(17 Oct 2013, 8:24 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I'm in agreement with you here Andreos1, For the Branding to Work and to have meaning, The Service should at least Serve Fatfield Riverside/Lambton which the 34/34A goes no where near, leading to it's Branding being of Irrelevant.

Whereas if GNE Re-Introduced the old 777 between Sunderland and Chester le Street via Fatfield Riverside and have it under the Lambton Worm Brand,Then the Service and the Branding would then be Relevant. GNE Could even put the 8 under the Lambton Worm instead of the Meaningless Lime Branding.

Does a brand name have to have a local link?. Look at Trent Barton for example...

(17 Oct 2013, 8:17 pm)Dan wrote If I remember rightly, "SimpliCity" was introduced to Sunderland on services 36 and 42 to act as a 'simple' brand identity - and it was marketed as making the passenger experience easier. When it was first introduced, both services had a 10 minute frequency which gives us the brand's slogan, 'Simply turn up and go'.
These services also offered a 'money back guarantee'. This was perhaps more heavily weighted towards the 36 rather than the 42, as the 36 competed with several of Stagecoach in Sunderland's services in North Sunderland.
It would also seem that Go North East played on the fact that Sunderland is a city, rather than a town (it's likely you've heard about this on the radio too recently, as Sunderland has had a 'city' status now for 21 years). The letter 'C' is capitalized. This also looks stylish, but fits in well with with the idea of the "SimpliCity" brand being the Sunderland equivalent of Peterlee's "East Durham", Consett's "Venture" or indeed Hexham's "Tynedale Links".

I'd love for the brand to be expanded further.

I agree with your comments about SimpliCity. I do think it has potentially as a brand I would use as a Sunderland local brand too and all northern services wholly in Sunderland, 38/36/99/42.
I'd think it'd work quite good.

Lambton Worm for the M2/M3 might be good. I'm a fan of branding I'd generally like to see most services branded but I know that's not always feasible. I mean another reason is that a lot of people have preconceived ideas of 'Northern Buses' based on the SPD's, which are as we know dreadful, which means the Northern brand is something which is tainted.

The Lambton Worm route branding is very appropiate for the 34/34A as they pass near the earthworks created to celebrate the Lambton Worm in South Pelaw.

The 34/34A run along Pelton Lane and thats the Lambton Worm earthworks to the NE of Pelton Lane on the old Sunderland - Consett railway route.

https://maps.google.com/?ll=54.866229,-1.583909&spn=0.005069,0.009645&t=h&z=17

503 is heading for Deptford, presumably for maintenance.

Sneaky phone sesh during Theology oioi.

Anyway, if anyone is awaiting confirmation, 4934 passed me on the way to school this morning in its newly branded Northern livery

8302 is the 0850 from Park Lane if anyone wants to get a photo later...

Sunderland departures:
1000
1120
1240
1400
1520
1640

Timetables for the 4 are in the galleries travel shop today if anyone's after one

The other 3 Streetlites here are as follows:

NL63 XBF
NL63 XBC
NL63 XBE

(18 Oct 2013, 12:12 pm)citaro5284 wrote The other 3 Streetlites here are as follows:

NL63 XBF
NL63 XBC
NL63 XBE

I'd say GNE looking to re-launch around the 3rd of November at the earliest then? That's me assuming the newly branded timetables and such are already at the printers

Should note too that I received a leaflet through the door for the Connections 4, and I don't even live that close to the route. Credit where credit is due. It's been a good effort by GNE getting the word out on this one.

5323 seems to have developed a weird blind fault. Seen it on the 2A earlier, only displaying the destination and the scrolling message on the front blind, but no number. Just a blank space where you'd expect to see it. Number was displaying fine on the side and rear blind.

(17 Oct 2013, 8:24 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I'm in agreement with you here Andreos1, For the Branding to Work and to have meaning, The Service should at least Serve Fatfield Riverside/Lambton which the 34/34A goes no where near, leading to it's Branding being of Irrelevant.

Whereas if GNE Re-Introduced the old 777 between Sunderland and Chester le Street via Fatfield Riverside and have it under the Lambton Worm Brand,Then the Service and the Branding would then be Relevant. GNE Could even put the 8 under the Lambton Worm instead of the Meaningless Lime Branding.

I remember when the 'Lime' brand was originally created, the meaning behind it was apparently something to do with lime kilns that used to be based somewhere along the route.

Talking about branding, Arriva recently brought out a 'decker in old United livery. If GNE were going to do the same and produce one vehicle in 1950's Northern livery, which vehicle would suit it best?

Has the final MetroLink solar been repainted? If I remember right 4966 hadn't been painted and is still MetroLink according to fleet allocation.

(18 Oct 2013, 3:53 pm)CatsFast101 wrote Has the final MetroLink solar been repainted? If I remember right 4966 hadn't been painted and is still MetroLink according to fleet allocation.

It has been at Saltmeadows, so I assume it has been sanded down at least.

Changes to X7 from 17 November 2013

There will be minor changes to the times of some journeys on service X7.
- The service will now observe all stops in Peterlee, improving access to the service for residents in the area.
- It will operate via Dawdon Business Park to improve access to employment opportunities.
- Due to low passenger numbers, the earliest and latest journeys each day will be withdrawn.

New timetables are now available online and printed versions will be available on buses from 20 October.

