Wilts and Dorset

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Wilts & Dorset Bus Company is a bus company based in Poole, Dorset in the United Kingdom. It is owned by Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group.

Contents 1 History – a name in and out of favour 1.1 Early Years 1.2 Hants & Dorset 1.3 Fragmentation 1.4 Privatisation 2 Routes 2.1 More buses 2.2 PulseLine 2.3 Unilinx 2.4 Express services 2.5 Standard Dorset and Hampshire services (including June 2006 Poole Service Restructuring) 2.6 Standard Wiltshire services 2.7 Other services 3 Former Standard Wilts and Dorset routes 4 External links

[edit] History – a name in and out of favour

The history of Wilts & Dorset is an interesting one, with its name both appearing and disappearing from the sides of buses. Its history is inextricably linked to that of erstwhile south coast operator, Hants & Dorset.

[edit] Early Years

Wilts & Dorset was incorporated in 1915, growing rapidly in the Andover, Amesbury, Blandford Forum, Peswsy and Salisbury areas. The Southern Railway and Tilling obtaining shares in 1931, with Wilts & Dorset subsequently passing into full state ownership in 1948. It acquired Venture of Basingstoke in 1950, with a reorganisation following the voluntary nationalisation of Venture’s parent, Red & White. Wilts & Dorset acquired the notable independent Silver Star of Porton Down in 1963.

[edit] Hants & Dorset

Although its predecessor dates from 1916, the Hants & Dorset name emerged in 1920, to reflect the company’s operating aspirations that would eventually span from Poole to Fareham via Southampton. It, too, was nationalised in 1948, as a result of the Southern Railway’s half-shares, from 1929.

1963 saw a common management structure at Hants & Dorset for both companies, a subsequent fleet renumbering and, upon both passing to the National Bus Company in 1969, a complete merger in 1972 under the Hants & Dorset name, the only concession to the disappearing Wilts & Dorset undertaking being the adoption throughout of a red livery akin to Wilts & Dorset’s, Hants & Dorset’s heretofore being green.

[edit] Fragmentation

The logical outworking of NBC’s Market Analysis Project was to divide larger operators into units more fitted to their markets. This resulted in the re-emergence in 1983 of Wilts & Dorset, one of three operators then carved from the defunct Hants & Dorset. New Wilts & Dorset’s operating area was considerably larger than its older namesake, including Swanage, Poole, Bournemouth, Lymington and Salisbury, but not Basingstoke.

[edit] Privatisation

With the sale of the National Bus Company (NBC), Wilts & Dorset passed to its management in 1987 and, in this independent form, survived longer than most other ex-NBC operators, till the unexpected sale in 2003 to the Go Ahead Group. This was the existing management team’s preference, owing to the way in which Go Ahead continued to foster individuality.

Under a Go Ahead-inspired south coast reorganisation in 2006, Wilts & Dorset management assumed responsibility for stable-mates Solent Blue Line and Isle of Wight’s Southern Vectis, both continuing to trade under local names.

A period of expansion occurred from November 2005 with the adoption of quality ‘more’ services, competing with what is now Transdev Yellow Buses. Other incursions eastward to Bournemouth at the time were soon withdrawn.

[edit] Routes

Wilts and Dorset operates a large number of services in East Dorset, West Hampshire and South Wiltshire.

In December 2006 Wilts and Dorset were fined £28,000 after a check of 1,000 journeys between November 2005 and January 2006 found many services ran late and some did not turn up at all [1].

[edit] More buses

More is an award winning service launched in December 2004 as part of £4 million investment. More replaced services 101 to 105 between Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch and services 155, 156 and 157 between Poole and Canford Heath. The service was originally due to launch in October 2004 but due to a driver shortage this was postponed until December 2004. The original 'more' buses carry a livery of mostly dark blue with red at the back, on the ends they carry different slogans such as "looks like a bus, works like a dream" with pictures of animals such as penguins, rabbits and dolphins. All 'more' buses are air-conditioned with many seats in a 2-1 layout. The service launched with 30 Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban single deck buses.

