Having seen the trial liveries in the metal / paint, I hope they don't, it looks depressing and awful.

Plain navy looks drab and doesn’t make the bus noticeable, especially at night.

(31 Dec 2024, 11:37 am)ne14ne1 wrote Plain navy looks drab and doesn’t make the bus noticeable, especially at night.

People waiting at bus stops at night have X-ray vision or something - they can see a bus without any interior lights on coming toward them not in service so I doubt this is much of an issue (just a shame they can't actually read what's written on the display). Speaking of, have NXWM had much issue with their grey livery, or, closer to home, GNE and the various Loop, ToonLink and Fast Cats liveries?

Ex London 36361 at Slatyford in the red and white driver training version of local livery.

(31 Dec 2024, 12:02 am)Rapidsnap wrote Having seen the trial liveries in the metal / paint, I hope they don't, it looks depressing and awful.

One of the 27””” from Scotland is currently being painted into the new trial livery I believe. 27844 or 27884, whichever one it is that we’ve just gotten. You might be able to see it through the door at the back of the depot. The colour doesn’t look quite right though so I’m not sure if the colour needs a different colour undercoat before the actual colour goes on or if they’re trying something different.

(02 Jan 2025, 1:31 pm)lewisparker1509 wrote The bus has lights and either a bright orange or white destination screen. I think that's enough to notice a bus at night. The Megabus livery is near a similar shade. I really like the navy livery

Having seen the livery in real life, it's quite a lot darker than Megabus. Definitely not the same shade.

(31 Dec 2024, 12:02 am)Rapidsnap wrote Having seen the trial liveries in the metal / paint, I hope they don't, it looks depressing and awful.

I saw my first bus in the dark blue trial livery yesterday in Manchester (one of the 2 BYD E400 electrics that were painted, now with Metroline Manchester) and thought it looked ok.

Afaik, it's not a trial livery any more, albeit hasn't had an official launch.

It's been appearing on internal publicity since the new year along with a slightly updated logo with the "We've got you" tagline. The colour scheme is also appearing on posters on buses, such as the £2.50 fare cap one.

(04 Feb 2025, 9:16 am)stagecoachfan wrote I saw my first bus in the dark blue trial livery yesterday in Manchester (one of the 2 BYD E400 electrics that were painted, now with Metroline Manchester) and thought it looked ok.

The two BYDs now with Metroline are painted in the original darker shade of Slate Blue. It has since been amended into a lighter shade - compare these two photos of Yorkshire's E400MMC 11716, the first vehicle painted into the lighter shade having already been painted in the original shade.

YX73PFJ Stagecoach Yorkshire 11716 | Alexander Dennis E40D E… | Flickr

Stagecoach Yorkshire 11716 YX73 PFJ | Garry Donnelly | Flickr

(04 Feb 2025, 9:57 am)Kuyoyo wrote The two BYDs now with Metroline are painted in the original darker shade of Slate Blue. It has since been amended into a lighter shade - compare these two photos of Yorkshire's E400MMC 11716, the first vehicle painted into the lighter shade having already been painted in the original shade.

YX73PFJ Stagecoach Yorkshire 11716 | Alexander Dennis E40D E… | Flickr

Stagecoach Yorkshire 11716 YX73 PFJ | Garry Donnelly | Flickr

Still looks ok to me

The lighter shade is better imo

Once the Dark Despair livery becomes more common, wonder how many complaints will start up about buses being less visible at night.

We've had vehicles in similar liveries around here before...
At Night....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...0956615480
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...3352440661

Think most of the issue is that Stagecoach liveries were bright and colourful and now they are going to dark and dreary.

(04 Feb 2025, 11:14 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Once the Dark Despair livery becomes more common, wonder how many complaints will start up about buses being less visible at night.

We've had vehicles in similar liveries around here before...
At Night....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...0956615480
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...3352440661

Think most of the issue is that Stagecoach liveries were bright and colourful and now they are going to dark and dreary.

Wasn't there some whining when Arriva changed their livery, it's just people whining for then hell of it, next the livery will be offensive in some way

(04 Feb 2025, 11:24 pm)V514DFT wrote Wasn't there some whining when Arriva changed their livery, it's just people whining for then hell of it, next the livery will be offensive in some way

I used to hate the Arriva MAX livery when it was first brought out as it looks like it had been put on the bus the wrong way, just felt that the darker colours should have been to the rear.

(05 Feb 2025, 1:15 am)Rapidsnap wrote I used to hate the Arriva MAX livery when it was first brought out as it looks like it had been put on the bus the wrong way, just felt that the darker colours should have been to the rear.

It might have looked too similar to Sapphire then.
Although the later Sapphire looked more like the original MAX with the darker at the front again!

