After visiting the island recently, I thought that I'd reminisce back 10 years or so, to when Southern Vectis introduced their first low floor buses onto the Isle of Wight.
Southern Vectis 100 - HW52EPK - Shanklin - July 2003
Southern Vectis introduced 7 Volvo B7TLs with Plaxton President bodywork into service in Autumn 2002. These all wore an updated version of the Island Explorer brand, which was used to advertise routes 7, 7A and 7B as they toured the island. These were very impressive buses in my eyes back then - I was used to step Darts, Leyland Nationals and Bristol VRs over in First Provincial land!
I'm featuring this post as this batch are receiving their third coat of paint at present. The pleasant Island Explorer blue was disposed of in 2005 with the arrival of new MPDs and the return to a green-based livery. This livery was developed by Best Impressions and now is the livery that the service bus fleet wear on the island today - a livery that many think suits any bus. Now, the Volvo B7TLs are receiving their second coat of this livery, and third overall coat.
The President bodywork has always had admirers and haters. Some people feel it is too bland and boring. However, I've always been impressed by the style, and think that it looks excellent. The bonded glazing, as featured on 100, certainly helps the effect.
Bringing it back to the modern day, here is 190, now numbered 1991 in the Go South Coast fleet, pictured on Saturday, heading off again for Sandown and Shanklin, but this time on a route 2 or 3 of the updated network.
Great to see you posting again bus80d, I always look forward to your latest and this is no exception.
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