The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  ~~~~   The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  ~~~~   The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  

News Page
 News of the local companies

Issue 285
(OBP-498)
Tuesday 24th March 2009
(next update week ending 12th April 2009)

Adam Green writes "I was going to Hinckley last Monday week and saw coach 4061 (M949LYR) which was one of the Green Line coaches at Stevenage used on the 797 to London Victoria. It was also used at Hemel running on 758-768. It is now at Hemel garage as a training bus with ex Green Line coach from Luton - 4359 (W359XKX) also at Hemel for training."

Andrew Morgan "the Vario 2179 in Tesco livery at Hemel is used on a new route 101 to the Tesco store but it is now not a free service."

Nigel Peach writes "I'm puzzled by the role of red ex Arriva London Dart 3226 (V421 DGT). It is very often parked in the Eden bus station and I never seem to see it on an actual route. I'm sure one of your readers can enlighten me? 

From your Editor. "On Monday I had to take my daughter to Luton Airport and chose the route along the Chilterns through Dunstable as a change from the 737 route. Various buses were seen and those of Arriva are shown below." 

Another Scania, this time on service 69 on the outskirts of Luton.

Luton's route 5 is served by a variety of buses including this now elderly Olympian which still looks smart when seen loading in the town centre.

On another day at another place we see other Arriva buses in service.

Line 500 runs from Aylesbury to Watford and a DAF, once run on gas, is seen at Hemel recently.
It destination display is u/s and it relies on a paper sticker.

Dart MPD 3210 seen in High Wycombe on service 33 passing the Eden.

Adam Green sent this picture of Volvo 3121 on service 23.

Adam Green sent this picture of Volvo 3291 on service in Luton town centre.

Adam Green sent this picture of Scania 3602 branded for the 38 but operating on route 12 in Luton.

Adam Green sent this picture of Van Hool 4379 at Luton a week or so ago.

The new Green Line coaches show a significant variety of rear branding even at this early stage in their lives.

All three seen at Luton Airport earlier this month by Malcolm Crowe.

Another picture of the 28 seater being trialled by easyBus at Stansted by Malcolm Crowe.

A further easyBus liveried tri-axle entered service last weekend and is 4387 seen above - M Crowe.

New super rear branding has appeared on two Aylesbury depot buses.
One is a Citaro sued on Line 300 to Wycombe and other on an Enviro 400 used on Line 280 to Oxford.
Pictures by M Crowe and G Francis respectively.

Peter Cabin writes " ... parked up in Carousel's Baker Street yard is P232AAP in its original paintwork all over white today 16/03/09."  Nigel Peach also remarked on this bus and said he had not so far seen it in service.

Your Editors trip to Luton mentioned above gave me the opportunity to see some more Centrebus operations.

This Solo was pictured near Slip End on a school service.

Centrebus does have some very elderly vehicles and one is this bus which I think started life with Starline of Knutsford, Cheshire.
If so it was a one time member of the Arriva fleet.

Another elderly fleet member is seen on the X31 near Luton.

Another older bus again on the X31 is this M reg Dart near Dunstable.

Adam Green caught up with this Tempo on the 10 in Luton.

Mr A Noone sent this picture of the preceding bus on the Sunday services in Hemel.

Andrew Morgan took this on 28/2/09 Centrebus 530 P130PPV EAST LANCS DENNIS DART SLF (EX-Ipswich buses 130) at Stevenage crew ferry 
 

Nice reflections in this picture by Adam Green.

Grant Palmer

Little Jim Buses

Little Jim are running this leased Mercedes on their 502 service in Hemel.

One tends to take pictures of buses often without the reasons for their being there - passengers.
My picture shows brisk business on a 777 service at Luton Airport last Monday morning.

Not every service runs in a trouble free manner and sadly last Thursday week my Caetano coach shed its drive belts coming into Hemel.
I was left was no option but to transfer my passengers (nearly a full load) to the next service through - a 707 to Northampton
so that they could get to Luton, the destination of two thirds of the load.
The picture shows Scania Assistance who arrived within 60 minutes to effect repairs.

I seems that this Volvo on the 767 service had failed at Luton Airport when Adam Green too the picture earlier this month.

Yet again, as a result of a non available tri-axle Levante, Go Northern were using this Volvo/Plaxton on the 304 service
through Oxford on Monday 23rd March. Picture by Gavin Francis.

Richard Sharman took this picture of one of Trathens new tri-axles on service 501.

Full details about RH Coach Services and our new Excursion programme are now online at www.rhtransportservices.co.uk

One of the Oxford training fleet which has a busy life.

Two of the recent Enviro 400s stand alongside soon to depart Volvo B10M 20012 being prepared for SC South on 13th March.

Once in Virgin Trains livery, 53274 is now in corporate livery but often works the VT99 service to Luton Airport.

From various notes received I can advise as follows:

The ex Oxford Vario at Coleford (42376) has now moved much closer to its old home, at Swindon for service 71. 

East Kent have just put the following up for disposal: 42371-5/7-82.

Nearer hone in Oxford ten of the new Enviro 300s are needed for service on the 7/7A and when the eleventh is available and not on check or service this bus is used on the 7C to Barton.

An interesting picture with three of the present fleet ready for service at the Oxford depot.
They are 50133, 50105 and 50101.

M A N 22936 stands next to 50106 which in turn is in company with freshly repainted 22207 and a Solo 47316.

Martin White writes "Whilst out yesterday at Crystal Palace spotted the former 50052 T52BBW go past and couldn't get a shot in time but luckily it returned and the result is here to see, then after a short space of time it returned again!!  

It must have a liking for Crystal Palace!! and managed to see the legal lettering of its new

Owner: Mitcham Belle Coaches, Mitcham, South London.
Picture by Martin White.

Andrew Morgan writes "On the 20th April uno are making a few route changes to routes and ex-Centrebus routes. Additionally they have lost the contract for route 304 Hitchin-Welham Green/Potters Bar to Arriva but have registered a new route between St Albans and Wheathampstead."

Following my request for some pictures of uno buses on the 614, Mark Lyons kindly obliged with some excellent pictures.

Uno PN08SVZC - Cavendish Way-Hatfield Mark Lyons

Andrew Morgan writes " I live in Welwyn Garden City and uno are a local fleet to me, so I have sent four pictures of their double deckers buses at Queensbury and in Welwyn Garden City. Route 615 is run in the morning between Rayners Lane and Hatfield, then in the evening between Hatfield and Rayners Lane, plus during the day between Hatfield and Stanmore under contract to Hertfordshire County Council. The route is single decker operated not double decker.

The double deckers 203-207 are used on route 614, 250-252 on route 601, 201-202 are sometimes still used on 614 but also on 600,601,634,690 plus as you can see from one of my pictures 201 made a first on the 3/3/09 in being the first double decker on route 603 (I think anyway)."

pic.1 11/4/08 uno 205 UL55 UNO SCANIA OMNIDEKKA at Queensbury route 614


pic.2 8/9/08 uno 207 PN08SWF SCANIA OPTARE OLYMPUS at Queensbury route 614


pic.3 14/10/08 uno 202 YJ53VBO EAST LANCS. MY LOWLANDER DAF at Welwyn Garden City route 601


pic.4 3/3/09 uno 201 YJ53VBN OPTARE SPECTRA at Welwyn Garden City route 603

I much appreciate the support of photos from Mark Lyons and Andrew Morgan.