Last week we launched our new look concept bus at the Cornwall Transport Expo. The bus carries a new colour scheme which we are going to be consulting customers, partners and stakeholders on. We're looking for a new colour scheme and brand for our bus services across Cornwall, and are looking for feedback on this experimental green colour scheme. Please post your comments and feedback here (FK Facebook page).
Thanks to those who've already posted feedback and comments, they're very much appreciated. (CJ)
© First Kernow
From what I can see most feedback is very positive – its certainly a big improvement on standard First Group livery. Hopefully the more positive feedback it gets the more chance of this or something similar being adopted in the not to distant future. So please do leave your feedback on First Kernows Facebook page or email contactcornwall@firstgroup.com. (and let us know what you think as well!)
Meanwhile another promotion in Cornwall…
Every weekend from now until the end of 2015 kids can travel for free on all First Kernow buses when they travel with a full paying adult!
- Here's the small print:
- Children (age 5-16 inclusive) travel free when accompanied by a full fare paying adult
- Valid Every Saturday and Sunday for the remainder of 2015 (last date of offer Sunday 27 December)
- This can also be used with tickets bought on the M ticket app.
- Valid for tickets bought that day or on previously purchased 2 day / 3 day / 7 day / month / 6 month / 12 month tickets so long as they are valid.
- Excludes Truro Park & Ride
Can Mr Stenning only come up with the swoosh. He tried that with PCB and they ditched it. The GO Cornwall livery is better and that looked very smart at the Expo.
ReplyDeleteThe Potteries is by Mr Stenning too, and that's not a swoosh...
DeleteLooks like one of the 12-plate E40Ds that saw service in Plymouth
ReplyDeletewrong it is a new reg 65 plate seen it on the bbc news and same logo has buses off somer set
DeleteLooks like a copy of citybuses swoop!
ReplyDeletelook like logo off buses off somerset buses are in that colour
ReplyDeleteI think Anon at 07:30 has a valid comment: Mr Stenning's offerings are beginning to look stale.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at what his agency is producing across the country, they're all variations on the same theme, which suggests it's not merely them being restricted by their customers' wishes; it seems that they've got themselves stuck in a bit of a rut.
The base Kernow livery looks very much like Buses of Somerset, but that may well be at First's request to ease transfer between subsidiaries (and if it is that, then hopefully it means the green may replace the blue-grey nationally), but the rest of it also looks much like their offerings elsewhere.
I suppose that there's so little quality competition out there in the bus-image-design-world, Stenning's having long been so far ahead of any competitors, that with nothing to keep them on their toes they've stagnated.
Has anybody actually confirmed that this is a Best Impressions livery?
DeleteThat said, it does have many of his usual hallmarks. But yes, I agree with previous posters, BI liveries are generally variations of the same thing but that's been the case for quite a while. As a result, there's very little difference between the styles they've produced recently for both Arriva and Go-Ahead (Brighton, Metrobus, Chambers, Plymouth Citybus, Konect Bus etc) it's all a front colour seperated from a rear colour by a swoop or crescent.
Looking objectively, though, does it really matter? It's only enthusiasts who have an awareness of liveries nationally, most 'normal' bus users will only see what's around in their local area or nearby towns and certainly won't put two and two together in the same way.
As much as I detest the flawed layout and drab colours of the current First livery, at least it is something different.
I'm not sure what the answer is, modern body designs don't tend to have the beading strips which tradtionally formed the basis for horizontal paint layouts and so swoopy liveries don't jar as much as they used to, although some of the heritage designs that First has outshopped in the last couple of years really do look good and show that some more tradtional colours and layouts applied with a little thought can look just as modern and contempary as the current trendy swoops and crescents do.
It's perhaps a little unfortunate that the Bus Kernow scheme appears to have been inflenced by the current (non-BI) Citybus layout.
I'd suggest that this is so close to BoS livery that they may as well use BoS livery and make transfers between the two easier but that got said a few days ago and got shot down in flames! Of course, it may be that the contract with BI for the BoS design restricts them from applying it to operations outside of Somerset.
