Unilink's new PVLs

Today was the first time I've managed to catch up with one of BlueStar's new Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents, now in use on the Unilink U1 service between the National Oceanography Centre and Southampton Airport.

BlueStar Volvo B7TL 1310 (VJI3968, previously W477WGH) pictured at Southampton Airport earlier this afternoon.

All of the Volvo B7TLs were recently acquired from London General, a fellow Go Ahead owned company, where they are in the PVL class of fleetnumbers. A brief summary below shows the changes:

PVL74 - W474WGH - now f/no. 1310 and registered VJI3968 at BlueStar

PVL77 - W477WGH - now f/no. 1311 and registered YSU875 at BlueStar

PVL78 - W478WGH - now f/no. 1312 and registered USV115 at BlueStar

PVL81 - W481WGH - now f/no. 1313 and registered SBL364 at BlueStar

As shown above, all have recieved cherished registrations already within the Go South Coast group taken from other buses, which have since reverted back to their original registrations as far as I'm aware. Even though these buses are now over a decade old, you certainly wouldn't know that if you saw one in Southampton city centre - their presentation following refurbishment and repaint is excellent.

Ugo to Southampton

Just a quick Sunday snap, of former First West Yorkshire and Plymouth Ugobus Volvo B7RLE 69248 (YJ07WFP) now out in service with First Hampshire and Dorset.

With thanks to Mr G for alerting me to 69248's operation on route 8A - much appreciated!

69248, as you will have noticed, has received First Hants & Dorset's famous black paint treatment. I didn't like it at all at first, but when you see them for real it does add a smartness to the Volvo B7RLE - and it also makes them look slightly similar to the Wright Eclipse Mk2 versions. I'm even starting to become a little fond of it. To the right is First Bristol's 69449 (WX59BZC). The bodywork of the Wright Eclipse Mk2 makes the extra black paint slightly more appropriate, due to the curves of the body. Anyway, I'll leave you to make your own opinions... 66882 - the only other B7RLE to arrive thus far - has also received the black paint so I'd assume the other 8 due will also receive it unless management have changed their mind! Management has changed their minds - the other 8 should enter service with the usual pink headlight surrounds.

Southampton update

This is just a quick "news"-like post to update readers on the situation in Southampton. I appreciate that many readers of this website are not members of the FHD or GSC forums, so hopefully this post will be of some use.

From Monday, the Unilink U1 service will operate every 10 minutes from approximately 0800 until 1830 during weekdays. The U1 connects the airport with new Highfield interchange (nearly complete now), Portswood, London Rd, City Centre, Central Stn and the National Oceanography Centre. 4 former London General Volvo B7TLs with Plaxton President bodywork have been acquired for this service increase, and will operate alongside the existing Scania Omnicitys. 1311 was out in service on Thursday, and all should be out and about come the new week. The other Unilink services only have minor timetable changes.

Furthermore, First are starting to introduce their new buses into service. Although the original plan for the Volvo B7TLs was to enter them into service all at once, 32251 and 32252 have been out in service. The 9 are to be primarily allocated to route 8 (Lordshill - City and Midanbury every 20 minutes) and 8A (City - Hedge End). I managed to catch up with 32251 (LT52WVO) earlier today at Hedge End railway station. There are also 10 Volvo B7RLEs from Devon & Cornwall to enter service - their departure is being covered on the Plymothian Transit blog. So far 66882 and 69248 have entered service, with 66881 and 66883 at Weymouth and due to move up the coast very soon. Once the 10 have arrived, they are intended to be allocated mainly to route 17/17A (Lordshill - Aldermoor - City), although so far they have been seen on the 7, 11, 12 and 17.

In addition, there is a forthcoming route alteration - First's 16A extension from Hamble to Hedge End is to be scrapped, replaced by extensions of route 26 from Fareham at approx. every 90minutes. The extended 26 is to be operated primarily by the recently acquired former Devon & Cornwall Optare Solos, from Hoeford depot. I've only managed to capture one so far - here is 53008 (W808PAF) out of service entering Fareham bus station.

Interesting times in Southampton!

Catch them while you can!

Some of you will have noticed that two of the former London Volvo B7TLs entered service during the week - 32251 operated route 3 for an hour on Wednesday, with 32252 on route 8 yesterday. These buses have replaced two Volvo Olympians - 31820 and 31830 (P920RYO and P930RYO), which have been withdrawn pending transfer.

The last Olympian I had to photograph was 31920 - P920RYO - now withdrawn at Empress Road. The LED has been taken out and placed in one of the new Volvo B7TLs.

These Olympians were new in 1997 to London General as their NV120/NV130 respectively. They were then acquired by First in 2006, and placed into service in Southampton replacing Dennis Arrow double deckers, which were transferred up to Manchester. 9 were acquired directly from London General - P908, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 30RYO and R277, 278, 336LGH (First Somerset & Avon also acquired a couple, now in service in Cornwall).

