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 News of the local companies

Issue 279
(OBP-492)
Monday 5th January 2009

(next update week ending 17th January 2009)

Now in our 11th year

Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002

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.

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Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date

 Company & fleet news – 5th January 2009

New vehicles feature strongly in this issue with Arriva taking large numbers of deckers, saloons and coaches with 58 plates.

Thanks to Adam and LOTS withdrawals are reported as:

2371-R941VPU 

3112-L312HPP 

3352-J402XVX

3820-H370XGC

The large batches of new vehicles have at long last taken to the road with the Aylesbury Enviro 400s the last into service on 3rd January. I have been overwhelmed with pictures of the various batches and have included as many as possible below.

For updated information on Arriva Aylesbury please refer to the link below:

http://www.arriva-shires.co.uk/

The Aylesbury Citaros for the 300 entered service in late December and on the first day of use 3919 appeared on a 280 service in Oxford. This I am told prompted some comments from Oxford Bus drivers who appeared to think the Citaro was unique to them!!

BK58URM 3919
BK58URN 3920
BK58URO 3921
BK58URP 3922
BK58URR 3923
BK58URS 3924

Steve Warwick writes "I have at last managed to get a couple of pics of the new Citaro's on the 300, 3919 & 3922 today. Also went into Aylesbury today from Little Kimble station (must support the local railway) and saw some of the work going on at Aylesbury Station."


First of the batch at Aylesbury seen at Princes Risboro' on 31st December by Steve Warwick

Mark Lyons also provided pictures of the new buses as seen below. He writes "Arriva the Shires placed its second batch of new Enviro400 buses into service on  route 280 on 2/1/09 linking Aylesbury with Oxford - the full batch is:

5434 - SN58EOF
5435 - SN58EOG
5436 - SN58EOH
5437 - SN58EOJ
5438 - SN58EOK
5439 - SN58EOM
5440 - SN58EOO

I am assuming that route branding will be applied at some stage.


Also new at Aylesbury are Mercedes Benz Citaros for route 300 - High Wycombe - Aylesbury.  Full details are:

3919 - BK58URM
3920 - BK58URN
3921 - BK58URO
3922 - BK58URP
3923 - BK58URR
3924 - BK58URS

The registrations of 3921 and 2 are particularly apt given the United Counties heritage of the company!  As with the Enviros their blank side panels do tend to suggest that branding will follow shortly." 


Mark provided examples of all three types which have entered service in the last month or so.

Matthew Robinson has been busy with correspondence and pictures saying "Leyland Olympian 5135 (G132YWC) received some offside panel damage after being side-swiped by a car on the tight turn where Henge Way and Spinney Road meet on the 24.

01/12/08: Just noted that roof damaged Volvo Olympian 5140 (N46JPP) is back in the yard at Luton, all repaired. I expect it to be back out on the road within the next couple of days.

Looks like Dennis Trident 5451 (W451XKX) caught fire again last night (01/12) in MK.

Volvo B6 3132 (M712OMJ) is long term off the road at Luton receiving mechanical attention. Volvo B10B 3089 (L133HVS) is still there, hasn’t moved in months!

3264 (V264HBH) is back in service at Luton following front end repairs after striking an articulated lorry on the Halfway House roundabout.

Garston based Dart 3186 (P186SRO) has been noted on recent evening and Sunday 321 workings

I wasn't sure if you were aware but Hemel Hempstead's batch of seven (although I was originally informed there were eight) ADL Trident/Enviro 400s have entered service on route 6 between Hemel Rail Station and Downing's Wood in Maple Cross.
 
Over the last two Saturdays I have been observing these and I have a few pictures for you (excuse the night shots - these were from Saturday 20th when I arrived in Hemel after dark and hadn't realised they had entered service, although I do think they have quite some atmosphere).
 
Unlike Aylesbury's batch these have standard Arriva moquette seating throughout, 80 seats in all including two facing forwards immediately behind the front door, something I am not used to seeing on a double decker.
 
Where Aylesbury's batch have been numbered 5434-40 using the numbers vacated by the ex Southend Tridents which went to Arriva Southern Counties in Kent, Hemel's batch have been numbered 5452-8, following on from the final Trident sequence which ended at 5451 (although the highest numbered surviving Trident is 5447). The registrations of Hemel's batch precede Aylesbury's batch in sequence.
 
5452 SN58ENX
5453 SN58ENY
5454 SN58EOA
5455 - I haven't noted 5455 in service, but would assume that it is SN58EOB
5456 SN58EOC
5457 SN58EOD
5458 SN58EOE
 
Aylesbury's then follow from SN58EOF and so on.

