1550 (NK14 GFY) & 1552 (NK14 GGA) has been repainted at Bus & Coach World Blackburn into Journey Mark's

1550 - https://flickr.com/photos/62607125@N08/5...ateposted/
1552 - https://flickr.com/photos/62607125@N08/5...ateposted/

Photos by Chris Hinds.

(30 Jun 2022, 1:17 pm)Malarkey wrote 1552 (NK14 GGA) has been repainted at Bus & Coach World Blackburn into Journey Mark's - https://flickr.com/photos/62607125@N08/5...1625834270 - Photo by Chris Hinds.

https://flic.kr/p/2nvmw7x

1550 as well


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Are they going to do redcar streetlites too

(10 Jul 2022, 9:05 am)Ryland wrote Are they going to do redcar streetlites too

Supposedly 1543 is at Redcar/Whitby to start the refurbs of there Streetlites

(13 Jul 2022, 8:06 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote Supposedly 1543 is at Redcar/Whitby to start the refurbs of there Streetlites

Have any of them gone yet for refurb

(13 Jul 2022, 9:26 pm)Ryland wrote Have any of them gone yet for refurb

Don't think so, 1550,1552,1553,1554 are all done 1555 & 1556 are now up at Blackburn getting repainted.

Is it just external repaint or getting done internally too

(31 Jul 2022, 8:10 am)Ryland wrote Is it just external repaint or getting done internally too

External repaint
Vinyl Floor around the entrance being replaced
The Streetlites are also receiving a full retrim to the same spec as 1410

Stockton's examples done so-far do however retain their 'Sapphire' internal coving information

Quite a bit of inconsistency around what's being retrimmed and having 'red zones' implemented, especially across other areas' fleets too.

Ashington's E400s and Durham's Pulsars appear to have red zones but only have debranded headrests instead of full dark blue pleather.

(31 Jul 2022, 8:35 am)Kuyoyo wrote External repaint
Vinyl Floor around the entrance being replaced
The Streetlites are also receiving a full retrim to the same spec as 1410

Stockton's examples done so-far do however retain their 'Sapphire' internal coving information

(31 Jul 2022, 9:25 am)omnicity4659 wrote Quite a bit of inconsistency around what's being retrimmed and having 'red zones' implemented, especially across other areas' fleets too.

Ashington's E400s and Durham's Pulsars appear to have red zones but only have debranded headrests instead of full dark blue pleather.

Think all refurbs minus the X93 B9TLs have got the red vinyl flooring at the front in the NE (Darlington's treated gas buses do).

My fears with removing the internal branding (if some of Belmont Sapphire fleet is anything to go by) we'll just end up with cove panels with residue or attempted removal of residue although most of these internal brandings should be removed as most are outdated due to discontinued brands or route details has been outdated for a while now following changes.

(31 Jul 2022, 9:50 am)Jimmi wrote Think all refurbs minus the X93 B9TLs have got the red vinyl flooring at the front in the NE (Darlington's treated gas buses do).

My fears with removing the internal branding (if some of Belmont Sapphire fleet is anything to go by) we'll just end up with cove panels with residue or attempted removal of residue although most of these internal brandings should be removed as most are outdated due to discontinued brands or route details has been outdated for a while now following changes.

Ashington's Sapphires have had the internal branding removed. Residue isn't a problem if it's being done by those who are meant to be doing it.

(31 Jul 2022, 8:35 am)Kuyoyo wrote External repaint
Vinyl Floor around the entrance being replaced
The Streetlites are also receiving a full retrim to the same spec as 1410

Stockton's examples done so-far do however retain their 'Sapphire' internal coving information

When the streetlites are done do you have any information about when the pulsars are gonna start going up for repaint.

(03 Aug 2022, 12:31 am)busesofthenortheast wrote When the streetlites are done do you have any information about when the pulsars are gonna start going up for repaint.

By all account I’m lead to believe that pulsars have started leaving the Darlington fleet to be repainted/refurbished with 1477 the first to go

Odd if they are starting on the Darlington Pulsars. The MAN Ecos haven't been finished yet. At least 3 are still in original condition.

(06 Aug 2022, 7:53 pm)9920up wrote Odd if they are starting on the Darlington Pulsars. The MAN Ecos haven't been finished yet. At least 3 are still in original condition.

I think 4801/03/05/08/09 are still in original

Is 7522 being repainted too? Just been off road for a while but it could be something else.

