(16 Jan 2016, 6:06 pm)LeeCalder wrote We went for a drive around the back of Deptford last week, and noticed a lot of the Cats Fast ;-) Solar's are in a right mess....

Upgrade needed?

They're all rather battered looking. The one we caught on the X36 to Newcastle in the summer had a pretty knackered suspension. Every single uneven bit of road caused a massive jolt. There was a poor woman in a wheelchair who clearly had some abdominal pain and she was really suffering with the bumps.

I don't think there's any logical upgrades to make, in the near future, given that the batch of solars coming off the PB when they're replaced are pretty much the same age and condition.

(16 Jan 2016, 7:58 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Source?

Highwayman timetable from around 2007/8.

(16 Jan 2016, 7:45 pm)S813 FVK wrote I don't see anybody complaining about the Red Arrows. Yet...

In 2011; Go North East were quoted in the trade press to have seen a 52% rise in passenger journeys on the X1 service, following the introduction of the "Red Arrows" brand name to this service. If this isn't a commercial success story, I don't know what is. You'd be mad to complain about this brand name!

The name is a representation of the brand, conjuring images, concepts and experiences. The "Red Arrows" brand name, to me, connotes a limited-stop express service, given the relation to the widely-known Red Arrows jets, operated by the Royal Air Force.

I'm a former Media Studies student, which means I naturally analyse different products and their connotations and what it could represent, and I also have an interest in this industry. I don't think many 'normal' customers would analyse a brand name and design as much as I have done in the example above. Perhaps they just see a coloured bus, and use this to identify their service from a distance?

(16 Jan 2016, 7:54 pm)LeeCalder wrote The Highwayman did actually have a meaning.

I am lead to believe it dates back to a story of robberies in the Lobley Hill area in the late 1800. The people who committed these robberies were known as Highwaymen.

Hence why on one of the old Highwayman timetables, it says "At £2.20, it's a steal"

At the end of the day, route branding is what you make of it.

I wonder how many customers on the 97 knew of this story about robberies in Lobley Hill which occurred in the late 1800s?

I know people are kind of taking the piss out of what I've just stated about The Highwayman, but there is a local history to the place. I believe the story is fictional, however it clearly had something to do with the brand, otherwise it wouldn't have been said in a timetable. Which I'm now on the hunt for now.

(16 Jan 2016, 7:56 pm)Adrian wrote 'indiGo' is being used as a play on words, promoting links to a, b and c. Painting it the colour Indigo is a difficult one, given that several buses from the network cross paths with the Prince Bishops, which is relatively the same colour. It's not great to have two brands running on one corridor, with neither standing out from the other.

Trent's 'Rainbow One' branded vehicles aren't painted in colours of the rainbow? Nor is the service number '1'. Disappointingly, I've not seen many teal mangos either.

What does this discussion have to do with TrentBarton? Nothing at all....

The Rainbow 1 has been an established brand for the last 15 or so years, and does actually incorporate the colours on the Rainbow One logo...

(16 Jan 2016, 8:07 pm)LeeCalder wrote I know people are kind of taking the piss out of what I've just stated about The Highwayman, but there is a local history to the place. I believe the story is fictional, however it clearly had something to do with the brand, otherwise it wouldn't have been said in a timetable. Which I'm now on the hunt for now.

So am I.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:08 pm)LeeCalder wrote What does this discussion have to do with TrentBarton? Nothing at all....

The Rainbow 1 has been an established brand for the last 15 or so years, and does actually incorporate the colours on the Rainbow One logo...

indiGo incorporates the colour indigo on the lettering. Will it be ok for the indiGo buses to be pink in 15 years time?

The discussion is on route branding of bus routes, so there's your link to Trent Barton. If you were comparing the branding of soft drinks, you'd look across range of manufacturers. Not just the Pepsi Co for example.

Well, the 'its a steal' bit is true!

