Finalised on Tuesday, July 10th.

Editorial

Another week another issue! Wow - has it been hot? Nice for me now I'm not working now I've retired but I think of my colleagues at Stagecoach and wonder how they are managing.

This week I have received some interesting notes regarding services from John Wood and Oscar Longman amongst others. Many thanks for these as they add so much interest to the page.

I thought I would take a moment to tell readers how the page is produced each week and, maybe, provide some hints on how to help me.

From the end of the preparation for each issue I start a notes page to which I add each details from each email as they are received. At this time I change the font to Segoe UI which is the font I use on the page. This helps finalise the page that you see and read. I am also able to amend any small errors and also check spelling. This means that it is a simple cut and paste on to the relevant part of the upcoming issue.

When I receive photos I save this to a master file ready for use in the issue and each contributor then has their own file in the master.  (Oh dear, should I say mistress? !!!) Then I work on each picture to edit and size off for the best presentation. I use a size of 1000 pix by * pix which means that pictures are not too big to view when published. I once made a mistake and the unedited one filled more than three pages !!!

I also look at the press and trade magazines to see if there is anything of interest to add to the page.

It generally takes about 14 hours of work to produce each page and sometimes I get behind and then it runs over to Tuesday.

However the most important fact is the level of contribution which is always excellent and on occasion a little too much for the issue. I do try very hard to use most of what you all send but occasionally I get similar pictures of the same bus or coach and then I have to choose. It is you Guys who make the page what it is, not me. I am only the Editor. Thank you to everyone.

Indeed as I complete this issue on Tuesday evening the weather has eased and cool breezes predominate. If the forecast is correct we might get a shower by the end of the week!! I hope everyone enjoys my efforts?

Today also saw the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force with a wonderful fly past over Buckingham Palace with 100 aircraft. It was quite something watched by so many people.

Oxford County Council to spend an extra £10 million on repairing the roads

Well, not too soon, Oxfordshire is to spend money on repairing the roads and filling the pot holes.

I would like to take a council representative for a ride in my Smart car to show just how bad the roads really are. Indeed some holes could be big enough to swallow my small beast!!!!

When one realises the money spent on Frideswide Square, maybe to have left it as it was and spent the money on those blessed potholes might have been better!

Notices and Proceedings

There are two links which readers might find interesting. These are known as Notices & Proceedings and readers can see what is going on with bus and coach services in our area. They may look complicated but when you get used to the layout can provide much useful information. The links are given below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notices-and-proceedings-for-the-west-of-england

This link normally provides much of what is happening in our area.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notices-and-proceedings-for-london-and-the-south-east-of-england

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notices-and-proceedings-for-the-east-of-england

I realise that some of you will already know these sites, especially those in the business but thought it might be interesting for those who follow the industry.

Recent weather and Hong Kong !

The recent hot weather has caused a number of issues for operators relating to overheating, failing of air conditioning etc. Of course on a local bus air conditioning is always a problem as the stop start nature of the services with doors opening are hardly conducive to keeping the bus cool and comfortable. On the coach services that is not always the case and one can expect a pleasant and cool journey. I often found stepping off an Oxford tube, after a two hour run into London, it was like walking into a brick wall of heat. Sadly the air conditioning does not always function too well and customers then get pretty annoyed. Indeed bus operators in the tropics have enormous air conditioning units on the roof or within the vehicle but the cost is significant and our weather does not always reach such levels as we are now experiencing. It is rather nice though if one is retired.

I remember once on my first visit to HKG walking out of the hotel with my newly purchased camera and trying to take pictures of the myriad of buses and trams passing by, only to find my lens had misty over with the condensation and having to wait quite sometime until the lens cleared and I could take some pictures!! I haven't experienced this here in the UK but of course in some places abroad the humidity is significant.

Les Burton sent a selection of pictures taken  in Hong Kong which may interest readers.

Hong Kong Bus NWFB (New World First Bus) 2503 VD7383 an Enviro 200 MMC 10.7m in 2018 by Les Burton.

