Go South Coast

[fgwrich]

Interesting. Does this mean Xelabus could be on the way out? The X4 always seemed to be their most profitable route to me, although they do still run the X21 to Chilworth Science Park and Southampton tendered routes X11 and X12.

The Xelabus website states:

Xelabus

Xelabus is here to keep you on the move! Whether you are commuting to work, going shopping or just getting out and about...

xelabus.info

Nope, just simply choosing to refocus their work on the more lucrative Private hire and Coaching market with some schools and colleges remaining. They aren't the first bus turned coaching company to drop regular commercial or tendered bus work and certainly won't be the last - an understandable move in the current bus climate. Another local operation chose to do similar a few years ago (Mortons Tad-Red service from Tadley to Reading) but chose to stay in Coaching & Schools work, prior to the sale to National Express. It also shows local co-operation too, in that they have been working with Bluestar to transfer the service, then doing a First and binning it and closing the business before a Bluestar "takeover".

In other Xelabus news, they have since been contracted to operate the Southsea PR3 Park and Ride service for Portsmouth City Council - and have been using the E400 MMCs on that.

 

[Dorsetbus]

YD23??? Fleetnumber 12 A new yutong excelsior coach parked up in Bournemouth railway station.

 

[AwkwardHail]

YD23??? Fleetnumber 12 A new yutong excelsior coach parked up in Bournemouth railway station.

There are 3 of these I believe. 12 is YD23 FNA, 13 FNE and 14 FNH.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Looks like Bluestar will also be taking on Xelabus’ remaining Barton Peveril routes from September, based on a comment signed by Xelabus’ Philip Blair on the Southampton Bus Update blog (he’s a regular commenter so no reason to believe it’s not a genuine comment).

For your information, as we have stated, Xelabus is concentrating more on private hire, special events and rail replacement and a further new coach arrives today with more in the pipeline.

The Services X41, X12, Hoppa and X21 do fit within scheduled contracts.

We have also arranged with Bluestar for them to take over the Barton Peveril College services from September.

PHILIP BLAIR
Commercial Manager
Xelabus Limited

Late June Round Up

Xelabus will run the X4 (Eastleigh-Hedge End) and X4A (Eastleigh-Velmore) for the final time on Saturday 29th July . After that, they tra...

sotonbus.blogspot.com

 

[deconte]

MoreBus - with the increased operation in Poole and Bournemouth since last year’s takeover of ex-Yellow Buses routes are there any additional operating centres or overnight parking facilities other than Poole Bus Station and Southcote Road Bournemouth ?

 

[WibbleWobble]

MoreBus - with the increased operation in Poole and Bournemouth since last year’s takeover of ex-Yellow Buses routes are there any additional operating centres or overnight parking facilities other than Poole Bus Station and Southcote Road Bournemouth ?

Yes and no...... I assume you mean Poole depot, which is not the same as Poole Bus Station.

Poole Bus Station and Seldown Coach Park are on the license as operating centres, these are in effect overflow parking places. Seldown is more commonly used for coach parking.

Southcote Road is where Bournemouth depot is located.

 

[DaveHarries]

On Friday I got back from a few days away and have been catching up on the VOSA Bus Service registrations that were given while I was away. The Salisbury Reds network seems to be up for a number of revisions: route and timetable changes went through on 26th June for services R1, PR3, R4, R5, R6 & PR11 and, on 27th June, services R2 and PR7. All effective 31/07/2023.

Dave

 

[nw1]

Looks like Bluestar will also be taking on Xelabus’ remaining Barton Peveril routes from September, based on a comment signed by Xelabus’ Philip Blair on the Southampton Bus Update blog (he’s a regular commenter so no reason to believe it’s not a genuine comment).

Late June Round Up

Xelabus will run the X4 (Eastleigh-Hedge End) and X4A (Eastleigh-Velmore) for the final time on Saturday 29th July . After that, they tra...

sotonbus.blogspot.com

Presumably Bluestar will need new (or imported) vehicles for this, as they must already be quite stretched with the new network?

