But before that ...
... we look at a blast from the past. Peter Shelley, now a big transport cheese with Hampshire County Council, was one of the founding fathers of Solent Blue line way back in 1987. See "Solent Blue Line's Southampton Surge" (read again).
... we look at a blast from the past. Peter Shelley, now a big transport cheese with Hampshire County Council, was one of the founding fathers of Solent Blue line way back in 1987. See "Solent Blue Line's Southampton Surge" (read again).
Peter has kindly dug out from his personal archive the leaflet which announced the cross city extension of service 140 to Butts Road.
There was a very clear "attack" on Southampton City Bus, in particular their no change policy.
"Cheaper than City Bus" is clearly broadcast and there are several "season" and/or "rover" options.
Day Rover 99p.
12 journey tickets for the price of less than 10 ...
... and "real" seasons, fully transferable, with no photocard.
And one extra passenger FREE on Saturdays.
the booklet contained an excellent map ...
For the record, the new cross-city 140 ran every 15 minutes ...
... with the 160 and 170 offering a similar frequency. These latter two combined to run every 7/8 minutes to Millbrook (off the fbb map extract to the left.) By comparison Blue Star's newish 16 Townhill Park also runs every 15 minutes, but the newer 7 to Butts Road is only every 30 minutes.
28 years later, the Bluestar service to Millbrook is still every 7/8 minutes.
Fares have fared less well, unfairly one might say. The 99p Blue Line day rover would inflate to £2.50 today, but Bluestar's equivalent is £3.60!
But the deals above are not the end of Blue Line's tempting offers. How about a holiday in Paris?
All you had to do was to post your ticket to the Blue Line portakabin and you would be entered in a prize draw - probably illegally!
Pilgrim Coaches was set up as the coaching unit of Hampshire Bus based at Southampton. With privatisation happening and coaching work in decline, a separate privatised company was created called Weypac. Six coaches were financed via Southern Vectis and duly lettered with a blue and white livery.
But Weypac was not successful and a rumour got round that the company was on the edge of a financial self-destruct precipice.
In a move which would be regarded as immoral today (if not illegal), Vectis staff were dispatched to "repossess" the six vehicles; a process which, according to those involved, went "far more smoothly than expected".
The coaches then appeared at Ryde Depot! Four (Volvo B58s) were sold and two Leylands ...
... joined the Southern Vectis coaching fleet.
Weypac went awey and pac-ked up! (Groan)
Next bus blog : Sunday 4th October
Actually, the B58s were painted into silver livery and operated with Southern Vectis before sale.
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