(07 May 2023, 9:50 pm)solsburian wrote The 57 plates are grim now, dirty with the painted plastic panels peeling/rubbed down and a few examples leak water through the light fittings on the top deck.
I get that Arriva need to sweat the assets but they always seem to take it too far.
I'm old enough to rember the Nationals in their white undercoat (though I was just a toddler at the time in my defense). The old hand me downs from London were always grim, though at least the Geminis and ALX400s that moved up here in the past got some attention to their interiors.
Ah not surprised they're in that state, guess the disgusting green is starting to come through again? I can't remember the Nationals mind, just before my time - not by much mind!
(08 May 2023, 10:33 am)L469 YVK wrote The ex London & County ones (M6** HPF)? Blyth operated the exact same Cummins L10 & ZF combination both in the East Lancs flavour and Palatine II flavour.
Did you ever ride on the Pennine Windows liveried Palatine II when it was at Blyth? (think it was 372/7372).
I do remember riding on presumably 373/7373 when it was still carrying the 602 branding in original NMS colours, and it was around the time Arriva switched from Almex ticket machines to Wayfarers as that particular bus had a new wayfarer fitted at the time.
Blyth depot and Dennis Tridents never get on well! The last time Blyth had Tridents, by the time they got replaced with Lowlanders and Jesmond got 7430-35, they were never allocated on Sundays with the 306 usually being operated instead by a B10BLE or if capacity was needed, a Palatine II.
Nah it wasn't them, they were much older than that. Been looking before and I believe it might have actually been the ex United Olympians with the Y at the end plates - like https://www.flickr.com/photos/tcd481j/16131051047/ but I'm not 100% sure. Can just remember them being grim compared to the Cityzens / L113's.
Agreed with Tridents mind.
We never got the Palantine 2's though, way too posh for around here. We used to be just the dumping ground of all the crap pretty much and the L113's which were years apart.