 

[Surreyman]

Presumably Bluestar will need new (or imported) vehicles for this, as they must already be quite stretched with the new network?

7 E400 MMC coming for the Isle of Wight so a cascade of Scanias?

 

[richard13]

Bournemouth - more are losing some of the competition over the summer from Transpora. Transpora have cancelled their 4 St Peter's school routes leaving the roads to more 85,86,87,88 next term. The Bournemouth Coaster T1 also ceases on 23 Aug leaving more Breezers 70&80 without competition.

PH1089686/7 Cancelled	ALTONIAN COACHES LIMITED	T1 (Sightseeing Bournemouth)	Bournemouth Pier	Hengistbury Head
PH1089686/5 Cancelled	ALTONIAN COACHES LIMITED	908	Springbourne, Gilbert Road	St Peter's School, Southbourne

The 906, 907, 909 are listed as Cancellations and not Cancelled and so are not in the above quote.
As an aside the 906/907 and 908/909 are currently running as just one bus for each pair due to spare part shortages according to the Transpora website.

Roger French visited Bournemouth last week to ride the open toppers and his report on his blog today. Roger French in Bournemouth

 

[Flange Squeal]

The current X21, which offers two morning trips between Southampton and the Science Park with two evening return trips, is another route moving to Go South Coast from Xelabus (following news of the X4/X4A, Barton Peveril College and St George’s School routes).

The following has been posted on the Xelabus website:

X21 changing to U8

Due to the contract coming to a natural end, the service X21 from Southampton to the Southampton Science Park, via Airport Parkway, will be replaced by the UniLink U8 service from Monday 4th September 2023.

The last day of operation for our X21 service will be Friday 1st September 2023. The current timetable will apply until close of business on this day.

For information regarding the U8 service, please contact Unilink on 023 8059 5974.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the customers who have used this service over the past three years and best wishes for the future.

Xelabus team

Source: https://xelabus.info/updates/1046

 

[PTR 444]

The current X21, which offers two morning trips between Southampton and the Science Park with two evening return trips, is another route moving to Go South Coast from Xelabus (following news of the X4/X4A, Barton Peveril College and St George’s School routes).

The following has been posted on the Xelabus website:


Source: https://xelabus.info/updates/1046

Interesting that this service will have a U prefix when it currently doesn’t serve the University of Southampton. Is a change of route on the agenda?

 

[Lynford1976]

Interesting that this service will have a U prefix when it currently doesn’t serve the University of Southampton. Is a change of route on the agenda?

The Science Park, I believe, is owned by the University.

 

[PTR 444]

The Science Park, I believe, is owned by the University.

I was aware, and with that in mind it seems bizarre that neither sites are linked by a single route. You’d think that there’d be at least some demand for travel from the university to the science park and back, even if only in the peak hours.

 

[nw1]

I was aware, and with that in mind it seems bizarre that neither sites are linked by a single route. You’d think that there’d be at least some demand for travel from the university to the science park and back, even if only in the peak hours.

Maybe they will adjust the route to go via the University.

What is odd is they have U1, U2, U6, U9 and now U8 - yet no U3, U4, U5 or U7.

I presume the U6 was numbered because of its resemblance to the old Citybus 6, but they then jumped to U9.

 

[aliceh]

Maybe they will adjust the route to go via the University.

What is odd is they have U1, U2, U6, U9 and now U8 - yet no U3, U4, U5 or U7.

I presume the U6 was numbered because of its resemblance to the old Citybus 6, but they then jumped to U9.

When Accord took over the University bus service and renumbered the routes, these did exist.
U3 ran between the Eastern Docks and General Hospital via the Institute and RSH hospital
U4 was initially some U1 short journeys from Wessex Lane, but then became its own route from So'ton Central to Wessex Lane via Avenue Campus
U7 was a two-day-a-week evening shopper service from various halls of residence to Hedge End Sainsburys
There was also a fairly short-lived U10 that ran one return journey on a Sunday, funded by a local church

I don't see there ever having been a U5 though.

