General observations
Issue 105
"OurBusBartons" by John Madden
"Having
just come across your fascinating website I thought I would update you on a
local initiative which you might not be aware of.
I live in Middle Barton (postcode OX7) where a year
ago the Stagecoach S4C shuttle service, which connected to their S4
Oxford-Banbury, was discontinued. A group of us got together and started a
volunteer-run community service under the name OurBusBartons - see http://ourbusbartons.btck.co.uk
- which has now been operating successfully for 10
months, is financially viable without subsidy, and has made the lives of many
villagers much easier. We believe this is unique, at least in Oxfordshire, and
it has been reported on by various local media, and even mentioned in
Parliament! We are also about to take possession of our second vehicle, to
provide added security of service.
We have been approached by people in both Kidlington and Yarnton/Begbroke to
assist in replicating our model in those locations, and we would love to see our
business model applied both there and in other villages in the county, where the
withdrawal of subsidised commercial services has caused hardship to so many
people.
I would be grateful if you could give us a mention in your next issue. We would also love to hear of any suitable vehicles (in the 12-16 seater range, roughly) being sold off at a sensible price (our first bus cost £6,000, the new one even less)" ??
I hope that some readers may be able to assist on finding a vehicle as described and I am sure we all wish them well in their venture.
Gordon Scott writes with his usual selection of pictures taken on his travel and of interest to many readers.
"First pictures taken in Dunfermline Bus Station recently of Stagecoach East
Scotland Fife.
Optare Solo SR 47941 YJ15ACV ex Stagecoach Cumbria
Carlisle.
Optare Versa 25210 CN57BYW on a 3 working but new to
Red & White at Newport in 2007.
Volvo B11R Plaxton Elite 54333 YX66WNT on route X24
to Kincardine, showing off a very pleasant livery.
Stagecoach in Scotland won an award for the best express service at the recent
UK Coach Awards.
New Lothian Volvo B5TL Wright Gemini 3, 466 - SF17VNA
seen at Lathalmond
at a recent open day for the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum. the
Shots taken at the June 1st launch of a New Citylink
Gold Scania Irizar i6
taken
T
Lothian 412 BN64CRF on route 3 taken in Princess
Street with
Shot taken on June 13th at the launch one of three
for First York Park & Ride
Transdev York 3612 LY03ZAP in City Zap livery heading for York.
First York 49912 YJ15AYO on Route UB1 in York Sport Village.
First York 32224 LT52WUJ Volvo B7L Plaxton President ex First East Scotland.
East Yorkshire 794 YX64VOO Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC, ex Demo.
Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner 3632 BT66 MVP Volvo B5LT Wright Gemini 3.
21/6
on route 43 to
Three shots from June 25th at the Ingliston Highland Show Ground of two routes
worked by Lothian 97 and 98.
LX04KZL ex SC East London 23039 working with Edinburgh Airport on apron flight
work
Blackpool by Geoff Cunliffe
For those interested in the bus and tram happenings at Blackpool, may I refer
readers to the latest updates on the Fylde Bus Blog at
http://fyldebus.blogspot.co.uk/
Robert Hall reports in pictures on diversions in London on May 23rd.
X90 (x2) having just served Edgware Road (H&C) station while diverted due to the
closure of Portman Street
Oxford
tube on George Street – a diversion on a diversion!
Diversion 2 – Portman Street
Pictures galore from Colin Grafham
Just to say that since April I've added over 1000 new photos to my Smugmug site,
in addition to updating the first 500 captions in the London gallery.
All can be found at www.devongeneral.co.uk
Some London news for those interested by Martin White
I thought this might interest readers, especially the Ensign movements.
"You will see at the Bottom I've added a list of comings & goings at Ensign for April that Ross Newman kindly posts each month on London's transport yahoo group."
Tender News:
LBSL intends to enter into
new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route Current Operator New Operator PVR Vehicles:
142 Arriva London North
London Sovereign 17 2012 Euro V diesel double
deck
258 Arriva London North London Sovereign 11
2012 Euro V diesel double
642 Arriva London North
London Sovereign 3 2012 Euro V diesel double
deck
* 4 vehicles will be new Euro
VI hybrid.
Contracts will commence on
the following dates:
6th January 2018: Routes 142
& 642.
3rd February 2018: Route 258
The 142 is a quite a loss for
the Garage having operated it since first winning it on Tender in 1986, quite a
feat for a route to be operated continuous from one garage for 32 years in
todays tendering system, No doubt it will spell the end for the remaining DW Daf
DB250 Wright Gemini, VLA Volvo B7TL ALX, VLW Volvo B7TL Wright Gemini used
across the routes...