Such was the success of the 'more' services it was decided that the frequency on m1 and m2 was to be increased and m1 extended to the Castlepoint shopping centre on the outskirts of Bournemouth from the Bournemouth Travel Interchange (the train station). With only 30 'more' branded buses in the fleet at the time the 'more' branded routes to Canford Heath were discontinued, using Wilts and Dorset standard liveried Optare Excels instead with the 'm' dropped from the route number. For the Canford Heath routes to become 'more' route again a batch of Mercedes-Benz Citaros were ordered, the original 'more' buses were going to be Citaros, but it was thought that Volvo would offer a quicker delivery time, even though they were the same price. It is NOT the common misconception that Citaros were ordered after the Volvos as it was thought that Wrightbus would not be able to deliver to number of buses in the timescale required. The livery of the Citaros differs slightly in that they do not carry the pictures of animals and the slogans on the back of the bus. Up until the delivery of the Citaros it was rare to see a 'more' bus not on a 'more' route but the 'more' Citaro's can be seen on a number of the normal routes.

The current 'more' routes are:

• m1: Poole - Bournemouth - Castlepoint
• m2: Poole - Bournemouth - Christchurch - Burton/Somerford
• m5: Poole - Canford Heath via Oakdale

From 4 June 2006 m5 was rerouted along Wimborne Road instead of via Park Gates

• m6: Poole - Canford Heath - Tower Park via Oakdale

Former 'more' routes:

• m7: Poole - Canford Heath - Nuffield Industrial Estate via Oakdale

m7 was dropped as part of the Poole route restructuring from 4 June 2006. Service on m5 and m6 increased as a result.

[edit] PulseLine

PulseLine is a service similar to 'more' which uses a fleet of 8 Mercedes-Benz Citaros to provide an enhanced service to Salisbury District Hospital. The Citaros for this service carry the new standard Wilts and Dorset livery, mostly red with dark blue toward the rear, with large PulseLine branding on the sides and rear.

The PulseLine services are:

• Salisbury - District Hospital - Downton - Woodfalls
• District Hospital - Salisbury City Centre - Bemerton Heath

[edit] Unilinx

Unilinx is the brand name for service contracted to Wilts and Dorset by Bournemouth University. Wilts and Dorset won the contract to run buses to Bournemouth University from Yellow Buses. Unilinx buses are normally double-deck painted in the 'more' livery except with Unilinx branding and maps on the side. Unilinx buses are a common sight on non-Unilinx services especially on service 152 where ELC Myllennium Vyking buses run open top through out the summer.

The current routes are:

• A: Alum Chine - Westbourne - Bournemouth Triangle - Talbot Campus
• B: Southbourne - Boscombe - Lansdowne Campus - Talbot Campus
• C: Boscombe - Charminster - Moordown - Ensbury Park - Talbot Campus
• D: Talbot Campus - Oxford Road (near Bournemouth railway station)

Unilinx also includes service 15.

[edit] Express services

• X2: Marlborough - Hungerford - Newbury
• X3: Poole - Bournemouth - Ringwood - Salisbury
• X4/X5: Salisbury - Stapleford - Warminster - Westbury - Trowbridge - Bradford-on-Avon - Bath
• X7/X71: Salisbury - Southampton
• X8: Bournemouth - Poole - Blandford via Sturminster Marshall
• X19: Salisbury - Swindon (Saturday Only)

• X34: Bournemouth - Southampton via Winton, Parley Cross, Ferndown, Ashley Heath, Ringwood and Lyndhurst

This service was originally numbered X2. The route was jointly operated by Wilts & Dorset and Solent Blue Line...those were the days when the X34 (or, as it was back then, the X2) used to run between Bournemouth and Southampton every day, not just on Sundays. When it was numbered as X2, Wilts and Dorset journeys on the route would run between Poole - Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton, whereas Solent Blue Line jouneys only ran between Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton. When the X2 was renumbered to X34, all journeys ran between Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton. Eventually, Solent Blue Line gave up running the X34 during Mondays to Saturdays but retained the Sunday Service; however a few years ago that changed, and the service was completely run by Wilts & Dorset.

