Thamesdown Transport is a bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

 operator serving the town of Swindon

Swindon

Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...

 and the surrounding area in the Borough of Swindon and county of Wiltshire

Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...

. The company is owned by Thamesdown Transport Ltd and Swindon Borough Council holds almost all of the shares. As such, it is one of the few remaining municipal bus companies

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 the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

.

History

Thamesdown Transport has its origins in 1904, when Swindon Corporation started to operate electric tram

Tram

A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

s. Motor-bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

 operation started in 1927 and two years later all the trams were replaced by this form of transport.

On local government re-organisation in 1974 the functions of the corporation were transferred to the new Thamesdown district, and the name of the bus operation was changed to Thamesdown Transport. When bus services were deregulated in 1986, Thamesdown Transport was transferred to a limited company

Limited company

A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...

 at arm's length from the owning council.

During the 1980s, operations were expanded to rural areas around Swindon, to replace services withdrawn by the Bristol Omnibus Company

Bristol Omnibus Company

The Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985...

.

Operations

The current fleet is composed of 114 buses and 5 ancillary vehicles (including recovery and repair vehicles). Low Floor single decker buses have replaced double deckers

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...

 in the major routes with the larger buses now repainted yellow and used mainly as school bus

School bus

A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...

es during term time.

Thamesdown implemented a fastFare system on 1 August 2005 in which passengers must pay the exact fare as change will not be given by the driver. This has generated some criticism as its implementation often results in passengers paying more than the necessary fare. This can be due to not having the correct change or, more commonly, tourists and visitors being unaware of the policy until after they have deposited money. The reasoning behind the policy is that if the driver does not have to deal with giving change, passenger loading times are shortened, resulting in a faster and more reliable service. It also reduces the risk of attacks on drivers.

Swindon's other main bus company Stagecoach in Swindon

Stagecoach in Swindon

Stagecoach in Swindon is the sector of the Stagecoach Group that operates buses in Swindon.It was formerly part of the Bristol Omnibus Company, then from 1983 part of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company . From 1983 it operated under the name Swindon and District...

 does not participate in the scheme.
Tickets are valid on both companies services for the majority of destinations in the Swindon Urban Area and beyond, with Stagecoach providing Sunday services to the region.

Thamesdown have also implemented a Text and Go service, where passengers can send an SMS message containing a seven digit bus stop identifier to a premium number to receive information about the next three buses due to arrive at that stop.

Bus types

	Type	A Fleet	B Fleet	Training Fleet	Withdrawn	Total
Double Deckers 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...						26
	Leyland Fleetline Daimler Fleetline The Daimler Fleetline is a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis built between 1960 and 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, and from 1973 until 1980 in Farington, Lancashire, England. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983...		1			1
Dennis Trident Dennis Trident The Dennis Trident is a low-floor double-decker bus chassis from Dennis Specialist Vehicles. It was available in two versions:*Dennis Trident 2, the 2-axle, transverse engine version*Dennis Trident 3, the 3-axle, longitudinal engine version...   2 2		Leyland Olympian Leyland Olympian The 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:...		8			8
	Volvo Olympian Volvo Olympian The Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....	4	6		2	12
	1			1
Single Deckers						82
	Dennis Dart Dennis Dart The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....	5		1	1	7
	Dennis Dart SLF	15		1		16
	Dennis Dart SPD	36				36
	Scania L94UB	10				10
	Optare Versa Integral	8				8
	Scania K230UB Scania K-series Scania K-series is a series of bus with longitudinally, straight-up mounted Euro IV engine at the rear. For the 5- and 6-cylinder engines Scania is using exhaust gas recirculation system to fulfill the legal Euro IV emission standard...	12				12

• A Fleet - fitted with ticket machine and for general service.
• B Fleet - Contract Bus (not fitted with ticket machine).
• Training fleet - for use in training new drivers.
• Withdrawn - taken out of service for refurbishment, repair or sale.

Paint schemes

The majority of the A fleet is painted in the standard livery apart from the following -

• 207 - 208: Hospital Express livery
• 213 - Rear Advertising

The majority of the B fleet is painted in the predominantly yellow student livery except for -

• 299 - 1970s retro livery

There Was also one single decker painted Gold in commemoration of the company's centenary, a couple of years ago.

Fleetline Farewell

On Saturday 16 February 2008 Thamesdown Transport ran special journeys between Haydon Wick and Eldene to say farewell to the Fleetline double-deck bus after 40 years of service.

For the last few years these buses had been used as school buses.

Routes

• The table below shows the main service routes operated by TT.
• Please note that colours shown in the table are derived from the Network Map but do not appear on the vehicles themselves.
• SPD/SLF= Dart SLF/SPD
• SCA= Scania L94/K230
• VER = Optare Versa Integral
• Stagecoach operate services 13/14 and 17 alongside Thamesdown on Sundays and bank holidays.
• Stagecoach Dennis Tridents are used on some Sunday services.

