News Page
News of the local
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Issue 293
(OBP-505)
Tuesday 4th August 2009
REVISED AND ADDED TO 12th AUGUST 2009
(next update during August 2009)
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Company & fleet news – 4th August 2009
THE news for this issue is the entry into service of the first of the new fleet of Van Hool double deck coaches for Oxford tube. These coaches continue the standard set by the last fleet of Neoplan coaches which are now being returned to the lessor, having completed - in most cases - more than 1 million kilometres in their five year stint with the company. You can see pictures of the new coaches on their first day in service under the Oxford tube heading below.
Other items of interest are the report of a fire on a DAF-Plaxton Prestige of Arriva working a 500 service between Aylesbury and Watford, the bus suffering total damage. Further Scania double decks have entered service with Oxford Bus on the new Brookes contract and the appearance on the eastern by-pass of a further four Volvo B10BLEs apparently heading for Oxford Bus from fellow Go-Ahead company, Brighton & Hove.
New Oxford tube coaches enter service
Further Oxford Bus Scania
deckers enter service on the Brookes contract
Arriva
loses a DAF saloon which
suffered total fire damage whilst working the 500 service in Tring
First of the ex Birmingham Airport M A A N saloons enters service with Carousel
Contributions have, as ever, excellent and I must record my appreciation to all concerned.
The latter days of July saw
Arriva the Shires suffer the loss of a DAF-Plaxton Prestige bus whilst working service 500 at Tring. This was one of the buses that, when new, were powered by LPG and featured gas tamks on the roof. The worked the 321 service between Watford and Luton for many years and I believe the bus involved still carried 321 branding.
Picture by Adam Green
I understand that new branding is to appear on the Tridents serving Line 500 from Aylesbury to Watford which we look forward to seeing. Competition on this route appears from August 17th when Tiger Line start their T2 service which follows the same route between Hemel and Watford. Interesting times ahead.
Mark Munday writes "Just a quick update for Wycombe. We have had delivered to us vehicles 3197,3850 and 3851 all from Stevenage I believe. Also 3138 and 3139 have been sold, Both parked in the back row at Cressex. We are getting some more vehicles soon and I will let you know when this happens."
Alan Lane sent a couple more pictures of older buses used at Waddesdon at the recent event featured in the last issue.
DAF 3447 and Trident 5421 in beautiful settings at Waddesdon.
Pictures by Alan Lane.
Alan says that last year at least three of the VPU DAFs and at least two Tridents were in use.
Peter Cabin writes regarding sightings at Cressex depot "I noticed 4491 T494.KGB. which has spent several months in the end bay at the Cressex depot has now been dumped at the back of the yard with the other redundant buses minus its engine and a shattered windscreen body wise it looks ok is it scrap or waiting for a new engine."
Glenn Knight notes that Volvo B10BLE 2454 was in use on route 52 at Hemel and that 3449 was in use on route 8 to Lewsey Farm.
Glenn also popped over to Garston Arriva Garage on 1st August where he noted DAF 3296 T493 KGB, Volvo 3252 V252HBH the one which caught fire at Stansted some months ago, MK Metros Dennis Dart NDZ7926 in for repaint and he also sent some pictures of the depot.
Pictures of Garston Depot by Glenn Knight
An interesting
bus on site at Garston was this Southern Counties DAF from Grays depot.
I wonder why it was Garston? Picture by Glenn Knight.
Citaro 3922 in Central Milton Keynes on route 100 to Aylesbury - Glenn
Knight
Once PDL2 based at Edmonton in London this Dart is now 3225 with The Shires
and has been repainted in standard livery.
3226 of the same batch remains at High Wycombe in red London livery and is a
spare bus for the U9.
Picture by Glenn Knight.
Another bus caught on camera by Glenn Knight is this new Enviro 300
on route 300 at Welwyn GC.
Arriva DAF
coaches 4365 and 4369 freshly repainted and running new route 712 St. Albans to
London Victoria.
Pictures by Gavin Francis.
Hemel Hempstead depot works several Green Line routes including the new 712 and
713 plus older routes such as the 758 and 759.
Recent repaint for the fleet is this DAF SB3000 seen above, 4052 on 1st August
by Adam Green.
