Boro'line Maidstone
Encyclopedia
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. In 1986 Boro'line Maidstone was formed as an arms length company of Maidstone council from the operations of Maidstone Borough Council Transport. The company had a brief London operation
. Following financial difficulties, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus, and after a period of administration
, Boro'line Maidstone was sold to Maidstone & District
in 1992.
which extended the council's reach into Maidstone
. This coincided with the retirement of the general manager of the organisation, leading to a policy shift to replace the as yet fully double deck fleet inherited from Maidstone Corporation with lightweight single deckers.
In 1976 the network was revised following the opening of the Stoneborough Centre Bus Station. 1977 saw completion of full conversion to one man operation as double deck operation ceased. 1978 saw the introduction of route numbers to the expanding network, coordinated with Maidstone & District (M&D).
Boro'line was launched on 27 October 1986 with a guest appearance from 'Inspector Blakey' from TV's 'On the Buses'.
The co-ordinated Maidstone Area Bus Services arrangement was terminated as the same 1985 Transport Act outlawed such arrangements, the UK's bus operators being forced to compete with each other in the new deregulated environment. Thus NBC-owned East Kent, similarly-owned Maidstone & District and Boro'line, along with local private operators such as Nu-Venture and Farleigh Coaches who started local bus operation, ended up as competitors.
Almost immediately after de-regulation, Maidstone & District (M&D) was sold to its management, as the wide-ranging 1985 Transport Act was also used to break up the state-owned National Bus Company, and M&D soon sold its Maidstone Bus Station/outstation property, and rented space for an outstation at Boro'line's Armstrong Rd depot.
Meanwhile, seeking expansion, Boro'line saw that opportunities lay mainly outside the traditional operating area. Thus, as well as moving on a large scale into coach operation, Boro'line was from 16 January 1988 an early participant in the new London Buses route tendering post-deregulation system (see article Boro'line (London)
).
Facing possible competition from the new buyer, in 1991 M&D relocated its Maidstone outstation from the Boro'line Armstrong Road depot to a site near Maidstone West railway station
, and registered new routes on several of Boro'line's routes. In response Boro'line started routes to Chatham
and Cranbrook
, and local Medway routes. This was not so successful due to unpopularity of Boro'lines single deck buses, and in M&D's ownership of the Pentagon bus station in Chatham.
On 17 February 1992, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus. Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration. On 29 May 1992, after set-backs with repossession of 5 front-line buses (including Leyland Lynxes) due to lease payments not being made, Boro'line ceased operations.
The company, along with the Armstrong Road depot was sold to M&D for just under £1 million by the administrators. M&D disposed of the Boro'line fleet and transferred all routes to its own identity.
In 1979 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Maidstone municipal transport, the ochre
colour scheme previously used by Maidstone Corporation was painted onto a single decker, which later became the standard livery into the era of single deck Maidstone Area Bus Services operation. Notably, most M&D vehicles did not acquire the MABS logo, due to the probability of the operating from depots other than Maidstone.
Some Leopard coaches acquired from Nottingham were kept in their original 'Lilac Leopard' livery.
Boro'line was launched with a bold new livery, designed by Best Impressions, who would later go on to design the last independent Maidstone & District livery. The livery consisted of a blue lower and yellow upper base, with white Boro'line logo, red Maidstone strapline and line, with a silver skirt. From 1976 until well after the launch of Boro'line, vehicles in Maidstone could be seen in a variety of liveries, with some retaining either old Maidstone liveries, or the liveries in which they arrived in. Some ochre vehicles only received a yellow front and Boro'line logos, or blue and yellow base with piecemeal detail application. The use in service of many hired or demonstration vehicles caused many other liveries or white buses with Boro'line logos to be used in service.
