Wessex Connect in Bath

I visited Bath last Saturday, and managed to get nearly 100 photos of the bus operations in one of my favourite cities for the first time in a couple of years. I'll post the First photos later - but today here are Wessex Connect.

The parent company of Wessex Connect is Rotala, and they are slowly beginning to build a significant presence in Bath, competing with First on the 5, 10 and 18, and taking over their own routes. The youngest bus in Bath and leading the fight is Optare Solo SR YJ61CHF, pictured here heading past Bath bus station. This is dedicated to the 20A/20C circular routes that were taken over from First in 2009, and directly replaces Vario minibuses. I believe there are two, although a Dart was on the other working when I visited. 

Some Wessex Connect white and blue is still about in Bath - here is Dennis Dart SLF 877 (T875HGT) heading for the Grand Parade on route 10, one of the routes that Wessex Connect competes with First with.

Wessex Connect are slowly starting to build a very smart fleet of buses in "Royal Bath" royal blue livery, and I have to say this shade of blue is excellent and one of my favourites. It largely appears on a fleet of MPDs that operate around the city - here illustrated first is 1654 (V654HEC) pictured passing Bath cathedral on the 20C, with sister vehicle 1657 (V657HEC) pictured again at Grand Parade, this time terminating on route 5.

 Wessex Connect also operate a fleet of very smart full size single decks (Volvo B7RLEs and others) on Uni route U18 - I didn't manage to capture any of these in a great photo during my visit, so I will not post any of these. Instead, here is another Dart - this time 2501 (MW52PZP), heading along St James Parade.


Thanks for viewing - First to come very soon.