Vehicle Details
Registration: NK61 DBZ
Chassis: Optare Solo SR M890
Bodywork: Optare
Depot: Connexionsbuses
Livery: Little Coasters
Year new: 2011
Vehicle History
June 2020
Go North East
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From Monday 1 June 2020, in line with guidance from the government, Go North East's bus services will start returning to what can be considered a 'normal' level of service on weekdays (albeit still reduced on weekends), also with some minor changes which had originally been planned to take place from 17 May 2020. The depots which were temporarily 'mothballed' for the duration of the crisis have now re-opened, except for Saltmeadows Road, which is where most of the National Express coaches are stored. The central works facility remains open as usual. Therefore, this vehicle has now transferred from Riverside Depot to Percy Main.
April 2020
Go North East
As Optare Solo SR M890/Optare 633 (NK61 FEX) has sustained defects which will take some time to repair, this vehicle has been reinstated to allow 633 (NK61 FEX) to be temporarily delicensed.
April 2020
Go North East
Further service changes have taken place due to the reduced demand for bus services as a result of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. As such, this vehicle has been taken out of service. It is expected to be formally delicensed closer to the end of the
month, in order to allow the company to claim a tax refund.
March 2020
Go North East
On March 23 2020, Boris Johnson placed the country on "lockdown", enforcing rules on people only leaving the house to shop for necessities, to exercise once a day, for medical needs or to provide care, or to travel to and from work (if they can't work from home). Shops, pubs, restaurants and theatres have all been closed, as well as mass gatherings being banned, schools being closed, and sporting events being cancelled. Therefore, further changes were made to bus timetables from Saturday 28 March, reflecting a mass reduction in customer demand for buses. As part of these timetable revisions; Chester-le-Street, Percy Main and Washington Depots were temporarily 'mothballed' with services operated out of key depots Consett, Deptford (including Peterlee outstation) and Riverside (including Hexham outstation) only. Therefore, this vehicle has transferred from Percy Main Depot to Riverside.
March 2020
Go North East
Following repaint, this vehicle has received "Little Coasters" branding.
March 2020
Go North East
This vehicle has been repainted into a two-tone blue base livery, having previously carried Go North East's 2016 fleet livery.
May 2019
Go North East
In line with service changes and the introduction of new brand identities, there were a large number of vehicle re-allocations which took place on Sunday 19 May, the significance of which have been likened to the South Shields and Bishop Auckland depot closures in 2005 and 2006 respectively. This vehicle has transferred from Riverside Depot to Percy Main, in order to operate "Little Coasters" services 40/41/42.
May 2019
Go North East
Upcoming vehicle transfers will see this vehicle re-allocated to Percy Main to be allocated to services 11 and 40/41/42. As such; ahead of this transfer taking place, this vehicle has been fitted with free Wi-Fi.
January 2018
Go North East
To allow the fleet numbers of minibuses at Deptford Depot to be consecutively numbered following the transfer of Optare Solo SR M900/Optare 637 (NK12 HCD) and 638 (NK12 HCE), this vehicle has transferred from Deptford Depot to Riverside.
January 2018
Go North East
Following temporary loan to Peterlee Depot, this vehicle has now returned to service at Deptford.
January 2018
Go North East
This vehicle has transferred from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, on temporary loan, to alleviate vehicle shortages.
October 2017
Go North East
Following temporary loan to Peterlee Depot, this vehicle has now returned to service at Deptford.
October 2017
Go North East
This vehicle has transferred from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, on temporary loan, to alleviate vehicle shortages.
September 2017
Go North East
Following temporary loan to Peterlee Depot, this vehicle has returned to service at Deptford.
September 2017
Go North East
This vehicle has transferred from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, on temporary loan, to alleviate vehicle shortages.
August 2017
Go North East
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This vehicle has received the tagline "Recharge your batteries | Many of our buses have power sockets on board"
January 2017
Go North East
Following temporary loan to Peterlee Depot, this vehicle has returned to service at Deptford.
December 2016
Go North East
This vehicle has transferred from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, on temporary loan, to alleviate vehicle shortages.
September 2016
Go North East
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This vehicle has been repainted into Go North East's new corporate livery. The new livery design is a a lot more eye-catching and features a two-tone base livery, with the traditional key colour of red towards the front of the bus, and non-metallic dark blue towards the back. It is thought that further vinyls will be added at a later date, in order to reflect the quality and customer values of Go North East.
September 2011
Go North East
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Pending delivery of the new Optare Solo SR M890 Hybrid/Optare vehicles for "Sunderland Connect" service 700, this vehicle has entered service at Deptford Depot on "Sunderland Connect" service 700. When the new vehicles arrive, this vehicle will become the dedicated spare vehicle for the service, in the event that either of the new Optare Solo SR M890 Hybrid/Optare vehicles are unavailable.
September 2011
Go North East
Ahead of its entry into service, this vehicle has received "Sunderland Connect" branding.
September 2011
Go North East
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This vehicle, which carries a green base livery, has arrived into the Go North East fleet, and is currently being prepared for service at Saltmeadows Road Depot. Due to a problem at the DVLA with registering this vehicle, and the introduction of the new '61' mark registration plates from September, it has been allocated a new registration mark (NK61 DBZ) and has surrendered its original registration mark (NK11 FWW).
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April 2020
Go North East
In order to combat the changing demand for bus services in the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this vehicle has transferred from Consett Depot to Riverside.
April 2014
Go North East
Following recent repaint; this vehicle has received "South Tyne" branding, with sub-branding for services 88/88A.
April 2018
Go North East
This vehicle has received a promotional livery to celebrate 50 years of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1968 - 2018).
April 2020
Go North East
In order to combat the changing demand for bus services in the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this vehicle has been reinstated at Riverside Depot.
April 2011
Go North East
This vehicle has received "Cobalt Clipper" branding, with sub-branding for services 309/310.
April 2009
Go North East
This vehicle has been repainted into a plain cream base livery, also gaining a small "Coaster" logo below the windscreen in the process.