Boro'line operated the newly-extended and increased Maidstone Borough Council Park and Ride
system, which had grown from a seasonal and Saturday operation in the mid-1980s. Thus some Bedfords, MCW Metroriders and DAF SB220s were painted into the Borough's yellow and green Park and Ride Livery
Several second hand vehicles were hired or purchased for Maidstone work giving rise to some odd liveries http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p30392097.html (West Midlands) http://busgallery3.fotopic.net/p10392997.html (Grimsby) http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p32719158.html (Nottingham) http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28661259.html (Northumbria
) on Boro'line work, either in Maidstone or on rail contracts.
Y series chassis, with mostly Duple
bodies. With the advent of Boro'line, with the exception of London contracts, there was no vehicle standard for Boro'line, although double deckers returned to Maidstone under the company. Boro’line purchases for Maidstone were the Scania
K92, DAF SB220
s, Leyland Lynx
, Dodge
and MCW Metrorider
minibuses. Three second hand Bristol
LHs were acquired from East Kent
's Ashford operations. Some of the second hand vehicles used for London tenders were later transferred to Maidstone, as well as some Ailsas.
coaches were acquired from Nottingham (The Lilac Leopards - see liveries), allowing withdrawal of the final double deckers of Maidstone Corporation. As with the bus fleet, Boro’line operated a number of coach types without a standard vehicle. Some coaches were used for excursions, although many saw service in Maidstone on passenger routes, with some even fitted with bus seats.
Several Maidstone Borough coaches received names:
es
Double-decker bus
es
Single-deck buses
Coaches
es
Single-deck buses
Coaches
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....
in 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...
and the surrounding villages. Maidstone Borough Council Transport was formed in 1974 from Maidstone Corporation Transport
Maidstone Corporation Transport
Maidstone Corporation Transport was the operator of trams, trolleybuses and motorbuses in Maidstone, Kent from 1904 to 1974. The operations of Maidstone Corporation passed to Maidstone Borough Council Transport in reorganisation of local government in 1974, expanding the Borough...
following local government reorganisation. In 1986 Boro'line Maidstone was formed as an arms length company of Maidstone council from the operations of Maidstone Borough Council Transport. The company had a brief London operation
Boro'line (London)
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...
. Following financial difficulties, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus, and after a period of 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 was 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 1992.
Maidstone Borough Council Transport
In 1974, Maidstone Corporation turned into Maidstone Borough Council Transport, following reorganisation of local governmentLocal Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
which extended the council's reach into Maidstone
Maidstone (borough)
Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone which is also the County town of Kent...
. This coincided with the retirement of the general manager of the organisation, leading to a policy shift to replace the as yet fully double deck fleet inherited from Maidstone Corporation with lightweight single deckers.
In 1976 the network was revised following the opening of the Stoneborough Centre Bus Station. 1977 saw completion of full conversion to one man operation as double deck operation ceased. 1978 saw the introduction of route numbers to the expanding network, coordinated with Maidstone & District (M&D).
Maidstone Area Bus Services
On 9 August 1981, Maidstone Borough Council services were integrated with that of M&D under the banner "Maidstone Area Bus Services", with a yellow on black hop barn motif. This was as a result of one of the National Bus Company's Market Analysis Projects (MAP). The MAP analysis resulted in the major alteration of services, seeing some swapping and diversion of routes and the extension of Maidstone Borough routes outside the borough to southern villages. This also saw closure of M&D's Maidstone depot in Knightrider St.Deregulation and London expansion
On and from 26 October 1986, as a result of the 1985 Transport Act, Maidstone Borough Council's transport interests had to be divested into arms length but council-owned companies, with Maidstone Borough Transport (Holdings) Ltd and other subsidiaries trading under the Best Impressions-inspired Boro'line Maidstone branding with a new yellow/blue livery.Boro'line was launched on 27 October 1986 with a guest appearance from 'Inspector Blakey' from TV's 'On the Buses'.
The co-ordinated Maidstone Area Bus Services arrangement was terminated as the same 1985 Transport Act outlawed such arrangements, the UK's bus operators being forced to compete with each other in the new deregulated environment. Thus NBC-owned East Kent, similarly-owned Maidstone & District and Boro'line, along with local private operators such as Nu-Venture and Farleigh Coaches who started local bus operation, ended up as competitors.
