(26 Jun 2014, 11:49 pm)marxistafozzski wrote Is the 39 supposed to be Simplicity, after all the Versas on 39's have had no branding for months

I still stand by what I said in April.

The first ever plan saw service 39 upgraded to Optare Versas at a 10 minute frequency across the whole route, under the "SimpliCity" brand.
Optare Versas 8320-24 had been allocated to service 61 on a stopgap basis after they were made redundant on service 36 (which saw service changes and a new allocation of DAF SB120/Wright Cadets). It was decided that, as passengers now recognised the brand name as "SimpliCity" for service 61, the Versas couldn't be taken away and allocated to another service, when red spares would be the only option available for service 61 (obviously thought to be lower quality vehicles than Versas).
As such, service 39 only had enough vehicles for the old 20 minute frequency across the whole route. This was re-instated, with the 10 minute frequency between Sunderland and Doxford Park replaced by service 29.

The vehicles have now been in plain purple since October/November 2013 - eight/nine months later, the vehicles still haven't been branded as "SimpliCity", as originally planned. That really does strongly suggest to me that they've got alternative plans for the Versas and that service 39 is being discussed to receive alternative vehicles. That said, I'm also of the opinion that they may have to settle for their original choice, as was the case with service 61, due to the fact customers now recognise the purple buses as being service 39.

For reference, including service 39, the entire "SimpliCity" network has a PVR of 15 - yet has no spare vehicles of the same vehicle type in red and no branded spare vehicles either. The "Cobalt Clipper" is the same, but has two red spares. Having such a high PVR with no spares doesn't work - to use an old favourite which has been making a comeback as of late: 'the brand is being diluted'.