Hong Kong Citybus 8539 VN4816 Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC New Facelift 12M Euro 6 in 2018 by Les Burton.

Hong Kong NWFB Dennis E400 3845 UY3608 in 2018 by Les Burton.

And finally a warm and sticky evening with doubtless high humidity again in 2018 by Les Burton. This is the place if you love trams !!

Famous Oxford tree admired for its blossom falls into High Street

A FAMOUS Oxford tree has been left with just its stump after one of its biggest branches fell into High Street.

The pink blossom on the almond tree outside the University Church of St Mary the Virgin is always much admired by tourists and other passers-by and seen as a sign that winter is well and truly over.

So, it was nearly well and truly over for the tree on Friday when one of its largest branches fell into the road.

Now readers may wonder why I've mentioned this but those who have followed this page for the years which I have been presenting it may remember that in early spring I have published several pictures of buses passing the tree in the High Street just past The Turl as its' wonderful pink blossom seems to herald an approaching summer.

Your Editor visits Slough

I took an afternoon visit to Slough on July 4th, a place which I used to go through each day, for some 25 years, on my way to work at Heathrow. Quite a lot seemed to have changed, not the least of which is the increase in operators, from the now far away days, with new companies serving this area of the Thames Valley. Pictures from my visit are included below with some comments.

 
Plenty of room to move, layover and of note, departing vehicles are given priority over arriving vehicles and I never saw an infringement.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this modern bus station with a dramatic roof line and wonder why a magnificent city such as Oxford with many tourists can only boast an outdated very small "coach" station and on street local bus stops? Can someone answer this I wonder?

This article is in memory of Stephen Le Bras who so often contributed to these pages and, although living in Windsor and who used to ride with me, when driving the Oxford tube, as far as Shepherd's Bush on a Saturday, would have known and appreciated what is saw. Happy memories, thank you Stephen.

Slough Bus Station and area by Malcolm Crowe.

 
Chiltern Hundreds from Carousel - Mercedes 874 arrives, parks up for a break and then runs round to load.
Carousel have only recently started to serve Slough in place of the 74 run by Arriva.

Ah, so that council are not quite on the ball as the 74 is still showing on the departure screes!!!! 

First were the largest operator in Slough and still run a number of route radiating out to Maidenhead in the west and Heathrow in the east.

E200 44560 is seen in Lake Avenue heading for Slough and was my first local bus seen.

 
Later E200 44562 was in Brunel Way with a departing 12 service. Earlier this bus was seen on a nr. 3 service for Uxbridge.

The X74 is the remaining First service to operate north west to High Wycombe.
This bus, 37165, originates from Southampton and is a Volvo B7TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork.
A lort of the control staff from First were rushing round as it seems they were short of a bus for the X74 and so this SOUTHAMPTON one filled in!!

Stephen remarked to me that the local Citaros had begun to appear with coloured front and here 64031 arrives in Slough with a 4 service, the route for which it is branded.
Well done First, what a change from other operators around.

Here Citaro 64036 leaves with a Heathrow via Windsor service, note the arriving buses waiting. Again Well done.

 
Citaro 64038 looks spotless as it arrives on an 8 service ready to depart to Heathrow via Staines and later leaving on its journey.

First StreetLite Max 63315 SM65LNK has arrived on route X74 and is off to layover.

Volvo 7900Hybrid- Volvo B37F VSH69922 arrives at Slough on the 8. These are impressive buses in my opinion.
They are a fleet of 15 buses and have been seen on the X74 in High Wycombe.

TfL operates one route into Slough, that being the 81 from Hounslow via the A4 at Heathrow. This has operated for many years, indeed longer than I can remember. I do remember seeing RTs and RMs on the route.

     
For those who love "London" there is a variety of buses used on the 81 by London United some of which used to run on the 94 along Bayswater.

Reading Claret 752 on Green Line service 702 departs with a service to Legoland.

Here Royal Wedding decorated 757 approaches the loading stop for Legoland.

   
The Green Line 1431 departure to Bracknell is worked by fully branded 1212 as it approaches, loads and departs.