Almost immediately after de-regulation, Maidstone & District (M&D) was sold to its management, as the wide-ranging 1985 Transport Act was also used to break up the state-owned National Bus Company, and M&D soon sold its Maidstone Bus Station/outstation property, and rented space for an outstation at Boro'line's Armstrong Rd depot.
Meanwhile, seeking expansion, Boro'line saw that opportunities lay mainly outside the traditional operating area. Thus, as well as moving on a large scale into coach operation, Boro'line was from 16 January 1988 an early participant in the new London Buses route tendering post-deregulation system (see article Boro'line (London)
Boro'line (London)
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...
).
Demise
In 1989, Boro'line posted a loss of £1.25 million, and by October 1991 the council decided to try and sell the company. M&D were not short listed as a potential buyer despite their interest..Facing possible competition from the new buyer, in 1991 M&D relocated its Maidstone outstation from the Boro'line Armstrong Road depot to a site near Maidstone West railway station
Maidstone West railway station
Maidstone West railway station is one of three railway stations which serve the Town Centre of Maidstone, the County Town of Kent.It lies approximately halfway along the Medway Valley Line from Paddock Wood; from Strood) and train services are provided by Southeastern.- History :Due largely to...
, and registered new routes on several of Boro'line's routes. In response Boro'line started routes to Chatham
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
and Cranbrook
Cranbrook, Kent
Cranbrook is a small town in Kent in South East England which was granted a charter in 1290 by Archbishop Peckham, allowing it to hold a market in the High Street. Located on the Maidstone to Hastings road, it is five miles north of Hawkhurst. The smaller settlements of Swattenden, Colliers...
, and local Medway routes. This was not so successful due to unpopularity of Boro'lines single deck buses, and in M&D's ownership of the Pentagon bus station in Chatham.
On 17 February 1992, the London operation was sold to Kentish Bus. Two days later, Boro'line was placed into administration. On 29 May 1992, after set-backs with repossession of 5 front-line buses (including Leyland Lynxes) due to lease payments not being made, Boro'line ceased operations.
The company, along with the Armstrong Road depot was sold to M&D for just under £1 million by the administrators. M&D disposed of the Boro'line fleet and transferred all routes to its own identity.
Liveries
The fiesta blue Maidstone Corporation bus livery persisted into the Maidstone Borough Council era, with buses receiving The Maidstone Borough Council fleetnames.In 1979 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Maidstone municipal transport, the ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
colour scheme previously used by Maidstone Corporation was painted onto a single decker, which later became the standard livery into the era of single deck Maidstone Area Bus Services operation. Notably, most M&D vehicles did not acquire the MABS logo, due to the probability of the operating from depots other than Maidstone.
Some Leopard coaches acquired from Nottingham were kept in their original 'Lilac Leopard' livery.
Boro'line was launched with a bold new livery, designed by Best Impressions, who would later go on to design the last independent Maidstone & District livery. The livery consisted of a blue lower and yellow upper base, with white Boro'line logo, red Maidstone strapline and line, with a silver skirt. From 1976 until well after the launch of Boro'line, vehicles in Maidstone could be seen in a variety of liveries, with some retaining either old Maidstone liveries, or the liveries in which they arrived in. Some ochre vehicles only received a yellow front and Boro'line logos, or blue and yellow base with piecemeal detail application. The use in service of many hired or demonstration vehicles caused many other liveries or white buses with Boro'line logos to be used in service.
Boro'line operated the newly-extended and increased Maidstone Borough Council Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
system, which had grown from a seasonal and Saturday operation in the mid-1980s. Thus some Bedfords, MCW Metroriders and DAF SB220s were painted into the Borough's yellow and green Park and Ride Livery
Several second hand vehicles were hired or purchased for Maidstone work giving rise to some odd liveries http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p30392097.html (West Midlands) http://busgallery3.fotopic.net/p10392997.html (Grimsby) http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p32719158.html (Nottingham) http://vernoncsmith.fotopic.net/p28661259.html (Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
) on Boro'line work, either in Maidstone or on rail contracts.
