Thamesdown Transport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 One of Thamesdown's Scania/Wright Solars |
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| Founded | 1904 |
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| Headquarters | Swindon |
| Locale | Borough of Swindon |
| Service area |  United Kingdom |
| Service type | Urban and interurban bus services, school bus, Park and Ride |
| Destinations | Swindon Urban Area, Aldbourne, Ashton Keynes, Avebury, Axford, Baydon, Beckhampton, Berwick Bassett, Bishopstone, Broad Hinton, Cricklade, East Kennet, Foxhill, Fyfield, Greatfield, Hinton Parva, Idstone, Kingstone Lisle, Lambourn, Leigh, Liddington, Lockeridge, Lydiard Millicent, Manton, Marlborough, Mildenhall, Newbury, Purton, Purton Stoke, Ramsbury, Stitchcombe, Uffington, Wanborough, West Kennet, West Overton, Winterbourne Bassett, Winterbourne Monkton |
| Fleet | 112 buses |
| Operator | Thamesdown Transport Ltd |
| Chief executive | Paul Jenkins |
| Web site | www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk |
Thamesdown Transport is a bus operator serving the town of Swindon and the surrounding area in the Borough of Swindon and county of Wiltshire. The company is owned by Thamesdown Transport Ltd and Swindon Borough Council holds the majority of the shares. As such, it is one of the few remaining municipal bus companies in the UK.
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[edit] Operations
The current fleet is comprised of 112 buses and 5 ancillary vehicles (including recovery and repair vehicles).[1] Low Floor single decker buses are steadily replacing double deckers in all routes with the larger buses now repainted yellow and used mainly as school buses during term time.ch
Thamesdown implemented a fastFare system on 1 August 2005 in which passengers must pay the exact fare as change will not be given by the driver.[2] This has generated some criticism as its implementation often results in passengers paying more than the necessary fare.[3] This can be due to not having the correct change or, more commonly, tourists and visitors being unaware of the policy until after they have deposited money. The reasoning behind the policy is that if the driver does not have to deal with giving change, passenger loading times are shortened, resulting in a faster and more reliable service. It also reduce the risk of attacks on drivers.
Swindon's other main bus company Stagecoach in Swindon does not participate in the scheme.[4] Tickets are valid on both companies services for the majority of destinations in the Swindon Urban Area and beyond, with Stagecoach providing Sunday services to the region.
Thamesdown have also implemented a Text and Go service, where passengers can send an SMS message containing a seven digit bus stop identifier to a premium number to receive information about the next three buses due to arrive at that stop.[5]
[edit] Bus types
| Type | A Fleet | B Fleet | Training Fleet | Withdrawn | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Deckers | 8 | 21 | 1 | 30 | ||
| Leyland Fleetline | 18 | 1 | 19 | |||
| Dennis Dominator | 5 | 2 | 7 | |||
| Leyland Olympian | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Daimler CVG6 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Single Deckers | 82 | |||||
| Dennis Dart | 13 | 2 | 1 | 17 | ||
| Dennis Dart SLF | 19 | 1 | 20 | |||
| Dennis Dart SPD | 36 | 36 | ||||
| Scania L94UB | 10 | 10 | ||||
| Scania K230UB | 6 | 6 | ||||
Thamesdown will get 6 more Scania K230B in May 2008
- A Fleet - fitted with ticket machine and for general service.
- B Fleet - Contract Bus (not fitted with ticket machine).
- Training fleet - for use in training new drivers.
- Withdrawn - taken out of service for refurbishment, repair or sale.
[edit] Paint schemes
The majority of the A fleet is painted in the standard livery apart from the following -
- 69: Brunel FM colourbus[6]
- 70: Priory Vale colorbus[7]
- 184 - 186 / 198: Park and Ride livery[8]
- 199, 200: Priory Vale Shuttle livery[9]
- 201 - 203: Hospital Express livery[10]
The majority of the B fleet is painted in the predominantly yellow student livery[11] except for -
- 299 - 1970s retro livery[12]
There is also one single decker painted Gold in commemoration of the company's centenary.[13][14]
[edit] Fleetline Farewell
Thamesdown Transport says farewell to the Fleetline double-deck bus after 40 years when the last two come out of service.