Currently, the X34 only runs between Bournemouth and Ringwood/Poulner Mondays to Saturdays, and Bournemouth to Southampton on Sundays, although recently the amount of Southampton-bound buses on the X34 was reduced from all journeys to just 2, thus having the other journeys running between Bournemouth and Ringwood only.

• X35: Bournemouth - Southampton via Winton, Kinson, Bear Cross, Ferndown, St Ives, Ringwood and Lyndhurst

This service was originally numbered X1. This in conjuction with the X34 (originally X2), originally provided a hourly service between Bournemouth and Southampton. Now it is the only bus from Bournemouth that runs to/from Southampton Mondays to Saturdays, since the X34 on Mondays to Saturdays was shortened to run between Bournemouth - Ringwood.

• X36: Poole - Ferndown - Verwood - Ringwood - Bournemouth
• X70: Brockenhurst - Salisbury
• X84: Salisbury - Coombe Bissett - Blandford - Dorchester - Weymouth (Summer Only)
• X87: Salisbury - Andover

Former Express services:

• X13 Bournemouth - Poole - Shaftesbury.

Replaced by service 183 and X8

• X33 Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton

Used the direct route between Bournemouth and Ringwood of the A338 and A31, and between Ringwood and Southampton of the A31 and the M27. Originally numbered X5. Was renumbered to X33 when the X34 & X35 replaced the X1 and X2. The X33 was originally set to run between Poole - Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton DIRECT. Originally when the X1, X2 and X5 services were renumbered, Solent Blue Line was already involved in the X2, which became the X34, but also became involved in the X5, which became the X33, so they could get a bus down to Bournemouth to start their first bus to Southampton without sending a bus out empty. This was the same for the last X34 to Bournemouth, so they ran the last X33 to Southampton. This ended when Solent Blue Line gave up running the X34, so all X33 journeys became Wilts & Dorset run. After the sale of Wilts & Dorset to Go-Ahead, the X33 route received a number Plaxton Premiere coaches. These were the first vehicles to receive the new Wilts and Dorset livery. The route was shortened back to run between Bournemouth - Ringwood - Southampton shortly after the Plaxton Premiere Coaches were introduced. The X33 was withdrawn in 2005 and not replaced.

• X81: Salisbury - Ringwood - Swanage (Summer Only)

Withdrawn 2nd July 2006

• X98: Hindon - Tisbury - Dinton - Barford - Salisbury (Summer Only)

Replaced with nothing, withdrawn end of 2005

• X99: Trowbridge · Westbury · Warminster · Stapleford · Salisbury (Summer Only)

Replaced with nothing, withdrawn end of 2005

[edit] Standard Dorset and Hampshire services (including June 2006 Poole Service Restructuring)

From 4 June 2006 the network around Poole has been restructured, it is said to be the most widespread change to the local bus network since 1978. The plans have caused some controversy as Talbot View has lost their service altogether and areas such as the Bloxworth Estate were to have a reduction in service. Corfe Mullen now only receives a Wilts and Dorset service at peak times, in the original plans there was to be no service at all. It has been argued by Wilts & Dorset that as they are a private sector not public there routes need to be economically viable.

• 3: Poole - Broadstone - Wimborne/Leigh Park (Wimborne Flyer)

Replaced the Poole to Wimborne section of service 132 but is rerouted to provide a direct service between Poole and Broadstone. The service has received criticism from local residents over the change of route specifically through Merley where the buses now take a narrower but more direct road through the estate. Some criticism has also been aimed at the Mercedes-Benz Citaros buses used on the service after a number of accidents including buses demolishing walls while trying to pass each other on a narrow road [2] and tearing hanging baskets from walls in Wimborne Square while turning[3], a number of Citaros have had their distinctive offside wing mirrors removed and replaced with smaller versions though it is unclear if any specific incidents have prompted this alteration.

Wilts and Dorset have announced that from 29 October 2006 the Wimborne Flyer will be rerouted through Merley to revert back to the old 132 route through Merley Gardens [4].

