Spottings & Jottings nr. 81 - November 30th 2014
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Current archives from October 2002
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Editorial
Well, sometime since the last issue, mainly caused by work times not helping getting the page ready. Here it is and I hope it has been worth waiting for.
A great deal has been taking place with new deliveries, new routes and many changes.
It is not often that companies introduce new express routes into London, such is the dominance of established routes.
Stagecoach took a bold decision to introduce such a route from November 8th. The SW1 runs from Carterton and Witney via Thornhill Park & Ride to The Tower of London with stops on Marylebone Road, Park Lane, Victoria Street and the Embankment. Initial results have been most encouraging and one wonders what the future holds for this venture.
This picture of the first departure from Carterton, using Scania Gold 15966,
was kindly provided by Carole Stevens.
Oxford Bus have started a new route 600 from Pear Tree Park & Ride - Oxford University Science Area - Oxford Brookes University to John Radcliffe Hospital. The service runs from morning times after the peak until the late afternoon before the main late peak It is being operated by Citaro buses.
These two pictures show the new service which runs via Parks Road and Long
Wall and were taken by Gavin Francis.
I believe that this is the first time a regular local service has run over
these two roads other than the open top services.
Various events held in recent weeks are recorded in this issue including Coach & Bus Live which took place at the N E C earlier this month and other events including a recreation of RTs working route 11 in London.
EURO BUS expo 2014 latest Megabus Gold sleeper 041114 M Crowe
Gooid pictures are quite difficult in this location due to an excess of
lights and reflections.
RT buses recreate full Route 11 with RT1 near Victoria 021114 G Francis
The weather was not helpful to participants and Gavin reported getting
rather wet!!
There have also been large deliveries of new coaches for National Express services including a batch of two axle Levantes for South Gloucester.
Perhaps one significant piece of National Express news is that Oxford Bus will take over operation of the 737 service from Oxford to Stansted. It is not known what coaches will be used as yet but some sources suggest that tri-axles from the North East may be used. It is also suggested that one of the Scanias off the Airlines services may be repainted white as a relief if required.
The foregoing added to the fact that Oxford Bus has a further eight Plaxton Interdeckers on order for delivery in early 2015 and the Stagecoach X5 is due to convert to 14 metre Volvo tri-axles in the next few weeks is expected to result in the removal of the layover bays in Gloucester Green.
This could impact on coach parking in Oxford, especially since Oxpens coach park has now closed. One wonders how the operators are expected to manage and does Oxford want tourism?
Canadian developments.
Paul Bateson passed some photos to me via Gavin Francis. They are most interesting and show new Enviro 500s entering service near Niagara Falls about now,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society
The Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society was formed in June 2010 and aims to
provide an informal monthly social meeting in Oxford for those with an
interest in buses. Meetings are normally held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month
and normally take the form of a picture show with local and guest
speakers. A small charge is made to cover the cost of hiring the function
room and this is usually around £1 for members per meeting depending on numbers.
For non-members a charge of £2 per head is made.
Next Meeting:
Check with the website please.
Meetings are held in the upstairs function room at:
The Folly Bridge Inn
38 Abingdon Road
Oxford
OX1 4PD
Some limited parking at the back of the pub, also close to bus stops (frequent X3/X13 or 35 routes stop outside)
or a short walk from Oxford City Centre - For directions click HERE
A detailed programme of meetings can be found at the following link and we hope many of you will attend future meetings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When readers take copies of pictures from the OCBP site
Some of the contributors to this site have noticed that their pictures are appearing on e-bay sites selling such things.
Needless to say this is a theft of copyright and one which I deplore!
I would not wish to have to watermark photographs, thereby making them unsalable as such but if this practice continues I shall be left with no alternative. I am sure this would detract from the pleasure so many of you get from the OCBP.
May I please ask readers to do two things?
1/ If you see any photos on sale please let me know and where they are appearing.
2/ If you are someone who has copied and sold photos please desist as this is theft and I will have to take legal action against anyone found doing so.
The site is free to all readers and I pay a price to publish the pages which is not passed on.
Please respect those freedoms and I hope I may not have to mention this matter again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The level of contribution to this page by readers, as ever, remains excellent! Thank you all and for your patience in waiting for this issue.
Malcolm Crowe - Editor - OCBP - 30th November 2014
Spottings
Observations and pictures
From Matthew Taylor
Something seems to of happened at Fort William / Portree and Stagecoach have
stopped running the 914, 915, 916 Citylink services.
J50WCM ex FJ56OBT with WCM on a 914 service at
Glasgow taken by M Crowe on September 22nd.
Ex Stagecoach Oxford's 59211 now with WCM can be seen at the link below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidsbusphotos/15411934401/in/photostream/
Ex Stagecoach Oxford's 59214 now with WCM can be
seen at the link below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidsbusphotos/15228355419/
They have been taken over by a joint venture between West Coast Motors and
Shiel Buses of Archaracle. The Levante's are used by West Coast Motors, and
Shiel Buses have gone down the route of some rather nice looking
Jonckheere's. They have a Shiel Buses Silver on the front, and Citylink
yellow on the back I presume West Coast Motors will do the same with the
Levante's, similar to how their Irizars are painted.
