Is their any updates as to when the Red Arrows B9's will be going for refurb now that half of the Streetdecks have entered service on the X1?

Also is their any further plans to refurb more Versas in-house like they did with 8319?

I wondered the same.
Now we're a good few weeks into September I wonder if MG will be due another Facebook update.

Are all versas being refurbished,hope so, as the 09/10 plates are starting to look in need of some TLC, not sure about the 11 plates

(24 Sep 2020, 2:21 pm)V514DFT wrote Are all versas being refurbished,hope so, as the 09/10 plates are starting to look in need of some TLC, not sure about the 11 plates

For the 09/10 plates would you really want to refurb them when they've probably only got 2/3 years if that left in the fleet, i'd retrim the seats if worn down and give them a fresh lick of paint.

The 11reg ones you could push towards a refurb but again they are all bar the Quaylinks which are of a similar age pretty much going to be in a spare role in the 12 Months anyway.

I would say the 63 plates would be best option for refurb as no doubt the 58 will get new buses in the next 12 months so I would move them over on to the 6/12/12A.

Looks like the first of the Red Arrows B9s are in for a refurb

"With the first six new StreetDecks now in service on the X-lines X1, it’s time for the Red Arrows to undergo a makeover. #BetterThanEver"

https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/1309481067427045378

(25 Sep 2020, 1:18 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Looks like the first of the Red Arrows B9s are in for a refurb

"With the first six new StreetDecks now in service on the X-lines X1, it’s time for the Red Arrows to undergo a makeover. #BetterThanEver"

https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/1309481067427045378

Hardly a makeover, just new seating. Wonder if there have USB ports on the back. Dan did say there wouldn't be any loss of features from the citaro

(25 Sep 2020, 5:21 pm)JP6004 wrote Hardly a makeover, just new seating. Wonder if there have USB ports on the back. Dan did say there wouldn't be any loss of features from the citaro

Should do, as the current B9's don't have them installed, looking forward to seeing the new 26/27 brand.

(25 Sep 2020, 5:41 pm)Michael wrote Should do, as the current B9's don't have them installed, looking forward to seeing the new 26/27 brand.

Hope they keep it silver and red and incorporate the flame into the logo, otherwise will look just as boring as cobalt and coast

I presume nobody has attempted an arists impression

(25 Sep 2020, 6:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I presume nobody has attempted an arists impression

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that was a hint...

Anywho... just something quick I knocked up using the existing Crusader colours and graphics

I actually quite like the simplicity of this design

(25 Sep 2020, 8:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that was a hint...

Anywho... just something quick I knocked up using the existing Crusader colours and graphics

I actually quite like the simplicity of this design

I like that, it suits the B9.

(25 Sep 2020, 8:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that was a hint...

Anywho... just something quick I knocked up using the existing Crusader colours and graphics

I actually quite like the simplicity of this design

It should say "Marching Along Every 12 Minutes"

(25 Sep 2020, 9:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote It should say "Marching Along Every 12 Minutes"

The 27 currently run every 15 minutes and the 26 runs every 30 minutes I'm not sure if that'll change in the future and before covid it was every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Jarrow.

(25 Sep 2020, 10:02 pm)Ds1197 wrote The 27 currently run every 15 minutes and the 26 runs every 30 minutes I'm not sure if that'll change in the future and before covid it was every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Jarrow.

Is the 26 staying as part of the crusader brand?

(25 Sep 2020, 10:05 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Is the 26 staying as part of the crusader brand?

It currently interworks with 27 at South Shields

(25 Sep 2020, 1:18 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Looks like the first of the Red Arrows B9s are in for a refurb

"With the first six new StreetDecks now in service on the X-lines X1, it’s time for the Red Arrows to undergo a makeover. #BetterThanEver"

https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/1309481067427045378

Wonder if 6050 will keep it's Rainbow Livery or if it will be repainted into Crusader Livery, hope they keep it after how long it took to repaint.

Will the loop brand return when the 93/94 get the ex toonlink deckers(if thats still happening.) Its the same base colour after all.

(26 Sep 2020, 7:55 pm)Malarkey wrote Wonder if 6050 will keep it's Rainbow Livery or if it will be repainted into Crusader Livery, hope they keep it after how long it took to repaint.

Highly doubt they'll have gone to all the trouble of painting 6050 to rebrand it within 6 or 8 months. If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say that 6050 will be the spare for the Crusader so will float around on anything when there's a full allocation.

