Black Velvet (bus company)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Black Velvet is a bus company located in Eastleigh. It is owned by Phil Stockley, former manager of Solent Blue Line[1]. It was set up in late 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 Route A in Eastleigh,[2] which was being given up by previous operator Solent Blue Line (under the Red Rocket brand) as part of their network restructuring.[3] Since then, Velvet has gained a number of contracts to run other routes.
Contents |
[edit] Bus services
[edit] Route A
Eastleigh - West End - Hedge End - Botley.
This service was originally run by Solent Blue Line as a Red Rocket service and ran to Hamble rather than Botley. When Solent Blue line decided to rebrand all of their services as Bluestar, they dropped the route, and from 25 February 2008 Black Velvet took over the service. First now run the Hedge End - Hamble service as their 15, and also run the evening A service along the whole route. Stagecoach run the Sunday service on the route.
[edit] Route 8
Southampton - Totton - Marchwood - Hythe.
This route runs on Sundays and Bank Holidays only. After Bluestar decided to stop running the Sunday service on route 8, Hampshire County Council sent out a contract for the Sunday service, and Velvet took over on 2 March 2008.
[edit] Route 35
Ringwood - Poulner - Burley - Lyndhurst - some journeys to Southampton.
Wilts and Dorset previously ran the X35 service, but on the renewal of the tender of the service, lost out to Black Velvet who decided to run a different route arrangement. The service started on 27 May 2008, along with the 300.
[edit] Route 300
Ringwood - Poulner - Southampton.
As with the 35, the route was previously Wilts and Dorset's X35 route. The 300 started on 27 May 2008, and runs more directly than the 35, on the A31 and M27 motorway.
[edit] Route 601
Hamble - Netley - Butlocks Heath - Bursledon - Lowford - Mansbridge - Barton Peveril College.
Due to start in September 2008, under contract to Barton Peveril College, running at college times only.
[edit] Route 603
Horton Heath - Boorley Green - Grange Park - West End - Mansbridge - Barton Peveril College.
Due to start in September 2008, under contract to Barton Peveril College, running at college times only.
[edit] Route 611
Woolston - Montague Avenue Shops - Windhover - Hedge End - Barton Peveril College.
Due to start in September 2008, under contract to Barton Peveril College, running at college times only.
[edit] Route 612
Woolston - Hinkler Road - Thornhill - Bitterne - St Denys - Barton Peveril College.
Due to start in September 2008, under contract to Barton Peveril College, running at college times only.
[edit] Fleet
The current fleet comprises:[4]
- 2 Volvo Citybus/Northern Counties Palatine - F303/309 MYJ. Formerly with Stagecoach and new to Southdown Motor Services.
- 4 DAF (now VDL) SB200/East Lancs Myllennium single deckers - V7/11/12/14 GMT. Formerly with London General, these have had their centre doors removed, and V7 is still being refurbished.
- 1 Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer - on hire from Dawson Rentals.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Black Velvet Team
- ^ Black Velvet take over Route A
- ^ Solent Blue Line Network Change
- ^ Updates on "Go South Coast" bus forum
[edit] External link
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
