Saw one of the Country Ranger Streetlites when I was dragged over to Sunderland this morning.
Whilst the shades of green are a bit darker than I expected (not helped by the wonderful weather), but I think it suits it more than the neon green they used on the TVT

(08 Dec 2021, 4:02 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote Guessing 5408 is the first Consett C&C lite to get branded into the CountryRanger for the 78?

Not sure if it's still there but 5408 has been sat at the front of Hownsgill depot since the beginning of Nov. Last week it was minus a couple of body parts including front light cluster covers.

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I believe the CLS examples are being done first, then the two white Streetlites will move up to Hownsgill to allowed their examples to be done.

Country Ranger Streetlite 5399 caught in a fortuitous burst of sun today 5399 NK15ENM | Wright Streetlite Max DF Micro-Hybrid 5399 tr… | Flickr

5395 is back in service in Country Ranger livery.


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I know this is a bit off topic for repaints but is it just me who thinks the 8 and 78 should be different brands. They're now 2 completely different bus routes and don't serve the same corridor at any point in the route since the changes between Stanley and CLS. There's no real reason for them to be in the same brand imo.

(10 Dec 2021, 5:32 pm)Storx wrote I know this is a bit off topic for repaints but is it just me who thinks the 8 and 78 should be different brands. They're now 2 completely different bus routes and don't serve the same corridor at any point in the route since the changes between Stanley and CLS. There's no real reason for them to be in the same brand imo.

if it was a different colour then yes but the 8/78 have always been branded together
Lime - Cross Country Version
Lime - with 8 To Castleside
Lime - 8 and 78 split brand
Lime - Branded together
Coast & Country

first time the 8/78 have been split up on branded

(10 Dec 2021, 6:24 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote if it was a different colour then yes but the 8/78 have always been branded together
Lime - Cross Country Version
Lime - with 8 To Castleside
Lime - 8 and 78 split brand
Lime - Branded together
Coast & Country

first time the 8/78 have been split up on branded

The thing is they used to have a common section through Pelton which kind of made sense them being together and they took the same time from CLS to Stanley every 15 minutes. Now they've been split it's literally 2 different routes. They don't even serve the same bus stop in Chester Le Street in either direction.

It just causes confusion to people. You need to catch the Country Ranger bus but not the 78, you have to get the 8.

The 8 should be branded under the Washington network as it's pretty much the purpose of the route. Anyone catching the 8 to Sunderland is just stupid from Chester Le Street or beyond considering they leave at the same time and it's 15 minutes longer.

(10 Dec 2021, 5:18 pm)TEN 6083 wrote 5395 is back in service in Country Ranger livery.


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5397 as well


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5408 is back in Service. 

If only it had been on its actual route, instead of the X5/16A.

(20 Dec 2021, 11:19 am)Keeiajs wrote 5408 is back in Service. 

If only it had been on its actual route, instead of the X5/16A.

5408 is still VOR - but it has no relevance to this thread anyway as it's VOR for a mechanical repair, not repaint.

With the completion of the Chester-le-Street Streetlite repaints, 5412 and 5441 have now transferred to Consett.

(03 Jan 2022, 5:21 pm)Dan wrote With the completion of the Chester-le-Street Streetlite repaints, 5412 and 5441 have now transferred to Consett.

Doesn't feel like its taken long to get the Chester Streetlites done.

Out of interest, how many vehicles are still in the queue for repaint/rebrand from the September 2021 changes?

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(03 Jan 2022, 6:08 pm)Adrian wrote Doesn't feel like its taken long to get the Chester Streetlites done.

Out of interest, how many vehicles are still in the queue for repaint/rebrand from the September 2021 changes?

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Just two light green X-lines StreetDeck (6331 & 6332), having been replaced by the Red Kite Ranger 47.

I don’t think any of the others can really be argued as being a direct result of the service changes. Most of the changes are to prepare and mobilise the fleet for the Clean Air Zone and/or natural brand refreshes.

