(15 Dec 2013, 9:41 pm)andreos1 wrote No idea, you will have to ask the people who decided on the name change at the time and decided to move away from the likes of the Wear Buses, VFM brands etc.
There will have been some justification of it, just as there was when the Pink Panther, Magic Roundabout, Black Cats brands were launched.
That link I put on before is genuinely a good read on brands that have adapted (keeping close to their roots) Heinz, Coca Cola, Kelloggs etc and the changes that haven't worked quite so well.
United was changed to Arriva
Northern was changed to Go North East
Busways was changed to Stagecoach in xxxx
It has happened with each of the big three... You don't see Stagecoach making a big thing about its former roots (Busways), and very rarely do you see Arriva making a big thing of their former roots. Of course Arriva have two branded vehicles, but they too have moved away from their original brand.
I think it is time for GNE to move on too. Properly this time, making a good effort to prove how good Go North East is rather than Northern. It's a fresh start.