Arriva London :
Have placed an order for 56
10.6m Volvo B5LHs with Wrightbus Gemini3 bodywork for routes 243 and 341 at
Tottenham garage. They have also ordered 8 9.7m Wrightbus Streetlite DF for
route 410 at Thornton Heath garage.
Go-Ahead London:
Three of the former 192 Wright Streetlites have been
repurchased and fully refurnished by Hants & Dorset Trim to operate a shuttle
service won by the commercial department and to be operated by Silvertown Depot
for HomeEast linking the International Station, Stratford City Bus Station,
Stratford Station with the Home East innovation centre mainly for staff & Media,
each are in a different colour scheme, The Streetlites are WS35, 36, 38.. A Dart
as also been done as a spare vehicle..
Ensign:
April at Purfleet as follows
:
VEHICLES IN
From Go-Ahead London : Darts AE56OUH / OUJ / OUK / OUL /
OUM / OUN AE06HCF / HCH.
Volvo B7TL’s LB02YXH / LF52TGV
From
Arriva London : Volvo B7TL’s LJ03MXP / LJ53BDY
DAF DB250 LJ54BGE
DAF SB120’s LJ53NHC / NHO / NFE / NFF / NFG / NFT / NFU / NFV / NFX / NFY
/ NFZ / NGE / NGF / NGG / NGN.
From
Metroline : Volvo B7TL’s LK03GKG / GKZ.
E200’s YX09AEU / AEW.
From
Go-Ahead Oxford : Volvo B10BLE’s R218 / 225HCD.
From
Stagecoach London : Tridents LX03BXM / OSA.
From
Stagecoach Manchester : Volvo B7RLE MX05CKL.
From
Geoff Ripley : Volvo B7TL’s PA04CYK / CYP / CYT.
VEHICLES
OUT.
Volvo
B7R SP06FVF : Aintree Coaches.
Trident
LN51GMF :
Volvo
B7TL’s LF52ZSD / ZTL : Regal Buses, Chelmsford.
Darts
GX54DWK / KN52NFT Tridents
LK05GHB / GFO / GFX : Nu-Venture, Maidstone.
Enviro
200’s UU08BLU SS57BLU
JJ58BLU : Drew Wilson Coach Sales.
Dart
SN03WLH : Bear Buses, Feltham, Middx.
Dart
AE56OUM : Mullaneys Coaches, Watford.
Trident
T75KLD : London by Night , Rainham, Essex.
Volvo
B7TL’s PL51LGN / LGX : Alpine Travel, Llandudno.
Volvo
B7TLs LK03GKG
LG02KHM : Ridleys Coaches, Kenilworth, Warwicks.
Enviro
200s YX09FLC / FLH : Regent Coaches, Whitstable.
Olympian
J327BSH : Evento Lukasz Mfgdalski, Warsaw.
Trident
LX03OSC : Skyliners International, Cobham, Surrey.
DAF
SB120’s LL07BLU KK07BLU : MD Bus
and Coach, Warrington.
Volvo
B7R SP56EBO : Seaford and District.
Dart
AE56OUN Volvo B7TL’s PJ52LWP / LWO
LF52ZNO Tridents
LR02BCY / LR02BBU : MC Tractors for scrap.
Dart
SN03WKU : Elite Truck Training, London E4.
Volvo
B7TL LF52TGZ : JD Transport, Oxford.
Volvo
B7R’s SP56EBN / SP07HHR : New Adventure Travel, Cardiff.
Dart
AE06HLH Volvo B7TL LK03GMX : Geoff
Ripley, Barnsley.
Volvo
B7TL PG04WHX : The TravelIn Group, London W1.
Volvo
B7TL PL51LGA : DT Net Detra, Slovakia.
DAF
SB120’s LJ53NHC / NHO / NFE / NFF / NFG / NFT / NFU / NFV / NFX /
NFY
/ NFZ / NGE / NGF / NGG / NGN : AH Hardwick , Barnsley for scrap
Ensign
Fleet.
Dart
797 sold to Ivan Anderson, London W2.