The distance of the routes require the coaches to overnight somewhere, and
West Coast Motors I'm not sure if drivers are also overnighting or whether
they have come up with the Rapsons / West Coast arrangement of everybody
driving each other's buses. I shouldn't imagine the Levante's will stay
white for long on Highland winter roads.
From Richard Sharman
Charlton Services has recently
purchased a newer Vario to operate the 94 Service.
P835 FVU, is the second B10M/PS operating with Charlton. Although this
one has a none standard typeface used on the fleet name vinyl rather than
the more traditional style normally used.
First Worcester(Midland Red West)
has painted two vehicles in Midland Red heritage livery to celebrate
operating the 144 Route between Worcester and Birmingham for the last 100
years.
Pictures of buses I took of buses in Watford Town Centre on 25/10/14.
Arriva 3969 LT63UMN r 500 Watford 031114 M
Turner
Arriva 3419 r 324 Watford 031114 M Turner
Arriva 3911 BV58MLE r 324 Watford 031114 M
Turner
Arriva 6237 r 500 Watford 031114 M Turner
Arriva The Shires
2497 YK57FHJ r 500 Watford 031114 M Turner
(This bus was once used on the 40 from High
Wycombe to Thame.)
The new Streetlites used on the 321 and seen by
Mr Turner in Watford.
Went up to Binders Yard on November 12th and then back via Wycombe.
Ashwood Travel have two of these ex China Bus Dennis Condors, previously
owned by Weavaway.
I think their last owner may have been Greys of Ely?
Now owned by Cliffs Coaches is this one time East Yorkshire Mercedes Optare
Prismo,
P271 NRH ex TD Travel Bridlington.
No legal lettering on this bus but with a route number of BB12 could this be
with Carousel?
TPL254 LN51KYK r BB12 WYC 121114 G Francis.
This wrap open topper went past VCS yesterday. I assume it still belongs to
Big Bus? The only sign I have is the fleet number on the front.
Then went into VCS and in came a four day old
tri-axle for Kings Ferry operating for Stagecoach on 007. I think driver
said they had 3 of them. Strange choice as they have always had Levantes
lately and with the new tri-axles for the A6 could have bought Levantes on
the back of those.
Then a driver off the 11 said that LT60 had been
painted in General livery and was operating as SW309. When I got back to
London in the afternoon the first northbound 11 I saw was 308 so just waited
a few minutes and along it came. Not sure if the livery really suits this
style of bus.
Also got a better picture of the Abellio poppy bus.
From Gordon Scott
Edinburgh operator Lothian has put 25 new Volvo B5 Wright bodied buses 407 BN64 CPU into service on Monday on local route 3 taken in Dalkeith on November 27th.
From J
Curry
After the above
date (2 November) the following routes have been altered.
Route 2 - revised times
Route 3 - revised
times
Route 5 - revised times with evening journeys added on Mondays to Saturdays
Route 8 - Revised times on Mondays to Fridays
Route 9 - Revised times at Mondays to Fridays at peak times
Route 32 - Buckingham - Central Milton Keynes - Newton Longville withdrawn - see Routes 50 & X60
Route 55 - Revised
times on Mondays to Fridays for evening peak journey, so only one bus now
required Route 50 - Revised times with journeys extensions to and
from Ivanhoe now transferred to Route 61
Route 50 - Revised
route and times - The Horwoods
- Winslow - Newton Longville - Bletchley -
Only operators Monday to Friday by Z & S Transport Route 60 and new
Route X60 - Route 60 service reduced to 2 hourly each day
Route X60 -
Aylesbury via A413 via Winslow, Sheep Street to Buckingham
then via old route 32 to Central Milton
Keynes Train Station - service hourly through each Mondays to Saturdays
operated by Arriva and with extra journeys
between Buckingham to & from Central Milton Keynes
Route 61 - Revised
times except off peak journeys each day - one return
Route 70 - Revised times on some journeys each day Mondays - -Saturdays
Route 110 - Revised
times and operator - Arriva to Redline Routes 131/132 - Revised times to
some journeys - Mondays -Fridays journeys
Route 150 - Revised times on Mondays to Saturdays
Route 280 - Revised
times Mondays to Saturdays to cover for road works in the
Route 300 - Revised
route and times of last journey from High Wycombe.
It
That is all the
changes that I am aware of on the above date.
Noted on the A45
heading towards Birmingham today (30/10/14) was Arriva Shires Volvo B7RLE,
Wrightbus 3883 KX11PVE from I think, Ware Garage. It was passing Tollbar
Island, Coventry at around 10:20, and was I believe route branded for the
310 service?
I have now seen
Arriva Shires vehicles here on the A45 three times in the last six weeks or
so, two being Volvo saloons and one an Optare Solo off Milton Keynes by
reason of it's route branding, but 3883 today is the first one I've managed
to positively identify. I wonder if they are intercompany transfers or in
the case of the Solo heading for a dealer.
3915 Arriva Max Livery on the 150
HRZ6498 Demo Bus on the 7 to Wolverton
34423 on the 99 to Luton Airport
Solos 2496 and 2497 ex High Wycombe, now in
service at Hemel.
