(01 Jul 2021, 11:17 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote See 8347 on the Q3 is seen mostly on there alongside a 2019 Versa. It's not really a downgraded as there isn't much of a change apart from no nsa or comfortable seats

That sounds very much like a downgrade to me. How about your take on the B9 on the Consett X-Lines?

From my point of view, I like the effort that's gone in and I think it's a good idea (and comes with a decent dose of good PR). Can't sit here and say it isn't a downgrade for those X-Lines passengers though, or the Q3 for that matter.

(01 Jul 2021, 10:30 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Maybe it’s because I’m not a football fan but surely having these white spares on the Q3 and Xlines services especially is quite a downgrade for customers. Sure, some might think oh that’s good, as they see them approach, but then once inside it’s a bit of a disappointment over usual allocations, no?

I think for the sake of two to three days (hopefully for longer Saturday depending), having three buses out which may not be to standard route spec isn't really the end of the world. Even if you're not a football fan you can appreciate that it's a nice gesture, good publicity and most importantly backing an event which does unite the country.

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Its a nice cheap gesture, sticking some red lines on buses already white. Makes very little different to customers, realistically how many customers are going to stop using a route (that's unchallenged in most parts) because 'The white England bus turned up' instead of the Gold one, realistically none.

No I don’t think they’d lose customers over it, but even just for a few days you’re purposely putting an NSA-less vehicle out there in place of a one with NSA. Not great.

(02 Jul 2021, 6:57 am)ne14ne1 wrote No I don’t think they’d lose customers over it, but even just for a few days you’re purposely putting an NSA-less vehicle out there in place of a one with NSA. Not great.

Who's to say that wouldn't have happened anyway, if a number of the X-lines branded buses normally allocated are off service?

(02 Jul 2021, 9:54 am)Dan wrote Who's to say that wouldn't have happened anyway, if a number of the X-lines branded buses normally allocated are off service?

You’d hope the spares had NSA at least.

(02 Jul 2021, 3:19 pm)ne14ne1 wrote You’d hope the spares had NSA at least.

I might be misremembering here, but aren't the X-Lines spares at Consett also fully branded etc? I.e there's a pool of however many they need, including spares, so in theory the replacement should always be X-Lines? 

I'd think it would only be rare instances where you might have one off for MOT, and an unusually high number VOR, that non X-Lines vehicles would be operating them. Also in situations like this, given everything else that's going on, I think passengers will be more than fine that the England bus pops up over the next week (depending on progress).

(02 Jul 2021, 3:31 pm)mb134 wrote Also in situations like this, given everything else that's going on, I think passengers will be more than fine that the England bus pops up over the next week (depending on progress).

Lets get a few stepped entrance ones in service too.

(02 Jul 2021, 9:44 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Lets get a few stepped entrance ones in service too.

No problem, as long as it's a dupe....

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5502 has been repainted into a blue / yellow livery for a yet to be confirmed route, going by the comments on the post on Facebook, the B7RLE’s will replace the Streetlites on the X66.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Houston)


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Looks okay

(05 Jul 2021, 4:51 pm)TEN 6083 wrote


5502 has been repainted into a blue / yellow livery for a yet to be confirmed route

(Photo courtesy of Robert Houston)


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Would suite Tynedale Links as it's yellow and blue. Be interesting to see what service it goes on to.

(05 Jul 2021, 4:51 pm)TEN 6083 wrote


5502 has been repainted into a blue / yellow livery for a yet to be confirmed route, going by the comments on the post on Facebook, the B7RLE’s will replace the Streetlites on the X66.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Houston)


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Gonna be called the Gateshead and District Watermelons by all accounts.

(05 Jul 2021, 4:51 pm)TEN 6083 wrote


5502 has been repainted into a blue / yellow livery for a yet to be confirmed route, going by the comments on the post on Facebook, the B7RLE’s will replace the Streetlites on the X66.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Houston)


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Mmmmm classic chocolate bar

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(05 Jul 2021, 5:26 pm)Andreos1 wrote Gonna be called the Gateshead and District Watermelons by all accounts.

You must of seen some funny watermelons 

Corporate repaint for Solo 719, opposed to just stripes and touch up. out of it's comfort zone on a 78 today.

719 YJ62FME | Optare Solo SR M900SE 719 travels along The Ro… | Flickr

(05 Jul 2021, 5:56 pm)54APhotography wrote Corporate repaint for Solo 719, opposed to just stripes and touch up. out of it's comfort zone on a 78 today.

