Safeguard Heritage Bus Rides in Guildford - 18 December

[T646863]

18th December marks the expansion of Safeguard Buses in Guildford following closure of Arriva's depot and services.

To mark Safeguard's return after 90-odd years to Onslow Village, 1956 AEC Reliance 200 APB will be making a series of special trips. Enthusiasts may like to not only photograph it, but buy a £5 rover ticket and travel on it.

Safeguard's three Optare Excels, a rare breed these days, are also expected to be in service.

Flyer attached. More details here. (Website contents quoted below - Mod)

Safeguard to return to Onslow Village after a 92-year break!​

Surrey County Council has announced that Safeguard Coaches will be the new provider of Guildford bus route 18 serving Onslow Village. This follows the news that Arriva are closing their Guildford depot on 17 December 2021.
By a strange coincidence this will mean that Safeguard’s buses will return to Onslow Village 92 years to the day that they last served the area on 18 December 1929 after which a route swap with the Aldershot & District company took effect. Andrew Halliday, Managing Director of family owned Safeguard Coaches says that this must be a record for the same company to make a comeback to an area previously served!
From 18 December 2021 bus route 18 will be extended across Guildford to cover Weylea Farm, Bowers Farm Drive, Merrow Park and Bushy Hill replacing parts of Arriva routes 36/37 not covered by Stagecoach’s extended route 1 and new route 6.
From the same date Safeguard will also add route 3 Sundays/Public Holidays (funded by Surrey County Council) to its portfolio, complementing its Mondays to Saturdays operation.
In contrast to the many changes affecting Guildford’s bus network from 18 December 2021, Safeguard will be operating its 65-year old AEC Reliance – which first ran on the Company’s Westborough route in 1956 – on some of its services that day, including new route 18.
Details will be posted on guildfordbus.co.uk in due course and in the meantime are available from 01483 561103 or buses@safeguardcoaches.co.uk.

Flyer Text quoted here:

Heritage Bus Rides Saturday 18 December 2021

In celebration of Safeguard taking over Guildford Route 18 and returning to Onslow Village after a 92-year break, our 65-year old AEC Reliance will operate duplicate journeys as follows:

• Route 18 (round trip from Bus Station to Onslow Village) Dep Bus Station Stand 4 at 1030 hours (journey time 24 mins)
• Route 18 (round trip from Bus Station to Bushy Hill) Dep Bus Station Stand 19 at 1054 hours (journey time 54 mins)
• Route 3 (round trip from Bus Station to Bellfields) Dep Bus Station Stand 13 at 1215 hours (journey time 34 mins)
• Route 5 (round trip from Bus Station to Park Barn) Dep Bus Station Stand 12 at 1300 hours (journey time 32 mins)
• Route 4 (round trip from Bus Station to Park Barn) Dep Bus Station Stand 11 at 1410 hours (journey time 32 mins)
• Route 18 (round trip from Bus Station to Onslow Village) Dep Bus Station Stand 4 at 1540 hours (journey time 24 mins)

We also expect to have all 3 of our 2000-2003 Optare Excels in service on Routes 3, 4 & 5 during the day. Come and have a ride on these rare vehicles! Don’t just photograph – please ride and support us! Heritage Bus ticket £5.00 adult/£2.50 child Valid for one heritage bus round trip Tickets available from service bus driver Safeguard Saver Day ticket £4.50 adult/£2.00 child Valid all normal buses (including Excels but NOT AEC Reliance) on Routes 3, 4, 5 & 18 Discovery Day ticket £9.00 adult/£7.20 child Valid on all Guildford operators’ routes (including Excels but NOT AEC Reliance) Copies of Safeguard Coaches’ 90th Anniversary Book (published 2014) will also be on sale at the Bus Station at the reduced price of £10. Get your copy before stocks run out!

DRH

 

[Titfield]

Glad to see them making the point about buying a ticket to ride on the Reliance.

Sad to say too many enthusiasts just take pics and dont contribute to the costs of keeping heritage vehicles on the road for us all to enjoy.

 

[Flange Squeal]

To mark Safeguard's return after 90-odd years to Onslow Village, 1956 AEC Reliance 200 APB will be making a series of special trips. Enthusiasts may like to not only photograph it, but buy a £5 rover ticket and travel on it.

Worth noting that the £5 ticket to ride the Reliance is for one return journey on it, rather than a rover. A Safeguard day ticket is £4.50 and will cover you for routes 3, 4, 5 and 18 - including the Excels - but the Reliance-operated duplicate journeys require that special £5 ticket to ride.

 

[Titfield]

This is the sort of operation I love to see. A heritage vehicle in revenue earning service doing what it was designed to do.

I am sorry to say but I dont really appreciate line ups of static vehicles.