South West Coaches The Red Line Route 1 |
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| Founded | 2000 |
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| Headquarters | Southgate Road, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 9EB |
| Locale | South West England |
| Service area | Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire. |
| Service type | Bus, Coach |
| Hubs | Yeovil, Isle of Portland |
| Fleet | 90+ Vehicles |
| Web site | www.southwestcoaches.co.uk |
South West Coaches is a privately owned company that operate a number of bus services around Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, in South West England. It operates local town services in Yeovil under contract to the County Council, ex-Sureline routes in the Dorchester, Weymouth and Isle of Portland mainly commercial and long distance commercial rural services. A large proportion of its work is coach trips under the South West Tours brand as well as private hire and school contracts.
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South West Coaches was founded in 2000 following the merger of AG Hulbert & Son and Wakes Services which together have over 100 years experience in the bus and coach industry.[1]
In 2007, South West Coaches acquired Safeway Services, a local bus and coach operator in the village of South Petherton in Somerset. Safeway Services was established in 1928 and was family run up until the South West Coaches takeover operating one of its routes throughout this time. South West Coaches rebranded this company almost immediately even though it was a well established and respected name in its operating area. A new Optare Versa was named Miss Gunn after a Safeway Services director.
On 26 October 2009 South West Coaches acquired Sureline, a local bus operator on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. Sureline is a larger operation with a much shorter history. It became a familiar feature of the roads of Weymouth and Dorchester as well as Portland in the 21st century, and also operated a route between Bridport and Maiden Newton.
There is little competition in their operating area although another independent operator Nippy Bus registered Route N10 in competition with South West Coaches Route 81 and First compete with the Portland routes. In most villages South West Coaches are the sole bus operator and therefore many communities are heavily reliant on their services. The geographical area covered is vast stretching from Minehead and Taunton in the West to Salisbury in the East and from Portland and Bournemouth in the South to Warminster and Frome in the North. The company employs over 90 full and part time staff.[2]
The company participates in the County Ticket scheme in Somerset. The Wiltshire Day Rover ticket is valid within Wiltshire. Singles, returns, weekly, monthly and annual season tickets are available. Free travel for those holding an English National Concessionary Pass is available across the bus network including before 09:00 on the rural routes where no other service operates.
The company has inherited one of the first Smartcard "Smartrider" schemes in the United Kingdom when Sureline was incorporated into the business it gives a 10% discount on single fares.[3]
Routes: 1/1A/1B/1C/1S, 2/2B/2S, 3, 7/7A, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 40A, 42, 109, 117
Routes: 1/1B, 5, 7/7A, 8, 10, 11/11A, 14, 15, 19/19A, 36, 40, 68, 74, 81, 202, 665, T1 (Tescos), T2 (Tescos), T3 (Tescos), X11
Routes: 61, 62, 73, 205, 206, 210, 211, 212, 214, 220, 230
Engineering:
Former route: 81
The company operates over 90 vehicles which are mainly coaches which are used on local bus services; in addition they operate the following single decker buses on the more frequent services:
A fifth Optare Solo has just been purchased for the extension of route 68[4]
South West Coaches run the following services;
| Service | From | To | Via | Days of Operation | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1A/1B/1C/1S | Yeovil | Shepton Mallet | Mudford, Marston Magna, Queen Camel, Sparkford, Haynes International Motor Museum (1A), North Cadbury, Castle Cary, Ansford, Bruton (1B), Castle Cary Station, Ditcheat, Evercreech & Prestleigh | Monday-Saturday except evenings | Every 60 minutes | The Red Line
Some journeys 50% Commercial |
| 2/2B/2S | Yeovil or Shepton Mallet | Wincanton | Castle Cary | Monday-Friday peak hours | 2-3 journeys | Commercial |
| 3 | Gillingham | Yeovil | Mere, Zeals, Bayford, Wincanton, Charlton Horethorne, Sherborne & Yeovil Pen Mill Station | Fridays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 5 | Babcary | Yeovil | Keinton Mandeville, Lovington, North Barrow, South Barrow, Sparkford, West Camel, Chilton Cantelo & Mudford | Wednesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 7/7A | Yeovil 7A or Sherborne 7/7A | Poole 7/7A or Castlepoint Shopping Centre, Bournemouth 7A | Sherborne, Milborne Port, Henstridge, Stalbridge, Marnhull, Sturminster Newton, Child Okeford, Shillingstone, Durweston, Spetisbury & Sturminster Marshall | Mondays | 1 journey | Commercial (Duplicated in Summer holidays) |
| 8 | Pilton | Yeovil | West Pennard, Baltonsborough, Butleigh, Barton St. David, Keinton Mandeville, Podimore, West Camel, Chilton Cantelo & Mudford | Fridays | 1 journey | Under contract to Somerset County Council |
| 10 | Ilminster | Yeovil | Puckington, Barrington, Shepton Beauchamp, Kingsbury Episcopi, Muchelney, Long Load, Ash, Tintinhull & Chilthorne Domer | Wednesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 11/11A | Yeovil Bus Station | Yeovil, South West Coaches Depot | Yeovil Tesco, Seaton Road, Preston Grove, Yeovil ASDA, Lufton Way, Artillery Road, Larkhill Road, Thorne Lane, Abbey Manor Park, Houndstone Retail Park, Yeovil Town FC & Oakway Industrial Estate | Monday-Saturday except Evenings | 11 Every 60 minutes
11A Every 60 minutes |
Circular Town Service. 11A serves points between Yeovil ASDA and Yeovil Town FC in reverse order.
