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Bluestar (bus company)
Encyclopedia
Bluestar is a trading name of Solent Blue Line Ltd
. Based in Eastleigh
, the company operates bus routes in Hampshire that previously traded under the Solent Blue Line name. Blue Line was started by bus company Southern Vectis
as it sought to expand from the Isle of Wight
in 1987. It is now owned along with Southern Vectis
by The Go-Ahead Group, as part of its Go South Coast
division.
The name Bluestar was originally the brand for the premier Solent Blue Line
services, but with the withdrawal of the Red Rocket services on 25 February 2008, all services now operate under the name. Some local routes run under the Baby Bluestar name. The New Forest Tour
runs under its own sub-brand.
routes running under the Bluestar name, a number of brands were discontinued. These can be seen on the Solent Blue Line page.
's premier services. With the rebranding, it was extended to most of the main services.
All of the routes serve Southampton City Centre, with only the 18 running through it; all other services terminate there. Current routes are services:
Baby Bluestar is the name given to the more local routes run, and those that weren't withdrawn after the demise of Red Rocket.
Bluestar began operation of the free City-link service in Southampton from 28 September 2008. It runs between Southampton Central Station
, WestQuay and Town Quay for Red Funnel
ferries to the Isle of Wight
.
The two buses used on the service were inherited from the previous operator, Enterprise, and have been repainted in a new two-tone blue livery, with the interiors also rebranded.
In early 2008, it was announced that Bluestar had won the 10-year contract to provide the uni-link
service on behalf of the University of Southampton
. Bluestar operations started on 28 September 2008. A fleet of 18 new buses were ordered, of which the first, 9 double-deck dual-door Scania OmniCity
s arrived in time for the start. 9 single-deck OmniCitys also arrived in early 2009.
To cover the start of operations, the existing vehicles of previous operator Enterprise were hired, of which numbers are gradually declining. Additionally, a tri-axle, single deck 13.7m Scania OmniLink
single-deck bus is being trialled on the network.
The New Forest Tour is a circular open-top bus service running around the New Forest
, between Lyndhurst
, Brockenhurst
, Lymington
, Beaulieu
and Exbury
.
It was started in 2004, using distinctively branded yellow and orange Bristol VR
s (in the same livery as the old Southern Vectis
open-top services.) The service was reversed in 2005, to run in the opposite direction. For the 2006 season, two low-floor Volvo B7TL
/East Lancs Myllennium
s from Wilts & Dorset
were used, retaining the Wilts & Dorset livery but with "New Forest Tour" vinyls added. In 2007 the buses passed to Solent Blue Line
and were repainted in a new green and orange livery, with ponies on the side. Again, this is similar to the Southern Vectis
livery which that company uses on their open-top buses.
These are late night services running on Friday and Saturday nights aimed at people who have a night out in Southampton. All services begin at Leisure World and additionally call in the area of number of city centre bars and clubs. Nightstar services operate outbound from Southampton only and charge a flat fare of £2 on routes N6, N12, N18, N19 and £3 on N1, N2, N9 and N16.
Services start at Leisure World before serving the city centre:
This was an express bus link between Portsmouth
and Southampton
. This service was originally run by Southampton City Bus and later First Hampshire & Dorset
as services 727 and 747. It has had a number of other operators since, prior to the Solent Blue Line attempt it was branded as the Solent Clipper and run by Tellings-Golden Miller
, they retained part of the original Southampton City Bus route numbers with the services becoming X27 and X47. The Bluestar service was due to terminate on 2 June 2007 due to financial funding from the local councils being taken away, but it was then continued due to popular demand, with a revised timetable from 2 July 2007. In February 2009, Bluestar announced that the Solent Shuttle would end. The Solent Shuttle stopped running on the 21 February 2009.
Beep! Bus was a brand name for the ex-Bluestar service B between Eastleigh and Southampton via Boyatt Wood
and Velmore which began on 8 September 2008. The service operates in direct competition with Velvet
B, with Beep! Bus journeys timed to operate 3 minutes ahead of all Velvet B services.
