Solent Blue Line
Encyclopedia
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
under the names Bluestar
Bluestar (bus company)
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...
and 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...
. The company was taken over along with its parent, 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...
in 2005 by The Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
. From 25 February 2008, all previous Solent Blue Line buses began operating under the trading name Bluestar
Bluestar (bus company)
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...
. To the public, the Solent Blue Line name has disappeared, it only remains in legal lettering.
History
Solent Blue Line (SBL) was started by Southern VectisSouthern 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...
in 1987, originally under the legal name Musterphantom Ltd. to expand the company onto the mainland and to compete with Southampton Citybus
Southampton Citybus
Southampton Citybus was a bus operator which operated local services throughout the city of Southampton, United Kingdom. It was formed in 1898 as Southampton Corporation Transport...
on some of its major routes. Along with Southern Vectis, it was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
in 2005.
Since late 2005, the management and head office functions of Solent Blue Line, Southern Vectis and Go-Ahead's existing 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....
operation have been consolidated at Wilts & Dorset's Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
headquarters, as part of the 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.
On 24 October 2006, Solent Blue Line acquired Marchwood Motorways (Southampton) Limited and Marchwood Motorways (Services) Limited (together, "Marchwood Buses") for £3.0m, with the assumption of £1.4m of net debt at completion.
After the withdrawal of the Red Rocket brand on 25 February 2008, all of the company's services began to run under the Bluestar
Bluestar (bus company)
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...
brand, with the exception of 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...
.
Bluestar
Please see the main article for route details.
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 Citybus
Southampton Citybus
Southampton Citybus was a bus operator which operated local services throughout the city of Southampton, United Kingdom. It was formed in 1898 as Southampton Corporation Transport...
and later First in Hampshire and 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
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 Citybus
Southampton Citybus
Southampton Citybus was a bus operator which operated local services throughout the city of Southampton, United Kingdom. It was formed in 1898 as Southampton Corporation Transport...
route numbers with the services becoming X27 and X47. The SBL service was due to terminate on 2 June 2007 due to financial funding from the local councils being taken away, but was continued due to popular demand, with a revised timetable from 2 July 2007. The service was retained through the Solent Blue Line name change to Bluestar, but was discontinued at the end of February 2009.
The New Forest Tour
This circular open-top bus service 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 and were repainted in a new green and orange livery, with ponies on the side. This was 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. The service was repeated in 2008 after the Solent Blue Line name change to Bluestar.
Uni-link
On 20 March 2008, Solent Blue Line announced to its staff that it had received notification from Southampton University that they intend to award the company the contract to operate the Uni-link service. Solent Blue Line took over the service at the start of the 2008/09 academic year. Solent Blue Line intends to run Uni-link as a separate unit within the company.
Red Rocket
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...
, extending to 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...
in the north and 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...
in the south. Red Rocket services were either withdrawn or re-branded to Baby Bluestar on 24 February 2008, to enable Solent Blue Line to trade under the Bluestar
Bluestar (bus company)
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...
name.
The routes were are:
- A: 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...
- Hedge EndHedge EndHedge 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...
- HambleHambleHamble 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...
This service was withdrawn by SBL on 23 February 2008, but was continued by another operator, 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: Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood (Via Shakespear Road, Bosville, Broadlands Avenue, Arundel Road, Ruskin Road and Tywford Road) (Previously the 42/42A/42B Solent Blue Line route linking to Hiltingbury)
This service ceased on 23 February 2008.
- C: Eastleigh - Velmore Estate - 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 - Hiltingbury
This route became Baby Bluestar C1 on 24 February 2008, running between Eastleigh, Velmore, Chandler's Ford and Fryern Hill. It was withdrawn on 21 February 2009, to be continued by another operator, 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...
.
- D: Eastleigh - Valley Park - Hiltingbury
This service ceased on 23 February 2008.
- E1: Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Brambridge - Colden Common - St Cross - 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 49A Solent Blue Line) - E2: Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Otterbourne - Compton - Stanmore - 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...
(New Route shared with the E3) - E3: Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood - Allbrook - Otterbourne - Compton - Sainsburys 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 route became Baby Bluestar E1/E2/E3 with minor timetable changes.
- F: Eastleigh - Stoke Common - 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:...
- SwanmoreSwanmoreSwanmore is a small rural village and civil parish situated in the Meon Valley, Hampshire, England. It is very near to Bishop's Waltham.Swanmore houses the schools Swanmore Primary School and Swanmore College of Technology which is the secondary school for neighbouring towns and villages. The...
- 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 route became Baby Bluestar F with minor timetable changes.
Do the docks
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....
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:...
. Due to poor weather during the 2007 Summer season and resulting low passenger numbers, running the tour in "turn up and hop on" format was made unfeasible. So on Sunday 29 July 2007 this format stopped.
In April 2008 the service ran for just two days on 26 and 27 of that month, as part of the Caribbean festival in Southampton on those dates. As Solent Blue Line no longer had the open top buses for the routes, a hired 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 bus was used.