Issue 201
(OBP-415)
Sunday
5th November 2006
next update week ending 18th
November 2006
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002
Visit
the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Please note that any
comments made in this news page are those of the Editors' and in no way
constitute
any official points of view from the bus companies
mentioned, or indeed any other official body.
As a news page we
reserve the right to make valid comments as seen from an editorial point of
view.
If
you wish to be included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid-week
news please let me know
malcolmhc@aol.com
To see the pictures full size just click on the small one
Remember,
remember the 5th of November - gunpowder , treason and plot or so the saying
goes. Let us hope that this year can "go off" without the usual tragedies which
seem to happen each year these days.
I must thank all those who wrote sending congratulations on last week's page, nr 200. Your thought were much appreciated and from the number of messages received it really does make it all worthwhile.
Osler Road bus link to J R Hospital opens
This last week saw the opening of the "bus road" from Osler Road, Headington to the John Racliffe Hospital, reducing journey times on route 10 by quite a significant amount. As one can see from the Stagecoach map reproduced below the new route avoids Headley Way which due to the often high levels of traffic on this and Headington Road, can cause quite some delays to the service as it was before the new route.
Gavin Francis was out and about with his camera and sent some interesting pictures of the new routing.
On the new road with 33651 2nd November 2006. Gavin Francis.
Dart 33654 is seen heading along Osler Road with the autumnal trees making a
nice backdrop. Gavin Francis 2nd November
Simon Mathieson sent this picture of a bus leaving the JR heading towards Osler
Road.
The detail of
where the new bus road emerges at the JR. Simon Matheson.
I understand that Oxford Bus have gained a nice award at this year's Bus & Coach Awards, gaining the Award for Social Responsibility with their star rating system for clean air buses. Full details will be given next week but we must congratulate the company on this achievement.
A recently refurbished Volvo B10B showing the star rating system used on the
Oxford Bus fleet.
Cycling in Queen Street, Oxford
Following last week's article on cycling in Queen Street one or two readers expressed their concern that this page should tackle this subject as they did not feel it was relevant to the main aims of the page,
I take those points on board and will try to minimise comments on cycling and apologise if anyone else felt slighted by my comments. I have to agree that many types of road users are guilty of ignoring the rules and cyclists should not be singled out for criticism.
I do however feel that the page should reflect problems of such a nature as to affect traffic on our roads when buses and coaches may be involved.
I suggest we let the matter rest there.
Milton Keynes and some comments by Matt Cooper & Robin Clare
Following the recent items on Milton Keynes,
Matt Cooper wrote saying "Congratulations
on reaching another landmark edition of the web page, no mean feat and what is a
significant archive of bus & coach events from the area.
I have now left MK Metro's Northampton sub-depot and as of 1st September 2006
joined Stagecoach East as Northampton's assistant operations manager, a role
which so far has been a great challenge. I have been placed on certain
'modules' of the graduate training scheme and next week am down in Exeter on an
'outward bound' team building exercise!
To answer some of the MK queries, the 'Northampton Depot' allocation of vehicles
(which includes branded Solo 24) return to MK for routine repairs and servicing,
and depending on vehicle availability can be put out to service in MK, usually
being swapped back during the day. Thus the same applies in Northampton where
MK vehicles can be seen operating. MB Vario 610 (T692 LNV) was part of the
Community Transport fleet and now operates as a spare vehicle, having been
re-seated to B28F and although the wheelchair doors are still fitted they are
for use as an emergency exit and all ramps have been removed. This Monday sees
the end of Z & S operation on service 33 (MK-Hanslope-Northampton) as this
passes to MK Metro.
I'll be in touch again soon, with some recent photos hopefully! I also try to
update my Fotopic site as and when I get the chance,
http://www.matt-cooper@fotopic.net
Keep up the good work, all the best"
Robin Clare writes "Thanks to one of our senior engineers, I am able to give you details of the planned repaint programme for the rest of the year.
Firstly, it can be said that that there is currently no plan to repaint any M K Metro vehicles into Arriva livery. I cannot at this stage confirm whether Arriva style numbers will be applied - apparently there are official lists in circulation giving new numbers, but none have been applied yet.
