I've made the most of the good weather and some time off of my usual commitments to go and explore parts of the country for the last two weeks - Worcester news to come soon but first up here are some shots from Winchester from yesterday.
I'm going to start of with BlueStar. BlueStar operate into Winchester at a frequency of every 20 minutes on route 1 from Southampton - upgraded in 2009 with 7 Scania Omnicity double deckers. Pictured to the left, here is 1131 (HF58KCK) arrives in Winchester.
One of only two remnants of the Red Rocket network remaining with BlueStar are the E set of routes from Eastleigh to Winchester. The E1 and E2 operate every hour, making a frequency of 30minutes. Solos are the usual allocation - here is 2603 (R603NFX) arriving in Winchester. 2603 was new to Wilts & Dorset, as were all of BlueStar's Solos.
One the main reasons why I wanted to get to Winchester were the Rivers branded Dennis Tridents - here is 18521 (GX06DXV) arriving in Winchester on a 64 from Alresford and Alton.
My second primary reason for going to Winchester was to photograph the new fleet of 7 new Enviro300 single deckers for the Winchester Park and Ride services. One remains unbranded - this one being 27616 (GX10HCD) which is pictured here arriving around the back of the bus station, already blinded up for its next trip to Fareham on route 69. Six of the E300s were the Winchester P&R green livery - as demonstrated in the second photo by 27621 (GX10HCJ) as it arrives into the bus station out of use.
A few of the older Volvo B10Ms are still around although you wonder for how longer - here is 20446 (L346LCK) arriving in Winchester on the 46B. The 46 is a frequently forgotten route between Southampton and Winchester that used to run alongside the 47 (now BlueStar 1) - via Hiltingbury and a number of other areas. The 46 is Stagecoach's only bus route in Southampton.
Finally, a Dart. Winchester has their fair share of Darts which all come in different shapes and sizes and from a variety of origins. Here is 33025 (NDZ3019) that was new to Winchester Park and Ride duties in 2000. Pictured arriving in Winchester on route 11.
You put these gaffs in to see who's reading don't you James! 33025 is one of the 4 second generation buses on Winchester P&R - new in March 2000 as W425-8 NFG and re-registered since as NDZ 3019, XSU 682, NDZ 3017 and NDZ 3018. The air con was (and still is) part of the P&R specification.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to say so Andy, but they are genuine c**k ups really. I really should research what I am writing, but then it is the nature of blogs they aren't correct all the time :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the correction, though - I'll go and correct the blog.
Well it's my patch so I do know the fleet quite well. Only this week I posted that First 32044 had died when it was really 34044 . . .
ReplyDeleteA good selection of shots as ever James. Well done.