Introducing Black & Gold...

After many months in the planning we are now ready to launch our new brand 'Black & Gold'. Black & Gold is a brand new bus company for Southampton and is ready and waiting to launch many new services in the area. On Monday, we will be launching our first two:

Route 4A between Totten, Southampton and Portsmouth will operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday in competition with First's rival services to Portsmouth. Route 4A will be operated using two-year old B38F-seated Alexander Dennis Enviro200s. They are 213-8 PX12 BSY/Z, CNZ, COH/J/U and as spares for the route we have brought 230 GX57 BXH and 231 YX08 HCC.

Our second route, route 15, will operate between Southampton and Bournemouth every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 40 minutes on Sunday with brand new Wright Streetlite DFs. They are 371-7 SK14 JFN-P/R/T-U/X and two of these will act as spares. These are also the first Wright Streetlite DFs in the whole of the BRAHAM fleet.

Norwich Flyer: Flying into Norwich from Monday

Ourselves and BetterBus will begin joint operation of our current route 10 from Monday morning. Route 10 will also be expanding to serve Lowestoft as well as serving Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The service will run every 20 minutes and has been branded as the ‘Norwich Flyer’. Both companies will operate the route 10 Monday to Saturday. Better Bus will be taking the lead on Sundays and will operate most Sunday workings.

From August, brand new double decker buses will be used on the route but until then the route will be operated using ex-Metroline Plaxton Presidents. These will be based at our Great Yarmouth depot and are 751-6 LK03 CGF/G/V, CFV/X, GJY. Each day two of this will act as spares in a bid to have a frequent and reliable service.

The current Wright Solars on the Braham only operated route 10 will be repainted and transferred within the fleet. Three will be going to Norwich depot and two will go to the Aylesbury depot.

263 W263 CDN taken off the road

As many of you may already know, Norwich-based 263 W263 CDN was involved in a accident while operating route 43 early this morning. We are not allowed to reveal many details about the accident but no one was injured as no passengers were aboard the bus. Due to this, 263 is going to have to be taken off of the road for a couple of weeks to allow for repairs to take place. To allow for the absence of 263 we have taken 365 T365 JWA out of storage for use on route 43 in its place.

Movements and Purchases

Norwich-based 108 AU63 FLP has been transferred to Great Yarmouth for use as a Staff Transport vehicle.

Similar 109 AU63 FLR is being used as a Staff Transport vehicle at Norwich.

At Aylesbury, Optare Versa 204-207 YK08 ESG/F/N/O have been repainted losing there route 150 branding. 204 YK08 ESG is now allocated to new route 145 with two Alexander Dennis Enviro300s with 205-207 YK08 ESF/N/O now allocated to new route 100.

In Aylesbury, from the 2nd June we will begin operation of route 321 between High Wycombe and Aylesbury via Princes Risborough on a commercial basis. Redline Buses will continue to operate there current workings on route 321. For route 321, we have brought ex-Wessex Red Enviro200s YX09 HYW/Y/Z, HZB which have been numbered 119-122 respectively. Each day one of those will act as a spare.

Fleet Updates

In the past few weeks, Norwich based 263 W263 CDN and 265 W265 CDN have been repainted into fleet livery joining sister 266 W266 CDN.

At Aylesbury, at the beginning of the month we started operation of route 19 every 10 minutes from Aylesbury Bus Station to Stoke Mandeville Hospital via Oxford Road, Prebendal Avenue, Church Square and Ellen Road. On the route we are using, 112 MX10 KNR, 113 MX12 CGE, 115-7 YJ54 UBP/R/T and 118 MX09 MJE. Each day one of these will act as a spare.

We also started operation of route 145 operate every 30 minutes from Haddenham and Thame Parkway to Aylesbury Vale Parkway via Stone, Aylesbury and the Bicester Road. This uses to new single deckers to the fleet and an existing Optare Versa from the old route 150.  The new additions to the fleet are 350 SN57 DXC and 351 SN08 AAF.

All Optare Versas at Aylesbury are still in route 150 livery despite the changes to the route and the addition of route 100. Five of the Optare Versas will be repainted shortly for use on the 100 (4 buses) and the 145 (1 bus).

Brand new at Aylesbury are 211 OU14 FJD and 212 OU14 FJE for the Arla Shuttle Service. Any other single decker in the fleet will act as a spare for the route if needed.