Service	Route	Bus type
1	Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...  - Grange Park - Middleleaze	SCA
1A	Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...  - Ramleaze - Middleleaze	SCA
2	Fleming Way - Walcot East - Covingham - Nythe - Covingham Laboratories	SCA
11	Haydon Wick - Greenmeadow - Pinehurst Circle - Fleming Way - Old Town - Croft Campus - Wroughton Park and Ride - East Wichel	SPD/SLF
13	Haydon Wick - Moredon - Rodbourne - Fleming Way - Snodshill Roundabout - Eldene Centre	SCA
14	Haydon Wick - Moredon - Rodbourne - Fleming Way - Snodshill Roundabout - Liden Centre - Eldene Centre	SCA
15	Bus Station - Swindon College Swindon College Swindon College is a further education college in Swindon, England. Its campus is at North Star, just outside the town centre. The college has HNC/Ds and Foundation Degrees, through to BA courses and a postgraduate programme....  - Northern Road - Wood Hall - Haydon End - Haydon Wick
15A	Bus Station - Swindon College Swindon College Swindon College is a further education college in Swindon, England. Its campus is at North Star, just outside the town centre. The college has HNC/Ds and Foundation Degrees, through to BA courses and a postgraduate programme....  - Northern Road - Wood Hall - Taw Hill - Oakhurst - Haydon Wick
16	Fleming Way - Rail Station Swindon railway station Swindon railway station is in the town of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The station entrance is on Station Road, to the south of the line.It is approximately from the central bus station and the town centre...  - Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital is a large hospital situated in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, next to junction 15 of the M4 motorway.- Building :The architect was Whicheloe Macfarlane, who designed the hospital with a concrete frame design. Flat slab concrete floors 30 cm deep are supported by a...	SPD/SLF
17	Penhill - Gorse Hill - Fleming Way - Cavendish Square - Park North	SCA
18	Fleming Way - Cavendish Square - Park South - Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital is a large hospital situated in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, next to junction 15 of the M4 motorway.- Building :The architect was Whicheloe Macfarlane, who designed the hospital with a concrete frame design. Flat slab concrete floors 30 cm deep are supported by a...	SPD/SLF
19	Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Bridgemead - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...  - Shaw - Peatmoor - Sparcells	SPD/SLF
19A	Fleming Way - Great Western Outlet Village - Bridgemead - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...  - Hillmead - Sparcells	SPD/SLF
19B	Sparcells - Peatmoor - Ramleaze - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...  - Great Western Outlet Village - Fleming Way - New College Swindon	SPD/SLF
20	Bus station - Gorse Hill - Kingsdown School - Lower Stratton - Greenbridge Retail Park - Covingham - Eldene Centre - Liden Centre - Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital is a large hospital situated in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, next to junction 15 of the M4 motorway.- Building :The architect was Whicheloe Macfarlane, who designed the hospital with a concrete frame design. Flat slab concrete floors 30 cm deep are supported by a...	VER
20B	Greenbridge - Covingham - Eldene Centre - Liden Centre - Croft Campus - Old Town - Bus Station	SPD/SLF
21	Fleming Way - Ocotal Way - Gorse Hill - Pinehurst - Penhill	SLF
22	Fleming Way - Old Town - Okus - Link Centre Link Centre The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. The building was designed to be as energy efficient as possible with heat generated by the ice rink refrigeration system being used to warm its internal areas. Swindon Wildcats, an English Premier Ice Hockey League team, use the ice rink and...	SLF/SPD
23	Fleming Way - Walcot East - Covingham - Coleview - Stratton Park Sainsbury's	SPD/SLF
24	Blunsdon Blunsdon Broad Blunsdon is a village in the Borough of Swindon, England, about north of Swindon itself.Together with the nearby villages of Blunsdon St Andrew and adjoining Lower Blunsdon, the settlement is usually known simply as Blunsdon... - St. Andrew's Ridge - Abbey Meads - Haydon Wick - Pinehurst - Kembrey Inn - Fleming Way - Old Town - Lawn - Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital is a large hospital situated in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, next to junction 15 of the M4 motorway.- Building :The architect was Whicheloe Macfarlane, who designed the hospital with a concrete frame design. Flat slab concrete floors 30 cm deep are supported by a...	VER
25	Fleming Way - Old Town - Blagrove - Windmill Hill	SPD/SLF
26	Bus Station - Rodbourne - Regent Circus - Fleming Way	SPD
27	Kembrey Park - Bus Station - Farnsby Street - Great Western Outlet Village Lydiard Fields	SPD/SLF/VER
28	Fleming Way - Gorse Hill - Groundwell	SPD/SLF
29	Bus Station - Barnfield	SLF
30	Fleming way - Walcot East - Cavendish Square - Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital Great Western Hospital is a large hospital situated in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, next to junction 15 of the M4 motorway.- Building :The architect was Whicheloe Macfarlane, who designed the hospital with a concrete frame design. Flat slab concrete floors 30 cm deep are supported by a...	SLF/VER
46/46A	Bus Station - Aldbourne Aldbourne Aldbourne is a village and civil parish about northeast of Marlborough in Wiltshire, England. It is in a valley in the south slope of the Lambourn Downs, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...  - Hungerford Hungerford Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...	SLF/SPD
47	Bus Station - Lambourn Lambourn Lambourn is a large village and civil parish in the northwestern part of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. Its metropolitan district has a population of 4,017, and is most noted for its associations with British National Hunt racehorse training....	MPD/SLF/SPD
48/48A	Bus Station - Marlborough	SLF/SPD
53	Bus Station - Link Centre - Purton - Ashton Keynes - Cricklade Cricklade Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire in England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester.On 25 September 2011 Cricklade was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's 'Champion of Champions' award in the Britain in Bloom competition.Cricklade is twinned with...	SLF/SPD/Dennis Tridents 361/362
70A/72A	Bus Station - Marlboriugh	MPD

• Effective from 4th April 2011

External links

• Official website
• Swindon Borough Council public transport homepage
• Swindon Park and Ride
• EFE Showbus photo gallery- Swindon Corporation Passenger Transport Department and Thamesdown Transport
• Swindon Vintage Omnibus Society - Fleet information and images