(24 Feb 2015, 4:50 pm)Dan wrote Pretty similar, yes. The livery seems to be a bit more compact with more added to it (which in my opinion makes it look a little untidy). See photographs below:

Go North East: 8306 / NK09FVG by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

Go North East: 8319 / NK11FXB by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

Go North East: 8322 / NK11FXE by danielgrahamm, on Flickr


The rear of the buses also feature the same "Go Save" advertisement as the recently branded "Prince Bishops" Scania L94 vehicles, as shown below:

Go North East: 8319 / NK11FXB by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

Aye, i found these pictures on flickr so edited my post saying it doesnt matter. I assume it was when you were making this post hence why you did see.

(24 Feb 2015, 4:50 pm)Dan wrote Pretty similar, yes. The livery seems to be a bit more compact with more added to it (which in my opinion makes it look a little untidy). See photographs below:

Go North East: 8306 / NK09FVG by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

Go North East: 8319 / NK11FXB by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

Go North East: 8322 / NK11FXE by danielgrahamm, on Flickr


The rear of the buses also feature the same "Go Save" advertisement as the recently branded "Prince Bishops" Scania L94 vehicles, as shown below:

Go North East: 8319 / NK11FXB by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

I don't like where they have positioned the fares on the side of the windows, also don't like the look of the advert on the back under the destination screen.

Oh well, at least they should all now have SimpliCity branding.

5365 seems to be lacking a number!

Destination and via points are showing, but no '4' at the front of the vehicle.

Noticed the rear display was working fine.

(24 Feb 2015, 6:11 pm)Andreos1 wrote 5365 seems to be lacking a number!

Destination and via points are showing, but no '4' at the front of the vehicle.

Noticed the rear display was working fine.

Noticed this earlier when I was out and about taking photos. Managed to take a shot and report it - so hopefully dealt with soon.

Will the Simplicity versa's have different slogans on them, as the ones above only have; Washington to Sunderland Return £4.50.

So like Sunderland to Silksworth return *price* or Silksworth to Washington return *price*

Something like that.

Without wishing to interrupt the fun and games in the '2014 Order Predictions' thread, just a quick note to say that I've marked 8306 - 8309 and 8319 - 8327 as being branded "SimpliCity", with the latter batch also having received a repaint. Noted them all down as February 2015 apart from 8325/27 which are March 2015 as they haven't yet been done. Saves me updating them one-by-one!

when i took a shot of 8319 its front bumper was hanging off similar to this photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswhite...TgR-ejGdkF then the bumper fell completly right of the driver was gonna do 2 trips to Silksworth then back to Deptford but he managed to get home early as a result of the bumper problem

(24 Feb 2015, 10:57 pm)Racer_Experience wrote when i took a shot of 8319 its front bumper was hanging off similar to this photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswhite...TgR-ejGdkF then the bumper fell completly right of the driver was gonna do 2 trips to Silksworth then back to Deptford but he managed to get home early as a result of the bumper problem

Whats the destination display and window vinyl relating to about traveling free until Saturday 9th July?????? 

(24 Feb 2015, 11:27 pm)roar wrote Whats the destination display and window vinyl relating to about traveling free until Saturday 9th July?????? 

It was when the 36 was first launched, they offered free travel for the first week, to try and get passengers away from the stagecoach 4 and 16. 

(24 Feb 2015, 11:31 pm)Michael wrote It was when the 36 was first launched, they offered free travel for the first week, to try and get passengers away from the stagecoach 4 and 16. 

Cheers Michael. I was thinking Bazza had taken this picture today. Didn't even sink in that the bus would be going the wrong way along Green Terrace, must be time for bed lol.

(24 Feb 2015, 11:40 pm)roar wrote Cheers Michael. I was thinking Bazza had taken this picture today. Didn't even sink in that the bus would be going the wrong way along Green Terrace, must be time for bed lol.

The bus photo that was in my previous post was Chris White on flickr taken around 2011 when they were 1st new it was actually the 1st day of service when Chris took that photo I got a similar shot in Fawcett Street 

(24 Feb 2015, 6:11 pm)Andreos1 wrote 5365 seems to be lacking a number!

Destination and via points are showing, but no '4' at the front of the vehicle.

Noticed the rear display was working fine.

(24 Feb 2015, 6:20 pm)Dan wrote Noticed this earlier when I was out and about taking photos. Managed to take a shot and report it - so hopefully dealt with soon.

This seems to happen quite regularly with the Red Kite services too. It seems limited to the branded buses rather than the unbranded buses which I see on route.

Wright StreetDeck Demonstrator 9119 (SN64 CTU) has been Re-Fleet Numbered 8888 by Brighton & Hove and being used on Service 12/12A, does this therefore mean it will no longer be coming to Go North East.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130449355@...539913716/

(25 Feb 2015, 4:47 pm)Malarkey wrote Wright StreetDeck Demonstrator 9119 (SN64 CTU) has been Re-Fleet Numbered 8888 by Brighton & Hove and being used on Service 12/12A, does this therefore mean it will no longer be coming to Go North East.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130449355@...539913716/

Shame, I was looking forward to a ride on it!

(25 Feb 2015, 4:47 pm)Malarkey wrote Wright StreetDeck Demonstrator 9119 (SN64 CTU) has been Re-Fleet Numbered 8888 by Brighton & Hove and being used on Service 12/12A, does this therefore mean it will no longer be coming to Go North East.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130449355@...539913716/

Brighton's use of the fleet number 8888 is quite interesting - I don't think they usually number their demonstration vehicles in an 8xxx series. Should still be coming to Go North East...

Do the X35 and X36 still interwork?

