Photo  Transport
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  2008 Review
 
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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx May 2009
 
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Fond Farewell
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Every year sees yet more consolidation in the bus industry and 2008 was no exception.   Stagecoach in particular was at the forefront of much of the activity with established operators Bullocks and Mayne (below middle) of Manchester being bought.   They also bought Eastbourne Buses (below right) at the tail end of 2007 and Cavendish Buses in early 2008.   In Scotland they bought erstwhile Rennies of Dunfermline who operate numerous Fife schools contracts, and Rapsons aka Highland Country and Orkney Coaches (three left).   The Rapsons deal is particularly noteworthy as along with Cooks Coaches of Somerset (below middle) most of their territory is rural, not normally a favourite with the big groups.   Another country operator to sell-up to a major group was Truronian who went to First Devon & Cornwall.   A major casualty of the year was Dot2Dot, which was created by National Express out of the Hotelink brand at Heathrow Airport in November 2007.   Heavy investment in new flagship minibuses (below right) was followed by heavy losses and subsequent sale to Corot in October 2008.
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   Photo Facts (top to bottom)
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  • Highland Country 365 (SY07CVA), an East Lancs Olympus bodied Volvo at Inverness Airport in May 2008.
  • Highland Country 223 (SN56AXS), a Dennis Enviro300 in Thurso in May 2008.
  • Rapson 227 (SY07CEX), a Wright bodied Volvo, in Inverness in May 2008.   Rapson operated only a handful of the former Highland Omnibuses routes in Inverness, the remainder being already in the hands of Stagecoach.
  • Stagecoach Manchester 18285 (V125DJA), an East Lancs bodied Volvo, in Manchester in December 2008.  This was ex-Maynes.
  • Stagecoach Cooks YK05CAU still in its previous operators livey in Tiverton bus station in November 2008.   Cooks operate far an wide reaching Exeter and Yeovil.
  • Eastbourne Buses 66 (AE06XRU), an MCV bodied MAN, along with a Cavendish Buses vehicle behind in very rainy Eastbourne in April 2008.   Both operators had been bought by Stagecoach at this time.
  • Dot2Dot BK57TGF, an unusual Volkswagon Crafter minibus at Heathrow's dungeon Terminal 1 bus stops in March 2008.

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