Initially the service was registered with VOSA
as a Wilts & Dorset
route to begin on 15 September 2008 but this was later cancelled and replaced with an identical Bluestar registration.
Because the service was not officially scheduled to begin until 15 September (a week after Velvet started operating), Bluestar initially was unable to take fares for the service, therefore it operated as a free service until its registered start date a week later. Normal fares were slightly lower than Velvet's, on some journeys but local journeys were more expensive.
Bluestar operations director Andrew Wickham said that the decision was "a business decision pure and simple", adding that they "are not scared of competition" but Velvet were "deliberately creaming off" some of their passengers.
The rival Velvet service ended on 10 January 2009 because of low passenger numbers. Soon after, Bluestar announced their intention to withdraw Beep! Bus from February 2009, ironically one year after they withdrew the Red Rocket B service.
This service was withdrawn follwing the loss of council funding from 23 October 2011. Route number changed to P1.
This service was withdrawn after a withdrawal of council funding on 6 February 2010.
This service was withdrawn by Bluestar on 21 February 2009, but was continued by Velvet
.
This service was withdrawn on 10 April 2011 due to withdrawal of council funding.
Bluestar also infrequently offer a Do the Docks Tour, which is an open-top double decker that runs a circular route around Southampton Docks. The tour is scheduled to ran on November 11; the date of the last scheduled passenger journey departure of the QE2.
The double deck fleet is made up of seven East Lancs Lolyne
bodied Dennis Tridents
built in 1998, seven East Lancs Myllennium Vyking
bodied Volvo B7TL
s built in 2001 and an Enviro400-bodied Volvo B7TL which joined the fleet in October 2006 and entered service in November of that year. This vehicle, given the fleet number 758, was originally intended for Wilts & Dorset
and is fitted out with their interior design. 758 is the only Enviro400-bodied Volvo B7TL as the B7TL has been replaced with the Volvo B9TL
. The company also has a number of Leyland Olympian
s and Volvo Olympian
s with East Lancs or Northern Counties Palatine 1
bodywork. The New Forest Tour
utilises two East Lancs Myllennium Vykings transferred from Wilts & Dorset.
Single deck buses include DAF SB120
/Wright Cadet
s which are primarily used on Bluestar route 18, Dennis Dart
/Plaxton Pointer
MPDs for use on Bluestar. Also a small number of Optare Solo
s transferred from Wilts & Dorset
and ten new Mercedes-Benz Citaros arrived in 2006.
In early 2009 seven brand new Scania OmniCity
double deckers enter service with the company. They are primarily used on the Bluestar 1 route. The first, 1125, arrived in November 2008.
Seven ex-Southern Vectis
2007 built Mercedes-Benz Citaros are due to replace older vehicles on routes to Romsey via North Baddesley and routes to Calmore, meaning low floor vehicles will always be used on main routes. The buses have arrived in Southampton and have been branded for Route 9 in Southampton, they retain the Southern Vectis
interior.
causing the top to be ripped off, in addition to minor damage to the bridge. It is now with Southern Vectis
as an open-topper.
In the early hours of Tuesday 22 March 2011, there was an incident between a car and a Bluestar bus on route 2 between Southampton, Eastleigh and Fair Oak, resulting in a single fatality of the car driver, and the passenger last known to be in a critical condition. Only one passenger of the 10 on-board were treated for minor injuries. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8921552.Driver_killed_in_bus_crash/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-12822356
over their implementation and subsequent removal of extra services, which operated between Eastleigh and Fair Oak, to rival Velvet's
service, the Fair Oak Flyer. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4480006.MP_fires_first_sortie_in_bitter_bus_wars/
Solent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line Ltd formerly Musterphantom Ltd is a bus company which operates buses in Hampshire, England under the names Bluestar and Uni-link. The company was taken over along with its parent, Southern Vectis in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line...
