Vehicle Details
Registration: NL63 XZU
Chassis: Optare Solo SR M890
Bodywork: Optare
Depot: Go South West
Livery: Adapted 2019 fleet livery
Year new: 2013
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. As such, this vehicle has now been reinstated at Deptford.
April 2020
Go North East
Following completion of all required vehicle re-allocations; this vehicle has been temporarily withdrawn from service due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been officially delicensed (SORN'd), enabling Go North East to obtain a tax refund.
July 2019
Go North East
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Service changes in the Stanley area have resulted in the transfer of this vehicle from Consett Depot to Deptford.
April 2019
Go North East
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This vehicle has transferred from Stanley Depot to Hownsgill. After two and a half years of development, the region’s largest bus operator, Go North East opened the doors to its brand new £3.5 million, state-of-the-art Hownsgill Depot in Consett, County Durham, on Friday 15 March 2019. The high-tech operation replaces the company’s Stanley Depot, which it operated from for nearly 100 years. Therefore; most vehicles based at Stanley transferred to Hownsgill on Sunday 7 April, the date from which the new depot commenced operations.
September 2017
Go North East
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Service changes in May saw "Venture" services V7/V8 re-numbered M7/M8 with the introduction of a new M6 service, falling under the "Metrocentre Mini" brand, with a new allocation of former Plymouth Citybus Optare Solo M920/Optare vehicles. The PVR of the "Venture" group of services hence decreased, meaning that this vehicle became the spare vehicle for both the "Venture" group of services as well as the "Metrocentre Mini" M6/M7/M8 services. Having previously carried "Venture" branding; this vehicle has now been repainted into Go North East's corporate livery, to ensure better branded compliance in the event of a "Metrocentre Mini" branded vehicle being unavailable for service. This example carries the tagline "Never miss your stop | Many of our buses have next stop screens and announcements"
May 2017
Go North East
Ahead of upcoming service changes, this vehicle has had its Next Stop Announcement equipment removed. The equipment is planned to be better utilised on other vehicles in the fleet, and will be re-fitted in the coming weeks.
February 2015
Go North East
All of Consett's operations have transferred to Stanley Depot, which has resulted in the transfer of this vehicle from Consett Depot to Stanley. There have been no changes to any of the "Venture" branded services as a result of the closure of Consett Depot.
December 2013
Go North East
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This vehicle has entered service at Consett Depot, on the ?Venture? group of minibus services. On evenings and Sundays, they will additionally be allocated to service 15 (Consett - Durham), interworking with the V1 service.
November 2013
Go North East
Ahead of its entry into service, this vehicle has received ?Venture? branding. Venture Transport was the largest independent bus operator in North East England. It operated services in the Derwent Valley between Consett and Newcastle upon Tyne. It was founded after World War I, and, on 1 May 1970, it was sold to the Northern General Transport Company with 86 buses. Shortly after deregulation, Go-Ahead Northern resurrected the Venture name for services operating from the former Venture depot in High Spen.
Go North East has now introduced the brand identity again to promote its local services in the Consett area. The tagline of the brand identity is ?every venture takes you further? - promoting the various onward connections the local Venture services offer in key hubs such as Stanley and Consett.
November 2013
Go North East
This vehicle, which carries a yellow base livery with a red cant rail, has arrived into the Go North East fleet. It is currently being prepared for service at Saltmeadows Road Depot. Representing an investment of approximately £1,400,000, Go North East has ordered a batch of twelve Euro 5 Optare Solo SR M890/Optare minibuses to be launched on the Consett ?Venture? minibus network of services at Consett Depot. These brand new buses feature Esteban Civic V3 seating and ?Next Stop? audio-visual announcements.
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April 2009
Go North East
This vehicle has received "Coaster" branding, with sub-branding for service 1 (Gateshead - Whitley Bay).
April 2007
Go North East
This vehicle has been repainted into a purple cream base livery, and has also received "The Drifter" branding, for services 60 (Sunderland - Seaham - Parkside) and 61 (Sunderland - Murton).
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 Riverside Depot to Consett.