Apologies for the quietness from me, I haven't been in Bristol for a month (was last in Bristol exactly a month from today on 19th December).
Just got off the train at Filton Abbey Wood and caught the 70 into town. Usual traction, 35105. Went past Muller Road. What a sorry sight at the moment. 62936 and another Excel out the back covered in graffiti. 41389 and 42754 also looking very sorry for themselves, as well as another ancient R-BAE Dart. Fair to say that there is no hope for any vehicles that end up there.
Into the centre, and the same old vehicles on the same old routes. A notable working was 37019 on the 5! Very unusual. Clearly one of the jade/mint coloured Darts is off the road for whatever reason. Other than that, nothing else of any interest except 37017 on the 1, 37631 on the 2 and 42898. Saw two of the new Enviro 400s for the 50. 33666 which is fully branded and 33660 which just has its orange coat ready. My god, despite absolutely despising the colour orange, they really are very sickly to look at. I have to say, buses that are in plain Olympia livery that receive coloured branding look so out of place, compared to vehicles that arrive already branded, such as the 70/71, 90 and 376 Streetdecks and the 1/2 and 48/49 Enviro 400MMCs. They look as if they were made specifically for these routes but with the 50 examples, even a non-enthusiast would be able to tell that these have just been plastered in orange for that particular purpose. The only contradiction to that point would be the Darts for the 5, which actually look fairly tidy.
I look forward to seeing what the plans are for Bristol, Bath and the West are for this year. I'd like to see a proper, uniformed fleet for the X39, and I'd also like to see something for the 42-45 corridor which will displace plain B9 Geminis (i.e. 37332-37357, 37607, 37613-37632, 37771 and 37772) onto routes where older B7s are still appearing. Perhaps some branded vehicles for the 24 would be nice too.