. Based in Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, the company operates bus routes in Hampshire that previously traded under the Solent Blue Line name. Blue Line was started by bus company Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
as it sought to expand from the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
in 1987. It is now owned along with Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
by The Go-Ahead Group, as part of its Go South Coast
Go South Coast
Go South Coast is a bus operator in the south of England, owned by the Go-Ahead Group. It was established in late 2005, after Go-Ahead purchased Southern Vectis and its subsidiary Solent Blue Line, and combined its operations with existing subsidiary Wilts & Dorset.It is based in Poole, at the...
division.
The name Bluestar was originally the brand for the premier Solent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line Ltd formerly Musterphantom Ltd is a bus company which operates buses in Hampshire, England under the names Bluestar and Uni-link. The company was taken over along with its parent, Southern Vectis in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line...
services, but with the withdrawal of the Red Rocket services on 25 February 2008, all services now operate under the name. Some local routes run under the Baby Bluestar name. The New Forest Tour
New Forest Tour
The New Forest Tour is an open-top bus service in the New Forest, running two circular routes around Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Beaulieu and Exbury Gardens as well as going to Ringwood, Fordingbridge, Cadnam and Ashurst...
runs under its own sub-brand.
Brands
Bluestar services run under a number of sub-brands. To complete the change of all Solent Blue LineSolent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line Ltd formerly Musterphantom Ltd is a bus company which operates buses in Hampshire, England under the names Bluestar and Uni-link. The company was taken over along with its parent, Southern Vectis in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line...
routes running under the Bluestar name, a number of brands were discontinued. These can be seen on the Solent Blue Line page.
Bluestar
Bluestar was originally the brand for Solent Blue LineSolent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line Ltd formerly Musterphantom Ltd is a bus company which operates buses in Hampshire, England under the names Bluestar and Uni-link. The company was taken over along with its parent, Southern Vectis in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line...
's premier services. With the rebranding, it was extended to most of the main services.
All of the routes serve Southampton City Centre, with only the 18 running through it; all other services terminate there. Current routes are services:
| No. | Route | Upcoming Changes |
|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... - Bassett - Chandlers Ford - Otterbourne - Winchester Winchester Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of... |
| 2 | Southampton - Portswood - Eastleigh Eastleigh Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation... - Bishopstoke - Fair Oak Fair Oak Fair Oak, Hampshire is a small village on the outskirts of Eastleigh, and near Southampton and Winchester. Its parish incorporates the neighbouring village of Horton Heath, which lies to the south.-History:... |
| 3 | Southampton - Bitterne - Hedge End Hedge End Hedge End is a town and civil parish located in Hampshire in England. It is situated to the east of the City of Southampton, adjoining the districts of West End and Botley. Hedge End lies within the Borough of Eastleigh and is part of the Southampton Urban Area.It is sometimes mistakenly claimed... - Kings Copse - Botley Botley, Hampshire Botley is a historic village in Hampshire, England that obtained a charter for a market from Henry III in 1267. The area has been settled since at least the 10th century.... |
| 4 | Southampton - Shirley - Lords Hill - North Baddesley North Baddesley North Baddesley is a large village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated 3 miles east of the town of Romsey and 6 miles north of Southampton. It occupies an area of approximately 9.15 square kilometres, and is home to a population of just over 10,000 people. It is located in the... - Romsey Romsey Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley... |
| 5 | Romsey Romsey Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley... - North Baddesley - Eastleigh Eastleigh Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation... |
| 6 | Southampton - Totton - Rushington (where 1 in 2 buses terminate) - Lyndhurst - Brockenhurst - Lymington Lymington Lymington is a port on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry, operated by Wightlink. The town... |
| 8 | Southampton - Totton - Marchwood Marchwood Marchwood is a village and civil parish located in Hampshire, United Kingdom. It lies between Totton and Hythe on the western shore of Southampton Water, next to the New Forest. The population of the village in the 2001 census was 5,586.-History:... - Applemore Applemore Applemore is a village in Hampshire, England. One of its notable features is Applemore Technology College and the Applemore Recreation Centre as well as a large Tesco store and petrol station.... - Hythe Hythe, Hampshire Hythe is a village near Southampton, Hampshire, England. It is located by the shore of Southampton Water, and has a ferry service connecting it to Southampton... |
