20 Apr 2017, 7:14 pm
#271
(20 Apr 2017, 6:27 pm)Dan Not too sure why the power socket symbol was missed off - but some would suggest it's not a bad thing that it's been missed off, given that the sockets can't exactly be relied on, on Streetlites! 
The Next Stop Announcement symbol should definitely be there - especially given that almost every service at Deptford will have Next Stop Announcements programmed shortly. I notice this symbol is missing from the new Venture timetables... 
A handful of buses were off the road at the time that the branding company went into the depot to strip the old logo from buses and replace with the new logo. This didn't apply to 6133 - I think this one was missed as the logo will have to be scaled slightly larger than the standard size. The ones which were missed, including vans, are due to be caught over the next week or two. All of the new corporate liveried buses which don't have yellow taglines and feature symbols are due to receive them at the same time. Fingers crossed!
I have (well, more you have as I have only changed the colour of the text) split the post into 3 parts as I have contributions to make to all 3 points:
Red: Could it be because 3-pin sockets are no longer a standard feature for new vehicles? Maybe this is just on Streetlites given that, as you have acknowledged, the sockets seem to regularly not work although I have yet to experience this myself having not been on a long journey on a Streetlite yet, nor do I carry my phone charger with me. The Citaro refurbishments do, however, suggest that it will be across all orders regardless of vehicle type.
Pink: It is good to hear that Next Stop Announcements are starting to be form such a large presence. I believe there are currently 266 vehicles in the fleet with NSAs (including the refurbished Mercs which have returned from Blackburn) and by the time the confirmed further 18 Streetlites and all Merc refurbishments are done (5275-5336), the number of vehicles with NSAs will have risen to 334.
As for the Venture, it isn't something I had noticed. The only thing I could think of the systems being transferred over to 698-700 and 4969/76/90/1/2/5212/5213 (that will include a system from the 3 that transferred to Percy Main) to give the 39 and 238 Next Stop Announcements, maintaining that feature across the whole of the new Sunderland network, whenever it is going to be launched.
Blue: Thanks, I had noticed that the logos on 6133 were slightly bigger than the standard logo seen on all other vehicles, I had suspected that this is why 6099 was omitted but it appears its upcoming revised branding also played a part in this.
Hopefully when they do go around the depots to complete everything omitted, they don't ignore any of the branded vehicles, 691-694 lack WiFi symbols, 5285 lacks all symbols, 5408 doesn't have the NSA symbol on both sides and a couple of Red Kites need their symbols replacing. I also feel that 6118-6121 could do with their side WiFi symbols being replaced. Very hard to spot indeed.
