(16 Dec 2013, 2:14 am)Greg in Weardale wrote I associate Go North East with the tatty old red & blue vehicles on the second rate routes, when the more important services were getting newer, smart, branded buses. The Northern name was reinstated only two or three years ago for the newly painted red non branded vehicles, so I link Go North East with tatty buses and Northern with a bit better ones. But Northern is the traditional name and the company would be advised to keep that on the unbranded vehicles rather than Go North East which means nowt to most people
Outside of enthusiasts people really don't give a toss to be frank. You seem intent on harking back to heritage and OK Travel branding. Yes Bishop and some areas of Durham got older allocations but thats the nature of business. We've all moved on.
The fact is it could be yellow, pink, green, whatever. If its got seats, wheels and moves. The passengers don't care.
They don't even use the name Go North East on their website but simply go.com. I reckon ordinary people identify firstly with the name Northern, secondly with their local route brand, and only last with Go North East.
And B&Q use diy.com. What is your point?
If you bothered to look the website is titled simplygo.com - the home of Go North East. The massive logo at the top is GO NORTH EAST. It tweets as GNE. It advertises as GNE, it facebooks as GNE. It's GNE!
The south coast companies of Go Ahead keep their traditional names.
City of Oxford Motor Services = Oxford Bus Company. So that's changed
Wilts and Dorset = Go South Coast - so that's changed too
Metrobus only formed from the collapse of Tillingbourne.
Plymouth City Transport = Plymouth CityBus
Brighton, Hove and Preston United Omnibus Company to Brighton Hove and District Omnibus Company = Brighton And Hove
Blue Triangle - Go Ahead London
So none of those keep their 'historic' name