Woottens Luxury Travel
Encyclopedia
Woottens Luxury Travel are a coach company in Buckinghamshire
, England
and the surrounding counties. They run local bus services under the name Tiger Line.
and Buckinghamshire County Council
were won in the first year, and in August 1999 the company moved to a purpose-built depot in Lye Green
, near Chesham
.
In April 2007 the operations Westways of High Wycombe, an operator established since 1990, was acquired, increasing the amount of day trip and brochure holiday work dramatically. Also in 2007, the company was shortlisted for the Route One Coach Operator of the Year award. The Tiger Line commercial bus operation was launched in July 2008.
A 75% stake in Woottens was acquired by the Bowen Travel Group in June 2011.
and Hemel Hempstead
was launched by Woottens. The name Tiger Line was chosen for this service as the route, numbered T1, was operated with Leyland Tiger
single-deck buses. It initially operated hourly with a two-hourly Saturday service operating as far as Bovingdon
. The route provided new links from Chesham and Great Missenden
to Stoke Mandeville Hospital
and received praise from Buckinghamshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, Valerie Letheren. The route also serves the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
. An extra early morning and late evening service was added from January 2009.
In April 2009 the county council contract for routes 106 and 321 (High Wycombe
- Princes Risborough
) was won under the Tiger Line name using, and has since been supplemented by a commercial route, T3, operating over a similar route. These routes use Leyland Olympian
s and were the first regular routes to use double-deckers. In August 2009 a new route T2 was introduced between Watford
and Hemel Hempstead
, with one journey in each direction extending to Chesham in an attempt to win commuter traffic. This service operated in direct competition with an existing service operated by Arriva the Shires
. The T1 was reduced in frequency at the same time. The T2 was improved to operate half hourly from January 2010.
Further changes came in May 2010, with the T1 cut back to terminate at Whelpley Hill
and no longer serve Bovingdon and Hemel Hempstead. Two weeks later the T2 was improved once again to include an extra peak journey to Chesham.
In September 2009 a promotion was run with local radio station Mix 96
to name the Tiger Line mascot, with the winning entry being read out on Mix's breakfast show. The name chosen was Roary the Tiger. New route T5, linking Amersham and Chesham to St Albans
and Hatfield
was introduced in August 2010, but withdrawn in May 2011.
Two school services, T1S and T4S, are also operated.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, 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...
and the surrounding counties. They run local bus services under the name Tiger Line.
History
Woottens Luxury Travel was founded in April 1999 by father and son Nick and Michael Wootton with two coaches and a small depot in Princes Risborough. School contracts for both Oxfordshire County CouncilOxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
and Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire, in England, the United Kingdom. Its area of control does not include Milton Keynes, which is a unitary authority...
were won in the first year, and in August 1999 the company moved to a purpose-built depot in Lye Green
Lye Green
Lye Green is a hamlet in the parish of Chesham in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located north east of Chesham....
, near Chesham
Chesham
Chesham is a market town in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located 11 miles south-east of the county town of Aylesbury. Chesham is also a civil parish designated a town council within Chiltern district. It is situated in the Chess Valley and surrounded by farmland, as well as...
.
In April 2007 the operations Westways of High Wycombe, an operator established since 1990, was acquired, increasing the amount of day trip and brochure holiday work dramatically. Also in 2007, the company was shortlisted for the Route One Coach Operator of the Year award. The Tiger Line commercial bus operation was launched in July 2008.
A 75% stake in Woottens was acquired by the Bowen Travel Group in June 2011.
Tiger Line
In July 2008 a new commercial bus route between AylesburyAylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
and Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
was launched by Woottens. The name Tiger Line was chosen for this service as the route, numbered T1, was operated with Leyland Tiger
Leyland Tiger
The Leyland Tiger, also known as the B43, was a mid-engined bus and coach chassis which was built between 1981 and 1993. This name had previously been used for a front-engined bus built between 1920s and 1950s. It replaced the Leyland Leopard, which had been in production for over 20 years...
single-deck buses. It initially operated hourly with a two-hourly Saturday service operating as far as Bovingdon
Bovingdon
Bovingdon is a large village in the Chiltern Hills, in Hertfordshire, England, four miles south-west of Hemel Hempstead and it is a civil parish within the local authority area of Dacorum...
