North East Buses
Managing Director - Printable Version

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Managing Director - Storx - 16 May 2023

There's been discussion about this on another forum and no-one has a clue but does anyone know if there is one for Arriva North East / Northumbria / Yorkshire lately?

It appears that everyone has quit / retired over the past year (Knox and Pearce) but there's no sign of any replacements or they're staying well hidden from the public at least.

Anyone know?

Managing Director - Dan - 16 May 2023

(16 May 2023, 9:30 pm)Storx wrote There's been discussion about this on another forum and no-one has a clue but does anyone know if there is one for Arriva North East / Northumbria / Yorkshire lately?

It appears that everyone has quit / retired over the past year (Knox and Pearce) but there's no sign of any replacements or they're staying well hidden from the public at least.

Anyone know?


Isn’t the Arriva model now more centralised, ie a Commercial Director will now report to a Group Commercial Director, rather than the local Managing Director?


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RE: Managing Director - Storx - 16 May 2023

(16 May 2023, 9:35 pm)Dan wrote Isn’t the Arriva model now more centralised, ie a Commercial Director will now report to a Group Commercial Director, rather than the local Managing Director?


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Honestly not too sure if I had to be honest, would make sense though since there's no signs of any MD's nowadays up here or to be honest half the time any form of local leadership lately as some of decisions are a bit questionable ie. shutting a depot and then being surprised that there's a driver shortage.

RE: Managing Director - Rapidsnap - 16 May 2023

Mr X.

RE: Managing Director - RobinHood - 17 May 2023

MD became Operations Director instead, as Dan suggests, they have a more centralised department structure now.

However the Ops Director role wasn't filled and I believe it is Howard Farrell managing both North West and North East as Ops Director.

RE: Managing Director - Storx - 17 May 2023

(17 May 2023, 7:02 am)RobinHood wrote MD became Operations Director instead, as Dan suggests, they have a more centralised department structure now.

However the Ops Director role wasn't filled and I believe it is Howard Farrell managing both North West and North East as Ops Director.

Thank you for that, would make sense on why I can't find anything then.

RE: Managing Director - Andreos1 - 18 Nov 2025

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgk2vm7r3eo

Probably the most relevant thread. Utterly pointless making a new one.

RE: Managing Director - cr51xln - 17 Apr 2026

It appears that Mr Gilbert has already been in touch with a certain bloke who 'creates desire', with a revised livery (darker shade of blue, presumably not matching the European counterparts) and a new moquette, which is similar to the Northern Trains one.

RE: Managing Director - Nerd4321 - 17 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 5:31 pm)cr51xln wrote It appears that Mr Gilbert has already been in touch with a certain bloke who 'creates desire', with a revised livery (darker shade of blue, presumably not matching the European counterparts) and a new moquette, which is similar to the Northern Trains one.

New Arriva livery?

RE: Managing Director - citaro5284 - 17 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 5:41 pm)Nerd4321 wrote New Arriva livery?

seat moquette.....got a touch of the new Lumo ones too I think

RE: Managing Director - cr51xln - 17 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 5:41 pm)Nerd4321 wrote New Arriva livery?

[Image: 55209912195_d8a496e76e.jpg]Arriva Midlands: 3234 BU75 WLV by Chris, on Flickr

As the description says, it's a slightly darker shade of blue.

As for the moquette: https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/675385205_122310128630286901_6592065676368548733_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpegr_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7b2446&_nc_ohc=BRnYXRzKwrwQ7kNvwHtMgJq&_nc_oc=AdqWoG3sZGNFEh8kOQCT724fw3pS1yJjzjbzKBsmvVcIFUidQn3_XygnIpc27zphwgE&_nc_zt=23&se=-1&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&_nc_gid=xFan61NmExhRTHogde0shg&_nc_ss=7a3a8&oh=00_Af0pGCzhC4GEgLTg9kdBKpYw26vPc4X22dzBHAytOSltNw&oe=69E85C24

RE: Managing Director - Andreos1 - 17 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 5:31 pm)cr51xln wrote It appears that Mr Gilbert has already been in touch with a certain bloke who 'creates desire', with a revised livery (darker shade of blue, presumably not matching the European counterparts) and a new moquette, which is similar to the Northern Trains one.

Does this mean the copy and paste designer, is gonna lay off the Arriva bashing for a bit?

It was only a matter of time, before MG got a bit of BI doing some work for him. Again.

RE: Managing Director - Rapidsnap - 17 Apr 2026

Probably still end up the same shade once the sun has bleached it and/or after a few trips through the bus wash.

RE: Managing Director - Economic505 - 17 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 10:32 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Probably still end up the same shade once the sun has bleached it  and/or after a few trips through the bus wash.

Bring back United and Northumbria livery. Arriva’s colours look dreadful.

RE: Managing Director - Storx - 18 Apr 2026

(17 Apr 2026, 11:24 pm)Economic505 wrote Bring back United and Northumbria livery. Arriva’s colours look dreadful.

Must admit I'm still surprised Arriva haven't gone for a full rebrand, even as far as a rename.