Silver Service Under contract to Somerset County Council |
| 14 | Thorncombe | Chard | Forde Abbey, Chard Junction, South Chard & Tatworth | Monday-Friday daytimes | 3 journeys | Under contract to Somerset County Council |
| 15 | Yeovil | Salisbury | Sherborne, Milborne Port, Henstridge, Stalbridge, Lydlinch, Sturminster Newton, Hinton St Mary, Marnhull, Todber, Stour Provost, East Stour, Shaftesbury, Fovant, Barford St Martin & Wilton | Tuesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 19/19A | Bruton | Yeovil | Pitcombe, Shepton Montague, Yarlington (19), North Cadbury (19), Holton (19A), Blackford (19A), Compton Pauncefoot (19A), South Cadbury, Corton Denham, Sandford Orcas, Rimpton & Mudford | 19 Wednesdays
19A Fridays |
1 journey | 19 Under contract to Somerset County Council
19A Commercial |
| 25 | Wincanton | Wincanton | Buckhorn Weston, Kington Magna, West Stour, East Stour, Gillingham, Cucklington & Stoke Trister | Thursdays | 1 journey | Under contract to Somerset County Council |
| 26 | Wincanton | Warminster | Zeals, Mere, Hindon, Dinton, Chilmark, Tisbury, Fonthill Gifford, Fonthill Bishop, Hindon & Longbridge Deverill | Thursdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 28 | Templecombe (Tuesday) or Wincanton (Saturday) | Salisbury | Horsington (T), North Cheriton (T), Wincanton, Zeals, Mere, Hindon, Fonthill Bishop, Chilmark, Dinton, Barford St Martin & Wilton | Tuesdays & Saturdays | 1 journey Tuesday
2 journeys Saturday |
Tuesdays commercial
Saturdays Under contract to Wiltshire County Council |
| 30 | Wincanton | Poole | Zeals, Mere, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Fontmell Magna, Iwerne Minster, Stourpaine, Spetisbury & Sturminster Marshall | Thursdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 32 | Castle Cary | Salisbury | Evercreech, Shepton Mallet, Doulting, Nunney, Frome, Corsley, Warminster & Wilton | Tuesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 33 | Wincanton | Frome | Charlton Musgrove, Bruton, Brewham, Upton Noble, Witham Friary & Trudoxhill | Wednesdays & Fridays | 1 journey | Under contract to Somerset County Council |
| 36 | Gillingham | Yeovil | Shaftesbury, Stour Row, Todber, Henstridge, Purse Caundle, Milborne Port & Sherborne | Fridays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 40/40A | Sherborne (40) or Wincanton (40A) | Taunton (40) or Minehead (40A) | Templecombe (40A), Henstridge (40A), Milborne Port (40A), Sherborne, Yeovil, Preston, Montacute, Martock, South Petherton, West Lambrook, Shepton Beauchamp, Barrington, Hambridge and Westport (40), Curry Rivel (40), Fivehead (40), Puckington (40A), Ilminster (40A), Ruishton (40A), Bishops Lydeard (40A), Williton (40A), Watchet (40A) & Blue Anchor (40A) | 40 Thursdays
40A Mondays during Somerset school Summer holidays |
1 journey | Commercial |
| 42 | Gillingham | Yeovil | East Stour, West Stour, Kington Magna, Stalbridge, Stourton Caundle, Bishop's Caundle, North Wootton & Sherborne | Tuesdays | 1 journey | Under contract to Dorset County Council |
| 61 | Portland, South West Coaches Depot | Dorchester South Station | Wyke Regis, Chickerell, Nottington, Langton Herring, Abbotsbury, Portesham, Winterbourne Abbas, Winterbourne Steepleton & Dorchester | Wednesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 62 | Portland, South West Coaches Depot | Dorchester South Station | Wyke Regis, Abbotsbury, Portesham, Chickerell, Broadwey, Upwey & Dorchester | Fridays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 68 | Lyde Road, Yeovil | Barwick | Yeovil Pen Mill Station, Yeovil, Yeovil Junction Station & Stoford | Monday-Saturday except evenings | Every 30 minutes | Silver Service
