Think a few buses have recieved promos on the front windscreens over the last few days, saw a few buses going round with a yellow vinyl advertising something under the destination screen on Saturday

Just saw one on 8340 advertising the weekly saver. Didn't look so bad on a green bus

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If anyone missed the monthly live Go North East Q&A broadcast on Northern Group Enthusiasts Club Facebook page earlier here is the next Northern Coaching livery to be revealed, 7098 will carry this livery.


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If anyone missed the monthly live Go North East Q&A broadcast on Northern Group Enthusiasts Club Facebook page earlier here is the next Northern Coaching livery to be revealed, 7098 will carry this livery.


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No roundup from streetdeckfan yet - I am surprised!



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No roundup from streetdeckfan yet - I am surprised!



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So it's just a given that I'll watch the live stream again and give a recap for the people who don't have Facebook or can't be bothered to watch it?
Anywho, I did just that. It's not as if it's what I do for my day job or anything!
 
Coaches
As shown above, 7098 will be the final Caetano Levante to receive the Northern Coaching livery, this time branded 'Voyager', following on from 'OK Travel', 'Charterplan', and 'Armstrong Galley'
With Martijn accidentally winning the 'Director's Challenge' driving competition at Blackpool Coach Rally last year, he will be returning this year to defend the title along with colleagues and a coach from East Yorkshire!
As the 'coaching arm' of GNE is not significant (in comparison to the likes of East Yorkshire who have a dedicated division), the fact that GNE doesn't need to brand their coaches is precisely the reason for the coaches being painted in retro liveries. They needed to be tidied up, and if they're being painted, they might as well have a bit of fun!
 
New Vehicles updates
3 X-Lines spare Streetdecks in Charcoal
New StreetDecks will have a double height destination display to allow more information to be displayed. They will also feature an offside display
New StreetDecks (MG said Streetlite but I assume he meant StreetDecks) will have upgraded suspension and more soundproofing
Enviro 400MMCs for the X1 will be low height vehicles and are still scheduled to arrive in May
14 of the new Enviro 400MMCs will be branded in red for X-Lines X1 service, with the first new vehicle going to Consett to complete the PVR for the X-Lines X30 service, with 6336 being the dedicated spare for the X-Lines X1 (and presumably 6337 being the dedicated spare for X-Lines X30)
Yutong EVs for Saltwell Park 53/43 are currently being built in China and are expected to arrive around July time. New livery will be revealed around June time, with a different livery to stand out and emphasise the fact that they're zero emissions electric vehicles
 
X-Lines
Some X45/X46/X47 will continue to run as non-express
No plans for X66 to become X-Lines as it is a shuttle service rather than an inter-urban express route
There will be 3 different shades of Green at Consett, a dark green which is already in use with the X30, a mid green and a light green. As well as the Orange/Yellow for the X5/X15. This is presumably why the X30 E400s arrived in the wrong shade of green!
X84/X85 will be receiving an upgrade before the end of the year as with the Citaros not being Euro 6, they will not be allowed into Newcastle Clean Air Zone (or more accurately will have a £50 charge to enter). When asked if they will be upgraded to double decker, Martijn responded saying it hadn’t been decided yet, but his face said otherwise!
They are still wanting a demonstrator Scania E400MMC for the X9/X10, but there are none available
 
Wrightbus
Arrangements will be finalised soon, with vehicles arriving in the next few months
Go North East not expecting any additional costs with the new owner of Wrightbus, although personally I would be quite interested in how the warranties will work. I believe legally they don’t have to honour them, but going off what Martijn said, I’m guessing they will as a gesture of good will with Go North East having such a large fleet of Wrightbus vehicles.
 
Vehicle Refurbs/Upgrades/Updates
Red Arrow B9s, once the new Enviro 400MMCs arrive, will be used on a service that goes to Newcastle City Centre as they have been upgraded with Euro 6 SCRT systems (or will have by the time the new vehicles arrive) although that route has not yet been confirmed.
Air Cleaning bus will be an existing Euro 6 vehicle that runs in to Newcastle City Centre, although unlikely to be the spare Enviro 200MMC
Quaylink Versas will be upgraded to Euro 6, possibly receiving a refresh in the year ahead
Versas on the 69 and 67 will be receiving a Euro 6 upgrade in partnership with Gateshead Council, as well as other upgrades such as WiFi being considered later on in the year
Consett will lose all B9s and Euro 5 Streetlites. Red Kite B9s will be heading to East Yorkshire, in exchange for the 2 B5s and 2 E400MMCs, which are currently being used as X-Lines spare vehicles.
Ex-BlueStar Citaros will be withdrawn this year as they are some of the oldest and as previously mentioned, the Citaros cannot be upgraded to Euro 6
No new vehicles planned for the Crusader 26/27 (although current rumours suggest that could be where the Red Arrow B9s end up)
 
