A week ago I took advantage of my elderly persons bus pass and went to Thame market using Line 40. What an excellent service this is and quite well patronised. I have included a write up further down the page.

St Albans saw a bus rally last Sunday and this is covered by Colin Cooke. My regular contributors, Gavin Francis and Glenn Knight have been busy

Stagecoach have sent an interesting item on a consultation on route 20 which I am sure readers will find most interesting. It can be found under the Stagecoach heading.

St Albans - January 13th by Colin Cooke

St Albans is multi coloured, with a number of operators serving the city. Here a UNO Scania and a Centrebus Solo - on the 320 -
pass a heritage RT working the 321 from Luton.

The famous route 84, which runs between St Albans and New Barnet passes an RF on the 355.

Worthy of an entry into "Buses in the Landscape" the RT comes into St Albans from Harpenden on the 321 last Sunday.

A pensioners day out to Thame by your Editor

Last Tuesday, having a day off, I decided to use my "Bus Permit" issued by Wycombe District Council for a morning out in Thame. Tuesday is market day in Thame and most of the local bus services into the town are busy and do prove that people still use the bus. Indeed my fist picture below shows the crowd using the Red Rose 124 service to Watlington at 1215 after a morning at market.

The service is operated by one of the new Enviro 200s and the passengers seemed very happy with their transport arrangements.
http://portal.oxfordshire.gov.uk/content/publicnet/council_services/roads_transport/public_transport/timetables_maps/RedRose124.pdf

My journey began at the end of our road, the Health Centre stop on the A40, as you come out of Stokenchurch. I waited for the 1035 from High Wycombe which is due at 1055 in Stokenchurch to arrive in Thame at 1127. I wasn't sure if one of the two dedicated Solos would be in use as from time to time other buses appear on Line 40, including long Darts and even a Versa in the evenings when the service only runs to Stokenchurch.

You can find details of the service at the following link : http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/travelinfo/Database_PDFs/40_High_wycombe_Thame.pdf   and there is also a very nice map of the route at the following link : http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/__80256E280053B5B6.nsf/vWeb/wpDOMR738LCB?Open&region=Shires%20and%20Essex&town=Thame  This link gives the timetable, route map, fares and other useful information.

Spot on time at 0956 my bus arrived being one of the two branded Solos specially acquired for the service.

The weather was not so good earlier in the day as the photo shows. 2492 heads out of Stokenchurch, Thame bound.

From Stokenchurch the route takes the A40 down Aston Rowant hill towards Lewknor and then turns right onto the B4009 towards Chinnor. Sadly it misses taking in the Oxford Tube stops at Lewknor which could generate a lot more traffic for people wanting Oxford or London.

On the road through Crowle we passed the Wycombe bound service operated by 2491 running a little late. However this earlier service takes a lot more people to Thame and was doubtless full on the earlier trip.

In Chinnor the bus takes a square route around the church and shops before gaining the B4445 towards Thame. Passing Emmington and Sydenham junctions the bus then has a fairly fast run towards Thame before turning off toward Towersey. Indeed I was quite impressed by the Solos performance as it seemed to easily reach 50+ mph on this straight stretch of road.

We had picked up passengers in Chinnor and the Emmington/Sydenham junction before picking up more passengers in Towersey. We were running exactly to time all along the route and the Solo really was warm and comfortable. It offered easy access to the elderly passengers suing the service and was stable on the run, not so bouncy like a Dart.

Approaching Thame we made a deviation to include a number of residential roads and picked up another elderly passenger complete with shopping trolley. I was impressed by the fact that the driver showed care and patience, always waiting for the passengers to be seated before pulling away.

 
This picture was taken just after our last passenger boarded near to the Star and Garter in Thame.

We then passed the market in Thame and after a right turn went round the block to terminate at Thame Town Hall where there was quite a queue for the return journey departing at 1135.

Passing Thame market inbound.

Quite a lot of passengers were waiting for the 1135 to High Wycombe.

Thame is an interesting place and you can read about it at the following link : http://www.thame.net/

For the bus enthusiast it offer a variety of services operated by Arriva and Red Rose plus an odd other independent operator.