 
Courtney took over route 2 which was first operated by Reading Thames Valley and above is Solo SR YD63VBN "Joshua" arriving at Slough
whilst another Solo SR, YJ13HNG "Barnaby" departs on the same route. The lack of any identity on these buses is disappointing!

 
Reading's Thames Valley does however operate route 5 and above we see Solo SR 194 and StreetLite 167 both on this route.

Once with Red Rose, this E200, 50512 - W25RRT, is now with Redline and is seen operating the WP1 to Wexham Park Hospital for which it is fully branded.

A beautiful Irizar i6 - YP17FLE - operated by Stewarts who had two of these coaches which seemed to rotate around the bus station area.
I never did find out what the were doing !!

NP Coaches ALX400 X335HLL in Slough heading to the town centre.

I found it a very pleasant afternoon with plenty to see and well worth the visit.

Wimbledon 2018 by Gavin Francis

As ever Gavin visited Wimbledon to see what buses and coaches were in use on this year's Championships. His results are seen below and include many of Go Ahead London's Commercial fleet. His visit was on July 3rd.

A Dart, 256 SN54GRK works the 839 Station Shuttle.

   
The Commercial fleet provided several E class buses including E5, E10 and E281, the latter much newer.

From the main bus fleet, E256 was in use.

For many years a favourite was in use again, RM9, looking great.

One open topper seen was WVL93 most suitable for the summer heat wave.

Coach VC2 was in use on the Park & Ride service.

A hired in bus was from Go Coach of Sevenoaks, Solo 4503 YJ09MMU.

Oxford Rail Replacement services from various contributors

The provision of appropriate destination screens on some vehicles was notable.

From Jim Wright on July 8th.

First Bristol E400 MMC 33499.

Oxford Brookes MMC 611 and Z&S FJ05AOK once with Plastow's of Wheatley.

Reading Gas Bus 435 BU52GAS.

From Richard Sharman on July 7th.

General view of the bus parking area, a rather long walk from the station.

Reading's 651 of the Park & Ride to Winnersh Triangle!

From Gavin Francis on July 8th.

First Bath MMC 33950 looking interesting in a University livery.

J.K.T Van Hool C7JKT from Walsall.

Signature VIP Travel's Van Hool J200SCC from Bridgwater, Somerset.

Once the pride of the Carousel fleet, 871 is in use a bicycle bus with many seats removed.

This picture gives some idea of the extent of the work taking place. I think the 25mph sign is a little optimistic!

From Ralph Adams

The station is closed so replacement buses in all directions including Newbury which has no direct train service. Amongst the vehicles seen on Monday, July 9th were:

Brookes Bus 602 & 606 not used for the 3 hours I was there.

COMS  871 registered CB51 BUS and recently repainted in COMS red with a dark red over the front headlight area – looked very smart. I spoke to some COMS drivers after 871 had gone who said it was a bicycle carrying bus able to take 8 bikes with serious reduction in seats – but as the bus had gone, no opportunity to actually count.

T112DBW – Trident with fleet number 112 and licensed to Chiltern Bus Co Ltd with fleet name of Chiltern Bus (same as Carousel). Still in Carousel livery. The company is owned by Steve Burns (previous owner of Carousel I believe). Under contract to Arriva trains but not used for 3 hours today.

Bath Unibus (First Bus) 33943, 33948, 33949

Bristol Unibus (First Bus) 33491-95,33497, 33499

There may be more but that was all I saw.

Various coaches including a Neoplan from Grangeburn, Motherwell. The company have two coaches (the other is a Setra) and normally operate to Northern Scotland, particularly Orkney but it is down for two weeks. I believe that a planned tour was cancelled so came south for filling in the time.

Lucketts of Fareham were in evidence with two crew vehicles coming up to enable a change of drivers. Again, quite a bit of mileage.

Rotala including Hallmark and Wessex which were a major operator last time were not in evidence today.

First (GWR) were giving out bottles of water free of charge to all passengers.

Amersham and District running day at Hemel Hempstead from Tony Bungay

Tony has sent a number of pictures from this event which must have been excellent as the weather was high summer.