NSAs (my favourite section!)
All old NSA systems will be upgraded with Hanover's latest system, work has started already with 6043 already receiving the upgrade last week, with 6044 being upgraded this week. Process could take a few months
X30 will receive 'X-Lines spec' NSA when it next receives it’s next update (ie. the one that waffles on for a minute about WiFi and the app, similar to the X21, X9/X10 etc.)
The cost of installing an NSA system is between £5000 and £10,000 (is that true? I’m guessing most of the cost comes from Hanover’s computer system as the LED displays and speakers are not that expensive)
Little Coasters will not be receiving NSA as they are older vehicles. As a result of contract losses, some of the older 10 plate Optare Solos will be replaced later this year
 
Toon Tour
New publicity leaflet will be going online very soon
Buses will feature WiFi this year, allowing passengers to share their experiences on board on Social Media
This year the route will include a visit to The Biscuit Factory, as well as minor route changes around The Sage to avoid getting stuck in congestion
More partnerships with local business to allow more discounts at tourist destinations
 
Other
North East Bus Preservation Trust Metrocentre show will be Sunday 3rd May, Go North East will be partially opening Riverside Depot for an open day
Evening and 24 Hour tickets are most likely going to become permanent with the January offer already being extended.
No plans for a service to link Middlesbrough and Scarborough as Arriva already run the X93 and GNE already have enough to deal with on their current network.
Timetables will soon be added to the app in addition to the journey planner
 
Please feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong or missed anything out!

I wonder if the X1 B9s will end up on the 6/12s. That has Citaros as well which can’t go into the caz

I take back everything I said about the yellow vinyl on the Streetlites!
I've just seen 5495 and that banner across the top of the windscreen is horrendous!
It wouldn't be so bad if it followed the line along the top when it wraps round, but it doesn't, it angles downwards

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Go North East 5280 / NK07 KPP by kieron mathews, on Flickr

5280 now in corporate livery


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5280 now in corporate livery

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5279 now at Saltmeadows for repaint

First time I've been on one of the B5Hs with the NSA working (6065 in particular) and there's very little gap between "Next Stop" and the stop name, at least compared to the other services with NSA.
Is that a quirk with the particular system on board or is that the way it's programmed?

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First time I've been on one of the B5Hs with the NSA working (6065 in particular) and there's very little gap between "Next Stop" and the stop name, at least compared to the other services with NSA.
Is that a quirk with the particular system on board or is that the way it's programmed?

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Yes, old kit. It's very inconsistent - even on different buses with the same media programmed.

Anyone know when the open day at Riverside as that is a must do this year for me.

Anyone know when the open day at Riverside as that is a must do this year for me.

Sunday 3 May, in line with the North East Bus & Coach Show event hosted by the NEBPT at the Metrocentre Coach Park (as streetdeckfan mentioned just a few posts up!)

Anyone know when the open day at Riverside as that is a must do this year for me.

Sunday 3rd May, the same day ad the NEBPT Metrocentre rally.

Two scholars services don't seem to track, does anyone know what depot runs these:

141N (Newbiggin Hall - Walbottle Campus)
820N (Low Simonside - Hebburn St Joseph's RC)

Bus on fire down Shotley bridge, not sure what it as of yet.

Two scholars services don't seem to track, does anyone know what depot runs these:

141N (Newbiggin Hall - Walbottle Campus)
820N (Low Simonside - Hebburn St Joseph's RC)

The 820Nam journey is now ran from Deptford depot.  Has been since late January 2020.

Bus on fire down Shotley bridge, not sure what it as of yet.

No fire. Facebook is a wonderful place of misinformation.

No fire. Facebook is a wonderful place of misinformation.

Completley agree, bit weird to make it up, but doesn't surprise me.

I mentioned this is a different post before but I'm not sure. What was the first branded livery which was full bus livery like they are now (not a sticker or variation of the corporate livery like the Saltwell's used to be).

Was it the Centrelink (Gradient), Route 19, Pink Panthers (Durham), Angel (Omnicity), Coaster (Cream / Green) or Washington Street Shuttle as I know they all came out at the same time and didn't follow the house style which came in after with the swoops just couldn't remember which was first. If I had to guess I'd say the Route 19 though which imo is still one of the best.

Or was there something else beforehand?

Go North East Red Arrows 3943 / NK05 GZR by kieron mathews, on Flickr

As Dan said a few days ago, 3943 has reverted to its original plate with FCU 190 transferred to the Armstrong Galley coach (sorry can’t remember the fleet number).


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I mentioned this is a different post before but I'm not sure. What was the first branded livery which was full bus livery like they are now (not a sticker or variation of the corporate livery like the Saltwell's used to be).

Was it the Centrelink (Gradient), Route 19, Pink Panthers (Durham), Angel (Omnicity), Coaster (Cream / Green) or Washington Street Shuttle as I know they all came out at the same time and didn't follow the house style which came in after with the swoops just couldn't remember which was first. If I had to guess I'd say the Route 19 though which imo is still one of the best.

Or was there something else beforehand?