Arriva 3203
freshly attired in Blue Route 32 livery working a 52 route service to Hemel.
21st July 2009. Gavin Francis.
Olympian 5148
rather in need of a fresh coat of paint works a 32 Blue route service in High
Wycombe. Gavin Francis.
Enviro 300 3568 working service 301 at The Galleria, Hatfield on 23rd July 2009.
M Crowe.
Volvo 3872 works a 100 service from Stevenage to Luton Airport on 1st August
2009. M Crowe.
At the western end of Arriva
Shires operating territory Trident - Enviro 400 5436 passes the council offices
in Speedwell St.
Picture by Malcolm Crowe.
The M A N/MCV saloons being prepared for service are beginning to enter service earlier than expected. On 28th July Paul Davis was on hand to record the first in service. This was in all white livery without any branding.
Picture by Paul Davis
Recently acquired Volvo EVL6 is seen leaving High Wycombe on an A40 working to
Heathrow on 21st July.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
Still giving good service are the Olympians including L534 seen above on 21st
July. Gavin Francis.
The Plaxton Primo has been advertised for sale and was recently seen in Hemel on a 4 route working and sadly its destination screen was inoperative.
Adam Green reports that Solo 348 is now at work in Hemel on new acquired route 11 which is a town service.
This Dart,
531 -
132PPV Dennis Dart recently acquired from Ipswich Buses,
is seen on route X31 in a picture by Glenn Knight
I think this a Scania which is seen in
Luton. Picture by Glenn Knight.
Trident 904 is seen in St. Giles on 3rd August by Russell Young.
The Atlantean 928 is still in regular service.
Gavin Francis caught up with another occurrence of a London First Trident
operating the Green Line 702 to Windsor. 31st July 2009.
Stansted often sees buses in use by First following transfer from other areas
such as Scotland.
Above we see 47105 working service 33. M Crowe.
Grove Coaches of Hertford
Seen in
King Harry Lane Volvo B58-61 Plaxton C57F Ex-Albatross of Brentford
current owner Grove Coaches of Hertford. this coach is LEZ Compliant!
Picture Glenn Knight.
Hearns and Venture
As an operator often seen around our area, I thought this fleet list provided by Richard Stiles might prove useful. Hearns also owns Venture and a few pictures are included.
Hearns Fleet List
Venture Transport Fleet List
with Tappins
Paul Dudfield writes
Tappins suffers fire loss
Sunday 2nd August 2009 saw a fire causing damamge and loss at the Tappins depot in Didcot. Some fifty fire fighters fought a large fire at the depot, which left some coaches totally destroyed.
The blaze at Tappins Coaches in Southmead Industrial Park, Didcot, broke out at about 5.45am today, before spreading to the roof. An investigation has been launched by Oxfordshire Fire Service.
You can read more at the following links. There is some discrepancy regarding the number of vehicles involved. Full details of vehicles involved are awaited.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8180219.stm
Little Jim Buses, Hemel Hempstead
This small but interesting operator continues with service 502 from Hemel and has just changed bus and Little Jim writes "Little Jim's "new" Optare Solo made it's 1st appearance on bus route 502 on Saturday 8 August 2009.
Previously registered as a 19-seat disabled passenger vehicle, it has been altered to become a 33 + 2 tip-up seat bus, chassis (VIN) No. VN6296.
It was previously operated by Stockton-on-Tees Council with the complete lower section being seat-free for wheelchairs.
Bus 502 runs from Northchurch to Hemel Hempstead Bus Station with a few journeys to Tring Tesco and Adeyfield Queens Square, and was started about 3 years ago after I waited 50 minutes on an outward journey--and then over 70 minutes on the return journey--for Arriva's half-hourly Line 500. I eventually had to get a taxi despite having bought a return ticket!
Whilst appreciating that all bus routes (including my own!) will occasionally suffer from a mechanical breakdown, or even a last-minute staff non-appearance, my detailed records show that this chronic unreliability continued for the following two years, making a mockery of the expensive and extensive "Go On, Get Out There" advertising and leaflet drop.