(06 Aug 2022, 7:53 pm)9920up wrote Odd if they are starting on the Darlington Pulsars. The MAN Ecos haven't been finished yet. At least 3 are still in original condition.

Rumor is that the Ecocitys are being considered to be withdrawn, as they are simply too expensive to maintain, ongoing. Reaching a point in their life cycle that some major components of the gas system need to be replaced (combustion, roof storage tank etc).

Presumably their expected costs are being considered against their book values, which explains why they have stopped their refurbishment work.

(08 Aug 2022, 6:40 am)RobinHood wrote Rumor is that the Ecocitys are being considered to be withdrawn, as they are simply too expensive to maintain, ongoing. Reaching a point in their life cycle that some major components of the gas system need to be replaced (combustion, roof storage tank etc).

Presumably their expected costs are being considered against their book values, which explains why they have stopped their refurbishment work.

A Stagecoach Sunderland driver I spoke to a few months back mentioned that Stagecoach were considering the same due to large costs to maintain these buses.

(08 Aug 2022, 6:40 am)RobinHood wrote Rumor is that the Ecocitys are being considered to be withdrawn, as they are simply too expensive to maintain, ongoing. Reaching a point in their life cycle that some major components of the gas system need to be replaced (combustion, roof storage tank etc).

Presumably their expected costs are being considered against their book values, which explains why they have stopped their refurbishment work.

If this were to happen one would assume Darlo's EcoCity's would head to Liverpool and in return Darlo would receive vehicles from Liverpool/North West?

(10 Aug 2022, 10:12 am)JoshP wrote If this were to happen one would assume Darlo's EcoCity's would head to Liverpool and in return Darlo would receive vehicles from Liverpool/North West?

Can't comment on what's replacing them but I'd imagine they'll be withdrawn altogether. 

If they're not affordable to be redone here then they won't be affordable in Liverpool either. It probably doesn't help that the price of gas has absolutely sky rocketed in the past year or so because of the Ukraine war which will make them expensive to run.

(10 Aug 2022, 12:39 pm)Storx wrote Can't comment on what's replacing them but I'd imagine they'll be withdrawn altogether. 

If they're not affordable to be redone here then they won't be affordable in Liverpool either. It probably doesn't help that the price of gas has absolutely sky rocketed in the past year or so because of the Ukraine war which will make them expensive to run.

More expensive than diesel buses though? I thought that was the whole point of them as the fuel was %50 cheaper to buy than the norm?  Will the voltra's be withdrawn next due to electricity going up 100%?

(10 Aug 2022, 1:48 pm)Rob44 wrote More expensive than diesel buses though? I thought that was the whole point of them as the fuel was %50 cheaper to buy than the norm?  Will the voltra's be withdrawn next due to electricity going up 100%?

Honestly couldn't answer but gas prices are currently 4x what they were 3 year ago and it could get worse since Putin is using it as a war tool since countries like Germany rely on it . Not sure on biomethane but when one goes up the other tends to follow as it's an alternative. 

Petrol has only gone up 1.75x in comparison so the pricing won't be too different now if it was only 50% reduction. 

If the cost of upgrading the gas stuff is substantial it might not be worth it when that arguably could be put towards new buses which have similar pricing (or replace it with other stuff).

LPG is still cheaper at the pumps than diesel.

Darlington’s 1476 has now been refurbished and repainted into Journey Mark livery

Im guessing by bus tracker 1568/9 are the first to get the repaints

Has anymore buses been repainted at Durham depot lately, just gone quiet for awhile, and is it just pulsars that are getting painted first at Durham?


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(02 Oct 2022, 10:58 am)cbma06 wrote Has anymore buses been repainted at Durham depot lately, just gone quiet for awhile, and is it just pulsars that are getting painted first at Durham?


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Think they're still on with getting the Sapphire Pulsar's at Durham done up atm, hard to tell with Belmont at times with how much the ticket machines get swapped around leading to incorrect tracking

Is 1440 also going to be refurbed

This looks fresh, but surely they haven’t repainted into the defunct Sapphire livery?

https://flic.kr/p/2nY6F2c

(08 Nov 2022, 8:36 pm)ne14ne1 wrote This looks fresh, but surely they haven’t repainted into the defunct Sapphire livery?

https://flic.kr/p/2nY6F2c

It was wrapped for the Jubilee. When the wrap was removed Darlington resprayed the base of what it was in beforehand, assume the wrap may have left the paintwork in a bit of a state and a depot repaint into it's original base livery was deemed okay as a short term fix?