| 9 | Southampton - Applemore - Dibden Purlieu Dibden Purlieu Dibden Purlieu is a village situated on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, UK. The village merges with the nearby town of Hythe.The approximate population is around 4000 people. The regular Blue Star bus service provides Purlieu's quickest link with the city of Southampton... - Hythe - Blackfield Blackfield Blackfield is a collaboratory musical group between Porcupine Tree founder and lead singer Steven Wilson and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen.-Formation, self-titled debut :... , Fawley Fawley, Hampshire Fawley is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated in the New Forest on the western shore of the Solent, approximately 7 miles south of Southampton. Fawley is also the site of an oil refinery, operated by Exxon-Mobil, which is the largest facility of its kind in the United... or Langley Langley, Hampshire Langley is a small village in the civil parish of Fawley in Hampshire, England. It is today part of the modern village of Blackfield.-History:... |
| 10 | Southampton - Totton - West Totton - Woodlands - Cadnam Cadnam Cadnam is a village situated in Hampshire, England, within the boundaries of the New Forest National Park. The village has existed since the medieval period, when it was an important crossroads between Southampton and the towns of southeast Dorset.-Overview:Cadnam is part of the civil parish of... |
| 11 | Southampton - Totton - West Totton - Tatchbury - Cadnam Cadnam Cadnam is a village situated in Hampshire, England, within the boundaries of the New Forest National Park. The village has existed since the medieval period, when it was an important crossroads between Southampton and the towns of southeast Dorset.-Overview:Cadnam is part of the civil parish of... |
| 12 | Southampton - Totton - Calmore |
| 18 | Thornhill Thornhill, Hampshire -About Thornhill:Thornhill is a suburb of Southampton, United Kingdom. Situated on the Eastern border of the City and bounded by three major roads; the area is effectively an island. According to the the population was 11,460... - Bitterne Bitterne Bitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor... - Southampton - Shirley - Millbrook |
Baby Bluestar
| No. | Route | Upcoming Changes |
|---|---|
| E1 | Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Brambridge - Colden Common - Twyford - St Cross - Winchester Winchester Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of... (Previously Route 49A Solent Blue Line) |
| E2 | Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Otterbourne - Compton - Stanmore - County Hospital - Winchester Winchester Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of... (New Route shared with the E3) |
| H1/H2 | Hythe Hythe, Hampshire Hythe is a village near Southampton, Hampshire, England. It is located by the shore of Southampton Water, and has a ferry service connecting it to Southampton... circular services |
| H3 | Hythe - Calshot Calshot Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton_Water where it joins the Solent. A settlement at the site is believed to have existed since the fifth century AD... |
| P1 | Southampton - The Avenue - Glen Eyre |
| T1 | Totton - Calmore |
| T2 | Totton - Rushington |
City-link
Southampton Central railway station
Southampton Central railway station is a main line railway station serving the city of Southampton in Hampshire, southern England. It is on the Wessex Main Line, the South Western Main Line and the West Coastway Line...
, WestQuay and Town Quay for Red Funnel
Red Funnel
The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, which trades as Red Funnel, is a ferry company that carries passengers and vehicles on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight...
ferries to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
The two buses used on the service were inherited from the previous operator, Enterprise, and have been repainted in a new two-tone blue livery, with the interiors also rebranded.
Uni-link
In early 2008, it was announced that Bluestar had won the 10-year contract to provide the uni-link
Uni-link
Uni-link is the brand for bus services run under contract for the University of Southampton in Southampton, Hampshire, England, by existing bus companies...
service on behalf of the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
. Bluestar operations started on 28 September 2008. A fleet of 18 new buses were ordered, of which the first, 9 double-deck dual-door Scania OmniCity
Scania OmniCity
The Scania OmniCity is an integrally-constructed transverse-engined low floor citybus available on the European market. The OmniCity is a complete product built in Poland by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
s arrived in time for the start. 9 single-deck OmniCitys also arrived in early 2009.
