ROADLINER
The
Rossmore Flyer back in private hands again
For many many years the Rossmore Flyer was in private hands,
originally Miss Foott the founder, then Cosy Coaches, and then
Stanbridge and Oakfield. Subsequently the route
passed to Wilts & Dorset then Bournemouth Yellow
Buses. From 1st April 2006 another operator comes along, this
time Roadliner Passenger Transport of Poole, who are running an hourly
service (supported by the Borough of Poole) on the
extended Rossmore route, with each journey serving both
Alderney East and Bourne Estate as well as the traditional
points of Trinidad Estate and Rossmore Road. This is their
first bus service, but the form was established in 2001 and has a fleet
of seven coaches.
Reviving its popular name, this is known again as
the
number 8 "Rossmore Flyer" as shown in the timetable leaflet below. The
service has also been extended from Upper Parkstone to Alton
Road, Sandecotes Road, Kings Avenue and Penn Hill Avenue in Lower
Parkstone as the number 8 "Parkstone Flyer". Reviving in part
the
original 1930's concept proposed seventy odd years ago by Miss Foott,
albeit by a different route!
This is a picture of the new Rossmore Flyer on its first day of
operation,
with driver David at the wheel of the smartly liveried Optare Solo Y811
KRP (Subsequently reregistered as Y555 ELF) at Penn Hill Corner, with
Roadliner director Mark Self looking on.
Following the introduction of the 8 on 1st April, and with the planned
changes to the network of Wilts & Dorset
services from June 2006 there were more new Roadliner
routes, including the "Super Seven" which started on 5th June.
These services
linked Talbot View (7A) and Bloxworth Road (7B) with Alder Road and the
Upper Parkstone shops, continuing via Sea View, Cranbrook Road and
Trinidad Estate to Tower Park. The Super Seven was operated
by
another Optare Solo but in silver livery. Another new
route also
started on this date, the 32 from Merley and Gravel Hill to Poole
Hospital and Poole Bus Station, three times a day in each direction,
off-peak. Again this was a service plugging gaps in the bus
network after the changes by Wilts & Dorset.
Unfortunately Roadliner's tenure in operation on the 7a, 7b and 32 was
short-lived and despite the hard work they had put in to building up
these routes since their introduction their participation ceased at the
end of September 2006, when their tender
bid to continue the routes for five years was not accepted.
The
7a and 7b passed to Damory Coaches (a Wilts & Dorset
subsidiary)
and the 32 to Shamrock
Buses of Poole, with a route extension from
Merley to Bearwood and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
Happily
Roadliner will
continue to operate the number 8 Rossmore Flyer from their new base in
Bunbury Road on the Nuffield Industrial Estate in Poole.
From 1st March 2008 the route of the Rossmore Flyer is extended further
northwards along Ringwood Road to include Alderney West as well as
Alderney East.
There is more information about Roadliner and their
interesting fleet on the
operator's
website.
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