Perhaps partly because of this, we now regularly carry about 1,000 pax per week, and, indeed, two months ago we celebrated our 100,000th passenger. Her reward was an immediate £100 cash pay-out! Luckily this was witnessed by 28 other passengers already on that journey.
I am pleased to note that the reliability of Arriva Bus 500 has considerably improved over the last few months. With both them and us operating on time the Berkhamsted-Hemel corridor now has quite a good service and hopefully this will result in a much-needed growth in public transport use in this area.
Last Boxing Day, as an experiment, I operated a full Friday service, and whilst not "washing it's face" economically, I carried a considerable number of passengers and showed that a subsidised skeleton service on "inter-town" routes should definitely be operated. It would not cost the Council a lot (compared to the annual PTU budget) and would be a godsend to traditional public-transport users, and those responsible citizens who wish to have a festive drink and not drive their car.
After all, many shopping centres are open and busy, and TfL routes, including those running in Watford, operate a near-normal Sunday service."
New Levante two axle coaches are noted as owned:
FJ09 DXA owned by Ambassador
FJ09 DXB owned by Ambassador
FJ09 DXR owned by Arriva Shires
Adam Green notes an error on my last issue. He says
"In your last company and fleet news you had the MK Metro fleet of National Express coaches there is a typing error on one of the reg plates it has got FJ08DXS in stead of FJ09DXS."There have been some changes in the fleet at Stansted. Levante tri-axles SC 27-31 and 34 have been sold to Bruce's Coaches of Salsburgh for further NEx contracted work. Prior to leaving their original home at Start Hill, Stansted branding for the A6 service was removed. They have been replaced at Start Hill by Sipson road based tri-axles SC43-46 and two axles SC41 and 42.
SC34 being preapred for departure from Stansted. Look out for these coaches on
588 and 590 services.
SC43 transferred from Sipson Road now based at Stansted.
There are twenty five new two axle Levantes in the process of delivery and the first seven have gone to Arriva-MK Metro who have recently taken over the 707 service from First Bus.
Details of the latest coaches are:
FJ09DXG YS2K4X20001863100 FO93043001 MK METRO 418
FJ09DXK YS2K4X20001863113 FO93043002 MK METRO 419
FJ09DXL YS2K4X20001863121 FO93043003 MK METRO 420
FJ09DXM YS2K4X20001863140 FO93043004 MK METRO 421
FJ09DXO YS2K4X20001863165 FO93043005 MK METRO 422
FJ09DXP YS2K4X20001863144 FO93043006 MK METRO 423
FJ09DXR YS2K4X20001863176 FO93043007 MK METRO 424
FJ09DXS YS2K4X20001863201 FO93043008
FJ09DXT YS2K4X20001863214 FO93043009
FJ09DXU YS2K4X20001863207 FO93043010
FJ09DWY YS2K4X20001863249 FO93043011
FJ09DWZ YS2K4X20001863271 FO93043012
FJ09DXA YS2K4X20001863258 FO93043013 Ambassador 206
FJ09DXB YS2K4X20001863276 FO93043014 Ambassador 207
FJ09DXC YS2K4X20001863279 FO93043015 Ambassador 208
FJ09DXE YS2K4X20001863255 FO93043016
FJ09DXF YS2K4X20001863262 FO93043017
FJ09DWF YS2K4X20001863238 FO93043018
FJ09DWG YS2K4X20001863267 FO93043019
FJ09DWK YS2K4X20001863245 FO93043020
FJ09DWL YS2K4X20001863217 FO93043021
FJ09DWM YS2K4X20001863231 FO93043022
FJ09DWN YS2K4X20001863228 FO93043023
FJ09DWO YS2K4X20001863222 FO93043024
FJ09DWP YS2K4X20001863233 FO93043025
Sightings of operators using these new coaches would be appreciated.
Stagecoach East Midlands runs through Oxford on service 310 and their 59206 is
seen in this picture from Gavin Francis.
Stagecoach Oxford operates the 737 service to Stansted. During the
reconstruction of the bus station at
the University of Hertfordshire the Hatfield stop on this service has been
transferred to The Galleria an d 59213 is seen loading at this point.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
I have to say how useful I have found the HB Publications - National Express Datafile 2009 edition. Check the link at http://hbpub.co.uk for details. At £11.00 I think it is quite a bargain. It not only lists National Express services and coach fleets but also Scottish citylink, Megabus, Oxford Tube and Shearings. Most useful.
