Smaller companies

Ralph Adams report Go Ride has now ceased operations in Oxfordshire with effect from 27 January 2017.

The 134 in Wallingford has been taken over by a new operator – Going Forward Buses CIC. They have taken on 2 buses from Go Ride, YX58EHD and SF06BLZ (both Bluebirds)

The 213/4 in Witney have been taken on by West Oxfordshire Community Transport and have taken SN08EKD (Crafter) – apparently no spare.

In Essex, the Clacton services continue with just one bus needed – SJ16BFM. It is comparatively easy to hire in replacement buses in that area so saving on a spare bus. It will be managed by Dave’s partner with Dave having no future involvement with Go Ride.

SN58BZG and SN55HCH are still at Begbroke with potential buyers planned.
Picture by Dave Harrison.

January marked the end of Go Ride Community Interest Company’s local bus services in Oxfordshire. The company will now focus on its Essex coastal services under new management.

The company started in 2011 operating twice-weekly services between Brightlingsea and Clacton on the Essex coast with a hired in minibus, following the end of a service operated by New Horizon Travel. In the summer of that year the Watlington to Lewknor service was taken on with a small subsidy and a minibus from Oxfordshire County Council. Rapid expansion followed with a new all-day service between Lambourn and Hungerford in December 2011 and a £400,000 contract with Thurrock Council to provide a three-bus service between Grays and Basildon (much to the disgust of the incumbent).

Over the years the company has had a number of local operating bases close to the services operated – equine stables in Lambourn, a golf club in Newbury, a care home in Watlington and a scout hut in Wallingford only some of the places the buses have been parked over the past five years.

The company ran several County Council-subsidised services with small vehicles in and around Charlbury, Kidlington, Woodstock, Watlington and Wallingford. Arguably the biggest success was service 134 between Goring and Wallingford, which Go Ride took over from Heyfordian in 2012, reduced fares by 20% and doubled patronage through more regular services, an earlier start and later finish.

A venture into larger scale commercial operation in West Oxfordshire in 2014 proved ill-fated, with vehicle and staff problems causing a swift withdrawal after six months. However a return to Witney following the Council cuts in 2016 was much more successful; Go Ride also took on service B1 in Banbury on a commercial basis following the end of subsidies, as well as K1/K2 in Kidlington and the 134 in Wallingford. The Witney, Banbury and Wallingford operations have all been handed over to new community transport providers.

In West Berkshire, the company has also operated Newbury town services (including commercial services on Sundays) and took on the Lambourn to Swindon service from Thamesdown Transport. Go Ride also operated in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk with a contract for a service linking several villages to Haverhill, and services have also ventured into Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

The Essex services were granted a new bus in 2016 by the Department for Transport, and this service continues under new management. From a twice-weekly service in 2011 this operation was seven days a week for a time in 2014 but has now settled down to a five days a week service which will hopefully continue to prosper in the future.

Go-Ride KN52NFP and KF52NFT Darts at Basildon Bus Station awaiting departure to Grays and Purfleet respectively D Harrison.

Go-Ride rarely seen in action - SF08GLK at Middle Barton on the W10 on February 17th 2016 by Dave Harrison.

Go-Ride SN08EKD branded for the Newbury town service at its golf club home by Dave Harrison.

Go-Ride The first Oxfordshire vehicle - V882RWL for the Lewknor taxibus by Dave Harrison.

Go-Ride WX05FZJ at Brightlingsea heading to Clacton and hired in from a local voluntary scheme by Dave Harrison.

The reimbursement rate for CIC operators in Oxfordshire is higher than commercial routes, at present about £3 per passenger journey, in contrast in West Berkshire which will only reimbursement at a rate of £1.22 per passenger journey.

Graham Low writes "I was in Reading today and saw and rode on one of their new Scania CNG/ADL E400MMC deckers - picture of 702 attached."

776	YN66BBV	Sca N280D4 YS2N4X20001894736	AD G423/1	H49/29F	10/2016
775	YN66BBX	Sca N280D4 YS2N4X20001894738	AD G423/2	H49/29F	10/2016
777	YN66BBZ	Sca N280D4 YS2N4X20001894740	AD G423/3	H49/29F	10/2016
701	YN66EZM	Sca N2??UD YS2N4X20001900149	AD G446/1	H45/28F	1/2017
702	YN66EZO	Sca N2??UD YS2N4X20001900150	AD G446/2	H45/28F	1/2017
703	YN66EZP	Sca N2??UD YS2N4X20001900151	AD G446/3	H45/28F	1/2017
704	YN66EZR	Sca N2??UD YS2N4X20001900152	AD G446/4	H45/28F	1/2017
705	YN66EZS	Sca N2??UD YS2N4X20001900258	AD G446/5	H45/28F	1/2017

Steve Gee writes "I noted Reading Buses 852, YN08HYO on a service from Lichfield to Burton on Trent on the A38 this morning, 1st Feb. I assume it is now with Midland Classic which bought the Arriva depot at Burton recently. It was still wearing its Reading livery, and therefore I'm guessing is a recent acquisition."

Steve wrote again one the 15th saying "Further to my last email as below regarding Reading Bus 852, I have also seen now ex Reading Bus 853, YN08HYP in service with Midland Classic. It too was on the same route on Tuesday. It was running like it's sister, in Reading Bus livery."

Luke Braham writes "The latest arrival to Redline Buses comes in the form of Alexander ALX400 V185OOE. This bus previously operated for Whippet in Cambridgeshire and still carries the branding it wore with its previous operator. It can normally be found operating route 321 between Aylesbury and High Wycombe.

Optare Solos MX58 KYR/S have been repainted into the new smart red livery with no branding or company logos. These buses previously operated in blue ‘Water Rider’ livery for town services in Aylesbury.

Optare Solo MX58 KYT has also been repainted into the new smart red livery but has received branding for new town service 2. This new service began operating on the 6^th February and serves the Meadowcroft and Quarrendon housing estates in Aylesbury every 15 minutes. A second vehicle is also allocated but so far it has been E200 MX09 HHL without any route branding."

Nick Cherry’s bus has been re-registered from YX64VRK to E1RRT taken by Nick on February 5th.

Swanbrook BIG2115 on the 853 by St Giles Oxford on January 26th by Gavin Francis.

James Allum mentions the bus in the picture below. Uno AE 504 on the 635 to Garston.

UNO T24UNO exJ34198 now AE504 on the 635 at Watford Jc. on January 19th by James Allum.

I regret no body numbers – the vehicles were not on site and Simon does not have a record of body numbers.

C 19TCL (Olympian ex S272CCD) has gone to Hunter (Daventry). Registration remains with Simon.

P730GND (Olympian, registered C 2OXF for a while) did not leave the fleet. Possibly it was switched for C19OXF as the sold bus.

A white Solo was on site this morning. It belongs to Southdown PSV (Q) and they are trying to sell it to Taff Valley today. I saw it when I arrived but it went into the workshop, presumably so that a good all round check of the vehicle could be made. Registration unknown.

Ian Rivett adds that the E200s are not the MMC type, they are the classic style Euro V versions