...are Stagecoach still increasing "Gold"?
Are they adding additional routes elsewhere, or are "Gold" buses being painted into "beachball" livery when no longer young enough for a flagship route? Is this a concept that hit a "ceiling"?
"Gold" came to the South West on 30th September 2013, when Stagecoach set up a route between Torquay, Totnes and Dartmouth/Plymouth, in direct competition with First's long-standing X80/X81. Unusually the service was not given a number, being marketed simply as "Gold". Needless to say, brand-new Enviro400-bodied Scanias with high-back leather seating and free WiFi were streets ahead (pardon the pun) of First's motley collection of knackered mostly ex-London Tridents (the early Plaxton ones with bugger all legroom), and First withdrew the X80/X81 four weeks later. Strong growth on the Plymouth leg and disappointing loadings to and from Dartmouth saw the latter dropped and virtually all journeys operating Torquay-Plymouth on a half-hourly frequency (hourly Sundays). Totnes-Dartmouth was covered by an extension on the X64. The service is operated mainly by Torquay Depot, although when Stagecoach started operations in Plymouth in September 2015 a few duties transferred there - I believe that a Torquay vehicle is outstationed every night.
Route 57 (Exeter - Exmouth & Brixington) has since been converted to Gold, and Gold-spec vehicles sometimes operate on the X38 between Exeter and Plymouth.
I had thought that the busy 12 between Newton Abbot, Torquay, Paignton and Brixham would be a suitable candidate for Gold treatment. The new vehicles that entered service last year are higher-specification and have WiFi and USB charging, although the seating and legroom is not as generous as Gold-spec. Most were painted in a "Hop 12" red version of standard Stagecoach livery, which is vaguely but pleasingly reminiscent of the old Devon General colour.
