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  

Issue 146
(OBP-361)
Sunday 25th September 2005
next update week ending 7th October 2005

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

After all the excitement of last weekend I am relieved to note that this last week has been somewhat quieter and somewhat back to normal. Thank you to all those who sent congratulations on the win by Oxford Tube 50124 at Showbus.

Brookes back and running at full strength.

Oxford Brookes University came back up last week with a "Freshers" day on Monday last. I am told that nearly 10,000 passenger journeys were made on Brookes Bus last Monday, quite an achievement. Certainly the roadways near Brookes at Headington Hill were thronging with students for much of last week.

Indeed to ensure a full compliment of buses for The Brookes services both 18055 and 18056
have now returned from their summer holidays in Devon. 18056 is seen here last week in Queen St, Oxford.

City Sightseeing in Oxford get their new bus.

Kevin Stevens has kept me updated on developments with CSS's new open topper and I am pleased to be able to bring you a photographic record of progress.  The bus was due to enter service yesterday, Saturday 24th September.

Kevin writes "As I promised a few pictures of work in progress on our new decker. 

I spoke to the sticker putter-on-ers this afternoon (Tuesday) and their plan then was to stay until the job was done tonight so the bus could be PDI'd tomorrow. 

Saturday is looking very much on for the official launch although it may well be seen on driver familiarisation Friday, there are lots of new knobs and dials for us to all learn !!! 

Sorry for the slightly shaky photos, its the excitement I suppose <bg> !!!!!!!"

and then 

As promised the finished article.  It was brought into Oxford at 06.30hrs today (Thursday) to undergo its bridge test ie; under the station bridge, which it passed with flying colours.  It then returned to Didcot to be photographed and finally have its last safety check carried out by Volvo.

Tomorrow (Friday) it should be coming back to Oxford where AVT will fine tune the commentary system and if all goes well it will go out on Saturday in service although its official launch will not be until next week apparently.

I look forward to photos of this bus in service and hopefully some from the official launch.

Those pictures from Steve Bunce at Binders Yard

Last week I included a picture of a recovery bus presently at binders Yard. I received some information during the week about its history.

Alexander body new as Trent 113, now somewhat altered. It is seen here in at the Ward Jones premises in Binders Yard.

Chris Jenkinson writes "Here is a brief history of PRA 113R featured on your news page. It was a member of the Nu-Venture fleet in Kent for a few years, which is where it ended its PSV life. Attached photo taken on 11th November 1999 at Nu-Venture's Aylesford depot."

Chris goes on to say "PRA 113R moved down South to join the fleet of Bygone Tours in June 1993. It initially operated in its previous owners colours before gaining Bygone red livery. In June 1994 it was acquired by Nu-Venture Coaches, retrimmed and painted into coach livery of red and blue stripes. It was later painted into bus livery of light blue skirt with white upper panels.

It was withdrawn and sold to a private owner for non-psv use on 12th June 2000. by 26th December 2000 it had been converted into a tow truck."

Some pictures to bring back memories by Andy Millwood.

Andy Millwood writes ".....thanks for being willing to print my picture of the Thames transit bus. I thought you might like some more so I'm sending two e-mails. I was hoping to do it as one. This one is an Electric Optare bus 804 L804HJO taken outside Oxford Stn ,again about `86/87,the other is of Oxon Travel Bristol BS31 at St Mary Magdalen's Church. Who were Oxon Travel?"

I'm sure some of our readers will be able to through light on the pictures sent in by Andy?

Developments in our area from Chris Duncombe

Chris writes "A couple of items of news which may be of interest for the OCBP.

Firstly, registrations have been approved in the latest edition of the Eastern area N&P for Cheney Coaches to change the timetable of their route 6 from the 5th September, and for a change in the route, timetable and stopping places of National Express route 757.

Secondly, I have 'discovered' the timetables are available on the web for the Stanford-in-the-Vale community bus, which doesn't appear on the Oxford CC website. The address is http://www.stanford-in-the-vale.co.uk/communitybus.shtml, and also includes what I assume to be a picture of the bus used in service."

(I have been unable to find out exactly what the changes to the 757 service are. Ed.)

Another nice photo site is to be found at http://www.wongers.fotopic.net/

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I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this page and look forward to your continued support in the future.

Malcolm Crowe - Sunday 25th September 2005

Gavin Francis writes "Have you noticed Arriva Olympians have a new ARRIVA sign on the front.

James Cusworth noted that there was a Volvo B7/Wright Eclipse Urban on the 328 journey leaving Reading
about 1:40pm today (Monday 12th).

Arriva Olympian double deck 5145 leaving NBS on a 362 working a week ago.

Nigel Eggleton corrects a note from Curly saying "Service 2E ceased after operation on Sept 17^th last year, the last day of 395 Cowley Road."

Trident 103, once red, passes Nuffield college on New Road on a 400 working a week or so ago.

Citaro 832 at the junction with Worcester St and New Road on an X3 working last week.

Lynx Trainer 971 comes up New road last week on training work.

Coachman of Swindon 

Marcus Lapthorn advises that Coachman of Swindon have repainted the former Reading D/D's into a very smart new green & cream livery and given those vehicles fleet numbers as follows: ex Reading 72 = Coachman 36; 73 = 37; 74 = 38. 

The company address has also changed to: Turnpike Road, Blunsdon, Swindon, SN26 7EA, which is just off the A419.

At least one of the former COMS VR's is still in service, being on the 67A on Friday 16 Sept. 

In News Page 144 I said "Much has been made about the new "standard" National Express coach for 2005 and beyond. This is the Scania with Irizar PB bodywork which has been configured to National Express requirements."

Rob Williams wrote "These cannot be the standard vehicles for 2005 and beyond! Any new vehicle built after 1st January 2005 and used on scheduled services has by law to be wheelchair accessible. The current Scania / Irizars appear to have been built on stock chassis built before 1st Jan to get around this. For the future NatEx currently have a wheelchair accessible coach in development in partnership with Caetano which is due to be launched soon. It may be that the interior from the Scanias is to be replicated though."

I however note that is said that NEx have ordered a further 25 of these coaches so I wonder what the configuration will be?

Red Rose of Aylesbury

I couldn't help noticing that a Red Rose bus was in Queen Street, Oxford last week, not the route for the 275 and then it had gone down to St Clements and was then seen turning right into Lomngwall. I wonder if the driver was lost?

The latest fleet list shows the following movements

The M A N s are all going through repaint once again and so 22933 is now having its second coat of the new colours.

Most Witney based Tridents now have 100 route branding. An exception is 18137 seen here on the 100 in George Street.

George Street is the setting for this line up of buses including a Volvo on the X5 52485

The new (50111) and old (50040) seen parked up at Notting Hill Gate coach park.
50040 re entered service a week ago after a further 2 months off the road after one day in service for Live 8.
It is devoid of any branding at all. Photo by Gavin Francis

Ben Morroll came up with this shot of 50051(51) when in service on the Oxford Tube.

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Mike Penn's photo page with much from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire as well as Buckinghamshire

Chris Lowe's Photo page - mainly North West UK

The Oxford Bus Museum