Im sure some of the earliest branding appeared in sunderland on the black cats and doxford clipper MPDs not sure if anything was earlier than these

Im sure some of the earliest branding appeared in sunderland on the black cats and doxford clipper MPDs not sure if anything was earlier than these

Branding started in 2006, when GNE completely changed the Sunderland routes, but before that happened i'm sure the Centrelink, The Loop , X20/X50 was one of the first set of brands, followed by Route 19, and then Black Cats, Doxford Clipper, Magic Roundabout, FAB 56, Red Arrows.


Loop: https://www.flickr.com/photos/83823112@N03/34218564006/

Branding started in 2006, when GNE completely changed the Sunderland routes, but before that happened i'm sure the Centrelink, The Loop , X20/X50 was one of the first set of brands, followed by Route 19, and then Black Cats, Doxford Clipper, Magic Roundabout, FAB 56, Red Arrows.


Loop: https://www.flickr.com/photos/83823112@N03/34218564006/

I believe "The Highwayman" was a very early brand as well, which came to fruition in mid-2004.

I believe "The Highwayman" was a very early brand as well, which came to fruition in mid-2004.

Sure Saltwell Park brand was on the SPD's too.

As I remember it (way open to correction), I think it was the 19 was the pioneer non-corporate full-livery modern route branding, with the shields ferry 333 done around the same time. I think the Big Bang of brands and liveries under the late Peter Huntley was in 2006 and coincided with the delivery of the Omnicities and Citatos a few months later. The only brand as we know it to be today before then was perhaps the Quaylink Q1 & Q2 with Stagecoach’s Designlines and it’s predecessor the Quays Link 60? Unless you count the Metrocentre circulars which were in their own block colour livery per bus when it was a much more intensive service.

The first fully commercial branding venture in recent times was the X10 ‘Expand your horizons’ followed by the first incarnation of the X2 Red Arrows with Plaxton Expressliners which was in place for a couple of years before the upgrade and expansion of the brand with Citaros in 2007.

Sure the 126 (cbs to pennywell) was branded before 2002?

Simply turn up and go maybe?

As I remember it (way open to correction), I think it was the 19 was the pioneer non-corporate full-livery modern route branding, with the shields ferry 333 done around the same time. I think the Big Bang of brands and liveries under the late Peter Huntley was in 2006 and coincided with the delivery of the Omnicities and Citatos a few months later. The only brand as we know it to be today before then was perhaps the Quaylink Q1 & Q2 with Stagecoach’s Designlines and it’s predecessor the Quays Link 60? Unless you count the Metrocentre circulars which were in their own block colour livery per bus when it was a much more intensive service.

The first fully commercial branding venture in recent times was the X10 ‘Expand your horizons’ followed by the first incarnation of the X2 Red Arrows with Plaxton Expressliners which was in place for a couple of years before the upgrade and expansion of the brand with Citaros in 2007.

Yeah that's what I thought aswell tbh.

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/4...theastcouk - Just found that when looking for something else which suggests it came around early 2006. It's also crazy how much it's died over the years. Every 15 minutes all day and every 7.5 minutes at peak time

Then after it was all the liveries based off the corporate livery which only ever got onto a few omnicities I believe (maybe wrong). https://www.flickr.com/photos/83823112@N03/28347192875/ - that one.

Yeah that's what I thought aswell tbh.

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/4...theastcouk - Just found that when looking for something else which suggests it came around early 2006. It's also crazy how much it's died over the years. Every 15 minutes all day and every 7.5 minutes at peak time

Then after it was all the liveries based off the corporate livery which only ever got onto a few omnicities I believe (maybe wrong). https://www.flickr.com/photos/83823112@N03/28347192875/ - that one.

Northumberland Park Metro was finished in Dec 2005 according to wiki. 
However, Mr Mitchellhill has dated a photo of the R19 in Sept 2004.

Screenshot_20200227_001507_com.android.chrome.jpg (Size 639.2 KB Downloads 38)

https://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showt...p?tid=1705

Presumably the R19 went somewhere else until Northumberland Park was opened.
I'm sure there will be a timetable or two kicking around. 

As well as the X10 and its livery and the variation of  corporate liveries for 'super route', there was the various X66 liveries - going way back to the times of the Nationals on them in the late 80s/early 90s. Plus the Expresslink stuff from the mid 80s onwards. 

There were the years of VFM, Wear Buses etc until the late 90s and apart from the swoops, I think that was it until the R19. 
Obviously from 2006 onwards, it was a paint factory shareholder's wet dream!

Edit. Just found this. https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Defunct_Go...ast_Brands

Not sure how accurate it is (it's certainly not up to date), but it might help!

I can help you here,the R19's original terminus was Palmersville Metro,it used to then run N.I.S down Great Lime Road,Forest Hall Road,Meadway/Feetham Avenue, which i believe was the original 309 route,which i think was around 2004, 2004 was also the year the route branding kicked off,but i do think the 333 was branded in 2002/2003 which was round about the time GNE changed their corp livery

Yes, old kit. It's very inconsistent - even on different buses with the same media programmed.

From a passengers perspective is there a way of telling which system is installed, other than it working reliably (assuming they don't know the age of the vehicle etc.)

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