(16 Jan 2016, 8:07 pm)LeeCalder wrote I know people are kind of taking the piss out of what I've just stated about The Highwayman, but there is a local history to the place. I believe the story is fictional, however it clearly had something to do with the brand, otherwise it wouldn't have been said in a timetable. Which I'm now on the hunt for now.

Found it "Our \highwayman Switcha ticket lets you hop on any of our buses at Gateshead Interchange or Metrocentre to continue your journey to Newcastle. Buy it on your Highwayman bus and at just £2 a ticket, it's a steal!" 7th November 2010 edition of Highwayman Timetable.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:16 pm)DanPicken wrote Found it "Our \highwayman Switcha ticket lets you hop on any of our buses at Gateshead Interchange or Metrocentre to continue your journey to Newcastle. Buy it on your Highwayman bus and at just £2 a ticket, it's a steal!" 7th November 2010 edition of Highwayman Timetable.

That's some backstory that mind!

(16 Jan 2016, 8:16 pm)DanPicken wrote Found it "Our \highwayman Switcha ticket lets you hop on any of our buses at Gateshead Interchange or Metrocentre to continue your journey to Newcastle. Buy it on your Highwayman bus and at just £2 a ticket, it's a steal!" 7th November 2010 edition of Highwayman Timetable.

Its also in the 25th January 2009 edition.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:18 pm)S813 FVK wrote Its also in the 25th January 2009 edition.

Thought it must of been in an older one as it's in a different position on the 7/11/2010 edition.

Still waiting for this highwayman backstory to be ratified.

'It's a steal' is clearly a marketing phrase designed to emphasise value for money.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:25 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Still waiting for this highwayman backstory to be ratified.

'It's a steal' is clearly a marketing phrase designed to emphasise value for money.

Your sarcasm is really starting to annoy me if I'm honest...

(16 Jan 2016, 8:30 pm)LeeCalder wrote Your sarcasm is really starting to annoy me if I'm honest...

Dick Turpin was a Highwayman, just so we can clarify what a Highwayman is.... and Highwaymen wore 'pirate hats' and a cape... Which is kind of what the Highwayman logo looked like!!!!!

And you stated the history in Lobley Hill.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:30 pm)LeeCalder wrote Your sarcasm is really starting to annoy me if I'm honest...

Dick Turpin was a Highwayman, just so we can clarify what a Highwayman is.... and Highwaymen wore 'pirate hats' and a cape... Which is kind of what the Highwayman logo looked like!!!!!

I wasn't being sarcastic, more sardonic to be honest.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:33 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I wasn't being sarcastic, more sardonic to be honest.

That means what now.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:33 pm)DanPicken wrote That means what now.

It's a fishy sort of humour based on Sardines.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:33 pm)DanPicken wrote That means what now.

To be mockingly sarcastic. Look it up.

Dick Turpin was a Highwayman, just so we can clarify what a Highwayman is.... and Highwaymen wore 'pirate hats' and a cape... Which is kind of what the Highwayman logo looked like!!!!!

Highwaymen used to steal from people who were travelling by road, but disappeared from English roads when people no longer travelled with a lot of money... so maybe it isn't a marketing phrase?!?

(16 Jan 2016, 7:36 pm)LeeCalder wrote Granted, the Coast and Country is eye catching, and looks pretty decent. But, the "Lime" brand was established, people recognised it. As we both know, the late former Go North East Managing Director, Peter Huntley who I believe was truly inspirational in the way he turned Go North East around stated that brands should be refreshed every five years, however, refreshing and changing the name are two completely different things. People are far more likely to say "Get the Lime bus" than "Get the Coast and Country bus" because chances are, you'll forget Coast and Country, because it isn't catchy.

If someone uses a bus service on a regular basis then chances are they will remember the name, because most people are fairly aware of what is going on around them and if they are seeing the same thing regularly it tends to stick in their mind...not to mention the publicity surrounding the launch of the brand would also surely mean those using it would remember there was a change of name. If they don't use it on a regular basis, then they probably will forget, but for how often they use it, it wouldn't matter anyway!