I know some will say they will lose recognition but that's probably good thing. Arriva probably have, by far, the worst reputation of any of the public transport operators and it's not just buses. CrossCountry get's as much criticism but they're currently getting a decent refurb (finally). 

There's no value in it, at all, and with the massive investment it would be a chance say look come try us, we're not same s**t we've been for years as it's not just enthusiasts who slag off Arriva.

Right now you can make things look nice but if they still carry the aquamarine it's the same 'old'. 

(Mind they'd need to sort out Ashington first).

RE: Managing Director - Kimlfixit - 18 Apr 2026

(18 Apr 2026, 8:33 am)Storx wrote Must admit I'm still surprised Arriva haven't gone for a full rebrand, even as far as a rename.

I know some will say they will lose recognition but that's probably good thing. Arriva probably have, by far, the worst reputation of any of the public transport operators and it's not just buses. CrossCountry get's as much criticism but they're currently getting a decent refurb (finally). 

There's no value in it, at all, and with the massive investment it would be a chance say look come try us, we're not same s**t we've been for years as it's not just enthusiasts who slag off Arriva.

Right now you can make things look nice but if they still carry the aquamarine it's the same 'old'. 

(Mind they'd need to sort out Ashington first).

I can see them rebranding after all the good bits get franchised off and they are left with just Leicester, Beds and Bucks and Teesside that make any meaningful profit. 

Until then, it would be a waste of time and money.

RE: Managing Director - Storx - 18 Apr 2026

(18 Apr 2026, 10:47 am)Kimlfixit wrote I can see them rebranding after all the good bits get franchised off and they are left with just Leicester, Beds and Bucks and Teesside that make any meaningful profit. 

Until then, it would be a waste of time and money.

Aye probably, not sure it would be a waste of money beforehand though. They're painting pretty much everything anyway so might aswell paint them into something new rather than a livery which was launched nearly 10 year ago now and a fair chunk of the fleet still isn't in it.

First imo done a good job with a rebrand, with the local liveries, a few year back as beforehand they were absymal aswell. Obviously they've gone back to a fleet livery but that's fine as they've refreshed their brand really - ignoring the crazy timetables. Not saying doing local brands as it's a bit past it now but imo it can work.

Arriva is just the new First really.

RE: Managing Director - solsburian - 18 Apr 2026

The last chance for moving away from the Arriva brand was probably with DB, long before franchising, they IMHO should have binned it entirely given how tainted it has always been since 1997, even if they went with painting the busses red/charcoal and calling the local operations DB Northumbria etc. I suppose DB as well seemed to do little to improve the management structure and/or improve corporate discipline/standards either.

I still hold out hope that the franchised network won’t be called “The Angel Network” but I know that is a losing battle perhaps unless GNE/GAG decide to file mass registered trademarks of their existing Angel branding and variants to derail it. That is a topic for another thread haha.

RE: Managing Director - Economic505 - 19 Apr 2026

(18 Apr 2026, 9:57 pm)solsburian wrote The last chance for moving away from the Arriva brand was probably with DB, long before franchising, they IMHO should have binned it entirely given how tainted it has always been since 1997, even if they went with painting the busses red/charcoal and calling the local operations DB Northumbria etc. I suppose DB as well seemed to do little to improve the management structure and/or improve corporate discipline/standards either.

I still hold out hope that the franchised network won’t be called “The Angel Network” but I know that is a losing battle perhaps unless GNE/GAG decide to file mass registered trademarks of their existing Angel branding and variants to derail it. That is a topic for another thread haha.
I definitely want franchising but the ‘Angel of the North ‘ thing means nothing to me. A rusty monument that looks awful.

RE: Managing Director - alexanderdennis0312933 - 19 Apr 2026

(19 Apr 2026, 7:39 am)Economic505 wrote I definitely want franchising but the ‘Angel of the North ‘ thing means nothing to me. A rusty monument that looks awful.

I must say, I do agree. Surely they can find a better name for it.

RE: Managing Director - ASX_Terranova - 19 Apr 2026

(19 Apr 2026, 11:13 am)alexanderdennis0312933 wrote I must say, I do agree. Surely they can find a better name for it.

They already had Transport North East, they could have used that.

RE: Managing Director - DaveFromUpNorth - 19 Apr 2026

PTE North East?

RE: Managing Director - L469 YVK - 19 Apr 2026

Should just be

NEBus
NEMetro
NERail
NEFerry

RE: Managing Director - BusLoverMum - 19 Apr 2026

(19 Apr 2026, 2:48 pm)L469 YVK wrote Should just be

NEBus
NEMetro
NERail
NEFerry

That implies that you wait 30 minutes and still there’s nee bus.

RE: Managing Director - solsburian - 20 Apr 2026

(19 Apr 2026, 1:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote They already had Transport North East, they could have used that.

I can't understand why they got rid of that, it was straight to the point and had already been introduced to the public in literature and ticketing. My only guess why it was not contained even a sub-brand with the new NECA is "not invented here syndrome". I digress.

RE: Managing Director - Adrian - 21 Apr 2026

(19 Apr 2026, 2:48 pm)L469 YVK wrote Should just be

NEBus
NEMetro
NERail
NEFerry

"...so you best get walking instead!"?