Optare Solo SR

See also: Optare Solo

Four new Solo SRs were ordered following the renewal of the Vodafone contract in Newbury in 2016, and allocated numbers 191-4. They were model number M9250SR with 29 seats, and delivered just before the end of 2016.

191 is seen below on 30th March 2017:

A further four second hand examples 195-8 were acquired in January 2018 from Dawson Rentals for a new operation in Slough branded Thames Valley, having previously been in use with Courtney Buses. They arrived in Reading on 11 January and had the branding applied on 13th. 196 is seen below on 3 February 2018:

194 went on loan to Reading from 24th July 2017 until approx 1st August to provide cover on newly amended minibus routes pending the arrival of 185.

194 transferred from Newbury Vodafone to Thames Valley Slough from 9th April, followed by 193 from 19th April following changes to the Vodafone vehicle requirement. This, along with the transfer of Wright Streetlite 167 allowed 195 and 198 to be withdrawn from Slough by 12th, 197 followed shortly after, all three losing their Thames Valley branding in favour of plain white. 198 was withdrawn at the end of April, although all four saw sporadic use in Slough until the end of the month. 194 is seen below on 21 April 2018:

196 was used on Reading route 500 on 23rd April, 197 on routes 500 and 27 on 24/25 April and 198 on Reading route 500 on 23/24/26 April whilst Enviro 200s 651-4 were covering rail replacement work. 197 and 198 passed directly to Rosso on 2nd May, followed by 195.

Following the arrival of Enviro 200 MMCs 676-8 in October 2019, 193/4 were repainted into new Thames Valley grey livery, with light purple route 10 branding ahead of transfer to Courtney Buses as part of service changes from 3 November.

Following reductions to the Vodafone network from 23 April 2019, 191/2 were transferred to Newbury & District to allow the withdrawal of 175-80 alongside service reductions, although were also regularly used on loan to Newbury. They continued to operate in plain red until exchanged for 166/67 from Slough. 191/2 were repainted into the new Thames Valley grey livery, 192 in January 2020 with light purple route 459 branding, and 191 in February 2020 with light grey generic branding. 192 re-entered service on 3 February.

Fourteen examples were acquired with the acquisition of Courtney Buses on 30 April 2019, and allocated fleet numbers 126-30, 135-42 and 199 to fit around other members of the fleet. Repaints and rebranding as Thames Valley Buses took place gradually as follows:

* 138 received new Thames Valley purple Maidenhead livery during October 2019, and was reallocated to Slough from 3 November in place of Courtney purple & white route 16 livery
* 135 received new Thames Valley purple Maidenhead livery during July 2020 in place of Courtney green and white (Maidenhead route 5/7/9) livery
* 139 received new Thames Valley base grey livery during July 2020 in place of Courtney Green & White (Maidenhead route 5/7/9) livery
* 127 received new Thames Valley purple Maidenhead livery during August 2020 in place of Courtney blue and white (Maidenhead route 4/239) livery, being completed on 18th.

## Optare Solo SR EV

On 31 October 2019, demonstrator OP02 ARE arrived for use on trial route 459 between Iver, Colnbrook and Heathrow from 3 November until 31 January 2020 when a full service would commence using a diesel vehicle. It used fleet number 100 during the stay, and was based at Sipson Road outstation near Heathrow. It was collected by Optare on 17 February 2020.

100 is seen below in Colnbrook on 7 January 2020: