News Page
Editorial
& Features
Issue 274
(OBP-487)
Sunday 28th September 2008
(next update week ending 12th
October 2008)
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Editorial & Features - plus Picture Corner with a few surprises
New double deck "coaches" received for Green Line 702
A number of new double deck Volvo/Wright Eclipse vehicles are due for route 702 from London Victoria to Windsor. Three of these Volvos turned up last week at Fleetwood and to quote Alistair Liddle - a man who rarely misses any new Wright's delivery at this port - they were moved on in "a hell of a hurry". Alistair missed out getting anything better than that shown below.
Glenn Knight also sent some pictures which show some more of these fine new vehicles. I understand that one may appear this weekend at Duxford and I very much look forward to seeing it if it does.
It would appear that there are some rearward facing seats on the upper deck which would make for a nice family group area on days out.
A spy in the cab
Buses in Oxford have been fitted with pioneering 'spy in the cab' technology which helps drivers to save 10 per cent on fuel consumption.
Oxford Bus Company’s £125,000 'telematics' system, which keeps track of acceleration and braking, and encourages drivers not to leave engines idling, has been a big success during its 18-month trial.
The device, which sits on the right of the steering wheel, has five displays which light up to indicate revving, idling, braking, acceleration or excess speed. The speed limit is checked by global positioning system (GPS).
Operations director Louisa Weeks said: "We trialled the system on the busy City2 route and the results were dramatic."
"It was even more successful than we hoped for. We planned on achieving a reduction of around five per cent but the 10 per cent figure is a tremendous tribute to the hard work everyone has put in."
"With the new equipment and the training, our drivers now know just how much or how little fuel they are using."
"The monitor helps them with that target. It also reminds our drivers of the 20mph speed limit in the city centre."
"It’s had quite an effect on our drivers. Quite a few of them have been using the techniques they’ve learned at work when they are driving their own cars and they’ve had just as dramatic results. We believe the whole of Oxford will benefit greatly from the new technology."
"Everyone is better off because of even lower emissions and the results of the trials were so encouraging that we were able to factor the savings into our fare calculations this summer. As a result the increase was lower than it would have been without the system."
All drivers are expected to be trained very shortly and all Oxford Bus Company's buses have now been fitted with the equipment as at 24th September.
Since being taken over by Go-Ahead in 1994, the Oxford Bus Company has seen a 50 per cent increase in customers, and now almost half of those travelling to the city centre arrive by bus."
Operator launches "buses vs. cars" study
In High Wycombe FREE bus travel is being offered to residents as part of a study to show how much cheaper buses are than cars.
Bus firm Arriva is trying to determine the difference in cost between using a car and taking the bus.
It is offering High Wycombe residents free bus travel for the study, which begins on October 1.
Linsey Frostick, Customer Services Manager for Arriva the Shires and Essex, said “In the current economic climate, people are increasingly watching what they are spending and we believe that buses offer a way for people to reduce their travel costs."
“Buses offer great value for people travelling in and out of towns and cities. There are no car parking charges and, with the car being left at home, it’s better for the environment."
“An added benefit of travelling by bus is that you can sit back, relax and let the driver worry about the traffic.”
She said “We want to hear from people who are willing to take part in our test to compare the realities of travelling by car versus the bus.”
For more information email - comparison@arriva.co.uk - by September 28.
Aylesbury Bus Station nears completion - update from Colin Richardson
I am pleased to report that the refurnished Bus Station, but not the waiting room, will reopen on Monday 29th September 200/8. The stops in Walton Street will close. It is intended that Silver Rider 1 and Route 9 will operate from new stops in Great Western Street.
A picture taken by Matt Robinson of a Dart on route 9.
Matt says "Red
route Dart 3486 in Aylesbury Town Centre.
When the works on the Bus Station are completed the 9 will pick up from bay 11.
Two new stop posts have been installed on the opposite side of Great Western
Street to the current 'bay 12' stop."
New Travel Information Office
This new office should open on Monday 29th September 2008. This office intends
to provide timetables for ALL services operating from the Bus Station, including
the smaller independent operators.
Further works
There are still improvements close the bus station and rail station to
be completed.
