Southern Vectis bus fleet

Southern Vectis have a total of 93 buses in their fleet used for regular services. These include single deck buses, double deck buses, open top buses, and coaches, normally used for school routes or driver training. Including ancillary and other vehicles such as road trains, their total fleet is 103. Buses have either been bought new or been transferred from other bus companies, normally fellow Go-Ahead bus companies such as Bluestar or Wilts & Dorset. Southern Vectis are currently in the process of replacing older step-entrance buses with low-floor buses. This process is expected to be complete by Summer 2009.
Single deck buses
Volvo B10B Northern Counties Paladin
Southern Vectis currently own one kind of this bus, which is numbered 625 it was previously operating with Marchwood Motorways when it was transferred to Southern Vectis.
It is currently being used on the tourist route "The Shanklin Steamer" in Shanklin replacing the axed Dotto-Train route and has received a part open top conversion.
* 1 Volvo B10B/ NC Paladin - Fleet number 5625.
DAF SB220 Ikarus Citibus
During 2010 1 DAF SB220 was transferred from Bluestar to the coaching fleet after being displaced from the Bluestar fleet due to recent influx of Citaros from Southern Vectis. It is numbered 507. It was transferred to the bus fleet in January 2013 following the arrival of the new Optare Solo SR single-deckers and ADL Enviro400 double-deckers for school services. 507 is normally used on service 5 between Newport and East Cowes, although sees daily service on a duplicate service 9 in the afternoon from Newport to Ryde Esplanade to carry students from Medina College home and also sees occasional service on route 6 between Newport and Ventnor via Blackgang Chine.
* 1 DAF SB220/ Ikarus Citibus - Fleet number 507.
Dennis Darts
Southern Vectis currently own two types of Darts. In 2002, a new Plaxton Mini Pointer Dart was the first bus in the fleet to feature a low floor/kneeling entrance, a public address system, CCTV and LED destination displays, at the front, rear, and left-hand side, and was delivered in the Oxford blue livery.
To cope with the increase in services after a network change, a further 14 were delivered in 2005 and were painted in the 2005 two-tone green livery. 2006 saw two more transferred from Solent Blue Line, in the 2006 two-tone green livery, the first of the single deck buses in this livery. Following more Solent Blue Line services revisions, four more MPDs were transferred in February 2008. The first entered service in early April 2008, and on the first journey got stuck trying to access Cowes Pontoon on route 1, because the steering lock had not been changed from when it was with Solent Blue Line. However four of the six in total from Solent Blue Line later left the fleet for Wilts and Dorset with a further six leaving after service revisions on 20 December 2009.
During August 2011,with nearly all Wightbus services transferring to Southern Vectis, 5 Dennis Dart SLF's some standard length others MPD were bought from Wightbus all receiving the company's renown green livery. There are numbered in the 33** range.
A number of ex-London buses (including some from London United) have also been owned over the years.
*9 TransBus Dart MPD - some are still in the 2005 two-tone green livery - Fleet numbers 3314-3326
*2 Dennis Dart SLF Transbus MPD - Fleet numbers 3328-3329.
*3 Dennis Dart SLF/Transbus Pointer - Fleet numbers 3361-3363.
Mercedes-Benz Citaros
In January 2007 Southern Vectis ordered seven Euro V-engined Mercedes-Benz Citaros and were new to the island in June to upgrade route 9 and were fleet numbered 451-457. The investment was worth £1 million, with buses costing 150,000 each.
These types of buses are widely used within the Go-Ahead Group, with Go North East, Oxford Bus Company, Solent Blue Line and Wilts & Dorset all operating the type but were new to Southern Vectis being the longest ever single deck bus owned by the company, at and the first full size single deck bus bought since 1976.
In April 2008, the MOT of one of the buses discovered that buses 451 and 452 were wearing the wrong registrations plates, they had been from new. To match the chassis number, they were switched round.
For the 2009 frequency increase on Route 9, from six to eight buses an hour from April, in March Southern Vectis acquired a further two nearly new Citaros from within Go South Coast. These were two 2006 examples new to Wilts & Dorset but loaned to Enterprise for the Uni-link contract in Southampton from new. With the Uni-link contract awarded to Bluestar from September 2008, the buses passed to that company, where they soon transferred to Southern Vectis. The buses entered service with Wilts & Dorset seat moquette, with various places Wilts serve printed on the seats.
