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Former Nottingham City Transport OmniDekka YN53 CFO, (NCT fleet number 723), which was latterly on loan to Central Buses was noted in the yard of Centrebus' Leicester depot on 03/01/2018. Here's a snap:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DSsPQo7W4AAKOuQ.jpg

It looks ridiculous white on black on the front then orange on black side and rear. Looks cheap

They could well have recycled destination equipment, for the rears, to save costs. I agree though, having white on the front and orange on the rear looks a tad strange.

Mind you, it's all pretty meaningless when they still, continually, fail to get allocation correct. Here's 3802 on 20/12/2017:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRmpHOuX0AElzM8.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRmpHOvW4AApBc0.jpg - seems to be standard for vehicles to have a patch on the rear that the bus wash has missed.

The 'bush telegraph' is saying that Volvo B7L 66323, which suffered an engine compartment fire earlier in the year, has been withdrawn. First one of Leicester's B7Ls to bite the dust if that is the case.

Former Arriva Midlands 4730 - FD02 UKR, an East Lancs Lowlander bodied DAF DB250, is now with Reading Buses. It will be used to provide additional capacity on services to schools and on football specials. It has been acquired from Panther Travel of Essex, where it was registered AB02 PAN. Since being acquired by Reading, it has returned to its original registration. In fairness to Panther, they re-upholstered the vehicle and it now sports a burgundy seating moquette. The vehicle interior always looked very tired during its latter days in Leicester due to the moquette being faded and worn.

Snapped these pictures of 3802, on 11/12/2017, in Leicester city centre:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQzHw59X0AAjOMs.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQzHyvpW0AE4MNr.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQzH2G-WsAEwT2s.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQzH3aSW0AABOdI.jpg

I've just passed a 'Sapphirized' 3804, at Leicester Forest East, doing a route 158 towards Nuneaton. Rear destination display was a full size, orange LED unit.

Noted today (06/12/2017), 4005, 4008 & 4009 were noted in service with the 31/31A route branding removed.

3807 is the first one refurbished for the 158

Yes it is 3807 and it arrived back at Thurmaston today (05/12/2017). Arriva's refurbished kit versus the brand new E200MMCs of Stagecoach...

Regarding the B7TLs still in use on routes 31/31A, I make it that 4005, 4008, 4009 & 4010 are still branded for the route. I snapped 4005 today, at the London Road / Evington Road junction:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTstPaWAAAfSmA.jpg

Also taken today, here's the revised destination programme:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTselpXUAARvO1.jpg - 4536 at London Road / Granville Road inbound.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTu6llW4AAIv06.jpg - 4537 at London Road / Evington Road outbound.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTxOaJXcAEAr8N.jpg - 4536 at St. James the Greater outbound.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTxOc8W0AEqlcG.jpg - 4539 at St. James the Greater inbound.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTg8uXWsAISBgD.jpg - the rear signs now showing destination information too.

I don't think 'Leicester' is really needed. Which other city centre would the bus be going to? Less is more.

Also grabbed a quick snap of 2516 on Gravel Street:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQTgNyuW0AMTGGW.jpg

On 04/12/2017, 4538, 4539 and 4542 were all noted in service. I managed a few quick pictures:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQPT0WIXkAAjcP5.jpg - 4538 on Charles Street.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQPVNlUWsAEaDB2.jpg - rear of 4542 on Charles Street.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQPVNlZXcAAhUwl.jpg - 4542 on Charles Street.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQPVNlXW4AApaZP.jpg

4536 appeared later on in with the day with a revised destination programme which uses a different font for the route number and destination text. Looks much better. It also corrects how the rear display is used, to show both the route number and destination.

Meanwhile, as the existing Sapphire vehicles are being used elsewhere (namely routes 44/44A & 49), old tat is being used on the 31/31A until all of the new kit is in service. That said, poor vehicle allocation in the past often meant the wrong vehicle type on routes 31/31A and the Sapphire bus used elsewhere.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQPOJUDW4AAF_pe.jpg - 4020 on Charles Street on 04/12/2017.

And here are some snaps of 4537 which I also took on the same day:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJw_eIXkAE0nvO.jpg - on Charles Street. Got to keep that light blue clean!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJxDtmWsAAI4M_.jpg - St. George's Way turning into Charles Street.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJxDqmWkAIiq5b.jpg - railway station.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJxDqjW0AAOMfW.jpg - railway station.

These are the first vehicles in service in Leicester with white LED destination displays.

I snapped these views of 4536 on 03/12/2017:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJsW8fXcAAdizI.jpg - sitting inside South Wigston depot.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJsVh1XcAcEkXI.jpg - at the stop of Station Street, South Wigston.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQJsYg9XUAEchtj.jpg - rear end view of Blaby Road. Despite having a large rear destination display, the Arriva's programming doesn't make the most of it.

The bus didn't look to have a ticket machine fitted so don't know where it was going.

4004 seen at work, at Aberdale Road, on route 44 on 01/12/2017: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQCa0nsUQAAIxl5.jpg

Despite the route branding for route 31/31A being removed, it is still clearly visible on the bodyside!

4536 and 4537 were in service, on route 31, from this afternoon.

A number of the Sapphire B7TLs have had their 31/31A route branding removed and were at work on routes 44/44A today.

As mentioned in the above post, here are some views of 2638 in service in Leicester on 29/11/2017:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DP5HwG5WsAAxi4c.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DP5HwFnXUAAZFb6.jpg ---> showing the 'Centrebus Holdings', standard national, O-licence.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DP5HwGyWsAATImu.jpg ---> legal address change to Arriva Midlands (not Centrebus Holdings).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DP5HwGwX0AAYqrc.jpg ---> working a route registered to the PF0007085 licence.

Not allowed to do that for more than 14 days. After two week they have to run on the correct operating licence

Not quite. The 14 day rule is a sort of 'get out of jail free' card to allow operators to run additional vehicles if additional, unforeseen work crops up (usually on an emergency basis). In this case, the vehicle remains on the O-licence of its owner and the owner is responsible for the vehicle maintenance. The vehicles currently in Leicester have had 'Arriva Midlands' legal addresses applied and should be running on Arriva Midlands' O-licences (PF0007085) because, as far as I can tell, they are being looked after, from a maintenance perspective by Leicester. That said, I snapped bus 2638 working route 55 on 29/11/2017, a route registered to PF0007085, with a 'Centrebus Holdings' O-licence in the window. Not good for compliance.