New Deliveries / New Livery & Branding Discussion

[markcf83]

Do you know which of the WMPTE/WMT/TWM/NXWM liveries has been the most expensive to produce fleet wide? I'm guessing the TWM original low floor was the cheapest?

Guesswork here but I'd say the grey/silver and blue with the red band.

[Westy]

Would've said the original PTE livery was one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest?

[Gareth]

Would've said the original PTE livery was one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest?

Not to mention the original blue/grey fleetline repaints. Used PTE layout and it's said a fair few of them had the adverts painted around. Not sure if that what actually the case, or if the grey paint was so cheap it totally came off when adverts were removed.

[Tony]

How long would you say the TfWM (TfWM diamond pattern) platinums take?

They're just two colours underneath that's what determines the time

[Tony]

[darthdc]

If 4651 is heading out, are they going to relocate the Steve Widdows name?

[mranon]

That has taken 4 times longer to paint, and cost 3 times as much, hence why most buses around the country are going one colour (Stagecoach, London, Manchester) or sometimes 2 (First).

Single colour repaint is

prep, mask (one day), undercoat, bake, top coat, bake, varnish, bake (one day), apply vinyls. (0.5 days)

This one was prep, mask undercoat, bake, re-mask for khaki, paint, bake, re-mask for cream, paint, bake, re-mask for blue, very time consuming due to thin lines, paint, bake, re-mask for complete bus, varnish, bake, apply vinyls. Now while the prep & vinyls take the same time the painting took 4 days, not 1.

I think it would be nice to keep a vehicle in the heritage livery at each garage that originally had them. Obviously, the time and extra prep increases the cost, as does any repairs those vehicles require, but it was a nice touch by nxwm. 

I understand where 900 was coming from as previously it was mentioned there were to be no more, especially when they get replaced by electrics. 

As for the time taken to prep the different colours, you can see why many bus and coach operators started to stay with whiote or one base colour and use vinyl

[jasmine]

By 2030 do you think we'll see heritage/special liveries on the new 100% electric fleet?

[BBS]

By 2030 do you think we'll see heritage/special liveries on the new 100% electric fleet?

Since all the electrics currently are owned by zenobe, i personally don't see it happen, and especially if the mayor wants a franchise to happen by 2027

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Since all the electrics currently are owned by zenobe, i personally don't see it happen, and especially if the mayor wants a franchise to happen by 2027

Don't Stagecoach Manchester have an E400 in GMPTE Livery. I don't know if it is allowed but if it is them the WM will probably get that allowance. If not then why not. You have franchised everything doesn't mean the history of where buses have come from to where they will be needs to be killed. It would be like Aston Villa moving from Villa Park to a new stadium. Yeah maybe knock down three stands but you could keep the Holte End which I believe I've heard somewhere was used as a Bomb Shelter during WWII therefore it was a significant local history. 

Yeah have your modern ways and Livery but keep some of the history. If they aren't kept I'd imagine 1834, 2102, the 47×× at YW, 6148 at AG, the Scania Double Decker at PB, 4679 if not a replacement for WB and whatever replacement is allocated to WN and 4125 and maybe the Pride Liveried Bus at BC might be sold on to either a museum or local enthusiasts or maybe an ex NX Employee

[don]

6148 looks great - are the fleet numbers BCT 60s spec? They look a little smaller.

Now if 6148 has cost a lot to paint, imagine how much a replacement for 4679 will be - somewhat more complex.

Re the Zenobe buses, I could imagine a deal could be done to paint a limited number of vehicles in heritage liveries if desired - presumably the cost of painting in heritage livery and repainting back to standard would have to be covered. The only downside would be if Zenobe wanted to take any vehicles so treated off lease and replace with one of the spares. 

Talking of spares, will there be a percentage of additional 'Z' vehicles for the E164 - E333 batch at some point? 

[Tony]

6148 looks great - are the fleet numbers BCT 60s spec? They look a little smaller.

Now if 6148 has cost a lot to paint, imagine how much a replacement for 4679 will be - somewhat more complex.

Re the Zenobe buses, I could imagine a deal could be done to paint a limited number of vehicles in heritage liveries if desired - presumably the cost of painting in heritage livery and repainting back to standard would have to be covered. The only downside would be if Zenobe wanted to take any vehicles so treated off lease and replace with one of the spares.

Talking of spares, will there be a percentage of additional 'Z' vehicles for the E164 - E333 batch at some point?

Zenobe won't allow any other colours, yes 2 more 'Z' buses have been built and registered 

[Straightlines]

Zenobe won't allow any other colours, yes 2 more 'Z' buses have been built and registered

I suspect as with most leased vehicles if they were to be returned in stock livery they would "allow other colours".

The vehicles supplied elsewhere have been "allowed" other colours...

[Tony]

I suspect as with most leased vehicles if they were to be returned in stock livery they would "allow other colours".

The vehicles supplied elsewhere have been "allowed" other colours...

You are not correct. Zenobe don't lease specific vehicles,  they lease a fixed number of vehicles and Zenobe can request a swap at any time, so not giving chance to return the vehicle to stock livery


The rules with Zenobe are they must be just one 'neutral' colour. The other operator using Zenobe is Newport who are all over lime green

[Straightlines]

You are not correct. Zenobe don't lease specific vehicles,  they lease a fixed number of vehicles and Zenobe can request a swap at any time, so not giving chance to return the vehicle to stock livery


The rules with Zenobe are they must be just one 'neutral' colour. The other operator using Zenobe is Newport who are all over lime green

There's more to it than that though:

For example, contracts can be negotiated, an alternative supplier could have been procured and ultimately, in any market it's a buyers market!