(03 Aug 2018, 9:51 pm)omnicity4659 That would have been the logical thing to do, but the marketing team (of whom I despise, as many may know) decided to go cheap on upgrading the 43/44/45. Not something you want to do when conveying your premium brand to another set of customers...
If I had my own way, I'd have had everything under the single Arriva brand, have consistency and standard high spec interiors on every bus and market the service for it's quality. The mish-mash of service offered, the marketing and the falling standards in fleet presentation are a recipe for disaster...
(03 Aug 2018, 9:51 pm)omnicity4659 That would have been the logical thing to do, but the marketing team (of whom I despise, as many may know) decided to go cheap on upgrading the 43/44/45. Not something you want to do when conveying your premium brand to another set of customers...
If I had my own way, I'd have had everything under the single Arriva brand, have consistency and standard high spec interiors on every bus and market the service for it's quality. The mish-mash of service offered, the marketing and the falling standards in fleet presentation are a recipe for disaster...
If you's think Jesmond's Sapphires look very bad, then you would lose your snack if you see Belmont's Sapphire fleet, vast majority have various bits of logos and branding missing and a fair few have incorrect coloured panels, one of which has dark blue panels around the bonnet and saw one the other day with standard coloured panels down the side.
Some enthusiasts slag off the presentations of independents but some of Arriva's instances like the above can make them look like a cowboy outfit IMO, especially poor on what they are considering to be somewhat of a upmarket service.
(03 Aug 2018, 10:26 pm)Jimmi If you's think Jesmond's Sapphires look very bad, then you would lose your snack if you see Belmont's Sapphire fleet, vast majority have various bits of logos and branding missing and a fair few have incorrect coloured panels, one of which has dark blue panels around the bonnet and saw one the other day with standard coloured panels down the side.
Some enthusiasts slag off the presentations of independents but some of Arriva's instances like the above can make them look like a cowboy outfit IMO, especially poor on what they are considering to be somewhat of a upmarket service.
(03 Aug 2018, 10:26 pm)Jimmi If you's think Jesmond's Sapphires look very bad, then you would lose your snack if you see Belmont's Sapphire fleet, vast majority have various bits of logos and branding missing and a fair few have incorrect coloured panels, one of which has dark blue panels around the bonnet and saw one the other day with standard coloured panels down the side.
Some enthusiasts slag off the presentations of independents but some of Arriva's instances like the above can make them look like a cowboy outfit IMO, especially poor on what they are considering to be somewhat of a upmarket service.
Has anybody done the X18 sightseeing tour and is it any good? I have been trying but have failed on 4 attempts as 7529 (with both screen and speakers) as well as 7530 (with speakers only) were not working and 7532 does not have either the screen or speakers installed. I was also on 7517 which does not have the equipment.
(04 Aug 2018, 7:37 pm)Adrian Does anyone know what is happening in terms of repaints? Seems to have been very few buses done up here, since the new corporate image was brought in?
(04 Aug 2018, 7:37 pm)Adrian Does anyone know what is happening in terms of repaints? Seems to have been very few buses done up here, since the new corporate image was brought in?
(04 Aug 2018, 7:37 pm)Adrian Does anyone know what is happening in terms of repaints? Seems to have been very few buses done up here, since the new corporate image was brought in?Apart from a few Solo's, the only ones that have been treated to the new livery so far are buses which have been (or will soon to be) treated to refurbs such as the 308 Gemini's, some Redcar Temsa's and the two Centro's at Stockton. There is also the two ex Yorkshire E200s at Belmont but they got treated before transferring to the North East.
(04 Aug 2018, 7:37 pm)Adrian Does anyone know what is happening in terms of repaints? Seems to have been very few buses done up here, since the new corporate image was brought in?Apart from a few Solo's, the only ones that have been treated to the new livery so far are buses which have been (or will soon to be) treated to refurbs such as the 308 Gemini's, some Redcar Temsa's and the two Centro's at Stockton. There is also the two ex Yorkshire E200s at Belmont but they got treated before transferring to the North East.
(04 Aug 2018, 8:00 pm)Jimmi Apart from a few Solo's, the only ones that have been treated to the new livery so far are buses which have been (or will soon to be) treated to refurbs such as the 308 Gemini's, some Redcar Temsa's and the two Centro's at Stockton. There is also the two ex Yorkshire E200s at Belmont but they got treated before transferring to the North East.
(04 Aug 2018, 8:00 pm)Jimmi Apart from a few Solo's, the only ones that have been treated to the new livery so far are buses which have been (or will soon to be) treated to refurbs such as the 308 Gemini's, some Redcar Temsa's and the two Centro's at Stockton. There is also the two ex Yorkshire E200s at Belmont but they got treated before transferring to the North East.
