(26 Mar 2023, 7:39 pm)V514DFT wrote Think it might go back earlier than 2006

I think he means like Full on brands instead of slapping a logo onto a Corp livery.

(26 Mar 2023, 5:19 pm)Drifter60 wrote Must say I think the sheer amount of service changes on the back of COVID has really highlighted the farcical situation with branding. A few years ago it seemed to work pretty seamlessly, new buses are bought X route which meant a repaint for a few buses that were on X route ahead of a new role on Y route, with the buses formerly on Y route going into the corporate spare fleet.

But the fact that plans have changed multiple times, services cut back, ‘temporary reductions’ still ongoing means, routes withdrawn has led to a mess all over the place. I wonder if the situation is no branding at all? Across absolutely everything. A big decision though, when this has been a key strategy for the company since 2006.

See honestly I still think there is some scope for some brands but only for the major routes which is long distance routes with at least a 15 minute frequency and some recognition.

X1: Red Arrow
10: Tyne Valley Ten
X10: Tyne Tees Express
20/20A: Prince Bishop
21: Angel
X21: Angel Express
27: Crusader
45/47: Red Kite
56: Citylink
60/61: Drifter

Other than that I'd scrap the rest including X Lines. They're arguably the flagship routes tbh. The 307/309 needs to be something with Arriva so I intentionally ignored those. 

It's similar to Trandev pretty much. I wouldn't be against local brands though so one for Derwentside, one for Sunderland and one for Tyneside similar to EYMS with Scarborough and District and then East Yorkshire but the same branding on corporate with a small variation and give a local identify rather than the bland GoNorthEast.

Wasn't the SunderlandDistrict branding just laughed at on here?

(26 Mar 2023, 9:01 pm)Unber43 wrote Wasn't the SunderlandDistrict branding just laughed at on here?

Started with Berries, Ending with Berries.
They didn't even complete it  XD

(26 Mar 2023, 9:06 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote Started with Berries, Ending with Berries.
They didn't even complete it  XD

At least they had Hyacinth's sister working on it though!

(26 Mar 2023, 9:01 pm)Unber43 wrote Wasn't the SunderlandDistrict branding just laughed at on here?

Aye, but apparently because people were talking about it, it was working...

(26 Mar 2023, 9:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote Aye, but apparently because people were talking about it, it was working...

Looks like it

Sliver > Nothing
Berries > Sunday/Evening Service Slashed 
Violet > Cancelled
Cherry > Withdrawn Brand, worse buses
Blonde > Cancelled 
Blue > Never Happened
Graphite > Frequency Halved, Sunday Evening Service awful

(26 Mar 2023, 9:01 pm)Unber43 wrote Wasn't the SunderlandDistrict branding just laughed at on here?

There's a big difference between branding everything at Sunderland as one brand as it's own operating area and having nonsense like Berries and Gold etc.

Having something like Sunderland and District for all the local buses there wouldn't be the end of the world but they'd be one standard livery so they work on anything and since they use the same corporate background it's as simple as removing some words and putting something else on if it moved depots.

GoNorthEast is tarnished and it's a bit of a crap name (Northern was always better imo which keeps creeping back now and then).

(26 Mar 2023, 10:13 pm)Storx wrote There's a big difference between branding everything at Sunderland as one brand as it's own operating area and having nonsense like Berries and Gold etc.

Having something like Sunderland and District for all the local buses there wouldn't be the end of the world but they'd be one standard livery so they work on anything and since they use the same corporate background it's as simple as removing some words and putting something else on if it moved depots.

GoNorthEast is tarnished and it's a bit of a crap name (Northern was always better imo which keeps creeping back now and then).

At the same time though I’m not sure having one huge Sunderland district brand would work either. If we go to what was included at first that’s the 2/2A, 61, 55, 33, 38, 39 it was just a lump of routes with no synergy really. Some common corridors but in the main all separate routes and serving different areas and purposes. The latter three I’d say are all across town or into-city Centre services whereby the first three are more longer distance routes really; the 61/55 in particularly aren’t really local routes in Sunderland, they only exist/existed to get communities at their southern terminus and along the way into Sunderland. So I don’t know if one big brand covering lots of different services really does anything more than just simply ‘Go North East’ does?

What I would say is that I think the mini bus networks have worked slightly more effectively as at least it meant that those buses were identified as the ‘local buses’ the ones serving estates etc. In East Durham, I think everyone knew the little pink buses (indigo) were the ones taking your around the local area, the 202, 208, 209 etc. Whereas the other bigger buses such as the 60/55 were going out of town. I’d argue even that policy has lost its way at times though, when things like the 265 got included and now the X6 as a Peterlee purples solo. Perhaps the 33/38/39 may have worked in a similar concept as a common brand for inner Sunderland Town services?

As for ‘Northern’, I was in my late teens when GNE just started slapping ‘Northern’ on the side of all the spare red buses so that name just reminds me and a few people my age of rattling old SPDs and various other older spare vehicles. So I’m not sure that name is great either now!

(26 Mar 2023, 10:53 pm)Drifter60 wrote As for ‘Northern’, I was in my late teens when GNE just started slapping ‘Northern’ on the side of all the spare red buses so that name just reminds me and a few people my age of rattling old SPDs and various other older spare vehicles. So I’m not sure that name is great either now!

Same here, seeing 'Northern' on a bus gives me flashbacks to the expired red deckers.