The Green Travel subsidiary is to cease as an operational unit from November 5th, all work being transferred to M K Metro. The first repaint out of GT livery, Vario 124, has already been outshopped. The others ( 107/8/30/1,426) will follow in due course. It is not known whether the OL will be surrendered.
57 (Dart) and 59,60,61 (VDL/Wright) are to be repainted from blue/orange to yellow/blue. 80 (Scania) is to be repainted from yellow to orange/blue. 58 has had on o/a applied to sides and rear.
216 (Volvo Citybus) is to have centre doors removed.
New schedules effective 5th November reflect considerable tender gains in Beds, Bucks and Northants. MKM are taking on the 33 (MK - Northampton), part 32, currently Jeffs Coaches. Z & S will work MK - Buckingham, MKM will work Buckingham Town Service and local workings on 32 (Tingewick, Chetwode, Finmere). Frequency increase on 1B, MK - Northampton, and 1's to Lavendon extended to Bedford to replace 29.
Persistent rumours that town services 4 & 23 (PVR 13) are to be double decked - all six existing D/D's are committed to school contracts.
Latest acquisitions are J31 SFA & J34 SFA, Leyland Swifts previously owned by Stevensons (Arriva Midlands North) Nos.1931/4. They are currently B39F, and still in Arriva colours.
Vario 124 and Cadet 59 are both now in yellow / blue, but neither has fleet names applied (Arriva serving Milton Keynes ?). Citybus 216 is at Garston for removal of centre doors, and 60 for repaint into yellow.
Still no Arriva fleet numbers have been applied, not even to fuel filler area."
Progress at Redbridge
I mentioned some weeks ago about the impending completion of the new Park & ride terminal facilities at Redbridge. The pictures below were taken on Saturday and show the current state of play.
Those Routemasters which live on Cowley Road
Following some notes that one or more of the Routemasters, which are kept at the Regal Bongo Hall car park on the Cowley Road, were for sale I had a note from Ray Lunney to say "I thought you may be interested to know that RM 191 has a new home with Nippy Bus ltd in Yeovil Somerset, it is about to get some work done to bring it up to this companies standards and will receive a paint job interior refurb and some other cosmetic work it is planned for this bus to be available for hires etc in march 2007, the vehicle is about to be moved to the new Nippy Bus depot which is currently being built in Martock, Somerset. I hope this is of interest to you and any further info I can provide please email me."
Thank you to all those who been with me since day 1 and to those who have
contributed each week to help make this page so special.
Malcolm Crowe - Sunday 5th November 2006
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date
News of the local companies – 5th November 2006
Our mid week news update included reference to an unfortunate vehicle fire resulting in one of the ex Oxford Volvo B10Bs being totally destroyed whilst on service 328/329 Reading-High Wycombe last Saturday, 28th October. Dr Martin Isles sent me a picture plus a link of this event. Martin writes "Thought you would like the attached. My secretary and her husband live in Marlow and came across 3855 at the weekend in flames on the loop round the back streets for Wycombe bound buses. Doesn't look like it will take to the road again!
There are 43 pics in total and I will put them on showbus.com this weekend at www.showbus.com\gallery\homeco\flame.htm
Congratulations on the 200th issue."
The picture
of 3855 is by Paul Kendal.
Nigel Peach writes "Very disturbing to read that another of Wycombe's allocation has succumbed to fire. (How ironic that it was the only one of that batch to have received the new livery and destination display.) It means that three Volvos from Wycombe have been so destroyed in the space of just over a year (B6s 3126 and 3110 being the others). Thinking back to my days as a teenage bus-spotter I can't recall any of the whole of the Thames Valley fleet being destroyed by fire in the 1960s - maybe one, a Maidenhead based Bristol LS.
Of the Plaxton Prestige bodied DAFs which have recently appeared in Wycombe, 4491 is certainly still around, but I've not seen 4429 lately, so I wonder if their appearance was just temporary.
Many congratulations on the 200. It goes from strength to strength and I echo the comments of others in thanking you for your hard work week by week just to bring pleasure to many."