Significant news is of the arrival of six more Volvo B10BLEs from Brighton. These are R223/224/225/226/227/229HCD and I saw four on delivery last week. One wonders if these are to replace Volvo B10Bs 640-643 which are of course not low floor.
Further Scania deckers for the Brookes contract have been received and at least up to 207 are now in service.
Scanias 203 and 205 seen at Frideswide
Square on 23rd July looking smart and shiny.
Recent delivery 206 seen in Speedwell St on 31st July by M Crowe.
Volvos 643 seen in
Speedwell Street on service U5 on 31st July. M Crowe.
Q buster 632 brings memories of
another fleet when seen by Gavin Francis (travelling passenger!!) on 27th July.
Coach feature.
Coach 90 on the X90 at Victoria on 16th July 2009 - Gavin Francis.
Premier Connections, Luton
Chris writes
"Just wondered if you had seen this story, that involved a Company from Luton, Premier Connections Travel. Thankfully nobody was hurt."http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/local/4525338.Children_flee_bus_fire/
Glenn Knight sent some pictures of the Redline fleet taken on 2nd August.
YN04LXF in Coppice on new service 6A - Optare Alero has gained Gold &
Silver writing.
V262HBH at Stoke Mandeville Hospital starting the 1422 journey to Buckingham
MX58KYS Just been washed at the Gatehouse Road Depot
Red Rose
R H Buses
Somewhat later than planned I am now adding the latest happenings at Stagecoach. (Wednesday 12th August 2009)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rear end branding on the city fleet in Oxford has been a feature for many months
now.
22279 above has recently been repainted and shows off its message in St Aldates.
The 53 plate Darts are being dispersed from Oxford and 34466-72 should now be
all at Banbury.
However at least 34472 was still in use at Oxford on August 8th whilst similar
34467 was on the Banbury worked 59 service.
Sometimes we get a visiting vehicle at Oxford and Monday 27th July was no
exception.
Bedford's 53601 had failed on an X5 working the previous evening and is seen at
Excel by Gavin Francis.
Trident summer
sojourn in Devon.
Ian
Kirby sent pictures of the ex SC Oxford Tridents working in and around
Torquay this summer. I see 18053 at least has gained SC Devon fleet names and
understand that at the end of the summer the batch of six Presidents will go to
East Midlands for further service. He writes
Pictures by Ian Kirby
Ben Beaver from Torquay sent pictures of two more of the Presidents and 18051 & 18052 are seen in Teignmouth on route 32T.
Pictures by Ben Beaver – Torquay
Kath Dulson writes to say
"Just like to say thank you via your forum to David Oakley, and one of my eagle eyed ex colleagues who spotted me driving the front one and my husband behind. We were two of four, and we were still around here whilst our other colleagues were already on the M5, because mine was exceptionally slow.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received and email and pictures from London Bus Driver who writes "Following on from the pictures taken on 30th June of the Newcastle Enviro, here are two from the following day (1st July).
19381 working the 15.00 (as per the previous day), albeit departing at 15.40.
(M12 Newcastle via Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Woolley Edge and Sheffield
Meadowhall).
[06.45 from Newcastle arriving at 14.00, vehicle departs as 16.00 M2 Bournemouth - 14.00 arrival from Liverpool M15 forms the 15.00 M12 Newcastle]
19379 being swapped over for 54025 at Woolley Edge (which would have worked the
16.30 if it had made it all the way down to Victoria)
(M20 Newcastle via Scotch Corner, Woolley Edge and Sheffield Meadowhall)
[08.45 from Newcastle arriving at 15.25, vehicle returns as 16.30 M11 Preston - 15.00 arrival from Preston M11 forms the 16.30 M20 Newcastle]
The most common workings for the Enviro's to appear on are the 06.45 (if the B10M has been declared unfit overnight), and the Sundays Only 09.45 M20 arriving at 16.30, returning at 18.00 (if no spare B12B available)
A picture of 19379 is also sent, taken on the Sundays only journey on 21st June
at Woolley Edge.