They entered service having been repainted and reupholstered, although many other things stayed the same. The centre door and the London style destination were kept, although the blinds have been replaced by LEDs now. 31825 even ran around for a long time with "London General" on the registration plates - I'm not sure if this has been changed recently. Here is 31826 (P926RYO) in Portswood, last November.

All of the 31*** Olympians are due to transfer later this year* - I'm not sure if I can reveal the destination- once all the Volvo B7TLs arrive. I quite like this batch - my favourite is 31878 (R278LGH) - pictured to the right in Swaythling. It was the first one I rode out of the batch, and I was the first person (as far as I know) to photograph it in service when it arrived (on its own, then), back in October 2005.

Although I'm not sure the rate at which the Volvo B7TLs will arrive and then enter service, the former Go Ahead Olympians' time at FHD is now limited so grab any photos as quickly as you can. They are usually found on route 4 (City - Totton), 5 (City - Lordshill) and 7 (City - Bassett and Millbrook Tesco (7A)).

* It has been suggested that 31825 (P925RYO) will remain at FHD as it has a tachograph and is required for specific school work.

Fun in the Sun

It dawned on me as I drove through Portswood today (well, I say drove, I mean crawled through due to roadworks), that I was wasting time. I was wasting time because oppurtunities for easily taking good quality sunny photos are increasingly disappearing. With Autumn here and winter approaching, the shadows are longer, the weather is cloudier, and realistic hours for decent photography in from November onwards are limited to around 1000-1400, apart from in special places.

I find that photographing in winter is so much more demanding. You have to position yourself between shadows cast by buildings. One has to take account curves in the road far more than in the summer. Furthermore, a large number of really good quality photos - the type you'd amass easily on a summer's sunny day - are much fewer in number in the winter. To the left is BlueStar's old 733 (H733DDL), photographed along Stoneham Lane in Swaythling last December. This is one of my favoured locations for sunny winter photos as I've done it so may times before. 733 in this shot was on a special working on BlueStar 2 because the previous bus had broken down (I believe).

Indeed, the more usual outcome of winter shots is shown to the right, of First's Omnidekka 36001 (YN04GNV) in Lyme Regis at the end of last November. Shadows from bus stops, signs, pedestrians are all incredibly frustrating!

The classic winter shot - lots of glare and long shadows. Here is BlueStar's 2603 (R603NFX) seen at the top of Otterbourne Hill last October. I vowed on that trip I would return on a sunny summer's day - alas I've never got round to it...

When I started this blog, I promised ramblings of a bus enthusiast, and you've got it in this post. Decent quality winter photographs give myself, at least, far more satisfaction than easy summer shots. The low sun can really enhance colours of the bus, sometimes. The seasons changing - bare branches, leaves at the side of the road - also create an autumnal atmosphere that makes successful photographs worth the effort, of the hours spent in the cold and wet, frustrated and annoyed at that bl**dy car that's just got in the way of the shot you've nearly frozen to death for. Here's to lots more this year, and good luck to all photographers.

Portswood Memories

Tomorrow I return to University in Southampton for the first time since Portswood's closure. I have not been any where near Portswood since early June - mainly because I haven't had any need, either academically or bus-related. Tomorrow, it will very strange for me as I sit at the route 3 bus stop, in St Denys Road as I have done many-a-time, and not see or hear Portswood depot in operation.

On the way to or from my lectures, I would frequently give myself 20minutes or so in Portswood high street - enough time to grab at least one of photo First's route 7 or BlueStar's 2, along with a couple of Unilink or First route 3 obs, and a 14 if I was lucky. Route 3 operates every 10 minutes during the week, and could have anything at Portswood allocated to it - always of interest and always easy to photograph.

I would also peer over the wall to have a look at which buses were on death row (buses backed onto the rear wall, in the corner, when withdrawn or, in some cases, being prepared for service). A quick walk to the sheds was also involved, as various interesting buses often sat at the rear - easy for a quick photograph. Although Empress Road is only down the road, it isn't as convenient and enthusiast friendly as Portswood was. New arrivals or perculiar occurances aren't as easy to find as a quick look over Portswood's wall.

Portswood's closure is a shame from a personal point of view, but not all is lost. I have left it so long that things in Portswood have begun to get interesting again. Firstly, if we look at BlueStar, the former Go Ahead London Presidents are ready for service on Unilink route U1 - all which require photographing. Furthermore, BlueStar have repainted Dennis Trident 775 and 777 into the dark blue livery, and route 14 is Trident operated, which adds further interest. First too are introducing Volvo B7RLEs from Devon & Cornwall already (as an aside, 69248 is already in service - with accompanying black-surrounded headlights...), and Volvo B7TL deckers from London onto the 8A soon, which are quite likely to stray onto route 3 or 7 every so often...

An appeal of sitting along St Denys Road waiting for the 3 to arrive - the odd workings it throws up. Here is usually route 8 allocated 37162 (HY07FSV), one of 5 Wright bodied Volvo B7TLs allocated to Empress Road. Lets hope these don't end up with black headlight-surroundings...

My Portswood updates should recommence soon - if I find anything interesting you'll find it on here. And forgive me in advance if I say Portswood meaning Empress Road!