Arriva Midlands

[E B]

8055 now carries a new Leicester Buses livery based on that of First's electric buses in Leicester.

Do you have any pictures?

 

[joieman]

Do you have any pictures?

There's one linked under the edits for 8055 on Bustimes, and another couple of photos floating around on Facebook:

Facebook

www.facebook.com

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

I assume 2941 and 7104 are the next vehicles being refurbished? They haven't tracked on Bustimes since April (4429 hasn't tracked since May either, but is actually presently still in service).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

8051 also carries the new livery.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

And 8058 as well

 

[SSmith2009]

8051 also carries the new livery.

Also has smart interior branding too for Leicester Buses although is a letdown with a "network map" behind the driver that only features the frequent services...

 

[BuhSnarf]

The frustrating thing is that it'll just confuse the general public even more in that two operators have the same coloured buses.

Although, I will say it's different than the First Leicester Buses livery.
* The Arriva has dark green "stripes" after the large dark green flash.
* The Arriva one has Leicester buses in a white slanted rectangle, it is also a much smaller font.
* The Arriva one has a stripe of various coloured boxes along the lower side of the bus saying things like "great value" etc.
* The First Bus example has a dark green patch which has "100% Electric, Zero Emissions for a Greener Leicester" behind the drivers window.
* The First Bus example has light green stripes running along side the bus where the Arriva's coloured strip is.
* The First Bus example has long rectangular flashes above the windows on the top deck.

 

[buslad1988]

The frustrating thing is that it'll just confuse the general public even more in that two operators have the same coloured buses.

Although, I will say it's different than the First Leicester Buses livery.
* The Arriva has dark green "stripes" after the large dark green flash.
* The Arriva one has Leicester buses in a white slanted rectangle, it is also a much smaller font.
* The Arriva one has a stripe of various coloured boxes along the lower side of the bus saying things like "great value" etc.
* The First Bus example has a dark green patch which has "100% Electric, Zero Emissions for a Greener Leicester" behind the drivers window.
* The First Bus example has light green stripes running along side the bus where the Arriva's coloured strip is.
* The First Bus example has long rectangular flashes above the windows on the top deck.

I thought the whole purpose was to make them similar so a Leicester bus is easy identifiable and comes under the same brand?

To be fair, all those differentials listed above are so minor the casual user would not be able to tell the difference; after all a bus is a bus.

 

[SSmith2009]

one main difference between Arriva and First with the electroliners:
•Arriva ones are lower height with a flat roof (excluding 8600)
•First ones are full height have a curved roof.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I thought the whole purpose was to make them similar so a Leicester bus is easy identifiable and comes under the same brand?

To be fair, all those differentials listed above are so minor the casual user would not be able to tell the difference; after all a bus is a bus.

Which would be great if they did away with the operator specific tickets and ONLY offered the flexi all operator tickets, but (in my experience) they still by defualt give you a single operator one unless you do tap on tap off. Also, this would also make sense if the other Arriva buses were also green and also the Centrebus ones too...

 

[SSmith2009]

Which would be great if they did away with the operator specific tickets and ONLY offered the flexi all operator tickets, but (in my experience) they still by defualt give you a single operator one unless you do tap on tap off. Also, this would also make sense if the other Arriva buses were also green and also the Centrebus ones too...

there's no one operator only day/week/4week saver tickets now they've been replaced by the flexi versions within the Leicester City zone

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Which would be great if they did away with the operator specific tickets and ONLY offered the flexi all operator tickets, but (in my experience) they still by defualt give you a single operator one unless you do tap on tap off.

there's no one operator only day/week/4week saver tickets now they've been replaced by the flexi versions within the Leicester City zone

That was my understanding for the city area.

You can still buy the operator specific ones for use outside the boundary e.g. buy a Stagecoach one if you fancy travelling to Northampton and then onward to somewhere like MK?

 

[BuhSnarf]

That was my understanding for the city area.

You can still buy the operator specific ones for use outside the boundary e.g. buy a Stagecoach one if you fancy travelling to Northampton and then onward to somewhere like MK?

