New Deliveries / New Livery & Branding Discussion

[don]

Just a brief question - I don't know if it can be answered but here goes.

Presumably the entry into service of more Coventry electrics is dependent on the implementation of more charging infrastructure and this limits the ability to cascade vehicles. With a number of the next batch of 170 now built, and presuming the new PB had charging infrastructure built in, is it possible some of these may enter service before the balance of the Coventry electrics, thus freeing up vehicles for earlier cascade, to replace older (and even non Euro 6) buses as their MOTs expire. Reports of de branding of some of PB's existing buses has been mentioned on this forum.

[Tony]

Just a brief question - I don't know if it can be answered but here goes.

Presumably the entry into service of more Coventry electrics is dependent on the implementation of more charging infrastructure and this limits the ability to cascade vehicles. With a number of the next batch of 170 now built, and presuming the new PB had charging infrastructure built in, is it possible some of these may enter service before the balance of the Coventry electrics, thus freeing up vehicles for earlier cascade, to replace older (and even non Euro 6) buses as their MOTs expire. Reports of de branding of some of PB's existing buses has been mentioned on this forum.

The remaining Coventry ones are very close, the charging points are in, just needing enough electricity to use them which we are promised this month. The Birmingham ones are looking like November/December time

[don]

The remaining Coventry ones are very close, the charging points are in, just needing enough electricity to use them which we are promised this month. The Birmingham ones are looking like November/December time

Thanks - interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing where the B7RLEs get cascaded - my guess is Walsall as they have so many Scanias (and already operate/have B7RLEs) currently. 

[winston]

The remaining Coventry ones are very close, the charging points are in, just needing enough electricity to use them which we are promised this month. The Birmingham ones are looking like November/December time

So the next batch for Birmingham will likely be in storage for 6+ months too before they can enter service. 

[BBS]

So the next batch for Birmingham will likely be in storage for 6+ months too before they can enter service.

That's fairly long...

[don]

So the next batch for Birmingham will likely be in storage for 6+ months too before they can enter service.

Birmingham was a guess on my part - could easily be somewhere else - I don't think it's been announced where they'll go - presumably the delay is whilst charging infrastructure is installed. De-branded existing buses are sometimes a pointer! 

[winston]

Birmingham was a guess on my part - could easily be somewhere else - I don't think it's been announced where they'll go - presumably the delay is whilst charging infrastructure is installed. De-branded existing buses are sometimes a pointer!

@don Tony said 'Birmingham' in his reply to you.

[don]

@don Tony said 'Birmingham' in his reply to you.

Oh yes, I didn't notice that!! 

[Coventrybususer95]

Would it not be easier if any cv repaints get the red stipe instead of blue?

[Mike K]

Would it not be easier if any cv repaints get the red stipe instead of blue?

The stripes are only vinyl, so if a bus transfers from Birmingham / Black Country to Coventry and vice versa it's a fairly quick job to change a few vinyls - as opposed to the full repaint that's required now.

[Westy]

Dunno if I've missed this, but is the plan for the Coventry blue stripe & white vehicles transferred to the Black Country to go to red stripe & white or not eventually?

(Presumbly the Coventry 'crimson' vehicles would go to the new grey livery eventually?)

Is there any transferred Coventry vehicles that won't get a repaint, for any reason?

[RW]

Yesterday I viewed the photos of NXWM vehicles posted on-line and ended up totally greyed out. With the best will in the world and recognising the practicalities of the new livery from the company's point of view it's difficult to describe it as anything other than dull and boring. I suspect it's probably been said before somewhere on this site but seeing all of the vehicles in the photos being 'grey', for me, brought it into sharp focus. Oh well there's always the next 'new' livery to anticipate if we're all still around!

[don]

I can understand the comments about the grey, and I must admit, the new layout of colours compared with the Platinum is less inspiring. However, the original thought, as I understood it, was the grey was intended to convey a similar ambience as high end cars - some of which are grey. The Platinum livery worked, in my view, because of the red trim.

I think the new livery is fine but on a recent visit to Birmingham I was particularly impressed by the crimson liveried vehicles. In fact both the crimson and the grey look really good, even the ones repainted ages ago - I'm not so sure about the two tone blue, some of which were also around central Birmingham (although will obviously be repainted........ at some stage)! 

[Tony]

2019 now back at WN repainted with the extra red on the same as 2231.

[winston]

2019 now back at WN repainted with the extra red on the same as 2231.

Does this mean double deckets can finally be painted too?