Plus, it just doesn't sound as good as good as 'Go North East' imo.


I guess it's just one of those nostalgia things. Those rancid old buses we had on our scholars services (2010 ish, Yellow Bus branded) are somehow liked by people on here!

In 15 years time when the StreetDecks are old and decrepit and used on scholars, I wonder if I'd be on the other side of the fence!

(26 Mar 2023, 10:53 pm)Drifter60 wrote At the same time though I’m not sure having one huge Sunderland district brand would work either. If we go to what was included at first that’s the 2/2A, 61, 55, 33, 38, 39 it was just a lump of routes with no synergy really. Some common corridors but in the main all separate routes and serving different areas and purposes. The latter three I’d say are all across town or into-city Centre services whereby the first three are more longer distance routes really; the 61/55 in particularly aren’t really local routes in Sunderland, they only exist/existed to get communities at their southern terminus and along the way into Sunderland. So I don’t know if one big brand covering lots of different services really does anything more than just simply ‘Go North East’ does?

What I would say is that I think the mini bus networks have worked slightly more effectively as at least it meant that those buses were identified as the ‘local buses’ the ones serving estates etc. In East Durham, I think everyone knew the little pink buses (indigo) were the ones taking your around the local area, the 202, 208, 209 etc. Whereas the other bigger buses such as the 60/55 were going out of town. I’d argue even that policy has lost its way at times though, when things like the 265 got included and now the X6 as a Peterlee purples solo. Perhaps the 33/38/39 may have worked in a similar concept as a common brand for inner Sunderland Town services?

As for ‘Northern’, I was in my late teens when GNE just started slapping ‘Northern’ on the side of all the spare red buses so that name just reminds me and a few people my age of rattling old SPDs and various other older spare vehicles. So I’m not sure that name is great either now!

Aye I see what I mean, see it was more just about giving the areas something more personalised rather than having any real purpose to replace the GoNorthEast which to fair right now is painted on all the crap, similar to what your saying about Northern there.

It also has an awful reputation so it's a bit like saying, look it's a new start we've seriously upped our game.

Btw my idea was it to be more depot based so it would be more like

Deptford: Sunderland Brand (Big Buses) / East Durham Brand (Minibuses)
Washington: Sunderland Brand (Big Buses) / Washington Brand (Minibuses)
Riverside / Percy Main: Tyneside Brand
Hexham: Hexham Brand
Consett: Consett Brand

4
10
8/78
20
21
27
45/47
56
X1
X10
X21
60/61

Keep they're unique brands as they're 'cross zone' and longer / more popular (frequent) routes and most have brand recognition.

It should do what your saying pretty much - remember the likes of Hetton, Washington and Houghton are all part of Sunderland.

Go Ahead should have a livery so every bus in the UK is identifiable, would save money on repaints when moved between company's, would save wasting money on branding, people would identify it wherever they are, Stagecoach and Arriva do it with the odd sub brand here and there but is still identifiable, could reintroduce Go Ahead Northern too

(27 Mar 2023, 8:02 am)N1cholas wrote Go Ahead should have a livery so every bus in the UK is identifiable, would save money on repaints when moved between company's, would save wasting money on branding, people would identify it wherever they are, Stagecoach and Arriva do it with the odd sub brand here and there but is still identifiable, could reintroduce Go Ahead Northern too

See I don't mind local brands personally, I personally think the way First is going is better than one livery. Make it more personal. EYMS nail it imo, have one uniform livery but then just have different writing on the side depending on it's area making it more personal; but also easy to swap them around if need be.

It doesn't help that the GoNorthEast livery is bland either mind. I know the blue / red is historic for the company but it's outdated imo whereas most other companies are going for brighter colours nowadays ie. both Arriva and Stagecoach.

Route branding being removed from the E200's tonight.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

(28 Mar 2023, 6:43 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Route branding being removed from the E200's tonight.

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The branding was never removed from the Violets for the 61. I wonder how long it'll take for the branding to be taken off the East Durham Explorer for the 61

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(28 Mar 2023, 6:43 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Route branding being removed from the E200's tonight.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

Is that a versa/solo at the back with the windows taped over?

(28 Mar 2023, 7:48 pm)nova347 wrote The branding was never removed from the Violets for the 61. I wonder how long it'll take for the branding to be taken off the East Durham Explorer for the 61

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Is that a versa/solo at the back with the windows taped over?

The East Durham Explorer is getting done this week apparently

(28 Mar 2023, 7:48 pm)nova347 wrote The branding was never removed from the Violets for the 61. I wonder how long it'll take for the branding to be taken off the East Durham Explorer for the 61

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Is that a versa/solo at the back with the windows taped over?

Solo SR


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(28 Mar 2023, 6:43 pm)Tiger5105 wrote Route branding being removed from the E200's tonight.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

Has that been risk assessed? 

I've not seen the 'have you had a fall when removing route vinyls from the side of a bus?' tv commercial, but where there's blame, there's a claim!

(28 Mar 2023, 7:48 pm)nova347 wrote The branding was never removed from the Violets for the 61. I wonder how long it'll take for the branding to be taken off the East Durham Explorer for the 61

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Is that a versa/solo at the back with the windows taped over?

Theres 3 corporate liveried solos like that , been stored at Consett for about 6 months now. There was also a little coasters solo but that has gone from its normal stored place today.