Poole council funded a service to areas within the borough formerly served by the Wilts and Dorset 132. Route 32 runs from Merley, Broadstone and Oakdale to Poole via Fleetsbridge Tescos and Poole Hospital. The service was initially contracted to Roadliner but from 1 October 2006 has been run by Shamrock Buses.

• 4: Poole - Creekmoor - Waterloo - Broadstone - Corfe Mullen

Replaced services 130 and 131, originally this was to terminate at Broadstone leaving Corfe Mullen without a Wilts and Dorset bus service. After discussions with Dorset County Council it was decided to extend the service for a trial period of 3 months.

• 6A: Kinson to Bournemouth Square via West Howe, Ensbury Park, Winton, Boscombe and the Travel Interchange

This has now been included this time in the 29th October 2006 timetable. Typically, this journey is operated using a Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban MORE bus.

• 7A: Talbot View - Upper Parkstone - Tower Park
• 7B: Bloxworth Estate - Upper Parkstone - Tower Park

Both routes start as Wilts and Dorset services on 29 October 2006. These services were previously run by Roadliner under contract to the Borough of Poole.

• 8: Poole - Creekmoor - Upton

Replaced service 92, 94, 97 and 98. Allows passengers for Upton to avoid delays caused by the Poole lifting bridge.

• 9: Poole - Hamworthy - Turlin Moor

Replaced service 91 and parts of 92 and 94.

• 8A/9A: Poole - Creekmoor - Upton - Turlin Moor - Hamworthy

Temporary timetable while Poole Bridge is closed (21st - 29th October 2006). Is likely to be used again for future bridge closures.

• 11: Poole - Foxholes Estate - Bear Cross - Kinson/West Moors

Replaced service 161.

• 13: Bournemouth - Ferndown - Wimborne/Merley

Replaces the Bournemouth to Wimborne section of service 132 and 133.

• 14: Poole - Bourne Estate - Wallisdown - West Howe

Replaced service 164 and is combined with route 16 to give higher service frequency on certain parts of the route.

• 15: Poole - Upper Parkstone - Wallisdown - Bournemouth Hospital

Replaced service 165, essentially the longer version of route m1.

• 16: Poole - Alderney - Bourne Estate - Bournemouth Square

Replaced service 158, 159 and 160 from Poole to Christchurch but will only go as far as Bournemouth Square. (It originally ran up to Boscombe as well, but was cut back to Bournemouth Square as a result of the October 2006 timetable change)

• 18: Broadstone - Canford Heath - Bournemouth

Replaced service 108 but starts at Broadstone rather than Corfe Mullen. However, there are 2 morning journeys from Corfe Mullen to Bournemouth, and 3 journeys in the afternoon to Corfe Mullen from Bournemouth. Also, on Fridays, there are 3 return evening journeys to and from Corfe Mullen to Bournemouth.

• 19: Broadstone - Roman Road - West Way - Broadstone

A new service which partially fills the gap in service left by the withdrawal of most Corfe Mullen services. Connects with the 4 and the 18 for onward journeys to Poole at Broadstone Broadway. The service is financially supported by Borough of Poole Transportation Services.

• 56: Lymington - Southampton via Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Hounsdown
• 56A: Lymington - Southampton via Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Foxhills

• 112: Lymington - Hythe

• 118: Lymington - Ringwood

This service only runs on Wednesdays.

• 119: Lymington - Pennington

Now runs every half-hour as from January 2007 as it has also replaced Route 117.

• 120: Lymington - Sway - Lymington - Lymington New Forest Hospital - Lymington

As of January 2007, extra journeys on Route 120 were introduced, along with an extension to replace Route 113 to Lymington New Forset Hospital. Also, the first bus from Sway to Lymington starts at New Milton at 9:13am, and runs via Ashley & Hordle.

• 121: Bournemouth - Lymington via Mudeford, Hinton Admiral, Walkford, Hordle and Pennington

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 123: Bournemouth - Lymington via Mudeford, Naish Holiday Village, Barton on Sea and Milford on Sea

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 124: Bournemouth - Lymington via Highcliffe, New Milton, Milford On Sea.