To cover the start of operations, the existing vehicles of previous operator Enterprise were hired, of which numbers are gradually declining. Additionally, a tri-axle, single deck 13.7m Scania OmniLink
Scania OmniLink
The Scania OmniLink is an integrally-constructed rear longitudinal-engined citybus available on the European market. It is a complete product built by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
single-deck bus is being trialled on the network.
| No. | Route |
|---|---|
| U1 | Dockgate 4 - City - Portswood - University Highfield - Southampton Airport |
| U2 | City - Portswood - University Highfield - Bassett Green |
| U6 | Dockgate 4 - City - University Highfield - Southampton General Hospital |
| U9 | Townhill Park - University Highfield - Tautons Collage - Southampton General Hospital |
New Forest Tour
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
, between Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Lyndhurst is a village and civil parish in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It is a popular tourist location with many independent shops, art galleries, cafés, restaurants, pubs and hotels. The nearest city is Southampton located around nine miles to the north-east...
, Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst is a village situated in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. The New Forest is a national park and Brockenhurst is therefore surrounded by woodland that attracts thousands of visitors all year round. The nearby towns surrounding Brockenhurst are Lymington and Lyndhurst. Brockenhurst...
, Lymington
Lymington
Lymington is a port on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry, operated by Wightlink. The town...
, Beaulieu
Beaulieu, Hampshire
Beaulieu is a small village located on the south eastern edge of the New Forest national park in Hampshire, England and home to both Palace House and the British National Motor Museum.- History :...
and Exbury
Exbury
Exbury is a village in Hampshire, England. It lies just in the New Forest, near the Beaulieu River and about a mile from the Solent coast. It is best known as the location of Exbury House, built by the Rothschild family, and the famous Exbury Gardens...
.
It was started in 2004, using distinctively branded yellow and orange Bristol VR
Bristol VR
The Bristol VR was Bristol's rear-engined bus chassis, designed as a competitor to the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline.-Development:...
s (in the same livery as the old Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
open-top services.) The service was reversed in 2005, to run in the opposite direction. For the 2006 season, two low-floor Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
/East Lancs Myllennium
East Lancs Myllennium
The East Lancs Myllennium is a type of bus body built on MAN, Volvo, DAF/VDL and Alexander Dennis chassis. It was built as a single and double deck body, with double deck bodies having slightly different names .-Single decker:...
s from Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
were used, retaining the Wilts & Dorset livery but with "New Forest Tour" vinyls added. In 2007 the buses passed to Solent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line
Solent Blue Line Ltd formerly Musterphantom Ltd is a bus company which operates buses in Hampshire, England under the names Bluestar and Uni-link. The company was taken over along with its parent, Southern Vectis in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line...
and were repainted in a new green and orange livery, with ponies on the side. Again, this is similar to the Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
livery which that company uses on their open-top buses.