  
Some of the buses involved.

London Country BN45 GPD313N Bristol LH/ECW, a regular at these events. It is heading for Watford Junction.

 AEC Merlin SMM90F MB90 at Watford Junction waiting for departure to Hemel Hempstead.

AEC Regal T792 HLX462 seen in Hemel Hempstead.

A superb picture of buses from the past -  Hemel Hempstead with RT 4779 and RT 3491.

What a great selection of pictures showing those who were unable to go what they missed.

Aylesbury service changes

I have received several e-mails from correspondents about the changes being made to services from Aylesbury, which as seen below will provide much to report. Thanks to Oscar Longman, John Wood, Brian Butler and Tony Bungay.

Changes to bus services from July 29th 2018 

Service 8: Aylesbury – Bedgrove

Arriva are extending the route beyond Bedgrove to serve Weston Turville, Wendover and RAF Halton Camp to partially replace service 50.

Service 9: Aylesbury to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Minor timing adjustments to this service with no change to route or frequency.

Service 50: Aylesbury – RAF Halton Camp
This service will be withdrawn by Arriva and partially replaced by:

• Arriva service 8 to Weston Turville, Wendover and RAF Halton Camp
• Red Eagle service 61A and Redline service 164 will provide some off peak journeys to Elm Farm. Buckinghamshire County Council are working with bus companies to also provide peak time journeys to Elm Farm. More information should be available in the next few days.
• Redline service 55 (from September onwards) and Red Eagle services 61 and 61A to John Colet School (Wendover)

Service 61: Dunstable - Aylesbury
This service is being withdrawn by Arriva and a replacement service will be introduced by Red Eagle with minor timetable alterations. Some journeys will operate via Elm Farm as service 61A.

Service 150: Aylesbury - Leighton Buzzard - Milton Keynes
Some timing revisions to the Monday to Friday journeys. Includes the withdrawal of 0815 school holiday only journey from Aylesbury to Leighton Buzzard and the 1720 Aylesbury to Leighton Buzzard will now operate on schooldays only.

Service 164: Aylesbury to Cheddington
Timing revisions with some journeys diverted to serve Elm Farm in Aylesbury. A new 06:20 journey will operate on Mondays to Fridays between Aylesbury and Ivinghoe which will serve Bulbourne and Harlech Road, Pitstone instead of Marsworth. This replaces a withdrawn journey on service 61.  Redline has decided to withdraw the 1725 from Aylesbury to Wilstone, due to lack of use.

Service 500: Aylesbury to Watford: Minor timetable revisions including additional Monday to Friday morning journey between Tring and Aylesbury

Service 650: Aylesbury – Wing
This service is being withdrawn by Arriva and from the start of the new school term a replacement service will be introduced by Red Rose Travel. Arriva tickets will not be accepted. Term passes will be available to purchase from Red Rose Travel's website in the next few weeks.

Please note that all of these changes are commercial decisions made by bus operators and not under contract to Buckinghamshire County Council.

Some further information appears under various operator headings. 

From John Wood

Much has been mentioned in recent bulletins re the changes that Arriva are making in the Aylesbury area from 29th July 2018. Full details have now appeared on the Bucks C.C. website. (see above)

The service 50 (Aylesbury  - Wendover) is being replaced by an extension of the existing 8 Town service (Bus Station - Bedgrove) along the Wendover Road to Wendover and Halton Camp as commercial service 8/8A.

The M-F service remains every 30 mins, whilst he 30 min frequency is restored on Saturdays.  The Sunday 50 journeys by RedLIne are unchanged. Elm Farm estate will no longer be served by Arriva 

I suspect these will be mixture of D/D and Solo workings.  

The 61 service is being taken on (commercially) by Red Eagle on the current times and certain journeys on this route and RedlIne 164 will divert at Bedgrove to serve Elm Farm.

I enclose a couple of photos of the existing 50 operation as requested

One from the archives, DAF 6013 (KL52 CXE) at the Halton Camp terminus on 25th July 2014. The fine shelter is maintained by the RAF!

