North East Buses

Following accident damage sustained in the yard, 7405 has been repaired and repainted into the new Sapphire livery. It’s yet to return to service though.

(27 Dec 2020, 11:29 am)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Following accident damage sustained in the yard, 7405 has been repaired and repainted into the new Sapphire livery. It’s yet to return to service though.

But........it's not a Sapphire spec vehicle!

Typical Arriva yet again!

If it hasn't had any interior modifications then it'll be the third non-Sapphire spec bus in the country to get Sapphire livery.

2948 in the North West and 7510 at Ashington are the others.

(27 Dec 2020, 11:31 pm)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]If it hasn't had any interior modifications then it'll be the third non-Sapphire spec bus in the country to get Sapphire livery.

2948 in the North West and 7510 at Ashington are the others.

Dare I say this but GNE's Crusader B9's (ex Red Arrows) would fit closer to "Sapphire" than 7401-06.

Why couldn't they have just went for standard livery?

If Arriva get a big cash injection one day, they should just go:

- Standard livery (Same as now).
- Premium livery for non 'X' routes (Purple & Silver).
* Plain silver as spare for Premium & Express routes
- Arriva'X' for all main 'X' routes.

(27 Dec 2020, 11:45 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]Dare I say this but GNE's Crusader B9's (ex Red Arrows) would fit closer to "Sapphire" than 7401-06.

Why couldn't they have just went for standard livery?

If Arriva get a big cash injection one day, they should just go:

- Standard livery (Same as now).
- Premium livery for non 'X' routes (Purple & Silver).
* Plain silver as spare for Premium & Express routes
- Arriva'X' for all main 'X' routes.

I really don't see why your bringing GNE into this. They don't have an express interior at all. There's about 5 different designs. You could argue that the Crusaders are closer to the X Lines interior than the B5TL's which are standard GNE at least Arriva launched it with a standard livery.

Also the X93 shouldn't be a standard bus route and Max doesn't exist so Sapphire is the best fit for the route imo. There's not a great deal difference between Max and Sapphire anyway to the average passenger.

(28 Dec 2020, 10:26 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Also the X93 shouldn't be a standard bus route and Max doesn't exist so Sapphire is the best fit for the route imo. There's not a great deal difference between Max and Sapphire anyway to the average passenger.

But the whole point of Sapphire is about it being "Premium". It would be like GNE deciding keep 6118-21 and repaint them into X-Lines despite being miles off.

Arriva if they did things properly would have a good image & network to go with it. 

IMO, if some money appeared to facilitate an upgrade for the X18 & X93, they should launch ArrivaX and do the following:

- 11x New ADL E400MMC or OM936 StreetDeck for X18 & X93 + 1x spare at each depot
- 7529-7531 refurbished and allocated to the X14
- 7532-33 refurbished and allocated to X16
- 7553-56 refurbished and allocated to X15
- 7401-04 refurbished and allocated to X20
- 7405/06 refurbished and assigned as NE float spares

There's already a livery for your proposed "ArrivaX". Internally, it's called Arriva Express, and it's been used in Yorkshire on their Eclipses.

I'm not too sure as to why it hasn't been rolled out further.

(28 Dec 2020, 1:55 pm)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]There's already a livery for your proposed "ArrivaX". Internally, it's called Arriva Express, and it's been used in Yorkshire on their Eclipses.

I'm not too sure as to why it hasn't been rolled out further.

That just looks like Arriva though.

The Max base livery with a few tweaks would be perfect for an express livery. Losing the teal would be a start.

If Arriva were to re-launch, it needs to "stand out" and scream WOW! That's what GNE did well with XLines.

Arriva could play on the letter "X" for advertising:

X93:
eXcellent sights along the glorious North Yorkshire Coast.

X18:
eXcellent sights along the glorious Northumberland coast

X10/X11:
eXcellent frequency - every 10 minutes

X20:
eXcellent journey times - Ashington to Newcastle in 45 minutes

Others could include:
- eXcellent comfort with comfy seats and tables
- eXcellent connectivity - Free WiFi, USB and Wireless Connectivity

X21/X22:
eXcellent way to escape Ashington.

308:
eXcellently allocated to the wrong route.

(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]That just looks like Arriva though.

The Max base livery with a few tweaks would be perfect for an express livery. Losing the teal would be a start.

The whole point of the rebrand was to make everything look like Arriva though? Not using Stenning's recycled liveries (both Max and Sapphire had been used before)! 

(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]That just looks like Arriva though.

The Max base livery with a few tweaks would be perfect for an express livery. Losing the teal would be a start.

If Arriva were to re-launch, it needs to "stand out" and scream WOW! That's what GNE did well with XLines.

Arriva could play on the letter "X" for advertising:

X93:
eXcellent sights along the glorious North Yorkshire Coast.