Last week I mentioned route U9 asking if anyone had pictures of the Wycombe based Darts in service. Replies came from Peter Edgar saying "Just been reading this weeks news letter and your request for photo's of the dart's on the U9.
Here are a couple, one of 3837 and 3838, not the best as they were taken on a slightly dull and murky day not long after I got my first digital camera."
Peter Edgar took this picture of 3837 in Uxbridge in March 2004.
Another Dart picture by Peter Edgar, this time of 3838, again in March 2004.
Steve Bunce writes "Following
your request for Wycombe buses on the U9, please find photos attached.
All taken at Uxbridge Station on the following dates:
KE53NEU - 18th April 2004
KE53NFA - 18th April 2004
KE53NFC - 4th February 2004 (with KE53NFA behind)
I haven't been to Binders Yard for some time, but I'm glad to see others still
report from there.
Well done on your 200th issue."
All taken by Steve Bunce - see above.
Andrew Millwood writes "In your recent news page, someone was asking for a picture of a Wycombe Bus on the U9,I have a picture of Dart 3838 at Uxbridge bus stn taken a couple of years ago, in red livery which I believe is or was from High Wycombe at the time."
I wonder if anyone has pictures taken at various points on the route. I am told that the U9 is the top performing route for TfL.
Steve Bunce also wrote saying "I saw Watford based N701EUR on a Central Line Rail Replacement service at West Ruislip at the weekend and took a front and rear shot of it. Only now have I compared them to the ones I already have and notice that not only has it had a nice repaint, but the rear lights have been changed and the fleet numbers repositioned. I attach same for your information."
Ed Maun writes "Observing the revised service 323 between Aylesbury and High Wycombe; it appears to be primarily worked by “N” registered Scanias surplus from service 500 as was the intention. Two were operating today (Tuesday) in the inter-urban livery, presumably to be decked out in “Connexions” branding in the future! However, an Olympian did a few journeys yesterday!"
I was coming back from Oxford yesterday morning and happened upon a convoy of trucks and a bus heading towards the M40. The bus was of some interest as it was ex Arriva.
Stephen Le Bras reports "I can confirm that 64819 was in service on the 191 today (3rd November). Calling at 14.59 Windsor on its way to Slough. 60165 was on the 702 passing through Windsor at 11.37am to London."
Steve Warwick has sent a current fleet list which is much appreciated.
Heyfordian (Current) - November 2006 |
||||||
Reg No |
Chassis |
Type |
Body |
Seats |
Year |
Comments |
1435 VZ |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
4/94 |
Ex Durham City, Brandon 02. (ex L752 YGE, 6/10/06) |
2185 NU |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
3/85 |
ex Arriva Durham County (ex B246 NVN) |
2482 NX |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C49Ft |
4/88 |
E743 TCS, 439 BUS. Ex Lewis, Greenwich 00. E418 JKS |
2622 NU |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C49Ft |
3/99 |
From Winson, Loughborough (LE) 3/03. Ex LSK 830, Ex T723 UOS, 6/06 |
2779 UE |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
3/94 |
Ex Park, Hamilton. 2/96 (ex L745 YGE, 9/10/06) |
4068 NU |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
3/99 |
From Park, Hamilton (SW) Ex LSK 832, ex T725 UOS, 6/06 |
481 HYE |
Oe |
MR03 |
Oe |
B28F |
4/93 |
K428 HWY, 11/99. Ex London General (LN) MRL228. 10/99. |
4827 WD |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
3/84 |
Ex BTS, Borehamwood 91. A59 JLW, ESU 930. A545 TMJ |
6595 KV |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C53F |
3/85 |
new B156 YBW, 10/88.,ex 5089 LG |
7209 RU |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
CH42/30F |
5/86 |
ex C266 XEF |
7298 RU |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
CH42/30F |
5/86 |
Ex Arriva Durham County 9/01 (ex C265 XEF) |
7396 LJ |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
5/93 |
Ex Turner, Bristol 99. K906 RGE |
7845 LJ |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C49Ft |
3/94 |
Ex Park, Hamilton 95. (ex L740 YGE 29/7.06) |
