(25 Jun 2022, 7:01 pm)S813 FVK wrote Go North East RYV 77/6900 by Adam Coyne, on Flickr

Looking good!

(25 Jun 2022, 7:18 pm)Jack Gill wrote Will this be a second spare for toon tour then? As they have 3 painted for it already with only a PVR of 2.

Yes and no.

6900 will be there predominantly for private hire opportunities (there is a huge market for open-top private hires) but will remain as a “last resort spare” for Toon Tour also.


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(26 Jun 2022, 1:42 am)Dan wrote Yes and no.

6900 will be there predominantly for private hire opportunities (there is a huge market for open-top private hires) but will remain as a “last resort spare” for Toon Tour also.


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If that's the case, shouldn't it have gone into Voyager livery?

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(26 Jun 2022, 12:43 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If that's the case, shouldn't it have gone into Voyager livery?

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Potentially yes, but it’ll also be the Santa Bus (replacing 3999) and a community engagement bus - so presumably GNE’s corporate livery is deemed more important for this one.


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To be honest, I think instead of the normal roadstripes, it should have a rainbow roadstripe similar to the one on 6086 livery.

(26 Jun 2022, 12:46 pm)Dan wrote Potentially yes, but it’ll also be the Santa Bus (replacing 3999) and a community engagement bus - so presumably GNE’s corporate livery is deemed more important for this one.


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More branded services should be put back into corporate livery , GNE needs to have an corporate image back so passengers can identify the company than having a dolly mixture or magic roundabout of a bus service brand which are out of control


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(26 Jun 2022, 6:13 pm)cbma06 wrote More branded services should be put back into corporate livery , GNE needs to have an corporate image back so passengers can identify the company than having a dolly mixture or magic roundabout of a bus service brand which are out of control


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Speaking of Magic Roundabout, I used to love that livery on the 33 (i think)

That what they should have called the 93/94 East Gateshead Magic Roundabout Loop, and by the time the NSA have said that it would have passed the stop.

(26 Jun 2022, 6:14 pm)Unber43 wrote Speaking of Magic Roundabout, I used to love that livery on the 33 (i think)

That what they should have called the 93/94 East Gateshead Magic Roundabout Loop, and by the time the NSA have said that it would have passed the stop.

33 and 42
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...y_2009.jpg

Tbh, I think it was licensing that killed it off.

(26 Jun 2022, 9:39 pm)F114TML wrote 33 and 42
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...y_2009.jpg

Tbh, I think it was licensing that killed it off.

Yeah, reading Gary Hunters book on it apparently it was just too expensive to keep up with the copyright so they just ended it

I wonder what other liveries they had to pay for to use?

I'd imagine the Red arrows would be one

Magic Roundabout was the only one as it actually had images of the characters from the Magic Roundabout film on the side of the buses.

The Voyager livery is one of the most confusing brands, at least others brand identities are listed on the website/services page, whereas Voyager is not mentioned anywhere and Google doesn’t really bring anything up apart from Flickr links and GNE’s enthusiast area.

(27 Jun 2022, 12:31 am)Drifter60 wrote The Voyager livery is one of the most confusing brands, at least others brand identities are listed on the website/services page, whereas Voyager is not mentioned anywhere and Google doesn’t really bring anything up apart from Flickr links and GNE’s enthusiast area.

Go North East hasn’t really launched it yet, clearly due to the lack of available driver resource. What limited Voyager activity there has been undertaken by non-driving staff. This includes hires each evening for the past few Fridays to Durham Cricket, and also two emergency rail replacements to Edinburgh from Newcastle last week.

I don’t think it’s very confusing either - it does (or will do) what it says on the tin, a contract bus and coach hire fleet. It is on the website as one of the names wrapped up in the wider Northern Coaching brand, but the Voyager buses have recently had these logos removed in favour of “from Go North East” which suggests they are looking for Voyager itself to be the leading brand now, not Northern Coaching (where it was becoming a name within a name within a name!)
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/northern-coaching

Once fleet availability settles down, these buses will be in use on schools only and in between schools, after schools, or on weekends, be available for “extra-curricular activities”. This will include planned and emergency rail replacement, private hires, corporate hires, and similar.

They are all equipped with tachographs and seatbelts - with a variety of different vehicle sizes on offer (Solo, coach, double-deck) to meet the customers’ needs.


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When all settles down and the new normality begins will the white former nat ex Caetano Levante's be painted into Voyager, would look so much smarter than the white

(27 Jun 2022, 6:54 am)Dan wrote Go North East hasn’t really launched it yet, clearly due to the lack of available driver resource. What limited Voyager activity there has been undertaken by non-driving staff. This includes hires each evening for the past few Fridays to Durham Cricket, and also two emergency rail replacements to Edinburgh from Newcastle last week.