I
saw TA162-KN52NDL-Ex TGM Near the Marlow’s Shopping Centre on Friday 24th
October 2014
From
Luke Braham
It has been announced that new route X60 between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes via Winslow and Buckingham is to be to Arriva MAX specification. I would assume that it is one of the first Arriva MAX routes outside of Arriva North East?
I have also included a copy of an advertisement
for the route that has been featured on the Arriva the Shires official
Facebook page that you may be interested in.
Ex-Watford Citaro 3915 BV58 MKO was the
first to go for update and arrive back in the base colours of the
Arriva MAX livery with sister 3916 BV58 MLL next away and back by
the 2nd November. I would make a guess that another Citaro will go as the
X60 has a PVR of three buses.
MAX route X60 was launched in Kingsbury Square in Aylesbury on the 27th October between 10am and 3pm.
On the 30th October, MAX route X60 branding was
applied to Citaros 3915 BV58 MKO and 3917 BV58 MLN and they were put
straight back into service. Pictures of the pair can be seen with there
newly applied branding before the X60 route began a few days later.
The route began on the 3rd November.
As the branding for the buses had not arrived for
application, the only indication of the
The other to arrive was Ex-Watford 3917 BV58 MLN
which arrived on the 24th October to MAX specification. Luckily, I was at
the depot when 3917 arrived back from refurbishment to MAX specification.
3917 is seen shortly after arriving back in Aylesbury in the base colours of its Arriva MAX livery. It has spent most of its time on the 150 but has been seen on other routes such as the 300 and 500.
3916 BV58 MLL had arrived back at Aylesbury by the 1st November.
They were used on the 150 and 300 most of the time
before the X60 started yesterday. They did also see use on the 280 as my
parents saw 3917 on the 280 on the 31st October.
Another two Citaros have arrived at Aylesbury
during the past week. One of these is Ex-Watford 3932 BD12 DHK which was the
first to arrive on the 19th October. 3932 still carries its Arriva fleet
livery with 321 branding.
Ex-Watford Citaro 3932 is at Aylesbury now and
allocated to the 280 but seen working the 300 to High Wycombe on 24th
October. 3932 (the 321 branded 12-plate) is expected to be used on the 280
until ten new Enviro400s arrive in the New Year.
It should be noted that on the morning and evening of the 25th October MAX Citaro 3915 BV58 MKO was used on Sapphire 280.
3915 showing detail of the nearside branding.
3492 was involved in an accident where an elderly person had a seizure while trying to leave Stoke Mandeville Hospitals car park and ended up hitting the accelerator instead of the break. The car then went through the car park barrier and straight into the bus. None was harmed in the accident. I’ve included a picture of the damage of 3492 I saw on Facebook that you may want to look at.
Dart 3492 W492 YGS has been written off with accident damage.
All the pictures from Aylesbury by Luke Braham.
Arriva pictureview
Yet another very elderly Dart has arrived at Wycombe from Southern Counties.
Arriva 3224 on the 40 at Stokenchurch on November taken by Gavin
Francis.
This bus was based at Sheerness with several others and can be seen
in the link below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrent857/12686758914/
One presumes that the reason behind the
arrival of several old Darts at Wycombe is because in the early spring of
next year
it is suggested that the 40 will be cut back to Stokenchurch and not serve
Thame, thus cutting off a useful and popular link.
Seems that Hemel is short of coaches as on recent occasions service buses
have worked the 785.
Arriva 3971 on the 758 arrives at Green Line, Victoria on October 20th seen
by Gavin Francis.
Yet another, 3973 at Victoria on October 29th seen by Malcolm Crowe.
The names on these buses add a little colour.
Arriva 3298 on route 30 leaves the bus station in Wycombe on October
10th seen by Malcolm Crowe.
This bus had been based at St Helens in 2013 as seen in the link
below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68628359@N04/8535461118/
As long ago as 2009 this bus was based at Llandudno Junction depot.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/46664279@N07/10103729416/
Arriva 4365 on L duties near Wycombe de[pot, Cressex on November
26th seen by Malcolm Crowe
In 2009 this coach was based at Hemel and would have worked the
758!!!!
Trident 101, now reregistered VAZ9101, is seen
working the 740 on October 10th by Malcolm Crowe.
(I well remember taking this bus to Derby Day back in around 2001 when I was
driving for Oxford Bus.
Of course it was still in Park & Ride green and stood out against the London
General buses on the special route. Ed.)
Ex Oxford Tridents have been re-registered
101
-
VAZ9101
102
-
SNZ1102
102, now registered SNZ1102 operating the 36 on
November 12th seen by Gavin Francis.
102 carried SNZ102 for a few weeks (any pictures????)
103
-
SNZ1103
104
-
SNZ1104
111
-
NLZ5111
111 seen on school duties, by Malcolm Crowe, on
October 10th already re-registered
113
-
MIG7113
116
-
LIG9116
118 - KIG9118
118 on the BB16 school route seen in the bus
station by Gavin Francis on 21st November.
119
-
MIG7119
120
-
DXZ7120
104 is away been converted to single door and is
replaced by 112 T112DBW.
Disposals
Volvo BT7Ls 918, 919,920, 922 (PN02XBZ, XCA, XCK,
XCT), the last three to Ensign Bus.
(When received I remember reports that they were
exceptionally heavy on fuel, especially with the hills around Wycombe.
