(18 Aug 2014, 6:03 pm)Jimmi wrote Continuing the X21/X22 Sapphire conversation:

We had two non Sapphire buses out this afternoon.
7508 front display was constantly flickering on and off.
Also I was sat at the front upstairs on 7528 and I could barley hear the next stop announcements.
They started off so well with the 7 but they are certainly making a right mess with the X21/X22, I just hope things go better with the 5/5A and X3/X3A/X4.

(18 Aug 2014, 6:58 pm)mb134 wrote Was 7509 out today, if not one of the Non-Sapphire buses could have been in place of that while it gets branded?

(18 Aug 2014, 6:58 pm)mb134 wrote Was 7509 out today, if not one of the Non-Sapphire buses could have been in place of that while it gets branded?

(18 Aug 2014, 7:15 pm)Jimmi wrote I'm not sure.

(19 Aug 2014, 5:28 pm)Dan wrote 7608 has now been branded: https://flic.kr/p/owu14K

Pitiful brand design really. I was expecting 'MAX' to have 'maximum' impact, through the brand design.
The fact that they've stuck light blue vinyls on top of a light blue base livery means that they're almost illegible.

(19 Aug 2014, 5:28 pm)Dan wrote 7608 has now been branded: https://flic.kr/p/owu14K

Pitiful brand design really. I was expecting 'MAX' to have 'maximum' impact, through the brand design.
The fact that they've stuck light blue vinyls on top of a light blue base livery means that they're almost illegible.

(19 Aug 2014, 5:40 pm)Jimmi wrote In typical fashion they brand the bus then put it on another route.

• Following feedback a few weeks ago, I have updated the chassis of the new "Sapphire" Enviro400s to read 'Dennis Trident 2' opposed to 'Dennis Trident 3'. I've taken this opportunity to add a slightly more detailed note regarding the features available on board etc.
  
• Although this will go unnoticed by most, I have updated the Vehicle History section for a number of vehicles in the fleet to include line break < br > and < /br > HTML tags. This makes the individual vehicle page look a little tidier.
  
• I have edited the chassis and bodywork details of the new Streetlites which have arrived into the fleet. I'm not a fan of inconsistencies, so have updated the chassis for these vehicles to read 'Wright Streetlite DF' (DF standing for door-forward), similar to the Go North East fleet list. I think it's important to note that these vehicles are Micro-Hybrid set-up, so the bodywork for these vehicles reads 'Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrid'. Much like the Enviro400s, I have updated the notes section to be more detailed.
  
• Similarly, as Scott had updated the Enviro400 livery to read 'Sapphire X21/X22', I have updated the "Sapphire" branded Pulsars to read 'Sapphire - 7', and I added a dash in for the Enviro400s too.
  
• Likewise, the liveries for the vehicles which have now been branded as "MAX" read 'MAX - X10/X11', also updating the notes section to be more detailed in the process.
  
• Finally, I have added Streetlites 1560-73 to the fleetlist, with the final three characters of the registration plate noted as '???' until they're known.
  

(19 Aug 2014, 5:28 pm)Dan wrote 7608 has now been branded: https://flic.kr/p/owu14K

Pitiful brand design really. I was expecting 'MAX' to have 'maximum' impact, through the brand design.
The fact that they've stuck light blue vinyls on top of a light blue base livery means that they're almost illegible.

(19 Aug 2014, 7:50 pm)JoshP wrote I actually like it! It's simple but effective, it does stand out. They've got the colours right. Could be placed on the correct route like but this is Newcastle....

(19 Aug 2014, 7:50 pm)JoshP wrote I actually like it! It's simple but effective, it does stand out. They've got the colours right. Could be placed on the correct route like but this is Newcastle....

(19 Aug 2014, 5:29 pm)Dan wrote 1566 has now arrived, registered NK64EFC: https://flic.kr/p/oNX1sJ

(19 Aug 2014, 7:55 pm)mb134 wrote Prefer it to some of GNE'S pointless liveries to be honest, at least it looks professional and it's quite smart and effective as you said

(19 Aug 2014, 7:50 pm)JoshP wrote I actually like it! It's simple but effective, it does stand out. They've got the colours right. Could be placed on the correct route like but this is Newcastle....

(19 Aug 2014, 8:23 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Although I don't like the 'wifi' part, I agree with you totally and I am not a fan of branding!

Similar to Stagecoach efforts, the branding looks smart and still gives off the corporate image.
You know which operator the vehicle belongs to and there hasn't been a slap shod approach to getting the vehicle painted/branded.

(19 Aug 2014, 8:29 pm)Jimmi wrote It's pretty much what I was expecting, although I quite like it apart from the light blue lettering on the light blue, can't wait for when the MAX brand comes to Darlington.

(19 Aug 2014, 9:07 pm)JoshP wrote I hope I'm proved wrong but as the Omni's are really ugly vehicles as they are, I don't think the MAX livery is going to suit them very well. So far the livery looks best on Gemini 2's, better even than Yorkshires E400 MAX vehicles.

(19 Aug 2014, 9:07 pm)JoshP wrote I hope I'm proved wrong but as the Omni's are really ugly vehicles as they are, I don't think the MAX livery is going to suit them very well. So far the livery looks best on Gemini 2's, better even than Yorkshires E400 MAX vehicles.

(19 Aug 2014, 9:15 pm)Jimmi wrote I don't think it will look good on the Omni's either, looking forward to having free WiFi on the X66 again though.

(20 Aug 2014, 8:39 am)Robert wrote With the X15 going MAX, id love to know if that will be the full length as every X15 i saw in Berwick was operated by a Coach. I know some only go as far as Alnwick. If it is the full route, i cant see them been any day where the allocation is perfect. Not with the 57 reg examples that were on the X93 (which 7513 has been). Unfortunately, they cant use the 59 reg examples as they are needed for the X18 and other services they may be allocated to. Going to be problem after problem.

(20 Aug 2014, 9:11 am)mb134 wrote Most of Ashingtons E400's have been doing the X15 for a number of years without too many problems, after all it is mainly just on the A1. Not too many hills, they should be fine, otherwise I'm sure they would be using other vehicles

(20 Aug 2014, 9:22 am)Robert wrote Just with the ex-X93 examples been worn down so much by the X93 plus the constant running up and down the A1 they are going to be doing. Most of it is just single road and not as much as a dual carriage way but it is a long way and i doubt it'll take too long before problems start to occur. Im sure the 09 reg examples will do it no problem, just like they do on the X18 now. And as i was saying before, i was just up at Berwick last week and every single X15 i saw was a Coach which is what made me think that the X15 was allocated Coaches rather than E400s.

(20 Aug 2014, 8:39 am)Robert wrote With the X15 going MAX, id love to know if that will be the full length as every X15 i saw in Berwick was operated by a Coach. I know some only go as far as Alnwick. If it is the full route, i cant see them been any day where the allocation is perfect. Not with the 57 reg examples that were on the X93 (which 7513 has been). Unfortunately, they cant use the 59 reg examples as they are needed for the X18 and other services they may be allocated to. Going to be problem after problem.

(20 Aug 2014, 9:22 am)Robert wrote Just with the ex-X93 examples been worn down so much by the X93 plus the constant running up and down the A1 they are going to be doing. Most of it is just single road and not as much as a dual carriage way but it is a long way and i doubt it'll take too long before problems start to occur. Im sure the 09 reg examples will do it no problem, just like they do on the X18 now. And as i was saying before, i was just up at Berwick last week and every single X15 i saw was a Coach which is what made me think that the X15 was allocated Coaches rather than E400s.