(23 Sep 2014, 6:03 am)Dan wrote The "Northern" name is, and has been for quite some time now, obsolete.

The "Northern" name was first gradually phased out in December last year, when red spares 5389/90 entered service on the Citylink 58. Repaints which followed (former "Fab Fifty Six" branded Scania L94s and former "South Tyne" branded DAF SB120s), when the bus was destined to receive "Northern" livery, were only given Go North East logos opposed to "Northern" vinyls.

This "scheme" was introduced to improve the public perception of 'spare' vehicles (which was seen as negative - a red bus turning up in place of a branded example meant that customers could potentially face an uncomfortable/unpleasant journey), while also allowing older spare vehicles to be withdrawn sooner. An example of this would of course be the red Versas (5389/90) allowing the withdrawal of a Dennis SPD vehicle when they first entered service late last year.

It is not yet clear whether whether this is it for the corporate livery. Whilst I initially expected more, I'm now in the boat that thinks that the aim was to make the livery as cheap as possible, and this will make branding on other buses stand out even more, and the vehicles will therefore stay what can be deemed as 'plain red'. I hope this isn't the case, but I do know that Saltmeadows is pretty much non-stop lately and I'd imagine this to be the plan for the next few months now (new buses just around the corner, more buses being repainted into corporate livery out of Northern livery, brands being re-launched, etc). Any other work would have to be contracted, meaning expenses go up...

DAF SB120 8270 had not been repainted since April 2011. Go North East likes to keep its fleet looking smart and presentable, and repaints do achieve this - hence the repaint now. A lot of buses have had their seats re-upholstered and I think this year will also see some mid-life refurbishments too.