Perhaps, for all we know, this surprise repaint could just be a brand refresh? Although the ''Toon Link'' received newer vehicles with the recent brand revamp, that livery was massively upgraded with the change. Every now and then, something needs to be refreshed and I imagine that 5284 is the first of the batch to sport this new base livery. That said, it could be transferred to Washington for use on the ''Connections4'' service. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

MALARKY
Personally think it is quite obvious that any upcoming investment in the fleet will be orientated around getting the B10s Withdrawn by January 1st 2016, so therefore I would not rule out the possibility of the Diamond & Highwayman receiving New Vehicles in the coming months to therefore replace older vehicles in the fleet, as how else are you going to Withdraw them if you dont invest and upgrade other services first.
[/quote]

Though the plan was to get all B10BLEs withdrawn by the end of the year this will not happen because as shown in Dans pic inside 4902, it has been modified to DDA spec
literally confirming that some B10s will stay into next year and also hinting at if GNE invest for anymore new buses this year it will not be enough to replace the B10s.

The X66 StreetLites could have been related to the 4 if we went off the colours...

(12 Aug 2015, 11:43 am)South Tyne Lad wrote MALARKY
Personally think it is quite obvious that any upcoming investment in the fleet will be orientated around getting the B10s Withdrawn by January 1st 2016, so therefore I would not rule out the possibility of the Diamond & Highwayman receiving New Vehicles in the coming months to therefore replace older vehicles in the fleet, as how else are you going to Withdraw them if you dont invest and upgrade other services first.

Though the plan was to get all B10BLEs withdrawn by the end of the year this will not happen because as shown in Dans pic inside 4902, it has been modified to DDA spec
literally confirming that some B10s will stay into next year and also hinting at if GNE invest for anymore new buses this year it will not be enough to replace the B10s.
[/quote]

Guessing that will be 4901 to 4925 which get DDA Modifications, as 4896 to 4900 are all Euro 2 Rated so they will be Withdrawn as I doubt GNE would pay for DDA & Emninox Mods for those Vehicles as it would cost a fortune.

For a start, 5284 doesnt have wifi. Therefore, it isnt to the same spec as the connections4 vehicles

(12 Aug 2015, 12:27 pm)S813 FVK wrote For a start, 5284 doesnt have wifi. Therefore, it isnt to the same spec as the connections4 vehicles

Or NSA

(12 Aug 2015, 12:27 pm)S813 FVK wrote For a start, 5284 doesnt have wifi. Therefore, it isnt to the same spec as the connections4 vehicles

Which can be rectified by having it retrofitted along with NSAs so that it is.

(12 Aug 2015, 12:37 pm)Malarkey wrote Which can be rectified by having it retrofitted along with NSAs so that it is.

Which would come at a cost. Providing there is justification that the ''Connections4'' services requires this extra vehicle, and it ought to be brought up to the specification of them, then I could see it happening. If not, it's likely to see use elsewhere.

Why can't 5332 (?, the one that got branded Blaydon Racers and then GNE) be retrofitted with WiFi and NSA's???

(12 Aug 2015, 1:26 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Why can't 5332 (?, the one that got branded Blaydon Racers and then GNE) be retrofitted with WiFi and NSA's???

Maybe because it costs too much?

(12 Aug 2015, 1:27 pm)Davie wrote Maybe because it costs too much?

Could be said about 5284, like above suggestions? 

I see the Diamond brand renewal imminent, so I've got my bets on the Diamond routes.

It can't be that long since the Diamond got Citaros. If, as I hope, the Diamond brand is going to be kept for the Durham to Stanley bit at least, if the survey suggestions are implemented (already decided before survey??), then what's going to run the rump of the 43/44 Stanley to Newcastle and the increased X43? If Citaros there'll be one or two Diamond vehicles spare to be allocated elsewhere. If something else then there'll be quite a few Citaros free.

Good afternoon all,

In Mexico at the moment- however, I was wondering if there's been any news on the 61 branding?

(12 Aug 2015, 1:51 pm)8222 wrote Good afternoon all,

In Mexico at the moment- however, I was wondering if there's been any news on the 61 branding?

Not that we know of, I'm afraid.

(12 Aug 2015, 1:51 pm)8222 wrote Good afternoon all,

In Mexico at the moment- however, I was wondering if there's been any news on the 61 branding?

Eeeeee alright for some, i'm sitting on hold to student finance! 

No news yet of the 61 brand, hopefully we'll hear something soon.

(12 Aug 2015, 1:34 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote It can't be that long since the Diamond got Citaros. If, as I hope, the Diamond brand is going to be kept for  the Durham to Stanley bit at least, if the survey suggestions are implemented (already decided before survey??), then what's going to run the rump of the 43/44 Stanley to Newcastle and the increased X43? If Citaros there'll be one or two Diamond vehicles spare to be allocated elsewhere. If something else then there'll be quite a few Citaros free.

May 2012 the Citaros went onto the Diamond so 3 years.

I don't see how mentioning a colour in bold in a post can mean something. All these ideas about the connections4 spare for nowt i think.

