Flames and explosions wreck coaches (From Daily Echo)

Fire crews tackle blaze at coach firm

12:50pm Sunday 30th December 2012 in News

The burnt out coaches in Hedge End this morning.

FIREFIGHTERS have battled a devastating coach blaze at a site in Hampshire.

Three coaches and three minibuses were gutted and another minibus partially damaged in the fire at an operating centre for trucks, buses and coaches, off Upper Northam Drive in Hedge End.

The land is said to be owned by a farmer who rents plots out to businesses and individuals.

Those on site indicated that the vehicles involved were on the plot that belongs to Barfoot and Sons – only the shells of the vehicles remained this morning.

Residents spoke of seeing large flames and hearing explosions.

Fire engines from Hightown, St Mary’s and a water carrier from Eastleigh attended at 5.45pm yesterday to find an intense fire.

There was initial concern was that the plume of smoke it was causing could be blown towards the nearby M27 motorway, but firefighters said they had quickly managed to get it under control.

They remained at the fire for around four hours.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Comments(37)

G0Rf says...
12:22pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Wondered what that toxic burning smell was lastnight, I could smell it from the shamblehurst barn

Report this post »

Emmajnich01 says...
3:40pm Sun 30 Dec 12

A small family run business gone overnight, lets hope they can get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Report this post »

IronLady2010 says...
4:35pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Emmajnich01 wrote:
A small family run business gone overnight, lets hope they can get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

I agree, let's hope they don't lose regular customers, especially during a period where they can't source replacements.

Wishing them the best for the New year!

Report this post »

Vix1 says...
6:29pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Hope they will have buses to get the Romsey school children to school next week!! My daughter hopes not ;)

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
7:33pm Sun 30 Dec 12

According to page nine of this notice from the offices of the Traffic Commissioner, Barfoot & Sons had their coach/bus operators license revoked in its entirity back in May http://www.dft.gov.u
k/vosa/archive/N&P%2
02450%20-%2001st%20M
ay%202012.pdf

I can find no record of it being reinstated so if as other contributors suggest they have continued to operate, then they may have been doing so illegally. I hope the authorities give this incident and the company a truely thorough investigation.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
8:03pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Forest Resident wrote:
According to page nine of this notice from the offices of the Traffic Commissioner, Barfoot & Sons had their coach/bus operators license revoked in its entirity back in May http://www.dft.gov.u

k/vosa/archive/N&amp
;P%2
02450%20-%2001st%20M

ay%202012.pdf

I can find no record of it being reinstated so if as other contributors suggest they have continued to operate, then they may have been doing so illegally. I hope the authorities give this incident and the company a truely thorough investigation.

This is my family who run this small family run business and are not running it illegally. They have an operators licence other wise they wouldnt be allowed to do school contracts as these things are always checked. So please get your facts right before sladdering peoples name. They are honest good working people and is very sad it has happened to them.

Report this post »

gmail26 says...
8:40pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Re Forest Resident.....
You should do a little more investorgating before you start writing thing like that and making your self look like a idiot.

Report this post »

rpothecary says...
8:48pm Sun 30 Dec 12

forest resident how narrow minded you are to think that they maybe still running but illegally have you ever tried finding a place to store coaches you shouldn't judge a book by its cover read into it first

Report this post »

rpothecary says...
8:52pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Chunky lover should write some think important instead of rubbish.

Report this post »

B gouldson says...
8:56pm Sun 30 Dec 12

gmail26 wrote:
Re Forest Resident.....
You should do a little more investorgating before you start writing thing like that and making your self look like a idiot.

Barfoot & sons are a top class couch company with an outstanding track record! with polite and down to earth drivers who are comitteed to the work that they do! I could not say a bad word towards this company. Myself and friends use this company hands down you will find no better across the south!!

People who are trying to slander this company should do a little more investigation before posting!!

