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Southampton City Transport |
Motor buses, very briefly tried by Southampton Corporation in 1900/1, were first successfully used from 1919, municipal transport in the city until then being provided exclusively by trams. The buses were Thornycrofts, followed by more similar vehicles, then Leylands, Guys and two Morris-Commercials. All but the last-named received bodies constructed by the Corporation. Between 1929 and 1937, double deckers purchased included Thornycroft's, Guy Arab's and AEC Regent's, supplemented by a dozen 26- seat Leyland Cubs. The same period marked the introduction of Park Royal bodies to the fleet in 1930, and this builder supplied all but a handful of requirements until 1963.
Tramway replacement was scheduled to start in 1935 but, by 1939, only one route had been converted and the bus fleet received its final pre-war stock, in the shape of many Leyland Titans. After the war, tramway abandonment recommenced, the last example running on 31st December 1949. The replacement buses were all Guy Arabs and further deliveries up to 1954, which also included a dozen standee-type single decker versions, eliminated almost all non-Guy stock from service.
Nearly 200 Guy Arabs were the mainstay of services until the late 1950s and early 1960s when withdrawal commenced. New vehicles between 1961 and 1968 were AEC Regents and Leyland Titans preceded by three Albion Nimbus 31-seat saloons and followed by ten AEC Swift standee saloons, the last AECs purchased. From 1963, all AEC Regents carried East Lancashire Coachbuilders bodies and this builder was favoured with almost all orders since that date, up until the last Atlanteans were delivered in the 1980's. The fleet became composed entirely of Leyland Atlanteans, between 1968 and the early 1980's. Dennis Dominator's and three Leyland Olympians were evaluated around this time. On deregulation, the company was subject to a management/employee buyout and traded for a number of years as Southampton Citybus. In the 1990's the company was sold to First Group and although officially First Hampshire, trades as First Southampton.
Click here for details of preserved Southampton buses....
One of the pre-war Leyland Titans No 68 (AOW 268)
Seen on route 15 one of many Park Royal Guy Arabs in the post war Southampton fleet 133 (FCR 434). This one was delivered in 1948
When delivered in 1962 these Park Royal bodies Leyland Titans were in this drab version of the Southampton livery, but were later repainted with larger areas of cream which vastly improved their appearance. I still always thought they were ugly though.
An East Lancs bodied AEC Regent V 350 (370 FCR) on route 14 to Townhill Park. It was new in 1963.
When First Bus took over Citybus, it used the fleet name for a short period of time until the word "First" replaced this description. This is No 260 (YRV 260V) one of the many East Lancs Atlanteans seeen here in Pound Tree Road.