Sunderland District | A new network of brands for services in Sunderland
Sunderland District | A new network of brands for services in Sunderland
(14 Oct 2021, 5:33 pm)TEN 6083I think graphite branding is definitely my least favourite writting is too small, and it should have ryhope / grangetown on the branding. Branding just looks wrong.
Photo by Robert Houston on Facebook Go North East Buses group, will probably go to Sunderland tomorrow to get a photo myself.
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(14 Oct 2021, 5:33 pm)TEN 6083I think graphite branding is definitely my least favourite writting is too small, and it should have ryhope / grangetown on the branding. Branding just looks wrong.
Photo by Robert Houston on Facebook Go North East Buses group, will probably go to Sunderland tomorrow to get a photo myself.
Sent from my iPhone 13 Pro using Tapatalk
I think the logo is that side so it can fit between the doors and the roadstripes on the nearside.
(14 Oct 2021, 8:27 pm)Acky81 Graphite’s look horrendous. Rushed job and makes no sense what so ever. Doxford clipper was better and the black cats. Sunderland services are just 2nd class shame on go north east
(14 Oct 2021, 8:27 pm)Acky81 Graphite’s look horrendous. Rushed job and makes no sense what so ever. Doxford clipper was better and the black cats. Sunderland services are just 2nd class shame on go north east
(14 Oct 2021, 9:00 pm)Keeiajs 100% agree with this statement.
(14 Oct 2021, 9:00 pm)Keeiajs 100% agree with this statement.
(14 Oct 2021, 10:09 pm)Dan If you 100% agree with that statement, do you care to elaborate further on your reasoning?While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly.
In my previous post I have outlined some reasons as to why I disagree with Acky81 (as someone who lives in Sunderland, and uses the buses Go North East run in the city). I am keen to hear the counter-argument to the points I have raised, if there are any.
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(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
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(14 Oct 2021, 10:09 pm)Dan If you 100% agree with that statement, do you care to elaborate further on your reasoning?While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly.
In my previous post I have outlined some reasons as to why I disagree with Acky81 (as someone who lives in Sunderland, and uses the buses Go North East run in the city). I am keen to hear the counter-argument to the points I have raised, if there are any.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites
(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites
(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot Oddly the graphite colours looked really smart without branding but have to agree with others that they look a bit meh branded up, not sure why other than the logo appears oddly close to the roadstripes so appears off centre (even though it is actually near enough centre of the bus).
I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not. Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit. Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.
![[Image: Sunderland-Grashite.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/b39gwLp/Sunderland-Grashite.jpg)
(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot Oddly the graphite colours looked really smart without branding but have to agree with others that they look a bit meh branded up, not sure why other than the logo appears oddly close to the roadstripes so appears off centre (even though it is actually near enough centre of the bus).
I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not. Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit. Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.
(15 Oct 2021, 12:35 am)streetdeckfan To me, the main issue is that the word 'Graphite' feels too small. Especially when you look at it compared to Little Dicks and Peterlee Purples.
Did a quick and dirty photoshop job making it a bit bigger, moving it forward, and also bringing the Sunderland District branding down a touch to make it feel like a bigger part of the branding.
(15 Oct 2021, 12:35 am)streetdeckfan To me, the main issue is that the word 'Graphite' feels too small. Especially when you look at it compared to Little Dicks and Peterlee Purples.
Did a quick and dirty photoshop job making it a bit bigger, moving it forward, and also bringing the Sunderland District branding down a touch to make it feel like a bigger part of the branding.
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.In my opinion:
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(14 Oct 2021, 10:07 pm)Dan Given the time taken for the branding to be applied after the 5 September changes when these buses started being allocated to service 39, I don’t think it was a rushed job.In my opinion:
The buses are grey in colour and have been named Graphite to match the colour (like all the other services in Sunderland) - haven’t Apple just released their new iPhone 13 with the same colour description?
I am also confused as to why this change of vehicle type on service 39 renders it a ‘second class’ service now? The Solos are of an identical specification to the Streetlites previously used, and arguably provide a better customer experience (fewer rattles etc).
Concerns were raised on this forum regarding passenger loadings on the 39, but this does not seem to have actually been an issue that has materialised?
Elsewhere Streetlites have been replaced by Versas and Citaros of a near identical customer specification (Wi-Fi, USB, next stop announcements). Aside from the age of the vehicles, there isn’t really much of a downgrade on any of these services. I recently travelled on the 2 service and an elderly customer referred to the seats being far more comfortable on the recently refurbished Versa. Clearly this is just the perception of them being a different colour and in different material (moquette instead of leather) as they are the same type of Esteban seat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(15 Oct 2021, 7:00 am)KingSlayerRBLX Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries
Half the time I do actually wonder if these meaningless brands are just rolled out to keep a few enthusiasts or industry colleagues interested.
(15 Oct 2021, 7:00 am)KingSlayerRBLX In my opinion:Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.
The X-Lines obviously looked better however this can have a chance of being good brand, just no one thinks that as it’s obviously one of those paint, logo slapped on and place names slapped on.
This is just a local bus replacing the Black Cat this can’t be repainted like a Premium service like Voltra that no one will use a lot of times. I like the look of Graphite and obviously we still have Blonde and Silver Solo SR’s I don’t think Blonde will good in my opinion as it just looks like a BTEC venture (no offence).
People need to give the Graphite a chance, that’s all I’m gonna say.