There was also a previous U8, an evening shopper service to Chandler's Ford ASDA

 

[PTR 444]

U3 ran between the Eastern Docks and General Hospital via the Institute and RSH hospital

Sounds very similar to today’s U6. Did it take a slightly quicker route?

 

[aliceh]

Sounds very similar to today’s U6. Did it take a slightly quicker route?

My memory is hazy but I think it went via the Avenue campus rather than Portswood and Swaythling. I think it got subsumed into the U6 after a while

EDIT: Nope, I'm wrong. It was via Highfield Lane instead of Portswood Road and Swaythling

 

[nw1]

When Accord took over the University bus service and renumbered the routes, these did exist.
U3 ran between the Eastern Docks and General Hospital via the Institute and RSH hospital
U4 was initially some U1 short journeys from Wessex Lane, but then became its own route from So'ton Central to Wessex Lane via Avenue Campus
U7 was a two-day-a-week evening shopper service from various halls of residence to Hedge End Sainsburys
There was also a fairly short-lived U10 that ran one return journey on a Sunday, funded by a local church

I don't see there ever having been a U5 though.

There was also a previous U8, an evening shopper service to Chandler's Ford ASDA

Ah ok, thanks for that. I lost track a bit during the Accord years, I have to admit. I do remember the existence of First's 10x routes though which included various routes to the different halls of residence.

 

[Ancelljb]

Maybe they will adjust the route to go via the University.

What is odd is they have U1, U2, U6, U9 and now U8 - yet no U3, U4, U5 or U7.

I presume the U6 was numbered because of its resemblance to the old Citybus 6, but they then jumped to U9.

Unilink have posted the announcement today, announcing that two new routes will launch in September, the U7 and U8 as follows:

The U7 expands connections between Highfield Campus and Winchester School of Art, and the U8 connects Highfield Campus with Southampton Science Park and Airport Parkway railway station.

These two routes will begin operation from September 2023.

The U7 will operate between the Highfield bus interchange, Winchester School of Art and Winchester Broadway, Monday to Friday at peak times during term time - complementing the existing Bluestar 1 service, which operates between Southampton and Winchester seven days a week at regular intervals. This new service also offers direct links for students travelling between the two cities.

The U8 will connect the University of Southampton Science Park with both Highfield Campus and Southampton Airport Parkway. It will operate all year round excluding bank holidays. We expect this service to be especially popular among staff and students of the university who mainly travel to-and-from Highfield - as well as workers at the science park who travel from Parkway station. Passengers can, of course, connect from other buses in Southampton onto the U8.

This clears up the reason for U8 in so far as they now run routes U1, U2 and U6-9.

On a slightly different note, does anyone know the reason for using suffixed route numbers on the U1/2/6? Take the U6 for example, it runs as the U6H towards the Hospital, and U6C towards the City Centre, obviously denoting the destination. Is there any particular reason for this, seeing as the normal Bluestar routes do not

 

[PTR 444]

Unilink have posted the announcement today, announcing that two new routes will launch in September, the U7 and U8 as follows:


This clears up the reason for U8 in so far as they now run routes U1, U2 and U6-9.

Interesting that there will be a direct bus from the University of Southampton to Winchester when Highfield campus is only a short walk from the existing Bluestar 1 route. I wonder if this new U7 route will run non-stop between the two campuses?

On a slightly different note, does anyone know the reason for using suffixed route numbers on the U1/2/6? Take the U6 for example, it runs as the U6H towards the Hospital, and U6C towards the City Centre, obviously denoting the destination. Is there any particular reason for this, seeing as the normal Bluestar routes do not

I think it’s because buses on the same route travelling in different directions stop in the same place at Highfield interchange. Having both directions shown as U1 could lead students unfamiliar with the area to board a bus heading to the Airport when they wanted to travel to the City Centre and vice versa. A suffix after the route number goes a long way in solving this.