Nightstar
Services start at Leisure World before serving the city centre:
| No. | Route | "Set-Down Only" Beyond |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... - Bassett - Chandlers Ford - Otterbourne - Winchester Winchester Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of... - Badger Farm |
Fryern Hill |
| N2 | Southampton - Portswood - Eastleigh Eastleigh Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation... - Bishopstoke - Fair Oak Fair Oak Fair Oak, Hampshire is a small village on the outskirts of Eastleigh, and near Southampton and Winchester. Its parish incorporates the neighbouring village of Horton Heath, which lies to the south.-History:... |
Eastleigh Bus Station |
| N3 | Southampton - Bitterne - West End - Botley Botley, Hampshire Botley is a historic village in Hampshire, England that obtained a charter for a market from Henry III in 1267. The area has been settled since at least the 10th century.... - Hedge End |
West End High Street |
| N9 | Southampton - Applemore - Dibden Purlieu Dibden Purlieu Dibden Purlieu is a village situated on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, UK. The village merges with the nearby town of Hythe.The approximate population is around 4000 people. The regular Blue Star bus service provides Purlieu's quickest link with the city of Southampton... - Hythe - Blackfield Blackfield Blackfield is a collaboratory musical group between Porcupine Tree founder and lead singer Steven Wilson and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen.-Formation, self-titled debut :... , Fawley Fawley, Hampshire Fawley is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated in the New Forest on the western shore of the Solent, approximately 7 miles south of Southampton. Fawley is also the site of an oil refinery, operated by Exxon-Mobil, which is the largest facility of its kind in the United... |
Pooksgreen |
| N12 | Southampton - Totton - Calmore | runs throughout |
| N16 | Southampton - Lowford - Hamble Hamble Hamble may refer to:* The last frontier film location.* The River Hamble in Hampshire, England**Hamble-Warsash Ferry, a ferry service on the River Hamble* Hamble-le-Rice, a village on the river Hamble, close to the city of Southampton, England... - Netley Netley Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton... |
runs throughout |
| N18 | Southampton - Bitterne Bitterne Bitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor... - Thornhill Thornhill, Hampshire -About Thornhill:Thornhill is a suburb of Southampton, United Kingdom. Situated on the Eastern border of the City and bounded by three major roads; the area is effectively an island. According to the the population was 11,460... - Sholing |
runs throughout |
| N19 | Southampton - Shirley - Millbrook - Lord's Hill | runs throughout |
Solent Shuttle
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. This service was originally run by Southampton City Bus and later First Hampshire & Dorset
First Hampshire & Dorset
First Hampshire & Dorset is a subsidiary bus company within FirstGroup, which operates buses and trains throughout Great Britain.First Hampshire & Dorset has its head office in Empress Road, Southampton and operates bus services in the Weymouth and Bridport areas in Dorset; and services in...
as services 727 and 747. It has had a number of other operators since, prior to the Solent Blue Line attempt it was branded as the Solent Clipper and run by Tellings-Golden Miller
Tellings-Golden Miller
Tellings-Golden Miller , a subsidiary of Arriva, is a bus service and coach operator in the United Kingdom.-Golden Miller:Reputedly, Fred Varney began the Golden Miller company with the winnings from a bet made on the horse Golden Miller, which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in...
, they retained part of the original Southampton City Bus route numbers with the services becoming X27 and X47. The Bluestar service was due to terminate on 2 June 2007 due to financial funding from the local councils being taken away, but it was then continued due to popular demand, with a revised timetable from 2 July 2007. In February 2009, Bluestar announced that the Solent Shuttle would end. The Solent Shuttle stopped running on the 21 February 2009.
Beep! Bus
Boyatt Wood
Boyatt Wood is a small residential area north of Eastleigh in Hampshire.Famously Craig David used to practice trumpet here.Boyatt Wood Church, is an Anglican parish church in the area. Boyatt Wood Allotment Site contains 61 gardening plots.Boyatt Wood contains a pub and some local shops, but it...
and Velmore which began on 8 September 2008. The service operates in direct competition with Velvet
Velvet (bus company)
Velvet is a bus company located in Eastleigh, owned by Phil Stockley, the former manager of Solent Blue Line. The company was set up on 3rd November 2007, and its first operational contract was started in January 2008, running a temporary shuttle for Tesco staff.On 25 February 2008, Velvet took...
B, with Beep! Bus journeys timed to operate 3 minutes ahead of all Velvet B services.
Initially the service was registered with VOSA
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency is a non-departmental public body granted Trading Fund status in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Transport of the United Kingdom Government.-History:...
as a Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
route to begin on 15 September 2008 but this was later cancelled and replaced with an identical Bluestar registration.
Because the service was not officially scheduled to begin until 15 September (a week after Velvet started operating), Bluestar initially was unable to take fares for the service, therefore it operated as a free service until its registered start date a week later. Normal fares were slightly lower than Velvet's, on some journeys but local journeys were more expensive.
Bluestar operations director Andrew Wickham said that the decision was "a business decision pure and simple", adding that they "are not scared of competition" but Velvet were "deliberately creaming off" some of their passengers.
