John Oram's photos with the keyword: Eclipse

Overlooking Henry Cort Way at the junction with Redlands Lane, the current northernmost extent of the dedicated busway section of Eclipse, is a rather pointed sign pleading the case for government funding for the extension onwards to Fareham station. As it happens, I support that extension but at the same time I challenge why it was not built in the first place. As a non-aligned observer of politics and of human behaviour I can dissect the sign rather forensically. The top line emphasises the short distance to be covered by the extension. 'Government funding required' is a blatant enough plea - likely to fall on deaf ears in the current climate - but the 'Key bus/rail interchange' is somewhat disingenuous. Fareham railway station is, in fact, some considerable way west of the main bus station which underlines an issue which should have been addressed in Phase 1 of this much watered down project, which opened in April 2012. Originally mooted as a light rail scheme - given the then existence of the surviving track along much of the route from Fareham to Gosport - it was then downgraded to guided busway then further to a dedicated roadway which connects neither to the centre of Gosport nor, as stated, to Fareham station. In this picture, the view is broadly north towards Fareham station and of the now largely overgrown embankment and bridge across Redlands Lane. Henry Cort Way (left) leaves the former alignment at this location to join the inadequate Redlands Lane. 200_3_P1120595

All too often, I am playing catch-up with my photography so that my output is purely documentary instead of also being topical. The 66-reg ADL Enviro 200 MMCs on First's Eclipse services have been in service for a while now. I finally got round to photographing 67178/YX66WBT leaving Fareham Bus Station on an evening service on route E2 towards Gosport. 200_2_P1150453C

First Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE 69551/BF12KWN with Eclipse branding arriving at Stokes Bay Bus Rally. 200_2_P1060213C

A combination of luck and being observant alerted me to the fact that three new buses have joined First's Eclipse fleet on the Gosport - Fareham services. Having already seen one on the road, I wanted to photograph them whilst still relatively new and was fortunate to find two together at Gosport Bus Station. In this view 69537/BF63HDN leaves Gosport on route E1. P1190011C

A combination of luck and being observant alerted me to the fact that three new buses have joined First's Eclipse fleet on the Gosport - Fareham services. Having already seen one on the road, I wanted to photograph them whilst still relatively new and was fortunate to find two together at Gosport Bus Station. In this view 69539/BF63HDO leaves Gosport in grim, grain inducing, light on route E2. P1190010

A combination of luck and being observant alerted me to the fact that three new buses have joined First's Eclipse fleet on the Gosport - Fareham services. Having already seen one on the road, I wanted to photograph them whilst still relatively new and was fortunate to find two together at Gosport. In this view the rear advertising on 69537/BF63HDN (l) and 69539/BF63HDO highlights the service improvements associated with the new acquisitions. P1190008

A combination of luck and being observant alerted me to the fact that three new buses have joined First's Eclipse fleet on the Gosport - Fareham services. Having already seen one on the road, I wanted to photograph them whilst still relatively new and was fortunate to find two together at Gosport. Here, 69537/BF63HDN (l) and 69539/BF63HDO contrast with much older Dart 42117/R617YCR. P1190007C