 

[WibbleWobble]

I think it’s because buses on the same route travelling in different directions stop in the same place at Highfield interchange. Having both directions shown as U1 could lead students unfamiliar with the area to board a bus heading to the Airport when they wanted to travel to the City Centre and vice versa. A suffix after the route number goes a long way in solving this.

I was told it was down to students doing exactly that, boarding the bus in the wrong direction despite the destination clearly showing which way!

There are U2 journeys with no suffix, but these are short workings.

 

[Surreyman]

With the increased PVR from the ex Xelabus routes/School routes, I assume Bluestar will need a few more buses?

 

[baza585]

With the increased PVR from the ex Xelabus routes/School routes, I assume Bluestar will need a few more buses?

Yes. Likely sourced from the arrival of new ADL deckers to Bournemouth depot for the m1 and 5/5a and subsequent transfers, but timing might be tight once Uni back in mid September.

The Versas brought in from Swindon when First left Southampton are the worst buses I have ever travelled in 60+ years on this mortal coil. The vibration at idle is unbearable, and I'm very used to Streetlites....... I'm still hoping they may depart then, but with new routes and contracts it's looking more unlikely sadly!

 

[Dorsetbus]

Yes. Likely sourced from the arrival of new ADL deckers to Bournemouth depot for the m1 and 5/5a and subsequent transfers, but timing might be tight once Uni back in mid September.

The Versas brought in from Swindon when First left Southampton are the worst buses I have ever travelled in 60+ years on this mortal coil. The vibration at idle is unbearable, and I'm very used to Streetlites....... I'm still hoping they may depart then, but with new routes and contracts it's looking more unlikely sadly!

The ADL 200's freed up from the new Adl 400 delivery will be going to Manchester on loan for the Bee network. When they return in a few months time, their final destination will be Bluestar to replace the temporary vehicles.

 

[baza585]

The ADL 200's freed up from the new Adl 400 delivery will be going to Manchester on loan for the Bee network. When they return in a few months time, their final destination will be Bluestar to replace the temporary vehicles.

Thanks for the info. Sadly it looks as though the Versas will be with us for a while. Thank goodness for bus times.org so I can try to avoid them.......

 

[Flange Squeal]

The Hampshire Bus Update website is reporting that Go South Coast have lost a handful of college routes to Transpora from the new academic year. Their blog post says:

We have also previously questioned the logic of ending the Bournemouth Coaster open top service just before the ate summer bank holiday. The 'more lucrative' services that Transpora need to train their staff on have now been announced as the small network of routes serving Kingston Maurwood College.

These routes were operated by Go South Coast and at the end of July were advertised as "The Double Deck Routes" by the further and higher education provider.

• 701 for Portland & Weymouth
• 702 for Christchurch, Bournemouth and Canford Heath
• 703 for Kinson, Poole and Upton
• 704 for Verwood, Wimbourne and
• Corfe Mullen

A quick look at the college website suggests that they have a pretty comprehensive network of other routes as well. The institution is in the middle of the countryside and has quite a specialist list of agricultural and animal based courses on offer, which probably explains the wide commuting area.

Source: https://hantsbus.blog/2023/07/the-new-school-term-at-transpora/

 

[Surreyman]

The cynic in me just thinks that it means that they can't accuse Go South Coast of 'having a monopoly' - maybe it just simplifies operations all round?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The cynic in me just thinks that it means that they can't accuse Go South Coast of 'having a monopoly' - maybe it just simplifies operations all round?

So why did Go South Coast respond competitively against Transpora when they introduced schools routes? Perhaps it's that Transpora is looking to develop a business and are prepared to price competitively?

 

[Surreyman]

So why did Go South Coast respond competitively against Transpora when they introduced schools routes? Perhaps it's that Transpora is looking to develop a business and are prepared to price competitively?

I am a bit out of touch here, not really aware that Go Ahead did respond to Transpora, If Transpora (who I know virtually nothing about) are providing a lean, mean super efficient competitive offering and thereby saving Dorset County Council (or whoever funds these routes), a tidy sum of money all power to them.
School/College tenders/routes seem to change provider all the time.