Buses
Following the decision to convert to single deck operation, Maidstone Borough standardised on the BedfordBedford Vehicles
Bedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
Y series chassis, with mostly Duple
Duple Coachbuilders
Duple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
bodies. With the advent of Boro'line, with the exception of London contracts, there was no vehicle standard for Boro'line, although double deckers returned to Maidstone under the company. Boro’line purchases for Maidstone were the Scania
Scania AB
Scania Aktiebolag , commonly referred to as Scania AB or just Scania, is a major Swedish automotive industry manufacturer of commercial vehicles - specifically heavy trucks and buses...
K92, DAF SB220
DAF SB220
The DAF SB220 is a city bus chassis produced by DAF Bus International in the 1980s and 1990s.It has been superseded by the DAF/VDL SB200 and SB250.-United Kingdom :*Optare Delta*Ikarus Citibus...
s, Leyland Lynx
Leyland Lynx
The 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...
, Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
and MCW Metrorider
MCW Metrorider
The MCW Metrorider, launched by MCW at the 1986 Motor Show, was a midibus designed built by Metro Cammell Weymann between 1986 and 1989. Constructed in two lengths, 7.0 m and 8.4 m, the Metrorider was an integral bus, marking it out from its van-based rivals of the time.It was the second...
minibuses. Three second hand Bristol
Bristol Commercial Vehicles
Bristol Commercial Vehicles was a vehicle manufacturer of in Bristol, England. Most production was of buses but trucks and railbus chassis were also built....
LHs were acquired from East Kent
East Kent Road Car Company
The East Kent Road Car Company Ltd was a bus company formed in 1916 and based in Canterbury, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Kent...
's Ashford operations. Some of the second hand vehicles used for London tenders were later transferred to Maidstone, as well as some Ailsas.
Coaches
Maidstone Borough purchased several Duple-bodied Bedford coaches, and in 1976 14 Leyland LeopardLeyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
coaches were acquired from Nottingham (The Lilac Leopards - see liveries), allowing withdrawal of the final double deckers of Maidstone Corporation. As with the bus fleet, Boro’line operated a number of coach types without a standard vehicle. Some coaches were used for excursions, although many saw service in Maidstone on passenger routes, with some even fitted with bus seats.
Several Maidstone Borough coaches received names:
- Maidstone Minstrel http://thebusgalleryarchive.fotopic.net/p38186722.html
- Maidstone Monarch http://borolinebuses.fotopic.net/p37463493.html
- Maidstone Maiden JKJ 278V
- Maidstone Marksman http://borolinebuses.fotopic.net/p37463193.html
- Maidstone Mountaineer TER 5S
Rare vehicles
- Rare vehicles operated by Maidstone Borough included all of the 4 Bedford JJLBedford JJLThe Bedford JJL was an innovative but ultimately unsuccessful bus model built by Bedford Vehicles. The JJL could have been a success, but was ahead of its time in predicting the boom in the midibus market, as seen by the success of the Dennis Dart....
midibusMidibusA midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which generally are larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and long...
es built. - A Leyland Titan PD3 with Queen Mary bodywork new to Southdown was acquired from a Welsh operator. Re-registered from BUF 287C to 217 UKL, it was conductor-operated on the Park Wood service and also used on contract work, and latterly as a driver trainer.
- In 1989 Maidstone Mountaineer TER 5S was rebodied with a Willowbrook 'Warrior' body .
- Maidstone Marksman was a rare WrightbusWrightbusWrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
Contour coach body on a Bedford YNT chassis.
Ancillary vehicles
Boro'line liveried vans were used as crew transfer vehicles. Maidstone Borough Council Transport maintained a Bedford towing vehicle which regularly saw action in the town as the Bedford fleet aged.List of vehicle types
The following is a list of new and second hand vehicles by type, used by Maidstone Borough Council Transport and Boro'line in Maidstone.Boro'Line in Maidstone
MinibusMinibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es
- 1986 built East LancsEast Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
-bodied DodgeDodgeDodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
S56 - 1988 built MCW MetroriderMCW MetroriderThe MCW Metrorider, launched by MCW at the 1986 Motor Show, was a midibus designed built by Metro Cammell Weymann between 1986 and 1989. Constructed in two lengths, 7.0 m and 8.4 m, the Metrorider was an integral bus, marking it out from its van-based rivals of the time.It was the second...
