E279HDL [275] was originally delivered as [279] but was renumbered [275] before entering service.

E275HDL [275] & E276HDL [276] were new to Solent Blue Line in October 1987 entering service as their numbers [275] & [276] respectively.

In January 1989 E274HDL [274] had the "Medina Nipper" fleetnames removed and it was transferred to the coaching unit for private hire duties.

During June 1989 a further five Iveco 49-10 midibuses with Robin Hood bodywork were purchased new. F283SDL [283] / F284SDL [284] / F285SDL [285] / F286SDL [286] & F287SDL [287] entered service in the "Medinalinx" livery of sunburst red, monarch red and white.

In June 1989 F283SDL [283] was fitted with a digital destination screen, which was subsequently removed (by 1993).

In October 1989 E274HDL [274] was fitted with a public address system.

In February 1991 E274HDL [274] returned to the bus fleet and the public address system was removed.

In November 1991 E279HDL [275] was repainted into Sunburst Red, Monarch Red & Diamond White livery.

At some stage (probably 1993) E279HDL [275] was renumbered to [279].

In January 1994 E275HDL [275] & E276HDL [276] were transferred to Southern Vectis and entered service in Sunburst Red, Monarch Red & Diamond White livery.

By May 1995 F285SDL [285] had been repainted black into a Colorbus advertisement for "Mazda & Northwood Garages".

Between 1995 and June 1997 E272HDL [272] / E273HDL [273] / F283SDL [283] / F284SDL [284] / F285SDL [285] / F286SDL [286] & F287SDL [287] were repainted into Mushroom & Dark Green livery.

At an unknown date (around 1996/97) E271HDL [271] / E274HDL [274] / E275HDL [275] / E276HDL [276] / E279HDL [279] were withdrawn.

In May 1997, E272HDL [272] & E273HDL [273] were leased to Isaacson of Seaview, whom used them for Cowes local services 30 & 32 until November 1998. [per Gavin Rowney]

E272HDL [272] & E273HDL [273] returned to Southern Vectis and was used on Fountain Coaches service 10 and then service 9, having been repainted in overall white livery with advertising vinyls being applied subsequently. [per Gavin Rowney]

Following the demise of Fountain Coaches, and still owned by Southern Vectis, E272HDL [272] & E273HDL [273] were stored. [per Gavin Rowney]

At a date unknown F285SDL [285] was withdrawn from service.

At an unknown date F283SDL [283] was repainted into a "Wightlink Shuttle" livery.

In October 1999 F286SDL [286] went on lease to Traditional Bus Company of Lake. [per Dave Shaw]

In December 1999 F286SDL [286] & F287SDL [287] were reregistered WDL655 & XDL872 respectively. [per Gavin Rowney]

At an unknown date F283SDL [283] was repainted into a "Wightlink Shuttle" livery.

In January 2000 F286SDL [286] was given a dedicated livery for "Wightlink Ferries". [per Dave Shaw]

In early October 2000 F283SDL [283] was reregistered to ODL447.

In late October 2000 ODL447 [283] / WDL655 [286] & XDL872 were reregistered back to F283SDL / F286SDL & F287SDL respectively. [per Gavin Rowney]

At an unknown date F286SDL [286] & F287SDL [287] were withdrawn from service.

In January 2001 F283SDL [283] was repainted White.

On 13 January 2001 F284SDL [284] was repainted White. [per Jeff Lyons]

Also in January 2001 F283SDL [283] & F284SDL [284] received "Capitol Circle" route-branding with allover advertising for "Fuhrmann Signs" and, during the same month, went on lease to Alpha Cars (R. Coombes) of Newport whom operated the Newport Town Service under franchise. [per Patrick Hall]

During April 2001 F287SDL [287] was repainted into an experimental (single-decker) livery of Yellow & Orange on the offside and and Purple on the nearside & rear. [per Jeff Lyons]

In May 2001 F283SDL [283] & F284SDL [284] had the "Capitol Circle" route-branding removed. [per Gavin Rowney]

In July 2001 F284SDL [284] was withdrawn from service & F283SDL [283] was stored. [per Gavin Rowney]

By 2 June 2002 F283SDL [283] had been re-licensed until November 2002. Vinyls had also been applied to the windows advertising travel tickets for the Isle of Wight Festival (in June 2002). The middle window on the nearside was turned upside-down for intended use as a serving hatch (to sell travel tickets). [per Gavin Rowney]

During August 2002 F283SDL [283] was re-licensed (non-PCV) for ticket office duties at Cowes Fireworks on 9 August 2002. [per Gavin Rowney]

By 6 December 2002 F283SDL [283] was retested as a PCV. [per Gavin Rowney]

On 13 December 2002 F283SDL [283] had the White areas repainted Pink retaining the "Fuhrmann Signs" advertising vinyls. This bus was thereafter used to transport disruptive school children, and was initially dubbed "The Slow Coach" but subsequently became known as "The Pink Peril".

