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Following the divestment of Stagecoach's Portsmouth operations in the mid 1980s, Transit Holdings ran a fleet of minibuses in and around Portsmouth under the Blue Admiral and Red Admiral fleetname. This lasted until the takeover by First in 1996. As the following pictures show the fleet was not 100% minibus (probably about 99.9% !!). Thanks to Malcolm Audsley for most of the photos.

The unusual two door layout specified for the Iveco's by Transit Holdings is well shown in this June 1996 view at The Hard, Portsmouth.  (Photo Malcom Audsley)

The enlarged Provincial also acquired the Hilsea depot training bus, former Devon General Bristol LH6L. 3339 seen here at The Hard Portsmouth in March 1996. (Photo Malcom Audsley)

Showing the last Blue Admiral livery with Provincial fleetname, 2014 at The Hard in May 1996 just before the companies merged. (photo Malcolm Audsley)

The merger of the two companies was accompanied by a large number of route changes at the end of May 1996 to eliminate what had been competing services. The resulting surplus of vehicles saw the end of the Ford Transits, such as 817, in the Admiral fleet. (photo Malcolm Audsley)

In 1994 Blue Admiral hired in ex Lancaster AEC Regent II KTF 589 for the Southsea seafront service 

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