Whilst the Citaros were bought for route 9, when they were new they were used on Festival services before entering normal service. Citaros covered the C81 school service to Brockenhurst once or twice, and one was put on route 7 once to cover a broken down vehicle. From the timetable change of 30 August 2009, the 1845 weekday route 4 from Ryde has been scheduled to be a Citaro. Since then, Citaros have worked route 4 at other times as well, and most notably, because it would have been unable to run the full route, in November 2009 a Citaro ran route 1.
From the end of 2009 the seven Citaros bought new by Southern Vectis are being withdrawn from the fleet and transferred to Bluestar with buses on route 9 being replaced with double deckers. The two remaining numbered 479-480 will remain but no longer be restricted to run on route 9, with one serving route 4 and one serving route 5.
This bus has been now sold onto bus dealer for resale to East Riding of Yorkshire Council for further use during May 2012.
Volvo B7TL
There were seven B7TLs bought new in 2002 and were originally in the Island Explorer blue livery. They were the first to be repainted to the new two-tone green livery. Some operated in service in all over lime green awaiting completion of their livery. In April 2007 offside branding of past headline Isle of Wight Festival acts were applied to the buses. From 2009, these began to be taken down and replaced with advertising boards as the vehicles received a repaint. Initially the plan was for all the vehicles to receive island-thinkers branding matching the Scanias but this decision was later reversed and only one vehicle, 191, has island-thinkers branding applied. During 2009 and 2010, the Volvos were again repainted, as they had become quite tatty. As part of this, the buses received tougher, non-standard rear bumpers and side skirt panels, to resist dents and scuffs. Skirt marker lights were also fitted. The only bus remaining to be done is 1991, which is in a revised livery, the front half of the bus in the standard Southern Vectis livery, the rear half in Greyhound livery and a full rear advertisement of the new "IOW to SW1" travel ticket.
With the uplift on the route 9 during peak times during October 2011,two Ex London General Volvos have been drafted in from the events fleet, both have been reupholstered and repainted into the Standard Southern Vectis Livery but both retain dual door layout,with the centre door only being used for wheelchair access. Numbered 1951 and 1952.
During 2013 4 buses from the Events Fleet were transferred for the uplift in the Island Coaster route which was to commence in July 2013, the buses have special modifications to carry such items as of cycles and surfboards. The livery is also to highlight the "Walking with Dinosaurs" movie. The service will also be up to 3 return journeys during the summer season.
*13 Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President - Fleet numbers 1991-1997 and 1951-1953, 1936,1947 and 1949.
ADL Enviro400
A fleet of 20 new ADL Enviro400 double-deckers were delivered during mid-late December 2012 for use on school services from 7th January 2013. These buses carry a similar livery to the Optare Solo SR single-deckers, also used on school services and operate under the Vectis Blue brand name. The Enviro400s replaced all of the ex-Metrobus and ex-Go-Ahead London Volvo Olympians and also replaced a large amount of coaches from the Southern Vectis fleet. These have since either been transferred within the Go-Ahead Group or been sold to bus dealerships. The ex-Go-Ahead London Olympians and the two ex-Go-Ahead London Volvo B7s which previously formed part of the schooling fleet, have since been transferred to the Go South Coast Special Events fleet, working alongside the Mercedes-Benz Citaro Bendybuses.
*20 ADL/Enviro 400 - Fleet Numbers 1507-1526
Bristol K5G
Now known as 'The Old Girl' having been the oldest working bus in the UK, still operated by the original owner. New in 1939 with ECW bodywork. In 1959 it was converted to open-top and has recently been restored to the original livery of apple and cream. It is now popular for private hire.
*1 Bristol K open-top (heritage bus) - In apple and cream livery, named 'The Old Girl' by enthusiasts and now officially (as it is the oldest bus in the fleet) - Fleet number 702.
Scania OmniCity
Twenty eight Scania OmniCity double deckers are on order for 2008/2009, seventeen are currently in operation with the remainder coming for the start of the 2009 tourist season. The 17 that arrived in 2008 are numbered as 1101 to 1117 and naming the buses after coastal locations on the island has continued. Buses 1101-1117 and 1142-1143 feature a new promotion by Southern Vectis, 'Island thinkers think island buses', with images of island people featuring along the side, with messages on the back of small methods of reducing carbon emissions. Initially the plan was for all the new vehicles to feature this promotion, however the decision was later reversed and now buses 1144-1152 feature adverts. 1150 and 1151 also used to feature full rear adverts for the Isle of Wight College. Also 1102,1105 and 1110 now carry full rear adverts in place of the "Island Message" for The Needles Park. Most of the Scania OmniCitys now carry full rear adverts for The NeedlesPark, a majority for Wightlink's Fast Cat with the slogan 'It's no pusy cat' and Isle of Wight's Greenisland campaign.
