Boro'line Maidstone

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Number 11, a Willowbrook bodied Bedford YRT, new in 1977, in Maidstone High Street, in fiesta blue livery and borough council markings, with a Duple bodied Bedford in the background
Number 11, a Willowbrook bodied Bedford YRT, new in 1977, in Maidstone High Street, in fiesta blue livery and borough council markings, with a Duple bodied Bedford in the background

Boro'line Maidstone, previously Maidstone Borough Council Transport was the municipal bus operator in Maidstone and the surrounding villages. Maidstone Borough Council Transport was formed in 1974 from Maidstone Corporation Transport following local government reorganisation. In 1986 Boro'line Maidstone was formed as an arms length company of Maidstone council from the operations of Maidstone Borough Council Transport.[1]. The company had a brief London operation. Following financial difficulties, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus, and after a period of administration, Boro'line Maidstone was sold to Maidstone & District in 1992.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Maidstone Borough Council Transport

In 1974, Maidstone Corporation turned into Maidstone Borough Council Transport, following reorganisation of local government which extended the council's reach into Maidstone (borough). This coincided with the retirement of the general manager of the organisation, leading to a policy shift to replace the as yet fully double deck fleet inherited from Maidstone Corporation with lightweight single deckers[2].

In 1976 the network was revised following the opening of the Stoneborough Centre Bus Station. 1977 saw completion of full conversion to one man operation as double deck operation ceased. 1978 saw the introduction of route numbers to the expanding network, coordinated with Maidstone & District (M&D)[2].

[edit] Maidstone Area Bus Services

On 9 August 1981, Maidstone Borough Council services were integrated with that of M&D under the banner "Maidstone Area Bus Services", with a yellow on black hop barn motif. This was as a result of one of the National Bus Company's Market Analysis Projects (MAP). The MAP analysis resulted in the major alteration of services, seeing some swapping and diversion of routes and the extension of Maidstone Borough routes outside the borough to southern villages. This also saw closure of M&D's Maidstone depot in Knightrider Street, with M&D vehicles sharing the council depot in Armstrong Road[3][2].

[edit] Deregulation and London expansion

On 26 October 1986, as a result of the 1986 Transport Act regarding deregulation of bus services, Maidstone Borough Council divested its transport interests into an arms length company, under the brand Boro'line Maidstone. The Maidstone Area Bus Services were split between M&D and Boro'line along their original definitions[2].

Seeking expansion opportunities, Boro'line was an early participant in the new London Buses route tendering post-deregulation system (see article Boro'line (London)).

[edit] Demise

In 1989, Boro'line posted a loss of £1.25million, and by October 1991 the council decided to try and sell the company. M&D were not short listed as a potential buyer despite their interest.[2].

Facing possible competition from the new buyer, in 1991 M&D relocated its Maidstone outstation from the Boro'line Armstrong Road depot to a site near Maidstone West railway station, and registered new routes on several of Boro'line's routes. In response Boro'line started routes to Chatham and Cranbrook, and local Medway routes. This was not so successful due to unpopularity of Boro'lines single deck buses, and in M&D's ownership of the Pentagon bus station in Chatham[2].

On 17 February 1992, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus. Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration. On 29 May 1992, after set-backs with repossession of 5 leased vehicles, the company abruptly ceased operations. The company, along with the Armstrong Road depot was sold to M&D for just under £1 million by the administrators. M&D disposed of the Boro'line fleet and transferred all routes to its own identity[2].

[edit] Liveries

The fiesta blue Maidstone Corporation bus livery persisted into the Maidstone Borough Council era, with buses receiving The Maidstone Borough Council fleetnames[4].

In 1979 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Maidstone municipal transport, the ochre colour scheme previously used by Maidstone Corporation was painted onto a single decker, which later became the standard livery into the era of single deck Maidstone Area Bus Services operation[2][5]. Notably, most M&D vehicles did not acquire the MABS logo, due to the probability of the operating from depots other than Maidstone.

Some Leopard coaches acquired from Nottingham were kept in their original 'Lilac Leopard' livery[2][6].

Boro'line was launched with a brash new livery, designed by Best Impressions, who would later go on to design the last independent Maidstone & District livery[2]. The livery consisted of a blue lower and yellow upper base, with white Boro'line logo, red Maidstone strapline and line, with a silver skirt[7]. From 1976 until well after the launch of Boro'line, vehicles in Maidstone could be seen in a variety of liveries, with some retaining either old Maidstone liveries, or the liveries in which they arrived in[1]. Some ochre vehicles only received a yellow front and Boro'line logos, or blue and yellow base with piecemeal detail application. The use in service of many hired or demonstration vehicles caused many other liveries or white buses with Boro'line logos to be used in service.

