MidlandRed.net

69453 has returned from the paint shop. Unfortunately, it is in new Worcester livery, not Salt Road which it should have been finished in. Not too sure what happens now, as all the other Volvos, 69454 - 60 are in new livery, so there are no vehicles that can be put into Salt Road, or all the rest will go into new livery, and make Salt Road branding defunct. I will advise when I get more details.

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

22:04 Sunday 22nd January 2023

69453 has returned from the paint shop. Unfortunately, it is in new Worcester livery, not Salt Road which it should have been finished in. Not too sure what happens now, as all the other Volvos, 69454 - 60 are in new livery, so there are no vehicles that can be put into Salt Road, or all the rest will go into new livery, and make Salt Road branding defunct. I will advise when I get more details.

I was under the impression that the Salt Road branding and green livery was specifically to show off that First Bus was in compliance with the Birmingham CAZ Clean Air Zone for which the fleet of second-hand Volvos was converted to Euro6 emission spec at great expense with help of a large Government Grant. The whole exercise was thrown out of kilter when the 144 truncated at Catshill in 2022, so I guess the corporate livery is now more useful as the buses can be used on other routes and not just the 144 remnant. Personally don't like the 'WE ARE' bit on the We Are Worcester branding because First Bus are not Worcester, the inhabitants and the buildings comprise Worcester, the buses are are small but significant part though!.

I'm with Tim Brown , We Are Worcestershire would be more accurate but then, We Are Worcestershire [ except Redditch and Kidderminster ] would be even more accurate !!

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

22:04 Sunday 22nd January 2023

69453 has returned from the paint shop. Unfortunately, it is in new Worcester livery, not Salt Road which it should have been finished in. Not too sure what happens now, as all the other Volvos, 69454 - 60 are in new livery, so there are no vehicles that can be put into Salt Road, or all the rest will go into new livery, and make Salt Road branding defunct. I will advise when I get more details.

Thanks for the update on this one bmmoboy!
69453 was already in 'Salt Road' livery, so how come it needed a visit to the paint shop? - with 3 months OTR, presumably a victim of accident damage requiring a repaint??

The plan is to repaint all the 69436 - 60 vehicles, with 36 - 53 to remain in Salt Road. All were deemed to be worthy of repaint to freshen them up. With the error on 69453, and to perk up DD12, I have suggested that one of the deckers goes into Salt Road, as they do venture out up the A38 from time to time.

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

20:27 Tuesday 24th January 2023

The plan is to repaint all the 69436 - 60 vehicles, with 36 - 53 to remain in Salt Road. All were deemed to be worthy of repaint to freshen them up. With the error on 69453, and to perk up DD12, I have suggested that one of the deckers goes into Salt Road, as they do venture out up the A38 from time to time.

Thanks bmmoboy ! -- I have often thought about asking that someone do me / us a photoshopped DD in the Salt Road livery that I like so much !

However, I think it would be less successful on 'decker -- a bit too overwhelming, and that an extra "relief" shade would be needed -- perhaps in the style / as applied in some of First's latest liveries (I've been "saving" a lot of these to my favs on facebook )

I also would have liked the X50 to have a green livery, BUT, even more than our other services, First often seems to launch a different vehicle and driver from Crowngate when the one due back is running late (which I applaud).