Go North East

A big round of changes from the end of last month into this month.

Repaints up to week commencing 10th December 2020 included Optare Versa V1110/Optare 8318 (NK10 GOU) and Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 6049 (NK12 GDA) into the 2019 fleet livery. No more repaints have been reported by the company.

Optare Versa V1110/Optare 8305 (NK09 FVF) has returned to Riverside following a brief transfer to Chester-le-Street, as the planned PVR increase from 2 January 2021 has been postponed.

Optare Versa V1110/Optare 8318 (NK10 GOU) has returned to service at Riverside. Following the completion of this paint programme, similar 8310 (NK10 GNY) has transferred from Riverside to Hexham to allow the withdrawal of Mercedes Citaro 0350N/Mercedes Citaro 5303 (NK08 CHJ), while Scania CN230UB/Scania Omnicity 5249 (NK56 KHV), 5264 (NK56 KJZ) and 5266 (NK56 KKB) have transferred to Percy Main, enabling the withdrawal of 5310 (NK08 MXY) and 5314 (NK08 MYC) and the transfer of Mercedes Citaro 0350N/Mercedes Citaro 5309 (NK08 CHY) to Riverside, replacing similar 5311 (NK08 MXZ).

The Mercedes Citaro 0350N/Mercedes Citaros previously taken out of service but were subject to be reinstated if required - 5298, 5299, 5300, 5301, 5302, 5313, 5315, 5316, 5317, 5318 (NK08 CHC/CHD/CHF/CHG/CHH/MYB/MYD/MYF/MYG/MZV) and 5320, 5321 and 5322 (NK58 DVW/DVX/DVY) have all now been permanently withdrawn from service. Some of these have been sold to Go North West (see below).

Following a successful trial period on loan to Go North West, Mercedes Citaro 0350N/Mercedes Citaro 5305 (NK08 CHN) has now permanently transferred to them. Simiar 5310, 5311, 5312, 5314, 5315, 5316, 5317, 5318 (NK08 MXY/MXZ/MYA/MYC/MYD/MYF/MYG/MZV) and 5320 (NK58 DVW) have all been transferred to Go North West, although are being repainted and refurbished at Thorntons, Ashington, prior to their arrival at the operator.

Mercedes Citaro 0350N/Mercedes Citaro 5306 (NK08 CHO), 5307 (NK08 CHV) and 5309 (NK08 CHY) have been permanently withdrawn from service at Riverside, following the cancellation of the extra duplicate/hot spare buses which were in place in the lead up to Christmas. Likewise 5308 (NK08 CHX) has also been withdrawn from service at Deptford.

The 6-cylinder Wright StreetDeck/Wright StreetDeck Micro-Hybrid 3, 6377 (NK70 BYV), has transferred from Chester-le-Street Depot to Riverside, for a further trial period in use on “X-lines” services X9/X10.

Volvo B11RT/Caetano Levante 3 coaches 7146, 7147, 7148, 7149 (BV69 KPG/KPJ/KPK/KRD) have all been reinstated at Chester-le-Street Depot’s Coaching Unit, with the return of a small number of National Express diagrams.

Open-top format Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL 3999 (574 CPT) has transferred from Peterlee to Deptford and has been stripped of its ‘better bus fares’ livery in favour of a special #GNESantaBus livery. In the lead up to Christmas, the bus will tour the region and spread some festive joy, acting as Go North East’s very own ‘coca cola truck’.

Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 4963 (NL52 WVU) has transferred from Percy Main to Riverside, continuing to act as a ‘bait bus’.

Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 6049 (NK12 GDA) has returned to service at Deptford, displacing 6093 (NL63 YHW) to be taken out of service for repaint and seat re-trim at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn.

Open-top format Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL 3999 (574 CPT) has been taken out of service from Deptford following its #GNESantaBus tour of the region.

Scania CN230UB/Scania Omnicity 5236 (NK56 KHD), which transferred to East Yorkshire in October 2019 becoming fleet number 9922, has returned to Go North East, following its conversion to a driver training vehicle, with an allover white repaint. Its use within the Go North East fleet will be temporary as part of a new recruitment campaign, and then it will be earmarked for disposal.

Scania K340EB/Caetano Levante coach 7098 (JCN 822) has been sold to Panther Travel of Manningtree.

Seaford & District

It has been reported to us that Seaford & District has been sold, with the new owners being those who already own The Big Lemon and Brighton Horizon Coaches.

The previous owner of Seaford & District has started a new company, Seven Sisters Bus & Coach, which will operate the Eastbourne Sightseeing contract that was previously held by Seaford & District. This new operator owns the following vehicles previously in the Seaford & District fleet;

Volvo B7TL/Alexander ALX400: 595 (SFZ595, former LJ53BDO) and 767 (SFZ767, former LJ53BFK).
Dennis Trident/East Lancs Lolyne: 819 (SFZ404, former T819RFG) and 820 (SFZ131, former T820RFG).
Leyland Titan PD3/North Counties: HCD347E.
Bristol VRT: GNJ583N.
Leyland Leopard/Willowbrook: OKO816G
Bristol KSW6G: HAP 985.
Bristol VRT: HKE 690L.
Bristol MW: HFM 561D.
AEC Reliance/Roe: TUG 20.