IT'S ALL CHANGE IN WALTON STREET
TRAFFIC flow in Walton Street, Aylesbury, from the Exchange Street roundabout to the town centre, will be changing direction from Monday 29 September, as the £18.5 million Aylesbury Public Transport Hub and, in particular, bus station refurbishment project enters its latest stage.
Traffic in this stretch of Walton Street will be one-way, in the direction from the Great Western Street/Market Square junction towards the Exchange Street roundabout, down to the County Hall accesses.
Buses approaching this new-one-way system will access the bus station and new Super stops via Friarage Road and Great Western Street.
Extensive works have been carried out in Great Western Street, where new Super stops will be in operation for the Haydon Hill, Elmhurst and Bedgrove routes, and buses will revert to these and the bus station from their temporary stops on the 29th September. Information signs will be put up in both the bus station and Great Western Street, and passengers are reminded to check them regularly.
The area where Great Western Street, Market Square and Walton Street converge will be revamped as a 'shared space' for traffic and pedestrians, to tie in with the new bus station and travel information centre. The present taxi rank outside AVDC's offices will be resited in Walton Street. The disabled parking spaces and short stay parking outside the library will remain.
Val Letheren, Buckinghamshire's Cabinet Member for Transportation, said: "These changes will make all the difference to this part of Aylesbury town centre. It's always been our intention to make the new bus station an integral part of the town, and the measures we are putting in will also enhance the appearance of this area and make better use of the space available. We've endeavoured to put in a sympathetic design and used materials to complement the existing, old part of the Market Square, with a modern slant.
"Our engineers and contractors have worked hard on this project to carry out a complex refurbishment under difficult circumstances. We are now really starting to see the benefits of those efforts."
Flying over Wycombe by Nigel Peach
I had the good fortune to win second prize in the raffle at our village fete this year. The prize was a ride in a helicopter (I was glad not to have won first prize which was a year's subscription to the gym!!) and I had a wonderful time yesterday morning in perfect weather.
Buses in the Landscape
In this aerial view of Henley on Thames, an Arriva bus can be seen on the 850 travelling towards High Wycombe. (I think it might be Volvo 3841 (N621 FJO) as it appears to be in Interurban livery.)
The helicopter trip was very special and I took over 70 photos. Only now have I discovered that one I took of the Eden centre has a number of buses on, so that is attached. We must have gone directly over the bus station but I couldn't get a photo of it!
I attach five photos in total - one as mentioned above, one as mentioned below and three general interest ones for you (not necessarily for the page unless you want to) of Adams Park, Marlow and West Wycombe.
The view of the Eden Centre (picture two below) shows two buses emerging from Bridge Street by the bus station. One is a Red Route Dart, the other an Olympian. Also in the picture can be seen the Carousel depot in the top left corner. Could that be one of their Routemasters?
I have included two pictures of Adams Park, one a closer view for those who are Wycombe supporters. Ed.
Booker
Airfield use an ex United Counties VR. It is VVV 951W.
Here its engine has just been started and it is belching black smoke - not a
great advert!
School bus duties at The Icknield School, Watlington
My youngest grandson has just started at The Icknield School in Watlington and I was asked to pick him up a week or so ago. This gave me the opportunity to take some pictures of the buses and coaches involved in the return home run each afternoon around 3 p.m.
Heyfordian provided this magnificent coach for Chalgrove students.
The driver seemed to have the little dears well under control.
Motts were also there as was Woottens with the fine Tiger.
The bus used for Stokenchurch students is now provided by Arriva.
This now elderly Olympian was on the run the afternoon I was there.
Other pictures from BDoY
Even more pictures from Bus Driver of the Year 2008 have been received and I include below a selection received from Alan Gelson of Oxford Bus.
David Leeder quits First
David Leeder is to resign from the Board of FirstGroup plc to “pursue alternative business interests outside the Group” the group said this morning.
He has spent seven years at First, as Managing Director UK Bus and more recently as International Development Director.
In a statement, FirstGroup Chief Executive Sir Moir Lockhead thanked Mr Leeder for his “substantial contribution to the profitable growth of FirstGroup.”