Yes, that is true - but if you're commuting in from (say Market Harborough) you'll get issued an Arriva day ticket which you can't use on ALL of the green buses in Leicester, only some.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

Which would be great if they did away with the operator specific tickets and ONLY offered the flexi all operator tickets, but (in my experience) they still by defualt give you a single operator one unless you do tap on tap off. Also, this would also make sense if the other Arriva buses were also green and also the Centrebus ones too...

The price of the Flexi tickets dropped at the end of March to match the single operator tickets which were then withdrawn in April so if you only travel within the Flexi zone there is only one ticket available.

The big issue when all the buses are the same colour is that you don't necessarily know who to contact when there are issues like Lost Property, complaints or incidents with car driver - particularly car driver issues where you are not dealing with passengers and they will just look for a similar colour vehicle to try and identify the operator. I think there are regular issues with car drivers calling the wrong operator of green buses in Leicester.

It is my one issue with TfGM not giving any information to the public who operate their services, is that if there is an accident or serious incident that it has to be filtered through a 3rd parties (TfGM) call centre who may not take the right information and slow down the dealing with the matter. Also with lost property if you can talk to the operator directly it may be possible to get it back to the customer quicker, particularly important if you are dealing with things like medicine, money or peoples keys (TfGM may have procedures for lost property that reduce this friction and some operators may not handle it as well as others but even the poor complaints handlers tend to have seperate systems for lost property).

Yes, that is true - but if you're commuting in from (say Market Harborough) you'll get issued an Arriva day ticket which you can't use on ALL of the green buses in Leicester, only some.

There is actually a flexi add on offered by Arriva which allows you to buy a ticket valid on all buses in the Flexi zone and all Arriva buses elsewhere in Leicestershire - you will need to explicitly request it from the driver (assuming you can buy it from the driver, it is definitely listed on their website as being available on their app) as in this case the driver won't know you want wider travel and will sell you the cheapest ticket as they just don't know where you are travelling. Centrebus offer a similar flexi add on valid on their services outside the zone and all buses in the zone.

 

[sharpley]

Yes, that is true - but if you're commuting in from (say Market Harborough) you'll get issued an Arriva day ticket which you can't use on ALL of the green buses in Leicester, only some.

Arriva East Midlands + Flexi ticket is available on the app £11.70 adult day or £44.50 for the week

 

[BuhSnarf]

Ah, okay, glad to see that things have changed for the better - it was a mess last time I used a day ticket as the flexi was more than the Arriva day ticket and when I asked for a day ticket the driver just gave me an Arriva one and not the flexi one.

 

[joieman]

I thought the whole purpose was to make them similar so a Leicester bus is easy identifiable and comes under the same brand?

To be fair, all those differentials listed above are so minor the casual user would not be able to tell the difference; after all a bus is a bus.

Unless you're coming from outside Leicester.

There is actually a flexi add on offered by Arriva which allows you to buy a ticket valid on all buses in the Flexi zone and all Arriva buses elsewhere in Leicestershire - you will need to explicitly request it from the driver (assuming you can buy it from the driver, it is definitely listed on their website as being available on their app) as in this case the driver won't know you want wider travel and will sell you the cheapest ticket as they just don't know where you are travelling. Centrebus offer a similar flexi add on valid on their services outside the zone and all buses in the zone.

But the range of ticket options for the Flexi add-on is still quite limited: nothing for children, students or groups, for instance, and nothing for longer than a week.

 

[smith3792]

Seen in Tamworth Depot Yesterday on Loan is 4543

 

[isaac27]

Ar74zeb appears to be back at Tamworth this morning.

 

[SSmith2009]

Ar74zeb appears to be back at Tamworth this morning.

Most likely it could be 4543.

 

[isaac27]

Most likely it could be 4543.

I believe 4543 is on the spare machine. Ar74zeb only tracked twice this morning so I could be a tracking error. Although it hasn’t tracked in Northumbria since Saturday so it is possible it’s back at Tamworth but I’m not sure.

