2nd Hand Unrepainted buses

[richardjones21]

They’ve still got solo’s and a few E200’s running round in Central livery and E200’s in Hansons livery even though they took over those companies years ago. I just think its lazy and shows the operator simply can’t be bothered. Then again, it is Diamond so it doesn’t surprise me.

Simon Dunn is doing an excellent job at Tividale's Diamond Bus and is providing a quality service in competition with National Express West Midlands in Birmingham & The Black Country with new acquisitions of Streetlites & Mellors and innovative fare products.

I fail to see what is wrong with the familiar liverys of previous operators especially as some are branded for the local market such as the 228.

It is reflection of Mr Dunns excellent financial skills and judgement and from a fiscal perspective most certainly not lazy that many areas of The Black Country & North Worcestershire would not have a bus service without Diamond Bus however the vehicle is painted this alone should be applauded not mocked.

 

[Hophead]

My view on this has always been 95% of passengers don't care what colour the bus is, how many USB sockets it has or whether it's E-Leather or fabric. If it's got 4 wheels, seats, is priced reasonably and gets from A to B then that's it.

I would agree that a large proportion of passengers aren't so bothered about these aspects (though 95% sounds like a wholly made-up number). Problem is, for too many services, there ought to be more people riding, and those that are not passengers really do care about these things. That's why the better operators provide them.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

My view on this has always been 95% of passengers don't care what colour the bus is, how many USB sockets it has or whether it's E-Leather or fabric. If it's got 4 wheels, seats, is priced reasonably and gets from A to B then that's it.

Having a bus turn up, on time to taking you safely to the right place, is the entry level requirement. Literally, it's the bare minimum.

However, there are reasons why the better operators do spend money on presentation and marketing. Cost becomes an issue if customers don't feel they get Value for Money.

 

[Pat1105]

It's all about getting passengers out of their cars and on to a bus, can you charge your phone in a car, yes. But now you can do that on a bus, with free wi-fi and a somewhat comfy seat.
My dad refuses to catch a bus because it doesn't take him directly from A to B, and that's why we've seen passenger numbers decline.

I think that’s mostly what puts people off using buses - the fact that there isn’t a route that takes them from A to B. I think the idea of having to change buses somewhere, whether it be a bus station or stop in a town centre etc, seems daunting to first timers, or those who are unfamiliar with a particular network or area.

 

[Worm]

They didn't in West Yorkshire, with Yorkshire Rider's operations in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford, and Leeds (but oddly not York) all getting new local identities and liveries. Which then went out the window two years later, in typical First fashion. Of course they ditched the idea so quickly there were plenty of buses which had local brands vinylled on over the Yorkshire Rider livery and then had the effin roundel vinylled on over those brand names. First's renowned attention to detail(!)

But yes, that's what they did with Mainline and PMT.

Do you have any idea how the old First Manchester tomato soup livery came about?

Example on this Northern Counties Metrobus:

First Manchester 5310 (D310 JVR)

Manchester, Oldham Street, 07/03/1997

www.flickr.com

I was born in 96 when First Manchester was formed from GMB North so I still have some fond memories of these Metrobuses in their final few years.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Do you have any idea how the old First Manchester tomato soup livery came about?

I don't, but I always assumed it was just the old GM Buses livery with the white bits painted over?

 

[JetBlast]

Do any major operators "white wash" busses before they let them go? I don't remember seeing any companies operating busses in basic Stagecoach livery.

 

[Pat1105]

Do any major operators "white wash" busses before they let them go? I don't remember seeing any companies operating busses in basic Stagecoach livery.

Not really. There’s no point in paying to have them sprayed white when the new owner would probably spray them into their livery anyway.

 

[CBlue]

Arriva used to slap a band of red paint on and blank out their fleet names, in an attempt to get the new owners to repaint the bus!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Do any major operators "white wash" busses before they let them go? I don't remember seeing any companies operating busses in basic Stagecoach livery.

First didn't need to - they didn't used to sell them for further service - but since then, some have been selling them and some have seen service in First Barbie or First Urban after disposal, like this in full First Kernow livery that was running in North Somerset https://www.flickr.com/photos/busbo...olist-2gWmkRC-2gapCen-2g3Axyt-2iNyjVb-2g5GTbh


Some Arriva vehicles used to get rough painted squiggles to look so bad that you'd have to repaint them...