Arriva have been investing in their Olympian fleet based at Aylesbury by fitting digital destination displays.
They certainly improve the buses which from personal experience of the same type of bus with London General give a very comfortable ride.

The Town Hall makes an excellent backdrop for pictures and the Solo, 2492, looks well in this picture which also includes the Red Rose Enviro on local service.

My allotted time passed quickly and I enjoyed the market, a cup of coffee in the church hall, 50p was quite a bargain these days, and it was all too soon time to wait for my return bus at 1235. One often finds small country towns produce characters and I hope the gentleman in my picture below will not mind my including him on this week's page. He was so colourful and in some ways reminded my of a gentleman who used to tap dance outside Marks & Spencer's in Oxford. This character recently passed on at 97 but I well remember him taking a late night X90 service from London to Headington on a number of occasions.

The 1235 service was well on time and we boarded a number of passengers who had been on my inbound service, including the elderly lady for the Star and Garter.

The 1235 service arriving in Thame, operated by Solo 2491.

We departed promptly on time at 1235 and retraced our steps toward Towersey and Chinnor, depositing our passengers at the various stops. Leaving Chinnor we ran along the foot of the Chilterns until turning up towards Stokenchurch on the A40 at Aston Rowant. On this section of road we passed the Thame bound service once again operated by 2492.

Our driver acknowledges his colleague Thame bound.

Only too soon I was back at my stop in Stokenchurch, feeling that I had an enjoyable morning all for 50p. A bargain in anyone's book. One wishes Arriva and Bucks and Oxford County Councils good luck with this service which certainly offers those along its route an excellent service. Let us hope many people use the service as funds are limited and we often lose good services due to lack of patronage.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/limo-party-bus-limousine_W0QQitemZ120208952909QQihZ002QQcategoryZ108850QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

M1 closed causes gridlock in Hemel Hempstead by Ian Brown

A correction on the Blewbury bus and more on that Versa seen around Sutton Courtney

Big Bus gets rather different buses than of late by Gavin Francis

Buses in the Landscape

This nice shot of an RH Solo on the 25A was sent in by Richard Sharman.

Paul Dudfield was in Exeter to take this picture of Solos galore on New Year's Day.

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

 News of the local companies – 15th January 2008

The fleet numbers used on these buses are not those normally used by Arriva in 2008.

3115 is back but I understand that sister 3116 has been transferred to Harlow. If so, I think this is another of those rarities, having been based at HW since new - which was in 1994. (No doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong!) It suffered a serious fire in Amersham - the arson attack that also destroyed 3247."

DAF 4429 is seen at Wycombe Bus Station on the 32 last Saturday.

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire consultation on route 20

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire are currently in the process of completing a wide ranging consultation with the users of routes 20/20A and 100/200/X1 pending service changes from 30th March 2008 associated with the delivery of the new Scanias.

With the introduction of the new vehicles to the 20/20A it was felt that the opportunity to make improvements to the timetable should be taken as well. Therefore in an unprecedented move, a draft timetable for route 20/20A was placed on the company website www.stagecoachbus.com/oxfordshire a week before Christmas with a feedback form for people to write in and comment.

In addition, freepost comment cards were handed out to users of route 20/20A in the week before Christmas, and have remained available onboard buses until this weekend (13th Jan).

Lastly three public meeting / drop in sessions were held for passengers to pass on their comments to members of the Stagecoach management team face to face. They were in Charlbury on 7th January, Woodstock on 9th January and Chipping Norton on 10th January.

Comments were invited on any aspect of the service, from timetables to fares. Anything outside the control of the company is to be passed on to the relevant authorities.

A slightly lower-key process took place on routes 100/200/X1, but still with a draft timetable for the 200/X1 and comment cards available on the buses.

The deadline for all replies was Monday 14th January. The traffic commissioner's 56 day window means that the changes will need to be registered by 1st February.

During the process it has been revealed that the Scanias are to be fitted with automatic vehicle location equipment to allow the 20/20A to be added to Oxfordshire's real time bus information system from March. Meanwhile the 5 Volvo B10Ms currently operating route 200/X1 are to be replaced by Tridents currently allocated to the 27. Some of the Scanias will therefore be used on the 27, allowing the maintenance of the whole batch to be kept under one roof.

