Hundreds bid farewell to City Red as it leaves Southampton

The bus operator, owned by First Bus, departed on Sunday after 144 years of service.

The historic occasion was marked with a heritage farewell event in the city centre and a farewell party for City Red bus drivers.

Steering in a new direction is now-retired bus driver Malcolm ‘Chalky’ White, who worked behind the wheel of a City Red bus for 49 years.

'Chalky' inside his bus (Image: Maya George, Newsquest)

Speaking at the farewell party at St Denys Social Club, the 70-year-old said: “It’s sad City Red has gone. I would’ve gone another year to reach my 50th year.

“I have left my good friends and colleagues behind, and they are my family. We are all a family.

“I am a person who doesn’t change and who doesn’t like change, although I have seen it over the years.

“It’s been a challenge.”

The star of the show was the original City Red, then Southampton Corporation Transport, bus parked outside the club, driven and now owned by Malcolm.

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He said: “I used to drive this bus in service and started in the 1970s.

“I then bought it off another operator eight years ago, and it’s still in its original colours.”

Around 100 people, bus drivers and family and friends gathered at the social club on Sunday afternoon.

Among them was City Red bus driver of 22 years Robbie Symms, who now works for Bluestar.

Robbie Symms with his wife Lynne (Image: Maya George, Newsquest)

The 57-year-old said: “It’s sad and it’s a bit emotional as it’s like a family.

“I’m also sad there’s going to be no red buses in Southampton as it’s part of the city.

“I have enjoyed getting on with everybody at City Red and interacting with people.

“I can go anywhere and bump into somebody who has been on my bus."

Leslie Jacobs, 66, worked for the company since 1978, until his retirement on Saturday.

Leslie Jacobs (Image: David Jacobs)

He said: “The experience was bittersweet.

“It wasn’t just the fact I was retiring but also it was the last day of City Red in Southampton.”

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Hundreds of people gathered on Pound Tree Road on Sunday to experience the return of the heritage buses.

Neil Ritchie, 42, travelled from Guildford for the event.

He said: “I’ve always been interested in buses, ever since I was a kid.

“It’s a shame the City Red buses have gone but it’s a good event.”

Event organiser Tom Lingwood, from the Southampton & District Transport Heritage Trust said: “We are doing the event to mark 144 years of history in Southampton.

“Everyone has memories of travelling on the red buses over the years, so we are bringing back the old buses to bid farewell to everybody.

“It’s sad but the writing was on the wall for a number of years.”