(12 Jul 2020, 11:00 pm)JP6004 wrote When did that happen and what high quality vehicles?.....I fondly remember the notices GNE placed on the B10s when they took over Hexham, apologising for the state of the vehicles

You can have rose tinted glasses on but Arriva withdrew the crap that came the other way pretty much immediately.

Volvo B10BLE's and Darts one way
Leyland Olympians and Prestiges the other.

You really need to look behind vehicles once in awhile. When your bashing Arriva all the time, you really should compare the network from now and 10 year ago and you'll realise who's butchered their's the most especially in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. Then at the same look at all the Nexus contracts and who's bus routes they originally were or are. You'll be surprised. Hats out to the marketing department of who wins both those as you do a good job, credit where it's due.