 

[Russel]

I believe 4543 is on the spare machine. Ar74zeb only tracked twice this morning so I could be a tracking error. Although it hasn’t tracked in Northumbria since Saturday so it is possible it’s back at Tamworth but I’m not sure.

So which one is at Tamworth?

 

[joieman]

So which one is at Tamworth?

4543 definitely is at Tamworth, as I've seen photos of it there. (Rather strange that they didn't transfer 4544 or one of the other MMCs, in my opinion.) We'll probably have to wait and see if any photos of DM01-MD back at Tamworth surface.

 

[Russel]

4543 definitely is at Tamworth, as I've seen photos of it there. (Rather strange that they didn't transfer 4544 or one of the other MMCs, in my opinion.) We'll probably have to wait and see if any photos of DM01-MD back at Tamworth surface.

Are they that short of E400s now then?

 

[zkyx02]

4543 definitely is at Tamworth, as I've seen photos of it there. (Rather strange that they didn't transfer 4544 or one of the other MMCs, in my opinion.) We'll probably have to wait and see if any photos of DM01-MD back at Tamworth surface.

4543 would’ve been sat around for weeks if it hadn’t of gone to Tamworth, to date no hoppers have actually strayed onto service work at Derby, 4544 being debranded means it can be used on service so that’s why they wouldn’t send that.

F1 is also coming up so plenty of hoppers flying around Milton Keynes, wonder if many B9s will make it this year… I’m honestly shocked so many are still going well…

 

[isaac27]

Are they that short of E400s now then?

4411 has broken down again and seems to be long term again this one was already off the road for around 6 months last year. 4413 is waiting for an mot at derby on Friday. Plus the others aren’t really that reliable. The hopper bus is on loan for the 115 school service and the number 10 not sure why the 10 as it will probably confuse people as it isn’t in a usual Arriva livery

 

[derbybusdepot]

4411 has broken down again and seems to be long term again this one was already off the road for around 6 months last year. 4413 is waiting for an mot at derby on Friday. Plus the others aren’t really that reliable. The hopper bus is on loan for the 115 school service and the number 10 not sure why the 10 as it will probably confuse people as it isn’t in a usual Arriva livery

I believe the Nottingham uni hopper bus services that Arriva Derby operate are currently out for tender, so there may be a different operator and or vehicles on it from September.

I believe the tender prohibits them from using the branded buses on other services, perhaps within a certain radius of the hopper bus routes? Also penalties for using a non liveries vehicle, which is why there is the odd situation with 4544 in hopper bus livery without the branding!

 

[Trainman40083]

I believe the Nottingham uni hopper bus services that Arriva Derby operate are currently out for tender, so there may be a different operator and or vehicles on it from September.

I believe the tender prohibits them from using the branded buses on other services, perhaps within a certain radius of the hopper bus routes? Also penalties for using a non liveries vehicle, which is why there is the odd situation with 4544 in hopper bus livery without the branding!

I have a memory of a branded Hopper bus on another service in Derby, on the same day as 4544.

 

[Russel]

4411 has broken down again and seems to be long term again this one was already off the road for around 6 months last year. 4413 is waiting for an mot at derby on Friday. Plus the others aren’t really that reliable. The hopper bus is on loan for the 115 school service and the number 10 not sure why the 10 as it will probably confuse people as it isn’t in a usual Arriva livery

And still no sign of the electric deckers...

This is what you get when you run a garage into the ground.

 

[isaac27]

And still no sign of the electric deckers...

This is what you get when you run a garage into the ground.

4407 has broken down today too and now 3006 is covering it on the 110.

 

[Voyager 2953]

Seen reports that the E400 Cities at Wrexham are going to Milton Keynes in September.

 

[Russel]

Seen reports that the E400 Cities at Wrexham are going to Milton Keynes in September.

What are Wrexham getting in exchange?

 

[Voyager 2953]

What are Wrexham getting in exchange?

New E200 MMC with 6.7L engines which are arriving in the next few weeks.