Thanks for mentioning the cyclist vinyl, I completely forgot about that.
In which year was the lower logo vinyl position eased into the liveries? I thought they were brought in with the change or at least in the same year.
It first appeared once in 2018 on 412, probably by error. The lower logos were first applied around late 2019 when, now again repainted 579-590, were moved to Lothian.
For information in regards to the variations of the 2020 livery please read below. Most people won't really notice these minor differences or be interested.
In terms of application on Lothian Volvo B9s (ECB not included):
- The original 2020 revised (on 365) lacked volvo badges, the nearside fleet number was on the paint & the cyclist sticker remained unchanged.
- Volvo badges returned not long after on 371 with the updated rear cyclist sticker being on that one too. Nearside number still on the paint. 371 had a fleet number placed in the centre right of the destination display. No other B9s gained this style after except 382/3 in 2022.
- No revisions after 371 until 358 in February 2022
- 358 appeared in February 2022 looking completely different. Volvo badges all applied, black rear implemented, new cyclist vinyl, thinner gold stripes, and nearside number on the black window. Nearing the end of the application of vinyls on the 2022 B9 repaints a no smoking sticker was also implemented onto the door. A "Low Emission Zone" vinyl also appeared across the fleet not long after.
In terms of application on Volvo B5s:
- 420 & 417 returned from paint similar to how 365 was, without any volvo badges and the older rear cyclist sticker. The front fleet number always varied on this batch, generally in the bottom right corner, or somewhere to the bottom right of the destination display. Nearside number on paint.
- 421 returned from paint not long after, however it had gained a front contactless vinyl (which also appeared on 1126-1130 at that time, probably a trial of some sort). It also gained one on the cab door. The front fleet number placement was centered to the right of the destination display, volvo badges were back and again like 371 the newer cyclist rear sticker. Nearside number on paint.
- 431-437 were painted in October 2021, after operating for over a year in Skylink colours on city routes. The gold stripes remained thick, but they gained the newer cyclist vinyls on the rear and nearside fleet numbers on the window. Almost identical application followed on 551-570 & 496/7 when they were repainted across late 2021 & 2022. 567 unintentionally gained, and still has, a volvo B5TL vinyl by error (it's a B5LH). All of the buses that were painted in 2022 (bar 552) received the no smoking stickers.
- 422-424 lost their Kraken liveries in early 2022 and were repainted. A few months later, 425 followed. They appeared in very similar style to 431-437 - however the fleet number placement was now the same as the placement on the B9s, directly to the right of the bottom of the destination box. It is worth noting 422-424 had mobitecs when they were painted, but upon change to hanover 422/3 annoyingly both lost their nearside fleet numbers. 424 kept it's one. No smoking stickers appeared on 422-425. The B5s remain to be the only buses which receive the original thicker gold stripe application. Every other bus in the fleet no longer does.
The first single decks with the newer rear cyclist vinyl & nearside fleet numbers on the window were the eVoRa's. This generally didn't spread onto the singles, apart from buses 28, 181 (green and white) and now also 176-190 at this very moment.
Various Longstone buses have gained nearside numbers now, as well. 403 lost it's lower gold stripes in December 2021, and gained updated rear volvo badges, but kept it's older cyclist sticker.
I must mention, most buses that received the 100 years logos in 2019 still have them. Will there be any effort to remove these, four years on? I have never particularly liked the appearance with them on either.