(03 Feb 2025, 4:27 pm)SV08GVA wrote One of the 27””” from Scotland is currently being painted into the new trial livery I believe. 27844 or 27884, whichever one it is that we’ve just gotten. You might be able to see it through the door at the back of the depot. The colour doesn’t look quite right though so I’m not sure if the colour needs a different colour undercoat before the actual colour goes on or if they’re trying something different.

Its 27884, also in the process of going into the new livery is 36466

(04 Feb 2025, 11:24 pm)V514DFT wrote Wasn't there some whining when Arriva changed their livery, it's just people whining for then hell of it, next the livery will be offensive in some way

To be honest, I think it's more it just doesn't fit Stagecoach. It's a brand colour which doesn't and never has fit their brand which has always been white / blue / orange / (red or green)

There's nothing wrong with it on paper, but it really feels like they wanted to keep their new beachball whatever happened and it doesn't particularly work well with anything. They probably should've ditched it really for something new, doubt many would be that bothered.

imo something like this would've looked better (using their brand colours):


But that's just my opinion of course.

(06 Feb 2025, 10:25 pm)Storx wrote To be honest, I think it's more it just doesn't fit Stagecoach. It's a brand colour which doesn't and never has fit their brand which has always been white / blue / orange / (red or green)

There's nothing wrong with it on paper, but it really feels like they wanted to keep their new beachball whatever happened and it doesn't particularly work well with anything. They probably should've ditched it really for something new, doubt many would be that bothered.

imo something like this would've looked better (using their brand colours):


But that's just my opinion of course.

I think I posted this earlier - it's not the colours, it's the circular livery.

If only I had carried on with my graphic design, I could cook something decent up

(06 Feb 2025, 10:25 pm)Storx wrote To be honest, I think it's more it just doesn't fit Stagecoach. It's a brand colour which doesn't and never has fit their brand which has always been white / blue / orange / (red or green)

There's nothing wrong with it on paper, but it really feels like they wanted to keep their new beachball whatever happened and it doesn't particularly work well with anything. They probably should've ditched it really for something new, doubt many would be that bothered.

imo something like this would've looked better (using their brand colours):


But that's just my opinion of course.

So basically the Coaster with a Stagecoach logo/front end?

(07 Feb 2025, 3:03 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote So basically the Coaster with a Stagecoach logo/front end?

It's nothing like the Coaster livery. It's more like First Sheffield (if anything).

Not sure if its been mentioned on here Stagecoach North East Hartlepool based Alexander Dennis Enviro200 36466(NK61 ECF) has been spotted at the back of Stagecoach North East’s Wheatsheaf depot at the paint shop after being painted into the new livery that is being rolled out

(09 Feb 2025, 11:00 pm)toward6931 wrote Not sure if its been mentioned on here Stagecoach North East Hartlepool based Alexander Dennis Enviro200 36466(NK61 ECF) has been spotted at the back of Stagecoach North East’s Wheatsheaf depot at the paint shop after being painted into the new livery that is being rolled out

There is also an Enviro 400 in the paint shop in the same photo which appears rubbed down and ready for a repaint!

I thought it was on a Trail the Nearly blue livery?

(09 Feb 2025, 11:00 pm)toward6931 wrote Not sure if its been mentioned on here Stagecoach North East Hartlepool based Alexander Dennis Enviro200 36466(NK61 ECF) has been spotted at the back of Stagecoach North East’s Wheatsheaf depot at the paint shop after being painted into the new livery that is being rolled out

https://flic.kr/p/2qKJgAD

I don't hate the dark blue, I think it just needs something to break up the dullness

Reminds me of York's awful Park & Ride livery which is almost invisible in the dark.

(03 Feb 2025, 4:27 pm)SV08GVA wrote One of the 27””” from Scotland is currently being painted into the new trial livery I believe. 27844 or 27884, whichever one it is that we’ve just gotten. You might be able to see it through the door at the back of the depot. The colour doesn’t look quite right though so I’m not sure if the colour needs a different colour undercoat before the actual colour goes on or if they’re trying something different.

Entered service today

Midnight Blue has been officially launched, at least internally. Features include nationally standardised fleetnumber placement and internal messaging;
The solid cover avoiding the skirt means it's quicker and easier to do repairs (and probably less conspicuous);
The side logo vynils are reflective;
The way it's worded implies everything will be receiving e-leather seating and new flooring but I doubt we'll see that.

(03 Feb 2025, 4:27 pm)SV08GVA wrote One of the 27””” from Scotland is currently being painted into the new trial livery I believe. 27844 or 27884, whichever one it is that we’ve just gotten. You might be able to see it through the door at the back of the depot. The colour doesn’t look quite right though so I’m not sure if the colour needs a different colour undercoat before the actual colour goes on or if they’re trying something different.

27884  in Sunderland in service in new livery, sorry no photos as I didn't have my phone handy as I was driving in opposite direction