Issue nr 322
Thursday October 31st, 2024
Part One
Balance of this issue to be published by November 2nd.
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
Once again not an easy week giving time to produce the page with pressure from the domestic front.
I have managed to get this part ready so far.
In this issue
A short visit to Witney by George Candelin
Local reports
Reading OmniDekka day by Martin Dowling
Latest update regarding Stagecoach an d its EVs in Oxford
A short visit to Witney by George Candelin
I stopped by the Witney outstation today and took a photo from the road outside.
There are three rows of 400EV's that I could see plus
at least three x 400 Hybrids in the dark green scheme.
Just down the road at Pulhams outstation
I was able to
photograph one of the four 'new' Optare Solo SR; and photographed the few in the
yard from the gate.
A couple of shots in Witney market place to finish,
11761 and Pulhams BB70BUS..
X1/X15 branded bus taken at
Witney Marketplace.
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
Fleet News and developments
Gavin Francis in Wycombe on October 26th
226 showing route 102 in the Eden Bus
Station.
228 heading for Reading with an 850 in the Eden Bus
Station.
402 and 404 at Penn Pond on October 29th..
609 working route 102 in Bridge Street.
80473 working route 32 in Bridge Street.
Bob Chalmers
This bus has been on X1/X3/X15 duties during the week - this shot in Wootton
Road, Abingdon on Wednesday 23rd October
- running 45mins late due to traffic
problems in Oxford.
CSS 191 seen in Oxford's New Road on March 10th.
Charles Powell
All four ex Brookes HEVs are now fully branded
for the 99 by Pulhams - March 10th.
Andrew Simmonds
226 and 611 at Didcot Parkway on March 3rd.
Jack Cooper
226 seen in Reading with an X40 on March 2nd.
Gavin Francis
Variety but all Levante III's at Swiss
Cottage on Sunday, March 10th.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
Ian Williamson
This ex Reading Regent operated a shuttle service at the
weekend between Burnham station and the Slough and Windsor Railway Society model
railway exhibition in Burnham Park Hall.
Apparently the vehicle is now 67 years old and starting
to look its age!
Martin Dowling
On Saturday, RB celebrated
twenty years since the start of Purple 17 which was the first route to be
branded with a colour. Most other routes have been similarly branded
since. It also recognised nearly twenty years of running Omnidekkas in the
town. There were once over sixty of these in use, but now only four remain
in the fleet - 805 and 806 plus 863 and 864 bought second hand from Nottingham.
805 has been beautifully repainted for the occasion and is going to be retained
by RB for special events and private hires.
A number of these buses that
have since been sold on to other operators made guest appearances mainly running
on their former routes. These buses worked in service but without taking
fares.
Attached are a few photos and also a list published by Reading Buses with timetables
https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/celebrating-20-years-route-branding
I'm not sure if all of these
buses attended, but there were also some extras such as Salisbury Reds 1141.
In other news some more new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC City buses have arrived branded Flightline 703 - 742 FL74LHR, 743 FL74SLH and 744 FL74ASC - with bespoke registrations relating to Heathrow, Slough and Ascot which are on that route. There are also 249 and 250 for Lion 4 and X4 services and at least one more for Jet Black 1.
To follow is a report from Andrew Webb high-lighting the running day. Ed.
Gavin Francis in Wycombe on March 20th
Gavin Francis in Wycombe
Serving the 130. BF67GJV on October 26th in Wycombe.
Andrew Simmonds
Red Rose ex Red Line Optare Solo MX58KYT working the 397 in Aldbury on
March 7th.
Has anyone not realised the change of front fleet number position for the new EVs ? Ed.
Adam Harber
The cascade list for Oxford vehicles has been
revised a number of times since my last post on the subject, so please take
any previous information from any source with a pinch of salt!
However, movements that have already happened include 10671-6 going to Stagecoach East Scotland. More from that batch are expected to follow soon, and 10677-682 and 684 are now withdrawn. At the time of writing, five of these are stored at Witney depot (Downs Road), one is at Oxford depot, and the other is at Bulwark Bus and Coach Engineering Limited. Ex-Stagecoach South Scania 15992 has found it’s way to Swindon depot, so is probably the first of the Trident replacements. I suspect move movements will have taken place by the time you publish.
Frazer Peddle
80009 working the 10 laying over in Butterwyke
Place on October 27th.
Peter Edgar
A couple of photos of
Stagecoach electrics in Oxford today.
80007 at the JR Hospital.
80008 in Norfolk Street working the 8 on October 28th.
80010 seen at the J R on October 26th
80010 overtakes 80011 in Oxford on October 26th
80013 in service from October 31st.
80018-working route 8 on October 31st.
Jack Cooper
50423 and 50436 looking very clean in a wet
Oxford on March 10th.
Gavin Francis
Previously registered
YJ18AXS it was with D. J. Coaches of Gravesend who used it for ski tours to
Europe.
It is seen in St. Giles, Oxford on 17th August 2019.
London operations
Andrew Webb
Also reappearing is Peroni beer, with Arriva's LT981 seen waiting time at Marble
Arch before heading off along route 137 on 9 March.