The last few years these buses have been used as school buses.
On Saturday 16th February Thamsdown will be running special journeys between Haydon Wick and Eldene so say farewell to the buses.
[edit] Routes
- The table below shows the main service routes operated by TT.
- Please note that colours shown in the table are derived from the Network Map but do not appear on the vehicles themselves.
| Service | Frequency | Route | Sunday Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 1A | 1 Every 20 minutes, 1A Every 20 minutes | Middleleaze - Ramleaze - Grange Park - Link Centre - Great Western Outlet Village - Fleming Way - Walcot East - Coleview - Stratton Park - Nythe - Covingham | Every 60 mins (Service 1 Only) |
| 10 | Every 30 minutes | Penhill - Pinehurst - Gorse Hill - Ocotal Way - Fleming Way - Old Town - Okus | |
| 11, 11A | Every 15 minutes | Haydon Wick - Greenmeadow - Pinehurst - Fleming Way - Old Town - Croft - Lawn - Coate Water - Great Western Hospital | Every 60 mins |
| 12, 13, 14 | 13 Every 20 minutes, 14 Every 20 minutes | Eldene - Liden - Coate Water - Lawn - Old Town - Fleming Way - Rodbourne - Moredon - Haydon Wick | Every 60 mins |
| 15 | Every 15 minutes | Fleming Way - Northern Road - Wood Hall - Haydon Wick - Abbey Meads - St Andrew's Ridge | |
| 16 | Every 10 Minutes | Fleming Way - Great Western Hospital | Every 30 mins |
| 17 | Every 10 Minutes | Penhill - Gorse Hill - Rail Station - Fleming Way - Walcot West - Cavendish Square - Welcombe Stores - Park North | Every 30 mins |
| 18 | Every 30 minutes | Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Bridgemead - Taw Hill - Oakhurst - Haydon Wick | |
| 19 | Every 20 minutes | Great Western Hospital - Park South - Cavendish Square - Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Link Centre - Shaw - Peatmoor - Sparcells | Every 60 mins |
| 20, 21 | Every 30 minutes | Fleming Way - Old Town - Croft - Walcot East - Park North - Cavendish Square - Great Western Hospital - Liden - Eldene - Covingham - Greenbridge Retail Park - Lower Stratton - Kingsdown - Gorse Hill - Fleming Way | |
| 22, 25 | [15] | Bus Station - Old Town - West Swindon Centre - Blagrove - Windmill Hill | |
| 24 | [15] | Bus Station - Pinehurst - Haydon Wick - Groundwell - Blunsdon | |
| 26 | Fleming Way - Rodbourne - Fleming Way | ||
| 43, 43A | [16] | Fleming Way - Old Town - Wroughton - Broad Hinton - Winterbourne Bassett - Berwick Bassett - Avebury - Beckhampton - West Kennett - East Kennett - West Overton - Lockeridge - Fyfield - Manton - Barton Park - Marlborough - St John's School | |
| 47, 47A | [15] | Bus Station - Coate Water - Great Western Hospital - Wanborough' - Bishopstone - Ashbury - Kingston Lisle - Woolstone - Uffington - Lambourn - Newbury | |
| 48, 48A | [16] | Bus Station - Great Western Hospital - Liddington - Foxhill - Baydon - Aldbourne - Ramsbury - Axford - Mildenhall - Marlborough | |
| 52, 53 | [16] | Bus Station - Gorse Hill - Groundwell - Great Western Outlet Village - Link Centre - Shaw - Peatmoor - Common Platt - Lydiard Millicent - Greatfield - Purton - Purton Stoke - Blunsdon Abbey - Blunsdon - Cricklade - Leigh - Ashton Keynes | |
| 70 | [16] | Marlborough - Ogbourne St. George - Draycot Foliat - Chiseldon - Great Western Hospital - Old Town - Bus Station | |
| 80 | [17] | Kingsdown - Lower Stratton - Stratton Park - St Joseph's School | |
| 175 | [17] | Blunsdon - Highworth - Kingsdown - Grange Drive - New College | |
| 176 | [17] | Taw Hill - Oakhurst - Haydon Wick - Abbey Meads - Groundwell West - New College | |
| 177 | [17] | Purton - Greatfield - Lydiard Millicent - Ramleaze - Link Centre - New College | |
| 901 | [18] | The Copse - Fleming Way - Regent Circus - Old Town - Wroughton | |
| T1 | [19] | Cricklade - Leigh - Ashton Keynes - Cotswold Hoburne - South Cerney - Cirencester | |
| T2 | [19] | Cricklade - Latton - Down Ampney - South Cerney - Siddington - Cirencester | |