Double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
es
- 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 - 1974 built East LancsEast Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
-bodied Leyland AtlanteanLeyland AtlanteanThe Leyland Atlantean is a model of double-decker bus built by Leyland in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1986....
AN68/1R - 1987 built East LancsEast Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
-bodied Scania K92
Single-deck buses
- 1991 built IkarusIkarus BusIkarus is a bus manufacturer based in Budapest, Hungary. It was established in 1895 as Uhri Imre Kovács- és Kocsigyártó Üzeme .-History:...
-bodied DAF SB220DAF SB220The DAF SB220 is a city bus chassis produced by DAF Bus International in the 1980s and 1990s.It has been superseded by the DAF/VDL SB200 and SB250.-United Kingdom :*Optare Delta*Ikarus Citibus... - 1987 built East LancsEast Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
-bodied Scania K92 - 1975 built ECWEastern Coach WorksEastern Coach Works Ltd was a bus and railbus body building company based in Lowestoft, England.-History:The company can trace its roots back to 1912, when United Automobile Services was founded in the town to run bus services. United began a coach building business at the Lowestoft site in 1920...
-bodied BristolBristol Commercial VehiclesBristol Commercial Vehicles was a vehicle manufacturer of in Bristol, England. Most production was of buses but trucks and railbus chassis were also built....
LH - 1987 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...
- 1978-1980 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...
Coaches
- 1984 built WrightWrightbusWrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
Contour-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YNT - 1985/6 built PlaxtonPlaxtonPlaxton is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England.-History:The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton.-Beginnings:...
-bodied Scania K92 - 1990 built Van HoolVan HoolVan Hool NV is a Belgian coachbuilder and manufacturer of buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers.The company was founded in 1947 by Bernard van Hool in Koningshooikt, nearby Lier, Belgium. In the early years, the company introduced serial production and exported their products all over Europe...
-bodied DAFVDL Bus InternationalVDL Bus Chassis is a Netherlands-based bus builder which originated from the bus-building business of DAF.Originally named DAF Bus International after being separated from the truck-building business of DAF, it joined the United Bus in 1990...
MB230
Maidstone Borough Council Transport
MidibusMidibus
A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which generally are larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and long...
es
- 1979 built MarshallMarshall BusMarshall Bus was a British bus manufacturer between 1992 and 2002. The company's most popular product was the Marshall Capital, which was a single-decker bus body built between 1997 and 2003...
-bodied Bedford JJLBedford JJLThe Bedford JJL was an innovative but ultimately unsuccessful bus model built by Bedford Vehicles. The JJL could have been a success, but was ahead of its time in predicting the boom in the midibus market, as seen by the success of the Dennis Dart.... - 1982 built BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YMQS
Single-deck buses
- 1975 built Willowbrook-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YRQ - 1975-76 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YRT - 1978 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YMT - 1981-2 built Wadham Stringer-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
- 1982-3 built WrightWrightbusWrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YMT
Coaches
- 1975 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied Leyland LeopardLeyland LeopardThe Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
PSU - 1976 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YRT - 1976 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YRT - 1979/81 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YMT - 1985 built DupleDuple CoachbuildersDuple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
-bodied BedfordBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
YNT
See also
- Maidstone Corporation TransportMaidstone Corporation TransportMaidstone Corporation Transport was the operator of trams, trolleybuses and motorbuses in Maidstone, Kent from 1904 to 1974. The operations of Maidstone Corporation passed to Maidstone Borough Council Transport in reorganisation of local government in 1974, expanding the Borough...
- Boro'line (London)Boro'line (London)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...
- Maidstone & District Motor Services LtdMaidstone & District Motor Services LtdMaidstone & 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...