- Boro'line (London)
Boro'line (London) describes the
London operations of the former municipal bus companyBoro'line Maidstone . Boro'line Maidstone was the arms length bus company ofMaidstone Borough Council. Seeking to expand its business it saw the new system of tendering forLondon Bus routes as a prime opportunity for expansion.It experienced initial rapid success, gaining and operating some of the first services to be contracted out by London Transport (later
Transport for London ), in theBexleyheath area of South East London. Later services reachedGreenwich ,Stratford andEuston . However, the company quickly encountered problems, and on 17 February 1992 sold its London operations toKentish Bus . Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration. [ [http://www.southbus.co.uk/maidstone/mcthistory.htm Southbus website] History of Maidstone Corporation]Boro'line Maidstone were eventually sold to Maidstone & District in May 1992 after financial difficulties in the main caused by expansion into London.
History
Boro'line exploited the deregulated market to tender for several London bus routes, with the first contracts being won in 1987. In January 1988 Boro'line started its London operations with Bexley based routes from a Bexley council site in
Crayford . Another site inGreenwich later came into use for two Greenwich services working into Euston, Stratford and Lewisham [http://www.countrybus.org/LX/LX_KB.htm#contents Countrybus website] Boro'line Leyland Lynx page] [http://www.londonbusroutes.net/photos/188.htm London Bus Routes website] Route 188 history] . Contracts were won initially in competition with the London Buses low costBexleybus unit. Further routes in the area were gained after being given up by the poorly performing strike prone Bexleybus operation.Routes awarded were operated with a mixture of purposely ordered new buses, and second hand vehicles. [ [http://www.londonbusroutes.net/photos/422.htm London Bus Routes website] Route 422 history] . The large orders were in marked contrast to the piecemeal fleet replacement in Maidstone. Boro'line's bright blue livery contrasted with the traditional red of London Buses in the centre of the capital. Later tenders, well after the demise of Boro'line, would see a condition of contracts for a majority red livery.Additionally, while waiting for new deliveries of buses for its tenders, a motley crew of second hand buses were hired or bought to operate in the meantime, a large number being Ipswich Atlanteans, bringing more odd bus types and liveries to London [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251422.html] [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802485.html] [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802488.html] [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251429.html] [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251425.html] [http://www.countrybus.org/Olympian/L3.htm#content Countrybus website] Boro'line Leyland Olympian page] [ [http://www.southbus.co.uk/london/borolinelondon.htm Southbus website] Boro'line London page]
Routes
The following London bus routes had been operated by Boro'line:
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c960034.html] 108
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c986046.html] 132
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c961075.html] 188
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c992216.html] [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1049352.html] 228/328 Circular
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1007781.html] 233
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1008537.html] 272
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c970732.html] 422
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1052460.html] 492In 1990 Boro'line lost the tender for route 188 to
Selkent due to performance issues.Vehicles
The vehicle batches used in London were as follows:
;Double-deck buses
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423567.html] 1989 built Alexander RV-bodiedVolvo Citybus es
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251414.html] 1976 built Alexander AV-bodiedVolvo Ailsa B55 s (ex-Tayside)
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423565.html] 1988 builtOptare -bodiedLeyland Olympian s
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423571.html] 1991 builtNorthern Counties -bodiedLeyland Olympian s
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28630462.html] 1988 built Alexander RH-bodiedScania N112 (only 2);Single-deck buses
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28630455.html] 1978 builtLeyland National s (ex London LS class)
* [http://busgallery3.fotopic.net/p10400625.html] 1989 builtLeyland Lynx es
* [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423566.html] 1991 builtLeyland Lynx esBoro'line also used liveried vans as crew transfer vehicles [ [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p30772758.html Fotopic image of a Boro'line crew van] ] [ [http://borolinebuses.fotopic.net/p37070840.html Fotopic image of a second Boro'line crew van] ] .
Upon sale of the London operations, all vehicles purchased specifically for London contracts passed to Kentish Bus [ [http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p31502696.html Fotopic image of a Boro'line Citybus transfered into Kentish Bus ownership] ] . Some of the second hand vehicles used were moved to Maidstone. Ironically some of the London Lynxes later found their way into Maidstone & District colours and then passed into
Arriva Southern Counties Kent and Sussex division.One of the London Scania N112s met an ignominious end in Dublin [ [http://garagecat.fotopic.net/p40004579.html Fotopic image of the end of a Boro’line Scania N112] ] .
ee also
*
List of bus routes in London References
External links
* [http://www.yellins.co.uk/moderntransport/bexleybus/boroline.html Boroline in Bexleyheath]
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