| T3 | [19] | Lechlade - Fairford - Whelford - Kempsford - Marston Meysey - Meyseyhampton - Greenacres Park - Poulton - Ampney Crucis - Preston - Cirencester | |
| T4 | [19] | Hatherop - Quenington - Coln St Aldwyns - Aldsworth - Northleach - Fossebridge - Chedworth - Calmsden - Cirencester |
[edit] Fares
Fares shown are for travel within the Swindon Urban Area (correct as at November 13, 2007)[20]
[edit] Singles and returns
| Adult Single | Adult Return | Child Single | Child Return | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | £1.00 | NLA | £0.90 | NLA |
| Zone 2 | £1.60 | NLA | £0.90 | NLA |
[edit] Dayrider and Dayrider Plus
Day Rider tickets allow you to use Thamesdown and Stagecoach buses within the Swindon urban area for the whole day. No time restrictions.
Day Rider Plus tickets allow you to use Thamesdown and Stagecoach buses for a wider area including Highworth, South Marston, Bishopstone, Wanborough, Liddington, Chiseldon, Wootton Bassett, Purton, Cricklade and Ashton Keynes.
|
|
Day Rider | Day Rider Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £3 | £3.80 |
| 1 Adult with Children | £4 | £4.80 |
| 2 Adult with Children (Family) | £6 | £7.60 |
| Children | £2.00 | £2.60 |
[edit] Travelpass and Travelpass Plus
Travelpasses are travel season tickets for a set period. Purchase entitles you to unlimited travel on the services for the duration of the ticket.
Travelpass tickets give unlimited travel on all Thamesdown and Stagecoach buses within the Swindon area. No time restrictions.
Travelpass Plus tickets are available for a wider area including Highworth, South Marston, Bishopstone, Wanborough, Liddington, Chiseldon, Wootton Bassett, Purton, Cricklade and Ashton Keynes.
| Travelpass | Travelpass Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | £12.00 | £14.00 |
| Monthly | £42.00 | £49.00 |
| 3 Monthly | £110.00 | £128.00 |
| Annual | £420.00 | £490.00 |
| Student | £28.00 | £33.00 |
[edit] Networkcard
Networkcard is a pre-paid system similar to the Oyster Card system used in London. Card's are topped up with money by the user periodically and the amount for each journey is debited by the driver.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Fleet Codes (DOC). Thamesdown Transport. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ Lyndsay Scanlan. Just the exact change please. Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ S Watson. Expensive and inconvenient as well. thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ No change in bus company's policy. Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ Text and Go. Thamesdown Transport. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2006). 69, H969XHR, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2005). 70, H970XHR, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2005). 184, S184BMR, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2006). 199, WV02NNB, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2005). 201, WU52YWE, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2006). 281, F81ODX, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Stuart Curwen (2005). 299, UMR199T, Barnfield Depot. Thamesdown Transport. fotopic.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Victoria Tagg (2004). Bus firm's 100-year milestone. Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ Bus company celebrates a golden year. Swindon Advertiser (2004). Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
- ^ a b c
- ^ a b c d Operated under contract to Wiltshire County Council.
- ^ a b c d Term-time only school service
- ^ Park and Ride service
- ^ a b c d Inter-village link to the large Tesco store in Cirencester
- ^ Fares &Tickets. Thamesdown Transport. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Swindon Borough Council public transport homepage
- Swindon Park and Ride
- EFE Showbus photo gallery- Swindon Corporation Passenger Transport Department and Thamesdown Transport
- Swindon Vintage Omnibus Society - Fleet information and images
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