The Primos surface
in Weston.
From David Smith.
Crosville Weston YX07HNO , a former Carousel
Plaxton Primo, hard at work with Crosville in Weston-super-Mare on November
3rd by David Smith.
Carousel (ex Thames Travel) 502 lays over in Wycombe Bus Station on
November 12th seen by Malcolm Crowe.
Gavin Francis
writes
415 and 417 have been restored to fleet. They had
been on loan to Thames Travel.
However two Mercedes, 873 and 874 have been
loaned to Oxford Bus – see below.
Carousel on hire to Oxford 874 on route 6 on 27th October by Gavin Francis.
My LOTS book confirms TPL 254 is on loan.. We would have seen it a lot of
the 82 in Victoria.
They also say DART P480MLE has been returned from being a static office for a year to be in service in a disheveled condition!
The Dart mentioned above seen in the bus station
on November 26th by Malcolm Crowe.
A very interesting item has been received from Trevor Wilson
Just been reading the X1 bus blog - http://fecx1news.blogspot.co.uk/ - which relates to the First Eastern Counties X1 Peterborough-Kings Lynn-Norwich-Great Yarmouth-Lowestoft and currently run with 22 ADL E400 double deckers every 30 minutes. Previously the route was worked by Volvo Geminis (from new) and prior to that a 'collection' of various aged Volvo single deck coaches. My interest in this route - worked in Norwich for about 6 months prior to the Geminis appearing. [I apologise in advance for 'summarising' the service as the eagle eyed who view the timetable will note assorted variations!]
John Marsh caught up with one
of these buses, 33816, in Wansford Village during the Peterborough Bus Rally
last July.
The author (Gerardtcc) quotes bus mileage
averaging 100k for each of the now a year old ADL E400s. The author
asks the questions "I wonder if there are any other UK bus (not coach)
fleets which clock up huge figures like these ? Do let me know if you have
any ideas."
For info here is the mileage being quoted - taken
from different parts of the blog - my italics - apologies for the font size
which I appear to be unable to downsize.
Thanks to Ryan and
Des we can now confirm the mileages on the Enviro 400s based at Lowestoft.
As at October 21/22 these were as follows :
33818 110820
33819 099283
33820 106572
33821 109559
33822 098786
33823 102116
33824 102936
Mileages of the
King's Lynn based buses at start of duties on 30/9/13 taken from hub meters
or * odometers were as follows :
33803 092416*
33804 102932
33805 106598*
33806 107033
33807 101694
33808 110404
33809 095163
Meanwhile, let’s not forget the Yarmouth based Geminis which still work the
route and take a look at how they have been accumulating the mileage since
they left King's Lynn.
We will take as examples 37576, 37578 & 37579. Here are their mileages when
they left King's Lynn and again this week
37576 03/10/13 560655. 16/10/14
614791
37578 6/10/14 559474. 16/10/14 606496
37579 05/10/14 576132. 14/10/14 626081
So
to save you calculating for yourselves, this means the mileages run in the
last year - give or take a week have been
37576 54140
37578 47000
37579 49950
33810 105070
33811 113432
33812 114308*
33813 100277
33814 102743
33815 108414
33816 103440
33817 106445
From Luke Braham
A quick update from Motts for you.
E28 UNE, E29 UNE, KSK 965, KSK 966 and 6247 MT
(M617 ORJ) have all been withdrawn and are currently being stored at the
premises of J & L Travel in St Leonards.
E25 UNE has also left the fleet.
The UNE buses came from
Shearing's and were some of the last Leyland Tigers!!!! Ed.
A number of changes have resulted in new operators.
National Express operations is to commence a new service from Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street, London. The new A8 service will operate via Mile End and Whitechapel, running every 30 minutes. The current A9 service will run directly to Stratford. Operation of the 737 service between Stansted and Oxford is due to pass to the Oxford Bus Company from Monday 19th January, the same day the A8 is introduced.
New coaches continue to enter service.
South
Gloucestershire Bus & Coach
A number of
C48FLT Scania K440 EB4 / Caetano Levante IIs have arrived, for use on
National
Express contracts:
BN64FKP, BN64FKR, BN64FKS, BN64FKT, BN64FKU,
BN64FKV, BN64FKW, BN64FKY and BN64FKZ.
Picture by Gavin Francis on November 28th.
Allocation
changes:
C142 Start
Hill to Sipson Road
C143 Start
Hill to Sipson Road
C170 Start
Hill to Sipson Road
National Express pictureview
Once part of the new fleet for the A1 to Luton Airport, Kings Ferry is now
operating FJ13EBN
as seen on October 27th by Gavin Francis.
(Seems that following the success of Green Line in restarting services into
Luton airport the NEx fleet was found to be too large!)
NEx Sibson road operates a contract service for the BBC following the
closure of Wood Lane.
NEx 8356 on the BBC Contract - carrying Children in Need branding - seen on
November 6th by Gavin Francis.
National Express coaches operating to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports
now carry easyBus branding.
NEX Lucketts Fareham x4812 FN62CFG on the 025 near VCS with easyBus
logo on October 20th by Gavin Francis.
NEx Selwyn's 170 FJ61EWM on the 304 Weymouth-LPL service
advertising the Liverpool International Music Festival seen at Gloucester
Green on October 30th by Gavin Francis.
