North East Buses

Anyone know which buses are being assigned 

Blue/Silver/Blonde/Cherry/Berries. Also all these current re-paints/rebranding are going to take untill after Christmas. Prince Bishops/78/8. A lot to do.

(07 Oct 2021, 3:30 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]Anyone know which buses are being assigned 

Blue/Silver/Blonde/Cherry/Berries. Also all these current re-paints/rebranding are going to take untill after Christmas. Prince Bishops/78/8. A lot to do.

I don't think we yet know exactly which vehicles, but:

Blue and Cherry will be Citaros, cherry have 5294/5295 already with more expected in due course.
Berries are Versa with 8330 and 8332-8338 already painted, and 8329/31 possible still to be done.
Silver, Blonde and Graphite will be Solo SRs with 673-679 already in Graphite livery without branding.

(08 Oct 2021, 10:05 am)Ancelljb wrote [ -> ]I don't think we yet know exactly which vehicles, but:

Blue and Cherry will be Citaros, cherry have 5294/5295 already with more expected in due course.
Berries are Versa with 8330 and 8332-8338 already painted, and 8329/31 possible still to be done.
Silver, Blonde and Graphite will be Solo SRs with 673-679 already in Graphite livery without branding.

8329 is done. Saw it at Saltmeadows outside 2 weeks ago with 6068 nearer the entrance still in coaster livery.

Newly painted Sunderland District Violet Mercedes 0530N Citaro 5327 typically on a Cherry 35 service today

5327 NK58DWE | Mercedes 0530N Citaro 5327 travels along Sout… | Flickr

675 is fully branded up for Graphite

(13 Oct 2021, 3:06 pm)morritt89 wrote [ -> ]675 is fully branded up for Graphite

Any pictures

(13 Oct 2021, 4:20 pm)Train8261 wrote [ -> ]Any pictures

I have a quick photo from in yard taken this afternoon. Any way I can upload on here?

(13 Oct 2021, 4:50 pm)morritt89 wrote [ -> ]I have a quick photo from in yard taken this afternoon. Any way I can upload on here?

Got no idea. There used to be a way but doesn't work anymore

Yep I tried to upload pics the other day how on earth do we add them now

(13 Oct 2021, 4:20 pm)Train8261 wrote [ -> ]Any pictures

Photo by Robert Houston on Facebook Go North East Buses group, will probably go to Sunderland tomorrow to get a photo myself.


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(14 Oct 2021, 5:33 pm)TEN 6083 wrote [ -> ]


Photo by Robert Houston on Facebook Go North East Buses group, will probably go to Sunderland tomorrow to get a photo myself.


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I think graphite branding is definitely my least favourite writting is too small, and it should have ryhope / grangetown on the branding. Branding just looks wrong.

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Also i don't think many people will disagree with me here, but S&D Branding is definitely the least cared about.

I think the logo is that side so it can fit between the doors and the roadstripes on the nearside.

Graphite’s look horrendous. Rushed job and makes no sense what so ever. Doxford clipper was better and the black cats. Sunderland services are just 2nd class shame on go north east

(14 Oct 2021, 8:27 pm)Acky81 wrote [ -> ]Graphite’s look horrendous. Rushed job and makes no sense what so ever. Doxford clipper was better and the black cats. Sunderland services are just 2nd class shame on go north east

100% agree with this statement.

(14 Oct 2021, 8:27 pm)Acky81 wrote [ -> ]Graphite’s look horrendous. Rushed job and makes no sense what so ever. Doxford clipper was better and the black cats. Sunderland services are just 2nd class shame on go north east

Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.

The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?

I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).

Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?

Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.


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(14 Oct 2021, 9:00 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]100% agree with this statement.

If you 100% agree with that statement, do you care to elaborate further on your reasoning?

In my previous post I have outlined some reasons as to why I disagree with Acky81 (as someone who lives in Sunderland, and uses the buses Go North East run in the city). I am keen to hear the counter-argument to the points I have raised, if there are any.


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(14 Oct 2021, 10:09 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]If you 100% agree with that statement, do you care to elaborate further on your reasoning?

In my previous post I have outlined some reasons as to why I disagree with Acky81 (as someone who lives in Sunderland, and uses the buses Go North East run in the city). I am keen to hear the counter-argument to the points I have raised, if there are any.


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While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and  don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly. 

To go back to the liveries compared the Red Kite Ranger to S&D Blue, or really any of them. And some of the names of the brand...I can think of better ones. Mercedes are 13 years old, yes some are 11. And when Euro 6 thing is brought in Deptford will chance to get all the older OmniCity's/OmniDekkas when the 15 plate are going. Sunderland needs serious investment in new buses. Yes they have just branded 13 year old buses, but how long will they last. I give S&D Brand 2 years. 

Just Disappointing.

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(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.

The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?

I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).

Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?

Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.


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By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.

Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites

(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 wrote [ -> ]Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites

The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m

(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.


