Issue 116
(OBP-331)
Sunday 20th February
2005
next update week ending
5th March 2005
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Well, here we are nearing the end of February with the promise of some "heavy weather" tomorrow. I am bound for Germany for the last time, this trip by car using the Channel Tunnel. I am sure it will be a most interesting journey being some 800 kms through four countries. As a result and since it is rather late this week it is going to be a short and snappy news page.
One item of note is that I am now using larger format sizes for the photos. I am wondering if you like or do not like the bigger sizes?
Some good photos this week from a number of you with the main focus being on the road works in George Street which is one way for the time being. This means that services departing from Gloucester Green must turn left and if going to London or other destinations in that direction, vehicles must make a circuit of George Street, Beaumont Street and Worcester Street to regain their normal route. A selection of pictures below shows this and also illustrates the fact that at least two OBC Airline branded coaches were used on the X90 on Saturday.
First we see 69 departing Gloucester
Green and the 50 coming up George St.
We then see 71 turning into Beaumont St followed by Tube 50104 waiting time
outside the Randolph
being overtaken by 22917 on the 7, which when Barton bound also diverts by
Beaumont Street.
These pictures were taken on Saturday afternoon 19th February.
Here Tube 50101 runs through the
re-opened way to Worcester Street taken on Friday 18th February
by Gavin Francis. Your Editor is at the wheel with a very healthy load due the
half term.
One of the items of work is the widening of the turn in from George St to Chain
Alley.
This will help the traffic flow and one hopes that railing are installed to
direct
pedestrians to the crossing on Chain Alley rather than them walking across a
very busy junction.
Gavin Francis took this picture of
work in progress in opening a way along Worcester Street.
14th February 2005.
I am not sure how long the works will go on for but there are a number of photo opportunities as can be seen above plus at busy times, time keeping for departing services are not helped by the detour.
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Correction to last week's page
Ross writes to note "The Claribell's decker is a DAF DB250LF, not a Scania."
Sorry Guys, my mistake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An interesting item of news from High Wycombe
Trevor Wilson writes to say "When you are in Wycombe next, go down Mill End Road (off the A40 between West Wycombe and High Wycombe. Opposite Mill Brook School /Adult Education Centre is Translux (www.translux.com). They have:
The buses are there at week-ends - when it is closed up - and we go to Wasps matches. And are there on Wednesday evenings - when I go to evening class.
The web site just lists then dining buses."
Who is going to provide the first pictures I wonder?
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Now on to this week's News and photos. Thank you to everyone who has contributed this week.
Malcolm Crowe - Sunday 20th February 2005
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News of the local companies – 20th February 2005
Michael Clarke writes re the picture a few weeks ago on http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/300105.htm saying "As I was browsing your very informative and excellently illustrated website, I noticed in the weekly update (link below) a picture of a Jonckheere-bodied MAN coach of Abbey Coaches, High Wycombe. The caption states that the history of the vehicle is unknown, but you might be interested to know that it is sporting the livery of Ayrshire coach firm Dodd's Of Troon. Unfortunately I don't know if it went directly from Dodd's to Abbey, or even if it was new to Dodd's, but I've certainly seen it around Ayrshire with it's previous owner."
No information from Arriva this week but a nice picture from Gavin Francis.
Gavin Francis says ARRIVA 3321 HIGH WYCOMBE BUS STATION 15TH FEBRUARY 2005
I liked this line of recently acquired DAFs in the
yard this morning, Sunday 20th February.
I am advised that besides the Airline branded coaches featured in the Editorial above, Scania nr 61 was on the X90s today, Sunday.
Gavin Francis caught Volvo 52 on the X90 in VCS last
Monday. (nice picture Ed.)
Martyn Banham writes "A better week for photos, with beautiful weather today (Saturday) making for some great shots (and some not-so good ones, when the sun's in your lens or the bus is in the shadows).
Martyn then tires to top last weeks picture of Dart 406 (reg R6OXF) on the 6 with the one below. saying "...and finally, to go one better than 406 on the 6 - here's an X3 on the X3.."
Ian Pinnell writes "I spotted a Trident work the 2 road this week (sorry, could not spot fleet number and also one of the Oxford Espress Coaches display screen wasn't in action the other day and so a piece of paper on the side of the coach displayed where it was going."
This was coach nr 8 as I saw at Gloucester Green on Saturday Editor.
Martyn Banham couldn't resist this shot of X3 on
a X3.
M A N 22053 caught on camera by Martyn Banham when
the M A N was working route 3 from Carfax.
Due to the roadworks in George Street the 100 is rerouted to set down and pick
up in New Road.
Not too much of great import this week but I will catch up on a number of routine items next week.
The rebuilding work at Horspath continues and appears on schedule.
