Following the end of the Sunderland Illuminations event; this vehicle has been returned to Riverside Depot, where it will be stored until the next Special Event.
Prior to returning to service, this vehicle has received Go North East's corporate livery. Unlike other vehicles in Go North East's corporate livery; this vehicle has not been fitted with a tagline or web URL vinyl, nor has it been fitted with advert frames on the side and rear.
This vehicle has returned to Go North East following internal refurbishment and repaint into Go North East's corporate base livery. It is currently undergoing preparation for service at Saltmeadows Road Depot prior to allocation to Deptford Depot.
Following the demonstration of two Mercedes Benz/Sprinter City 45 vehicles, 9095 (BT15 KLZ) and 9097 (BT66 TZM), earlier this year, Go North East has acquired a further minibus for demonstration trials. This example is designed and built by the UK-based Mellor Coachcraft. The vehicle's lightweight design and construction methodology coupled with an efficient sprinter drive train equals a class leading fuel economy of up to 22mpg. Its small length and width allows operation in narrow streets, housing estates with parked cars or rural lanes, without compromising passenger numbers, allowing up to 21 seated passengers.
This vehicle has been temporarily withdrawn from service at Washington Depot and released for internal refurbished and repaint at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn. The extensive refurbishment work includes, but is not limited to, external repaint; deep cleaning of the interior of the vehicle; renewal of floor coverings; cleaning all seat frames and re-trimming seats into leather with USB sockets on the back of every seat; fitting blue accent lighting underneath seats to provide extra light on the gangway; and fitting Next Stop Announcements.
As part of a fleet-wide scheme to standardise the Stagecoach North East fleet in one single livery; this vehicle has been repainted into Stagecoach's corporate livery, losing its sub-branding for services E1/E2/E6 as a result.
Although Go North East already has a large number of Wright Streetlite Max Micro-Hybrid vehicles in its fleet; these vehicles all have the second version of Wrightbus' Micro-Hybrid system, which achieves 11% fuel and CO2 savings when added to a standard Euro 6 diesel engine. Version 3 of the Micro-Hybrid system, which is fitted to this vehicle, includes an additional third smart alternator, electric air compressor and stop/start engine technology, delivering an additional 10% saving (totalling a 21% fuel and CO2 saving). To evaluate suitability of this version of the Micro-Hybrid system, and to assist with vehicle shortages while mechanical work is undertaken on the Crook-based Wright... see more