The turning circle at the junction with Chestnut Avenue (where the 50 was taken in 2014) is still there and the new 8/8A will turn there in future. Drivers like it as it is off the road, they get a few minutes recovery there and can have a ciggy!

Regarding the camp itself, the grass airfield is due to close  in 2020 whilst the main camp shuts in 2022. Plans are only in a tentative stage at the moment, but this large site could contain up to a 1000 new homes, which might need something bigger than a solo every half hour.

The former Princes Mary Hospital site was relinquished in the late 1990's and has become quiet attractive housing - but is still some walk away from the 50 route (the area was actually served many years ago by the 366 route variant when the Wendover service was every 20 mins!). Any new development might hopefully be more bus friendly?      

(John lives in Wendover. Ed.)

From Brian Butler

I have not contacted you before but very much enjoy keeping up to date with developments via your weekly bulletins.

As far as Arriva's upcoming Aylesbury area changes are concerned I thought I would update you with the following regarding routes 8 & 50. What is happening is basically that these 2 routes are being combined as new route 8 which will work from Aylesbury to RAF Halton via Bedgrove (there is an 8A variant for a few journeys omitting Bedgrove). The Elm Farm estate, currently served every half hour Monday to Friday by the 50 is dropped and left to be served very irregularly by Red Eagle on the replacement 61 (Elm Farm journeys are 61A). 

The frequency on the new route 8 Monday to Friday is half hourly, as now on the current 8 and the 50, but is also half hourly on Saturday whereas currently the 8 & 50 are both only hourly on Saturday - so not all bad news.

Gavin Francis sent some interesting pictures of Arriva in Aylesbury.

Citaro 3909 working the 500 in AYLESBURY on July 5th

Volvo Wright Gemini/B7TL UUI 2948 (was VLW16 in London service) now 4024 works the 50 to Halton Camp on July 5th.

From Oscar Longman

Oscar Longman writes to include this picture of 3018 on the 1A in Chesham on July 3rd.

From Tony Bungay

Freshly repainted and seen at the Amersham and District running day in Hemel Hempstead 3539 is working the 301.

E400 MMC 6528 frames nicely the running day participants near the old bus station.

Tony Bungay writes "London United are taking on Garston Garage". This is nice news as this has been a bus garage since June 18th 1952, when it replaced Leavesden Road an old LGOC garage which had opened in August 1920. It has seemed so much a feature of St. Albans Road as one approached Watford. I remember this area as before the M1 extension and the M25 this was often the way to Heathrow from the north.

Finally no further news of transfers at High Wycombe but I hope to have more news shortly.

A nice picture from Dylan Jones, also unusual for a StreetLite (63313) branded for the X74 working a service 7 approaching LHR T5 on June 30th.

Interesting news from Head Office in Oxford reveals that the three buses, 551-553, which have lost their cherished registrations are to leave for Go East Anglia.

The company is currently painting up Citaros for the route One and the first of these has already arrived back from repaint, in service already but is not yet with its vinyls. This refers to 876-878.

It may be possible that StreetLites 401-403 will receive the cherished registration C1-3WYC which I feel is very appropriate. I always like registrations coinciding with fleet numbers. Not so easy these days.

Additionally the company is parking the double decks and all other Carousel buses in the main Unit 1 premises now (at night time at least), with the secondary yard is just used for Steve Burns's vehicles currently. This is reflecting the reduced fleet allocation at Carousel post the 3rd June changes.

I very much appreciate this information from the company.

Now for some pictures received in the past week.

The main yard last Sunday taken by Nigel Peach.

The overflow yard on the same day as mentioned in the news above, again by Nigel Peach.

Interesting news shown above is that Oxford Bus are participating in the replacement buses during the Oxford Train Station closure.

Another most unusual working was of Brookes 601 on the Park & Ride 500 service. However I am somewhat confused by the blind as the station is down the road behind the bus!!
Picture taken on July 9th by Gavin Francis.

