Wednesday 8 June 2011

New livery revealed!

Well they tried their best to hide it, but nothing escapes me! Going through Milehouse this morning you could see the roofline of the B7, but there was a Volvo B10M parked in the way, and later a Dart. After this the doors were brought down and you could see no more. But, while stopping off to photograph the lineup of Mercedes 709s down the depot, what appears, but the newly painted B7! Perfect timing, if I do say so myself. 



So here you have it. My personal opinion, Stenning's design looks even better on the decker! The ratio of dark to lighter red is just that bit better on the decker, and looks more in proportion. With the summer sun beating down on the bus, it really did look a treat. What those boys can turn out in those sheds is fantastic, and the quality of the work never fails to amaze me. The branding on the side is of a similar fashion to what is seen on the Dart, with this advert giving details of the PCB website. At least with this one, there will be no dispute about grammar!    


I'm very much looking forward to seeing these hit the road, so keep your eyes pealed! 

6 comments:

lutongreen said...

Yes looks good Laurence!

David Sheppard said...

Agreed! Looks really good on a decker. I still quite like it on BHW, but because the boundry between maroon/red is vertical I think it looks a bit plain when viewed from front or back. Less of an issue on a decker.

It's been criticised for being 'a bit too Oxford' but I have no problem with that. They're part of he same group after all... and 300 miles apart, so there's hardly a risk of confusion! Plus, Ray Stenning's pen has come to define the look of the C21 bus, so it's not surprising we recognise the lines. What's important is that it's distinct from other operators who employ his work elsewhere in the same City and, as elsewhere, it certainly is.

Jared said...

From the photos you show, If PCB put that vehicle on the road with a private numberplate, people would never believe it was 10 years old. It looks good as new!

Where's the photos of the 709's? A final post on them would be a nice send off.

Anonymous said...

Anyone know the fleet number of the B7TL that's painted now in Plymouth Sound, has been in the depot parked for a few days.

Given fare increases, I hope PCB survive.

Anonymous said...

Don't like the maroon at all. The Dart which I see almost every day looks very dull from the front, especially on a grey or rainy day and it shows up the dirt quickly. I like the brighter red though and the design does look better on the Decker. Not one of Stenning's better liveries in my opinion.

Steve said...

Would look better without the dark red on the front.

Also, the rather worn interior seems to have been left untouched, including the hard plastic anti-vandal seats at top-deck rear. These are being replaced by normal seats on the PVLs remaining in London.