14 City Centre - Westwood Rd - Highfield - Portswood - Swaythling - take over on 22 September. The journey time on the Boyatt Wood Southampton International Airport - Mansbridge - Chartwell Green - leg is two minutes less than on Black Velvet - this probably means
Midanbury - Bitterne (M-S off-peak). Due to low passenger demand, that Beep! Bus B loops round Bosville and Woodside Ave. This is
this meandering tendered route no longer serves the Airport, running blatant competition somewhat contrary to the issues reported last
instead via High Rd and Wessex Lane. It is also diverted via Glen February when Go Ahead made cuts in Eastleigh! For those who Eyre to replace part of 7. see Go Ahead’s territory being stamped on should remember the
14A. as 14 but not via Midanbury (M-S peak). Truncated to Airport - days 21 years ago when Solent Blue Line came into being in direct
Mansbridge - Chartwell Green - Bitterne only and withdrawn S. competition with Southampton city!
15 Hamble - Hedge End Superstores - (Eastleigh) (M-S). It is surprising what can be randomly seen. Travelling one morning
16 Southampton - Woolston - Netley - Butlocks Heath - Hamble (D). in September a new Bluestar Scania Omnicity 1128 HF58GZL
Timetables unchanged, but journeys which operate through from liveried for Uni-link was observed on trade plates heading for
Southampton to Hedge End or beyond now show 16A throughout, so Caetano at Waterlooville, a First East Lancs bodied Dart which is use of 15 ceases. in yellow for Surrey County Council school work headed west on
the A27 from Farlington and a new Brighton and Hove Scania
17E Lordshill - General Hospital - Millbrook - City Centre - Woolston - OmniLink was seen heading south on the A23.
Weston - Sholing (ESu). [17/17A/17E Green Line] Although First publicity states that
Caetano at Waterlooville is now a poor shadow of its former self. 8/8A/9/10/10A/17/17A are unchanged, there must be some change Agents are seeking offers at the site for 3.4 acres and little
to 17E, since it was previously through-routed with 5E which has activity seems to take place.
been replaced by 13 which does not reach Weston.
21 RSH Hospital - City Centre - Shirley - Lordshill - Nursling Industrial In September Lucketts repainted Scania V200RAD to their livery
Estate (M-S interpeaks). [tendered]. No longer serves Nursling; from that of Flagship, Eastbourne. It was new to Radley, Broughton, hence the personalised registration.
instead operates a one-way loop from Lordshill Centre via Hillyfields and Lordshill North. Nursling continues to be served by unchanged
21A. Quality Conversions of Curdridge has had two Bristol VRTs,
AIG6624/8. It involved converting them to open top and
154 Burgoyne/Tunstall Rd - Thornhill - Bitterne - City Centre - transferring the doors from nearside to offside for the United Springhill School. States; C63HOM a Leyland Lynx new to West Midlands which was
155 Botley Rd/Turner Crescent - Sholing Girls School. converted to a skills training bus; XAZ1410 ex Brylaine Travel
156 Portswood - Midanbury - Thornhill - Sholing Girls School. converted to a hospitality vehicle; former Scarborough and
161 City Centre - Bitterne - Thornhill - Grove Park College. District (East Yorkshire) open top Leyland Atlanteans VFT189T and All withdrawn (Southampton City Council funding ended). AVK177V; former Badgerline Bristol RE DAE511K has been
refurbished and repainted in Bristol Omnibus cream and green for
159 City Centre - Bassett Cross Rds - St Georges School. preservation
160 St Georges School > Swaythling > Portswood > RSH Hospital > City Centre.
Both withdrawn due to low usage (decision by First).

Solent Blue Line 31 August 2008
15 Bitterne - Thornhill - Weston (M-S hourly 0915 - 1515). New
tendered service replacing part of withdrawn First 6.
C1/C2 Eastleigh - Hiltingbury - Valley Park - ASDA. All journeys terminating at ASDA now do so in the ASDA car park, outside the
entrance to the store. Since 21 April, the terminus had been in
Bournemouth Road, but that involved buses having to travel a
lengthy distance (probably to Chilworth Roundabout) in order to turn round.


Southern Vectis has introduced its all Scania Omnicities. They have
displaced the F/G registered all Leyland Olympians which have moved on to Damory or Wilts and Dorset undoubtedly causing the Ex Uni-Link PE55 WSU in new CityLink colours. Barry T
Bristol VRTs demise. Observation of the new stock on the Island The next newssheet is scheduled for publication on 5 December
shows that the local population have not been persuaded to 2008. Please ensure any contributions are submitted by Friday 21
discontinue their practice of covering the vehicles with copious November. amounts of rubbish. Scania Omnicities have also been introduced to Thanks this time to Tom Dethridge, David Etheridge, Bob Gray,
Wilts and Dorset and Uni-link. Derek Jones, Keith Lloyd, Robert Smith, Barry Turberfield, and
Andy Warton.
Not to be forgotten is that Uni-link also operates the Southampton
free bus. Solent Blueline. ex Uni-Link Dennis Dart/East Lancs PE55 WSU etc are now in new Go-Ahead corporate colours of dual blue Go-Ahead Marchwood
with sign writing for 'CityLink' free bus. The route is unaltered. Motorways HF08 UHS.
Barry T
Beep! Bus Monday 15 September 2008
B Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood B Eastleigh - Velmore - ASDA - Chilworth - Southampton
New service very similar to Black Velvet B but running three minutes
earlier. This is a Go Ahead operation in direct competition to Velvet.
Registrations indicated that from 15 September it would be operated by Wilts & Dorset, but that Solent Blue Line would

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