For example there are three indiGo branded Solo remaining - although this isn’t as a direct result of the service changes, part of it was a ‘natural’ re-brand to Peterlee Purple (which is why they have taken so long). Those remaining are 664 - 666 (1x Blonde and 2x fleet livery).

All the Consett Coast & Country Streetlites remain, but this was a natural re-brand.

All the Blue 61 Citaros remain, but this was a natural re-brand.

The four X-lines X5/15 StreetDeck will be replaced by Hybrids 6065-68 (the first three now repainted, branded, seats reupholstered with USBs fitted, and tables added to the upper saloon), so these will also require repaint, but this was for the CAZ and not service changes.

The forthcoming changes at the end of January will release a further two StreetDeck from the light green X-lines brand (6333 and one from the new batch) and the five Hexham ADL E400s (6352/53 now done, 6354/55 at Saltmeadows now, 6337 still in service at Hexham).


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(03 Jan 2022, 6:22 pm)Dan wrote Just two light green X-lines StreetDeck (6331 & 6332), having been replaced by the Red Kite Ranger 47.

I don’t think any of the others can really be argued as being a direct result of the service changes. Most of the changes are to prepare and mobilise the fleet for the Clean Air Zone and/or natural brand refreshes.

For example there are three indiGo branded Solo remaining - although this isn’t as a direct result of the service changes, part of it was a ‘natural’ re-brand to Peterlee Purple (which is why they have taken so long). Those remaining are 664 - 666 (1x Blonde and 2x fleet livery).

All the Consett Coast & Country Streetlites remain, but this was a natural re-brand.

All the Blue 61 Citaros remain, but this was a natural re-brand.

The four X-lines X5/15 StreetDeck will be replaced by Hybrids 6065-68 (the first three now repainted, branded, seats reupholstered with USBs fitted, and tables added to the upper saloon), so these will also require repaint, but this was for the CAZ and not service changes.

The forthcoming changes at the end of January will release a further two StreetDeck from the light green X-lines brand (6333 and one from the new batch) and the five Hexham ADL E400s (6352/53 now done, 6354/55 at Saltmeadows now, 6337 still in service at Hexham).


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Take it one of the 70 plate streetdecks will go into red xlines for PVR increase on X1?

Will any of the Streetdecks go into the Cleadon Cabbage livery?

(03 Jan 2022, 6:32 pm)JP6004 wrote Take it one of the 70 plate streetdecks will go into red xlines for PVR increase on X1?

the streetdecks dan has said are the Leather seat ones ex Angel. the X-Lines that were temporally put on service  were these 3 to wait for the arrival of the newer ones. i believe with all the current leather seat X-Lines Streetdecks so:
X-Lines Orange 6304-07
X-Lines Green 6331-33

will be be repainted into the corp livery and i believe it will be:
3x for CLS Depot
2x for Washington Depot
2x for Riverside depot

i dont know if those allocations are right but that is what it should be as Spares are being needed at Chester-Le-Street (believe it or not) for the 21. So then im guessing one of those other ones will come to Washington to have its slot for the X1 mainly whilst doing other routes.

hope that makes sense and sums up your point

edit: apologies i just re-read Dan's post i saw ''New Batch'' so likely.

(03 Jan 2022, 6:32 pm)JP6004 wrote Take it one of the 70 plate streetdecks will go into red xlines for PVR increase on X1?

Should be 6363 (NK70 BYN) that will be repainted into the Red XLines.

(07 Jan 2022, 3:22 pm)Malarkey wrote Should be 6363 (NK70 BYN) that will be repainted into the Red XLines.