Mr Leeder added: “I believe the time is right to move on to new challenges.”
Cavalier takeover is cleared
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has decided not to refer the purchase of Cavalier Contracts by Stagecoach to the Competition Commission.
Announcing its decision this afternoon (Thursday) on the sale, which was completed five months ago, the OFT says there are “no competition concerns in relation to the very limited direct overlaps between their operations.”
The OFT also considered if there would be a loss of competition on the Cambridge-St. Ives guided busway, due to open next spring.
Cavalier and Stagecoach were to independently operate over the route, with a five-year licence. The OFT says it was not definite that Cavalier would have become a busway operator, while independent Whippet of Fenstanton remains another planned busway operator.
Unilink Southampton - Go-Ahead company receives new buses
From this Sunday Go Ahead in the form of Solent Blue Line will takeover the Unilink operation for Southampton University from the present operator.
The whole fleet (more or less) is due for replacement and the first arrived this week in the form of three Scania OmniCities, Go South Coast's preferred vehicle choice at the moment. A rare case of "right place, right time" saw Ant Poulton at Rownhams services where the three were taking a break en route to Poole for PDI etc. The three were HF58GZJ, HF58GZK and HF58GZL, to be fleet number's 1304, 1306 and 1305 respectively.
Ant comments "the different shade of blue now being used - subtle change but very nice in my opinion".
The buses are expected to be;
1301 - HF58 GZE
1302 - HF58 GZG
1303 - HF58 GZH
1304 - HF58 GZJ
1305 - HF58 GZK
1306 - HF58 GZL
1307 - HF58 GZM
1308 - HF58 GZN
1309 - HF58 GZO
HF58GZL - photo by Ant Poulton.
Ant runs some interesting web sites.
http://poultyphotos.fotopic.net
http://wiltsanddorset.forumup.co.uk
John Marsh and a useful photo site
John Marsh writes "But it might be an opportunity to mention the web site again?"
http://busesandcoaches.fotopic.net
Visit to Edward Thomas by Glenn Knight
Glenn knight visited Edward Thomas last week and I am including his short report and pictures as this is a company often seen in and around Oxford and the Chilterns on private hire work. They are also newsworthy as they still have fourteen Leyland Tiger Buses/Coaches in service today, one of the U.K.'s only companies to still have a wide range of Leyland Tigers.
Glenn has sent photos of SJI 8904 (82 LUP) Leyland Tiger C48Ft Ex-United Counties 82 . W638 FUM Volvo B10M Ex-Wallace Arnold . P508 VUS Volvo B10M Ex-Hutchison, Overtown . 160 CLT Volvo B10M on a private licence plate originally from AEC RM160 . AEZ 1360 & 267 PPH & TIL 8272 Leyland Tiger Plaxton . SJI 3272 is originally C287BBP ex Southampton City Transport 287.
Request for information on a Volvo tri-axle by Clark Steiner
Clark Steiner writes to ask about a bus in Peru? He says "I hope you can help me play detective. I met a man who drove buses in Peru back in 1992. he said he drove a tri-axle Volvo bus that seated 58 people. Do you know what model he possibly drove? I cant find photos of any early 1990s tri-axle Volvos."
Request for information on a MacBraynes book
Matthew writes "I wondered if I could be really cheeky and seek help from your readers:-
I'm looking for the out of print book called MacBraynes for the Highlands, it is about the bus company that was the forerunner to the Highland SBG and then Highland Country, and Rapsons / West Coast Motors as opposed to the shipping company of a similar name.
The fleet livery was a red with a mint green top, and they had some weird and wonderful array of vehicles, especially on some of the Island services.
If anyone has an idea I would be most appreciative"
A few interesting and unusual pictures from Dave Rogers for this issue's Photo Corner.
Once
nr 40 then 50040 in the Oxford Tube fleet this coach is now with Hatts of
Chippenham.
http://www.hattstravel.co.uk/
Kinch of Minety, who also have an ex
Oxford Tube M A N have just received this fine double deck coach.
A
nice little coach seen in Oxford by Gavin Francis.
This mini coach was at Stansted and is included here because of a most
appropriate registration.
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