X18:
eXcellent sights along the glorious Northumberland coast

X10/X11:
eXcellent frequency - every 10 minutes

X20:
eXcellent journey times - Ashington to Newcastle in 45 minutes

Others could include:
- eXcellent comfort with comfy seats and tables
- eXcellent connectivity - Free WiFi, USB and Wireless Connectivity

tbf though Arriva aren't GNE or Transdev and their marketing has never been corney like that.

The X7/X8/X9/X10/X11/308 all need to be one brand and the X14/X15/X16/X18 should all be one brand then it means you can switch the buses around in the case of the Blyth routes which works and keeps things on time (rather than curtailing like GNE) and for the Ashington bunch you can regularly swap them between routes to give them a longer lifespan plus to promote the common section between Newcastle and Morpeth. I'd leave the X20 and 35 as Arriva normal livery.

So Smackhead Express for both Blyth and Ashington routes then.

(28 Dec 2020, 3:36 pm)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]The whole point of the rebrand was to make everything look like Arriva though? Not using Stenning's recycled liveries (both Max and Sapphire had been used before)! 

I'd say something similar if not done by best impessions with same vinyl outline would be good.

(28 Dec 2020, 3:41 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]tbf though Arriva aren't GNE or Transdev and their marketing has never been corney like that.

The X7/X8/X9/X10/X11/308 all need to be one brand and the X14/X15/X16/X18 should all be one brand then it means you can switch the buses around in the case of the Blyth routes which works and keeps things on time (rather than curtailing like GNE) and for the Ashington bunch you can regularly swap them between routes to give them a longer lifespan plus to promote the common section between Newcastle and Morpeth. I'd leave the X20 and 35 as Arriva normal livery.

But the corney marketing has worked wonders for GNE & Transdev.

The 308 is not an express. Yes if they decided to run a parallel X38 to the 308 but "X" and premium all stopping services should get a distinct identity.

For Blyth, a decent spare vehicle ratio would be a good start.

X15/X16/X18 yes but I'd keep the X14 a separate sub brand.

X20 I'd 100% brand too. I'd even go as far as cannibalising the Ashington - Newbiggin section of the X21 to hourly and introducing a sister X19 service to the X20. A half hourly fast service between Ashington and Newcastle with clean, comfy and reliable buses would be something to shout from the rooftops.

Arriva need to lose the dreary image and make their core services really stand out. Make an effort to stand out and show that bus travel is the way forward.

They've got a good set of routes at hand but going forward, Arriva need to be shouting from the rooftops and really selling themselves.

(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]But the corney marketing has worked wonders for GNE & Transdev.

Has it though? GNE especially seem to be moving away from it at a rate of knots, toward a more streamlined set of brands (X-Lines being the main one, then you have Voltra) - something Arriva did very well about 5 years ago...

If corney marketing was the way forward, I'm sure the recent First and Stagecoach rebrands would have leaned into it too. 

(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]X15/X16/X18 yes but I'd keep the X14 a separate sub brand.

X20 I'd 100% brand too. I'd even go as far as cannibalising the Ashington - Newbiggin section of the X21 to hourly and introducing a sister X19 service to the X20. A half hourly fast service between Ashington and Newcastle with clean, comfy and reliable buses would be something to shout from the rooftops.

Arriva need to lose the dreary image and make their core services really stand out. Make an effort to stand out and show that bus travel is the way forward.

They've got a good set of routes at hand but going forward, Arriva need to be shouting from the rooftops and really selling themselves.

Surely if anything it would be the X16 you'd keep seperate? To be honest though they all just need to be put under one brand to help allocation at Ashington with the Alnwick outstation, and the X16 helps quite a bit to supplement the frequency in "normal times". 

The general standard of ANE (particularly Northumbria), while needing investment (which, as has been said repeatedly, was due this year but pushed due to Covid), isn't as bad as it is made out. Compare it to certain other operations around the country from all major groups and ANE looks fantastic in comparison - hell First are repainting stuff in Aberdeen but leaving the interiors as they were when new 12+ years ago (bar one B7RLE), and still without WiFi.

I can count on one hand the amount of times I've been on a Transdev bus with decent passenger loadings... I think Transdev lease their vehicles so aren't actually paying full whack on them - if so, that's what's helping them.

(28 Dec 2020, 4:39 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Has it though? GNE especially seem to be moving away from it at a rate of knots, toward a more streamlined set of brands (X-Lines being the main one, then you have Voltra) - something Arriva did very well about 5 years ago...

I'd say a model similar to what GNE have now albeit refreshed would be perfect

If corney marketing was the way forward, I'm sure the recent First and Stagecoach rebrands would have leaned into it too. 

