Thamesdown Transport (Swindon) sold to Go-Ahead

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

That's a change for the better. 

[JayMac]

Go-Ahead are now canvassing opinion on the 'Thamesdown Transport' name.

http://www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk/feature-article.shtml?articleid=6703 (link to a survey including prize draw if you opt in)

I suspect this is a precursor to a name change. Sadly, there is no option in the survey to offer up a name.

I was all ready to type 'Bussy McBusface'.

 

[trainer]

I note from the current Buses magazine that Stagecoach is increasing its services in competition to the new regime.  It will be another interesting spat to watch.

[bobm]

Well Stagecoach are introducing new services but they are withdrawing others. 

The Sunday service on Route 17 is being withdrawn (and will now be taken over by Thamesdown - who already run the Monday to Saturday service on the route). 

Stagecoach are also stopping their Sunday services on routes 13 and 14, although Thamesdown already run a Sunday service in competition. 

There are also weekday changes on the 49 Swindon to Trowbridge with a later start in the mornings and an earlier finish.

Finally the Sunday only service on route 5 from Swindon to Salisbury will, from next month, only run between Swindon and Marlborough.

[wiltshirebloke]

so, more of a tweak than a rebrand .....

“Since welcoming Thamesdown into the Go South Coast family, we have introduced a number of positive changes, designed to further enhance the services we offer in the region,” said Andrew Wickham, Thamesdown managing director.
 
“With a fleet of new buses set to arrive shortly, we wanted to freshen up our appearance - and we called upon the services of renowned public transport designer Ray Stenning of Best Impressions. We’re delighted by the new look livery created by them.
 
“The response we received from people living and working in the area also led us to tweak our name, and I’m delighted to introduce Thamesdown…Swindon’s bus company. We love the whole new look - and we hope our customers will too.”
 
With an attractive combination of blue, yellow, red, white and green, the branding gives a nod to Thamesdown’s heritage, whilst providing a bright and refreshing new appearance.

http://www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk/feature-article.shtml?articleid=6888

[Surrey 455]

so, more of a tweak than a rebrand .....

“Since welcoming Thamesdown into the Go South Coast family, we have introduced a number of positive changes, designed to further enhance the services we offer in the region,” said Andrew Wickham, Thamesdown managing director.
 
“With a fleet of new buses set to arrive shortly, we wanted to freshen up our appearance - and we called upon the services of renowned public transport designer Ray Stenning of Best Impressions. We’re delighted by the new look livery created by them.
 
“The response we received from people living and working in the area also led us to tweak our name, and I’m delighted to introduce Thamesdown…Swindon’s bus company. We love the whole new look - and we hope our customers will too.”
 
With an attractive combination of blue, yellow, red, white and green, the branding gives a nod to Thamesdown’s heritage, whilst providing a bright and refreshing new appearance.

http://www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk/feature-article.shtml?articleid=6888

Seems odd that they publish an article praising their new appearance without any images! If they haven't actually repainted anything yet I would have thought that an artists impression could be made available.

[LiskeardRich]

so, more of a tweak than a rebrand .....

“Since welcoming Thamesdown into the Go South Coast family, we have introduced a number of positive changes, designed to further enhance the services we offer in the region,” said Andrew Wickham, Thamesdown managing director.
 
“With a fleet of new buses set to arrive shortly, we wanted to freshen up our appearance - and we called upon the services of renowned public transport designer Ray Stenning of Best Impressions. We’re delighted by the new look livery created by them.
 
“The response we received from people living and working in the area also led us to tweak our name, and I’m delighted to introduce Thamesdown…Swindon’s bus company. We love the whole new look - and we hope our customers will too.”
 
With an attractive combination of blue, yellow, red, white and green, the branding gives a nod to Thamesdown’s heritage, whilst providing a bright and refreshing new appearance.

http://www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk/feature-article.shtml?articleid=6888

Seems odd that they publish an article praising their new appearance without any images! If they haven't actually repainted anything yet I would have thought that an artists impression could be made available.

Its Ray Stenning so will look exactly like every other ray stenning design. Go ahead have used him on many other operations, as have First with buses of Somerset and first Kernow. Both of the first companies have designs that match a go ahead livery. No doubt the new Thamesdown livery will be a design we've seen already.

[RobT]

Some images of the new livery:
http://www.stevenknightmedia.com/fleet-news-ramblings

[onthecushions]

Some images of the new livery:
http://www.stevenknightmedia.com/fleet-news-ramblings

Would also suit a bendy-bus.

OTC

[bobm]

Along with today's timetable changes, the new livery hit the roads this morning.





The shelters in Fleming Way have also been given a makeover



However it seems all co-operation between Thamesdown and Stagecoach has ended.  Stagecoach service 3 also uses this stop but there is no mention of it on the shelter vinyl nor the timetable.  Previously all stops in Swindon had a composite timetable which showed every service calling in chronological order.  Some now have two separate timetables while others have no Stagecoach information at all.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Looks very much like "Swindon's bus company" is the new name, a la Buses of Somerset, and that "Thamesdown" is being gently phased out.

[LiskeardRich]

It keeps catching my eye that buses of Somerset and first Kernow both have very Go Ahead style liveries. This further cements my opinion. Planning for a future sale? Or just the fact a director at First South West is ex Go Ahead south coast so using a design he had in his portfolios

[bobm]

Looks like Stagecoach may have blinked first in the Swindon "bus wars"

The latest Notices and Proceedings from the Traffic Commissioners shows them cancelling their service 3, introduced in April, from mid-August.

[John R]

As an aside, I've noticed that the new livery/branding sadly means the end of the somewhat quirky feature whereby every bus has a name.

[JayMac]

A quirky feature that is used at another Go-Ahead company. Brighton & Hove name all their buses.
http://history.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/busnamesintro.htm

Would have been nice if Go-Ahead had kept the names in Swindon too.