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
8:57pm Sun 30 Dec 12

If I have got I wrong then please point me in the direction of a more recent notice from the Traffic Commissioner that states Barfoot & Sons have had their operators license reinstated. Moreover, why indeed did Barfoot & Sons have their Operators License revoked in May if they are such "honest good working people"?

Report this post »

Freemantle lad says...
9:03pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Forest Resident wrote:
According to page nine of this notice from the offices of the Traffic Commissioner, Barfoot & Sons had their coach/bus operators license revoked in its entirity back in May http://www.dft.gov.u

k/vosa/archive/N&amp
;P%2
02450%20-%2001st%20M

ay%202012.pdf

I can find no record of it being reinstated so if as other contributors suggest they have continued to operate, then they may have been doing so illegally. I hope the authorities give this incident and the company a truely thorough investigation.

There is an application for an operator's licence by Stardust Travel Ltd in the same issue of the Western "Notices and Proceedings" (No 2450) which you cite. This was granted in issue 2455. As one of the Barfoot family is a director of this new company, presumably the operations have passed legally to Stardust.

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
9:12pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Thanks Freemantlelad, your conclusion does help clear things up a little.

Report this post »

Vix1 says...
9:44pm Sun 30 Dec 12

I'm confused, originally the story said it was Wheelers coaches!! Why are Barfoots now mentioned, are they the same company??

Report this post »

IMAGOODGUY says...
10:48pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Yeeehaa,saddle up and move on cowboy

Report this post »

Ginger_cyclist says...
11:53pm Sun 30 Dec 12

Vix1 wrote:
I'm confused, originally the story said it was Wheelers coaches!! Why are Barfoots now mentioned, are they the same company??

If I remember correctly, both companies either share the same yard or both yards are next to each other but they are in no other way related.

Report this post »

Ginger_cyclist says...
12:03am Mon 31 Dec 12

chunky_lover wrote:
barfoot and sons are a bloody rude company.

So far I've found them to be decent at driving, not had any reason to put clips of their driving on youtube as far as I can remember and I hope it stays that way as they are a good, local company.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
10:59am Mon 31 Dec 12

Vix1 wrote:
I'm confused, originally the story said it was Wheelers coaches!! Why are Barfoots now mentioned, are they the same company??

they share a yard next door to each other and that is it. They are separate companies

Report this post »

saints83 says...
11:03am Mon 31 Dec 12

Forest Resident wrote:
Thanks Freemantlelad, your conclusion does help clear things up a little.

clear things up a little???? Clears things up a lot. No apology from you whats so ever. I suggest you get your facts right before you start slandering peoples names and businesses off and getting them a bad name for no reason. Your out of order.

Report this post »

saintmicky says...
12:28pm Mon 31 Dec 12

saints83 wrote:

Forest Resident wrote:
Thanks Freemantlelad, your conclusion does help clear things up a little.
clear things up a little???? Clears things up a lot. No apology from you whats so ever. I suggest you get your facts right before you start slandering peoples names and businesses off and getting them a bad name for no reason. Your out of order.

If this busy-body 'Forest Resident' has no grounds for the comments made, take legal action! We are all responsible for what we write on here.

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
12:37pm Mon 31 Dec 12

There is absolutely nothing slanderous in repeating the facts as determined by a Traffic Commisioner, or in simply questioning whether a named company is operating legally or not. The public reports are there for everyone to read, digest and distribute at their leisure.

Report this post »

Big Mac says...
1:54pm Mon 31 Dec 12

Forest Gump.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
2:10pm Mon 31 Dec 12

Forest Resident wrote:
There is absolutely nothing slanderous in repeating the facts as determined by a Traffic Commisioner, or in simply questioning whether a named company is operating legally or not. The public reports are there for everyone to read, digest and distribute at their leisure.

well there not running illegally and never would. Its there lively hood on the line as well as pride and other private matters. An apology would be fine but this guy seems to be up his own **** and a busy body who has not got a life of there own and wants to wreck others. Stop with the net curtain twitching and find a hobby that keeps you busy and your nose out of people business and lifes.