South Gloucester's T700SGB is recovered after a "ding" at Victoria by their
low loader truck on October 29th seen by Malcolm Crowe.
Readers will remember that, apart from the four E400s used on the Chiltern Railways contract, two remained for sometime after the others had already gone on to southern Vectis.
Ian Rivett advises that 1579 and
1580 arrived at last on IOW on 6/10/14.
Graham Low
I guess that you are now aware that 900 is on long-term loan to Oxford rather than purchased. I am not clear about which of the 20 buses due for Gyrodrive have actually had this fitted. Buses for November states that 206 and one of the new E400 MMCs are so fitted. In the same article it is said that there will be eight more Elite i Interdeckers, eleven double deckers for 2015 and two new buses for Thames Travel. "
Ian Kirby
I saw this coach in London around the same time. Ed.
Luke Braham
Oxford Bus pictureview
Loaned Citaro BP14FJZ numbered 821 working route
6. It is rumoured that this bus was intended for Thames Travel!!
It replaces the Citaro of TT badly damaged in a collision with a car.
Pictures by Gavin Francis on 25th November.
Carousel 874 on loan for the 6 now replaced by
821 above. Picture by Graham Low.
873 seen on the same route on October 15th by
Richard Sharman.
This must surely be the ultimate use of route branding not on its intended
route!!!!
Hybrid 362 unusually on the X13 in St Aldates on
October 15th seen by Richard Sharman.
OX 366 on "non hybrid" route U5X in St Aldates
again on October15th seen by Richard Sharman.
New E400 604 turns into St Aldates, out of
service, on October 15th seen again by Richard Sharman.
Moving to New Road, Richard caught 613 on the
U1X, another route variation for this Semester.
Looking decidedly careworn 842 is seen in
Magdalen St East on a 2 road working by Gavin Francis on October 23rd.
Loaned 900 is seen on 500 road loading for
a trip to Water Eaton on October 23rd and captured by Gavin Francis.
Frazer Peddle writes "Please a find a few pictures I took at Reading on
Friday 10th October.
ADL e200 YX64 VLV new about a month ago on the Loddon Bridge route
ADL e400 demo seen hiding behind a scarlet e400 hybrid..
Greenwave 402 trying to negotiate road works in the town.
Road works have been a constant appearance in Reading in the last few years with the major re-vamp of the train station.
Can anyone provide an updated fleet list for this company please?
Oxfordshire
Alan Roberts writes
"I have an interest in buses, especially in
Oxford, as a user and in the past as a driver with various local companies
and "frequent" your pages
http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk
I thought you might be interest in this if you
haven't already learned of it from someone else. Route 10 City Centre to JR
hospital via Cowley has been my daily route for the past 5 years or
so. In that time it has always been a single deck route and the one occasion
one of the then new hybrids appeared I deliberately went the "other" way
round the route just for the novelty. This was, I believe, covering a
breakdown.
This past weekend I found another decker
(Stagecoach 10068) on the route and did the same thing. Between Cowley and
the JR I noticed 10069 and 15343 also on route 10 and later in the day
10071.
Finally going home in late afternoon I was waiting
at Cowley Centre. There obviously hadn't been a bus for a while judging by
the queue when 10068 and 10069 turned up together. I let the queue get on
the front bus and joined a few from the back of the queue on the second one.
While waiting to leave 15343 pulled in behind. Leaving Cowley Centre we
waited at the traffic lights at the Swan - 10068, 10069 and a couple
of cars behind 15343 - when 10071 came round the corner heading into town.
I wish I'd had a camera to catch the sight. I've no idea why route 10 had the deckers over the weekend but this morning everything is back to normal."
10069 on route 10 at the J R Hospital on Sunday
23rd November taken by Malcolm Crowe.
(These 700 branded buses are being used on the days off on the 10.)
Stagecoach pictureview.
15965 on driver training duties on October 25th
on the SW1 with 12353 SN64OHC a new Hybrid at West Ham depot taken by
October 25th.
15966 at the Embankment Pier drop off point on
October 19th by Malcolm Crowe.
Risk assessment trials on the S3 at Stonesfield
on October 14th with 15996 by Malcolm Crowe.
15994 and 15995 on the 8 on October 15th by
Richard Sharman.
Two new super rears on 36768 and 36770 seen in Oxford on October 15th by
Richard Sharman.
18292, a 2001 Trident of the Huntingdonshire fleet, seen on October 22nd.
M A N 22328 at Cambridge depot on October 22nd.
Scotland
Following my recent visit to Scotland I have had
some pleasant exchanges with fellow enthusiasts north of the border. One who
has been a good contributor is
Gordon Scott
Gordon also provided numerous pictures of the ex Oxford tube Astromegas taken some weeks ago.
50204 at the X25 Abronhill terminus on 17th October.
Readers may remember that this was the coach I took to Kilmarnock some
months ago.
50222 and 50224 also at Abronhill on October 17th.
50209 at Ayr depot on the 19th October.
50216, 217 and 218 again at Ayr depot on the 19th with a rear shot of 216.
50202 at Kilmarnock on the 19th.
50205 and then 50206 seen at Kilmarnock depot on the 19th.
