1500 has now returned to Blyth following repaint, looking much smarter.
I understand 1501 has now gone in its place so will be next to be done.

It's a shame the interior isn't being done though. Although I guess the max interior isn't that bad.

1499 though the interior is totally worn out. They haven't even replaced the most worn cushions. At least on the other fabric seat buses they seem to replace the very worst of the seats but blyth haven't bothered with 1499.

(25 Oct 2025, 11:17 am)Arriva7446 wrote It's a shame the interior isn't being done though. Although I guess the max interior isn't that bad.

1499 though the interior is totally worn out. They haven't even replaced the most worn cushions. At least on the other fabric seat buses they seem to replace the very worst of the seats but blyth haven't bothered with 1499.

Disagree personally, they've only got 2-3 years left max. It's a waste of money imo spending money refurbishing them.

By all means give them a tidy up but if investment was right they should be nowhere near flagship routes before long.

An unexpected addition to the smartening up is Stockton’s 1388 which has had a home made repaint and now wears the blue base.

(25 Oct 2025, 11:57 am)Storx wrote Disagree personally, they've only got 2-3 years left max. It's a waste of money imo spending money refurbishing them.

By all means give them a tidy up but if investment was right they should be nowhere near flagship routes before long.

I hope you're right. I would agree it is not worth doing if they are going to move out of frontline service and be retired in a couple of years. I am just never sure with Arriva as things tend to stay longer than they should, like the 57 plate Enviro 400's have outstayed their welcome by a couple of years. 

Just hope they are nit still around for up to 5 years or anything like that.

(25 Oct 2025, 6:07 pm)Arriva7446 wrote I hope you're right. I would agree it is not worth doing if they are going to move out of frontline service and be retired in a couple of years. I am just never sure with Arriva as things tend to stay longer than they should, like the 57 plate Enviro 400's have outstayed their welcome by a couple of years. 

Just hope they are nit still around for up to 5 years or anything like that.

Yeah I get that, to be honest it was the more opposite aswell. Like if they get refurbished then they'll be around for longer type thing as they won't want to get rid of them. 

It's the Sapphire interior buses which need the refurbs, imo. Stuff like the 17 Plate MMC's and hopefully get rid of the cold white lighting, while they're at it. They're mid life pretty much now and are running around in an interior which doesn't exist anymore and hasn't for ages either. 

Whether you do the 14/64 Plate Streetlite/E400's is debatable as they're getting on a bit as well but they probably have 5 years left really.

(25 Oct 2025, 6:23 pm)Storx wrote Yeah I get that, to be honest it was the more opposite aswell. Like if they get refurbished then they'll be around for longer type thing as they won't want to get rid of them. 

It's the Sapphire interior buses which need the refurbs, imo. Stuff like the 17 Plate MMC's and hopefully get rid of the cold white lighting, while they're at it. They're mid life pretty much now and are running around in an interior which doesn't exist anymore and hasn't for ages either. 

Whether you do the 14/64 Plate Streetlite/E400's is debatable as they're getting on a bit as well but they probably have 5 years left really.

Remember when sone of the V Reg MPDS got a full refurb? It was pretty crazy  I can see their raruonale for not touching the interior (though a deep clean and replacement of collapsed cushions would be good)  For the newer Streetlites and the 14/64 Environs, their interiors seem to be mostly OK so again a deep clean would be sufficient  

The 17 plate MMCs definitely should get more attention inside though, and the seats would probably benefit with deeper padding too

Do we reckon that Redcar's/Whitby B9's will get a repaint?

The 2 DB300's will most likely be going soonish and the MMC's don't really need anything done to them.

(25 Oct 2025, 9:31 pm)solsburian wrote Remember when sone of the V Reg MPDS got a full refurb? It was pretty crazy  I can see their raruonale for not touching the interior (though a deep clean and replacement of collapsed cushions would be good)  For the newer Streetlites and the 14/64 Environs, their interiors seem to be mostly OK so again a deep clean would be sufficient  

The 17 plate MMCs definitely should get more attention inside though, and the seats would probably benefit with deeper padding too

Aye was mental. It's the same with the Citaros at GoNorthEast which must've been around for 2 year max? They were done properly aswell with the floors redone etc aswell. 

My only thought about the Streetlites etc is will they last until their demise. Surely wouldn't cost too much to replace the seats with the new eleather and add usb ports which is basically all the new livery is anyway? 

I know other areas like Liverpool did.