News Page
News of the local
companies – 15th September 2008
Issue 273
(OBP-486)
Monday 15th September 2008
(next update week ending 28th
September 2008)
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News of the local companies – 15th September 2008
New buses for the 321
Delivery of the new MB Citaros for route 321, operated out of Garston, has commenced. The details of the Citaros are that they are B42F. It was suggested that they were B38F and there is no doubt the differences between full seating and wheelchair + tip-ups account for the differing reports.
Photo of 3915 by Glenn Knight
Numbering and registration details are as follows:
3911/BV58MLE, 3912/BV58MLF, 3913/BV58MLJ, 3914/BV58MLK, 3915/BV58MKO, 3916/BV58MLL, 3917/BV58MLN and 3918/BV58MKP.
The 321s were still at Garston as the colour they were painted in is allegedly wrong - too light and greenish apparently. thus more delay and they won't be seen out on training or on service for a while yet. As of last week, the "cab familiarisation" was about to get under way, as would be customary. Seat total is visually checked as 42 (38 + 4 tipups).
The AY-300 examples were ordered separately but were only one month apart and both the 321 and 300 batches were quoted by company as "Sept(321)" and "Sept/Oct(300)".
The total Citaro order was for fifteen (Eight - GR, six - AY and one extra for 724, the latter of which I presume will take the vacant number 3910).
It is believed, but not confirmed that the Citaro are going to be repainted before entering service.
I am indebted to Dave Stewart, Glenn Knight and Ben Morroll for the above information.
It will be great to see these new buses out in service and I am certain they will bring increased patronage to the two routes.
I asked Dave Stewart if he knew what determined the use of inter-urban livery or not. His answer is interesting and he writes
"As to what determines interurban, it used to be quite simple, as in: "it does what it says on the tin". That was when they picked out a trunk route or two here and there and re-marketed it. But - as quite a lot of routes do, by their very nature, travel between towns, and there are a lot of towns in Arriva Shires territory, nearly all of which are quite close together, the whole concept is somewhat diluted. Even if you take smaller towns like Amersham/ Chesham/ Berkhamsted and given that their routes largely connect to Hemel, Watford, Slough, Wycombe, even routes like the 52/62 and 353 could be classed as inter-urban as well as those that ARE interurban (in Arriva-speak) like the 280, 300, 301, 321, 500, 800/850. You can see, therefore, that 'interurban' is meant to indicate routes that have "big towns" at each end, although I suspect that the concept is lost upon the passengers."
Non inter-urban and inter-urban shown by 5830 on
the 261 - this bus is an ex Oxford bus and is seen back "home".
5144 displays inter-urban livery whilst working a 280 service into Oxford -
pictures by
Richard
Sharman.
Glenn Knight reports that Leyland 5092. F642LMJ is recently withdrawn and when he visited ARRIVA Aylesbury depot o 5th Sept at Smeaton Close he saw2371 - R941VPU originally with Harlow which had no engine or front axel. Olympian 5124 - G294UMJ had no engine and no front panels. Glenn reported that Walters Limousines YIB 2379 which is ex-ARRIVA Shires
was in Aylesbury.
With regards to Luton based Olympians 5137 and 5139 have both been repainted into Inter-urban livery in addition to 5146. On 5th September 5137, N37JPP was on service 24, being the second Volvo Countybus to receive Inter-Urban livery at Luton.
Until recently
based at AY, 5836 appears to have now moved to Wycombe. - M Crowe.
A
selection of single decks on route in High Wycombe - M Crowe
One the
recently repainted and branded Darts for Red Route 33. These buses look very
smart - M Crowe.
Solo 2496
pauses in West Wycombe on a Line 40 working from Thame. - M Crowe.
Volvo 3821
required the services of a fitter when working a 52 service from Wycombe to
Hemel last week.
At last the blind came out in my picture.
Various
work is being found for these elderly Darts and 3362 is seen on training duties
on September 1st. M Crowe.
