(22 Jul 2014, 5:38 am)Dan wrote I notice that more and more vehicles are re-gaining their external card readers too - with drivers being equally as clueless as to which reader passengers should be using!
Thankfully the plastic covering the cab door has also been replaced on the same vehicles.
Washington vehicles have all still been in use (4 and x1), but the 56 I am on now (just papped at Gateshead), has a leather cover on.
(22 Jul 2014, 11:15 am)Dan wrote I could be wrong, but I believe it's operated commercially by Go North East.
Judging by information that I have available; in spring 2010, nPower re-located from Newcastle, Gateshead and Peterlee to new state-of-the-art offices at Rainton Bridge Business Park near Houghton-le-Spring.
As such, transport had to be provided from the sites nearby the previous buildings to the new building - with nPower turning to Go North East to provide said transport.
I think the contract was for Go North East to operate the services commercially, with nPower giving Key Cards to all existing and new employees who started there. In with the contract was the transport between (iirc) Newcastle Airport and nPower for conferences which are occasionally held at Rainton Bridge.
Heard the contracts covered the cost of the x1 Gemini's...
Again, could be miles off.