All the above pictures by Gordon Scott.
If any readers can help with a picture of a Guy UF/Alexander coach (ex London service) fleet number KG968 which goes back to 1964/5, I would appreciate same. I drove this coach from Manchester to Glasgow and back when working for Ribble.
Oxford tube coaches work on the S5, running two services each morning from
Caversfield into Oxford.
50282 is seen heading down St Giles on the morning of the 15th October.
Steve Gee
Megabus 53645 on service to Portsmouth in St
Giles Oxford on October 27th by Gavin Francis.
This type of coach now seems to run this route.
Megabus by Hamilton Gray HG17 HIG5337 working the
M6 near VCS on November 28th by Gavin Francis.
Notice that full livery is now applied.
Aberdeen based Astromega TX27, 50246 works the
M11 homebound on November 7th taken by Gavin Francis.
Megabus Interdecker 55007 works the ME2 to Amsterdam on October 31st from VCS. Taken by Gavin Francis.
Seems there are two new buses ordered for this operator in 2015.
with
Mike de Courcey has a number of National Express operations but a big surprise when I went to the NEC Coach & Bus Show was to find they operate a number of contract services for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) between Birmingham Airport Car Parks and
advanced design and engineering centres at Gaydon and Whitley. Mike de Courcey 101 FJ57KHZ is ex NEx SH20 and seen on the M40 services near Gaydon for JLR on November 4th by Malcolm Crowe.Vale Transport
Vale Y982TGH on the Sunday's only 48 in
Stokenchurch and a picture of this bus in London Central service, both by
Gavin Francis.
MCV 123 bodied
heavy duty option
The UK heavyweight 12 metre single deck market has
declined markedly in importance over the years in the face of rising sales
of midi and lighter weight alternatives but there remains a level of demand,
mainly for more topographically challenging routes but also for specialist
applications where robustness is paramount, such as guided busways.
Prior to Euro6, Volvo met the demand with the low
entry, rear engined, B7RLE chassis. Euro6 has necessitated a change of power
unit and, unlike the double deck range which downsized from a nine-litre
unit to the five-litre D5K used in both the B5LH and the B5TL, the
B7RLE has become the B8RLE, equipped in this instance with the 7.7-litre
D8K.280 unit producing 280hp at 2,650rpm and peak torque of 1,050Nm at
950-1,700rpm. Both 320hp and 350hp outputs are also available from the D8K
but these are to be found in the B8R coach range.
First in Worcester launch
heritage liveries
Marking a century since the launch of the bus
service between Birmingham and Malvern that was later to become the 144,
First Midland Red has unveiled two buses in recreations of earlier livery
styles.
It was on 29 August 1914 that the Midland Red
first offered a through service from Birmingham to Malvern three times
daily, though in reality passengers were required to change buses at
Bromsgrove. The service, then numbered the 25, was initially jointly
operated with Worcestershire Motor Transport though it had to sell out after
the War Department commandeered its buses and declined to take Midland Red’s
Tilling Stevens vehicles. From 7 November that year Midland Red began
operating direct from Birmingham to Great Malvern and from 1916, when
another operator ceased running because of a lack of vehicles, on to Malvern
Wells, a total distance of 38.5miles – no mean feat for the buses of that
era.
From 1922 onwards double deckers were used on the
route which in May 1925 was renumbered the 125 and eventually, from 11 May
1928, became the 144. By 1935 the entire length of the route enjoyed a 20
minute frequency from Sunday to Friday, with a 15 minute frequency on
Saturdays, a timetable that remained the same for the following 28 years.
From 1954 to 1971 a total of 15 buses were required for the route on every
day except Saturday when 20 were needed, these coming from the allocations
of Digbeth, Bromsgrove, Worcester and Malvern depots. Bank Holidays saw
additional buses drafted in from other depots. A round trip took five hours.
After 1971, Saturday services were cut to every 20 minutes and Sundays to
every 30 minutes.
In October 1976 when Malvern depot closed, the 144
was cut back to Worcester and Leyland Nationals replaced the double deckers.
Apart from a brief period in 1979, the 144 has run only as far as Worcester
since then, varying provision beyond that to Malvern having included the 344
and later the 44 services which were at one time provided by Mercedes
minibuses.
A section of Cumberland Road
showing a new toucan crossing across it.
Mr Ferguson insisted that the guided bus, which
was originally known as the Bristol Rapid Transit system, should not be
built on the Harbourside and run in front of the M shed.
As a result, the transport link between Ashton
Gate and Temple Meads station will follow a new route, which will take in
the Cumberland Road/Avon Crescent junction to Redcliffe roundabout via
Cumberland Road, Commercial Road and Redcliff Hill.
THIS is the first glimpse of how Bristol’s
multi-million-pound MetroBus transport system is expected to look. Plans for
the contentious bus route have been resubmitted to the city council
following the intervention of Bristol mayor George Ferguson.
The link is the first of three routes which will
cost an estimated £200 million.
Scores of comments on the Ashton Vale to Temple
Meads section of the MetroBus network have been submitted as part of a
consultation process on the plans. A public inquiry has also been held into
the scheme.
Consultation will now move to the formal planning
stage, which means all comments and views on the application have to be
through the planning process.