The rival Velvet service ended on 10 January 2009 because of low passenger numbers. Soon after, Bluestar announced their intention to withdraw Beep! Bus from February 2009, ironically one year after they withdrew the Red Rocket B service.
Bluestar
- 14: SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
- Portswood - Glyn Eyre - BitterneBitterneBitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor...
This service was withdrawn follwing the loss of council funding from 23 October 2011. Route number changed to P1.
- 15: BitterneBitterneBitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor...
- ThornhillThornhill, Hampshire-About Thornhill:Thornhill is a suburb of Southampton, United Kingdom. Situated on the Eastern border of the City and bounded by three major roads; the area is effectively an island. According to the the population was 11,460...
- Weston
This service was withdrawn after a withdrawal of council funding on 6 February 2010.
Baby Bluestar
- C1/C2: EastleighEastleighEastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
- Velmore - Chandler's FordChandler's FordChandler's Ford is a largely residential area and civil parish in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England, with a population of 20,071 in the 2001 UK Census....
- Fryern Hill - HiltingburyHiltingburyHiltingbury is an area within the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England. There are two electoral wards representing Hiltingbury, returning a total of four councillors to the Borough Council.-Education:...
This service was withdrawn by Bluestar on 21 February 2009, but was continued by Velvet
Velvet (bus company)
Velvet is a bus company located in Eastleigh, owned by Phil Stockley, the former manager of Solent Blue Line. The company was set up on 3rd November 2007, and its first operational contract was started in January 2008, running a temporary shuttle for Tesco staff.On 25 February 2008, Velvet took...
.
- S1: Shirley - Lord's Hill
This service was withdrawn on 10 April 2011 due to withdrawal of council funding.
- E3: Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Otterbourne - Compton - Sainsbury's Badger Farm - County Hospital - WinchesterWinchesterWinchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
(Previously Route 49 Solent Blue Line). This variation to the E service was withdrawn on 23rd October 2011 due to a withdrawal in Hampshire County Council funding. - F: Eastleigh - Fair OakFair OakFair Oak, Hampshire is a small village on the outskirts of Eastleigh, and near Southampton and Winchester. Its parish incorporates the neighbouring village of Horton Heath, which lies to the south.-History:...
- Bishop's WalthamBishop's WalthamBishop's Waltham is a small town in Hampshire, England situated at the head of the River Hamble. It is home to the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace, an English Heritage monument.-History:...
- Waltham ChaseWaltham ChaseWaltham Chase is a village in Hampshire, England, neighbouring the village of Bishop's Waltham.The village comprises about 2 sq. kilometres of land to the south-east of Bishop's Waltham....
. This irregular service was withdrawn on 23rd October 2011 due to a withdrawal in Hampshire County Council funding.
Docks Tour
Fleet
Bluestar utilise a mix of single and double deck buses.The double deck fleet is made up of seven East Lancs Lolyne
East Lancs Lolyne
The East Lancs Lolyne is a type of double-decker bus body built by East Lancashire Coachbuilders. It is the double-deck version of the Spryte. It continued the long line of 'misspelt' names which continued until the Scania OmniDekka. It was built on the Dennis Trident 2 chassis.Later on in its life...
bodied Dennis Tridents
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
built in 1998, seven East Lancs Myllennium Vyking
East Lancs Myllennium Vyking
The East Lancs Myllennium Vyking is a type of bus body built on the Volvo B7TL chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders.-History:The Myllennium Vyking superseded the East Lancs Vyking. The Vyking was also the East Lancs body for the Volvo B7TL, but in 2000, was given a facelift with East Lancs'...
bodied Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
s built in 2001 and an Enviro400-bodied Volvo B7TL which joined the fleet in October 2006 and entered service in November of that year. This vehicle, given the fleet number 758, was originally intended for Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
and is fitted out with their interior design. 758 is the only Enviro400-bodied Volvo B7TL as the B7TL has been replaced with the Volvo B9TL
Volvo B9TL
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo Buses since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL and the Volvo B7TL.-Chassis:...