Interestingly 5456's destination display seems to have been programmed differently, showing route number above the driver rather than the door, and no intermediate 'via' destinations. Also unlike other recent deliveries, the destination displays on these buses 'flick' between the intermediate points, rather than scroll."

Saturday 3rd January: More on Arriva's Enviro 400s when Aylesbury's fleet went into service on the 280 on Friday. Four buses were used on Friday, and the full allocation of 6 was used on Saturday. The 7th vehicle on Saturday was 5435, which I noted working crew shuttles a couple of times. The buses seem to have been very well received and perform well on the 280, a route which it used to high capacity requirements and fast stretches of road.
 
I've attached pictures of 5434, 5437, 5438 and 5440, however it was very cold out (sub-zero temperatures all day) and I couldn't find a camera setting to suit. None of Aylesbury's Enviros, or indeed the Citaros on the 300 have been route branded yet.

DAF SB220s 3271 and 3276 (V271/6HBH) have joined Hemel Hempstead's fleet, taking the tally of DAFs transferred from Garston depot up to 5. Both were working the 500 on Saturday. 3271 has had its route branding for Line 321 removed, but 3276, like 3270, has not. As a result Scania 3154 (N704EUR) has transferred from Hemel to Aylesbury, and was working the 61/150 diagram on Saturday. 3154 was earmarked as a replacement for East Lancs bodied Dennis Dart 3172 (P672OPP) which is moving to MK Metro. The addition of the extra Scanias saw the 61/150 totally Scania operated on Saturday daytime. The lunchtime 261 from Aylesbury to Thame, usually in the hands of a Dart, was worked by 3159.
 
The cascaded S-reg Volvo Olympians have found ready work on Aylesbury routes 54, 66 and 100. They still carry 280 route branding (as do the quartet of displaced Scanias from the 300). Leyland Olympian 5097 even made one early turn on the 500 on Saturday, as did 5100 on the 54.
(I saw a Scania with 300 branding on the 61 at Luton Airport on 31/12 including the 300 vinyl stickers in the rear route number box. Ed.)

Finally for those who collect models be aware that EFE have recently released a model of Arriva's Olympian 5121 (G291UMJ)? It's now a Wycombe bus although the model is depicted working LT Contract route 142 from Watford, as it did for many years.
 
Glenn Knight writes "
First of all photos of the new interiors of the new Enviro 400 at Hemel this particular bus is SN58ENX 5452  plus one of the new Van Hool Actron with the rear all-over Orange  for a easyBus advert this coach is YJ58FLA 4384."

 
The interior of a Hemel based Enviro 400 with seat detail and one of the new Van Hool coaches for the 757.
The last four, 4381-4384 sport orange rears but no vinyls as yet.

Adam who keeps me posted on matters "Hemel" sent some nice pictures of the new vehicles.

Gavin,. mainly driving on the Oxford Tube has time to spare on occasion whilst in London and he has sent some nice pictures of the new Green Line coaches.


All pictures by Gavin Francis at Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria.

Neil Gow also wrote saying "Had to go to Wycombe today to pick up a pair of shoes from the Badminton Centre (don't ask!), so timed my trip to coincide with the school bus out muster. Then down to centre to see if 5836 was about.  I got lucky again.  It was on an all-day working, car HW6 which spends the afternoon on route 43 (which seems to be the old crew ferry running as a public service) before going onto contract 620.  So here's a picture of it on the 43 (going to Cressex not Princes Risborough).


24/11/08 - Picture by Neil Gow.

Now here is a question.  Is HW6 now the regular working for 5836 or is it still supposed to be on Ibstone schools?"

Regarding the new coaches for Green Line service 757 James adds "The first of the new coaches for the 757 have also arrived at Luton for driver testing. At least one was being road tested on Thursday."


Two Palatine II bodied Olympians have been transferred from Hemel to Wycombe being 5147 and 5148 seen above.
They still retain Hemel 6 branding. Picture by Malcolm Crowe.

Matt adds "Tuesday 17th November from Matt - Volvo B6 3131 (M711OMJ) has been damaged by an electrical fire this morning. It would appear a fault had been reported with the bus whilst on route 9, and the driver had taken the bus out of service and was returning to the depot when the incident occurred, not far from where 3125 went up a couple of years back."

Late news: Matt writes "Just a quick update – Luton garage have moved swiftly to declare 3131 as a write off. A replacement from Harlow has already arrived – B6 3124 (M724OMJ).

3124 is no stranger to Luton depot, having been based here from 1996 until 2005 when it moved to Ware (for Welwyn routes) and subsequently on to Harlow. It was also branded for route 27 for a time when in Shires blue and yellow livery. I have a picture of 3124 taken on a very wet day in Harlow! (which I will pass on later)."