Also, ex Oxford 13601 is due for withdrawal on Friday evening (17th July) when the schools break up for summer - similar 13627 managed a return to Megabus work on the 19th June, seen at Watford Gap (with blinds set ready for return trip as passengers were transferred onto a B10M to continue to London), and again at Woolley Edge after passengers had transferred onto a B10M for the remainder of journey to Manchester (due to non LEZ compliance) - unfortunately it has now been withdrawn with a seized engine.
Many thanks to London Bus Driver for this most interesting news. One does not appreciate the interlinked workings that happen on Megabus. I look forward to more from this source.
I must say the Volvo B12BTs that are now used on Megabus are flyers. I use the M1 on the 737 service between junctions 8 and 10 and whenever one of these beasts is around they always burn me off the road.
Gavin Francis caught 54023 on camera in London on July 23rd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The new coaches have now entered service (3rd August) with nine on the first day and six on day 2 (4th August.) A special "first day" was operated on August 1st.
See this link for pictures and details of the new coaches before they entered service and in their first week.
David Walker writes on 8th August "Neoplan 50133 back up north again with Western. It came back up here again at the beginning of the week and after full repaint etc its to enter service at Kilmarnock."
Gavin Francis went to London on 5th August to record buses in Hyde Park resulting from the closure of the eastbound Bayswater for resurfacing during that week.
Here we see 50108 looking somewhat out of place in one of the Queen's royal
parks.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
The first of the main Neoplan fleet, following 50103 which left some weeks ago, left Oxford on Sunday evening, 2nd August, for their journey to Plaxtons at Sheffield. The coaches involved were 50104, 50107, 50111, 50112, 50113, 50117, 50120 and 50124. The last was the one which won coach of year at Duxford 2004. 50119 left Oxford on 7th August for Sheffield having worked that mornings Wantage service, surely a quick departure from regular service.
It seems that 50121 will be the next to leave and it is seen below on 11th August being preapred for departure. The picture is of note since it acquired a new logo on the front upper deck window quite recently.
Picture by Malcolm Crowe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woottens and Tiger Line
The Tigers Are Roaring Again With The Launch of T2
On Monday the 17th August 2009, Tiger Line will be launching the second of its commercial bus services T2.
The new service will link Hemel Hempstead to Watford via Apsley and Kings Langley. Initially the service will be Monday – Friday on an hourly frequency but with future frequency upgrades planned subject to demand.
In the morning and evening peaks the service will position from and back to the Tigers Den in Chesham. This will provide a direct link from Chesham to Watford via Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.
The new service will be launched with coach style single deck buses, as used on the existing T1 service from Hemel Hempstead to Aylesbury.
The service requires a team of dedicated staff. Drivers from Hemel Hempstead, with extensive experience, have been recruited specifically for the route. They have been selected for their positive attitude, knowledge and a desire to deliver a high quality service.
The Tiger Line ethos is to provide great service at fares people can afford, which encourages them to travel. Therefore single/return fares will be considerably less than existing fares on this corridor and there will be a great range of tickets for regular users. Of course the holders of the National Concessionary Pass/London Freedom Pass will be very welcome.
Michael Wootten, Operations Director of Tiger Line said “We are launching this new service in response to calls from our customers in Hemel Hempstead. As a local company we have been taking on board their comments and understand their needs.
They have told us they want a more reliable link from Hemel Hempstead to Watford, they want affordable fares and they want choice. Our new service is designed to do this and although we are starting with an hourly timetable, we have big plans for the future.
If the people living on the Hemel Hempstead-Apsley-Kings Langley-Watford corridor use our service to the full, then I can promise them more departures and a high quality service well into the future.”
It is of note that Tiger Line celebrated its 1st birthday recently with vehicles operating the T1 suitably decorated.
I am advised that some coaches are being sold.
Recent vehicle
re-registrations to note are as follows:
Volvo B10M / Jonckheere W52 SIJ 305 to L901 NWW
Volvo B10M / Jonckheere W48 JIL 2199 to L904 NWW
Leyland Tiger / East Lancs W61 DFP 492Y to SIJ 305
Leyland Tiger / East Lancs W57 THL 290Y to JIL 2199
Coaches W30, W48 & W52 have been advertised for sale.
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