7958 NU |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
3/85 |
(ex B245 NVN) Ex Hoar & Savage, Tilsworth (BD) 5/02 |
8216 FN |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
5/85 |
Ex Arriva Durham County 9/01 (ex B253 PHN) |
8252 MX |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
3/94 |
Ex Park, Hamilton (SW) 12/95, (ex L743 YGE, 27/07/06) |
8548 VF |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
6/85 |
Ex Arriva Durham County 9/01 (ex B255 RAJ) |
868 AVO |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C49Ft |
5/84 |
A52 JLW, 7/91. Ex O'Sullivan, Huyton (MY) 12/92. |
8779 KV |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C51Ft |
8/90 |
ex Home James, Heather,Ruckinge, 3/05 (ex H10 HJC,H48 VNH |
943 YKN |
Oe |
MR03 |
Oe |
B28F |
3/93 |
K434 HWY, 11/99. Ex London General(LN) MRL234 10/99. |
9467 MU |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C55F |
9/85 |
Ex Cresswell, Moira 91. B71 MTL. C47 CKR, ex 6960 TU |
9862 FH |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C53F |
3/85 |
new B157 YBW, ex 1264 LG |
B739 GCN |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
4/85 |
(ex B739 GCN) ex 2110 UK |
ESU 940 |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
3/84 |
A60 JLW 5/95.Ex Clark & Ellwood,Chatteris (CM) 1/94 |
FIL 7662 |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
8/81 |
(ex JTY 373X) |
FIL 7664 |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
5/83 |
(ex AEF 227Y) |
FIL 8317 |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
8/81 |
(JTY 375X) Ex Hoar & Savage, Tilsworth (BD) 6/00 |
FIL 8441 |
Ld |
On |
ECW |
H45/32F |
1/82 |
Ex Hoar & Savage, Tilsworth 00, (ex JTY398X, 1/03) |
L26 CAY |
MAN |
11.190 |
Co |
C33Ft |
3/94 |
L26 CAY. Ex 9467 MU |
L409 GPY |
Vo |
B6 |
Pn |
B40F |
2/94 |
ex OK Motor Services |
L579 JSA |
Vo |
B10M |
Pn |
C53F |
8/93 |
ex Bluebird Buses |
L584 JSA |
Vo |
B10M |
Pn |
C53F |
9/93 |
ex Bluebird Buses |
L585 JSA |
Vo |
B10M |
Pn |
C53F |
9/93 |
ex Bluebird Buses |
L587 JSA |
Vo |
B10M |
Pn |
C53F |
9/93 |
ex Bluebird Buses |
LDZ 2502 |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
2/87 |
Ex Gillespie Kelty 92. D313 VVV |
LDZ 2503 |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
2/87 |
Ex Buddens, Romsey 92. D312 VVV |
M634 KVU |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C53Ft |
2/95 |
ex Shearings (GM) 4/03 (C46Ft) |
M639 KVU |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C53Ft |
2/95 |
ex Shearings (GM) 4/03 |
M833 HNS |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C53F |
2/95 |
LSK504,M833 HNS,WT 3667, Ex Wickson, Walsall Wood 02. |
M993 HHS |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
2/95 |
KSK 986. Ex Compass Royston, Stockton 02. |
N605 JGP |
MB |
811D |
Cys |
B29F |
11/95 |
Ex Crystals, Dartford 02. |
N722 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
2/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N724 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
2/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N726 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
2/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N727 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
2/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N728 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
2/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N731 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
3/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N732 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
3/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N733 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
3/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N734 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
3/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N735 UVR |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53Ft |
3/96 |
ex Shearings, C46Ft |
N802 NHS |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
2/96 |
ex Parks, Hamilton, Ex Jeffs, Helmdon 02. |
N803 NHS |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C53F |
2/96 |
ex Parks, Hamilton, Ex Jeffs, Helmdon 02. |
