Lothian Buses: playing card series

English: The playing card series of route branding schemes worn by buses operated by Lothian Buses. Rolled out from 2004 to 2007 on new deliveries of Harlequin liveried buses, this was the first major branding scheme deployed by the company. It featured four double-decker routes denoting one of the suits in a deck of cards, followed by two more single-decker routes using other cards related names. Four of these were on routes which had previously never been branded, while two (26 & 44/44A) had previously seen minor branding. All have since been discontinued.

Double-deckers

Hearts (routes 26/N26)

• 2004 04 registered Trident / Presidents 667-700 (34 buses).

branding elements

repositioned Harlequin squares & standard fleetnames on sides red roof gold band, running beneath the red, the curved down around the destination box, bordered by a red relief line heart symbol crossed with a horizontal arrow and containing a "26" on the sides lower red surround removed from windscreen "EAST TO WEST THROUGH THE HEART OF THE CITY - 26 & N26 - 24 hours a day - 7 days a week" on sides (in gold band) "26 & N26 - 24 hours a day - 7 days a week" on the rear below the upper deck window "26 & N26 - 24 hours a day - 7 days" below the windscreen route diagram inside a yellow oval on the rear, listing the stops: Clerwood (top left), Clermiston, Corstorphine & Zoo, Princes Street, Portobello, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Seton Sands/Tranent.

The Heart scheme disappeared when route 26 received new buses in 2009 carrying a new scheme - Connect 26 (still on a Harlequin livery base).

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Clubs (routes 3/3A)

• 2005 55-registered B7TL / Gemini 1s 701-721 (21 buses).

branding elements

common elements (shared by Clubs, Diamonds & Spades) repositioned Harlequin squares & standard fleetnames on sides a coloured roof, with red relief line, extending in an S-curve to below windscreen a symbol (the suit symbol containing the primary route number) & a name, positioned: on both sides, with a subscript underneath (not Diamonds) on the front (below standard fleetname) on the rear (below upper deck window) scheme specific elements roof colour: yellow name: "Club Class" subscript: "across the city & midlothian"

In the transition to Classic livery the branding for route 3/3A was replaced by The Lady Victoria scheme of the historical series (on the same buses) - although before this No. 720 appeared as the Connect 3 scheme prototype (not adopted)

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Diamonds (routes 44/44A)

• 2005 55-registered B7TL / Gemini 1s 726-750 (25 buses) (same batch as Clubs)

branding elements
common elements (shared by Clubs, Diamonds & Spades) see Clubs scheme specific elements roof colour: black name: "Service with a Sparkle" subscript: none

In the transition to Classic livery the branding for route 44/44A was replaced by The Mill Race scheme of the historical series (on the same buses).

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Spades (route 31)

• 2006 56-registered B7TL / Gemini 1s, 751-768 (18 buses) (same type as Clubs/Diamonds)

branding elements
common elements (shared by Clubs, Diamonds & Spades) see Clubs scheme specific elements roof colour: orange name: "the ace of spades" ("the" being diagonal, top left) subscript: "cutting across the city & midlothian"

The Spades scheme disappeared in the transition to Classic livery, which saw route 31 reverting to standard livery.

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Single-deckers

common elements, single-deckers
repositioned Harlequin squares & standard fleetnames on sides a coloured roof, continued as a thin strip around the windscreen route wording along sides of roof a coloured skirt (replacing madder) with relief line a symbol (two cards overlaid, containing the route numbers in red) & name, positioned: on both sidesN on the rear N - encroached the windows on the 29, but not on the 49

The Best Deal (route 29)

• 2007 07-registered B7RLE / Eclipse Urban 1s (136-150) (15 buses)

scheme specific elements
roof/skirt colour: red skirt relief line colour: lime green name: "The Best Deal" symbol: 2 of Clubs and 9 of Spades roofline: "Silverknowes - City - Gilmerton - Newtongrange - Gorebridge/Mayfield" red harlequin squares rendered in madder

In the transition to Classic livery the branding for route 29 was replaced by The Stock Brig scheme of the historical series (on some of the same buses).

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Leader of the Pack (route 49)

• 2007 57-registered batch (151-160) (10 buses) (same type as The Best Deal)
• 2009 58-registered Volvo B7RLE / Wrightbus Eclipse Urban 2 (170) (1 bus) - added from new in 2009

scheme specific elements
roof/skirt colour: blue skirt relief line colour: red name: "Leader of the Pack" (but prefixed with "The" on the rear) symbol: 4 of Diamonds and 9 of Hearts roofline: "The Jewel - Portobello - Leith - Bridges - Dalkeith - Bonnyrigg - Rosewell"

In the transition to Classic livery the branding for route 49 was replaced by The Queen of Scots scheme of the historical series (using the same Urban 1's plus five new Urban 2's - 170 instead receiving standard Classic livery).

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