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
2:35pm Mon 31 Dec 12

Let me enlighten you saints83, this is a public accessible and contributory news article about a company which offers a service to the public for which in turn it (Barfoots? Stardust? whatever its called) is publicly accountable, hence the publicly available document I have linked to. Therefore anybody can pass fair comment should they so wish, it is not your place to try and censor such publicly available information or the fair comments that go with it.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
2:39pm Mon 31 Dec 12

i have not said its not to be read or covering anything up. Im just saying they are not running in an unfair way. You have obviously got a problem with this coach firm, maybe you started the fire trying to prove a point to which there is no point. Now please stop trying to put this company down anymore then what you have already.

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
2:53pm Mon 31 Dec 12

And if you read my comments accurately you will notice nor was there any assertion on my part of wrongdoing, I merely posed a reasonable question and linked in a publicly available document to give my question some context.

You will also observe in my comments that I have not stooped to any juvenile name calling or judgement of another's character, like indeed you and others here have participated in.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
3:14pm Mon 31 Dec 12

because people have told you its not true and they have the correct paperwork and documents needed to run the business and you have still kept on. Like someone said to you on here dig a little deeper and dont just scrape the surface. Get your facts right as the facts you have and are showing people are old and not updated. Get your facts right. Now leave my family alone and please do not slander them again without true facts

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
3:38pm Mon 31 Dec 12

The public available documentation I have accurately sourced and linked to clearly makes uncomfortable reading for you and your family saints83, but it remains factual despite your baseless accusations and threats.

Report this post »

saints83 says...
3:50pm Mon 31 Dec 12

yes they were accurate at one time but they are now not. Its not uncomfortable at all. I just dont like people judging when they have not got the full facts as you clearly have not as they are doing nothing wrong. Now cruel back under the stone you come from

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
4:40pm Mon 31 Dec 12

You don't like people judging? Yet you yourself saw fit to judge me and label me with various derogatory terms in your previous posts just because i linked to an offical report from 6 months ago. It doesn't say much for your customer service skills if that's the way you and your family address members of the public who in fact turn out to be potential/existing customers. Happy new year.

Report this post »

colynne says...
6:17pm Mon 31 Dec 12

i worked for this very friendly family company and on still do now and again . theybuilt this company u from scratch and work hard for what they have . i can honestly say i am happy to be an emplyee , the director has always treated me well , as a friend, i think its sad whats happened thet dont deserve this . i wish them well and a better 2013

Report this post »

neilchi says...
10:28pm Mon 31 Dec 12

Forest Resident wrote:
There is absolutely nothing slanderous in repeating the facts as determined by a Traffic Commisioner, or in simply questioning whether a named company is operating legally or not. The public reports are there for everyone to read, digest and distribute at their leisure.

Forest resident. I am neither a member of staff or had any dealings with this company. However, I think you're biased and negative comments are completely out of order.

From the evidence of other posters this seems to be a generally well respected small business. It may have escaped your attention but this countries economy needs small business employing local people and keeping money in the local economy.

Quoting half of a report from the Traffic Commissioner without fulling investigating any changes in operating details and particulars of a company is nothing short of Deliberate destructive sabotage of a companies reputation. A lot of bus/coach operating change there details. Heaven knows First Group have changed the details of there First Truronian licence for Cornwall. This sort of Scaremongering comments is this sort of journalistic comments that one would expect from BBC's Newsnight!

You are 100% correct in saying that Traffic Commissioners reports are available to the public online. However, your average 'joe blogs' would not know where to find these notices and what they mean. This is meant with no-disrespect to anyone else.

I am sure there are many people who are worried about jobs and financial future following this terrible incident. By making comments that only partially reflect a true situation and have been edited in a negative manor that cast aspersions on trading standards of the company you are guilty of 'fanning the flames'.

Any decent gentleman would make a whole hearted apology to the company and any of its employees, who as I mentioned earlier must be starting 2013 in a state of terrible anxiety.

