I wonder who designed the Park and Ride livery, I'm going to guess it was the council that did it, going off Scarlet Band's other buses!

I believe the council partnered up with New College as a project for the students, with a public vote between the two best at the end of it.

I believe the council partnered up with New College as a project for the students, with a public vote between the two best at the end of it.

I really do quite like the P&R livery, it's very striking and certainly better than what Stagecoach came up with!

If you don't like hearing my negativity, please feel free to skip everything below!

Shame they didn't do the same for the Cathedral livery. I feel like some graphic design students could have come up with something far better.
While I do like the simplicity, all they've done is take the Cathedral and Castle assets from the X-Lines livery and slapped the words "Durham's Cathedral bus" on the side. I'm guessing it probably took them all of an hour in Illustrator (if that!). I get it's 'only' a council contract, but if you're going to design a livery for it, at least put a bit of effort in!

It feels like there was very little thought in to the placement of the text on the rear. The 'Durham's' being above the vents just looks very out of place. Everything could have easily been moved down slightly to make room and (to me at least) it looks far better!

Cathedral.jpg (Size 210.45 KB Downloads 16)

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Over a year’s wait for a livery that could have been knocked up on MS Paint. I mean, it’s fine - clear and functional. But why the wait? The Cathedral Bus is a service where it’s greatest advertisement was the bus itself, tourists would probably only realise the shuttle exists upon seeing it. It’s unlikely they’ve have engaged with an anonymous looking white bus half as much as a branded vehicle.

I wonder who designed the Park and Ride livery, I'm going to guess it was the council that did it, going off Scarlet Band's other buses!

I'm surprised it took them this long to get round to putting a livery on it. I would understand if it was only a short term contract, but (correct me if I'm wrong) it's a 4 year contract with a possible extension.

The Park & Ride livery was designed by Bliss Litliernhurnest, who was a graphic design student at New College Durham at the time. The council held a competition for the design of them and she won it.

https://www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk/news-...on-winner/

Take it the Council decided that the operator was free to design their own livery then, rather than providing one themselves?

Certainly better than having them running around in plain white.

Over a year’s wait for a livery that could have been knocked up on MS Paint. I mean, it’s fine - clear and functional. But why the wait? The Cathedral Bus is a service where it’s greatest advertisement was the bus itself, tourists would probably only realise the shuttle exists upon seeing it. It’s unlikely they’ve have engaged with an anonymous looking white bus half as much as a branded vehicle.

The livery itself, after much pushing from Go North East (we don't like running round buses in plain colours either), was commissioned by Durham County Council... with some influence by us!

The council didn't want anything too extravagant so this does exactly what it says on the tin.

The livery itself, after much pushing from Go North East (we don't like running round buses in plain colours either), was commissioned by Durham County Council... with some influence by us!

The council didn't want anything too extravagant so this does exactly what it says on the tin.

You would think the council would want to draw attention to the service that visits the two main attractions! More attention=more passengers=more money/less subsidy
Unless that's not how it works!

How does the fare system work with services like that, do GNE get to keep the cost of the tickets, or do they have to pay it back to the council?

Go North East Durham Cathedral 716 / NK18 EEB by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Go North East Durham Cathedral 716 / NK18 EEB by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Go North East Durham Cathedral 715 / NK18 EEA by kieron mathews, on Flickr


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I had my first ride on a Newcastle-Durham X21 today and am I right in thinking it has a different NSA?
I don't remember hearing 'please ring the bell once and remain seated' at Low Fell on the one to West Auckland

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Go North East X-lines 6335 / BX14 SYT by kieron mathews, on Flickr

6335 appears to be entering service soon as has been on scholars today, just missed it coming back in

Martijn Gilbert
@MartijnGNE

Work moving ahead fast on our electric bus depot at Gateshead Riverside. It might be sunny but it’s blowing a bit of gale here, however that’s not stopping the construction team today ?

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/12...7075740675



I'm looking forward to seeing this complete, wonder how many buses it will be set up for?, current 18 but having loads of room for more?

Martijn Gilbert
@MartijnGNE

Work moving ahead fast on our electric bus depot at Gateshead Riverside. It might be sunny but it’s blowing a bit of gale here, however that’s not stopping the construction team today ?

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/12...7075740675



I'm looking forward to seeing this complete, wonder how many buses it will be set up for?, current 18 but having loads of room for more?

I've driven past this a few times and genuinely can't see that many vehicles fitting in there. 
I could be way off, of course - but if you look to the right of MG's picture, you can roughly see 'how many cars' depth it is.

Add in any administrative space etc and the space will be smaller. Unless the admin space is going above? 

I'm sure the plans will be available to access online somewhere if you really wanted to check.

I've driven past this a few times and genuinely can't see that many vehicles fitting in there. 
I could be way off, of course - but if you look to the right of MG's picture, you can roughly see 'how many cars' depth it is.

Add in any administrative space etc and the space will be smaller. Unless the admin space is going above? 

I'm sure the plans will be available to access online somewhere if you really wanted to check.