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We had a Versa on the 49 yesterday (had the refurbed seats and NSA, but not sure of the age), and I must say it was much nicer than the usual Streetlites, far nicer ride, nicer sound, and what felt like more legroom.

(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.

The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?

I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).

Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?

Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.


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Oddly the graphite colours looked really smart without branding but have to agree with others that they look a bit meh branded up, not sure why other than the logo appears oddly close to the roadstripes so appears off centre (even though it is actually near enough centre of the bus).

I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not. Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit.  Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.

(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]Oddly the graphite colours looked really smart without branding but have to agree with others that they look a bit meh branded up, not sure why other than the logo appears oddly close to the roadstripes so appears off centre (even though it is actually near enough centre of the bus).

I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not.  Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit.  Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.

To me, the main issue is that the word 'Graphite' feels too small. Especially when you look at it compared to Little Dicks and Peterlee Purples.

Did a quick and dirty photoshop job making it a bit bigger, moving it forward, and also bringing the Sunderland District branding down a touch to make it feel like a bigger part of the branding. 

(15 Oct 2021, 12:35 am)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]To me, the main issue is that the word 'Graphite' feels too small. Especially when you look at it compared to Little Dicks and Peterlee Purples.

Did a quick and dirty photoshop job making it a bit bigger, moving it forward, and also bringing the Sunderland District branding down a touch to make it feel like a bigger part of the branding. 

Definite improvement IMO...though think I still prefer the 'clean' unbranded version!  Not sure the scribble effect is a great look for a bus logo.

(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.

The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?

I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).

Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?

Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.


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In my opinion: 
The X-Lines obviously looked better however this can have a chance of being good brand, just no one thinks that as it’s obviously one of those paint, logo slapped on and place names slapped on. 

This is just a local bus replacing the Black Cat this can’t be repainted like a Premium service like Voltra that no one will use a lot of times. I like the look of Graphite and obviously we still have Blonde and Silver Solo SR’s I don’t think Blonde will good in my opinion as it just looks like a BTEC venture (no offence). 

People need to give the Graphite a chance, that’s all I’m gonna say. 

I probs started to not make sense but overall SunderlandDistrict is here to allow local services around Sunderland to look better.

 They can’t go into insane detail as A.) Costs Money B.) Can’t get a lot of customers. 

Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries

(15 Oct 2021, 7:00 am)KingSlayerRBLX wrote [ -> ]Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries

  Half the time I do actually wonder if these meaningless brands are just rolled out to keep a few enthusiasts or industry colleagues interested.

(15 Oct 2021, 7:00 am)KingSlayerRBLX wrote [ -> ]In my opinion: 
The X-Lines obviously looked better however this can have a chance of being good brand, just no one thinks that as it’s obviously one of those paint, logo slapped on and place names slapped on. 

This is just a local bus replacing the Black Cat this can’t be repainted like a Premium service like Voltra that no one will use a lot of times. I like the look of Graphite and obviously we still have Blonde and Silver Solo SR’s I don’t think Blonde will good in my opinion as it just looks like a BTEC venture (no offence). 

People need to give the Graphite a chance, that’s all I’m gonna say. 

I probs started to not make sense but overall SunderlandDistrict is here to allow local services around Sunderland to look better.

 They can’t go into insane detail as A.) Costs Money B.) Can’t get a lot of customers. 

Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries

Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.

(15 Oct 2021, 8:22 am)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.

I’m sure Dan mentioned awhile ago that Xlines doesn’t mean it comes under an Express service (like in the olden days), I think it’s more comfort and quality service, I’m sure Dan will inform us again as I can’t find the post he posted from probably years ago.


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(15 Oct 2021, 9:30 am)cbma06 wrote [ -> ]I’m sure Dan mentioned awhile ago that Xlines doesn’t mean it comes under an Express service (like in the olden days), I think it’s more comfort and quality service, I’m sure Dan will inform us again as I can’t find the post he posted from probably years ago.

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It's a bit of both:
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/x-lines

At no point has X-lines ever been referred to as something to encompass all 'express' routes - only ever 'fast and direct' for interurban/intercity services - and each and every service held under this brand, for at least part of the route, either goes the way in which you would drive in your car, or has a 'slow' counterpart, so is suited to the brand.

In the same vein, no specific reference to a certain type of internal specification has ever been stated, only ever that the buses have high-back seats, USB charging facilities, Wi-Fi, and next stop announcements. 

X-lines X1:

• Limited stop on Old Durham Road
  
• Runs via Washington Highway - the way in which you would drive in your car
  

X-lines X5/X15:

• Runs via A691 - the way in which you would drive in your car if travelling between Consett and Durham
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 16.
  

X-lines X9/X10:

• Limited stop
  
• Runs via A19 - the way in which you would drive in your car if travelling to/from Middlesbrough.
  

X-lines X20

• Limited stop in places between Sunderland and Durham
  
• Runs via A690 - the way in which you would drive in your car
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 20.
  

