0B00
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Is there an Open Top tour/service bus running in Portsmouth currently?
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Portsmouth open top?
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OmniCity999
Established Member
"On your left we see some junkies, on your right is the Grafton Street flats and this is where the ferries leave from"
not the most picturesque place is it...
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
And yet in the past....
Southsea open-topper
Seen in Southsea in June 1999 is First Provincial convertible open-top Bristol VRT / ECW CO43/27D 504 RHT504S. This bus was new to Bristol as 5110 in 1978.
www.flickr.com
ERV254D CPPTD (Portsmouth) 7 Portsmouth Hbr
On 6 September 1977 Portsmouth Atlantean 7 (new 1966, body by MCW,originally numbered 254 in closed-top form) is seen on The Hard in one of the two bus stop lanes, previously used by trolleybuses. This was presumably shortly before construction of the original Hard bus station. There is a nice...
www.flickr.com
Mind you, Portsmouth or Southsea isn't high on my list of seaside destinations
Been a long time since Guide Friday operated their open top.buses and even longer since the Portsmouth Corporation open toppers.
The CPPTD
Were scheduled to run a Sunday Seafront Service once a month but looks as if everything is on hold at the moment.
Not open top but there was ALF, a London Routemaster that was doing tours of Pompey but web site makes mention of what the current situation is.
First Bus have recently introduced a service 25, single decker, which runs from Portsmouth Harbour to Eastney to meet with the Hayling Ferry. Have thought that would make a good run for an open topper but don't think that is going to happen.
Edited to correct spelling
The CPPTD
Were scheduled to run a Sunday Seafront Service once a month but looks as if everything is on hold at the moment.
Not open top but there was ALF, a London Routemaster that was doing tours of Pompey but web site makes mention of what the current situation is.
First Bus have recently introduced a service 25, single decker, which runs from Portsmouth Harbour to Eastney to meet with the Hayling Ferry. Have thought that would make a good run for an open topper but don't think that is going to happen.
Edited to correct spelling
Your choice.And yet in the past....
Southsea open-topper
Seen in Southsea in June 1999 is First Provincial convertible open-top Bristol VRT / ECW CO43/27D 504 RHT504S. This bus was new to Bristol as 5110 in 1978.
ERV254D CPPTD (Portsmouth) 7 Portsmouth Hbr
On 6 September 1977 Portsmouth Atlantean 7 (new 1966, body by MCW,originally numbered 254 in closed-top form) is seen on The Hard in one of the two bus stop lanes, previously used by trolleybuses. This was presumably shortly before construction of the original Hard bus station. There is a nice...
Mind you, Portsmouth or Southsea isn't high on my list of seaside destinations
It's much nicer than its westerly neighbour city; at least Pompey has a beach with some nice green space by it, and some heritage. All Southampton has is docks and more docks and a unpleasant haze from the ships running their generators in port.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
I wasn't choosing Southampton either
Best open top services are the Cornish Penwith ones (A1-A3), the one across the Sandbanks Ferry (50) and the 501 up to Portland Bill. In comparison to those, Portsmouth lags behind!!!
cnjb8
Established Member
The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is very pleasant. I went a few months ago.
To help with the polution from the ships the city council are getting going to make the bus companies reduce their emissions!
Robertj21a
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I wasn't choosing Southampton either
Best open top services are the Cornish Penwith ones (A1-A3), the one across the Sandbanks Ferry (50) and the 501 up to Portland Bill. In comparison to those, Portsmouth lags behind!!!
I rather like those in the Lake District.
Frankly that muddled thinking is absolutely typical of Southampton City Council......
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Some distance behind!!I wasn't choosing Southampton either
Best open top services are the Cornish Penwith ones (A1-A3), the one across the Sandbanks Ferry (50) and the 501 up to Portland Bill. In comparison to those, Portsmouth lags behind!!!
Agree with all 3 of your suggestions, as well as the Lake District ones Stagecoach run. However the GSC 50 is ruined by traffic congestion despite being the most novel experience with the boat trip, and I have found out to my cost that it's simply too unreliable to build a day out around in all but winter months.
Merthyr Imp
Member
I know they don't have these anymore. (Photographed in August 1968).
