(25 Feb 2021, 10:21 am)mb134 wrote 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.

The only reason that Jesmond's 43/44/45 were converted to become Sapphire routes was that Arriva needed to put the Sapphire ex X21 & X22 E400s (that had been replaced by the new E400MMCs) somewhere.

By making the 43/44/45 Sapphire routes all Arriva needed to do was peel off the X21 & X22 branding and the buses would be ready for use, if the buses needed to de-Sapphiring, that would have taken time and cost money, which Arriva did not think was worth doing.