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 128: Poole - Sterte - Fleetsbridge Tesco - Creekmoor - Upton Country Park - Dacombe Drive

Three round trips Monday to Saturday. Service 128 originally started in 1998 running 3 days a week between Ashington near Merley and Poole Bus Station. It was funded by the Borough of Poole with a special grant for the provision of rural bus services. The number was later used for another Borough of Poole funded service between Poole Bus Station and Tesco Fleetbridge which started on the 28th August 2005 replacing part of service 129. The route was later extended to Upton Country Park running via Wimborne Road, Oakdale and along Northmead Drive in Creekmoor. Its route was altered on 4th June 2006 to include Sterte, all of Creekmoor Lane and then along Beachbank Avenue and Longmeadow Lane in Creekmoor. On 2nd January 2007, this service was altered again to serve Fleetsbridge Tesco and also extended to go past Upton Country Park and serve Dacombe Drive, Meadows Drive and Palmerston Road. Through Sterte and Beachbank Avenue and Longmeadow Lane in Creekmoor the 128 is a replacement for services that used to run up to every 15 minutes. The service is financially supported by Borough of Poole Transportation Services.

• 134: Ringwood - Bournemouth via West Moors and Ensbury Park
• 135: Ringwood - Bournemouth via West Moors and Ensbury Park

• 136: Ringwood - Poulner - Ringwood via Hightown and Parsonage Barn Lane
• 137: Ringwood - Poulner - Ringwood via Hightown and Christchurch Road

• 142: Poole - Wareham - Swanage via Holes Bay Road, Upton, Corfe Castle and Harman's Cross
• 143: Poole - Wareham - Swanage via Holes Bay Road, Upton, Corfe Castle and Langton Matravers
• 144: Swanage - Worth Matravers via Langton Matravers

• 150: Bournemouth - Swanage via Westbourne, Penn Hill, Compton Acres, Sandbanks (Bus route includes a journey across the entrance of Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks Ferry), Studland and Ulwell.

In the event of the Sandbanks Ferry not running, a special replacement service is run, with some journeys only running between Sandbanks and Bournemouth, and other journeys running between Bournemouth and Swanage either via an extended Route 142/143 or a longer version of Route 150 serving Sandbanks first, then continuing via Lilliput only to stop at Park Gates, then non-stop to Swanage via Poole and A351. Most of these would then be continued to serve Studland.

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 151: Bournemouth - Poole via Westbourne, Branksome Chine, Compton Acres, Lilliput and Park Gates.

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 152: Rockley Park - Poole - Sandbanks Ferry

During the summer months, Open-Top buses are used on this route.

• 175: Christchurch - Ringwood via Burton, Bransgore & Sopley
• 176: Christchurch - Ringwood via Burton, Bransgore & Burley

• 182: Shaftesbury - Blandford - Bournemouth
• 183: Shaftesbury - Blandford - Poole - Bournemouth

• 184: Weymouth - Blandford - Salisbury via Dorchester, Blandford Camp & Handley
• 185: Blandford - Blandford Camp - Blandford via Pimperne

• 187: Poole - Lytchett Matravers - Dorchester/Weymouth/Blandford
• 188: Poole - Dorchester via Lytchett Matravers, Winterborne Zelston, Bere Regis and Puddletown
• 189: Poole - Blandford via Lytchett Matravers, Bloxworth, Bere Regis and Puddletown

• 191: New Milton - Chatsworth Park - New Milton
• 192: New Milton - Hordle - New Milton
• 194: New Milton - Barton on Sea - New Milton
• 195: New Milton - Barton on Sea - New Milton