Flange Squeal
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Xelabus gave it a bit of a go a few years ago. Before that I think Guide Friday used to run one, later becoming a City Sightseeing branded operation. Going back a fair while though, I think that ended in the early 2000s. Currently the only sightseeing bus in Portsmouth that I can think of is the limited Local Haunts operation, but that uses a closed-top Routemaster.
Open top buses have been making a bit of a comeback in the last few years, and maybe with staycationing likely to still be a bigger thing next year, something could be trialled for the 2021 season?
My idea for a route might be something as follows. With the main tourist stretch between the Historic Dockyard and South Parade Pier being around 2.5 miles and mostly along the seafront with a list of attractions, good marketing might be able to persuade some on board?
- Portsmouth Town Centre
- Historic Dockyard (for Mary Rose Museum, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior)
- The Hard Interchange (for Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays shopping outlet and Isle of Wight foot passenger ferry)
- Old Portsmouth (for Round Tower, The Point, Spice Island Inn)
- Clarence Pier (for the funfair and hovercraft)
- Royal Naval Memorial (& Southsea Common)
- Blue Reef Aquarium
- D-Day Museum (& Southsea Castle)
- Pyramids Swimming Complex (& Rock Gardens)
- South Parade Pier (& Boating Lake)
- Southsea Model Village (& Rose Gardens)
- Eastney Lifeboat Station (for Hayling Ferry)
Open top buses have been making a bit of a comeback in the last few years, and maybe with staycationing likely to still be a bigger thing next year, something could be trialled for the 2021 season?
My idea for a route might be something as follows. With the main tourist stretch between the Historic Dockyard and South Parade Pier being around 2.5 miles and mostly along the seafront with a list of attractions, good marketing might be able to persuade some on board?
- Portsmouth Town Centre
- Historic Dockyard (for Mary Rose Museum, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior)
- The Hard Interchange (for Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays shopping outlet and Isle of Wight foot passenger ferry)
- Old Portsmouth (for Round Tower, The Point, Spice Island Inn)
- Clarence Pier (for the funfair and hovercraft)
- Royal Naval Memorial (& Southsea Common)
- Blue Reef Aquarium
- D-Day Museum (& Southsea Castle)
- Pyramids Swimming Complex (& Rock Gardens)
- South Parade Pier (& Boating Lake)
- Southsea Model Village (& Rose Gardens)
- Eastney Lifeboat Station (for Hayling Ferry)
I wasn't choosing Southampton either
Best open top services are the Cornish Penwith ones (A1-A3), the one across the Sandbanks Ferry (50) and the 501 up to Portland Bill. In comparison to those, Portsmouth lags behind!!!
I would definitely have Seaford and District's Eastbourne Sightseeing route in my top 5, not only for the route but also for the presentation of the vehicles and the quality of the operation.
Much preferred Portsmouth to Southampton. Didnt find anything really unique about Southampton.
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There is none in Scotland i can think of. Used to be one on Arran.
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I wasn't choosing Southampton either
Best open top services are the Cornish Penwith ones (A1-A3), the one across the Sandbanks Ferry (50) and the 501 up to Portland Bill. In comparison to those, Portsmouth lags behind!!!
There is none in Scotland i can think of. Used to be one on Arran.
Robertj21a
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Plenty in Edinburgh, Glasgow etc - used to be an open topper in St Andrews too.
Sorry, i should of said, open tops on normal bus routes.
GusB
Established Member
Ahem! The topic is open top buses in Portsmouth - please stick to it.
That's pretty much the route of First in Portsmouths new 25 Route - agreed, that would make a suitable open top route.
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I rather agree with that, Portsmouth and Southampton are both waterfront city's, though Portsmouth has really shown how to make the most of it. Southampton has a fair chunk of the city and waterfront space unfortunately divided in half by a main duel carriageway road. It's a bit of a shame the Mayflower Park development didn't pulled through as that would have gone some way to opening up some of the Waterfront but hey ho.
Linking it back around to the topic, Southampton did briefly have an open top tour in 2006 - The Docks Tour, operated with former New Forest Tour / Ex Cardiff Bristol VR WTG 360T. It wasn't very successful.
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Flange Squeal
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First's new 25 actually spends most of its time in the residential roads away from the seafront and attractions. Here's a quick map I've knocked up showing my idea above compared to the 25.