A paper version of the notice has been available on buses for the past week or two though.

(18 Oct 2013, 12:21 pm)aureolin wrote 5323 seems to have developed a weird blind fault. Seen it on the 2A earlier, only displaying the destination and the scrolling message on the front blind, but no number. Just a blank space where you'd expect to see it. Number was displaying fine on the side and rear blind.

Yeah I noticed this as well when I saw it on Chester Road this morning. Strange indeed.

(18 Oct 2013, 4:21 pm)Dan wrote Changes to X7 from 17 November 2013


A paper version of the notice has been available on buses for the past week or two though.

Connectteesvalley website has the following about the changes on the X7:

• Minor route and timetable change and additional stops.
• Buses will be diverted in Dawdon Business Park to serve all stops via East Cliff Road.
• All stops along Essington Way in Peterlee will also be served.
• Buses will operate one minute later throughout from Peterlee to both Middlesbrough and Sunderland,
except the 1702 Monday to Friday journey from Peterlee to Sunderland will operate three minutes later.
• The 1848 Monday to Friday journey from Sunderland to Peterlee will be retimed to operate at 1857.
• The following journeys will be withdrawn:
• Peterlee to Middlesbrough: 0600 Monday to Friday and 0710 Saturday.
• Middlesbrough to Peterlee: 1920 Monday to Saturday.
• Sunderland to Peterlee: 1838 Saturday and 1948 Monday to Friday.
• The following journeys will be truncated:
• 0700 Monday to Friday and 0810 Saturday, Middlesbrough to Sunderland, will start from Station
Town at 0734 and 0844 respectively.
• 1710 Saturday and 1820 Monday to Friday, Middlesbrough to Sunderland, will terminate at Peterlee.
• 1743 (1738 Saturday) Sunderland to Middlesbrough will terminate at Station Town.
• Alternative options will continue to be available from the Tees Valley as follows:
• Northern Rail trains to Sunderland.
• Go North East services X9 and X10 to Peterlee.
• Arriva service 21A to Station Town, Wingate and Peterlee, with further services (Arriva 21 and Go
North East 239) available by changing at Peterlee or, from Arriva service X1, at Sedgefield.

http://www.connectteesvalley.com/data/tr...hanges.pdf

(18 Oct 2013, 4:21 pm)Liam wrote It has certainly been painted, I'm unsure whether or not it has transferred back to Washington, but it was due to move across with some of the Mercedes today I believe.

As an update, I can confirm that 4966 has indeed been transferred back to Washington in her new "Northern" livery.

(18 Oct 2013, 3:40 pm)grandad wrote Talking about branding, Arriva recently brought out a 'decker in old United livery. If GNE were going to do the same and produce one vehicle in 1950's Northern livery, which vehicle would suit it best?

I think a 1950's livery would look great on a SPD or even better, a DAF

In all seriousness I think something like a Versa or a Solar would suit a vintage livery. The solars looked great in the OK livery, so I think those in particular would look nice.

#Tynedale Express getting better by the day - Service X84 left with a full load yesterday at around 14:45, Service X85 left with very few seats remaining at around 15:15!

Glad to see it's a popular service! Coming into Newcastle they haven't been as busy, does the 685 run ahead of them or something?

(18 Oct 2013, 5:16 pm)Tom wrote #Tynedale Express getting better by the day - Service X84 left with a full load yesterday at around 14:45, Service X85 left with very few seats remaining at around 15:15!

Glad to see it's a popular service! Coming into Newcastle they haven't been as busy, does the 685 run ahead of them or something?

Arriva registered a change on VOSA the other day:

PB0002032/61 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP

Variation Accepted: Operating between Newcastle and Hexham given service number 685 effective from 08-Dec-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Wonder what Arriva will come up with since GNE started the Tynedale Express.

(18 Oct 2013, 5:30 pm)cbma06 wrote Arriva registered a change on VOSA the other day:

PB0002032/61 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP

Variation Accepted: Operating between Newcastle and Hexham given service number 685 effective from 08-Dec-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Wonder what Arriva will come up with since GNE started the Tynedale Express.

Chris - see here.

Nice display for the X39 - very similar to the X84/X85

Photo by: Bazza Houston
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76106422@N0...6qv-gJR1eS

anyone getting the 4 on sunday

(18 Oct 2013, 6:34 pm)danpick wrote anyone getting the 4 on sunday

I bet Dan and Bazza will be

(18 Oct 2013, 6:35 pm)citaro5284 wrote I bet Dan and Bazza will be

You know me oh too well.

this will be my journey

8:27 am Metro

8:53 Service 4 to Fatfield,

Prob won't be getting photos of them until 26/27th October as I'm at work from Sunday through to next Friday.

Is anyone planning a DAF farewell photograph session?

Much maligned by some on here (not me, I love them) they have been in the fleet for a long time and been on pretty much every route going from the X66 to the 21's to the...you get the drift

(18 Oct 2013, 5:30 pm)cbma06 wrote Arriva registered a change on VOSA the other day:

PB0002032/61 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP

Variation Accepted: Operating between Newcastle and Hexham given service number 685 effective from 08-Dec-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Wonder what Arriva will come up with since GNE started the Tynedale Express.

Looks like poor old Gilsland gets the chop along with a couple of journeys to Carlisle - I hope they do their Christmas shopping early ! No doubt will be back in their come April though