Platinum

[monkeyjoe]

I sense a bit of unnecessary attitude with somebody asking a simple question or have a mis read. Umm chill  pill or something required. :-\ ::)

[P419 EJW]

Oh, well, tough. There is a button 'Report to Moderator' if you don't like it rather than making an indirect comment.

[monkeyjoe]

Not really that bothered,  ::)

[Liverpool Street]

Gentlemen, stop your bickering.

Here's me thinking page two had something of worthwhile substance. Mistaken.

~

Yes, that VirginTrains livery does look similar to what the new NX livery should've been. I think they could've adapted the greystripes or 'cconnexion bars' to something, perhaps a block black background to them - similar to the Virgin livery on that E300.

Maybe Platinum would give us a clue to what the standard livery could transform into.

Hehe, I would say the only was is up from now on, but given NX's track record.... I'll hold my tongue for the time being.

C.

[trident4370]

If Stagecoach had took NXWM over, that livery might not have been too far from a reality!

[2900]

That virgin bus livery does look very good indeed, it would like an evolution of the current livery so joe public could reckonize it as an nx product.

[Steve3229vp]

Will the new Platinum buses have Wi Fi and power sockets (for mobiles) etc. After my experience going on a Sapphire 110 bus yesterday, which was the most impressive environment I've experienced on a bus, then surely NXWM should go the same way !

[Tony]

Will the new Platinum buses have Wi Fi and power sockets (for mobiles) etc. After my experience going on a Sapphire 110 bus yesterday, which was the most impressive environment I've experienced on a bus, then surely NXWM should go the same way !

I believe both are included.

[dw1308]

I hope the E400's that are going to operate the platinum routes are full height......after getting on a arriva saphire 110 to the city centre the other day, I sat upstairs and firstly the seats are fantastic and comfortable and the wifi is a great idea along with the plug sockets but because they are only 13 foot 10 inches tall the upstairs ceiling is a tad too low for my liking as im over 6 foot tall and not the size of a mouse........So NXWM take note please make sure your platinum E400's are 14 foot 6 iches tall please :]

[CL]

Will the new Platinum buses have Wi Fi and power sockets (for mobiles) etc. After my experience going on a Sapphire 110 bus yesterday, which was the most impressive environment I've experienced on a bus, then surely NXWM should go the same way !

I believe both are included.

Aside from the (slightly disappointing) description of the livery, Platinum is beginning to sound quite promising! :D It'll give me an excuse to visit Walsall more (on the X51), as well as Coventry, I guess.  :-\ However, if all goes to plan, and my sister gets the job in Solihull, it would be a 'blessing' to use all services on these allocated buses.  :P :P

[andy]

I hope the E400's that are going to operate the platinum routes are full height......after getting on a arriva saphire 110 to the city centre the other day, I sat upstairs and firstly the seats are fantastic and comfortable and the wifi is a great idea along with the plug sockets but because they are only 13 foot 10 inches tall the upstairs ceiling is a tad too low for my liking as im over 6 foot tall and not the size of a mouse........So NXWM take note please make sure your platinum E400's are 14 foot 6 iches tall please :]

It does amuse me that people go on about this. How much of your journey is spent sat in the comfortable seat with extra legroom, and how much of it is spent stood up on the top deck?

There have always been lowheight double deckers, it makes having double deckers more flexible. Tamworth always tended to have them as they would go under the railway bridge in Lichfield where full height wouldn't.

WMPTE and its successors generally tended to go for full height as far as I know, possibly as on more urban routes passengers are up and down and on and off more than they would be on say the 110.

[tc]

It does seem to be a standard option for Arriva nationally to order low height deckers with the exception in the past of Leicester, Derby and London. I'm not sure why Leicester and Derby have been different to the rest of the UK!

[Lukeee]

It does seem to be a standard option for Arriva nationally to order low height deckers with the exception in the past of Leicester, Derby and London. I'm not sure why Leicester and Derby have been different to the rest of the UK!

Maybe the people of Leicester and derby are taller  ;)

[don]

It does seem to be a standard option for Arriva nationally to order low height deckers with the exception in the past of Leicester, Derby and London. I'm not sure why Leicester and Derby have been different to the rest of the UK!

Maybe the people of Leicester and derby are taller  ;)

Arriva's use of low height double deckers may simply be a hangover from NBC days, parts of which had used low height Bristol (the maker) buses since the mid 50s and earlier. BMMOs D9s at Tamworth (and earlier types) were certainly not low height but all Fleetlines up until the introduction of the bus grant in 1968 were - but had standard height interiors - one of the reasons it sold so well. The bus grant in 1968 set two vehicle heights (13ft 9in) (for NBC) and 14ft 6in (for London Transport - yes something else which they could be blamed for) - WMPTE negotiated successfully with the ministry for an intermediate height to which their standard Fleetlines were built. The earlier Jumbo Fleetlines as 3913 at Wythall were to original bus grant height and wouldn't go under a number of key bridges on the system.

Going back to the E400 Major Model Change buses planned for Platinum routes, I can't see them being anything but normal height - I'm not over 6ft and have banged my head both upstairs and downstairs getting up to get off Arriva's hybrid B5s - perhaps they need to re-think passenger safety and focus v operating convenience outside of London, Derby and Leicester - I'm guessing if they had sufficient injury claims they might well do!!!

[don]

That virgin bus livery does look very good indeed, it would like an evolution of the current livery so joe public could reckonize it as an nx product.

Whilst it's resemblance to NXWM West Midlands and Dundee livery is undeniable, wouldn't its adoption by West Midlands simply serve to confuse people into thinking there is a tie up between Virgin Trains (which operates in the West Midlands) and NX Group?

I still think employing professionals such as Best Impressions to come up with a livery would be the best solution. Livery is such an important brand identifier that to not do so would potentially waste an opportunity - and who knows, perhaps Ray Stenning might run more Midlands themed articles in Classic Bus if they did............ poor old David Harvey appears to have been relegated to the letters page of late!!!