Oh, thank you for doing the map. I hadn’t realised it is routed that far into Southsea. I certainly think a combination of the two routes would work as a viable Open Top route for Portsmouth.
The First Bus service 25 is a combination of 3 routes , 6, 15 and 16. It is for a trial period, 6 months? and l understand that the timetable does now meet with the Hayling Ferry.
25 was the service number given by Portsmouth Corpororation to its Seafront Service, which served Old Portsmouth, Clarence and South Parade Piers and the map prepared by Flange Squeal, near enough shows its route from Old Portsmouth to Hayling Ferry. This was very much a bus for holiday makers rather than one for local residents. I cannot remember if it went to The Hard/Dockyard the in the olden days pre Gunwharf that is.
I have a vague recollection that it was possible to catch the 25 to Eastney, get on the Hayling Ferry and then get on a Southdown open top bus for a ride along Hayling sea front. The little grey cells may be playing tricks though.
25 was the service number given by Portsmouth Corpororation to its Seafront Service, which served Old Portsmouth, Clarence and South Parade Piers and the map prepared by Flange Squeal, near enough shows its route from Old Portsmouth to Hayling Ferry. This was very much a bus for holiday makers rather than one for local residents. I cannot remember if it went to The Hard/Dockyard the in the olden days pre Gunwharf that is.
I have a vague recollection that it was possible to catch the 25 to Eastney, get on the Hayling Ferry and then get on a Southdown open top bus for a ride along Hayling sea front. The little grey cells may be playing tricks though.
That suggested open top route is, with the exception of the loop round Old Portsmouth, and the bit between The Hard and the City Centre, what People's Provincial ran as their Open-Top route 70 back in the late 80s. By the early 90s they'd cut it back to be just The Hard to South Parade Pier, but the garage journeys ran in service to/from Fareham via Commercial Road, Stamshaw, Hilsea, Cosham then direct via A27 to Portchester and Fareham.
Flange Squeal
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The latest West of England Notices and Proceedings publication shows that Berkshire-based Aldermaston Coach Lines (trading name of Southern Coach Lines Ltd) has registered a seafront service 26 for the school holidays, running hourly daily 24 July to 5 September. It will start at Clarence Pier and run along the seafront to Eastney Ferry Road, which is around half a mile from the Hayling Ferry. Unsure what vehicle will be used, but one presumes it might be an open topper. The timetable can be found at https://bustimes.org/services/26-southsea-seafront-via-blue-reef-aquarium-the-py
Quote from West of England Notices & Proceedings 2812:
Quote from West of England Notices & Proceedings 2812:
M803UYA
Member
Southern would need to purchase some open toppers for that, as they don't presently operate any. Unless I'm incorrect, of course.
Flange Squeal
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I've read on Twitter that they've acquired ALX400-bodied Trident SN03 DZM from Bath Bus Company, but can't find anything definitive so I guess it has to stay in the rumour mill category at the moment. A closed top would be a shame though, so hopefully it's an accurate rumour!
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Details of the route and fares now available on line. Apart from saying it's a Red Bus, does not give any indication of what sort of open top bus it is.
The Open Top26.com does not seem to work.
The Open Top26.com does not seem to work.
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WestRiding
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Brilliant
Flange Squeal
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It is as per post #25 in this thread - former London United TA314, and more recently Bath Bus Company (BBC), ALX400-bodied TransBus Trident SN03 DZM. It was de-roofed in a bridge strike in December 2013, later being converted into a "proper" open top for BBC's Windsor tour operation.
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A photo has now appeared on Flickr of the bus prepped for service: https://flic.kr/p/2mcT9gg
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Small branding has been applied to flags, but no timetables that I could see for passers by to learn much without going onto the website.
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Flange Squeal
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The first day of service has shown that they’ve not just acquired the previously reported Trident, but also Scania YN55 NKZ.
flic.kr
Not the best start ...
... for a new open-top service, as the weather at 10:30 was distinctly damp and miserable. Still - it cleared up an hour later. A new operator in Southsea until September, Southern Coachlines (t/a Aldermaston Coach Lines) will be operating alon the seafront using this ex-Go-Ahead London...
flic.kr
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