Martyn Banham caught this Tube coming up The high and wonders why or what the V
O R screen was about.
This is a display which indicates to the Engineers when a vehicle requires
attention.
It should not normally appear in a service area with this on the screen.
-1%2018TH%20FEBRUARY%202005.JPG)
Gavin Francis took this picture of the new bus stop at Lewknor erected this
week.
Martyn Banham caught 18195 on Saturday making a
working on the 31. Pictured in St Aldates.
First of all Megabus 50128 is still at Oxford for training and remains unadorned with Megabus vinyls.
50130 arrives in London last Saturday from Scotland.
It is seen here in Buckingham Palace Road at 1115.
Future allocations for the Megabus fleet was supplied by Suzy Scott.
Suzy says "Taken
courtesy of Paul McM. on the Megabus newsgroup"
Fleet From To Date
13602 Glasgow Perth TBC
13609 Leyton Basingstoke 28 March
13610 Cwmbran Gold Cup 7 March
13611 Cwmbran Gold Cup 7 March
13615 Leamington Glasgow 28 March
13617 Leyton Gold Cup 7 March
13618 Leyton Gold Cup 7 March
13619 Cwmbran Gold Cup 7 March
13623 Princess Road Preston 18 April
13624 Cwmbran Gold Cup 7 March
13625 Leamington Chesterfield 28 March
13627 Cwmbran Gold Cup 7 March
13629 Princess Road unallocated 18 April
13630 Walkergate Aberdeen 28 March
13631 Walkergate Aberdeen 28 March
13633 Walkergate unallocated 18 April
13636 Leyton Gold Cup 7 March
13643 Princess Road unallocated 18 April
13646 Walkergate unallocated 18 April
13652 Walkergate unallocated 18 April
13653 Aberdeen Perth 18 April
13654 Princess Road unallocated 18 April
14239 Perth reallocation TBC
14240 Perth reallocation TBC
15247 Glasgow reallocation TBC
15249 Glasgow reallocation TBC
15250 Perth reallocation TBC
15259 Perth reallocation TBC
15260 Aberdeen reallocation TBC
50046 Perth Inverness
50047 Perth Inverness
50048 Aberdeen Inverness
50055 Aberdeen Inverness
50058 Perth Inverness
500xx (ID TBC) Ayr Aberdeen 28 March
500xx (ID TBC) Ayr Aberdeen 28 March
500xx (ID TBC) Ayr Aberdeen 28 March
51061 Aberdeen Ayr 28 March
51062 Aberdeen Ayr 28 March
51070 Aberdeen Ayr 28 March
52104 Aberdeen reallocation TBC
52195 Chesterfield reallocation TBC
52271 Aberdeen reallocation TBC
52272 Aberdeen reallocation TBC
52298 Swindon reallocation 28 March
52310 Perth Glasgow TBC
Planned final allocation from Spring 2005
Aberdeen 13630, 13631, 13638, 50042, 500xx, 500xx, 500xx, 50126, 50127,
50128, 50129
Basingstoke 13609
Cheltenham 13645, 13648
Chesterfield 13625, 13632
Cwmbran 13604, 50133-5
Glasgow 13615, 52310
Inverness 50046, 50047, 50048, 50055, 50058, 52666, 52667, 52668, 52269
Leamington 13614, 50141, 50142
Leyton 13606, 13607, 13608, 50136, 50137, 50138,
50139, 50140
Nuneaton 13626
Perth 13602, 13653, 50130, 50131, 50132, 52267
Portsmouth 13621
Preston 13623
Princess Road 13616, 50147, 50148, 50149
Swindon 13601
Walkergate 13605, 50143, 50144, 50145, 50146
Winchester 13613, 13622, 13634
Worthing 13612, 13620, 13635
Susanna (Suzy) Scott,
Dundee City Centre, DD1
There is much of interest here especially with our old Tubes. Who is going to be on hand to catch some pictures at Cheltenham?
Suzy also sent this picture saying "Former Tube 55 at Dundee Yeaman Shore on Saturday 19th February. This may be one of the last mega-men I depict in this location, as the stop is being moved to the Discovery Point Coach Park on the 7th of March."
Matt writes to say "With reference to a query last time around, the original Neoplan IIL 1832 was in use yesterday (Thursday) in Cumnor, whilst its replacement was parked up at the Didcot base in full fleet livery with its original registration.
Thames Travel
The Pink Lady as I will call this bus picks up in St
Aldates on the 105 last Saturday.
Photo by Martyn Banham
67 on the 105 pictured by Martyn Banham
Martyn Banham writes "Thames
Travel had both the Pink Lady (154) and 67 on the 105 today Saturday."
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included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid week news & when
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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
I welcome
your photos for inclusion on this page. Please send them to me
at
malcolmhc@aol.com
These are two most interesting sites which I do recommend
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