. The company also has a number of Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s and Volvo Olympian
Volvo Olympian
The Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
s with East Lancs or Northern Counties Palatine 1
Northern Counties Palatine
The Northern Counties Palatine is a step-entrance double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK. It was built mainly on Leyland Olympian and Volvo Olympian chassis, although some were also built on DAF, Volvo B10M Citybus and Scania chassis...
bodywork. The New Forest Tour
New Forest Tour
The New Forest Tour is an open-top bus service in the New Forest, running two circular routes around Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Beaulieu and Exbury Gardens as well as going to Ringwood, Fordingbridge, Cadnam and Ashurst...
utilises two East Lancs Myllennium Vykings transferred from Wilts & Dorset.
Single deck buses include DAF SB120
VDL SB120
The VDL SB120 is a low-floor light-weight midibus produced from 1999 by VDL Bus International of the Netherlands primarily for the UK market....
/Wright Cadet
Wright Cadet
The Wright Cadet was a midibus body built by British coachbuilder Wrightbus, solely on the DAF/VDL SB120; it was sold via VDL dealer Arriva Bus & Coach. For a time, Volvo additionally sold the chassis/body combination, however the body was marketed as the Merit.The Cadet was replaced by the Wright...
s which are primarily used on Bluestar route 18, Dennis Dart
Dennis Dart
The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....
/Plaxton Pointer
Plaxton Pointer
The Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
MPDs for use on Bluestar. Also a small number of Optare Solo
Optare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
s transferred from Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
and ten new Mercedes-Benz Citaros arrived in 2006.
In early 2009 seven brand new Scania OmniCity
Scania OmniCity
The Scania OmniCity is an integrally-constructed transverse-engined low floor citybus available on the European market. The OmniCity is a complete product built in Poland by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
double deckers enter service with the company. They are primarily used on the Bluestar 1 route. The first, 1125, arrived in November 2008.
Seven ex-Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
2007 built Mercedes-Benz Citaros are due to replace older vehicles on routes to Romsey via North Baddesley and routes to Calmore, meaning low floor vehicles will always be used on main routes. The buses have arrived in Southampton and have been branded for Route 9 in Southampton, they retain the Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
interior.
Incidents
In March 2007 whilst being used as a rail-replacement bus a double-decker member of the Red Rocket fleet drove under a low bridge at BarnhamBarnham
Barnham, as a person, may refer to:*Alice Barnham , the wife Francis Bacon*Benedict Barnham , an English merchantBarnham, as a location, may refer to:*Barnham, Suffolk, a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England...
causing the top to be ripped off, in addition to minor damage to the bridge. It is now with Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
as an open-topper.
In the early hours of Tuesday 22 March 2011, there was an incident between a car and a Bluestar bus on route 2 between Southampton, Eastleigh and Fair Oak, resulting in a single fatality of the car driver, and the passenger last known to be in a critical condition. Only one passenger of the 10 on-board were treated for minor injuries. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8921552.Driver_killed_in_bus_crash/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-12822356
Investigation
In July 2009, the MP for Eastleigh Chris Huhne ordered an investigation into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour of Bluestar against Velvet'sVelvet (bus company)
Velvet is a bus company located in Eastleigh, owned by Phil Stockley, the former manager of Solent Blue Line. The company was set up on 3rd November 2007, and its first operational contract was started in January 2008, running a temporary shuttle for Tesco staff.On 25 February 2008, Velvet took...
over their implementation and subsequent removal of extra services, which operated between Eastleigh and Fair Oak, to rival Velvet's
Velvet (bus company)
Velvet is a bus company located in Eastleigh, owned by Phil Stockley, the former manager of Solent Blue Line. The company was set up on 3rd November 2007, and its first operational contract was started in January 2008, running a temporary shuttle for Tesco staff.On 25 February 2008, Velvet took...
service, the Fair Oak Flyer. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4480006.MP_fires_first_sortie_in_bitter_bus_wars/