(26 Apr 2014, 4:28 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote Those Renowns were New to Washington on the 194/294 before being Replaced by the Solars in 2002, I think the Renowns after that spent the rest of there time up at Stanley on there Local Services.
As for the Optare Solo (457) I would it is Definitely before 2006, as was when Go North East did Service changes to the 638, and of course Re-Numbered it on Several Occasions afterwards, but I have no idea when the Solos were actually Withdrawn, certainly didn't last long with Go North East that's for sure.
I can remember Chester used to have a little local service that ran around Pelaw Estate (can't remember the number but it'll come back to me). I was only about six or seven when that service was withdrawn, so that would come to about 2005. I assume that little service would become some sort of foundation for the 34/34A, seeing as not many services ran without a 7 in front back then.
Just done a bit of research in the middle of this reply, and I can't believe this but the last record of an Optare Solo with GNE is 482 in January 2010. There was only 3 of them at that time though. 457 was withdrawn from Percy Main in June 2008. I'm sure they must have been almost obsolete at that point, seeing as the records also show only a few were branded as Venture and the rest were shuttles and last resorts etc. All this information has come from the many fleetlists on Jeff's Bus Lane.