I agree with other posters that the 'Swoosh' is becoming a bit cliched.
ReplyDeleteAlmost anything has to be better than std First colours, it's actually reasonably attractive with echoes of Western National as others have said.
I could only give it my full seal of approval if they deleted the 'F' logo as well!
Am I the only one who thinks it looks like stagecoach gold livery?
ReplyDeleteGreat improvement over the awful Olympia livery. Bus Kernow is a good name too especially if the FIRST logo is very tiny.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly an improvement on the anaemic grey and mauve First livery. However, the light green and the olive green seem to go across the front two windows - covering one of them completely. As I travel in a wheelchair, I am not going to get much of a view out.
ReplyDeleteLooking closely at other pics I am pretty sure it does not cover any windows. Certainly the nearside downstairs windows are all clear. I think its the advert frame that makes it look like a window has been covered over on this offside view. You should get a view!
DeleteSome stuff gets posted on this site at times. Anon 10:15 yesterday - sorry you're making stuff up. The BusKernow vehicle is not a 65 plate but IIRC, 33660 which is, as was rightly noted, one of the 2012 vehicles that initially went to Plymouth.
ReplyDeleteFairly certain that this is a Best Impressions livery as they have done the similar BoS scheme, as well as the maps/timetable booklets. Yes, it is similar to other BI liveries but there's two very good reasons for that. One is that they have a "house style" so it's very much their design. Secondly, there are now relatively few vehicle designs and both ADL and Wright bodies have a commonality of family styles so liveries will seek to reflect these.
And, as has been said, enthusiasts will know that Kernow looks a bit like Somerset (and a bit like Southern Vectis) but does the vast, vast majority of passengers? Course not! For the average Joe who lives in Truro, they will see a fresh new livery not a cliche.
The only observation that seems a little odd is why they sat on their hands for so long in terms of repainting anything in Cornwall, then decide to start painting Solars (and some ex Plymouth stock) into the Urban livery with some gusto and THEN unveil a potential livery. I know it's been said it's an experiment and some people will venture their views (and probably someone will provide the official explanation) but it does appear a little confusing
Thanks for confirming this bus as being on of the 12's. I had seen it down as such but couldn't find any confirmation when I put this post together. I know First have switched to the new MMC for this years E400s but it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that they could have secured some old style E400s the same way that GoAhead have done.
DeleteNo worries Didby. Check Rail Forums (bus section) and message 1656 on the First Kernow thread shows a piccie of it partially rubbed down.
DeleteBusKernow may get some new buses at some point but more likely Streetlites than deckers - not info but just my opinion and nothing more.
Because it isn't intended as an overnight replacement livery. It's likely that a finalised green livery will roll out route by route as new and refurbished buses are put into service. The Scania and Volvo long single deckers will be the first to be replaced by new green buses, so will leave for elsewhere in First, in Olympia livery.
DeleteI can never understand the increasing resentment within the enthusiast community towards Best Impressions livery designs. Except for perhaps mhdpartnership, there are no other design houses that specialise in public transport design and marketing.
DeleteYes much of Best Impression’s work feature ‘swoops’ two tone colours etc, but this is their style – just as artists such as Monet or Turner had a familiar style. But just like Best Impressions, they evolve over time. For example Ray Stenning’s earlier work on UCOC’s post NBC livery or London and Country, to where their designs are at present.
Ray Stenning seems to understand how the bodywork ‘works’ unlike the recent mess such as Ipswich Buses or the menagerie of vile liveries at Go Norh East.
Just my own personal Opinion,I actually like the First Group Olympia Livery,I think the Colour Scheme blends in well on all Types of vehicles, I do understand about Area identity,I'm Not over keen on The Buses Of Somerset Livery either, I hope the Olympia livery is rolled out to the current incoming vehicles Kernow, it's Good to see that First obviously intend to make sure that the Vehicles in The Area are well Presented rather than the Anything Goes scenario we have seen in The past.
ReplyDelete