N808 NHS |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C49Ft |
2/96 |
ex Parks, Hamilton, Ex Jeffs, Helmdon 02. |
N809 NHS |
Vo |
B10M |
Je |
C51Ft |
3/96 |
ex Parks, Hamilton, Ex Johnson, Hodthorpe 98. |
R415 EOS |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C49FT |
3/98 |
LSK 502, Ex Park, Hamilton 02. |
R998 KKO |
Au |
N122 |
Au |
CH57/20Dt |
3/98 |
ex Holmeswood, Holmeswood (LA) 4/04 |
SA02 UCE |
Vo |
B12M |
Je |
C51Ft |
3/02 |
Ex Parks, Hamilton |
SJI 4428 |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
2/85 |
Ex Constable, Long Melford 95. B505 CBD, RDU 4, B989 MAB. |
SN02 NGL |
Vo |
B12M |
Je |
C51F |
3/02 |
Ex Park Hamilton |
VSF 438 |
VW |
LT55 |
Oe |
C25F |
10/86 |
D144 SCM, Ex H.R. Wallingford 98. |
WX06 SLV |
Ayats |
MAN 460 |
Bravo 1 |
CH65/17F |
4/06 |
New |
XCT 550 |
Sca |
K112 |
Je |
C51Ft |
2/85 |
Ex Cross Gates Coaches 92. B504 CBD, HYY 3, B984 MAB |
YAY 537 |
Vo |
B10M |
VH |
C49Ft |
5/89 |
Ex Durham City Coaches, Brandon 96. F483 OFT. |
YN53 YGZ |
Oe |
M920 |
Oe |
B29F |
1/04 |
|
Steve says that "Volvo B6 L409 GPY it is on loan at Wycombe from Bicester to replace the 33 seater MAN (L26 CAY) as a small bus is needed for our Cadmore End - Marlow school run. (i.e. narrow lanes)."
Chris Lowe writes "Just a quick note to say keep up the good work with the O&CBP, although I haven't contributed anything of relevance for a while it is still very interesting reading for myself.
One thing however, in this latest page (edition 200) there is an error. Heyfordian's latest acquisition is actually a rareish Plaxton Pointer bodied Volvo B6 and isn't a Dennis Dart as stated. We have a number of vehicles similar to this including some from the same batch involved in the bus war in Manchester between Stagecoach Manchester and GM Buses (aka UK North). I have attached a picture of L412 GPY another from the same batch as mentioned and shown here on the 192 service in Manchester.
One way of spotting this difference in the chassis is the rear window line on each side, whereby the last two windows on each side are not to the same depth of the others. This shows it as a Volvo B6 where a Dennis Dart has equal depth windows all the way along the side, but has the lower part of the window masked out rather than being part of the surrounding panels."
Many thanks to Chris for that correction. I should have known better.
Still displaying the route 81
L409GPY is now working in High Wycombe on a schools run.
The question is what is now working the 81? The Oxfordshire bus map states
Heyfordian still operate this route.
(From last week but left for comparison with L412GPY above
Ed.)
Gavin Francis was on the ball in London and took a couple of nice pictures of National Express coaches with unusual advertising.
A Volvo B12B with Plaxton bodywork encouraging
students to travel for 30% off.
A Levante carries Street Athletics
advertising at VCS.
Simon Coates view of two withdrawn Neoplans of the Trathens fleet at their
Plymouth depot last week.
Another Simon Coates picture at the Plymouth depot of a Star Rider LSK812. I
wonder if this registration is to grace a new Neoplan?
Two recent repaints returned to service are Volvo B10BLE 810, also fully refurbished and Dart 402 now in the latest livery. I understand the Darts are being repainted at Oxford.
Just back from refurbishment, 810 looks immaculate when seen here loading in
Queen Street last week.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
Ben Morroll sent a number of pictures of buses recently sold to Diamond Bus in Birmingham.
On the first occasion that Ben saw ex 412 its destination equipment was working.
The picture was taken in Redditch.
Later Ben caught the same bus on route 40 but lacking any working destination
equipment.
Shades of Arriva with the paper sticker in the window.
This picture of ex 603 was taken in Shrewsbury Bus Station on service 436 which
goes to Bridgnorth.
Ben says this is one of the further "flung" routes on the Diamond Bus network.
Also I have memories of Bridgnorth doing my RAF service and square bashing at
RAF Bridgnorth.
Those were the days when Whittles ran Leyland Tiger Cubs with Burlingham bodies
on the weekend leave services.