Isn't the PVR of the X1 only 11 ? (5 x Easington Lane, 3 x Dalton Park. 3 x Peterlee)

(07 Jan 2022, 5:28 pm)busmanT wrote Isn't the PVR of the X1 only 11 ? (5 x Easington Lane, 3 x Dalton Park. 3 x Peterlee)

It was definitely 13 when the service changes happened in September. At some point it's been reduced from every 12 to 15 minutes so now is only 11 like you say - not sure if that was announced anywhere as being temporary or permanent?

If it's to stay that way it supports my theory that most if not all of 6301-6307 will be used as the Euro 6 vehicles on the 26/50. Then I can see 6364 become an X-Lines spare at Washington (alongside a branded spare) displacing 6376 to Chester-le-Street as spare for the X21 alongside 6377, then 6331-6333 to Chester-le-Street as Angel spares

(07 Jan 2022, 5:34 pm)peter wrote It was definitely 13 when the service changes happened in September. At some point it's been reduced from every 12 to 15 minutes so now is only 11 like you say - not sure if that was announced anywhere as being temporary or permanent?

If it's to stay that way it supports my theory that most if not all of 6301-6307 will be used as the Euro 6 vehicles on the 26/50.  Then I can see 6364 become an X-Lines spare at Washington (alongside a branded spare) displacing 6376 to Chester-le-Street as spare for the X21 alongside 6377, then 6331-6333 to Chester-le-Street as Angel spares

Changed on 25th September when a "temporary" timetable was introduced (according to the printed leaflet) - but as it will shortly have been temporary for 4 months I wonder if it is now permanent?

(08 Jan 2022, 12:43 am)busmanT wrote Changed on 25th September when a "temporary" timetable was introduced (according to the printed leaflet) - but as it will shortly have been temporary for 4 months I wonder if it is now permanent?

I suppose the driver shortages haven't ended yet so it could go back to 12 minutes...however given frequency reductions elsewhere with the likes of the X45/46, I imagine it could quite easily end up being permanent. I know the reduction to the 20 was originally listed as temporary but given it's rumoured the 55 and X20 are being retimed to coordinate with the 20 on Durham Road, I wonder if that's an indication that it will become permanent too.

5404 has returned to service with Country Ranger 78 branding.

Go North East 5404 / NK15 ENT. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

(21 Jan 2022, 3:26 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote 5404 has returned to service with Country Ranger 78 branding.

Go North East 5404 / NK15 ENT. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

hmmm
would of though Castleside would of been included on the branding but clearly not. Shame the Coast & Country brand is now on its last few days now. a brand that i will miss.
good picture tho

(21 Jan 2022, 6:05 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote hmmm
would of though Castleside would of been included on the branding but clearly not. Shame the Coast & Country brand is now on its last few days now. a brand that i will miss.
good picture tho

Now that you have just brought it up, it does seem werid. 

Maybe the Castleside extension is in its final weeks/months. 

Would be nice to get another V service. 

Maybe V4 with Versa's would be nice.

(21 Jan 2022, 6:23 pm)Omega54 wrote Now that you have just brought it up, it does seem werid. 

Maybe the Castleside extension is in its final weeks/months. 

Would be nice to get another V service. 

Maybe V4 with Versa's would be nice.

but the Castleside extension was moved onto the 78 from the 16
however there is some opportunities GNE could do to extend the Venture Network such as a Consett to Crook route.

5406 has re-entered service today in the Country Ranger livery.


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Go North East 5402 / NK15 ENP by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Go North East 5403 / NK15 ENR by kieron mathews, on Flickr

5402/5403 are the latest to re-enter service in County Ranger


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(11 Feb 2022, 2:21 am)TEN 6083 wrote Go North East 5402 / NK15 ENP by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Go North East 5403 / NK15 ENR by kieron mathews, on Flickr

5402/5403 are the latest to re-enter service in County Ranger


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How many more are left to be done ?

(11 Feb 2022, 9:57 am)ian foster wrote How many more are left to be done ?

I believe it's 3. 5405 and 5408 are currently being done, and 5407 is still in service in Coast and Country to be done once the others return.