Issue 94
(OBP-309)
Sunday 12th September 2004
next update week ending 27th September 2004

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

This week has been rather less newsworthy than usual and as such the page will be somewhat shorter than usual. However several of you sent some interesting items and I start with one from Nigel Peach regarding last week's Wycombe Charity Running Day.

Nigel writes "It was good to see you last Sunday. I also note that I feature in last week's photo taken at The King's Arms, on the top deck!! I have of course emailed all my friends to point out my fame at last! ..... (or maybe I didn't!) 

Regarding last Sunday's Wycombe Running Day, I travelled on the 12.30 departure to Aylesbury on route 80. You pointed out last week that Volvo B6 3242 worked the earlier 10.30 run. (It also did the third and final run at 14.30.) We had Wright bodied Dart 3365 (longer than the ex London "Bouncy Castles" and therefore less bouncy). Volvo 3243 had been earmarked for the route and its blinds set, but it was partially blocked in in the bus station, so 3365 was used.

 3365 at Princes Risborough by Nigel Peach

The 80 route was withdrawn (we think) in the late 1960s. Before that it ran between High Wycombe and Aylesbury, via lots of villages (Hughenden Valley, Bryant's Bottom, Great Hampden, Lacey Green, Princes Risborough, Longwick, Great Kimble, Little Kimble, Terrick, Stoke Mandeville) and the total journey time was one hour and eight minutes. On Sunday we were blessed with sunny weather and the journey through the countryside and particularly the stretch between Great Hampden and Lacey Green produced some stunning views over the vale of Aylesbury. Our conductor for the journey was Peter Cartwright, who is a frequent contributor to your pages and the driver (Richard) was one who has worked from Wycombe depot for almost 40 years (I remember riding on his bus when I was a schoolboy!). The journey was not uneventful - we took a couple of wrong turnings and at another junction the driver consulted us all for a consensus on which way to go!! With no signposts on some of those country lanes it was not surprising. Then in Longwick we were unable to go down the scheduled route due to parked cars in the way, so he had to turn round in a housing estate. All of this of course added to the fun of the journey and the looks on people's faces as passed was good to see. We even picked up some "proper" passengers on the return journey between Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville.

Today, Sunday, there was an interesting event reported by Colin Cooke saying "The AEC Society held there Southern Rally today at Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles. Two nice coaches turned up."

 
An ex Devon General TUO74J and ex Green Line RB51 - Photos by Colin Cooke. 

Work continues on the interchange at Lewknor and this week changes have been made to the north side of the M40. The off slip road now has a T junction rather than a "sort of slip road" to join the Chinnor bound road. This now means that the Tubes have to swing wide into the through road which is not too good to be honest. However there is then a more effective bus lay by rather than an acceleration lane.

The photo by Derek Winkfield shows 50120 picking up at Lewknor, London bound.

Ed Maun writes to say "There is a photograph in this week’s Bucks Free Press (Sept 10^th) on page 8 which depicts a Thames Valley coach.   You can just see the “TV” monogram on the side of the coach by the right hand lady’s left shoulder.    This is a Leyland Tiger TS7 with Duple C32F body of the 262 – 264 (JB5842 – 5843) batch, new in 1935.   All three were allocated to High Wycombe.    The photograph was probably taken in the late 1930s after these vehicles were repainted with red roofs – they originally had grey roofs."

Well on to the news of our local companies and many thanks for the continuing reports including the late ones received today..

Suzy Scott sent this shot of 16144 working out of St Andrews Bus Station.

This is a nice shot, again by Suzy, showing an ex Devon Olympian 16320 in front of 16144.

Readers have indeed submitted their comments on the fleet list and next weekend I will publish an updated version. Thanks to all who wrote.

Rob Williams says "I keep an up to date fleet list at www.buszone.co.uk/SiWfleet.html

Gavin Francis, sent this photo and says "there was a German coach in the yard last week but no one seemed able to shed any light on the reason."