I do not wish to get involved in pointless tittle-tattle with you but I hope this comments shine the light of gravity on your flippant and ill thought comments.

[quote][p][bold]Forest Resident[/bold] wrote: There is absolutely nothing slanderous in repeating the facts as determined by a Traffic Commisioner, or in simply questioning whether a named company is operating legally or not. The public reports are there for everyone to read, digest and distribute at their leisure.[/p][/quote]Forest resident. I am neither a member of staff or had any dealings with this company. However, I think you're biased and negative comments are completely out of order. From the evidence of other posters this seems to be a generally well respected small business. It may have escaped your attention but this countries economy needs small business employing local people and keeping money in the local economy. Quoting half of a report from the Traffic Commissioner without fulling investigating any changes in operating details and particulars of a company is nothing short of Deliberate destructive sabotage of a companies reputation. A lot of bus/coach operating change there details. Heaven knows First Group have changed the details of there First Truronian licence for Cornwall. This sort of Scaremongering comments is this sort of journalistic comments that one would expect from BBC's Newsnight! You are 100% correct in saying that Traffic Commissioners reports are available to the public online. However, your average 'joe blogs' would not know where to find these notices and what they mean. This is meant with no-disrespect to anyone else. I am sure there are many people who are worried about jobs and financial future following this terrible incident. By making comments that only partially reflect a true situation and have been edited in a negative manor that cast aspersions on trading standards of the company you are guilty of 'fanning the flames'. Any decent gentleman would make a whole hearted apology to the company and any of its employees, who as I mentioned earlier must be starting 2013 in a state of terrible anxiety. I do not wish to get involved in pointless tittle-tattle with you but I hope this comments shine the light of gravity on your flippant and ill thought comments. neilchi

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
9:34am Tue 1 Jan 13

The only individuals "fanning the flames" here are those that have failed to read what I have actually written, and have instead jumped to their own ill concieved conclusions before commencing their own barrage of vitriol. I make no apologies for what I have written or for other contributors lack of a basic grasp of the English language.

Report this post »

neilchi says...
10:05am Tue 1 Jan 13

Forest Resident wrote:
The only individuals "fanning the flames" here are those that have failed to read what I have actually written, and have instead jumped to their own ill concieved conclusions before commencing their own barrage of vitriol. I make no apologies for what I have written or for other contributors lack of a basic grasp of the English language.

My good sir. With your low level intelligence and inability to have the vision to look at the Consequences of your limited blinkered intelligence; I would suggest you refrain from making such sweeping statements as you fail to understand the potential impact of your partial sweeping statement.

You appear to be nothing short of a cruel, narrow minded individual with a personal Vendetta against the named company. In future for the goodwill of the many decent, honest people who are affected by this terrible incident, you should keep your small minded thoughts to yourself!

Report this post »

Forest Resident says...
11:18am Tue 1 Jan 13

Feel free to quote examples of my "sweeping statements" and the "personal vendetta" you claim I am partaking in, all I have written above is based on factually sourced information, in addition to which I have posed one open, reasonable question about a publicly accountable company. The only one making this personal is you and your ilk who unwisely choose to continue to ignore the actual words and context of my contributions.

Report this post »

Bassett-Mikey says...
12:55pm Tue 1 Jan 13

Reading the above reminds me that if all of the contributors to these pages actually READ what was written, then sat back for five, they would not make such big **** of themselves. I am also surprised that some of the contributors have not mentioned insurance jobs or arson, as one might have expected in circumstances when companies are having to change their names - which often leave ex-employees, or creditors out in the cold.

Report this post »

carlsices says...
7:07pm Wed 2 Jan 13

so sorry to hear this i hope all drivers and staff are ok very friendly bunch from dougy in gosport

Report this post »

Flames and explosions wreck coaches (From Daily Echo)

News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos

Fire crews tackle blaze at coach firm

click2find

Jobs

Dating

Homes

Cars

About cookies