Gavin found this pink Solo at Luton on the 321 on New Year's Day. This is the one I see on the M25 running dead to take up service on the 41.
In the dark with M25 lighting it looked red and cream, not pink!!!


Another odd coloured Solo from Garston is this ex Line 40 4 cyl Solo now based at Garston. Picture by Matt Robinson.


Dart 3186 mentioned above by Matt Robinson.


Scania 3209 on the 46 which runs Luton-Hemel via Redbourn.
"I noted DAF 3449 (R209VPU) working the 46 into Luton this morning, 29th November.
 This is the first time I've noted a DAF on the 46, although pretty much anything goes on it these days (including Green Line coaches!)."

Matt Robinson.


DAF 3272 on route 6 prior to the introduction of the Enviro 400s. Matt Robinson.


DAF coach 4047 now sports special vinyls for the local Maylands Business Park above Hemel. M Crowe.


The DAF coaches used on the 757 are now moving to Stevenage for the 797 which until now has seen a number of hired coaches.
Gavin Francis.

Arriva MK Metro

Matthew Robinson writes "Saturday 29th November. - I came across Arriva Dart 3180 (P180SRO) parked in Bletchley Bus Station on route 4A today. Looks like this is a transfer in from Watford (following receipt of their Citaros). Volvo B6 3119 (M719OMJ) from Aylesbury was in MK bus station showing a local route number. 
 
I also managed to photograph one of MK Metro's new Optare Solos parked up in MK bus station. 2452 (YJ58PKA) carries a sky blue livery for route 1. This latest batch has a variety of colour schemes applied for various routes, however this was the only new Solo I saw."

Neil Gow writes "Had to go to Wycombe today so timed my trip to coincide with the school bus out muster (having seen the Carousel Ailsa in the compound Sunday night).  I got lucky here is a reasonable shot of 431 about to take up its afternoon duty."

"Now here's a question.  How long have Carousel been using that compound at Cressex P&R?  Do they still have a depot?"


Gavin took these pictures of DMS23 looking very smart.

Centrebus - Luton


Adam sent this picture of this rather trim looking Mercedes.

From Glenn Knight

08/12/08 

This afternoon Dennis Dart M821 RCP 121 had collision with the wall on Hatters Way whilst on service X31. The front nearside would appear to need major work. 

03/1/09 

Two new additions to Centrebus Luton

YJ05XMZ Optare Solo M850 Ex-Richmonds, Barley

FJ08MBF Optare Solo M880 B29F (New 2008).

possibly going onto services 20, DB2 or DB3

Charlton Services

Seen on e-bay. 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1985-LEYLAND-TIGER-57-SEAT-COACH-PSV-TEST-TAX-SEMI-AUTO_W0QQitemZ270323068014QQihZ017QQcategoryZ108850QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

  
http://www.citysightseeingoxford.com/

Richard Sharman sent this nice picture of one of the two ultra modern open toppers in use in Oxford just before Christmas.

Surprise arrival at Slough is this ex London Citaro, now a regular performer on the 74 to High Wycombe. Gavin took one picture and sent an older one of the same bus working in London.


Mine was an early morning picture of the same bus leaving Wycombe.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

Richard Sharman writes "First Coaches, Bristol formerly Wessex of Bristol used to operate a number of NEx diagrams operating through Oxford but now they can only be seen in Oxford on the 302 to Bristol via Swindon."


Tri-axle SC28 has acquired this branding which is fine on the A6 but a little out of place when the coach works the 787 as it has often done.


D's 22,24 and 26 have been repainted white having been removed from the Virgin contract.
They were used as spare coaches at Stansted during Christmas and retain their 32 seats and tables.


Veolia seem to have been having problems with the provision of NEx liveried coaches recently.
Here two Dunn Line coaches stand in for the Volvo-Levantes normally rostered on the 767 service.


Crawley based VC6 carries unusual branding as seen above.


Arriva Classic Anfield Plain use this Levante (nr 71) on their share of the 310 service. The coach is seen in Banbury - Richard Sharman.


National Express have decided to dispose of dot2dot and this picture by Gavin Francis may be one of the last.

Coaches 40 and 41 have been repainted and branded for the X90 making that route served by more modern coaches.


Pictures by Gavin Francis.

The Trident fleet is being spruced up with the addition of wheel trims as seen below on red and green versions. 105 is the latest to gain red livery leaving only 104 in the old white top livery.


Pictures by G Francis.


Flagship Trident 101 also looks well with its new wheel trims - picture by Richard Sharman.


Plaxton President bodied Trident 907 on 8 road, where these buses appear from time to time.
Their normal haunt is 35 road.  Picture by Richard Sharman.