X-lines X21

• Limited stop between Newcastle and Chester-le-Street
  
• Runs via A1 - the way in which you would drive in your car between Chester-le-Street and Gateshead
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 21.
  

X-lines X30/X31

• Runs direct via Causey
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 6.
  

X-lines X45/X46

• Limited stop through Teams
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 47/47A.
  

X-lines X70/X71

• Largely runs via A692 - the way in which you would drive in your car
  

X-lines X84/X85

• Limited stop
  
• Runs via A69 - the way in which you would drive in your car to/from Hexham
  
• Has a 'slow' counterpart service, the 10.
  

The only obvious service that stands out as not being particularly well suited to the brand is the X72, but it's clear that this is owing to the interworking pattern and the fact it provides a combined frequency of up to every 20 minutes between Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunniside with the X70/X71. It is still, ever so slightly, quicker than the 6 (end to end, Newcastle to Stanley, 1hr 4m on service 6, 58m on service X72 - but the real express route of choice is obviously the X30/X31 between these locations).

(14 Oct 2021, 10:42 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and  don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly. 

To go back to the liveries compared the Red Kite Ranger to S&D Blue, or really any of them. And some of the names of the brand...I can think of better ones. Mercedes are 13 years old, yes some are 11. And when Euro 6 thing is brought in Deptford will chance to get all the older OmniCity's/OmniDekkas when the 15 plate are going. Sunderland needs serious investment in new buses. Yes they have just branded 13 year old buses, but how long will they last. I give S&D Brand 2 years. 

Just Disappointing.

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By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.

All the Volvo B9s in the fleet are having their three-pin sockets removed (or covered up) and replaced with USB charging points. I believe Arriva started to do similar with some of their Sapphire buses a few years ago, as the three-pin sockets are unreliable, costly to maintain and stop working quite often.

Streetlites 8339 - 8346 all have Wi-Fi, so you're wrong there. By the end of the year once all intended Citaros and OmniCitys are withdrawn, every bus across the main service fleet (excluding school buses) will be equipped with Wi-Fi. A re-trim may follow at some point in the future, but it's clear that the current priority is getting buses completed which are in the 'wrong' brand, or are critical to future re-allocations (i.e. Volvo B5 Hybrid and Red Kite Ranger Volvo B9 into Consett).

I'm really not sure I buy the argument that Sunderland are getting 'leftovers' - the only buses being re-allocated are the ex-Citylink Citaros and the ex-Quaylink Versas - the rest of the buses were already based at Deptford.

There are no plans for Scania OmniCitys or Scania OmniDekkas to transfer to Deptford permanently. They have never operated this vehicle type other than small loan period stints. The 15-plate Streetlites will be surplus to requirements once Deptford receive all their remaining Cherry and Berries buses. They do not need any extra buses to allow these to be displaced.

(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 wrote [ -> ]Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites

Too many via points on the side of a bus is just a huge dogs dinner. They'd need to be smaller and it'd reach a point where they aren't actually easily readible. The via points on these buses have been centred between the front of the bus and the stripe, which often means there's no more than four or five.

The branding might mean nothing to anyone, but it's proving to be a success in that it's a huge talking point on this forum alone. Once the buses start being allocated to the correct routes (no denying that local staff aren't doing well to allocate them to the correct routes at the moment), and we're past the current period of journey cancellations due to staff shortages, I'm sure it'll be backed up with appropriate time and investment into marketing. By then all the buses will have been repainted and it'll give Go North East a very clear product to sell in the city. Hopefully the special offers on the enhanced ticket range in Sunderland to cover the wider city can remain, dependent on their success during the current trial period, which will complement this well.

I disagree that the Solos are 'far too small'. I have observed loadings at peak times and the buses haven't even been full. Should passenger numbers return to where they were pre-Covid (we're a long way off that yet), then I'm sure we'll see an upgrade in capacity (as we did the X20). These Solos will of course come in handy at some point in future as replacements for the eldest Solos in the fleet (the 10 and 11-plate Solos all becoming end of life in the fleet).

(14 Oct 2021, 10:58 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m

The Solos used are 9.25m in length, so I'm glad Go North East are providing suitably sized Solos in your opinion.

(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not.  Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit.  Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.

Yes, you're right. I suspect most bus users won't pay close attention to the age of vehicles or their pollution, however.

Pushing green credentials is something Go North East do well (Euro 6 leaves on all appropriate buses, green messaging on the rear and sides of some buses), but I'm not sure that many customers care. As in your example with Stagecoach, I suspect most customers wouldn't have even noticed the difference.

We've seen examples of this up and down the country with operators in areas with LEZ/CAZ restrictions imposed moving their oldest non-conforming buses to other parts of the country which don't have these restrictions. It is as you say the inevitable flaw in creating these restrictions.

(15 Oct 2021, 11:17 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]The branding might mean nothing to anyone, but it's proving to be a success in that it's a huge talking point on this forum alone.

Using that logic, Gateshead Central Taxis is a huge talking point also, doesn't mean they're a success.