A few more from my camera and sadly no one has yet managed a picture of Dart 402 in its new livery and I expect 403 is being done as we speak!
405 is seen in the late autumn sunshine coming up Park End Street in the 13.
This bus is expected to join the Diamond Bus fleet shortly.
A Citaro, 837 was on the 400 on Saturday as was a red Trident 103, seen above
following 111.
Gavin Francis caught Volvo 71 working an X90 service last Thursday lunchtime.
Russell Young sent this picture of an ex Oxford Dart now working as a training
bus with Metrobus.
The School Bus Company
We don't get very many pictures of buses from this company but this week we have two.
Seen at Green
road last week, this Tiger complete with name ands type badges looks rather
nice.
Gavin Francis sent this picture of a Volvo which was with Chiltern Queens and
still retains their livery.
As mentioned above Matt Cooper is now with Stagecoach and I hope he will keep us informed on developments in his area.
Matt has sent a short update on SC matters
saying "On
the Stagecoach front, a fleet of blue and cream liveried Slimline Solos have
entered service on Bedford town service 104 and are owned by the local council.
Also now at Bedford are a batch of second hand Darts from Midland Red South,
three of which (P450-2 KRP) were new to United Counties and have 'returned home'
to the area. Northampton Depot is due a batch of eight Dart SLF's imminently
for service 16 (Northampton-Ecton Brook). Also of note is that this depot is to
again be involved with National Express, operating several journeys on behalf of
Yorkshire Traction. Staff will crew change at MK and a batch of new Levante
coaches are due to be operating these long established Yorkshire
Traction/National Express routes. Northampton is only supplying staff, vehicles
will not be kept here and their home & mechanical welfare is Barnsley."
The U1 service between Harcourt Hill and Wheatley often produces some
interesting workings at peak hours when additional buses need to be slotted in
to cover for delays caused by the Green Road roadworks. Last week Olympians
16518 and 16525 with Volvo B10Ms 20012, 20228 and 20542 were used at various
times. Also the route has seen Trident 18393 and also a 27 branded Trident on an
odd occasion. A Solo made one morning working between Pullens Lane and Wheatley
Campus last Friday.
Here we see 16525 on a
lunchtime relief at Wheatley Campus. This bus is often allocated to the
outstation at Harwell.
On a general note Gavin Francis took several photos which prove interesting.
Trident 18393 worked on the 7
s last week, this is an unbranded bus.
Dart 32625 appeared from
Banbury on a 59 working last Thursday and is seen here in Magdalen St East.
My picture shows Dart 34468 on
an X30 working followed by an OBC Volvo 640 on a 4 to Abingdon last Saturday.
Both services call at Cumnor on their respective routes.
More examples of rear branding on the Tubes is seen below. It is also of note that the Oxford Tube manager can now see by GPS Maps exactly where each of the 25 coaches are. Indeed this can be anywhere in the U.K.
The remaining version applied to the backs of the Tubes.
This line up of three shows three different versions, I am now working on
getting all five lined up, a real challenge.
Caught on camera at last, the latest Dart with Thames Travel is KX56 HCZ number
156.
I think this may have replaced the burnt out bus mentioned earlier on these
pages.
PHOTO CORNER
If you have a digital camera and wish to submit photos for
this page please send them to the me at
malcolmhc@aol.com
Gavin Francis caught a few unusual workings in London last week.
Andy Churchill sent this picture of the
Southport Pier Tram. It looks rather smart.
Evan Evans has updated their livery as exemplified by this newish coach YN55KWR
seen in Oxpens last Saturday.
Harvey Cullimore writes "find
enclosed a couple of pictures taken a week ago at Milton Keynes station.
The coaches were operating rail replacement duties from MK to Northampton
undertaken on behalf of Frazer Eagle but overseen and directed by National
Express.
Note the Weavaway Thames Valley Travel Irizar in the background waiting to come
forward."
HISTORY IN PICTURES AND WORDS
Last week I asked about a coach company in Chinnor and I had some interesting replies.
Nigel Peach writes "You raised a query about Surman/Wingrove coaches. They were originally two separate companies.
