Your opinion on liveries…

[Tony]

I think it meant the 1000th metrobus delivered to the post deregulation WMT as the others were delivered to WMPTE.

Eh?

[Mike K]

I think it meant the 1000th metrobus delivered to the post deregulation WMT as the others were delivered to WMPTE.

Wasn't it just the 1000th Metrobus numerically? As in 7 prototypes 6831-6835 and 7006-7007, then 993 further deliveries from 2001 up to 2993? Of these, the prototypes, 2001-2910 and 2961-2974 (former 65 guided bus vehicles 8101-8114) were new to WMPTE. 

[markcf83]

The ESOP liveried metrobuses were:
2447 (HY), 2507 (PB), 2576 (BC), 2843 (DY), 2880 (QN), 2888 (WA), 2898 (CV), 2993 (WN), 3000 (AG), 3034 (WB), 3042 (HL), 3044 (LH), 3049 (WH), 3055 (YW)

no Scanisa were painted in the ESOP livery.

Couldn't remember if one was done. Thanks. 

[Wumpty]

Couldn't remember if one was done. Thanks.

I thought the same as you mark, though I was thinking of Scania 3201 used as an all over ad for smoke free bus travel.

TWM 3201

[don]

Couldn't remember if one was done. Thanks.

Scania 3225 was in a BCT heritage livery at Birmingham Central late 90s/early 2000s - all the rest were Metrobuses - it was a nice match with the earlier 1954 3225 (MOF 225),  NXWM's preserved ex BCT Daimler CVG6. 

[don]

I recently visited Birmingham for the first time for a while, to attend a well known football ground. Coming out of Moor Street Station in glorious sunshine, I was struck by the volume of grey liveried buses and how smart they look.

In contrast a crimson liveried Scania pulled away from the stops opposite and I was struck how this didn't look as smart (although to be fair, its paintwork was probably quite a lot older) but the darker red, in particular, was almost matt and looked a bit tatty.

My bus trips that day were both on electric buses and to be honest, I preferred the single grey colour - of course, the grey colour is really set off by the red trim.

It's funny the way minor embellishment can lift the appearance of a vehicle - I remember how the front wheel trims on Fleetlines looked (both BCTs and Midland Red's had them from 1962/3 so it was about 13 yrs before new vehicles started appearing without them), and how their deletion in the late 70s altered the appearance negatively (as well as increasing the amount of road dirt thrown over the side of the bus)! The VRs never had them, and looked a little less complete as a result - they should have realised the issue with road dirt from the wheel nuts - Walsall's, especially in the mid 70s could get dirty to incredible levels - although that might have been contributed to by their cleaning equipment and processes. The bus washer machine only cleaned the sides, and not very thoroughly at that - whereas in Birmingham cleaners cleaned the fronts and backs manually as part of the process!

[satters]

I really like the Brighter Diamond livery, the blue really is pleasing, much moreso than any of the NX offerings IMO

[Lukeee]

I really like the Brighter Diamond livery, the blue really is pleasing, much moreso than any of the NX offerings IMO

Agree, it is a nice livery, especially compared to their old dark blue livery 

[BBS]

I really like the Brighter Diamond livery, the blue really is pleasing, much moreso than any of the NX offerings IMO

The NX livery is just a red line going through the middle and a few in the corner sides, that's it, some BYDs and recently repainted platinums have grey lining around but that's become a skipable part job for NX too

[Westy]

It'll be interesting to see if Nx actually complete a repainting programme in one livery, before starting on yet another livery!

[markcf83]

I thought the same as you mark, though I was thinking of Scania 3201 used as an all over ad for smoke free bus travel.

TWM 3201

I remember seeing 3201 in that-pity they didn't order many more.

[markcf83]

Scania 3225 was in a BCT heritage livery at Birmingham Central late 90s/early 2000s - all the rest were Metrobuses - it was a nice match with the earlier 1954 3225 (MOF 225),  NXWM's preserved ex BCT Daimler CVG6.

I remember that like I did 3201 in the allover ad mentioned elsewhere.

[Crosville]

I prefered the old Blue/Silver/Red, West Midlands Travel/Travel West Midlands livery it was quite distinctive.

[BBS]

I have a question, if you could liven this hideous livery we have right now, how would you do it? I'm my opinion, we could add a lot more "strips" to either sides, such as adding the current stripe towards the rear wheels, and adding a much larger red 2 toned stripe where the current stripe is, alongside adding more colour to the rear, could just be a simple stripe of red. It may cost more but presentation is always key. For the "high end" buses, the same can be done, however actually completing the Grey lining and not cutting it towards the end, maybe another grey line towards the roof section like the 20 plates have, it's just my opinion before someone sparks me costs and other things. As a tourist who comes to Birmingham ( unlikely but still ) and sees that our buses are a complete mess and the the most unknown livery saga going on really isn't going to improve Birmingham. 

[Rachvince53]

I would break up the grey with a red stripe around the waist under the windows.