I probs started to not make sense but overall SunderlandDistrict is here to allow local services around Sunderland to look better.
They can’t go into insane detail as A.) Costs Money B.) Can’t get a lot of customers.
Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries
(15 Oct 2021, 7:00 am)KingSlayerRBLX In my opinion:Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.
The X-Lines obviously looked better however this can have a chance of being good brand, just no one thinks that as it’s obviously one of those paint, logo slapped on and place names slapped on.
This is just a local bus replacing the Black Cat this can’t be repainted like a Premium service like Voltra that no one will use a lot of times. I like the look of Graphite and obviously we still have Blonde and Silver Solo SR’s I don’t think Blonde will good in my opinion as it just looks like a BTEC venture (no offence).
People need to give the Graphite a chance, that’s all I’m gonna say.
I probs started to not make sense but overall SunderlandDistrict is here to allow local services around Sunderland to look better.
They can’t go into insane detail as A.) Costs Money B.) Can’t get a lot of customers.
Just need to appreciate GNE giving us new brands to enjoy and allow people to take photos of the new liveries
(15 Oct 2021, 8:22 am)Keeiajs Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.
(15 Oct 2021, 8:22 am)Keeiajs Half of the Xlines routes aren't even expresses.
(15 Oct 2021, 9:30 am)cbma06 I’m sure Dan mentioned awhile ago that Xlines doesn’t mean it comes under an Express service (like in the olden days), I think it’s more comfort and quality service, I’m sure Dan will inform us again as I can’t find the post he posted from probably years ago.
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(15 Oct 2021, 9:30 am)cbma06 I’m sure Dan mentioned awhile ago that Xlines doesn’t mean it comes under an Express service (like in the olden days), I think it’s more comfort and quality service, I’m sure Dan will inform us again as I can’t find the post he posted from probably years ago.
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(14 Oct 2021, 10:42 pm)Keeiajs While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly.
To go back to the liveries compared the Red Kite Ranger to S&D Blue, or really any of them. And some of the names of the brand...I can think of better ones. Mercedes are 13 years old, yes some are 11. And when Euro 6 thing is brought in Deptford will chance to get all the older OmniCity's/OmniDekkas when the 15 plate are going. Sunderland needs serious investment in new buses. Yes they have just branded 13 year old buses, but how long will they last. I give S&D Brand 2 years.
Just Disappointing.
By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.
(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites
(14 Oct 2021, 10:58 pm)Keeiajs The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m
(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not. Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit. Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.
(14 Oct 2021, 10:42 pm)Keeiajs While the buses may not be that different in spec wise. The care that they get is just lower than the rest of the other fleet. 56 doesn't even have working plug sockets. Veras's don't have USB (yet), neither does EDE 65 but I think they are getting them. While the rest of the fleet are getting refurbishment. The old Saltwell parks and don't even have Wifi on 1 hour long routes, same with Drifter they should have USB's. They should have been retrimmed. The new livieries just look like the second thought and the liverys are different to what has happened with the Connections 4, with the front of the bus. I definitely think that Sunderland gets the left overs. they are losing a lot of the high spec streetlights. They don;t have enough double deckers most the time. Really S&D is just a cheap way to get passengers would help if they were allocated correctly.
To go back to the liveries compared the Red Kite Ranger to S&D Blue, or really any of them. And some of the names of the brand...I can think of better ones. Mercedes are 13 years old, yes some are 11. And when Euro 6 thing is brought in Deptford will chance to get all the older OmniCity's/OmniDekkas when the 15 plate are going. Sunderland needs serious investment in new buses. Yes they have just branded 13 year old buses, but how long will they last. I give S&D Brand 2 years.
Just Disappointing.
By rushed job I think he means the branding is too small in places, the destination list should have more locations, just seems like its wrong.
(14 Oct 2021, 10:55 pm)Acky81 Rushed job as in very little effort. Hardly any destinations, the brandings mean nothing to anyone.
The 39 I witnessed the other was extremely packed and just kept driving passed people at stops. These solos are far too small for this daytime route. These could be used after 7pm but during the day the 39 requires streetlites
(14 Oct 2021, 10:58 pm)Keeiajs The 39 needs solos just bigger than the ones which are on it. Maybe 9.9m or 9.2m
(15 Oct 2021, 12:03 am)stagecoachbusdepot I'd argue the main way in which the changes represent a downgrade is all (?) of the incoming vehicles are not only older but more polluting (the reason they are being moved to Sunderland in the first place) - much like when Sunderland swapped the E200 for MANviros ... they may look the same to most passengers but are not. Clearly Sunderland aren't getting the good end of the deal in receiving vehicles that are too dirty for another city, and in some cases were I think due for withdrawal from the fleet had Covid not hit. Appreciate this is the somewhat inevitable flaw in the idiotic LEZ/CAZ/whatever it's called now - all it does is moves the pollution, and all the implications, elsewhere.
(15 Oct 2021, 11:17 am)Dan The branding might mean nothing to anyone, but it's proving to be a success in that it's a huge talking point on this forum alone.
(15 Oct 2021, 11:17 am)Dan The branding might mean nothing to anyone, but it's proving to be a success in that it's a huge talking point on this forum alone.
![[Image: 0c4ed814813330c88a12f44fdf73aed9.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211014/0c4ed814813330c88a12f44fdf73aed9.jpg)
