(29 May 2021, 7:25 am)tyresmoke Ah Ok yeah - I think it may appear on the 0845 or 0945 though


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(29 May 2021, 7:46 am)tyresmoke It’s on the 0845 out of Middlesbrough this morning, will be on X94s all day barring any swaps


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(29 May 2021, 9:03 am)omnicity4659 It's a contender for the worst ever livery. Looks like it was designed by someone on a day trip to Barnard Castle.

(29 May 2021, 9:03 am)omnicity4659 Isn't Sapphire livery either. Glad to see Arriva being consistent as ever.

(29 May 2021, 7:24 pm)mb134 Seeing it from this angle:

Arriva North East: 7426 / LJ55BRX by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

I don't think it's as bad as the photo I'd saw this morning. Looking at the fonts they're clearly going for a retro theme, which fits in with the vehicles they're applying it to. Essentially for a summer peak vehicle, on a seasonal route, I think it's alright - it's a bit of fun, and avoids the awkwardness of branding some 55-plate B7TLs as "Sapphire" in 2021. Would be a very different story if they wrapped the B9s like that though...

(29 May 2021, 7:28 pm)tyresmoke I’m told the B9s are definitely not getting this branding


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(04 Jun 2021, 8:08 am)R852 PRG I imagine this move is part of a wider strategy from Arriva whereby the X93/X94 will shortly be rescinded to either Go North East or Transdev and Arriva will initiate a service to Blackpool instead. Interesting that they decide to deploy 16-year-old B7s onto the Scarborough route during the one summer where they have a staycation market to capture. It's as if someone in the higher echelons of the company is just memeing. You'd think they'd just hold off for a few months and do the necessary repaints during the low season.

Certainly an interesting hill for them to choose to die on, if you'll excuse the pun.

(04 Jun 2021, 12:13 pm)Rob44 I know that there is not much competition in the north east but i just don't get why anyone would want arriva to be split between GNE and Stagecoach meaning going from 3 big operators to 2???  If arrvia was to be sold surely it would be better for customers if someone like first ( i know) transdev or even lothian bought the north east ops ???

(04 Jun 2021, 1:00 pm)omnicity4659 Don't think a Scottish state-owned company would be interested in an English company. 

(04 Jun 2021, 8:08 am)R852 PRG I imagine this move is part of a wider strategy from Arriva whereby the X93/X94 will shortly be rescinded to either Go North East or Transdev and Arriva will initiate a service to Blackpool instead. Interesting that they decide to deploy 16-year-old B7s onto the Scarborough route during the one summer where they have a staycation market to capture. It's as if someone in the higher echelons of the company is just memeing. You'd think they'd just hold off for a few months and do the necessary repaints during the low season.

Certainly an interesting hill for them to choose to die on, if you'll excuse the pun.

(04 Jun 2021, 1:38 pm)Mark P Please stop all this fantasy. Unless something significant has changed, the monopolies & mergers lot (or whatever they're called this week) simply wouldn't allow ANE to be sold as a whole (or cherry picked depot by depot) to the likes of GNE or Stagecoach. It would need to be someone without a conflict of interest to buy it which probably explains why it hasn't already been sold.

I can well imagine that GNE and Stagecoach would love to buy certain parts of Arrivaland but it just won't happen! (Like I say, unless something significant has changed).

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(04 Jun 2021, 2:47 pm)Adrian We're a discussion forum, where we discuss things.

You'll be referring to the Competition and Markets Authority, and I agree with you that they're very unlikely to allow it to be sold as a whole. Depot by depot is the most likely outcome, unless DB have a change of heart, but I reckon that'd still be subject to review and approval (depending on who bids for what, and how much of a monopoly it would give said operator)