Arriva the Shires

The new ADL E200MMC buses at High Wycombe have settled down to work and make a welcome change in the town. They are almost always to be seen on the 32 but a surprise is the arrival of some Citaros from Milton Keynes in Platinum livery and one of these was to be seen on the 32 on August 16th and again on September 5th.

Nigel Peach writes : On 3rd August, a traffic jam in Castle Street comprising three buses. Arriva 4711 FE51 YWJ, the only East Lancs Lowlander still at Wycombe. (4721 has recently departed to Aylesbury according to the wmbusphotos website.) Behind this was Arriva 3107 YX17 NMF, one of the new ADL E200MMC buses. The fleet numbers were previously used by a batch of Northern Counties Paladin bodied Volvo B6s and 3107 (L307HPP) was one that spent time at Wycombe depot in its later years!

Every time I think that things are settling down, something else comes along to surprise me! Driving through Wycombe at lunchtime today (16th) I detoured via Eden Bus Station and noticed two surprises. So I parked the car nearby and investigated. 

Arriva Citaro 3928 in MK Platinum livery was on route 32.

The other day at Cressex I took the attached picture - I rather like this line up!:

On Sunday August 13th, three of the new E200s in a line up with five other types of bus (representing almost every type currently based at Wycombe).

 
3928 on a 32 working on August 16th by Nigel Peach

Picture by Nigel Peach

Nigel writes regarding transfers as follows:

I don't know if you ever look at this website? 

http://wmbusphotos.com/Fleetchanges/ArrivaMidlands.html

It gives regular updates of Arriva Midlands (and now Shires) vehicles. Below I have copied and pasted the changes for the month of August. It makes for interesting reading. Most of those affecting Wycombe we had gleaned, but interesting to note that there are four Platinum Citaros from MK, and they have been exchanged for four elderly DAFs 4516/9/20/25 which have gone the other way. I wonder what the staff at MK think of that!!!

I hadn't noticed until I saw it below, that another D/D has been withdrawn (6286). The DDs at Wycombe are dwindling in number.

It is interesting to note the withdrawal of the older 757 coaches including the Levantes once with National Express.

One can only imagine the drivers comments at MK on receipt of the aged DAFs!!

The five Scanias from Luton are replaced there by new ADL E200 MMCs.

Scania Wrights 3618 KE55GXR in Wycombe on July 31st by Pete Cannon.

Gavin Francis has provided a picture of one the Scanias now transferred to Wycombe, when it was working in Luton on the 27.
3616 in Church Rd Luton on June 19th 2013.

One of these Scanias, not one at Wycombe but seen on the 757 service in London!
3613 at the 757 terminus in Victoria on August 27th by Gavin Francis. Maybe on the now Wycombe based one also worked the 757?

Now branded and in service, 3107 is seen on the 32 at Wycombe Marsh on July 27th by Pete Cannon.

Pete Canon reports as follows:

Monday August 14th working the 37 service was 3619 KE55CVA with 3616 KE55CVL working on service 1. 

A loan from MK seen on route 32 August 16th heading to Booker Asda was Platinum branded Citaro 3928 BG59FCY.

This turned out to be a transfer.  Ed.

Seen in High Wycombe so far as at August 21st

3615       KE55CVK
3616       KE55CVL
3617     KE55CVM 
3618     KE55GXR 
3619     KE55CVA 

New coaches in service on Green Line 757

The long awaited Mercedes Tourismos have now arrived and entered service. When first seen they had amazingly small fleet numbers soon to be replaced by ones which were visible without a magnifine glass!!

The full list of the new deliveries are shown below.

7002 with both small and visible fleet numbers, turns onto Elizabeth Bridge on its way to Luton Airport on August 16th seen by Gavin Francis.

 
7003 with the small numbers removed at Victoria on August 16th seen by Gavin Francis.

 
 7006 with only small fleet numbers at Victoria on August 12th seen by Gavin Francis.

Arriva in Oxford by Gavin Francis

Citaro 3019, in the new livery, on a 280 at Headington Hill on August 16th seen by Gavin Francis.

3798 works the X8 at Headington on July 17th by Gavin Francis

Unusually a decker on the X8 as 5468 leaves the train station on August 16th by Gavin Francis

Arriva in Aylesbury by Luke Braham

Dart 2297 BF52NZP works the 61 on July 12th by Luke Braham. This bus was transferred from MK in July.

3019 BD12DJF on a 300 working on July 12th by Luke Braham.

Another bus in the new livery, 3829 KE53NFG seen on 9 working on July 25th by Luke Braham.