The final scheme will include three interlinked
bus routes – Ashton Vale to Temple Meads, the North Fringe to Hengrove
Package and the South Bristol Link.
The system will be operated with modern,
low-emission vehicles and have right of way over other traffic on sections
of the route.
Stops will provide electronic
real-time-information displays, fast boarding and smartcard ticketing.
A public inquiry was held in summer 2012 – and the
Transport and Works Act Order was granted last month.
This year, following concerns raised by the mayor
about the impact of rapid-transit buses on the Harbourside and crossing
Prince Street Bridge, a review of alternative routes was carried out by the
city council.
This review recommended a route between the
junction of Cumberland Road/Avon Crescent and Redcliffe roundabout as the
best alternative to using Prince Street Bridge and the Harbourside.
It is this section that is the subject of the
latest planning application.
The section of the route between Cumberland Road
and the Long Ashton park-and-ride facility has not been changed.
There are also hopes that a new passenger
transport interchange will be built at Temple Meads railway station.
The new interchange will link the railway network,
MetroBus and Greater Bristol bus network.
In previous years there had been hopes that
Bristol would get a tram system.
But the local authorities involved were unable to
come to a compromise over the route.
New Routemaster in heritage livery
Keith Wood
Have you seen any of the sculpture trail buses around London? Quite a few good looking ones around. The only one that actually represents a bus is plonked outside Palestra
(TfL bunker number 1 ;-0 ).
RTW335 at Wisley on the 4th April 2004. Somewhat
different to the last picture above.
All pictures by Gavin Francis.
Here's a selection
of pictures from the Great Western
Heritage Weekend sponsored by FGW. The buses are probably
self-explanatory with the exception of the GWR Guy which doesn't venture out
too much and was being a little temperamental yesterday - it doesn't like
traffic lights (Who does?!). It is a 1927 Guy FBB with Vickers B32R body
built in 1927 and allocated to the GWR's Penzance services. It was withdrawn
by WN in 1931 and sold via a dealer in Truro to a private buyer at
Perrenporth. After few couple years on the beach head as a caravan it was
towed up to a cliff top and became a chicken house come office. It was
"rescued" in 1972 but it wasn't until Collin Billington purchased it in 2000
that restoration began, taking 11 years. It is simply superb - I got a ride
to Eton and back. The bus shots are either at Slough station or in Eton.
One of the shots
show Collin Billington (in uniform) and Ward Jones exchanging handshakes to
mark the change of ownership of TV 446 to the Thanes Valley & Great Western
Omnibus Trust after 43 years in Ward's care.
The railway
pictures show the specials operating as part of the event. On both days, the
Great Western Society's Steam Railmotor no.93 operated up and down the
Brentford branch out of Southall - the very route it had worked when new in
1908-09. It is a self-propelled car with a small vertical boiler above one
bogie which is in effect a 0-4-0 engine. It ran in this form until
In addition FGW
operated 5 trips on Saturday round the Greenford Loop in and out of
Paddington using the stock from the 'Night Riviera' sleeping car train (it
includes three seated coaches) topped and tailed by 57604 'Pendennis Castle'
and 57605 'Totnes Castle'. The former is FGW's "celebrity" loco and carries
pseudo-GWR style green livery etc. There were also special services both
days on the Colnbrook branch from west Drayton to a point just south of the
M4/M25 interchange. These were worked by 150002, one of the original pair of
Class 150 Sprinters normally used on the Reading
Windmill Bridge is halfway down the Brentford branch and is unique as it has three levels with the Grand Union Canal (middle) and Windmill Lane both crossing the railway at the same spot. I shot this out of the back cab of the Railmotor hence the smoky image!
History
An interesting link for old Oxford pictures.
http://www.sct61.org.uk/gallery/jboylett/zzbud522
From
Alan Coulson.
I wonder if you can help me out please or if any of your fellow historians
can. I am doing family history of R.W.Carney (Bob) of Sunderland
County Durham who ran coach business from 1948 till 1983.
I have traced his 3rd coach to Surman of Chinnor a
Bedford SB new them in 5/1952 i gather that he bought it 2nd hand date
unknown I have a blurred front end photo and wonder if any one has better
photo as i have now started to do before and after Carneys in photos.
I could accept to my e.mail address from which i
could copy photo or i could cover any costs re postage. Any information be
gratefully accepted.
Whilst i Google Chinnor i noticed on page
Jeffways.
Bob’s 1st. coach was KKX28 bought 2nd from Fred
Stratton of Redby coaches of Sunderland Bob and Fred were friends Bob would
drive for Fred and Fred would help out Bob on his milk round. My query is my
notes state Fred had this coach in 1946 then to Bob in 1948. As i bid to
trace history with no access to records i have been told that coach was new
to Jeffways and Station Taxis in 1947 of High Wycombe as the dates
dont seem to add up i ask could you confirm any history I have side on
photo which has a J motif on coach on reading about Jeffways and
there history plus take overs J & P i see a link re J Jeffways.
KKX28 is listed as a Bedford and later describe as
a Longwell Green rebodied Bedford OB. Number 50788. Can any one
say this is a Bedford with a new Longwell Green body.
I thank you for any help.
