(25 Nov 2013, 5:04 pm)CatsFast101 wrote Are we thinking it'll be allocated to 39 in its centenary livery?
Unfortunately, yes - for a little while longer at least.
When 8319 was first repainted red, some of you may be able to recall me stating that 8319 was required at the end of the year, and I asked you all why would Go North East bother branding 8319 in a special commemorative centenary livery, if it was a required bus before the centenary celebrations ended. I was of the opinion that 3964 had been discussed as being a candidate to receive a 'centenary livery' and that perhaps could have linked in with a livery from a bygone era. Clearly, this didn't happen, and GNE opted for using the bus which was required at the end of the year.
I have no doubt that many of you would have forgotten by now, but this is the use of 8319 - which was first discussed in May when I first told all of you.
The original plan to brand the 39 "SimpliCity" and have it at a 10 minute frequency across the full route meant that 8319 could have remained in red after the centenary celebrations and acted as a 'spare', which helped in regards to the scheme whereby new orders receive two red buses to act as 'spares', allowing further older 'spare' vehicles to be withdrawn from the fleet.
As we all know, that plan changed. The 61 retained the Versas and fell under the "SimpliCity" network - hardly an appropriate decision, but nevermind...
At least we can celebrate the end of the centenary year in a month, when the 39 should have the full runs with a full "purple bus" allocation.