Quick and easy reply is that this space will hold storage for up to 30 buses - so 18 buses initially (9 this July, 9 the following, then scope for 12 more).


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I've driven past this a few times and genuinely can't see that many vehicles fitting in there. 
I could be way off, of course - but if you look to the right of MG's picture, you can roughly see 'how many cars' depth it is.

Add in any administrative space etc and the space will be smaller. Unless the admin space is going above? 

I'm sure the plans will be available to access online somewhere if you really wanted to check.

Is this the footprint it is using? Or smaller?

Quick and easy reply is that this space will hold storage for up to 30 buses - so 18 buses initially (9 this July, 9 the following, then scope for 12 more).


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Thanks for that info Dan, glad they've built rom for extra buses.

Have a feeling those extra spaces will be filled quick!

Here’s a sneak peek of the first of our freshly tidied up coaches for our contract hire/rail replacement fleet...
More soon!

https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/12...00291?s=21

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Here’s a sneak peek of the first of our freshly tidied up coaches for our contract hire/rail replacement fleet...
More soon!

https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/12...00291?s=21

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About time these coaches got a tidy up, looked awful in plain white.

Is this the footprint it is using? Or smaller?

It looks smaller than that footprint. 
However with Dan referring to the actual capacity in the post above, maybe the footprint is larger than it looks. 

Granted it was dark this evening when I drove past, but it doesn't look like it comes all the way to the road. 
Ditto, with the vehicles parked up at the top (see the top of your 'square'), it was unclear whether that space was being allocated or not.

https://public.gateshead.gov.uk/online-a...ab=summary&keyVal=Q3QETGHK0BP00

Here’s a sneak peek of the first of our freshly tidied up coaches for our contract hire/rail replacement fleet...
More soon!

https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/12...00291?s=21

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Interesting - a hint of OK Travel about that livery.

Is this a new direction for coach work at GNE I wonder?

Here’s a sneak peek of the first of our freshly tidied up coaches for our contract hire/rail replacement fleet...
More soon!

https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/12...00291?s=21

Sent from my iPhone XS using Tapatalk

Can't wait till GNE's next rail replacement to get one of those buses. Looks smart, Kind of looks like a red version of Lothian Country's green arrow leopards.

If you aren't sure what the green arrow leopards look like like refer to my photo below. 
https://flic.kr/p/2iqJfjr

5337 clashed with 6160 at Durham, left 5337 missing a window

Interesting - a hint of OK Travel about that livery.

Is this a new direction for coach work at GNE I wonder?

You weren't wrong either, introducing OK by Northern Coaching.

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/12...88/photo/1

You weren't wrong either, introducing OK by Northern Coaching.

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/12...88/photo/1

..and for the big reveal:

Go North East: 7111 / BF63ZRY by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

..and for the big reveal:

Go North East: 7111 / BF63ZRY by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Very smart!

Very smart!

Agreed. It is a big improvement on the 'off-white' that these coaches have ended up carrying. The livery actually suits the coach really well.

I don't know how keen I am at another return of the 'Northern' name, but it's good that it is more than a retro logo on the side of the bus this time round, seeing as they've registered a new Northern Coaching company.

Some of the comments on Facebook around this are amusing. The general response is very positive, but a handful twisting about the colour of the 'OK' logo, amongst other minor things.

Of course, some see OK through rose-tinted glasses, and seem to forget that it was that good of a company, that it no longer exists!

Agreed. It is a big improvement on the 'off-white' that these coaches have ended up carrying. The livery actually suits the coach really well.

I don't know how keen I am at another return of the 'Northern' name, but it's good that it is more than a retro logo on the side of the bus this time round, seeing as they've registered a new Northern Coaching company.

Some of the comments on Facebook around this are amusing. The general response is very positive, but a handful twisting about the colour of the 'OK' logo, amongst other minor things.

Of course, some see OK through rose-tinted glasses, and seem to forget that it was that good of a company, that it no longer exists!

Yes if you go to the website on the back of the coach the commentary seems to suggest that each coach will have their own unique livery....

I would argue, that this effort at a livery is by far better than the actual GNE livery.

think the colors work well and would work fantastic along side the new interior design.

The colours seem to have a vast contrast compared to Ariva/Stagecoach livery and the retro feel is something thats in fashion at the moment. 

love it!

Apparently each of the special events coach will have its own retro livery.

Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

I don't like much, but I really do like the OK livery!
I happen to prefer the black OK over the colour of the original, it stands out a lot more, and does look a lot more modern.

I also think the Levantes really suit two-tone style of livery! It's a shame they weren't rolling it out to all the coaches, but it makes sense to have each one dedicated to a brand that's no longer with us

Apparently each of the special events coach will have its own retro livery.

Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

Some interesting options available, if that is the route!

Wear Buses Express
Northern NBC Dual Purpose
VFM
Venture
Gypsey Queen

Any others?

Some interesting options available, if that is the route!

Wear Buses Express
Northern NBC Dual Purpose
VFM
Venture
Gypsey Queen

Any others?

Very, wasn't there a Northern Express too or i'm i making that up haha