(25 Feb 2021, 10:21 am)mb134 wrote Agreed - I think the 306/308 were prime examples. It almost felt like depots would throw their toys out the pram if they didn't get at least one of each brand. 

Realistically, the only MAX routes should have been:
X7/8/9/10/11 at Blyth
X12 at Durham/Stockton
X14/5/8/20 at Ashington
X16 at Jesmond (why this isn't Ashington ran baffles me)
X66/67 at Darlington
X93 at Redcar/Whitby

Sapphire wise, again I don't see why the Jesmond 43/44/45 were converted really. I can't actually remember when the brand went from feeling reasonably premium, with the launch of the 7 and then X21/22, to very diluted as it happened so quickly. 2014-6 Arriva must have found a good deal with a paint supplier.

Yeah, Arriva seem to go all in on something... for about 5 minutes. Then they just stop bothering. A prime example being Sapphire.

It goes back to what I was saying in the GNE thread, if you advertise a service as being premium, you'd better make sure the vehicles you allocate have all the features you say are available. I can't remember the last time I was on an Sapphire bus where the sockets or USB ports worked. I can't remember the last time I got a Sapphire bus where the NSA worked, or even the last time I got a Sapphire bus with a friendly driver, even before the pandemic you were lucky if they cracked a smile!