The old Hoverbus!
Hellyers of Portsmouth operated Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2 R146COR for many years on the Hoverbus service from 1997. The service connected Clarence Pier's Hovercraft terminal with Portsmouth city centre. I couldn't find any reference of the bus on flickr or on google, so if it does exist and you know where, please feel free to comment and let me know! R146COR is pictured at Clarence Pier on 23rd May 2005.
The bus was replaced with LK55KZZ when Tellings Golden Millar took over the contract in 2005 (one of their brief forays into Portsmouth), with Stagecoach taking over the service and the bus a few years later. This is it's first livery, but it has recently been rebranded and I look forward to photographing it in the next few weeks.
R146 COR is now registered M55 ADR and working for Griffiths, Brinkworth, Wiltshire (t/a AD Rains) having also worked for another Wiltshire Operator until 7/08 - APL, Crudwell - after leaving Hellyers in 10/06.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the info.
ReplyDeleteJames
And don't forget that TGM ran a lot the NatEx services from Portsmouth (030, 031, 300 at least - not sure if the 203 had started back then ) until Lucketts took over in 2008 (or was it 2009? I'm now 39, and the brain is failing me!).
ReplyDeleteTheir old "depot" in Claremont Rd, Fratton was earmarked for redevelopment once TGM vacated Portsmouth (flats, most likely), but I've not been that way in about two years - might take a drive up there when I go to get the ladies from school later.
Give me a shout when you're down here Hoverbus-hunting, and we can go and grab a coffee from somewhere.
Cheers,
Matt
By the way James - just noticed that this blog was started on 6th Sept 2010 - so a belated (by a week) happy birthday to it AND to me. All the best things happen in the first week of September! Apart from the fact that the weather turns nasty ...
ReplyDeleteMatt. The last time I drove past the old TGM depot it was a "hand car wash" facility.
ReplyDeleteI might have to go Hoverbus hunting after work tomorrow. They were using a DD the other evening though, so not sure if the bus has or is undergoing rebranding.