Saturday, 6th May 2006

Tour using Ensign Bus Company's preserved Hants & Dorset Bristol K6A, HLJ44 (if available)

The vehicle will operate over the former London Transport route 410 between Bromley North Station and Reigate, being one of the routes that the hired Tilling Group Lowbridge Bristol Ks operated.

The bus will depart from Stratford Bus Station at 10:00, and then outside Bromley North Station at 11:00.

After arrival at Reigate, the tour will return to Redhill and folow route 405 to Croydon, from where it is hoped to follow former route 68 to Central London for a drop-off, before the vehicle returns to its base at Purfleet.

For further details regarding the tour, and a Booking Form, please contact the Visits Secretary at the address below, or by E-mail on a-cornwell@supanet.com.

A photograph of the vehicle at Godstone can be seen here.

Planned visit to Uni-Link at Southampton

This will be an event of the Eastern & Southern Branch. SWW members are welcome to attend.

By kind invitation of John Waugh, shortly to retire as Transport Manager of Southampton Uni-Link, spend a day in a study of this now high profile student transport facility, and hear the background to this and other local matters.

The party will assemble at the Bridge Bar Students Union, Highfield Campus, at 11.00 for a briefing. A Smartcard will be provided that enables transport from Southampton Airport Parkway Station (Route UIC, 00/20/40 past the hour, 15 minute journey). From Central Station the UIA runs at the same frequency and takes 20 minutes.

The Party will split into two groups for visits to the Romanse Traffic Control Centre and the Uni-Link operational base, particularly to see the GPS monitoring system.

Following these visits, the party will proceed to the City Centre at 1300 for a lunch break, with time to study the local operations.

From 1425 the party will leave Civic Centre bus stop (UIA or UIH) for retuirn to the Highfield Interchange. At 1500 there will be four 30-minute presentations:

• John Waugh will relate the Uni-Link story
• George Fair will follow on Minerva Accord (the bus contractors)
• Simon Bell, local traffic planner, on Southampton's Buses
• Robert Powell on "Smart Cities"

The day will conclude at 1700 for everyone to commence their homeward travel.

Applications should be made by post to the Branch Visits Secretary, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope. The number of places required, mode of travel to Southampton, name, OS Membership Number, address and phone number should be included with the application, with the names of any additional participants. Full details will be confirmed nearer the date, and smartcards will be enclosed.