Editorial

Well, what a month this has been, Thamesdown taken over by Go-Ahead, new buses for Oxford Bus and evaluation vehicles also working for Oxford Bus. Go-Ride has ceased operations and specialist minibus services are taking to the streets of our city once again.

 Go Ride has closed down its operations in Oxfordshire and this is covered by two contributions from Ralph Adams and Dave Harrison. Their reports an d pictures are to be found in the "Smaller Companies" section of this issue.

National Express have taken over the well known London coaching firm of Clarkes which runs 56 coaches from its base in Sydenham in South London. Also reported in this issue is some significant changes in contractors to National Express when South Gloucester Bus and Coach and two other operators are to cease operating NEx services.

I was reading a very interesting article by Frederick Forsythe concerning smog in London and the reasons behind the recent days of poor conditions in our capital. The last serious outbreak of smog occurred in the early 1950s when coal fires caused widespread smog and resultant traffic and health problems. Forsythe now suggests that the problem is the major traffic congestion in our capital not helped by the hundreds of thousands of motor vehicles, which instead of moving swiftly through the city, are now stuck hour after hour with pulsing, pollution-producing engines, running but going nowhere. He goes on to say "The cause is the reduction by thousands of miles of tarmac from two-lane to single-file roadway and the cause of that is the insane obsession with taking half the road surface to create cycle lanes." He says "Like millions, I have sat for hours in the new jams as our capital slowly strangles itself to death, with a two-mile journey taking a full hour at the wheel. That is half walking speed. On one’s left about a dozen cyclists pedal down the kerb-bordered lane. Not that the cyclists are confined to their new super-highways. When it suits they still weave wildly between the crawling cars." He also notes "Adding to the chaos are the illegally parked juggernauts, delivery vans, scaffolding lorries, plus tens of thousands of road works, closed roads and building sites which take the entire nearside lane as a dumping ground."

Bayswater Road and Lancaster Gate in December 2016 when the cycle lanes were being installed caught in the lens of Malcolm Crowe.
This an area where a road with four lanes is now two plus cycle lanes!!

Having driven coaches into and out of London over the past 18 years I would support his comments and wonder why we have to suffer these problems and why more is not being done to encourage the use of public transport. Sooner or later a brave government is going to be forced to introduce draconian powers to resolve this problem. Switching to the train is not a feasible problem as this mode of transport is grossly over used and seats on the train are often a luxury!

I am told that the introduction of cycle lanes is designed to discourage the motorist but unfortunately the buses and coaches are victims of this policy. Their running times and reliability try the patience of all users and riding a bike from Glasgow to London is hardly practical! Also TfL report passenger numbers are down and who can blame users, weary souls.

I wonder if I will live long enough to see the long term outcome. Maybe I will have to watch from my "damp cloud in the sky"!!

The new Park & Ride buses in Oxford are all but fully in service and the previous fleet of hybrids are changing colour and branding to other routes. This can be seen illustrated below.

679 on the 400 turns into St Aldates at Carfax on February 3rd caught by Gavin Francis.

 
301, the first of the original Hybrids now repainted for route 4 in Frideswide Sq. and St Aldates on February 5th by Gavin Francis.

314 now on route 8 with City vinyls on January 15th by Gavin Francis.

Significant news from National Express is the change in use of their new double deck coach fleet, which until now has been used on the A1 London-Luton Airport service. We are now told that these coaches are to be transferred to Edwards. You may remember that coach 6 was used for a trial period on the 509 and Edwards will expand the National Express operations taking routes over from South Gloucester Bus & coach. To provide service a fleet of twenty double decks, presumably including the aforementioned six, plus a further twenty Caetano tri-axle single decks.

CD06 BV66WPO on the A1 near VCS on January 14th following its trial on the 509, caught in the lens of Gavin Francis.
So it seems that this coach with the other five may now return to Edwards.

In this issue we have a photo report from Paul Hawkins following his visit to Hong Kong and Singapore where British built buses can be seen in large numbers.

Citybus 8456 SY5752 on route 788 seen on January 25th by Paul Hawkins.
In November 2012, Alexander Dennis unveiled its 'new-generation', three-axle Enviro500 double deck, and announced advance orders for more than 530.
The stylish, new-look vehicle is lighter, more fuel-efficient and can carry 90 seated passengers.
It is designed specifically for the Asia Pacific market and 532 were delivered to Hong Kong operators such as KMB, Long Win Bus, Citybus and MTRC during 2013 and early 2014.

Andy Burbridge sent a useful update and correction regarding services to Bicester Village saying "Regarding YS16LNM in Bicester Village livery, it's actually with Hallmark rather than Evan Evans.

Hallmark's YS16LNM with Bicester Village rear wrap at VICTORIA on December 2nd by Gavin Francis.
This correct the mistaken ownership in issue 100.

With the Rotala group also taking over the Bicester Village Rail shuttle, I assume that they are planning a larger network of connections, as Wessex B9TLs have also been seen at Bicester (usually three at a time)"

Nigel Lukowski sent some delightful picture of buses used by the RAF Gliding Association and I have to say these are real gems. The one below is a reminder that Sweden used to drive on the same side of the rode which we do. You will find Nigel's report and pictures on our history page.

Ex Stockholm Corporation right hand drive Scania by Nigel Lukowski.

Finally a late item is the inclusion of pictures of an Enviro 500 low height for Switzerland with three doors in traditional yellow livery. See General Observations for more details.

Well, that's about all from me, your Editor. May I thank all those who have contributed and comment on the high quality of those report and pictures.

Malcolm H. Crowe.
Oxford Chiltern Bus Page.
February 2017.