I wouldn't say full on corney marketing is the answer. Just simple, punchy and straight to the point. GNE examples include:
"As posh as your car"
"Wake up to fast journey times"

---

For Express / Premium branding, something like this would perhaps work

Ashington:
- X15/X16(Jesmond)/X18 - Destinations on brand - Berwick, Alnwick, Morpeth, Newcastle
- X20 - Destinations on brand - Alnwick, Amble, Ashington, Newcastle
- X19 (if introduced) /X21/X22 - Newbiggin, Ashington, Bedlington, Newcastle

Blyth:
- X7 - Destinations on brand - Blyth, Seaton Delaval, Burradon, Quorum, Newcastle
- X9(revised)/X10/X11 - Destinations on brand - Blyth, Cramlington, Newcastle
- 308 - Destinations on brand - Blyth, Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay, Billy Mill, Newcastle

Jesmond:
- 306 - Destinations on brand - Tynemouth, North Shields, Billy Mill, Newcastle

(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]But the corney marketing has worked wonders for GNE & Transdev.

The 308 is not an express. Yes if they decided to run a parallel X38 to the 308 but "X" and premium all stopping services should get a distinct identity.

For Blyth, a decent spare vehicle ratio would be a good start.

X15/X16/X18 yes but I'd keep the X14 a separate sub brand.

X20 I'd 100% brand too. I'd even go as far as cannibalising the Ashington - Newbiggin section of the X21 to hourly and introducing a sister X19 service to the X20. A half hourly fast service between Ashington and Newcastle with clean, comfy and reliable buses would be something to shout from the rooftops.

Arriva need to lose the dreary image and make their core services really stand out. Make an effort to stand out and show that bus travel is the way forward.

They've got a good set of routes at hand but going forward, Arriva need to be shouting from the rooftops and really selling themselves.

tbf Blyth has a ridiculous number of spares. Technically the allocation should be

X7/X8/X9: 1493, 1500 - 1505, 7601 - 7608
X10/X11: 7611 - 7617, 7621 - 7625
308: 7628 - 7635
Spares: 7620, 7636 - 7637, 7410 - 7411 (All Max / 308), 1497, 7490, 7609 - 7610, 1402 - 1403 (Non Max/ P&R).

If you ever see them allocated like that though then put the lottery on though as it's more likely lmao.

Corney brands are dying you just have to look at X Lines as someone mentioned and also VTEC -> LNER and VTWC -> Avanti who both stripped it immediately and it failed massively on the East Coast from East Coast Trains which in general were liked.

You also have to remember GNE are the least profitable the north east and are the ones who consistantly doing the most cuts to services (long before Covid). It probably shows they're not as great behind the scenes as you think.

Also just quickly read your second post. The X7/X8/X9 all interwork now so they'd have to be one brand and they all swap around anyway so it's pointless (they're not even attempting allocations lately tbh).

Could be worse, could be Ashington that has 3 Solos and all 3 are off the road and 1580 aswell.

Has 7401 lost it sights of Whitby Branding ?

(09 Jan 2021, 4:00 pm)Ryland wrote [ -> ]Has 7401 lost it sights of Whitby Branding ?

Yes quite likely as I believe it was coming to the end of its contract.

When you say coming to the end of it's contract what exactly do you mean

(09 Jan 2021, 4:00 pm)Ryland wrote [ -> ]Has 7401 lost it sights of Whitby Branding ?

Had lost it sometime in early October


Arriva North East 7401 (NK64 FSF) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

(10 Jan 2021, 10:28 am)Ryland wrote [ -> ]When you say coming to the end of it's contract what exactly do you mean

The advertising contract will likely have been a 12-month or 18-month deal so once that expires it’ll be taken off.

7405 has no vinyls on it so I doubt anyone needs to worry about the dilution of the Sapphire brand.

Perhaps the other B9s could get USBs, retrim and a repaint?

A social media post indicates that 7405 has been painted into this scheme in error. However, branding is to be altered, and the rest of the batch are now due to follow.

7406 now also reported as repainted, with 7401 in line to be next according to a post on an ANE enthusiast page.

7405 has been repainted but not branded. Also it looks like the seats have had a retrim or had the Max removed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190622450@...102735268/
Credit to the photographer.

(08 Apr 2021, 5:32 pm)NewcastleOne wrote [ -> ]7405 has been repainted but not branded. Also it looks like the seats have had a retrim or had the Max removed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190622450@...102735268/
Credit to the photographer.

All due to be branded soon. The B7s will also be receiving the livery, but reported to be wrapped rather than painted.

The B9s will be getting an internal refresh too. B7s and B9s will be receiving/have received engineering attention too.

Seats haven't been touched, the max logo is still on them

I'm on 7401 now and the seats now have Sapphire logos stitched in and USB ports have been fitted under the windows. MAX interior branding remains