Apparently 5284 is on X70/X71 today

Malarkey
Guessing that will be 4901 to 4925 which get DDA Modifications, as 4896 to 4900 are all Euro 2 Rated so they will be Withdrawn as I doubt GNE would pay for DDA & Emninox Mods for those Vehicles as it would cost a fortune.
[/quote]

It was said that they will aim to get 4896-4925 converted and some of the ex-Oxford renowns too.

(12 Aug 2015, 1:26 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Why can't 5332 (?, the one that got branded Blaydon Racers and then GNE) be retrofitted with WiFi and NSA's???

It is to the same specification as the Blaydon Racers and Crusader Citaros so doesnt need to have anything fitted to it. Same goes for its use on the X66 on a Saturday.

(12 Aug 2015, 2:10 pm)S813 FVK wrote May 2012 the Citaros went onto the Diamond so 3 years.

I don't see how mentioning a colour in bold in a post can mean something. All these ideas about the connections4 spare for nowt i think.

So would it not of been suggested had Dan quoted it in "Bold" as "Midnight Blue" rather than "Connections4 Blue", what if Dan had quoted the Colour in "Bold" as "Green", would everyone of jumped to the conclusion that 5284 would in the future be allocated "The Highwayman, I think it would of been, so therefore I dont think the suggestion of 5284 acting as Spare on Service 4 in the future is for "nowt" as you put it Robert, it could certainly happen and that is what I think may happen as that is my opinion, wouldnt of suggested it otherwise if I thought there was zero chance of it happening, obviously we will have to wait and see what happens with the rest of the Diamond Mercs before we jump to further conclusions

(12 Aug 2015, 2:26 pm)S813 FVK wrote Malarkey
Guessing that will be 4901 to 4925 which get DDA Modifications, as 4896 to 4900 are all Euro 2 Rated so they will be Withdrawn as I doubt GNE would pay for DDA & Emninox Mods for those Vehicles as it would cost a fortune.

It was said that they will aim to get 4896-4925 converted and some of the ex-Oxford renowns too.
[/quote]

Well I must said post, please dont shoot me    .

5284 just left Newcastle on X70 looks nice in midnight blue and photos will be on tonight as I now have my PC back from repair shop

The reason why Dan has put it in bold as "Connections4 Blue" is because we know what "Connections4" blue is? Exactly the same when the X66 StreetLites were delivered in "Connections4" blue.

(12 Aug 2015, 1:34 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote It can't be that long since the Diamond got Citaros. If, as I hope, the Diamond brand is going to be kept for  the Durham to Stanley bit at least, if the survey suggestions are implemented (already decided before survey??), then what's going to run the rump of the 43/44 Stanley to Newcastle and the increased X43? If Citaros there'll be one or two Diamond vehicles spare to be allocated elsewhere. If something else then there'll be quite a few Citaros free.

Could you please advise me how you've come to the conclusion that the decision to change the services had already been decided prior to the customer consultation being carried out? The website clearly stated that all responses received by Friday 7th August 2015 would be considered...

I have no experience of using Survey Monkey (which, if I remember rightly, was the platform Go North East used for this web-based customer consultation, in addition to printed leaflets), but I'd imagine that it'd be pretty easy for the system to generate charts to show a visual representation of the results, in turn allowing the company to clearly see the percentage of those in favour and those against the proposed route changes.

The company would have developed plans regarding repaints and re-allocations prior to the consultation as a solid business case would have to be formed should the plans incur any sort of cost. There's no point in hanging around after the consultation has closed, which is why the repaints have already commenced.

(12 Aug 2015, 3:06 pm)GX03 SVC wrote The reason why Dan has put it in bold as "Connections4 Blue" is because we know what "Connections4" blue is? Exactly the same when the X66 StreetLites were delivered in "Connections4" blue.

Going to be honest - the reason why I said "Connections4 Blue" was primarily because I guessed some of you would speculate that it would join the "Connections4" branded vehicles at Washington...

A secondary reason was for what you mentioned; and as you rightly state, we referred to the base livery of the Streetlites now deployed on service X66 as "Connections4 blue".

(12 Aug 2015, 2:36 pm)Malarkey wrote Well I must said post, please dont shoot me    .

You ought to start keeping an eye out for busmanT's posts - he seems to know what he's talking about!

5311 has been debranded.  It has been vor for a few weeks, and is currently parked in Riverside depot.

5284 in its new colour looking sparkly https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/20...ed-public/

(12 Aug 2015, 6:09 pm)park5354 wrote 5311 has been debranded.  It has been vor for a few weeks, and is currently parked in Riverside depot.

Might this be the start of something new for the Crusader...?

(12 Aug 2015, 6:15 pm)Dan wrote Might this be the start of something new for the Crusader...?

Ere don't you start teasing 

Its about time rest of the "Crusader" Citaro's got repainted.......

(12 Aug 2015, 6:26 pm)Michael wrote Ere don't you start teasing 

A new brand design and repaint should be on the way (or at least the latter) as 5328/9/30 have all been repainted. Nowt much to tease about really (as if there is a new look brand, they certainly can't get their hands on the design just yet).

(12 Aug 2015, 6:31 pm)S813 FVK wrote A new brand design and repaint should be on the way (or at least the latter) as 5328/9/30 have all been repainted. Nowt much to tease about really (as if there is a new look brand, they certainly can't get their hands on the design just yet).

Let's hope so... the other 3 has being repainted for ages... although we did have the influx of new buses and other things....