Island Breezers
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Island Breezers is the brand name given to the open top bus services run by Southern Vectis, the main bus operator on the Isle of Wight.
The Island Breezers name and livery was developed in 2007, when the previous orange and yellow "open-top tours" livery was replaced.
There are four services operated, and all run in the summer months, generally between early April and September/October.[1] All of the routes are circular, operating only in the directions stated below.
All the routes previously had route numbers in the 40-series but these were removed when LED electronic destination displays were introduced. This led to some confusion to passengers for a while, as some older bus stops only displayed the number; however all have now been replaced.
From the 2008 summer timetable, all of the open top routes were rebranded as "Breezer" in the timetable, instead of the previous "tour".[2] Bus stop flags and publicity signs were unchanged, however.
Because Easter fell very early in 2008, the services are being operated over two dates. The Easter services ran from 16 March to the 19 April, and then the services were introduced on 15 May for the summer season. The Needles tour has, however, run throughout.
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[edit] The Needles tour
[edit] Current service
Yarmouth – Freshwater Bay – Alum Bay – The Needles – Alum Bay – Yarmouth.[3]
[edit] Connector routes
Two connector services are run to the The Needles Tour in order to position the bus from the depot for the day’s service. The old route numbers are used for these.[4]
[edit] History
The Needles Tour is notable for running along the cliff road to The Needles Old Battery; these buses are the only vehicles allowed to do so, and Southern Vectis have exclusive rights for the stretch of road. The original route number was 42, and the only major changes have been the replacement of open-platformed rear-boarding vehicles with front entry enclosed ones in the late 1990s, and the changing of the route from a normal there-and-back route to a circular service in the early part of 2000.
The route 46 connector originated as part of the old Southern Vectis bus network; service 7B included one open top journey from Ryde to Totland, where it continued as The Needles Tour. Service 7A included an open top journey from Yarmouth (as the last Needles Tour of the day) to Newport. The route was diverted to run via Calbourne and Chessell in both directions in 2006 and was separated as the 46. Service 47 has not varied much, although since 2005 it has not served Newtown itself due to a new bridge restriction.
[edit] The Sandown Bay Tour
[edit] Current service
Sandown Pier – Dinosaur Isle – Sandown Town centre – Lake – Shanklin Town – Esplanade – Old Village – Shanklin Town – Lake – Sandown.[5]
[edit] History
The Sandown Bay Tour originated as service 44, when it was operated by an open top single decker named "Shanklin's Pony". The service was later changed to operate Shanklin to Sandown via a different road to that on which it returns, with the route number of 43; whereas it previously operated there and back with only a small loop in Shanklin to take in the Old Village. This was operated for the first year by one of Southern Vectis' trading names "The Village Bus Company".
After the renumbering of the Downs Tour to 41, the 44 number was re-instated to become a once-a-day connector route from the depot at Ryde, serving Brading, Yaverland and Sandown to continue at the Sandown Bay Tour, similar to the Needles Tour connector routes. Standard bus service 12 included an open top journey, was renumbered 45 and separated in 2005. With the start of the Easter 2008 service, both connectors were dropped; buses now run empty to and from the depot.
From that timetable, the service was increased to operate every 15 minutes. However, the service is due to revert back to its 30 minute service from the summer timetable in May, as part of the funding cuts made by the Isle of Wight Council on concessionary fares paid to Southern Vectis.
[edit] The Downs Tour
[edit] Current service
Ryde – Arreton – Newchurch – Ashey – Ryde[6]
[edit] History
The Downs Tour was a route originally operated by Westbrook Travel as service 88, and after major changes were made to the route as service 44. Southern Vectis took over the route in 2002, and re-numbered it the 41, leaving the number 44 available for the connector to the Sandown Bay Tour. Southern Vectis rerouted the service to call at more tourist attraction to increase custom; however the route was diverted away from the road that most locals call the downs, which offers the best views. Standard bus service 10 does, however, still serve that road. From the beginning of the 2008 service, there was a re-routing on the approach to Ryde.
[edit] The Medina Tour
[edit] Current service
Newport Bus Station – Carisbrooke Castle – Newport High Street – Whippingham Church – East Cowes Red Funnel Ferry – Osborne House – Wootton, Isle of Wight Steam Railway Station – Robin Hill (adventure park) – Newport Bus Station[7]
[edit] History
The Medina tour is a relatively new route, started in 2007; as such, it never had a route number. The only changes were made in 2008 so that the route now serves Newport bus station on the way back from Carisbrooke Castle as well as on the way there.
[edit] Fleet used
Services are currently operated by three Bristol VRT/ECW, two Leyland Olympian/Northern Counties and five Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties. The VRs are still in the old orange and yellow "sunburst" open top livery, with Island Breezers branding added. The five Volvo Olympians came from fellow Go South Coast company Solent Blue Line - four as intentional transfers, one after it had a low bridge accident and was de-roofed. All of the vehicles have been converted to open top by Southern Vectis at some point.
[edit] Controversies
Recently, during the winter timetable when they would not be used for the open top tours, the open top buses have been used for regular services, including on routes 3, 6, 7 and 38, some of which have been photographed.[8][9][10][11] They have also appeared on School services, with some criticism for this.[12][13] Most times, however, the door between the open section has been kept shut.
[edit] References
- ^ Southern Vectis - Open top tours Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ VOSA - Bus changes for summer 2008 Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Southern Vectis - The Needles Tour Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Southern Vectis - The Needles Tour timetable Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Southern Vectis - The Sandown Bay Tour Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Southern Vectis - The Downs Tour Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Southern Vectis - The Medina Tour Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Fotopic - Photo of an open top bus straying onto route 3 in the winter Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Fotopic - Photo of an open top bus straying onto route 6 in the winter Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Fotopic - Photo of an open top bus straying onto route 7 in the winter Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Ventnor Blog - "Open top buses running from Ventnor" Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Isle of Wight County Press - 18/01/08 No. 6121 Vol. CXXII. Accessed 24 March 2008
- ^ Isle of Wight Council forum - Criticism of open top buses being used on school services Accessed 24 March 2008
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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