719 YJ62FME | Optare Solo SR M900SE 719 travels along The Ro… | Flickr

718 - 720 all treated to a full repaint. Been done one per week over the last three weeks.


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Thought the Red and Blue looked right even through the viewfinder!

(05 Jul 2021, 4:51 pm)TEN 6083 wrote 5502 has been repainted into a blue / yellow livery for a yet to be confirmed route, going by the comments on the post on Facebook, the B7RLE’s will replace the Streetlites on the X66.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Houston)


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Another brand in the "special" wavey instead of stripey style.  I guess makes the X66 a likely shout as its "special" in just being a very short express?  Though then I never really understood what made the Q3 particularly special either (though the Quaycity is a very smart looking livery)

I agree. QuayCity is a really nice brand. Its my personal favourite. This looks nice. Look better when it's branding is put on

(05 Jul 2021, 5:46 pm)JP6004 wrote Mmmmm classic chocolate bar

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You must of seen some funny watermelons 

Could even be for service 19 the main colour is blue. They are too old to be on such a frontline service like X66.

(06 Jul 2021, 9:59 am)ian foster wrote Could even be for service 19 the main colour is blue. They are too old to be on such a frontline service like X66.

Same age as citaros on X20

(06 Jul 2021, 10:03 am)JP6004 wrote Same age as citaros on X20

citaros had a full refurb a couple of years ago and still look fresh. I don't know if the B7's have. probably not.

Does anyone have any idea when the solos getting done at Peterlee, supposed to be all painted and branded by the end of last year, but been on the back burner now as it was said beginning of this year and now it’s halfway through this year now , as Washington solo’s brand was put in priority for there little pinks


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(15 Jul 2021, 10:48 am)cbma06 wrote Should of painted the front half in SDO colour and if it had to be branded then there could of had blue berries

I disagree on that front. It's something that is more for enthusiasts than your average punter, especially those that you're trying to encourage to switch from car to public transport. There's enough looking back in the industry already

(15 Jul 2021, 12:02 pm)cbma06 wrote Does anyone have any idea when the solos getting done at Peterlee, supposed to be all painted and branded by the end of last year, but been on the back burner now as it was said beginning of this year and now it’s halfway through this year now , as Washington solo’s brand was put in priority for there little pinks


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Deptford stripped 658 of logos but it never got the call to Saltmeadows.

Think the CAZ repaints have shunted them back a bit..

(15 Jul 2021, 12:06 pm)Adrian wrote I disagree on that front. It's something that is more for enthusiasts than your average punter, especially those that you're trying to encourage to switch from car to public transport. There's enough looking back in the industry already

The solo’s at consett are under the venture brand and in the original old bus company colours, there’s still a high percentage of car users who won’t switch to buses, the bus companies need to put more money in to have more of a better network , car users can go to A to B , but by bus to travel from A to B you have to go through the alphabet to get there


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(15 Jul 2021, 1:13 pm)cbma06 wrote Better interworking network for me across the board, taking into account the TW metro. I understand these companies need to make a profit for shareholders, and its ran to work that way. Theres no denying the investment in the industry, and what GNE have done over the years, vehicle wise they have vastly improved their fleet.

I stopped using buses when the Stanley changes came in a few years ago, that pushed me into learning to drive, because the interworking was horrendous

The solo’s at consett are under the venture brand and in the original old bus company colours, there’s still a high percentage of car users who won’t switch to buses, the bus companies need to put more money in  to have more of a better network , car users can go to A to B , but by bus to travel from A to B you have to go through the alphabet to get there


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(15 Jul 2021, 1:13 pm)cbma06 wrote The solo’s at consett are under the venture brand and in the original old bus company colours, there’s still a high percentage of car users who won’t switch to buses, the bus companies need to put more money in  to have more of a better network , car users can go to A to B , but by bus to travel from A to B you have to go through the alphabet to get there


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I think that's a bit disingenuous.

You can get to basically anywhere important with only one change, somewhere a bit more obscure or further away will require two changes, maybe three if it's particularly remote.

The real issue with public transport is the time, going direct by car is pretty much always going to beat the bus

Wish they update the official fleetlist, it has been 2 and a half months since the last one. It's hard enough trying to keep my own records up to date.

5478 is now blue sitting at Saltmedows