Im meeting a girl tomoz in blyth about 5 is the explorers valid till midnight are yp till a certain time

(25 Feb 2015, 6:53 pm)Jimmi wrote Do the X35 and X36 still interwork?

No. The X35 gets just under 30 minutes layover in Park Lane.

(25 Feb 2015, 6:54 pm)gneasy91 wrote Im meeting a girl tomoz in blyth about 5 is the explorers valid till midnight are yp till a certain time

Yes, valid all day until midnight.

(25 Feb 2015, 6:54 pm)Dan wrote No. The X35 gets just under 30 minutes layover in Park Lane.
Yes, valid all day until midnight.

This might allow the X35 to get Citaro's.. like it was discussed in the predictions thread...

http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2015...-survival/

Cushty thanks

(25 Feb 2015, 10:49 pm)gneasy91 wrote Cushty thanks

A girl from Blyth you say?
Whatever you do, don't go plodging without your wellies!

(24 Feb 2015, 11:23 am)Dan wrote Not sure if there'll be a bus there or not, but it could present a good photo opportunity if there is:
http://www.simplygo.com/news/driver-recr...y-22-march

(24 Feb 2015, 1:02 pm)MurdnunoC wrote The last time I went to one, back in 2004 at Gateshead International Stadium, there was a bus which interested members of the public could drive under supervision. I think the one I drove was either a MPD or SPD. 

Just posted on Facebook:
"You'll be able to ask members of staff on site what life is like as a bus driver and we'll also have a bus that you can take for a test drive around a route."

Someone has to give these potential newbies the full bus driver experience...... the paparazzi! 

To follow on from a conversation on Jimmi's Flickr regarding how awful the "SimpliCity" branded Versas are on the 2/2A - see attached.

I'm not entirely sure if it'll do it justice, but I had 8306 the other day and it couldn't get past 35mph. It only managed this speed on the dual carriageway just off the A19 roundabout leading up to Penshaw Monument! The noise the bus was making was absolutely dreadful - I used to think the sound of the Versas was quite pleasant but this is much the opposite.

I also had 8324 a few days ago and it died twice. Once when it was trying to get up the small bank on Chester Road just after the hospital (see here - it died where the black car was on the left), and once when it was making another attempt to climb the bank just before The Grindon Mill. The driver took a good 30 seconds just to get over the roundabout after coming down from The Wavendon, so those of you who are familiar with Chester Road will be able to imagine how this nearly caused an accident... The latter aforementioned bank is significantly steeper and the driver had to reset the bus completely for the second time. The driver seemed quite familiar with the process, knowing exactly what to do to give it a tiny bit more power (or rather - enough to get up a bank). The 2/2A which was behind assumed the driver conked out and stopped in front of the bus when overtaking so we could get on, but the driver of 8324 ended up getting it moving again, albeit slowly...

(26 Feb 2015, 8:18 am)Dan wrote Just posted on Facebook:here if you want to 
"You'll be able to ask members of staff on site what life is like as a bus driver and we'll also have a bus that you can take for a test drive around a route."

Someone has to give these potential newbies the full bus driver experience...... the paparazzi! 

It's on a Sunday so I may pop along for another test drive around the coach park. 

By all means, feel free to snap me as much as you want. You'll have to guess who I am and what time I'll be there to catch my ugly mug though.

When Arriva closed down Peterlee depot and used it for storage, I contacted the MD at GNE at the time, asking to see if GNE would purchase the depot from Arriva and use the depot for housing the East Durham Brand, WTX, TTX, Fast cats X35, and also some buses for the 60/61 services with their services starting and finishing at Peterlee on early morning and late journeys. But GNE was in content to share the peterlee site with the east durham community bus service, and have the buses still maintained at Deptford, but their looking to see what the fallout was after Arriva adjusted their bus services since the closure of the depot, which really wasn't that much as service 26 was cancelled and replaced by service 21/21A from Thornley to Wingate, and secured service 239 which went into GNE hands.

If GNE also did at the time transfer the operations of the 56 to Riverside with the loss of the TTX, then Deptford would of had the room to move the Washington operations over and close the Washington depot down.

5337 rear blind is blank, if anyone fancies passing the message on?

(26 Feb 2015, 4:36 pm)aureolin wrote 5337 rear blind is blank,  if anyone fancies passing the message on?

It has been like that for months now but, as its the rear blind, i didnt think they would give a toss as much s they would if it was the front.

(26 Feb 2015, 1:02 pm)MurdnunoC wrote It's on a Sunday so I may pop along for another test drive around the coach park. 

By all means, feel free to snap me as much as you want. You'll have to guess who I am and what time I'll be there to catch my ugly mug though.

I'll probably head down to see if there's anything interesting to photograph!

(26 Feb 2015, 4:43 pm)Robert wrote It has been like that for months now but, as its the rear blind, i didnt think they would give a toss as much s they would if it was the front.

This time next year they'll have no choice but to. It's disappointing it's still broken if it's been like that for months. 

(26 Feb 2015, 7:13 pm)aureolin wrote This time next year they'll have no choice but to. It's disappointing it's still broken if it's been like that for months. 

What do you think will happen if a bus does have a faulty rear destination screen after the DDA-compliance dates come into fruition and it takes a couple of weeks for it to be repaired as the depot has been unable to keep the vehicle off the road? I can't see much happening at all, if I'm honest... I'd imagine that it would be pretty difficult to monitor which screens are working and which ones aren't as it'll be based on sightings rather than mandatory checks from the bus drivers on their morning First Use Check.

Riverside's 5389 has the exact same problem - there is one LED lit up in the top left corner and nothing else.