Boro'line operated the new Maidstone Park and Ride system, and thus some Bedfords, MCW Metroriders and DAF SB220s painted into yellow and green Park and Ride Livery[8][9][10]

Several second hand vehicles were hired or purchased for Maidstone work giving rise to some odd liveries [1] (West Midlands) [2] (Grimsby) [3] (Nottingham) [4] (Northumbria) on Boro'line work, either in Maidstone or on rail contracts.

[edit] Fleet

[edit] Buses

Following the decision to convert to single deck operation, Maidstone Borough standardised on the Bedford Y series chassis, with mostly Duple bodies. With the advent of Boro'line, with the exception of London contracts, there was no vehicle standard for Boro'line, although double deckers returned to Maidstone under the company. Boro’line purchases for Maidstone were the Scania K92, DAF SB220s, Leyland Lynx[11], Dodge and MCW Metrorider minibuses. Three second hand Bristol LHs were acquired from East Kent's Ashford operations[12]. Some of the second hand vehicles used for London tenders were later transferred to Maidstone[13], as well as some Ailsas[14].

[edit] Coaches

Maidstone Borough purchased several Duple-bodied Bedford coaches, and in 1976 14 Leyland Leopard coaches were acquired from Nottingham (The Lilac Leopards - see liveries), allowing withdrawal of the final double deckers of Maidstone Corporation. As with the bus fleet, Boro’line operated a number of coach types without a standard vehicle. Some coaches were used for excursions, although many saw service in Maidstone on passenger routes, with some even fitted with bus seats.

Several Maidstone Borough coaches received names:

  • Maidstone Minstrel [5]
  • Maidstone Monarch [6]
  • Maidstone Maiden JKJ 278V
  • Maidstone Marksman [7]
  • Maidstone Mountaineer TER 5S

[edit] Rare vehicles

  • Rare vehicles operated by Maidstone Borough included all 4 of the only ever built Bedford JJL midibuses.
  • A vintage bus operated by Boro'line was a Leyland Titan PD3 with Queen Mary bodywork. This was acquired from Southdown and re-registered from BUF 287C to 217 UKL. It was used on British Rail contract work, and latterly as a driver trainer.[15][16].
  • In 1989 Maidstone Mountaineer TER 5S was rebodied with a Willowbrook 'Warrior' body [17].
  • Maidstone Marksman was a rare Wrightbus Countour coach body on a Bedford YNT chassis.

[edit] Ancillary vehicles

Boro'line liveried vans were used as crew transfer vehicles[18][19]. Maidstone Borough Council Transport maintained a Bedford towing vehicle[20] which regularly saw action in the town as the Bedford fleet aged.

[edit] List of vehicle types

The following is a list of new and second hand vehicles by type[21], used by Maidstone Borough Council Transport and Boro'line in Maidstone.

[edit] Boro'Line in Maidstone

Minibuses
Double-decker buses
Single-deck buses
Coaches

[edit] Maidstone Borough Council Transport

Midibuses
Single-deck buses
Coaches

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Southbus webpage Maidstone Corporation, old operator profile
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Southbus website History of Maidstone Corporation
  3. ^ Southbus web page Maidstone Area Bus Services
  4. ^ Fotopic image of fiesta blue liveried Borough Council bus
  5. ^ Fotopic image of second ochre livery with Maidstone are bus services logos
  6. ^ Fotopic image of a 'lilac leopard'
  7. ^ Flickr image of Boro'line livery on a single deck bus
  8. ^ Fotopic image of a Boro'line DAF SB220 in Park and Ride livery
  9. ^ Fotopic image of a Boro'line MCW in Park and Ride livery
  10. ^ Fotopic image of a Boro'line Bedford in Park and Ride livery
  11. ^ Boro'line Maidstone Leyland Lynx
  12. ^ Boro'line Bristol LH in Maidstone in allover advertising livery
  13. ^ Boro'line Leyland National on Maidstone duties
  14. ^ Fotopic image of a Boro'line Ailsa on Maidstone duties
  15. ^ Google cache of a Corgi Models web page, offering the bus as catalogue number OM41911
  16. ^ Fotopic image of Boro’line PD3 Queen Mary
  17. ^ Flickr image of rebodied Maidstone Mountaineer
  18. ^ Fotopic image of a Boro'line crew van
  19. ^ Fotopic image of a second Boro'line crew van
  20. ^ Fotopic image of Maidstone Borough Bedford tow truck
  21. ^ Bus Lists on the web New Maidstone vehicles are listed under owners 'Maidstone', 'Maidstone BT', 'Maidstone BC' and 'Maidstone Boroline' and 'Maidstone Boro'line'

[edit] External links