Jack Wingrove ran a fleet of coaches based in Hazlemere. They were cream with black relief if memory serves correctly. Among their coaches, they had three Bedford SB5s registered ABH 918-920B. These would have been among the very first registrations issued by Bucks containing a suffix - there were no "A" suffixes as they were still using up xxxx BH or xxxx KX or xxxx PP numbers until 1964. (If that doesn't qualify me for an anorak, then I don't know what does!!!) Wingroves also had other vehicles VBH 500E and 600E I think and a smaller one (a Bedford VAS?) which was something like 1189 PP.
Surmans were based in the Chinnor area and were maroon coaches. I remember one being OUD 123 (another Bedford I think) which our primary school used on a school trip to North Wales that I went on in 1964. The driver was known as "Uncle Barry"! The two companies merged sometime in the late 60s I think, and I seem to recall that Jack Wingrove died not long after that, though whether it was his death that brought an end to the company I don't know. Perhaps some of your other correspondents will have other memories."
.....and from Ed Maun "Mention of Houses Buses, Surmans Coaches and Wingroves Coaches in issue 200 brought the memories flooding back.
I remember Surmans well as I had relations in Chinnor and Henton. Every other Saturday in the 1940’s and early 1950’s I, along with my mother and brother caught the COMS 80 service from Stokenchurch to Chinnor and then walked the two miles to Henton to visit my great grandmother and uncle on one of the Henton farms. Surmans had two garages in Chinnor, one in Station Road which was diagonally opposite the current roadway into the Wellington House medical practice and is still discernable today as a motor repair business. The other was a larger site in Oakley Road which has been totally redeveloped and today is the home of Claremont Automatics (suppliers of pub gaming machines). The livery was a dark maroon/red with cream relief and black mudguards. They had a liking for half cab Maudsley Marathons with Burlingham bodies but also had the inevitable Bedford OBs and I believe early SBs. I have fond memories of these machines on summer outings to the seaside. There was another coach operator in Chinnor which parked at the side of the Crown pub on the opposite crossroads corner to the old Chinnor schools. I remember two normal control coaches (either Austins or Bedfords) – the operator’s name may have been Gomme.
Wingroves were based (I think) in Hazlemere with cream or white livery relieved by black. At some stage they merged with Surmans and I think the Wingroves base was redeveloped for housing. Houses base in Watlington was in Couching Street and was adjacent to the COMS garage. The COMS garage was accessed to the side of the petrol station that still exists today. Both these sites have long since been redeveloped for housing. The main livery was orange and maroon but poor light could make the maroon look very dark! I am sure I have seen some vehicles with an amount of black relief. Houses had a number of Bedford OBs with both bus and coach bodies. They also had Commer Avengers; the regular driver of one of these was Brian Bird who lived in Stokenchurch and had previously driven for COMS. Again, I have fond memories of these machines on summer outings to the seaside. Houses tried to sell the business many years back (I remember it being advertised in Commercial Motor at the time), but there were no takers, so they closed the business down and sold off the vehicles – although I believe the House family held onto one vehicle. This may have been a pre-war Bedford WTB – I wonder if this still exists?
Another local coach operator at this time was Pilot Coaches of High Wycombe whose base was in the West Wycombe Road about half way between Desborough Avenue and Plomer Hill and is still in existence as a car show room, although the parking area to the side of the garage has been redeveloped as factory units. I well remember Pilot taking delivery in about 1951 of one of the first underfloor-engined coaches in the area in the shape of a Leyland Royal Tiger which became their flagship vehicle.
Another operator in High Wycombe was Jeffways Coaches which parked a couple of vehicles at the rear of The Van pub in Oxford Road – this would have been about where Blockbusters is today.
In later years Jeffways and Pilot merged and moved to a base on the Cressex estate.
As Editor, I never cease to be amazed at the amount of information which is out there just waiting for someone to pull the memory strings. Thank you both very much.
Now all we need are some pictures???
I received a nice e-mail from Edward Neal, a part-time driver for Redline, who remembers buses around Whaddon. Edward says "I have been driving this very old established route over the last few weeks for Redline and it is about to be cut back to Whaddon.