Now moved from Wycombe to Aylesbury, 4721 FD02UKG seen working the 50 on July 12th by Luke Braham.

Luke reports on the scene in Aylesbury,

With Arriva’s service changes in July, Renown 3264 V264HBH and Lowlander 4708 FE51YWH transferred to Luton depot from Aylesbury to undertake extra workings on route 70 (Milton Keynes to Luton) taken over from Leighton Buzzard outstation. It is believed that 3264 has since been withdrawn. 

Dart 2153 LJ51DBV was withdrawn at Aylesbury in July with an out of date MOT. It was shortly replaced by old liveried Dart 2297 BF52NZP.  

Renown 3266 V266 HBH were also withdrawn at Aylesbury in July and was replaced a few weeks later with Lowlander 4721 FD02UKG from High Wycombe depot.  

Also during July, Aylesbury-based Dart 3829 KE53NFG and Citaro 3019 BD12DJF were repainted into the latest version of Arriva fleet livery.  

Mercedes Benz Citaros 3912 BV58MLF and 3913 BV58MLJ have now transferred to Aylesbury from Luton. This brings the total number of Citaros at Aylesbury to 18. The pair can quite often be seen working routes 300 to High Wycombe and X60 to Milton Keynes.  

Dennis Darts 3280 Y262YBC, 3286 Y386HKE and 3293 Y389HKE have been withdrawn at Aylesbury. Optare Solos 2492 YK07BGF and 2498 YJ58PKC have arrived and entered service at Aylesbury from Milton Keynes. It is believed that only three Darts are to remain at Aylesbury with the rest of them to be replaced by Solos. 

Mercedes Benz Sprinter City BL16GAO has been purchased by Arriva and is to be based at Aylesbury depot for a new town service due to start in September. It is believed that a second is due before the start of service. 

Alexander ALX400 6289 Y489 UGC has transferred back to Aylesbury having previously been based at High Wycombe.

Note above that sister type 6286 has been withdrawn at High Wycombe!!

Arriva report by Tony Bungay

A few pictures you might find of interest for your excellent webpage. The title refers to the fact that in a week Aylesbury has had a Dart appear running in the original Arriva colour scheme and now one in the latest, both were operating services 8/9. Though the older was not in service when photographed!

A trip to Oxford the other week enabled the opportunity to get some photos, two are of passing sapphires, and yes the two X8s were photographed in Thame on August 15^th and a diverted 280 heading up to the Cowley Road.

The branded still 321 sapphire was taken in High Wycombe on August 15^th. Aylesbury seems to have had Optare Solos come back, though these are a later registration then previous ones.

3912 branded for 321 on the 300 in Wycombe on August 15th by Tony Bungay

Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva London (Garston)

Garston Garage on St Albans Road.

The bus garage in Garston is set to close next year after running routes from the facility became too costly. Also this depot lost a number of TfL routes in recent retendering.

Local reports suggested that the St Albans Road garage would be “re-developed”, with some drivers being told that routes were expected to move to the Hemel Hempstead garage.

Bus operator Arriva, which runs services from the garage, confirmed the “phased closure” of the facility.

In a statement, Arriva said: “Garston operates routes that run a substantial distance from its garage and this has proved increasingly difficult to remain competitive.

Arriva London has therefore taken the difficult decision to cease operations at Garston garage and has proposed a phased closure through to 2018.

We are currently working the local trade union to assist staff through this process.”

The depot at Garston opened 1952 replacing one in use since 1920 in Leavesden Road by LGOC and London Transport. In recent years it has been home to both red and blue/cream Arriva buses and the future looks interesting for local enthusiasts.

I look forward to pictures of the changes.

One of the blue members of Garston Garage, Southern Counties 3745 on a 324 working at Watford Jc. on May 18th by Gavin Francis.

One of the red members of Garston Garage, London DW145 works the 258 at Watford Jc. on May 18th by Gavin Francis.

It is noted that with the running down of "blue" operations at Garston routes  8, 10 and 324 were expected to transfer to Hemel effective August 27th. One presumes this will mean unusual buses on Hemel routes.

Arriva in Hemel & St. Albans by Tony Bungay

Van Hool 9003 on a 758 working in Hemel Hempstead on July 22nd by Tony Bungay.

MMC 6525 on the 320 in Hemel Hempstead on July 22nd by Tony Bungay.

Citaro 3894 works the 724 on Holywell Hill - St Albans on July 22nd by Tony Bungay.

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