I don’t think it’s very confusing either - it does (or will do) what it says on the tin, a contract bus and coach hire fleet. It is on the website as one of the names wrapped up in the wider Northern Coaching brand, but the Voyager buses have recently had these logos removed in favour of “from Go North East” which suggests they are looking for Voyager itself to be the leading brand now, not Northern Coaching (where it was becoming a name within a name within a name!)
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/northern-coaching

Once fleet availability settles down, these buses will be in use on schools only and in between schools, after schools, or on weekends, be available for “extra-curricular activities”. This will include planned and emergency rail replacement, private hires, corporate hires, and similar.

They are all equipped with tachographs and seatbelts - with a variety of different vehicle sizes on offer (Solo, coach, double-deck) to meet the customers’ needs.


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I appreciate it’s perhaps a work in progress then. Adding GNE taglines is probably a good move just otherwise you’re left with people thinking Voyager is a separate company ‘helping Go Northern’ ; which indeed a family member said a few weeks back. In time when the operations grow, the marketing and branding develops and perhaps it has a section on the website so it’s a bit more visible that may well be less confusing in my opinion. I’d say perhaps the livery could have went into the house road strip style - others would probably argue the need for separate brand all together but appreciating the response and the fact we’re delving off topic.

(27 Jun 2022, 1:03 pm)Drifter60 wrote I appreciate it’s perhaps a work in progress then. Adding GNE taglines is probably a good move just otherwise you’re left with people thinking Voyager is a separate company ‘helping Go Northern’ ; which indeed a family member said a few weeks back. In time when the operations grow, the marketing and branding develops and perhaps it has a section on the website so it’s a bit more visible that may well be less confusing in my opinion. I’d say perhaps the livery could have went into the house road strip style - others would probably argue the need for separate brand all together but appreciating the response and the fact we’re delving off topic.

I would have thought the upcoming sale of the majority of JH Coaches deckers would be the catalyst for a promotion of Voyager...

Passed Saltmedows the other day. Seems gne are doing somewhat confusing

691 Out in service today
692 at Percy Main
693 ???
694 out in service today
695 out in service today

One of the little coaster solos was at Saltmedows getting stripped for parts. 693 is the only 1 I can think of however I did see a solo missing a bumper at Percy Main the other day

Go North East have still got the lower numbered Solo SRs still on their books, AFAIK they haven't been sold yet. So it could be one of the 11 or 61 plated examples.

(28 Jun 2022, 9:56 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Go North East have still got the lower numbered Solo SRs still on their books, AFAIK they haven't been sold yet. So it could be one of the 11 or 61 plated examples.

Plate was off at Saltmedows and the same for the one at Percy Main. Have been told of a driver that 7 little coaster are just sitting there (ones up for sale)

5425 is now in Roadstripe livery.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...2185350064

6900 looking great so far:

https://flic.kr/p/2nvqi4M

(01 Jul 2022, 6:48 am)ne14ne1 wrote 6900 looking great so far:

https://flic.kr/p/2nvqi4M

Just noticed it has black window surrounds which really improves the appearance. I wonder why they do black surrounds on some but not others.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62607125@N...1626819823
5510 has finally been painted!

(07 Jul 2022, 4:09 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote https://www.flickr.com/photos/62607125@N...1626819823
5510 has finally been painted!

Do GNE, & other operators for that matter, buy replacement front panels that are smooth to get rid of the Wright logo or is it filled and smoothed down?

(07 Jul 2022, 4:44 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Do GNE, & other operators for that matter, buy replacement front panels that are smooth to get rid of the Wright logo or is it filled and smoothed down?

The ex-EY Volvo B7RLEs are filled, sanded and painted.

(07 Jul 2022, 4:46 pm)Dan wrote The ex-EY Volvo B7RLEs are filled, sanded and painted.

Certainly looks nicer being able to place the logo or any wording front and centre instead of the Wright indent taking pride of place.

The retro liveried Tynemouth b9 has a smooth front too I noticed. Was that done in house as part of the special livery?

Not a repaint, but noted Coaster Streetlite 5472 has lost it's Wright symbol from the front and now has a plain front panel similar to that found on Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLEs and Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs.

(11 Jul 2022, 7:03 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Not a repaint, but noted Coaster Streetlite 5472 has lost it's Wright symbol from the front and now has a plain front panel similar to that found on Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLEs and Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs.

Interesting! I wonder why.

I see when you board Corporate liveried 6336 you are still greeted with Xlines branding

(13 Jul 2022, 4:42 pm)ne14ne1 wrote I see when you board Corporate liveried 6336 you are still greeted with Xlines branding

Same on 6337