There will obviously be more to come, with changes to route branding likely, as well as some other little extras.

I understand that a Swindon based Dennis Trident/ADL Enviro 400 was used recently to test the suitability for Scania buses with similar bodywork to work under the Botley Road railway bridge. These tests were successful and so we now await the new buses.

Marcus adds "Coach 52144 came into GG on the X5 on Monday 14 Jan. The vehicle looked modern but had an old style registration which I think may have included VPU. (I had no pen with me to write it down at the time). Is this a 'special' coach do you know, as it looked quite different to all off the rest?"

I couldn't resist this picture taken last weekend, which shows all the operating aspects of Oxford depot - bus, Tube, Brookes and National Express.

Richard Sharman sent this picture of 22946 fresh back from repaint.

Another Richard Sharman picture is of 22945 display its new super rear advert.

Gez from Stagecoach in Lancaster sent three pictures which I found interesting. They are of Tridents employed on the long 555 services from Lancaster to Keswick. The livery is appropriate to the Lakeland scene.

Thamesdown

I am told that this bus is from Blue Bus of Penwortham who hire buses out.

TT s new Enviro 200 nr 257 on service in St Aldates - picture by Richard Sharman

Whites of Abingdon

"Just a small error on last weeks page, the white vehicle is not one of our vehicles it belongs to Abingdon Taxis who do a route from Didcot to Blewbury.  All our vehicles are low floor and have been for about a year."

The new Solo mentioned by Sue.

A note regarding photographs which show drivers faces.
Following one complaint from a bus driver in Oxford but considering the fact that the photographs are taken of the vehicle not any person,
I will blank out the face to avoid any discomfort to the individual concerned. If you are the person involved send me an email to have this action taken.
I am sure people will realise that to ask everyone in advance of publication, whose face may appear in a picture is wholly impractical in both time and practice.
I am sorry to have to mention such a matter but we now live in a world of human rights and political correctness which must be considered.

PHOTO CORNER
If you have a digital camera and wish to submit photos for this page please send them to the me at 
malcolmhc@aol.com

If you have any pictures or historical memories and wish to submit them for this page please send them to the me at  malcolmhc@aol.com

Coming events, models and useful links

New Trident model with an Oxford flavour

Date: 21^st December 2007. 

ukbus 1036 Alexander Dennis ALX400-bodied Trident

 Stagecoach in Oxfordshire

Creative Master Northcord is proud to release a brand new livery on its well-known casting – the Alexander Dennis ALX400-bodied Trident. This is ukbus 1036 carrying standard Stagecoach livery but with special route branding livery.

This model represents Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 18394 (KX55 TLN). This is the second Stagecoach in Oxfordshire ADL ALX400-bodied Trident model that CMNL produced. The previous one is ukbus 1026 with Brookes bus colours. 

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 18394 is one of a fleet of seven Tridents introduced onto route 27 in March 2006 to replace Volvo B10M single deckers. Route 27 operates between Oxford and Bicester up to every 15 minutes at busy times with three main route variants around Bicester – 27A to Glory Farm and Launton, 27B to Glory Farm and Langford and 27C to Ambrosden and Arncott. 

18394 is one of three vehicles which carry supplementary branding for the Bicester Duo ticket which was introduced during 2007. The ticket allows two people to travel from Bicester to Oxford for the price of one.

PSV Circle publishes latest issue of the fleet list for Berkshire and Oxfordshire

Ken MacKenzie writes to note that the new PSV Circle fleet list for Berkshire/Oxfordshire (G432) is now available.

Those readers wishing to buy a copy should write to: PSV Circle, 59 Palmer Avenue, Cheam SM3 8EF - Cost id £7.00 plus 50p P & P and it will also be available at the PSV Circle sales stand at Showbus 2007.

This will be a most useful reference for all those interested in the local scene.

Editors review - I have now had chance to review this book and it is indeed very useful, giving details of all known fleets in Berks and Oxon. Whilst some information is not totally up to date it allows the readers to have a comprehensive view of the local fleets and up dates can be gained by joining the PSV Circle. At £7.00 this represents value for money as it also includes a number of good photographs.