[edit] Standard Wiltshire services

• 1: Salisbury - Woodford Valley - Amesbury
• 2: Salisbury - Stapleford - Shrewton - Lavington - Devizes connections for Chippenham
• 3: Salisbury - Stonehenge - Shrewton - Devizes
• 5/6/6B: Salisbury - Boscombe Down (not Sundays) - Amesbury - Durrington/Larkhill - Marlborough - Avebury - Swindon (Mondays to Saturdays)
• 8: Salisbury - Boscombe Down - Amesbury - Tidworth - Andover (Referred to as Activ8 as part of a partnership with Stagecoach in Hampshire who also run this service)
• 10/12/210: Pewsey - Upavon - Devizes
• 13: Upavon - Amesbury
• 14: Amesbury - Tidworth
• 16: Amesbury - Larkhill - Durrington - Amesbury
• 17: Marlborough - Burbage - Marlborough
• 18: Pewsey - Everleigh - Pewsey
• 19/X19: Salisbury/Pewsey - Marlborough - Swindon
• 20/20A/22/22A: Marlborough - Bedwyn Rail Station - Hungerford
• 21: Pewsey - Marlborough
• 23: Pewsey/Marlborough - Fosbury
• 24: Berwick St Leonard - Wylye - Salisbury
• 25: Salisbury - Hindon - Mere - Zeals - Bourton
• 25A: Barford St Martin - Wilton/Salisbury
• 26: Salisbury - Fovant - Shaftesbury/Gillingham/Hindon
• 27: Salisbury - Fovant - Shaftesbury
• 29: Salisbury - Chalke Valley - Shaftesbury
• 30: Romsey - Halterworth - Romsey
• 32/33: Romsey - Cupernham - Woodley - Romsey
• 34: Salisbury - Alderbury - Whaddon - Whiteparish - Romsey
• 35: Ampfield/Braishfield - Romsey
• 36: Salisbury - Lockerley - Romsey/Eastleigh
• 39: Nomansland - Romsey
• 40/B: Salisbury - Godshill - Fordingbridge
• 40A: Ringwood - Ogdens - Fordingbridge - Salisbury Icon
• 41: Salisbury - Godshill - Ringwood Icon
• 42: Salisbury - Martin - Damerham - Fordingbridge - Brockenhurst
• 53: Salisbury City Centre - Devizes Road via Wilton Road and Canadian Avenue
• 55: Salisbury City Centre - West Harnham
• 57: Salisbury City Centre - Bishopdown via London Road
• 60/60A/61: Salisbury City Centre - Lower Bemerton/Skew Bridge - Wilton - Ditchampton and/or Bulbridge
• 62: Salisbury City Centre - Pauls Dene
• 63: Salisbury - Winterbournes - Porton - Shipton Bellinger - Tidworth
• 63A/64: Salisbury - Winterbournes - Porton - Idmiston - Shipton Bellinger - Tidworth
• 65: West Wellow - Romsey - Eastleigh
• 66/665: Amesbury - Laverstock Schools
• 66/67: Salisbury - Winterbournes - Porton - Porton Down
• 68: Salisbury - Stockbridge - The Sombornes - Winchester
• 69: Salisbury - Porton Down
• 69A: Salisbury - Old Sarum
• 70: Salisbury - Grateley - Middle Wallop
• 71: Stratford - Salisbury City Centre - Harnham Hill/Netherhampton
• 72: Salisbury City Centre - Laverstock
• 73/63/64: Salisbury City Centre - Bishopdown Farm
• 75: Porton - Amesbury
• 77: Winchester - Stockbridge - Andover
• 78: Salisbury - Ford - Laverstock
• 78A: Salisbury - Ford
• 79: Ford - Salisbury - Ridings Mead
• 84: East Knoyle - Salisbury
• 86: Tisbury - Shaftesbury
• 87/88: Salisbury - Andover/Lopcombe Corner
• 89: Salisbury - Pitton - Firs Road - Winterslow
• 90: Romsey - Stockbridge - Salisbury
• 216: Marlborough Town Centre - Barton Park
• 217: Marlborough Town Service - St Margarets/Rogers Meadow
• 221: Great Bedwyn - Burbage - Pewsey
• 222: East Grafton - Hungerford - Newbury
• 270: Devizes - Easterton - Devizes

[edit] Other services

• Route ONE - Poole Town Service via Falkland Square, Poole Quay and Baiter Park

This is a frequent bus service linking Poole town centre and the hospital with the Old Town and the Quay. It is partially funded by a government grant as part of an initiative to encourage greater use of local bus services in the Borough of Poole. The service also receives sponsorship from the Dolphin Shopping Centre and Poole Town Centre Management.