Former Arriva Olly

Seen in Dec 2013 was G646UPP, a former Luton Bus Olympian. Having passed through LDT to Arriva, it had left the fleet and was seen in the Abus yard in Bristol. I can't recall it in service nor does it fit the usual profile for Abus so suspect it may have been a Simon Munden vehicle passing...

www.flickr.com

Even the odd Stagecoach one gets on the road

Severnside Transport MX04AXR

Seen at Bristol Parkway Station 11th September 2015 Former Stagecoach Manchester 33100 Also seen with Stagecoach Manchester in March 2012 at Stockport Bus Station - www.flickr.com/photos/68628359@N04/6976523645/in/photolis...

www.flickr.com

 

[Swanny200]

Do any major operators "white wash" busses before they let them go? I don't remember seeing any companies operating busses in basic Stagecoach livery.

I give you E&M Horsburgh of West Lothian, quite a few of these running around on School runs still with Stagecoach livery

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

View attachment 78991

I give you E&M Horsburgh of West Lothian, quite a few of these running around on School runs still with Stagecoach livery

I was just about to mention that on an old Spottings and Jottings webpage (Oxford & Chilterns one) from April or May 2005 there was a picture of an ex-Stagecoach Scotland coach (L-reg Volvo B10M) on a Heyfordian service in Stagecoach livery.

 

[cnjb8]

Renown X965VAP 2013 March 27th 28th 001

All images are copyright and must not be re posted or water marks removed.

www.flickr.com

I think it's an ex Stagecoach vehicle. Terrible!

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Renown X965VAP 2013 March 27th 28th 001

All images are copyright and must not be re posted or water marks removed.

www.flickr.com

I think it's an ex Stagecoach vehicle. Terrible!

You're correct - 33065 it was. Could see it.

Has part of that bus been vandalised or is it part of the route branding?

 

[Flange Squeal]

You're correct - 33065 it was. Could see it.

Has part of that bus been vandalised or is it part of the route branding?

Jazz 2 was the route name for the Stagecoach route advertised on the side in Basingstoke. Ensign sold a batch of former Aldershot vehicles recently and the swoops were painted blue too.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

TBH, the first problem with YR was when Badgerline introduced the revised dark green livery which was a bit rubbish compared to the strong image that they had. Also, they may have begun to introduce the local identities but they then did make the switch to a single corporate scheme.

Although that revised livery become Huddersfield (ever the ginger stepchild)'s pre-Barbie standard identity, along with a crappy name with no local significance (Kingfisher) that I can only assume was pulled out of a hat.

Yorkshire Tiger were terrible for this in the early days, recall a few Solos running about in Wilts & Dorset livery for a while. EDIT: Thinking back, the Wilts & Dorset example was pre-Tiger days under Centerbus Holdings, when Waterloo depot was having a bit of an identity crisis even without the southern interlopers!

 

[GusB]

The discussion of Diamond Bus has been moved to a new thread. Please continue the debate here:

Rotala - Diamond Bus Discussion

** Mod Note ** Posts in this thread were originally here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/2nd-hand-unrepainted-buses.204959/ They have been moved in order to separate the Diamond Bus discussion from the rest. It has taken some considerable time to do this, so I would ask you to please...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[73001]

The post dereg North Western ran buses in various liveries from other operators... they certainly had ex London & Country green atlanteans and nationals. I'm sure some ex Colchester atlanteans also ran in their livery too.
Quite a few Liverpool area operators have run or run now ex London red buses, MTL / GTL, Peoplesbus, Cumfy Bus etc and Maghull Coaches use ex Brighton & Hove buses in their attractive livery.

 

[SCH117X]

Looking like a First takeover in Wetherby in 2013 was a pair of vehicles operating for Connexions and Arrive In Style seen in this Flickr photo
https://www.flickr.com/photos/76935272@N05/9034120481
Connexions have Ipswich Omicities route branded for one service while vehicles acquired in a red livery have had a splash of green paint on their rear sides and back so as not to appear as being a Transdev bus on a route they compete on

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Looking like a First takeover in Wetherby in 2013 was a pair of vehicles operating for Connexions and Arrive In Style seen in this Flickr photo
https://www.flickr.com/photos/76935272@N05/9034120481
Connexions have Ipswich Omicities route branded for one service while vehicles acquired in a red livery have had a splash of green paint on their rear sides and back so as not to appear as being a Transdev bus on a route they compete on

The other interesting aspect being the Barbie Dart had gone from First to Stagecoach as part of the sale of Chester/Wirral ops so two operators had used it in an unrepainted style!