It appears I misunderstood what I was told yesterday and freshly repainted and I presume refurbished Volvo B7tl ALX400 32479, or VA479 as she is now AU53 HJV returned last night looking good in her Eastern Counties Post Box Red livery. It would also appear the safety checks were carried out last night as she was on the road on the 66's this morning. I hope to get to Ipswich in the near future to see her personally but in the meantime please head over to Roy's East Norfolk Bus Blog for before/after pics and a report by clicking
here.
I wonder if with their multi-coloured swap shop of paints, funny timetables, and here today, gone tomorrow bus routes, the Companies' managements learnt in the same school as me: "If you can't convince them, confuse them"? Wouldn't the consistent brilliant red instead of the non-entity grey have given a more cheerful and consistent message? Or is that part of the fun? "Can't do that, the Potteries have already done it". Does it matter? In their heads, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, Smurf. I said either that or Ipswich Town blue - at least something Ipswich can identify with. That grey means nothing to me (Oh Vienna) and I still can't see for the life of me why it was chosen. I believe 32490 is the next decker to be painted and I just wonder how that will look. As for differernt colours confusing people it never ceases to make me laugh when alerts go out in Norwich that a purple branded bus is operating a green route service or something. NEWSFLASH - look at the darn destination screen as that is what they are for. I notice no one has suggested a man with a red flag walks in front of VA479 to tell passengers it's on the 66.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who used buses in Maidstone in the late 70's and 80's will be wetting themselves laughing at this as there were dozens of different liveries and you never knew what was going on what. One other thought - this local livery thing is going to make it difficult and/or expensive to transfer vehicles between depots now. Odd buses will stick out like - well - oddly painted buses in colours that have no relevance to the town they are in!
Steve,the idea of this local livery,is,it will stay with Ipswich,as they say,it's Marmite time,you either like it or you don't.
ReplyDeleteYou mention blue,why haven't Ipswich buses ever used the town blue,after all they are next door to the team,i suggested this many moons ago,no takers,they spent loads of dosh on that pearlrescent livery and got shot of it in a short space of time,but,why??? mind you you could never take the same colour photo twice because of light variance,brown one minute green the next,then mauve,it's a good job we all have different tastes other wise we would all chase the same women,if you get my driff.
I see there has been several of the refurbs on the 64,have you been on one yet??? and??? what do you think of the interior if you have.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been on one on the 64 yet, Jim, had 69428 and 66987 today, but I have been on one and like the interiors - see my refurbishment comparison post with IB's 4. Incidentally did IB have their green before ITFC have their blue? No one has ever had grey!
ReplyDeleteI have done my own research! Ipswich Corporation, now Ipswich Buses, were formed in 1901 and the first green and cream vehicles were the electric trams introduced in 1903. Ipswich Town FC, however, did not turn professional until 1938 and didn't ecven establish themselves in the second tier of English football until 1958. So I don't see any reason why IB should change from their still predominantly green colours.
DeleteHowever if you are completely rebranding for an individual town then surely it makes sense to use a colour that town can identify with. Still - since they still have Royal Blue in their locker I expect they'll use it when they re-brand the Norwich Network - that'll go down well!!!!