28 September 2008

Vehicles withdrawn: 638/9

Vehicle disposals:

608, 613: Harris Coaches, Gwent

615-7: Edenderry, Ireland

618: Go Travel, Swansea

9 November 2008

Vehicles renumbered and reliveried:

62, 63 to 40, 41 and to espress livery

Vehicles to be withdrawn during November and sold to Crawley Luxury Coaches: 25/26

Latest fleet list 

27/12/08 from Stephen Le Bras. 

The London coaches were doing good business today with blue 93 seen in Victoria on the X90.

Red Rose Travel

VU02TPZ Red Rose has lost its advert for subway

Mark Lyons writes "Red Rose has acquired an ex Brighton & Hove Dart, whose livery it still carries.  I caught up with it on route 124 Watlington although you'd have to be in the know to realise this as the destination display is not programmed!"

RH Transport

RH transport services started their new route on the X8 yesterday. I think they are running 301 and 302 (301 is MX05 OTJ).

Changes are afoot at Oxfordshire with exciting new developments.


The secret will soon be out. Keep your eyes on bus stop flags on country routes for first news of what's happening.


Picture by Robert Williams of Bus Zone

Oxford news.

M A N 22934 and 22935 have been repainted.


Christmas Eve in London - a busy time for the Tube.
Seemingly the only red "buses" in London and one of the few operators running, once gain, was the Oxford Tube.


Unusually an Enviro 400 appeared on the U1 and was caught on camera by Richard Sharman.


When Oxford's Staff Bus is unavailable anything can appear including an Enviro 400 on one occasion.
Picture by Richard Sharman.


Volvo B6 31331 worked the 59 just before the end of the year.
Picture by Richard Sharman.


Many will now know that Banbury Solo 47236 has been swopped with Oxford Dart 34466 for route 488.
34466 certainly saw a heavy load in the picture above.
Pictures by Richard Sharman.

 

Ex Oxford bus 

Chris writes "Ex Stagecoach [M74 VJO], that we acquired in accident damaged condition has now had a front end rebuild using the front end from our withdrawn [J228 HGY], and has now been finished in Nu-Venture Blue/White livery and numbered 704 in the Nu-Venture fleet."


Attached is a picture of [M74 VJO] taken today (1/12/08) it enters service tomorrow.

Bedford news

Gary Seamarks writes "Sixteen new Volvo B9 Plaxton coaches are due in service at Bedford for X5 from Feb, they will feature Leather Seats full air con and Wi-fi. Two are at Bedford depot at present on training duties (when they have spare" drivers)"


David Bedall took this picture of one of the new coaches with taster branding.

Megabus

Andrew Burbidge writes "I don't know if the pic of the Citylink B12M Panther in issue 277 is taken on Saturday 18th October, but 54030 did return to Barnsley (Upper Sheffield Road) for Toilet Drop on that evening, making a rare visit of a Panther to USR, but alse being the first (that I know of) and last visit of a Citylink Panther to this location, as the buses left on the Monday morning, and the last coach on the Wednesday morning."

 Woottens Coaches & Tiger Line

Press Release – December 2008 

The Tiger Will Be Roaring Even Louder from January 2009

Woottens has announced major improvements to its Tiger Line T1 service from the 5th of Jan 2009. 

Having launched this new commercial service in July 2008, Woottens have been delighted with the use of the service to date and have taken the decision to expand on the already well received timetable. 

Taking feedback from customers the main changes being introduced are; 

-       for commuters there are new early morning journeys to/from Hemel Hempstead

-       for commuters there is a new late evening journey from Hemel Hempstead

-       the service will now provide early morning and evening connections to/from Aylesbury

-       the gaps in the present timetable are removed in the new timetable

-       more journeys to/from Stoke Mandeville Hospital

-       revised Saturday timetable

-       reduced weekly ticket prices to attract commuters

-       acceptance of Bucks Citizencard on the service 

These changes will see Tiger Line T1 provide a comprehensive hourly service from Aylesbury to Hemel Hempstead via Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Great Missenden & Chesham from 06.30 to 19.20 Monday to Friday, with a reduced timetable on Saturdays. 

The service will continue to utilize the branded single deck buses and dedicated team of drivers which have proved popular with customers 

Commenting on the expansion of Tiger Line T1, Michael Wootten, Operations Director said “When we launched Tiger Line it was on the basis of our own commercial risk and continues to be so.  We have been very pleased by the response to this service and the changes we are making will make the route more attractive to commuters.  Our strategy of providing a value for money, friendly and reliable service to communities poorly served by existing public transport is paying off and we have exciting plans for 2009.”


New timetable leaflets are now available.

 

Worth's Coaches

 


Ex Arriva decker now with Worth's -picture by Glenn Knight

  

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