Commercial |
| 73 | Bridport | Cattistock or Frome St Quintin | Bradpole, Uploders, Loders, Askerswell, West Milton, Powerstock, Melplash, Beaminster, Hooke, Toller Porcorum & Maiden Newton | Monday-Saturday shopping hours | Irregular |
Under contract to Dorset County Council |
| 74 | Yeovil | Sherborne | Yeovil Junction Station, Stoford, Bradford Abbas, Yetminster & Thornford | Monday-Friday Shopping Hours | 2 journeys (in conjunction with NORDCAT route D14) | Commercial |
| 81 | South Petherton | Yeovil | Norton Sub Hamdon, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Stanchester School, Montacute, Lower Odcombe & Alvington | Monday-Saturday except evenings | Every 60 minutes | The Green Line
Commercial except 2 journeys Monday-Friday Daytime |
| 109 | Wincanton | Dorchester | North Cheriton, Horsington, Templecombe Station, Henstridge, Stalbridge, Marnhull, Hinton St Mary, Sturminster Newton, Fifehead Neville, Hazelbury Bryan, Mappowder, Piddletrenthide, Whitelackington, Piddlehinton | Wednesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 117 | Wincanton | Sturminster Newton | Bayford, Bourton, Zeals, Mere, Milton-on-Stour, Gillingham, East Stour, Stour Provost, Todber, Moorside-, Marnhull & Hinton St Mary | Mondays | 1 Jjurney | Commercial (forms duplicate for 7A if required) |
| 202 | Chard | Dorchester | Crewkerne, Crewkerne Station, Misterton, South Perrott, Maiden Newton, Frampton & Grimstone | Wednesdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 205 | Portland Circular | Monday-Saturday except evenings | Every 60 minutes | Commercial | ||
| 206 | Weymouth | Wyke Regis | Rodwell | Monday-Saturday except evenings | Every 30 minutes | Commercial |
| 210 | Portland | Dorchester, Dorset County Hospital | Wyke Regis, Weymouth & Upwey | Monday-Friday except evenings | Every 20-60 minutes |
Commercial |
| 211 | Weymouth | Upwey | Radipole & Springfield Estate | Monday-Saturday shopping hours | 2-3 journeys | Commercial |
| 212 | Yeovil | Dorchester South Station | East Coker (Opposite Direction Only), Ryme Intrinseca (Opposite Direction Only), Yetminster (Opposite Direction Only), Leigh (Opposite Direction Only), Chetnole (Opposite Direction Only), Evershot, Cattistock, Maiden Newton, Frampton, Grimstone, Stratton, Bradford Peverell ((R) in Opposite Direction), Charminster, Poundbury, Dorset County Hospital & Dorchester | Monday-Friday school terms (including half term holidays) except evenings | 3-5 journeys | Commercial (partially demand responsive pre-booking required for places marked (R)) |
| 220 | Portland | Dorchester | Wyke Regis, Lanehouse, Weymouth & Upwey | Monday-Friday peak hours | 1-3 journeys | Commercial |
| 230 | Portland | Winfrith Technology Centre | Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Preston, Osmington, Owermoigne & Winfrith Newburgh | Monday-Friday peak hours | 1 journey | Commercial |
| 665 | Yeovil, South West Coaches Depot | Street, Clarks Village | A37, Chilthorne Domer, Ilchester, Limington, Yeovilton, Charlton Mackrell, Babcary, Lydford-on-Fosse, Keinton Mandeville, Kingweston, Somerton & Long Sutton | Thursdays | 1 journey | Commercial |
| X11 | Yeovil, South West Coaches Depot | Yeovil | Monday-Saturday early mornings & evenings | 2 journeys | 50%
Commercial |
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| T1/T2/T3 | Milborne Port (T1) or Huish Episcopi (T2) or Crewkerne (T3) | Yeovil Tesco | T1 Mondays
T2 Mondays T3 Tuesdays & Wednesdays |
1 journey | Under contract to Tesco as a free service |
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