. The route provided new links from Chesham and Great Missenden
Great Missenden
Great Missenden is a large village in the Misbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England, situated between the towns of Amersham and Wendover. It closely adjoins the villages of Little Missenden and Prestwood. The narrow High Street is bypassed by the main A413 London to...
to Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service hospital within Aylesbury Urban Area to the south of the town of Aylesbury, near the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire...
and received praise from Buckinghamshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, Valerie Letheren. The route also serves the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is in the village of Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire, England, which was the home of the children's and short story writer Roald Dahl for 36 years until his death in 1990....
. An extra early morning and late evening service was added from January 2009.
In April 2009 the county council contract for routes 106 and 321 (High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
- Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
) was won under the Tiger Line name using, and has since been supplemented by a commercial route, T3, operating over a similar route. These routes use 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 were the first regular routes to use double-deckers. In August 2009 a new route T2 was introduced between Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
and Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
, with one journey in each direction extending to Chesham in an attempt to win commuter traffic. This service operated in direct competition with an existing service operated by Arriva the Shires
Arriva Shires & Essex
Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester...
. The T1 was reduced in frequency at the same time. The T2 was improved to operate half hourly from January 2010.
Further changes came in May 2010, with the T1 cut back to terminate at Whelpley Hill
Whelpley Hill
Whelpley Hill is a hamlet in the parish of Ashley Green in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the east of Chesham, near the border with Hertfordshire and is the site of an Iron Age hillfort....
and no longer serve Bovingdon and Hemel Hempstead. Two weeks later the T2 was improved once again to include an extra peak journey to Chesham.
In September 2009 a promotion was run with local radio station Mix 96
Mix 96 (Aylesbury)
Mix 96 is the Independent Local Radio station for the town of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England.- History :First airing in 1994, it was the first radio station to gain a permanent licence to broadcast from Aylesbury...
to name the Tiger Line mascot, with the winning entry being read out on Mix's breakfast show. The name chosen was Roary the Tiger. New route T5, linking Amersham and Chesham to St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
and Hatfield
Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It has a population of 29,616, and is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town...
was introduced in August 2010, but withdrawn in May 2011.
Routes
- T1: Whelpley HillWhelpley HillWhelpley Hill is a hamlet in the parish of Ashley Green in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the east of Chesham, near the border with Hertfordshire and is the site of an Iron Age hillfort....
- CheshamCheshamChesham is a market town in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located 11 miles south-east of the county town of Aylesbury. Chesham is also a civil parish designated a town council within Chiltern district. It is situated in the Chess Valley and surrounded by farmland, as well as...
- Great MissendenGreat MissendenGreat Missenden is a large village in the Misbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England, situated between the towns of Amersham and Wendover. It closely adjoins the villages of Little Missenden and Prestwood. The narrow High Street is bypassed by the main A413 London to...
- WendoverWendoverWendover is a market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district...
- AylesburyAylesburyAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands... - T2: Hemel HempsteadHemel HempsteadHemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
- ApsleyApsleyApsley is a 19th century mill town in the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is a historic industrial site situated in a valley of the Chiltern Hills. It is positioned below the confluence of two permanent rivers, the Gade and Bulbourne. In an area of little surface water this was an obvious site...
- Kings LangleyKings LangleyKings Langley is a historic English village and civil parish northwest of central London on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills and now part of the London commuter belt. The major western portion lies in the borough of Dacorum and the east is in the Three Rivers district, both in the county of...
- WatfordWatfordWatford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
(one morning and evening peak journey starts/terminates at Chesham) - T3: Princes RisboroughPrinces RisboroughPrinces Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
- High WycombeHigh WycombeHigh Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town... - 106: LongwickLongwickLongwick is a hamlet in Wycombe district about northwest of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire on the A4129 road.The toponym is from the Old English for "long farm"....
- Princes Risborough - High Wycombe - 321: Princes Risborough - High Wycombe
Two school services, T1S and T4S, are also operated.