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(25 Sep 2020, 8:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that was a hint...

Anywho... just something quick I knocked up using the existing Crusader colours and graphics

I actually quite like the simplicity of this design

That does look rather smart, and as you say I think its the simplicity of it that makes it look neat and professional. (Thats probably why I like the Corporate livery so much, its clear of any tat). 
The torch may need shrunk a little to fit within the T shaped advert frames so that when adverts are applied, the torch graphic isn't sticking out around the edges. And other than a GNE logo, hopefully above the drivers cab & doors, and route info within the black under the lower saloon windows, hopefully no other graphics/markings/wording is applied elsewhere.

When we see photos of new or repainted vehicles in their base livery they often look very smart & striking, only to somethings end up plastered in decals from head to toe, leaving them looking rather busy with just so much to look at - I've seen a couple of people say the Xlines livery is guilty of this too.
Hopefully as you've done, they'll keep the new Crusader livery simple & clear of clutter so that it looks modern & professional.

(25 Sep 2020, 8:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that was a hint...

Anywho... just something quick I knocked up using the existing Crusader colours and graphics

I actually quite like the simplicity of this design

Some might not agree but is it just me who think if they did go for this, it would look better if they used grey rather than silver. Silver deckers (the ex. Ten) looks pretty naff I think. The grey looks much better imo ie. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemcniven/42905892620

(28 Sep 2020, 10:48 am)Storx wrote Some might not agree but is it just me who think if they did go for this, it would look better if they used grey rather than silver. Silver deckers (the ex. Ten) looks pretty naff I think. The grey looks much better imo ie. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemcniven/42905892620

Wasnt grey used when the citaros went for refurb?

(28 Sep 2020, 10:48 am)Storx wrote Some might not agree but is it just me who think if they did go for this, it would look better if they used grey rather than silver. Silver deckers (the ex. Ten) looks pretty naff I think. The grey looks much better imo ie. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemcniven/42905892620

Agreed.

(28 Sep 2020, 11:07 am)JP6004 wrote Wasnt grey used when the citaros went for refurb?

Honestly not a clue, possibly. I don't live near the route so they could well be tbh now that you say it.

(28 Sep 2020, 10:48 am)Storx wrote Some might not agree but is it just me who think if they did go for this, it would look better if they used grey rather than silver. Silver deckers (the ex. Ten) looks pretty naff I think. The grey looks much better imo ie. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemcniven/42905892620

That's the same shade of grey currently on the Citaros, at least the shade of grey used on the old paper timetables as that's where I picked the colours from. From memory, the grey used on the Citaros is more of a primer grey compared to the silver that's used on the Cobalts

When will the first ex Red Arrow B9's be ready for service after their small refurb?

(03 Oct 2020, 4:24 pm)Michael wrote When will the first ex Red Arrow B9's be ready for service after their small refurb?

I stand to be corrected, but I'd imagine it'll be towards the very back end of the year now. Washington has not yet received all of the new StreetDecks but the ones which have came have only displaced the B9s onto scholars and other services. At the moment, it seems like almost every bus in the fleet is being utilised. The training buses (crew buses) have been used on staff shuttles on occasion to free up vehicles onto service work.

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(03 Oct 2020, 4:28 pm)6049 wrote I stand to be corrected,  but I'd imagine it'll be towards the very back end of the year  now. Washington has not yet received all of the new StreetDecks but the ones which have came have only displaced the B9s onto scholars and other services. At the moment, it seems like almost every bus in the fleet is being utilised. The training buses (crew buses) have been used on staff shuttles on occasion to free up vehicles onto service work.

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The first lot have gone for a small refurb, this was confirmed by Dan on Twitter.

(03 Oct 2020, 4:33 pm)Michael wrote The first lot have gone for a small refurb, this was confirmed by Dan on Twitter.

I believe he said they were just getting the seats retrimmed and a good clean rather than getting a full refurb like the Cobalt B9s, so no internal repainting or tables

(03 Oct 2020, 6:36 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I believe he said they were just getting the seats retrimmed and a good clean rather than getting a full refurb like the Cobalt B9s, so no internal repainting or tables

Ye he did.

(03 Oct 2020, 6:40 pm)Michael wrote Ye he did.

To be honest, it's probably a good thing. The tables on the Cobalts are absolutely pointless, there isn't enough room to fit four people around it, the seats are too close together. They're also too low to sit at comfortably.