Britbus

A new casting with a local flavour has been released by Britbus as a picture from Mark Lyons shows. It is a nice model but as Mark says, a little pricey at £33.

Oxford Bus 125 commemorative book

In last week's issue I mentioned that Oxford Bus were publishing a book to commemorate the 125 years of public transport in Oxford. Thanks to Phil Ashworth I have had a review copy and hereunder give my thoughts on this book.

The book is well presented and includes a number of historical pictures of interest including some I had not seen before. The modern pictures have received a nice treatment reflecting the modern fleet against a background of typical Oxford architecture. The Botley Road rail bridge gets a mention and a picture of an AEC pre war decker which has done battle with said bridge and come off worse from its encounter is included.

The book, whilst rather small to reflect the 125 years in detail is nevertheless a must for all who love Oxford, historians and enthusiasts alike.

Copies of the book can be bought from the Oxford Bus Company, Cowley House, Watlington Rd, Oxford OX4 6GA. The cost is £5.95 including postage. Cheques should be made payable to "Oxford Bus Company", it is also available in person from the Oxford Bus Museum during normal opening hours. 

New DVD by Robin Clare - http://www.robinclare.co.uk

Robin sent me a copy of his latest DVD to review. "Today's buses - Oxfordshire" is the compelling title which includes Henley, Wallingford and Didcot before the viewer is taken onto Wantage, Witney, Banbury and finally Bicester. Each of these locations is covered in2 to 5 minutes and each shows the current selection of buses and coaches to be found. Finally over 37 minutes is devoted to Oxford with filming in a variety of locations in the city.

On another subject the road sense and behaviour of cyclists in Oxford has to be seen to be believed!!!!

The quality of the DVD is excellent and one can really see clearly the details of each vehicle, something which older video always seemed unable to do. All the latest developments are shown in this September 2007 DVD, including workings from Broad Street during the St Giles Fair weekend.

The DVD provides a unique record of events in Oxfordshire during this period and at £10 is not a very large outlay.

Robin Clare Transport Video
74 Polruan Place, Fishermead,
Milton Keynes MK6 2EA

The full details of DVDs available from Robin Clare may be found at his web site :- http://www.robinclare.co.uk/

Citaro models

Dave Rogers sent the following press release.

CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD - PRESS RELEASE 

Mercedes-Benz Citaro - ukbus 5004 Arriva Manchester  -  ukbus 5007 Oxford Bus

Creative Master Northcord Limited is proud to release two brand new liveries on its well known Mercedes-Benz Citaro casting. Both models have received significant, yet different, modifications to the tooling in order to represent, as close to 100% accuracy as possible, the real buses on the roads. 

ukbus 5004 represents fleet number Arriva North West’s 2851 (CX55 EAA). This Mercedes Citaro is one of three such vehicles with dedicated route branding for service 700 and with the destination set to Manchester. The model features a redesigned interior layout that includes the reduced seating capacity and luggage racks. 

Starting on 29^th October 2005, Arriva North West’s service 700 runs from Manchester’s Piccadilly Railway Station to Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport. For the service, 3 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were purchased and numbered 2851-3. They were painted in the same style and colours as the Scania OmniCity buses that already operated between John Lennon and Liverpool city centre. 

ukbus 5007 represents fleet number 830 (X13 OXF) of Oxford Bus Company. 830 entered service in December 2003, to upgrade the X3 & X13 Oxford – Abingdon services. The bus was painted in a new and distinctive livery designed by Best Impressions. 

ukbus 5007 features the smooth, curved windscreen with the destination display set behind the windscreen glass rather than the protruding destination found on the Park & Ride Citaros in the fleet. This feature is one of the standard specifications on other Citaros that the Go-Ahead Group has purchased. 

Mercedes-Benz Citaro ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are each a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square-mounted, double-glazed windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on both models is the extensive portrayal of handrails. The headlight / indicator units at the front and indicator / tail light units at the rear are made of individual components to look more realistic.

The brand new single-door Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are limited to 1700 pieces worldwide respectively. 

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Links

These are nine most interesting sites which I do recommend

Links

Bus Services in Buckinghamshire

Bus services in Oxfordshire

Where are the Chilterns?

Visit this informative site through the link below.

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