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The 125th Anniversary
of the inauguration of Royal Blue was marked by an historic journey
from London Victoria to Bournemouth on Friday 24th June and from
Bournemouth to Exeter on Saturday 25th June 2005. This was the
largest gathering of Royal Blue vehicles since the Royal Blue
Centenary Run which was over the same route in 1980 .
Royal Blue vehicles
assembled in Battersea Park on the morning of the 24th, whilst 5
vehicles crossed the Thames via Chelsea Bridge to enter Victoria
Coach Station. The vehicles left Battersea Park and Victoria at
approx. 10:15 on Service X1 and followed the original route, as near
as possible from London to Bournemouth, via Staines, Egham,
Camberley, Bagshot, Hook, Winchester (former Coach Station in Worthy
Lane), Southampton, Lyndhurst, New Milton, Christchurch.
. On the evening of
the 24th 25 ex Royal Blue employees joined the vehicles for a tour
around Bournemouth including Rutland Road (site of the former Royal
Blue depot) and Mallard Road.
The following morning
additional vehicles joined at Terrace Mount Car Park, which
overlooked the former Royal Blue Coach Station in The Square. The
vehicles departed on Service X10 and followed the route to Exeter
via Parkstone, Poole, Bere Regis, Tolpuddle, Dorchester, Bridport,
Axminster, Honiton and finally into Exeter Coach Station |
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Examples of the various
of Bristol vehicles that were operated on Royal Blue
Services. Bristol LL6B, L6A, LS6G, MW6G & RELH6G |
Right to Left - HOD30,
OTT 43, EDV 502D & HDV 624E |
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Examples of the various of Bristol vehicles that were
operated on Royal Blue Services. Bristol LL6B, L6A,
LS6G, MW6G & RELH6G |
Right to Left - HOD30, OTT 43, EDV 502D & HDV 624E |
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Royal Blue vehicles
assembled at Bournemouth's Terrace Mount Car Park prior
to the departure for Exeter
(Left to Right - HOD 30
(RB 1228), LTA 729 (RB 1250), LDV 847F (RB 2375), HDV
624E (RB 2365), EDV 502D (WN 1420), 837 SUO (RB 2351) &
OTT 98 (RB 1299) |
Right to Left - HOD30, OTT 43, EDV 502D & HDV 624E |
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Royal
Blue History
Founded in the horse drawn era of wagonettes, lanaus,
brakes and stagecoaches, Thomas Elliott obtained his
hackney-carriage driver's licence in September 1880 and
established his business in Avenue Road, Bournemouth.
The business expanded rapidly and Royal Blue gained a
reputation for attention to detail and the turnout of
its coaches and teams of horses. Royal Blue converted
from horsedrawn carriages to motorised char-a-bancs
before the First World War and was a pioneer in the
development of long distance express services in
competition with the railways.
Continued by Thomas Elliott’s sons, the business was
eventually sold, on 1 January 1935, to Thomas Tilling
Ltd and merged with the express services of subsidiaries
Western and Southern National who continued to use the
Royal Blue name. The Tilling Group was
nationalised in 1948 and formed a major constituent of
the National Bus Company from January 1969. Royal
Blue routes were absorbed into the National Express
Network in the 1970s but the Royal Blue name continued
to be used on Western and Southern National coaches even
after de-nationalisation, the final Royal Blue liveried
vehicle being withdrawn in 1994
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A 1920's charabanc
excursion in Royal Blue No. 5. At the time the livery
was pale blue. The vehicle carried the company emblem
and motto: Pulchritudo et Salubritas (beauty and
health). |
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Yes, they did use the
roof luggage racks! Duple bodied Bristol LL6B 1271
(LTA900) at St Austell with the driver aloft being
assisted by a Western National Conductor. |
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Western National 425
approaching Honiton |
Vehicles assembled on completion of the
run at Exeter Coach Station
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Bristol RELH at Exeter
Coach Station |
Royal Blue vehicles at
Exeter Coach Station |
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Royal Blue
Vehicles
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HOD 30 |
1948 |
Bristol L6A |
Royal Blue 1228 |
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LTA 729 |
1951 |
Bristol LL6B |
Royal Blue 1250 |
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OTT 98 |
1953 |
Bristol LS6G |
Royal Blue 1299 |
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OTT 43 |
1953 |
Bristol LS6G |
Royal Blue 2200 |
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XUO 722 |
1958 |
Bristol MW6G |
Western National
2239 |
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275 KTA |
1962 |
Bristol SUL4A |
Western National
425 |
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759 MDV |
1963 |
Bristol MW6G |
Southern National
1410 |
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837 SUO |
1964 |
Bristol RELH6G |
Royal Blue 2351 |
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EDV 502D |
1966 |
Bristol MW6G |
Western National
1420 |
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HDV 624E |
1967 |
Bristol RELH6G |
Royal Blue 2364 |
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LDV 847F |
1968 |
Bristol RELH6G |
Royal Blue 2375 |
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FDV 803V |
1980 |
Leyland Leopard |
Royal Blue 3547 |
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Other West Country
vehicles 'On Hire' to Royal Blue |
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EMW 284 |
1947 |
Bristol L6B |
Wilts & Dorset 279 |
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1 RDV |
1963 |
AEC Reliance |
Grey Cars 1 |
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BHU 92C |
1962 |
Bristol MW6G |
Bristol Greyhound
2138 |
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SDD 146R |
1977 |
Leyland Leopard |
National Travel
Southwest 146 |
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AFH 186T |
1978 |
Leyland Leopard |
National Travel
Southwest 186 |
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YNW 33X |
1980 |
Leyland Leopard |
Greenslades 033 |
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The
Royal Blue Anniversary booklet contains details of
history of Royal Blue coaches and contains many unseen
photographs. Price £4.00
To
purchase this booklet visit
WHOTT Sales |
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