in Oxfordshire 

A most significant piece of news is that Stagecoach over the whole country are now working on accepting Contactless payment on all bus and coach services. Oxfordshire is the very first to introduce this facility and it provides a real first outside London.

Ralph Adams writes in mid October "Oxford E20D buses 36765 & 36766 have transferred to Banbury after the transfer of 34763 & 36764 last month. A full survey of all buses in Banbury show the absence of the two oldest Darts – 34436 & 34437.

I was told that 34468 was going to Oxford for disposal today by my driver this morning. However it was still in the garage at midday marked as VOR.

Route B6 in Banbury had quite reasonable loadings – last time there was just one apart from me!"

Stagecoach 3A 

This has a very short turn round at each end and the 8:25 from City  was often late. This trip is now operated by a spare bus to ensure it leaves on time to enable workers to start their day on time (Thames travel – please note what your Facebook say about morning timekeeping.)

Having worked the extra from Lewknor to Oxford 15756 then worked the 0825 to the Oxford Science Park on October 7th operating exactly on time.
I know, I was the driver and there were a number of very happy passengers. I did the same duty on October 12th with the same result!

Ralph then adds:

Stagecoach Oxford Disposals

Hybrids 12015/6/8-23/5/6 (10 buses) – all to Hyde Road, Manchester.

 
The last of the original batch, 12026, is seen in central Manchester by Graham Low on September 26th.

Scanias 15994-6 to Cumbernauld (West Scotland). see Editorial for a picture of 15995.

So 23 buses in, 23 buses out at Oxford

Latest news on the three Scanias transferred to Scotland can be seen at the links below. One, 15995, is referred to on the Editorial page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/david371/29710432206

15609 showing TWO fleet numbers on the front, works an S1 service in George Street, Oxford on November 1st seen by Gavin Francis.

One of 21 new MMCs, 10676 on an 8 working in St Aldates on October 12th by Malcolm Crowe.

in Swindon

15734 appeared in Oxford on a Gold Bus working route 66. The bus is branded for the 55 and brought some added colour to Gloucester Green.
The date was October 26th and the photographer Gavin Francis.

in the North West & Cumbria

Former Oxford Optare now working out of Lancaster here’s KX56TXU fleet no 47455
working a Lancaster service in Carnforth High St on September 30th seen by Nick Ross.

in Lincolnshire

Optare Solo 47397 YM55SVJ sold to Reading Buses in use on driver route learning on November 1st seen by Bob Morley.
Bob says that he understands the six have been purchased by Reading. Two have been repainted and the others are in store.

Contactless payment is now available on Oxford tube services between Oxford and London and v.v. This helps with faster payment and the sometime lack of change for customers. Coaches have suitable branding for this facility introduced on October 18th.

The branding now applied to all tube coaches.

News of the 2009 Astromegas transferred out of the Oxford fleet can be found at the link below. Courtesy David Walker, the caption to the picture reads "Stagecoach have once again re-introduced a direct link from Ayrshire to Silverburn, following from the previous ill-fated X72 service back in 2007. The new service, named X17, starts from Ayr via Kilmarnock, onwards to Silverburn and terminating at Hamilton via Cambusland & Blantyre. The service is running on weekends only on a 2 hourly frequency. Van Hool's 50212/6 had the honour on the first day of the new service."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/david371/30276357211/in/photostream/

When these coaches were being transferred in August 2014, a colleague and myself took 50212 and 50204 north to Kilmarnock as recorded in these pages as can be seen in the link below.

Spottings & Jottings Nr 79 - 12th August 2014

Sep 4^{th
Van Hool Astromega:   50209 X77SCA Ayr to reserve and maybe to disposal}

Gordon Scott has provided some pictures of the those Astromegas sent north following service on the Oxford tube.

A new service has started on Saturdays and Sundays only using some of the "tube" coaches. This is the X17 Ayr-Kilmarnock-Silverburn-Hamilton. Service details can be found at the link below.

   
50216 suitably adorned with branding for the X17 - November 5th by Gordon Scott.

 
50217, although branded for the X77, is seen on the X17 on November 5th by Gordon Scott. 

Some interesting information is to hand on coaches used on Megabus services.

Oct 24th
Van Hool Astromega: 
50227 SV59CGG Cumbernauld to disposal 
50228 SV59CGK Cumbernauld to disposal 
50230 SV59CGU Cumbernauld to disposal 
50287 YJ16EJE    reserve to Cumbernauld 
50288 YJ16EJF    reserve to Cumbernauld 
50289 YJ16EJO   reserve to Cumbernauld 
50290 YJ16EJK    reserve to Cumbernauld 
50303 SF13FME  reserve to Cumbernauld  

Of especial interest is the note of disposal of at least three 2009 Astromegas which must have a very high mileage on by now. These coaches have worked with and without trailers on Scottish-London services since new.

Nearing the end of a long journey, 50237 heads along Marylebone Road on its way to Victoria on October 20th by Malcolm Crowe.

Ex tube 50222 leaves VCS on its way to Cardiff and Swansea on November 1st as seen by Gavin Francis.

New 16 plate Astromega 50287 loads for Manchester in VCS on November 1st as seen by Gavin Francis.

54280, a very new Interdecker is waiting in Bulleid Way Victoria before a late Coventry - Birmingham working
on November 6th taken by Gavin Francis.

Gavin Francis visited Florida recently and was able to picture some Astromegas now released from the USA fleet. These were taken in a dealership at Claremont near where he was staying.

Here we can see DD516 which has yet to have its branding removed. Seen on September 14th.

  
Further pictures of ex Megabus Astromegas ready for sale.
One imagines these coaches must have very high mileages!