Volvo
4367 is seen on a 755 working in London - Gavin Francis
M K Metro
Neil Gow writes
"The reason for former MK Metro vehicles appearing on Aylesbury routes is that Aylesbury have taken over responsibility for maintenance of a proportion of the MK Metro fleet. With Aylesbury having to provide replacement vehicles for vehicles off road for maintenance, accident repair, MOT tests etc., it is inevitable that a serviceable MK Metro vehicle will appear on Aylesbury workings from time to time before returning to regular haunts. The MK Metro vehicles involved are Optare Solos 2420 (ex 6) and 2442 (23), Dennis Darts 3515 (ex 423) and 3519 (428), Dart SLF 3172 and Volvo B6 3119 - and these have been formally transferred to Aylesbury depot stock according to the PSV Circle. The last two are still in Arriva livery as they had previously transferred to MK from The Shires, so they are less obvious at Aylesbury - but 3119 is now the only B6 at Aylesbury so its appearance on AY routes would also be notable."easyBus
I read that EB3 from Victoria to Gatwick is to be axed and replaced by EB4 Fulham Broadway to Gatwick. EB2 continues from Stansted but will become an unlicensed express service running non-stop to Victoria from September 21st.
Passengers will still be able to use Green Line 757 from Luton which also carries National Express and Terravision passengers meaning that each operation is a four party share. Indeed I am told that the new Green Line tri-axle Acrons will have one of four super reears for the four operators involved. This should make for some interesting pictures.
Still in daily service is this now elderly
Metrobus, M336, seen in the Eden Bus Station on 8th September - M Crowe.
Another Carousel bus is pictured above by M Crowe, being T402 on Line 1.
No reports this week.
Glenn knight gave us our first picture of one of the new X30 Volvos in
Colchester.
Glenn's second picture is of one in Southend.
Chris in Banbury notes that it seems that Wycombe depot has had an increase in the coach fleet at their West Wycombe yard. There are now a number of extra coachs, parked at various angles around the yard, seemingly to fit them all in.
Chris also suggests that the bus allocation seems to have decreased from three Olympians and a Metrorider to a single Olympian and the Metrorider. These are now often parked at the far end of the yard on what was the washing bay.
Lets see if anyone can assist on this one Ed.
My grandson now goes to Icknield School which has a big school bus contract situation and today I saw one of Bravo Ayats on an incoming school run. Also Woottens are also involved. I ,must look to see what is used.
I mentioned the use of a white
Enviro 200 on the Wheatley services and this picture fro Richard Sharman shows
the bus.
David Percy writes " A new vehicle landed at Helmdon this afternoon, after over a week of sign writing at York's, it was delivered in base 'goldish' livery, and the livery was applied in two parts.
If you are aware of the Bowen group livery, it comprises of two elements, a half moon 'sunrise' (if that sounds right!) amidships, then 'flowing ribbons' along the length of the vehicle to give it 'length', in a style that is know as (wait for it), Sunrise and Ribbons !!!
It is a Volvo B12B, Plaxton Panther, reg YN58CGE, it is, interestingly classed as a C49/51Ft,to allow for seating changes, without having to apply to the ministry for chance of use."
http://www.nationalexpress.com/
We have a number of interesting pictures for this issue from contributors.
A new contributor is John Ashridge, whom I met at Luton.
He sent the above picture of a Birmingham based Veolia coach on the 777 at Luton
Airport.
The Neoplans of Trathens, which operate the 421 night services through Oxford,
have now all been given the new livery.
Pictures by Gavin Francis.
Gavin
found this Burtons coach on the 010 which is one not listed as a National
Express coach.
Keith Shayshutt writes "Here's a photo you may wish to feature in the National Express section of a forthcoming edition of the webpage. It is of the TGM National Express depot at Fratton, Portsmouth taken by me on Sunday 17 August 2008. A delightful little garage I thought."
Keith
Shayshutt sent this picture of the TGM garage in Fratton, which handles their
local NEx services.
Martin White writes "Have heard that First Coaches are losing the NEx 200 Bristol - Gatwick Service to South Gloucester who are to acquire some tri-axle Levantes for the service. In return the vehicles and diagrams & drivers of First S & A Bath transfer to First Coaches remaining based at Bath as an outstation of Bristol as with Cheltenham & Northampton this will leave just First Cymru and First Devon & Cornwall as the only other members on NEx work
How long before they transfer to First Coaches and have all the Groups NEx work under one wing?"
