Blundred's new minis
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Harry Blundred, chairman of Transit Holdings, has launched a new minibus service in Abingdon, near Oxford, as part of a major reshuffle in South Midland bus operations.
South Midland, which is part of Transit Holdings, has taken delivery of 27 new 25-seat Mercedes-Benz 709Ds, of which 19 are for the Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage areas. The new services start on 5 September. The 709Ds, which have room for eight standees, were bodied by Reeve Burgess and are fitted with Telma retarders and two-way radios. They are in the Oxford Minibus livery and have a distinctive blue band across the front of the bus — to aid recognition, says South Midland.
The new vehicles replace 10 double-deckers and seven minibuses in the area. They are on a lease/purchase scheme and are expected to have a 10-year service life.
Blundred says that South Midland wants to get rid of its nine Optares which, it claims, have not given satisfactory service. Brake and transmission problems have been highlighted, he says.
A new easy-to-read bus guide accompanies the introduction of the new services and a coloured route map duplicates the colours on the destination blinds of the vehicles.
The total minibus fleet in the Transit Holdings and Devon General fleet will soon be approaching the 500 mark, as Devon General is expected to receive a further 46 Mercedes, with more to come. At present Devon General has about 280, Thames Transit has around 60 and South Midland now has about 50.
O Since the sale of his Basingstoke Transit minibus operation, Blundred has acquired a minority stake in Stagecoach Holdings' overseas bus projects and has also bought Brixham Coaches, which operates a bus and coach service between Kingswear and Torquay.