Leyland Titan TD3 HCD 347E is one of a number of heritage vehicles previously at Seaford & District, that is now with Seven Sisters & Coach, after the sale of former and the subsequent creation of the latter. It is pictured near Brighton on … — Leyland Titan TD3 HCD 347E is one of a number of heritage vehicles previously at Seaford & District, that is now with Seven Sisters & Coach, after the sale of former and the subsequent creation of the latter. It is pictured near Brighton on 19th October 2019. © Paul Green.

Stagecoach East

Returned on loan from Bedford, Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse-Urbans 21223-225 are now back at Fenstanton. Similar 21221/222 remain on loan at Bedford.

In exchange for this, Dart SLF 34537, along with Enviro 200s 37231/234, have moved from Fenstanton to Bedford.

Previously on loan at Bedford depot (from Fenstanton) is Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse-Urban 21225. It is pictured in Buckingham (between Bicester and Milton Keynes) working an Oxford-Bedford X5 service on 29th December 2020. © Adam Floyd.

Stagecoach East Midlands

The latest vehicle to be repainted here is Lincoln allocated Enviro 400 19201, gaining ‘Local’ livery.

Dennis Trident/ALX400 18347 has been transferred from reserve to operational fleet at Gainsborough, with Dart SLF 34702 moving into the main fleet at Gainsborough from the reserve fleet at Worksop.

Accident damaged Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse-Gemini 16940 has now been sold for scrap.

Stagecoach East Scotland

Previously reported at Cowdenbeath, former Oxford Tube Van Hool Astromegas 50267/268 are now parked at Arbroath.

Stagecoach Midlands: One of four former Stagecoach East to have entered traffic over the past two weeks, is Dart SLF 34533. It is pictured in Northampton on 4th January 2021. © Alex Swanston. — **Stagecoach Midlands:** One of four former **Stagecoach East** to have entered traffic over the past two weeks, is Dart SLF 34533. It is pictured in Northampton on 4th January 2021. © Alex Swanston.

Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire

Recent repaints here, all into ‘Local’ livery, are MAN/Enviro 300 24165 and 24178, and Enviro 300 27904.

MAN/Enviro 300 24152 remains in the former Stagecoach ‘Beachball’ livery and does not carry the ‘Specialist’ livery like previously reported.

Recently repainted MAN/Enviro 300 24165 is seen in St Helens on 30th December 2020. © Mark Youdan.

Stagecoach North Scotland (Bluebird)

A correction to our Stagecoach repaint post yesterday, Enviro 200 36033 and Optare Solo 47490 both carry ‘Local’ livery.

Stagecoach South

Latest repaints reported to us here into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery are Winchester allocated Enviro 200s 36024 and 36027.

Stagecoach West

All five Scania/Enviro 400s which had been on loan at Stagecoach Midlands until just before Christmas, 15857/858/968-970, have reentered traffic at Swindon depot this week.

The latest vehicle here to be repainted into ‘Local’ livery is Gloucester allocated Enviro 200 37321. Please note, this was included in our review of Stagecoach repaints posted yesterday.

A further correction to our post yesterday, Enviro 200 36134 also carries ‘Local’ livery.

Transdev

Now in traffic at the Rosso operation are four Optare Solo SRs 161-164 (YD63 UZP/S/T/U). They are branded for the ‘Rossendale Rovers’.

Of note is that York allocated ADL Enviro 400 MMC 2019 carries ‘Pride of the North’ livery, it is the last in the batch of 19 new vehicles that entered service last month. Of these 2001-2014 are allocated to Burnley for their ‘Witchway’ service, whilst the others at York (2015-2018) are branded for the ‘CityZap’ route.

Former Witchway Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse-Geminis 2773, 2776, 2777, 2778, and one other, are now at Plaxton Anston for a full internal refurbishment.

Four Rosso Optare Solo SRs were launched on 4th January 2021 in the new ‘Rossendale Rovers’ branding. One of these, 162, is pictured in rural Lancashire. This year has so far been very icy and snowy across large parts of the country, including in th… — Four **Rosso** Optare Solo SRs were launched on 4th January 2021 in the new ‘Rossendale Rovers’ branding. One of these, 162, is pictured in rural Lancashire. This year has so far been very icy and snowy across large parts of the country, including in the Pennines! © Alex Hornby / Transdev.

A rare pairing, Trent Barton ADL Enviro 200 MMC 143, sits amongst five Transdev Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse-Geminis at Plaxton in Anston on 1st January 2021. © JPT Photos. — A rare pairing, **Trent Barton** ADL Enviro 200 MMC 143, sits amongst five **Transdev** Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse-Geminis at Plaxton in Anston on 1st January 2021. © JPT Photos.

Uno

Mercedes Citaros 321 and 322 have both been returned to Hatfield following refurbishment at an external site, with similar 322 now away for refurbishment.

Wellglade Group

Trent Barton Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse-Urban 716 is currently away at Volvo in Alfreton.

Kinchbus Optare Tempos 319-322 (YJ07 VST/V/X/Y) have been sold to Rambler Coaches.

9th January 2021