The buses have Euro IV engines, the current legal requirement. They are the tallest buses in the fleet at 4.34 to offer increased headroom and have been fitted with tree defenders made of tubular steel to protect the front of the upper deck. Each of these buses cost £170,000 new.
*28 Scania OmniCity - Fleet numbers 1101-1117, 1142-1152
Scania OmniDekka
Five Scania OmniDekka Double deckers were acquired from Metrobus towards the end of 2009 to cope with service revisions from 20 April 2009 and were fleet numbered 1051-1055. Before their arrival on the island, four convertible open-top East Lancs Myllennium Vyking bodied Volvo B7TLs were borrowed on loan from Wilts & Dorset that up until then were used on Unilinx services for Bournemouth University. Following the acquisition of the OmniDekkas they are all due to go through an internal refurbishment before starting in service. The five OmniDekkas are now in service with 1051-1053 and 1055 receiving full rear adverts.
*5 Scania OmniDekka - Fleet numbered 1051-1055
Coaches
Southern Vectis' coach fleet is marketed through the use of different trading names, these being companies that Southern Vectis has purchased over the years. None of the coaches are in the two-tone green livery, they are branded as either, Fountain Coaches in bright orange, West Wight Coaches in a raspberry and grey livery and Moss Motor Tours in a blue colour scheme. They are a mixture of different types. They use three chassis types Dennis Javelin, Volvo B10M and DAF SB types, and the bodies are from different coachbilders too, including, Plaxton, Van Hool and Ikarus products.
The Coaches primary role is to transport local students to island schools and the Isle of Wight College. Other than school runs, the coaches are used on a range of contracts and private hire work. At weekends, they can be seen on the mainland used for rail replacement services. Coach numbers 597 and 511 are used for driver training.
In July 2011 Brought out local operator Wightrollers together with 11 vehicles, A number of staff have also transferred to Southern Vectis.
Due to a new £28m school contract which was awarded to Southern Vectis for 8 years in July 2012, a new fleet was needed with many of these older coaches being sold to Ensignbus for further use. The Moss,Fountain and West Wight liveries were faded out with the name "Vectis Blue" being used.
*2 Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon - Fleet numbers 7080,7085
*1 Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon - Fleet numbers 7086,7093
*3 Volvo B12M/Van Hool Alizee - Fleet numbers 7031-7044
*1 Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere 350 - Fleet numbers 7007-7010
*1 Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton Excalibur - Fleet numbers 7029,7030
*1 DAF DB250/ Optare Spectra-Fleet number 8232
Ancillary and other vehicles
Various vehicles are owned by Southern Vectis for purposes such as transporting staff between locations. A number of vehicles are also used for vehicle maintenance to assist broken down buses. Events such as the Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival have in recent years required an events fleet to be created. Many of these vehicles are older buses no longer used by fellow Go South Coast companies. They are brought over in preparation a number of months before the Isle of Wight Festival and remain over the summer to assist with a number of events requiring additional services.
*1 Leyland Olympian/ECW - Tree-lopper in old Wilts & Dorset livery - Fleet number 023.
*3 Iveco 59.12/Marshall Bus - Mobile Visitor Info Centres in blue livery - Fleet numbers 045,046 and 047.
*1 Ford Transit- Bought from Meteor Parking- Fleet number 024
*3 Iveco Turbodailys-Used for general duties-fleet numbers 019,021 and 025.
Fleet numbering
A new system of fleet numbering was introduced to Southern Vectis on 19 September 2006, creating sets of 'hundreds' to identify each vehicle type. The fleet numbers are based around the Go South Coast fleet, so no numbers are duplicated. In 2008, when the new Scania OmniCitys arrived, they had to be numbered 11xx as they would not fit into the 1xx category, Southern Vectis treats "11" and "1" as the same thing.
* 0xx - Ancillary vehicles
* 507 - DAF/Ikarus single-decker
* 19xx - Volvo B7TL double decks
* 33xx - Low floor Dennis Darts (inculuding ex-Wightbus Darts)
* 70xx - Coaches
* 46xx - Open top Volvo Olympians
* 10xx - Scania OmniDekka double decks
* 11xx - Scania OmniCity double decks
* 15xx - ADL Enviro400 double-deckers
* 38xx - Optare Solo SRs
* 29xx - Mercedes Benz Citaro Bendy-buses
*48xx - Volvo Olympian double decks (Special Events fleet)

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