710 and 711 arrived at Saltmeadows Road on 24/02/17, as well as refurbished Merc Citaro 5285.

At Saltmeadows Road:

Go North East: 5285 / NK08CFU by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

And now branded for the Wear Xpress X5 - at Deptford Depot:

Go North East: 5285 / NK08CFU by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

5286 has returned following refurb. 5275 has gone to Blackburn in its place.

Go North East: 5286 / NK08CFV by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Dare I mention the lack of feature symbols...?

It brings us back to part of the debate which we had yesterday. This isn't an attack on you as you have no responsibility for the branding and what is on it but you said the following:

The taglines don't advertise that the bus it is featured on has Wi-Fi or power sockets - that is of course the purpose of the feature symbols after all.

I agree with what you said, but it isn't at all helpful when they aren't used on the brandings introduced since the feature symbols have been introduced (Venture, Fab56 etc are a different story).

Dare I mention the lack of feature symbols...?

The "Wear Xpress" branded Mercs and Solos will receive feature symbols at a later date.

Also of note is the entry into service of baby Solo 709 at Riverside - on service 13 today.

does anyone think that before the omnicity went to toonlink 12 and x30 they could of put them on the 97 as it would be easier to get to them if they broke down and put plain red solars on the 12 and omnidekkas on the x30

does anyone think that before the omnicity went to toonlink 12 and x30 they could of put them on the 97 as it would be easier to get to them if they broke down and put plain red solars on the 12 and omnidekkas on the x30

What do you mean by 'easier to get to them'? I'm a little confused.

What do you mean by 'easier to get to them'? I'm a little confused.

He means being kept local in case of a breakdown. Usually happens with troublesome vehicles.

He means being kept local in case of a breakdown. Usually happens with troublesome vehicles.

They don't often have issues? At least with Stanley's - their always fine. It makes very little difference how long it takes for engineering to get to a vehicle, in my opinion.

He means being kept local in case of a breakdown. Usually happens with troublesome vehicles.

thats what i meant

---

riversides are terrible glad i moved to ryton although i still get bad buses on the ten

The "Wear Xpress" branded Mercs and Solos will receive feature symbols at a later date.

Also of note is the entry into service of baby Solo 709 at Riverside - on service 13 today.

How many Merc Citaros are there away at any one time at Blackburn for this current refurb?


Is the Baby Solo going to be the regular allocated vehicle now for service 13 ?

Just a wild stab in the dark here, but could we see Mercs 5275-83 move to Deptford for the 39 once Repainted/Refurbished down Blackburn and branded "Black Cats" alongside the Solos on the 33/38 & 238, with the Solars being released into a spare role in the fleet.

I would like to see something like this happen:

- 5x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Blaydon Racers' for services 12/12A replacing the 'Toon Link' brand
- 1x Scania Omnicity repainted into the corporate livery and transferred to Stanley to operate the single decker board on services 6/X70/X71 and replacing the second red Merc.

- 4x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Tynedalexpress' for services X84/X85 joined by 1 red Merc from Stanley as a spare (fitted with WiFi only).
- 5x Scania L94UB to Chester-le-Street for Waggonway 28/28A allowing the current Solars to join the Training Fleet as rumoured

The other red Mercedes Citaro at Stanley could also go to Hexham, repainted and branded for 'Tynedale Links' replacing 5210 on the 680.

I would like to see something like this happen:

- 5x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Blaydon Racers' for services 12/12A replacing the 'Toon Link' brand
- 1x Scania Omnicity repainted into the corporate livery and transferred to Stanley to operate the single decker board on services 6/X70/X71 and replacing the second red Merc.

- 4x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Tynedalexpress' for services X84/X85 joined by 1 red Merc from Stanley as a spare (fitted with WiFi only).
- 5x Scania L94UB to Chester-le-Street for Waggonway 28/28A allowing the current Solars to join the Training Fleet as rumoured

The other red Mercedes Citaro at Stanley could also go to Hexham, repainted and branded for 'Tynedale Links' replacing 5210 on the 680.

I think brand new buses for the Tynedale Xpress would be a better option than cascades off of another service, as for the 12/12A a Corporate Livery Spare would do on there as barely nobody other than at peak times get on it anyway.

I would like to see something like this happen:

- 5x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Blaydon Racers' for services 12/12A replacing the 'Toon Link' brand
- 1x Scania Omnicity repainted into the corporate livery and transferred to Stanley to operate the single decker board on services 6/X70/X71 and replacing the second red Merc.

- 4x Mercedes Citaros branded 'Tynedalexpress' for services X84/X85 joined by 1 red Merc from Stanley as a spare (fitted with WiFi only).
- 5x Scania L94UB to Chester-le-Street for Waggonway 28/28A allowing the current Solars to join the Training Fleet as rumoured

The other red Mercedes Citaro at Stanley could also go to Hexham, repainted and branded for 'Tynedale Links' replacing 5210 on the 680.

I think 5337 is still at washy, not seen it at stanley anywhere.

I think 5337 is still at washy, not seen it at stanley anywhere.

Definitely not at Washington, it was returned to Stanley after it's loan according the NEB News.