The company web page offers information for the enthusiast which can be found at the following link:- http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/main.php?page_id=19
Saturday saw a "Doors Open" event when various companies in Oxford offered visitors the opportunity to see the inside story. This is reported on our Editorial page which can be found at the following link:
Editorial & Features plus Picture Corner
Richard Sharman was interested to note that some "horns" had sprouted out of the roof on coach 94. He wonders what these are and I am unable to answer his query.
Coach nr 94 with "horns" by Richard Sharman
Gavin Francis reports and took pictures of Airline
branded coaches on the X90 on 1st September.
This was caused by long delay in rotations following some accidents on the M40.
Pictures by Gavin Francis.
The 4th September saw a red Citaro, 829, on the
400 which was caught on camera by Gavin Francis.
Richard Sharman and then Gavin Francis sent pictures
of Tridents 116 and 114.
116 shows off bright silver wheels as mentioned elsewhere by Geoff Cunliffe.
I felt that the above pictures by Gavin Francis
showed off the colourful nature of the Oxford fleet in 2008.
St Giles Fair in September each year always causes
traffic problems.
Buses must use Broad Street to gain the Banbury road and above we see 845
loading for Kidlington.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
Once 27 and then 67 in the Oxford fleet, this Volvo/Plaxton Excalibur is still
giving good service on National Express diagrams.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
R H Transport Services
A number of nice pictures have been received for this issue.
Picture from Richard Sharman showing this coach now in full fleet livery.
I may have shown this destination display before but I found it slightly
amusing.
I don't expect it discourages people from asking the driver questions.
Oxford
Chris from Nu-Venture reports that they have acquired once a Thames Transit Rose Hill Runner [M74VJO] today ex Stagecoach South.
Stagecoach decker seen at the Rail Station by Mike Bennett.
It is not
usual to see a Dart on the 1 as shown in this picture by Richard Sharman
East
Glenn Knight advises that Ex-Stagecoach Corby Star bus KX06 TYK 47341 is now at Bedford in full Stagecoach Livery display "Vehicle on test" at Bedford Bus Station this morning also R34 TAC is now back into normal Stagecoach livery with X5 REMOVED.
This picture
shows this summer's weather to a tee.
Matthew Searle caught up with 20853 in George Street after a run from Cambridge.
Warwickshire
A correction from the last issue is from Rob Williams who says "Just a minor point – the photo of 20227 on route 20 should be under Warwickshire rather than Oxfordshire – can’t blame us for that one, it’s the Sunday service!"
Swindon
In our last issue query was made regarding the use of Darts on the 66 and Marcus Lapthorn reports that in the last week of August "all seven MAN's allocated to Swindon had to return to the manufacturer for an upgrade to their on board computer system. This is why Darts were used on the 66."
Ex Megabus Neoplan, 50133 CN05APV continues to draw interest and we have some more pictures this week of this now unique coach.
Picturedd in three differing
angles by Richard Sharman.
Seen in London through the lens of Martin White.
This time by Gavin Francis, a very similar picture being used on the
front of the 25 year book of Stagecoach, featuring 50131 and 50113.
Sunday 13th sees 50120 loading
for London at St Clements. M Crowe.
TWH Bus & Coach
M298TWB in use on the 55 through
Debden by Glenn Knight
Gez from SC Lancaster writes, a mate of mine, Tony Allen, has sent me this from Widnes of one of the ex Uno Darts, even a fresh coat of paint doesn't make the Marshall body very pretty.
Another from Glenn Knight about new UNO PN08 SVZ Scania East Lancs at Optare in Blackburn at the back is PN08 SWF unfortunately couldn't get a photo.
A luckier picture was of the rear by now in service and branded for route 614, seen at UH Hatfield.
Michael Wootten writes "You may recall that ex-COMS C63/4/6 HOM were withdrawn by Woottens earlier this year. C63 HOM passed to Qualiti Conversions and I attach some photographs of the finished item. I think the vehicle looks very smart and should have a long life as a non-PSV."
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