Repainting of MAX X93 branded buses into Sapphire livery
Repainting of MAX X93 branded buses into Sapphire livery
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 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.Dare I say this but GNE's Crusader B9's (ex Red Arrows) would fit closer to "Sapphire" than 7401-06.
2948 in the North West and 7510 at Ashington are the others.
(27 Dec 2020, 11:31 pm)omnicity4659 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.Dare I say this but GNE's Crusader B9's (ex Red Arrows) would fit closer to "Sapphire" than 7401-06.
2948 in the North West and 7510 at Ashington are the others.
(27 Dec 2020, 11:45 pm)L469 YVK 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 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.
(28 Dec 2020, 10:26 am)Storx 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.
(28 Dec 2020, 10:26 am)Storx 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.
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 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.That just looks like Arriva though.
I'm not too sure as to why it hasn't been rolled out further.
(28 Dec 2020, 1:55 pm)omnicity4659 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.That just looks like Arriva though.
I'm not too sure as to why it hasn't been rolled out further.
X21/X22:
eXcellent way to escape Ashington.
308:
eXcellently allocated to the wrong route.
(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK 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.
(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK 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.
(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK 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
(28 Dec 2020, 2:59 pm)L469 YVK 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
So Smackhead Express for both Blyth and Ashington routes then.
(28 Dec 2020, 3:36 pm)omnicity4659 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 tbf though Arriva aren't GNE or Transdev and their marketing has never been corney like that.But the corney marketing has worked wonders for GNE & Transdev.
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.
(28 Dec 2020, 3:41 pm)Storx tbf though Arriva aren't GNE or Transdev and their marketing has never been corney like that.But the corney marketing has worked wonders for GNE & Transdev.
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.
(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK 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...
(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK 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 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...
(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK 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.
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 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"
(28 Dec 2020, 4:39 pm)mb134 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"
(28 Dec 2020, 4:10 pm)L469 YVK 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 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.