one stone as the phrase goes.

I think we could all agree that 'Fast' denotes the express nature of the routes (although this could be disputed in some sections) with the 'Cats' referencing that the services go to Sunderland (paired with the black base livery).

(29 Jan 2016, 10:29 pm)R852 PRG I think the reasoning behind the brand name is that the service is supposedly a ''fast'' way of getting into Sunderland, which is synonymous with the ''Black Cats'' Sunderland AFC, hence the ''cats'' and black livery.