I rode it in the late 40s as a boy when you could go from Bletchley to Buckingham on a Tuesday (United Counties) but could not return until the following Tuesday !? - it was the village bus to Bletchley.
Does anyone know when it first ran ? I believe Stony Stratford depot provided the Bus and it probably did a village to Buckingham Schools journey before doing this route. I am pretty sure that there have been no gaps when the bus did not run so it is the end of an era for this Country Bus Route.
The Route was:- Buckingham - Thornborough - Nash - Whaddon - Shenley Brook End - Old Bletchley Trees Square - Bletchley Town Centre - Fenny Stratford George Street - I seem to remember ??
I hope someone has some answers for Edward???
If you have any pictures or historical memories and wish to submit them for this page please send them to the me at malcolmhc@aol.com
Coming events & models
DVD s by Robin Clare
The full details of DVDs available from Robin Clare may be found at his web site :- http://www.robinclare.co.uk/
Latest Citaro models revealed
Dave Rogers sent the following press release.
CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD - PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz Citaro - ukbus 5004 Arriva Manchester - ukbus 5007 Oxford Bus
Creative Master Northcord Limited is proud to release two brand new liveries on its well known Mercedes-Benz Citaro casting. Both models have received significant, yet different, modifications to the tooling in order to represent, as close to 100% accuracy as possible, the real buses on the roads.
ukbus 5004 represents fleet number Arriva North West’s 2851 (CX55 EAA). This Mercedes Citaro is one of three such vehicles with dedicated route branding for service 700 and with the destination set to Manchester. The model features a redesigned interior layout that includes the reduced seating capacity and luggage racks.
Starting on 29th October 2005, Arriva North West’s service 700 runs from Manchester’s Piccadilly Railway Station to Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport. For the service, 3 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were purchased and numbered 2851-3. They were painted in the same style and colours as the Scania OmniCity buses that already operated between John Lennon and Liverpool city centre.
ukbus 5007 represents fleet number 830 (X13 OXF) of Oxford Bus Company. 830 entered service in December 2003, to upgrade the X3 & X13 Oxford – Abingdon services. The bus was painted in a new and distinctive livery designed by Best Impressions.
ukbus 5007 features the smooth, curved windscreen with the destination display set behind the windscreen glass rather than the protruding destination found on the Park & Ride Citaros in the fleet. This feature is one of the standard specifications on other Citaros that the Go-Ahead Group has purchased.
Mercedes-Benz Citaro ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are each a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square-mounted, double-glazed windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on both models is the extensive portrayal of handrails. The headlight / indicator units at the front and indicator / tail light units at the rear are made of individual components to look more realistic.
The brand new single-door Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are limited to 1700 pieces worldwide respectively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Model Buses for Sale
prices revised with immediate effect
I have a revised deal on Models for your readers...
Each of the following models are available for the following price :
Each Model = £10.00
Postage is £4.00 regardless of the number of models.
UKBUS 1014 - CREATIVE MASTER OXFORD P&R TRIDENT
UKBUS 5002 - CREATIVE MASTER OXFORD P&R CITARO
UKBUS 2012 - CREATIVE MASTER BROOKES BUS TRIDENT
CORGI ORIGINAL OMNIBUS OXFORD ESPRESS EXCALIBUR
Once again this offer is only available by emailing me direct at modelsmk@aol.com
More models are for sale on my eBay store, http://www.modelsmk.co.uk/shop
Thanks! James
Would readers who respond to the above please quote my site when doing so.
If you wish to be included on a mailing list where
I will advise of any mid week news & when
each News Page is posted
please let me know on malcolmhc@aol.com
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date
Links
These are three most interesting sites which I do recommend
Mike Penn's photo page with much from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire as well as Buckinghamshire
Chris Lowe's Photo page - mainly North West UK
A web site which has paintings of buses.
|
http://www.britishbuspublishing.co.uk/
The latest handbook from BBF was
on sale at Cobham and was the ever popular Stagecoach edition now in its 13th
year. As in earlier editions it includes the 2006 new bus orders. |
Links
Bus Services in Buckinghamshire
Where are the Chilterns?
Visit this informative site through the link below.
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002