Latest Tender Results
01/06/17;
Notification of Tender Results
1st June 2017
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the
following routes with the operators listed below:
Route
Current Operator
New Operator
PVR Vehicles
41/N41
Arriva London North
Arriva London North
19 2011/13 Euro V diesel double deck*
121
Arriva London North
Arriva London North
21 2013 Euro V diesel double deck
141
Arriva London North
Arriva London North
26 2012 Euro V hybrid double deck
233
Metrobus
Metrobus
6 2013 Euro V diesel single deck
299
London General
Sullivan Buses
7 New Euro VI diesel single deck
329
Arriva London North
Arriva London North
17 2013 Euro V diesel double deck
684
Metrobus
Metrobus
1 2011 Euro V diesel double deck
W4
London General
Arriva London North
14 New Euro VI diesel single deck
W6
Arriva London North
Arriva London North
9 New Euro VI diesel single deck.
Abellio London /
Surrey:
Abellio West
London's:
The new Southall Garage has now been registered with the
Traffic Commissioner, which means it should be opening shortly, I am told
possibly late July. Around 45 buses should be based there for the Routes
E1/5/7/9.
Abellio Surrey:
After the Changes earlier this year were they gave up a
number of routes in order to restructure the operation on an even keel they have
now lost a number of the remaining routes on Tender:
Abellio Surrey have lost the Surrey County Council
contracts for routes 39, 81, 400, 438, 446, 456, 459, 461 (evening service
only), 564 and 566/567.
Ensign:
Ensign in May as follows :
VEHICLES IN :
From Stagecoach London : Tridents LX03BXK / BXL / BXN /
BXR / BXS / BXU / BXV / BXW / BXY / BXZ / BYA / BYB / NFT / NGN / OSB
From Metrobus : Darts SN03WLA / WLE.
From Bath Bus Co : Tridents V901 / 903FEC Olympian
P774SWC
From Ashcroft Academy : Olympian J842TSC.
From HCT Group : E400 PN08SWJ.
From Go-Ahead London : Dart AE06HCC Volvo
B7TL’s LX05EYO / FCD / FBL / FAA LF52ZRK / TJU PL03AGZ.
From Arriva London : Volvo B7TL’s LJ03MXL / MXP
LJ53BFL / BFM / BFN / BCZ / BDE / BDO / BDY / BDZ / BEO / BBV / BBZ
LJ05BLK
VEHICLES OUT.
Trident LX03OSP : Collins Coaches, Milton, Cambs.
Trident LN51KYG DAF LJ03MVY : MC Tractors for
scrap.
Volvo B7TL’s PG04WHW / WHZ / WJA : James Mullally Coach
Hire, Co Kildare, Eire.
Tridents LK03GMV / GLV Darts AE06HCD / HCA / HCF /
HCC : Geoff Ripley, Barnsley.
Volvo B7TL’s LX05FBN / FBV : Selwyns Coaches, Runcorn.
Volvo B7RLE’s MX05CKL / CKK : Cymru Coaches, Swansea.
Olympian J328BSH : Mr G Merriman, Somerton, Somerset.
Volvo B7TL LF52TGN : York Pullman.
Enviro 400 LJ09OKO : Ashcroft Academy , Putney, London
SW15.
Volvo B7TL PJ52LWN : Hardwicks, Barnsley.
Darts SN03WLA / WLE : Mike Lawrenson, Preston.
Olympian J329BSH : Inis and Faas LLC, Tucson, Arizona,
USA.
Volvo B7TL LF52ZPP : Axe Valley, Seaton, Devon.
Volvo B7TL LB02YXG : Flagfinders, Braintree, Essex.
Volvo B7TL PA04CYP : Dublin Deckers, Lucan, Co Dublin,
Eire.
Dart CX51EZJ : Nu-Venture, Maidstone.
Volvo B7TL PA04CYT : The TravelIn Group, London W1.
Olympians J842TSC: GS Fresh Ltd, Ely, Cambs.
Volvo B7TL’s LX05FBB / FBD / FBE : Belle-Vue,
Manchester.
Darts SN03WKY / WMV : Thandhi Coaches, Smethwick,
Birmingham.
ENSIGN FLEET.
Dart 796 sold to Ivan Anderson, London SW12.
Four ex Abellio E200’s have been added for the Tilbury
Cruise Terminal work as follows :
790 : LJ56ONN
791 : LJ56ONP
792 : LJ56ONS
793 : LJ56ONT
The 10 BCI’s are now registered as below and will all be
enetering service in the next couple of weeks :
140 : LX17DZA
141 : LX17DZB
142 : LX17DZC
143 : LX17DZD
144 : LX17DZE
145 : LX17DZF
146 : LX17DZG
147 : LX17DZH
148 : LX17DZJ
149 : LX17DZK