I’m doing some research on Hambleden between the wars, and wonder if you
could help me with details of buses that served the village during that
time.
I wonder if you could help me with a little bit of history?
I'm puzzling how
the 280, Aylesbury to Oxford, came into Arriva hands. I remember it in the
late 1970s when it was COMS operated from Aylesbury outstation. I recall
that there were around 4+ DDs parked at the UCOC depot. UCOC then became
Luton & District. And the outer ring of COMS operations became South Midland
and were subsequently divided from COMS.
Harry Blundred
(Transit Holdings) acquired South Midland and then Stagecoach acquired
Transit Holdings. So, logically the 280 should now be with Stagecoach but it
isn't and I can't remember the chain of events that caused it to pass the
Luton & District and subsequently Arriva.
Do you remember any
of this detail? Perhaps if not, this question could be posed in the Oxford &
Chilterns Bus Page as some readers may well remember this important piece of
history.
Keith suggested you'd be interested in the attached photo, showing two
evidently very long-standing bus stops situated on the B4027 near Stanton St
John, not far out of Oxford. I was there in the summer and this picture was
taken on 16 July. The shelter is used by Heyfordian's 108 but I'm not sure
that the stop across the road is used at all, although you’ll see that both
have timetable display cases.
I don't know whether this kind of stop plate is
as rare in Oxfordshire these days as it would be in most other parts of the
country. Would they have been installed by COMS? Is my recollection that
Midland Red also used this style of plate in the Banbury area also correct?
Finally a really lovely piece of history -
100 years ago.
Ali Hough found a postcard in her grandfather's
belongings. Here it is and thanks to Ali and husband Rob.
Cowley Road in 1914.
LE LT302 r 453 Marylebone 241114 G Francis
LG LT54 r 11 overall wrap for You Tube 241014 G Francis
LG LT189 Euro 6 version BPR 071114 G Francis
LUL LT77 r 10 wrap for UGG 241114 G Francis
LUL LT120 r 148 White City 061114 G Francis
Metroline LT100 r 390 wrap Strato60 241114 G Francis
SCL LT269 Wrap for Poppy 131114 G Francis
SCL LT271 and 272 on route 8 Silver 131114 G Francis
Stagecoach's LT269 have the Poppy wrap applied at West Ham on October 19th.
Picture by Malcolm Crowe.
It took four men nearly all day to complete!!
Other current Warps
LUL ADH12 r 94 - overall wrap for Westfield - 061114 G Francis
LUL TLA23 r 94 - overall wrap for Thailand - 061114 G Francis
Links & Publications
Mike Penn's interesting web site for pictures
You might be interested to know that I have now uploaded 268 photos taken in
Beds, Bucks and Herts in the year 2000 to my website -
http://166emj.piwigo.com/index?/category/50-beds_bucks_and_herts_photographs_2000
One of the
major events of the year was the purchase by Arriva the Shires of the City
of Oxford operation in High Wycombe on December 13th. Two days later, as can
be seen from the photographs, vehicles had received Arriva The Shires fleet
names and legal lettering but retained their Oxford fleet numbers.
The other
major event was the enforced sale of the Lutonian operation by Arriva the
Shires.
Both Arriva
The Shires and Arriva East Herts & Essex continued to repaint vehicles into
Arriva livery though there were still many in previous liveries.
Elsewhere in
the region M K Metro continued their policy of purchasing various
interesting secondhand vehicles. Some of these came from Border Buses – the
company in Lancashire that M K Metro had bought.
Buffalo
Travel continued to run but Seamarks were taken over by Dunn-Line early in
the year.
Many other
independents are also represented.
Mike Penn
Todays buses - Oxfordshire
This review covers the
September 2010 video by Robin Clare
Transport. The issue costs £10 and is well worth this small cost for
over one hour of buses and coaches in our area.
THE FINAL
VOLUME IS
SO
RETAIL
PRICE £25
ORDER NOW
FOR £20+ £3
p&p
This final installment of the
4-volume 800-page history of the Thames Valley Traction Co. Ltd. brings the
story to its conclusion on the last day of 1971.
All route developments and changes
to the fleet are fully detailed, along with special appendices for the
service vehicle fleet, garages and out-stations, a route map, garage
allocations and working arrangements.
Profusely illustrated with 548
monochrome half-tone illustrations and a full-colour section of 45 photos,
this provides a very comprehensive history of this interesting decade,
including the numerous secondhand vehicles acquired during those years.
Demand will be high, so
order now from: Paul Lacey, 17
Sparrow Close
Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire,
RG41 3HT
If you are local and wish to
collect please call me on 0118 979 4097
A Guy Arab on the Oxford service and seen at Gloucester Green.
One of the constituent companies was Denham's.
Apart from the archaic Leylands, the company ran some AEC Regals after the
war.
These were rebodied with ECOC/ECW bodies purchased from North Western Road
Car, Stockport via dealers.
They had been new in 1936 on Bristol Jo5G chassis which were rebodied with
Brush bodies in 1946 to a similar design.
Your Editor must have travelled on one of these buses, when in NWRCC
service, as a small boy.
They would have doubtless run on service to Highclere, now well known as the
house is featured in Downton Abbey.
17 Sparrow Close
Woosehill
Wokingham
Berkshire RG41 3HT.