On 10 October 2004 F283SDL [283] was noted "For Sale £900 + VAT" at the SVOC 75th Anniversary Event at Ryde Depot.

Subsequent History

E271HDL [271]:

• It subsequently passed to Redbeam Ltd. of Newport (t/a M-Travel), whom became insolvent during November or December 1999.
• During 2000 it was canibalised for spares.
• In May 2002 it was scrapped by Cliftongrade of Cowes. [per Gavin Rowney]

E272HDL [272]:

• In June 2001 it was sold to Coach Travel of Chatham. [per Gavin Rowney]

E273HDL [273]:

• By 17 March 2001 it passed to Alpha Cars of Newport for spares, and is therefore likely to have been scrapped. [per Gavin Rowney]

E274HDL [274]:

• It subsequently passed to Redbeam Ltd. of Newport (t/a M-Travel), whom became insolvent during November or December 1999.
• By 2000 it had passed to a private owner on the Isle of Wight having been converted to a caravan. It was repainted into a two-tone brown scheme by the summer of 2000.
• Probably in December 2002 it was sold to T. Newton of Carisbrooke (dealer).
• In October 2003 it was sold to Alpha Cars of Newport for spares.
• Around early November 2003 the remains were sold to Jordans of Newport (dealer) and scrapped.

E275HDL [275]:

• It subsequently passed to Redbeam Ltd. of Newport (t/a M-Travel), whom became insolvent during November or December 1999.
• It then subsequently passed to a private owner. It was last noted in Upper Ventnor but had disappeared by August 2002. [per Gavin Rowney]

E276HDL [276]:

• It subsequently passed to Redbeam Ltd. of Newport (t/a M-Travel), whom became insolvent during November or December 1999. [per Gavin Rowney]

E279HDL [275] / [279]:

• It subsequently passed to The Training Centre of Newport having been converted to a display vehicle by Southern Vectis prior to sale. It was noted still with them during late June 2004 . [per Gavin Rowney]

F283SDL [283]:

• During May 2005 it was donated to the Asia Bus Appeal in conjunction with the Tsunami Disaster of 26 December 2004. [per Marc Morgan Huws]

F284SDL [284]:

• In May 2002 it was sold to a private owner for use as a caravan.
  By 28 August 2002 it was noted in the Godshill area, still in "Furhmann Signs" livery, and was noted again by 2 March 2003.
  During the summer of 2003 it was noted in the Blackwater area. [per Gavin Rowney]
  During early 2004 it was noted in the St. Helens area. [per Peter Crispin]
  On 1 May 2004 (still in Capitol Circle White livery) it was noted travelling westbound on Forest Road (Newport) [per Dave Jolliffe]
  During early June 2004 it was noted back in the St. Helens area but gone by early February 2005. [per Gavin Rowney]
  On 22 September 2005 it was noted travelling at Coppins Bridge painted Silver with a partly Blue rear-end. [per Gavin Rowney]
  During January & February 2006 it was noted as a caravan at Newchurch. [per Patrick Hall]
  During November 2006 it was noted in Cowes painted overall Matt Grey. [per Gavin Rowney]
  During March 2007 (still at Cowes) it was noted For Sale. [per Gavin Rowney]

F285SDL [285]:

• By 25 January 2001 it had been cannibalised for spares, the engine being fitted to F283SDL [283] and the shell passed for scrap to Cliftongrade Ltd. of Cowes. [per Patrick Hall]

F286SDL [286]:

• On 3 August 2001 it was noted in Adams Morey yard at Newport.
• On 26 August 2001 it was noted with its new owner, Sandown Youth Centre, having been repainted into white roof & back, sky-blue sides & front and "Sandown Youth Centre" multi-coloured vinyls along the sides. By 2003 it was noted in the Shorwell Village Hall area. [per Gavin Rowney]
  By 20 May 2005 it was noted being towed away from Newport Depot, having been parked there for some weeks. [per Paul Budden]
  On 4 February 2006 it was noted parked back in the Shorwell Village Hall area. [per Gavin Rowney]

F287SDL [287]:

• In June 2001 it was sold to Coach Travel of Chatham. [per Gavin Rowney]

An offside-front view of E279HDL [275] in the original "Medina Nipper" Blue/White livery at Cowes on 20 September 1988.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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Offside-front views of E279HDL [275] & F283SDL [283] in Red & White livery at Cowes Pontoon sometime during the 1990's.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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