(16 Jan 2016, 8:34 pm)LeeCalder wrote Dick Turpin was a Highwayman, just so we can clarify what a Highwayman is.... and Highwaymen wore 'pirate hats' and a cape... Which is kind of what the Highwayman logo looked like!!!!!

Highwaymen used to steal from people who were travelling by road, but disappeared from English roads when people no longer travelled with a lot of money... so maybe it isn't a marketing phrase?!?

Go North East 4920 X492WGR | Flickr - Photo Sharing! As shown here. (credit to Jonathon)

(16 Jan 2016, 8:41 pm)peter wrote If someone uses a bus service on a regular basis then chances are they will remember the name, because most people are fairly aware of what is going on around them and if they are seeing the same thing regularly it tends to stick in their mind...not to mention the publicity surrounding the launch of the brand would also surely mean those using it would remember there was a change of name. If they don't use it on a regular basis, then they probably will forget, but for how often they use it, it wouldn't matter anyway!

I'm referring to visitors to the area, not locals....

(16 Jan 2016, 8:43 pm)LeeCalder wrote I'm referring to visitors to the area, not locals....

A visitor to an area is unlikely to remember the service's number or name at all, be it ''Lime'' or ''Coast & Country''. One my teachers still thinks of the 4, as the 194 and 294, and she hasn't travelled on either service for years.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:43 pm)LeeCalder wrote I'm referring to visitors to the area, not locals....

There is always the route number which is often the first thing people see on an approaching bus.

If that is the case, then what is the point in branding it then?

I might as well disagree with myself, it will save everyone else doing it for me....

(16 Jan 2016, 8:47 pm)LeeCalder wrote If that is the case, then what is the point in branding it then?

I might as well disagree with myself, it will save everyone else doing it for me....

May aswell bring back the RYB livery.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:34 pm)MurdnunoC wrote It's a fishy sort of humour based on Sardines.

Now big'un has the giggles.

(16 Jan 2016, 8:45 pm)R852 PRG wrote A visitor to an area is unlikely to remember the service's number or name at all, be it ''Lime'' or ''Coast & Country''. One my teachers still thinks of the 4, as the 194 and 294, and she hasn't travelled on either service for years.

So do I. I completely missed the phase when they were all M something or other. In my mind, M1, M2 etc were the mini buses from the metrocentre to the likes of Chopwell, Rowlands Gill etc. in the mid 90s, since I caught one of them to work, for a while.

Over the years GNE have used various brandings, and to be honest no one is going to agree on their favourites or on the ones they dislike. For example, these are the top 10 and worse 10 route branded liveries in my opinion.

Top 10
1 - OK Expressway / The OK Way - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...190094754/
2 - Route 19 (Original Version) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/4354700744/
3 - Coaster (Trident Version) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...706083079/
4 - Red Arrow (All Versions) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...831459374/
5 - Saltwell Park (Streetlite) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/aureolindn/16607240657/
6 - X10 (Original) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...098403780/
7 - Red Kite (All Versions) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...877397688/
8 - Whey-Aye 50 (All Versions) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...920783144/
9 - Connection 4 - https://flic.kr/p/gWEG6f
10 - Cobalt Clipper (Version 1) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/3683712305/

Worse 10
1 - X66 (Gold Version 1)- https://flic.kr/p/br1ui9
2 - Crusader (Silver Version 1) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/8735175852/
3 - Black Cats - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...098225438/
4 - Cobalt Clipper (Version 2) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...098246668/
5 - Laser (Version 2) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/7650676984/
6 - TEN (Citaro Version) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...877337342/
7 - Highwayman - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...706150147/
8 - See It Do It - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/23423488039/
9 - Diamond (Orange Versions) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...663599438/
10 - Loop (Circles Version) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/17342304872/