Prior to the introduction of Route ONE it was not possible to travel between the Bus Station and the Railway Station entrance by bus, nor was there a bus service between the hospital and Poole Old Town and Baiter Park. The service operates every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday usually utilising Route ONE liveried Optare Solo's. The 50p fare allows passengers to hop on and off as many times as they like in a day.

• Poole Bus Station - Asda

This is a free shuttle service that runs to the new Asda store alongside Holes Bay in Poole. It is operated by Wilts and Dorset sister company Damory Coaches.

• Cango

This is a Hampshire bus service that has a flexible route and the bus can travel here and there as needed. Passengers can phone and book a service to stop at bookable stops if there is not a nearby timed stopping point where Cango services will definitely stop on each journey.

[edit] Former Standard Wilts and Dorset routes

In addition to the services in the sections above, there have been a number of changes to Wilts and Dorset services over the years with routes discontinued, replaced, renumbered or altered.

• 31: Fritham/Lyndhurst - Cadnam - Southampton via Winsor, Calmore and Totton

Now run as Solent Blue Line route 31

• 31A: Fritham/Lyndhurst - Cadnam - Southampton via Woodlands, Netley Marsh and Totton

Now run as Solent Blue Line route 31

• 80: Wimborne - Middlehill - Wimborne
• 81: Wimborne - Middlehill - Wimborne

These were run by Damory Coaches for a time, but no longer run.

• 91: Poole - Turlin Moor
• 92: Poole - Upton via Hamworthy
• 93: Poole -
• 94: Poole - Turlin Moor - Upton via Hamworthy and Lakeside

These services were replaced by routes 8 and 9

• 95/95A: Poole - Canford Heath (Tollerford Road) via Oakdale. Some services extended to Wimborne.

• 96/96A: Poole - Canford Heath (Culliford Crescent) - Tower Park via Oakdale

These services were introduced to serve the then new housing estate of Canford Heath. These routes faced competition from Badgerline who briefly operated in the Poole and Bournemouth area between mid-1987 and February 1988. From 1989 these routes along with many other Poole routes received MCW Metrorider 23-seater minibuses which had the marketing name of Skipper buses. These were over time replaced by larger versions by the produced by Optare. By 2000 the MetroRiders had been replaced by Optare Solos and the routes were relaunched as:-

• 155: Poole - Canford Heath via Oakdale.
• 156: Poole - Canford Heath - Tower Park via Oakdale
• 157: Poole - Canford Heath - Nuffield Industrial Estate via Oakdale

These became routes m5, m6 and m7 in 2004.

• 97: Poole - Creekmoor
• 98: Poole - Creekmoor

These became part of route 8 which runs between Poole and Upton

• 101: Poole-Bournemouth via Lower Parkstone, Penn Hill and Lindsay Road.

Yellow Buses took over the service on the 28 August 2005. It remained as route 101 for 2 months, then it was extended to Christchurch and renumbered and merged into Yellow Buses route 22. As of 2 July 2006, route 22 was replaced by Route 1c, which does not actually serve Lower Parkstone, Penn Hill and Lindsay Road at all.

• 102: Poole - Lower Parkstone - Bournemouth Road - Bournemouth.

This service became part of route X3 when routes m1 and m2 started in 2004.

• 103: Poole - Lower Parkstone - Upper Parkstone - Bournemouth.
• 104: Poole - North Road - Upper Parkstone - Bournemouth.
• 105: Poole - North Road - Upper Parkstone - Bournemouth - Christchurch - Burton.

