(22 Jan 2024, 10:26 pm)Ambassador wrote Weren’t the Optare Excels on the 21 in the livery too
The Optare Excels apart from the first batch (and only short examples) for Coastline were delivered in the RYB scheme.
Last new buses in each divisions (Only applies to names carried across to the new livery) colour schemes were.....
Coastline (Go Coastline) - 8125 - 8132 - P9xxACU - Optare Excel L1070.
Go-Ahead Gateshead (Go Gateshead) - 4814 - 4817 - Volvo B10B / Plaxton Verde*.
Northern (Go Northern) - 414 - 424 - P4xxVRG - Optare MetroRider MR17.
OK Travel (Go OK Travel) - 8426 - 8432 - M4xxRDC - Volvo B6 / Alexander Dash.
VFM Buses (Go VFM Buses) - 8090 - 8092 - M89xGBB - Dennis Dart / Plaxton Pointer.
Wear Buses (Go Wear Buses) - 425 - 429 - P4XXVRG - Optare MetroRider MR17.
*Go-Ahead Gateshead got a delivery of DAF SB220LF / N-C Paladin LF in a special livery for the X66 Super Shuttle.
As for the first new buses in the new colour schemes, they were as follows....
Go Coastline - 8142 - 8147 - R24xOCU - Optare Excel L1150 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...4088688923
Go Gateshead - 8158 - 8175 - S3xxONL - Dennis Dart SLF - Plaxton SPD. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...2488373437
Go Northern - 8157 - S157OCU - Optare Excel L1150** - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...4088692583
Go OK Travel - 4848 - 4855 - R8xxPRG - Volvo B10BLE / Wright Renown*. (4850 was R856PRG) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...0837999316
Go VFM Buses - None, operation was rebranded to Go Coastline before delivery of any new vehicles.
Go Wear Buses - 8133 - 8141 - R8xxNRG - Optare Excel L1150. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...4045525096
* Delivered with Go Northern Fleetnames to which Go OK Travel was rebranded to around the same time as VFM Buses. Used against Classic on the Durham Road Corridor.
**Tried out at Chester Le Street when new before going to South Shields depot. Next new vehicles were DAF SB220LF / Plaxton Prestige which started to arrive a month after the Excel arrived.