Tonight at 8pm' ish noticed through Burnopfield Service 6 operated by Coast & Country Streetlite toward Newcastle; Service X70 operated by Durham Diamond Citaro toward Consett and a Service 6 operated by Toonlink Scania toward Stanley. Earlier the 6 to Newcastle was using the Beamish Streetlite. - This is a regular occurence on evenings (I have seen Coast & Country Streetlites on a number of occasions)

I would think depots should be either incentivised to allocate correct branded eqpt. to the designated routes, or penalised if they continue to mess about with putting any available bus on the route (if there is not a good reason for switch)
Marketing of branded routes will only suffer in the long term if customers (some elderly) get confused - especially when the route (43/44 - to New 6) has just been changed.

Living on the route, I would agree the changes have been disastrous. Not only is the Hobson (A692) no longer served, but when the Omnidekkas do operate the 6, they serve the housing estates in Lintz (Burnopfield) and Sunniside (Glebeway) - My point that deckers are not suitable for these sections (especially when 2 oncoming buses need to pass.

My thoughts would be to re-route the Venture solos (V7/V8) around these areas, giving the 6 more direct routing. Hobson would still be a problem, as is the reduction of the sevice 6 (43/44) to every 30 mins rather than 15 mins. Maybe in future equipment may change to new Streetlites at double the freequency, splitting the route at certain points.

Maybe as Michael suggests continue with Service number 6 but introduce a 6X - or reroute 6 to pick up e.g. Hobson, Teams, Dunston etc..  A more direct service X6 could then operate, and in sections, part route as a true Limited Stop express (those areas of Gateshead/Newcastle served by other services from Metro Centre etc... (Combined 4 per hour peak = 2 Service 6 every hour + 2 Service X6 each hour, combined + every 15 mins at main stops - as it were with 43/44)

- Guess after only one week the service will have to be monitored a while longer before necessary changes are made though.