Platinum

[leewhayward29]

Interesting. Does it only take 18 buses to fully upgrade the 900 & 957? Thought it was more. Anyway; the Pershore Road requires about 24 buses at peak if I remember correctly, so it still needs about 5 Enviros from Walsalls transfer in to be fully upgraded.

4895 - 4913 = 19 buses
Say, Walsall's 4880 - 4884 transfer, that gives 24 buses in total for the Pershore Road.

Obviously this also means 24 Tridents of some description will be departing BC for pastures not-so-new, namely, most likely, the 41's. Unless they want to really tidy up BC's Trident allocation and delete such vehicles like 4218, 4315, 4316, 4317, 4318, 4320, 4321, (Possibly 4366, 67 and 68 if they were willing to let go of the Engineers done-up bus)

If not then they'd probably keep the ad-blu Trident's and deplete the rest to other depots.

How are they going to be branded for the X51, 934/5/6, 997 services?

Will the normal 51 get to see them too?

[BU07 LGO]

How are they going to be branded for the X51, 934/5/6, 997 services?

Will the normal 51 get to see them too?

some night 51s come off the 935a so ...

[Ally]

It'd be nice if Coventry got the Geminis, they'd fit in numerically too and would create a bigger batch that could be allocated to a single service rather than them being all over the place as per the current situation. One can but wish!

[Trident 4609]

How are they going to be branded for the X51, 934/5/6, 997 services?

Will the normal 51 get to see them too?

I would say that branding wouldn't be needed! Platinum is a brand of its own!

[Kevin]

I would say that branding wouldn't be needed! Platinum is a brand of its own!

I dunno, I'd be willing to bet they'd brand them, would be good as a group branding, ie "Express along the Cov road" or "Fast to North Birmingham" or something similar, so they could get away with using any of the walsall ones on any of those 3 corridors

[Mike K]

I dunno, I'd be willing to bet they'd brand them, would be good as a group branding, ie "Express along the Cov road" or "Fast to North Birmingham" or something similar, so they could get away with using any of the walsall ones on any of those 3 corridors

If the prototype example was anything to go by they will be branded, but in a subtle way, without day-glo green slapped liberally all over them. The demonstration of the livery was 'X1' branded but was more along the lines of Stagecoach gold and Arriva Sapphire, i.e. understated.

[Trident 4609]

If the prototype example was anything to go by they will be branded, but in a subtle way, without day-glo green slapped liberally all over them. The demonstration of the livery was 'X1' branded but was more along the lines of Stagecoach gold and Arriva Sapphire, i.e. understated.

So include it within the livery I.e. Arriva Sapphire (110) as opposed to plastering it with stick on branding.

[GeminiFan1991]

I get the feeling the branding won't be to dissimilar to what the 9 & 50 have on the MMCs.

[The Fox 4846]

The managing Director has made this announcement in his weekly business brief today

Our shiny new two-tone grey Platinum buses will start arriving very soon.

    18 buses are going to Birmingham Central for services 900 and 957, arriving from early May (the existing E400s on there will be cascaded to the Pershore Road).
    40 buses are going to Walsall for the X51, 997 and 934/5/6, arriving from June. The existing fleet on there will leave Walsall for various other places including Coventry, Dundee and BC.

@Tony, when you say 'for various other places including Coventry, Dundee and BC do you mean just these garages or these garages and other garages?

[Tony]

@Tony, when you say 'for various other places including Coventry, Dundee and BC do you mean just these garages or these garages and other garages?

That is not 'what I say' that is the quote from the MD's business brief he sends to all staff each week. It is fairly self explanatory if you read it properly, but I don't discuss future plans until they are made public!

[BU07 LGO]

From what I can see they won't be branded, they are rumoured to have full size rear destinations like the go ahead group use

[mranon]

do drivers get to see the business brief?

[Tony]

do drivers get to see the business brief?

It gets sent to every employee with an @Nationalexpress email address. Any driver can have one of those if they wish

[CL]

From what I can see they won't be branded, they are rumoured to have full size rear destinations like the go ahead group use

Or Reading Buses? (I think the photo is of an E400MMC Hybrid; but the point still stands)
http://www.route-one.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Enviro400-rear-view.jpg

[BU07 LGO]

It gets sent to every employee with an @Nationalexpress email address. Any driver can have one of those if they wish

I had the platinum training today, to be honest most of what they said was known on here months ago