These became routes m1 and m2 in 2004

• 106: Bournemouth - Upper Parkstone - Tower Park - Canford Heath.
• 107: Bournemouth - Upper Parkstone - Canford Heath/Creekmoor/Corfe Mullen.
• 109: Bournemouth - Upper Parkstone - Waterloo Estate - Corfe Mullen.
• 110: Bournemouth - Upper Parkstone - Highfield Estate - Corfe Mullen.

These were replaced by service 108 which initially served Corfe Mullen, Broadstone, Canford Heath, Oakdale, Sea View, Upper Parkstone and Bournemouth. With the Poole service restructuring it became the 18 with a different route.

• 108: Bournemouth - Corfe Mullen via Foxholes Estate, Canford Heath, Broadstone and Highfield Estate

This service replaced service 106, 107, 109 and 110 in 2005. When introduced in the nineties service 106 replaced the original service 108.

• 111: Highcliffe - Christchurch - Hurn Airport

This service was dropped since it did not prove cost effective.

• 113: Lymington - Buckland - Lymington

This service was replaced by an extended version of Route 120 from January 2007

• 117: Lymington - Pennington

This service was replaced by Route 119

• 122: New Milton - Lymington via Hordle and Everton Road

Originally, this service ran between Bournemouth and Lymington via the same route as the 121 between Bournemouth and Hordle W.I. Hall, then via Everton Road and then via the 123 between Everton (Milford Road) and Lymington. This service was then axed in 2005, only to be brought back months later to restore the link between Everton Road and Lymington. However, as of January 2007, this service has been dropped.

• 129: Poole - Waterloo Estate - Broadstone - Corfe Mullen - Sturminster Marshall - Blandford.

The 129 had its route shortened around 2002/2003 and terminated at Corfe Mullen and later only went as far as Broadstone. In 2005 it was combined with the 130 and 131 to become a new route 131 between Poole and Corfe Mullen. Part of the 129 route through Christopher Crescent was taken over by the 128. The 131 is now the 4.

• 130: Poole - Corfe Mullen via Stanley Green, Creekmoor, Waterloo, Broadstone and Highfield Estate
• 131: Poole - Corfe Mullen via Stanley Green, Waterloo, Broadstone, West Way and Highfield Estate

These services were merged to form Route 4.

• 132: Poole - Wimborne - Bournemouth via Waterloo Estate, Merley, Leigh Park and Ferndown
• 133: Poole - Wimborne - Bournemouth via Highfield Estate, Corfe Mullen, Colehill and Ferndown

These services were replaced by two routes. The section between Wimborne and Bournemouth was replaced by route 13 which followed the old 133 route. The section between Poole and Wimborne was replaced by route 3 (WIMBORNE FLYER) which runs along the old 132 route between Wimborne and Broadstone, then runs direct to Poole via Broadstone Way and Holes Bay Road.

• 158: Poole - Bournemouth - Christchurch via Bloxworth Estate
• 159: Poole - Bournemouth - Christchurch via Talbot View Estate
• 160: Poole - Bournemouth - Christchurch via Bourne Valley

These routes where extended to Christchurch from Bournemouth Square in 2005 to compete with Yellow Buses route 23 at the time. When the services where restructured in June 2006, the 3 services were merged to form route 16, but only going as far as Boscombe. From October 2006, route 16 will only operate between Bournemouth Square and Poole.

• 161: Poole - Kinson/West Moors via Sea View, Bearwood, Bear Cross and Ferndown

During its lifetime as 161, it saw an extension from Kinson through to Bournemouth Square in 2005 to compete with Yellow Buses routes 3 & 4. This was short-lived. In June 2006, it became route 11.

• 164: Poole - West Howe via Alder Road

Like route 161, this also got an extension from West Howe to Bournemouth Square & Interchange in 2005 via Bournemouth University & Glenferness Avenue, thus competing with Yellow Buses route 10. This was also short-lived and returned back to as it was before the route extension. In June 2006, it became route 14.

• 165: Poole - Bournemouth University - Royal Bournemouth Hospital

This became route 15 and journeys that ran via Muscliffe were re-route to serve Castle Lane like the other journeys.

[edit] External links

• Official website
• The More bus website

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