Boro'line (London)
Encyclopedia
Boro'line describes the London
operations of the former municipal bus company
Boro'line Maidstone
. Boro'line Maidstone was the arms length bus company of Maidstone
Borough Council. Seeking to expand its business it saw the new system of tendering for London 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 the Bexleyheath
area of South East London. Later services reached Greenwich
, Stratford
and Euston
. However, the company quickly encountered problems, and on 17 February 1992 sold its London operations to Kentish Bus. Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration
.
Boro'line Maidstone were eventually sold to Maidstone & District
in May 1992 after financial difficulties in the main caused by expansion into London.
. Another site in Greenwich
later came into use for two Greenwich services working into Euston, Stratford and Lewisham. Contracts were won initially in competition with the London Buses low cost Bexleybus 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. 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.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802485.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802488.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251429.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251425.html
In 1990 Boro'line lost the tender for route 188 to Selkent
due to performance issues.
Double-deck buses
Single-deck buses
Boro'line also used liveried vans as crew transfer vehicles.
Upon sale of the London operations, all vehicles purchased specifically for London contracts passed to Kentish Bus. 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.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
operations of the former municipal bus company
Municipal bus companies
A municipal bus company is an operator of bus services owned by the local government authority. This article lists all current municipal bus companies in the United Kingdom....
Boro'line Maidstone
Boro'line Maidstone
Boro'line Maidstone, previously Maidstone Borough Council Transport was the municipal bus operator in Maidstone and the surrounding villages. Maidstone Borough Council Transport was formed in 1974 from Maidstone Corporation Transport following local government reorganisation...
. Boro'line Maidstone was the arms length bus company of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
Borough Council. Seeking to expand its business it saw the new system of tendering for London 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
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
), in the Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath is a main suburban district of Southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley with a small percentage of the district itself being in the London Borough of Greenwich. Bexleyheath is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is east south-east of Charing Cross...
area of South East London. Later services reached Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
and Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
. However, the company quickly encountered problems, and on 17 February 1992 sold its London operations to Kentish Bus. Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration
Administration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
.
Boro'line Maidstone were eventually sold to Maidstone & District
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd was a bus company based in Maidstone, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Mid and West Kent and East Sussex from 1911 until 1998. The company's surviving operations were absorbed into Arriva Southern Counties.-Early years:In 1908 a hired...
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 CrayfordCrayford
Crayford is a town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Darent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-History:...
. Another site in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
later came into use for two Greenwich services working into Euston, Stratford and Lewisham. Contracts were won initially in competition with the London Buses low cost Bexleybus 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. 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.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802485.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29802488.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251429.htmlhttp://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251425.html
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.htmlhttp://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 492
In 1990 Boro'line lost the tender for route 188 to Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
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 AlexanderWalter Alexander CoachbuildersWalter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish bus coachbuilder and operater based in Falkirk.-History:Walter Alexander, notice a lack expasion by the Falkirk and District Tramways Company's especially in to Grangemouth which never hdd a tram line. In 1913 Alexander's Motor Service was created to...
RV-bodied Volvo Citybuses - http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p41251414.html 1976 built AlexanderWalter Alexander CoachbuildersWalter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish bus coachbuilder and operater based in Falkirk.-History:Walter Alexander, notice a lack expasion by the Falkirk and District Tramways Company's especially in to Grangemouth which never hdd a tram line. In 1913 Alexander's Motor Service was created to...
AV-bodied Volvo Ailsa B55Volvo Ailsa B55The Volvo Ailsa B55 was a front-engined double-decker bus chassis built in Scotland by Ailsa, Volvo's British commercial vehicle agency. It was in production from 1973 to 1985, and was a relatively successful alternative to the ubiquitous rear-engined Bristol VR, Leyland Atlantean and...
s (ex-Tayside) - http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423565.html 1988 built OptareOptareOptare plc is a bus manufacturer and importer based in Leeds and Blackburn, UK. The company operates from three main business units, Bus Manufacturing, Coach Sales and Unitec....
-bodied Leyland OlympianLeyland OlympianThe Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s - http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423571.html 1991 built Northern Counties-bodied Leyland OlympianLeyland OlympianThe Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s - http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28630462.html 1988 built AlexanderWalter Alexander CoachbuildersWalter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish bus coachbuilder and operater based in Falkirk.-History:Walter Alexander, notice a lack expasion by the Falkirk and District Tramways Company's especially in to Grangemouth which never hdd a tram line. In 1913 Alexander's Motor Service was created to...
RH-bodied Scania N112Scania N112The Scania N112 was a transverse-engined bus chassis built by the Scania division of Saab-Scania AB of Sweden between 1978 and 1987, mainly for the Nordic and the UK markets.-BR112DH:...
(only 2)
Single-deck buses
- http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28630455.html 1978 built Leyland NationalLeyland NationalThe Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
s (ex London LS class) - http://busgallery3.fotopic.net/p10400625.html 1989 built Leyland LynxLeyland LynxThe Leyland Lynx is a single-decker bus built by Leyland between 1984 and 1992. It was designed to replace the ageing Leyland National.Production vehicles began to enter service in 1986. From 1990 to 1992 the updated Lynx II version was produced...
es - http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p29423566.html 1991 built Leyland LynxLeyland LynxThe Leyland Lynx is a single-decker bus built by Leyland between 1984 and 1992. It was designed to replace the ageing Leyland National.Production vehicles began to enter service in 1986. From 1990 to 1992 the updated Lynx II version was produced...
es
Boro'line also used liveried vans as crew transfer vehicles.
Upon sale of the London operations, all vehicles purchased specifically for London contracts passed to Kentish Bus. 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
Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :...
Kent and Sussex division.
One of the London Scania N112s met an ignominious end in Dublin.