Airline coach 2 approaches Heathrow Terminal 5 on June 30th by Dylan Jones.
Dylan is a new contributor who has sent a large number of pictures for use as and when.

Now here's an interesting one, Wrights 686 working 5 road and leaving Oxford Train Station on July 9th by James Freeman.

Not much to report this week but a nice picture received from Dylan Jones as shown below.

Citaro 879 on a River Rapids X38 service in Reading Town Centre on June 30th by Dylan Jones.

Another picture was received from Graham Mildenhall with Citaro 866 working the 250 in Bicester Pioneer Square on June 30th.
The whole business of using buses off their branded route is shown in this picture, the bus showing a routing Didcot Parkways and Harwell Campus.

Other group companies outside "Oxford"

From Derek Wiggins

An update of buses now repainted in the current livery are 105-109 , 216-219 , 404-406 , 411 412 414-417 , 504 505 510 514-516 522 524-526 528 .  523 is away for repaint.

510 has been scrapped.

FROM 17/6/18 THE THAMESDOWN NAME HAS STARTED TO BE TAKEN OFF REPAINTED BUSES,

I have seen : 105,106,107,216,217,219,404,405,411,412,414,415,4516,417,2767,2768,2771,2775,2776,2777,2781,2783.

StreetLite 417 "Princess Eugenie" is seen working the 24 on June 23rd by Derek Wiggins.

E200 MMC 2771 King William III working route 14 on June 22nd again by Derek Wiggins.

I must say that the Swindon buses are maintained beautifully.

The main news in the last week is the entry into service of a new design of Scania- Caetano Levante tri-axles as shown in the pictures from Gavin Francis below.

     
The changes in design can be envisaged in the photos above.

Gavin Francis has taken some more pictures of buses on the 702.

755 seen on Buckingham Palace Road on July 6th.

Emerald 761 is seen passing through Hammersmith on July 3rd.

VDL DB250LF, Wright Pulsar Gemini  530 (X100RDG) with a 702 working in Bulleid Way on July 4th. This bus keeps popping up!

Solo 193 was reported to have filled in on a 702 working last week, tyhis being the spare bus at Slough.

Thames Valley 193 was the spare bus at Slough on July 4th by Malcolm Crowe.

E200 MK63XAT works the 4 in AYLESBURY on July 5th by Gavin Francis.

Short Solo MX58KYR works the 6 in AYLESBURY on July 5th by Gavin Francis.

Volvo B7TL ALX400 V185OOE having arrived with a 321 working seen in AYLESBURY Bus Station on July 5th by Gavin Francis.

Thanks to Steve Knight I can give details of the Stagecoach orders for 2018-19.

 
Craig McConn has been working his magic with the destination display on 10069 ready for Silverstone working and seen on July 10th by Gavin Francis.

Dylan Jones has provided us with a picture of E200 MMC 37403 at Banbury Gateway with a B6 working on January 14th.

Loaned Megabus Astromega has still not entered service. As noted above 50285 and 50286 leave for the north tomorrow for further service in Scotland. This has resulted in the Oxford tube fleet being reduced to 24 following schedule changes.

The £1 logos have or are being removed from the coach advertising as shown by interdeck 50290 SC Megabus working the M7 on July 4th by Gavin Francis.

Gavin Francis spent a few hours in Aylesbury and contributed the pictures below.

Solo BU54RBT with a 5 working in AYLESBURY on July 5th.

 
Solo SE MA07BUS, once with Motts until they gave up local bus work, is seen with an 11A working in AYLESBURY on July 5th.

Solo SR 780 SE YJ13HJZ, new to Tyrer of Adlington with a 5A working in AYLESBURY on July 5th.
It is still in the paint livery of the first owner and it is, I think, a narrow version. 

Short E200 BU55KBK with the K1 in AYLESBURY on July 5th by Gavin Francis.

Still an Olympian on school services, F41XCS, new to A1 services (Hunter, Dreghorn) in February 1989, is seen in Thame on July 5th by Gavin Francis.
This bus will celebrate its' 30 th birthday next February !!

From outside our area

Held over until next issue.