As has been pointed out in the comments over the last few days, ALL Optare Solos with Plymouth Citybus are heading North to join the Go North East fleets.
207 ready to depart Plymouth 
206 only recently painted for the 34/34A has also departed to GNE. The legal lettering has already been removed in this shot by Richard Smith 
And then the same bus at Gateshead, soon to be Go North East 706 
Another one at Gateshead, now GNE 708 
Clearly they are very keen to get them repainted and into service as here we see 708 WK58EAG already in the paint shop being rubbed down for repaint! Hopefully we will have photos of them in service in full livery shortly!
Plymouth buses 206-209 will be Go North East 706-709 whilst Plymouth 220-224 will be going later to become 710-714.
The reason for their transfer is:
- Go North East has gained extra contract work, requiring an extra 3 buses
- Go North East need to replace 13/14 year old Dennis MPD buses
- Solo are non standard at Plymouth
- Solo are now standard at Go North East - them having taken 15 from fellow Go Ahead company Thames Travel in the last 4 months, and with 66 bought new in their fleet
Thanks to Jason and Richard for the Plymouth photos and Andrew Tyldsley for sending in the Go North East photos.
I wonder if are likely to see another vehicle branded for service 34A and RWY.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the last London MPD? And maybe this time they will think a bit about the size of the numbers, promoting the frequency but not at the cost of the actual number of the service!
Just to confirm, MPD Darts 255 and 256 are repainted into standard Red Swooped livery.
DeleteThey are not yet in service.
Wlll there be a replacement bus livered up for the 34a, or can normal buses fit inside the Royal William Yard. When visiting there, I did not think there was enough room for wider buses. Seems a shame to move the specially livered bus, as it has not operated in the colours for a comparatively long time!
ReplyDeleteI must admit this seems a very odd move. So GNE needs to replace 13/14 year old MPD's - Plymouth are still running 16 year old MPDs and even older Darts and SPDs. Riding from Callington to Liskeard last weekend on an MPD and seeing an SPD heading in the opposite direction just reminded me how suitable 220-4 were for many of the rural routes (and how unsuitable an SPD is . . . )
ReplyDelete