Newbury Buses Vodafone Services

www.buszone.co.uk

The current network is as follows:

Former services include:

Some of the significant dates in the Vodafone network history are as follows:

Early 1999

Optare MetroRiders 1-3 leased from Optare to operate new routes CLK, ANT, LUN temporarily whilst Solos 109-11 are being built

802 also allocated to Vodafone fleet

27th September 1999

Optare Excels 941/2 added to fleet to operate routes TH1, TH2 and replace 802

29th January 2000

Optare Solos 109-11 replace 1-3 on CLK, ANT, LUN. 1-3 purchased for Newbury town fleet and renumbered 630-2.

April 2000

Routes SN1 and SN2 added and Solos 116/7 added to the fleet.

24th July 2000

Route P&R from a car park next to Newbury depot added and Solo 119 added to the fleet.

6th August 2001

Routes HUG to Hungerford and TH3 to Cold Ash added, both additionally open to the general public on a trial basis. LUN converted to Excel operation (vehicles from the town fleet were used for a period prior to this).

1st October 2001

Route details removed from the destination displays, vehicles simply showing "Vodafone Business Services" or "Vodafone Commuter Services" and the route number. (The 600 has always shown 600 Contract without any mention of Vodafone.) TH3 and HUG converted to Vodafone staff only like the rest of the routes.

12th August 2002

Lunchtime trips to Castle Park introduced, initially operated by Weavaway

August 2002

941/2 used on service 102 whilst large vehicles were unable to access newly opened roads on the HQ site, MetroRiders 631/2 were used in their place

14th April 2003

Four new Enviro 300s added to operate CLK, ANT and displace Solos 111/116/117/119 into the Newbury town fleet

15th August 2003

Park & Ride site next to Newbury depot closed for redevelopment

27th February 2004

Vodafone move out of Pear Tree House at the Castle Park site, so route CPC is withdrawn and 110 is transferred to the town fleet (replacing 119 which is returned to the leasing company)

15th September 2004

Pointer Dart demonstrator SN04 EGD used on loan to cover for 973

24th December 2004

Demonstrator SK52 USS used on loan, later to become Reading's 974

26th September 2005

Route changes including the amalgamation of the two Thatcham routes TH1/2, and the withdrawal of the Hungerford commuter routes. Hungerford passengers instead catch the train to Newbury and then the Rail Station - HQ shuttle. Excel 941 returned to leasing company and Solo 109 transferred to the Newbury town fleet.

3rd April 2006

Lunchtime services HQL Newbury - HQ and HWL Newbury - Horizon West introduced replacing LUN. RSL, SH1/2 introduced replacing ANT/CLK during the day, making ANT/CLK commuter services only. Enviros operate ANT, CLK, RSL, SH1, SH2, HQL and HWL.

23rd October 2006

Scania OmniCity single deckers 6-12 replace 120/1, 942, 970-3 following a week with 961-4 on loan in place of 970-3.

26th February 2007

Daytime services NBF (Newbury Business Park Flyer) HQ - Business Park and BLS (Business Park Lunchtime Special) Newbury - Business Park introduced and ANT and CLK restored to all day operation replacing HQL, HWL, SH1, SH2. RSL reduced to a commuter service only. Colour coding added to destination displays; CLK - Red, RSL - Purple, ANT - Blue, NBF - Pink, BLS - Grey.

21st December 2007

Office in the Arlington business park closed, and Theale shuttle service withdrawn. Historically, any minibus from the Reading fleet was been used on the 600, but since the withdrawal of the last Optare MetroRiders and Autobus Nouvelle 201 in early 2006, Optare Solos became standard.

11th February 2008

Route V1 introduced, pending a full network revamp temporarily using Newbury Optare Solos.

31st March 2008

ANT, BLS, CLK, NBF, RSL, SN1, SN2, TH replaced by V2-V10 requiring two additional single deckers. 1023/4 from Reading temporarily used pending the arrival of 51-52. Mercedes mini coach on order for route V1 with Newbury Optare Solo 110 allocated in interim.

January 2009

Scania / Wright Solar 1037 purchased. Newbury Optare Solo 110 continues to be used on route V1, order for Mercedes mini coach cancelled.

31 August 2010

Service reductions, releasing 51, 52 and 110. Due to overcrowding on routes V1/V2 51/52 were temporarily retained as standbys until 24 September, and then permanently retained.

March 2011

51/52 replaced by repainted Wright Solars 1029/30 from Reading.

March 2012

Additional vehicle deployed due to roadworks on Hambridge Road - double decker used due to overloading on V1.

October 2012

10-12, 1029/30 & 1037 replaced by 1-5 and 1021 from Reading pending disposal (10-12 and 1037 being repainted white for temporary use on Reading FastTrack). Use of double decker made permanent with allocation of 804.

December 2012

Vodafone Freebees livery applied to 1-9 and 804 in December and January.

February 2013

Hambridge Road roadworks completed, 1021 returned to Reading.

August 2013

Contract renewed requiring 2 additional vehicles. 10-12 temporarily returned now in plain white.

September 2013

9-12 sold to Nottingham City Transport. 1032/3 loaned from Reading to cover pending arrival of Enviro 200s 131-4.

October 2013

Alexander Dennis Enviro 200s 131-4 entered service on 17th in plain white, allowing departure of loaned 1032/3.

March 2014

1 sold to Malta and replaced by 8 in plain red.

January 2015

2-8, 131-4, 804 all given new Vodafone 4G livery (2-7 & 804 loosing Freebees livery).

February 2015

801 loaned as 3 month trial using additional double deckers to meet demand