SolentBus News
Newsletter of the Solent Omnibus Club Issue175 Feb 2009
Editorial
Welcome to newssheet 175. As this is being written there are no buses in
London. Bluestar and Stagecoach have an updated position for their routes
on their websites, but there is no First news. I don’t really want to go out to
find out!
The whirlwind financial turmoil which ended 2008, has led to 2009 and
whatever surprises we will find. We are waiting for Wright’s to deliver buses
to First in Portsmouth (they were first mentioned in the newssheet in June
2008!, whilst fields full of cars lie unwanted. The Irish financial situation is
evidently worse than the UK and 10% bus service reductions are now
being made throughout the Republic. Where do we stand locally?
Financial issues over the free over 60s passes have rumbled on for a
year now. Reduced employment will reduce paying bus passenger
numbers and less disposable money will reduce leisure market
travelling. The Government’s latest obesity campaign extolling getting
off the bus a stop earlier won’t help either. We have already seen the
demise of Southampton coach operator Summerfield. January has
seen the end of Arriva operator Telling Golden Miller locally, with
Lucketts taking on the National express services from Portsmouth,
and then in February Portsmouth is scheduled to lose the Go-
Ahead presence as the X27 Solent Shuttle Portsmouth
Southampton is grounded for the last time, just ten days after Ikea Lucketts FJ58 AHG, Scania K340/Caetano C49FLt,
opens within yards of the Southampton terminus. A lot can departs Southampton on National Express service
happen in a short time in this environment. Make sure you keep 032 to Portsmouth. Barry T.
up with it all and please keep the editor posted!
Club News
The December Meeting provided a major challenge for us by
way of “David’s Dastardly Devious 2008 quiz”. The quiz, in ten
sections, was designed to allow for members’ individual
specialities. Proof of this was shown by the editor getting 10 on
the round bodying Darts and nothing for identifying Bedford
models! Robert Smith was the evening’s winner, but we all
enjoyed it and learnt a lot. Some of the questions will appear in
the quiz over the year.
We kicked off our 40th year on 9 January with another of Secretary
Roger Watts’ excellent presentations. Roger looked at the bus
scene at the time the club was formed out of the Omnibus Society
and gave a synopsis of the early life of the Club, alongside the local
buses of that time and Roger’s professional career and bus driving
activities, including on club trips which used a variety of vehicles. Let
us all come along, especially this year, and enjoy the 2009 anniversary
programme.

2009 DIARY

6th February ~ Annual general meeting
and photographic competition. 19.45h
at Portchester.

6th March ~ 40 years celebration
presented by John Bulman. 19.45h at
Portchester.

3rd April ~ Members theme evening
1969. 19.45h at Portchester.

Remainder of the year will be
announced after the AGM.
www.freewebs.com/solent-omnibus-club Join the discussion ~ http://groups.google.com/group/solent_bus_news
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