(04 Aug 2018, 8:43 pm)Adrian ...which is pretty shocking, given this was launched at least 6 months ago?
I take it they're not even bothering to remove the legacy logos?
(04 Aug 2018, 8:43 pm)Adrian ...which is pretty shocking, given this was launched at least 6 months ago?
I take it they're not even bothering to remove the legacy logos?
(05 Aug 2018, 6:28 am)RobinHood I dont think that was ever the plan. As far as I know, the brand was refreshed, but there was never a mass repaint/relogo plan. It was all proposed to be done as and when - which could take decades!
(05 Aug 2018, 6:28 am)RobinHood I dont think that was ever the plan. As far as I know, the brand was refreshed, but there was never a mass repaint/relogo plan. It was all proposed to be done as and when - which could take decades!
(05 Aug 2018, 12:13 pm)Adrian Really? Seems a little pointless paying someone to refresh the brand then.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:13 pm)Adrian Really? Seems a little pointless paying someone to refresh the brand then.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:38 pm)omnicity4659 Would you prefer more older vehicles being reinstated to enable larger batches to be sent in for repaint?
They're always repainting buses into the new livery at Thornton's, however cost and fleet availability keeps this down to about two at a time. At present, the Geminis are having additional work done (interiors) so this will lengthen the process.
The new Arriva brand is already rolled out on a huge scale across the UK and Europe, however the North East faces the above issues.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:38 pm)omnicity4659 Would you prefer more older vehicles being reinstated to enable larger batches to be sent in for repaint?
They're always repainting buses into the new livery at Thornton's, however cost and fleet availability keeps this down to about two at a time. At present, the Geminis are having additional work done (interiors) so this will lengthen the process.
The new Arriva brand is already rolled out on a huge scale across the UK and Europe, however the North East faces the above issues.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:35 pm)S830OFT Ages ago.
4523 is only one left now.
(05 Aug 2018, 2:10 pm)Andreos1 Other operators and divisions manage re-paint programmes.
There are ways and means.
The photo GPR has uploaded of the 24 branded decker appearing on the X12 couldn't have been timed better.
That odd coloured front part could have quite easily gone on in the correct scheme.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:35 pm)S830OFT Ages ago.
4523 is only one left now.
(05 Aug 2018, 2:10 pm)Andreos1 Other operators and divisions manage re-paint programmes.
There are ways and means.
The photo GPR has uploaded of the 24 branded decker appearing on the X12 couldn't have been timed better.
That odd coloured front part could have quite easily gone on in the correct scheme.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:38 pm)omnicity4659 Would you prefer more older vehicles being reinstated to enable larger batches to be sent in for repaint?
They're always repainting buses into the new livery at Thornton's, however cost and fleet availability keeps this down to about two at a time. At present, the Geminis are having additional work done (interiors) so this will lengthen the process.
The new Arriva brand is already rolled out on a huge scale across the UK and Europe, however the North East faces the above issues.
(05 Aug 2018, 12:38 pm)omnicity4659 Would you prefer more older vehicles being reinstated to enable larger batches to be sent in for repaint?
They're always repainting buses into the new livery at Thornton's, however cost and fleet availability keeps this down to about two at a time. At present, the Geminis are having additional work done (interiors) so this will lengthen the process.
The new Arriva brand is already rolled out on a huge scale across the UK and Europe, however the North East faces the above issues.
![[Image: 39987421112_e4f03fbd19.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4611/39987421112_e4f03fbd19.jpg)
Arriva stevenage VDL 3782 by Rob Elloway, on FlickrArriva stevenage VDL 3782 by Rob Elloway, on Flickr
It's up to the (again, useless) marketing team to do things like this, and yes, it would be a fast and easy way of rolling out the new brand.
If I had my own way the fleet would be smartened up as a priority with the Arriva brand replaced both inside and out, removing any references to defunct MAX and Frequenta brands and changing the vinyls on the transitional Journey Mark liveried vehicles too.
It's not on an "as and when" basis, as there are always at least two vehicles in for repaint at a time.
I know someone who works at Arriva, in Sunderland, and they have told me that the new brand was forced upon every region, not by marketing, but the corporate communications team.
Central and local marketing then bear responsibility for it's implementation, but if the actual operating company are not bought in whatsoever, what did Arriva (as a UK wide umberalla) expect?
Internally, it was rejected, hence the lack of urgency to repaint/rebrand.
