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, 6:03 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.

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?

I'm not sure.

(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?

Asking a bit much there I suspect. Never know though!

In other news, 4505 entered service at Stockton today on service 27 (and 17/17A on the end!) as a changeover for a Cadet. 1755 is withdrawn with a seized engine.

4509 out in service at Stockton today on the staff shuttle.

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

7509 was one of the ones not out yesterday

Noticed Jesmond's Pulsar 1480 NK61CYT at Greenhead going westbound on the A69 not in service at 16:50 ish. Anyone have any ideas?

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.

Very basic, was expecting more

Also notable is 7511's transfer to Blyth: https://flic.kr/p/owuKmV

7614 has also been branded (I should have gone through all the photos before noting it on here): https://flic.kr/p/oLX4Ts

1566 has now arrived, registered NK64EFC: https://flic.kr/p/oNX1sJ
If it hadn't already been noted, 1563 likewise: https://flic.kr/p/owtZ3N

(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.

In typical fashion they brand the bus then put it on another route.

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

They've forget to add a lighthouse cough cough, the name of this thread says it all !

Just a quick note to say that I have updated the Arriva North East fleet list.

• 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.

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....

Guess it's going to be like Marmite then! If I didn't zoom in on the photo, I'm afraid I couldn't have read what the word above 'every' says, on the 'every 10 minutes' bit. I also think the 'X' for the route numbers should have been in dark blue, as again, light blue on light blue does not work. I didn't even see 'Routes' above the numbers until I zoomed in...

The non-standard fleet number on the front also irritates me.

(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....

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

Not road-legal until 1st September.

(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

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, 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....

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, 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.

I think branding only works to a point, so I totally agree with you about the company identity bit, as if you have every vehicle in your fleet branded inevitably some will occasionally be off route and this therefore makes the brand, in my opinion anyway, pointless..

I must say though that it does look very smart!

(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.

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.

I don't think it will look good on the Omni's either, looking forward to having free WiFi on the X66 again though.

(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.

Omnis Ugly?! You should have gone to Specsavers.

(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.

You mean the wifi on the coaches actually worked? More than the next stop screens did!

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, 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.

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, 9:11 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

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, 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.

I think they've done as much as they could have, the four E400's that were branded for X93 are now allocated to a service that is not challenging at all really. The three that will be refurbished for the X15 haven't been on the X93 anywhere near as much. I think the allocation is currently coaches, hence why you only saw these when you were in Berwick but it will change when the route gets the MAX vehicles

(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.

Maybe if you checked past posts - 7501-4 the former X93 E400s are now 'Sapphire' vehicles. Of the 3 going MAX, 7512/3 spent minimum 6 months on the X93 (both had modifications while based at Whitby) while 7511's time on the X93 was just a few weeks at the end of the E400 operation. None of them are knackered.

At present, the official allocation on the X15 is coaches but as they officially only have 4 Coaches for a PVR of 4 (1208 is officially sold but of course, still in use) the E400s and Lowlanders are allocated to cover as well as working the X18. In the next few weeks, 7529-33 are due to covert the X18 to MAX allowing 7514-21 to move onto more local work (and presumably the X14 as well) and 7436-40/53-6 to Durham.