Editorial

An immediate matter which only happened early on May 20th can be found at the link below. A car on the roadway and a bus on the Busway collided and both caught fire. Pretty awful I would say!

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/live-updates-longstanton-bus-fire-16300218

The past few days have been quieter than usual, I guess everyone has been enjoying the better weather and it is certainly warm when I am writing this Editorial !

I read an article on the BBC website entitled Bus travel: Fewer passengers as funding falls discussing In a year of turmoil on the trains, Reality Check looks at a more common mode of public transport.

My good friend Les Burton had read this article and commented as hereunder:

"It is a good article what it failed to mention is the Mayor is keeping the fares low but the fares outside London are in kind with inflation 

It is alright for the BBC commenting but do they really understand the deregulated world that exists or the shortfall in funding the Shire Counties have to manage ?

Or for that matter how concessionary support is funded:  for example certain areas have a higher proportion of elderly people or places at the seaside are inundated with OAPs in the summer the demographics change but funding remains static. 

I could go on and on but I’ll leave it at that."

I could add that with TfL fares remaining the same one wonders if they will change following the 2020 Mayoral Elections and the outcome?

Certainly in Oxfordshire funding has been withdrawn for many local services, often leaving the elderly and young without transport other than cars or bikes! Many areas are facing the same problems and in a time when car use is being actively discouraged the loss of bus services means that many will resort to alternative forms of transport.

STOP PRESS

Just received details of the Stagecoach 2019/2020 orders which are listed under Stagecoach below.

Finally another late piece of news is that the DVSA have issued a recall for all Classic ADL E200 and E300 models with Cummings engines. This recall does not affect buses with Scania or M A N running units or MMC models.

Paul Bateson more from his visit to Las Vegas and The Hoover Dam USA - All pictures by Paul Bateson ©

A variety of pictures this showing some of the buses and views which might be seen on a visit to this area.

For those who maybe interested Paul's file is at the link below  which a Acrobat .pdf file.

MBS Spring 2019 - Itinerary Package.pdf

   
The city of Las Vegas.

   
A variety of ADL E500's owned by Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

Flixbus have also appeared in various areas of the USA including Nevada.

Another Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada bus with the interesting cycle carriage facility.

Now THIS IS A LUXURY FORM of transport!

City of St George Suntran nr 36 outside St George Utah Temple.

This is the bus I mistakenly published last week in London - E356NUV - now in Nevada a pictured on April 29th 2019.

 
These are the more modern Big Bus open topper in Nevada - Las Vegas.

 
If anyone has seen the film SAN ANDREAS FAULT you may recognise this dam which was destroyed in the film in a spectacular way.
Needless to say the destruction was doubtless computer graphics.

Paul has a significant number of pictures from his trip and I may publish some more in future issues.

Paul Bateson with some UK memories

With WATFORDWIDE branding VR726 is seen in Garston on May 5th 1993.
New to Tayside at RT200, it is a Bristol VRT/LL3/6LXB with Alexander body new in 1977.

Reading 3 MRD146 at the Station on October 29th 1974.

Thames Transit 281 F281HOD on route 20 waiting time in Gloucester Green on May 4th 1993.

I had nearly forgotten these Inter terminal buses here showing NLE605 outside Terminal 2 at Heathrow.
In fact rather impractical for anyone with heavy bags!!

Paul Hawkins from Scotland

 
Recently introduced to Stagecoach Fife service 7 from Dunfermline-Kirkcaldy-Leven was some E400MMC Smart Hybrids.
Part of the orders for Stagecoach mentioned elsewhere.

North of the Border with Gordon Scott

Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC Hydrogen Demo Bus SN15LRU seen leaving Falkirk 17/5.

   
Lausanne Switzerland first of 13 order Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 nr 541 seen out on a test run at Falkirk 17/5.

Stagecoach Highland 53624 - SV11FFU Volvo B9R Plaxton Panther was new in X99 livery repainted into Citylink livery.
Seen at Kings Grangemouth.

All below taken last weekend at Lathalmond Bus Museum open day. 

Lothian 701 - SN55BJX Volvo B7TL Wright Gemini for heritage fleet.

Lothian 1141 - LX11CVW Volvo B9TL Wright Gemini 2 ex Go Ahead London WVL 396.

Lothian Motor Coaches 9058 - YSL699 ex WA57JZT Volvo B12B Van Hool seen in heritage Lothian coach fleet livery.

Fleet news and developments

This pictures tells a thousand words - May 20th 2019

However reader David Hillas included some comments with this pictures saying "You may be interested to see the enclosed photo of an Arriva Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530 3013 (BJ12YPY) which was working on route 41 from Great Missenden to High Wycombe when it broke down outside Prestwood Village Hall.

This is not the first time an Arriva bus has broken down on route 41, and it is rather galling when this happens as the bus only runs every hour on this route.

Arriva does need to check its buses carefully before they go into service each day. Having to wait for a bus that doesn't turn up because it has broken down is rather like rubbing salt into the wound. Arriva could do with some more modern buses at HW, the newest ones there being five Wrightbus StreetLites dating from 2015, i.e. four years old."

I would comment, not as an excuse regarding older buses, that companies have to update fleets in the areas of best results and those on a higher cost basis and lower revenue do tend to get cascaded bused buses in very many cases, however on an hourly route David does have a reasonable point, since many users are elderly and unlikely to enjoy another hour in the open waiting for the bus which never turned up!

Frank Brown writes "A courtesy vehicle arrived at Carousel from Wrightbus in the form of Streetlite SK17HHL last week (presumably to cover warranty work on one or more of theirs). Viewed at Wycombe Marsh on Tuesday 21^st May on a 102 High Wycombe to Uxbridge working. Note Micro Hybrid technology (???)  branding."

The bus is in fact replacing one of the Wrights deckers at Oxford, 658, as advised by Phil Southall.

Carousel 216 with a 1A to Chesham heads out of Wycombe on May 17th by Gavin Francis.

Bearing "chilternhundreds" branding, Solo 712 is seen working a 103 service to Watford on May 17th by Gavin Francis.

Three recent arrivals at Carousel are shown above being 938, 939 and 940. I believe the 941 is having its centre door removed at Oxford works.
Pictured by Gavin Francis on May 17th. 

Citaro 838 (the one with a wrap for PMU) has returned to service by May 20th as reported by Gavin Francis.

It is suggested that one of the new Mercedes Tourismos has arrived purely for staff training purposes. I note that on www.buslistsontheweb.com Oxford are shown as having a MB Tourismo BV19YGM. No details are shown.

 
Hybrids 303, with 4 road branding, and 316 are shown on 4 road at the top of Park End Street
on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

 
Brookes 372, at the top of Park End Street and 373 in Frideswide Square both working the U1 service
on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

Brookes 610 is seen in Frideswide Square working the U1 service on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

 
Variety on 5 road with 651 and 660 seen in Frideswide Square on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

680 seen in Frideswide Square with a 400 service on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

Citaro 882 with a 4C service seen in Frideswide Square on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

CSS 2907 at work seen at the top of Park End Street on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

PMU 974 passing Redbridge Park & Ride on May 15th taken by Derek Dawson. 

253 with an X40 working passing Redbridge Park & Ride on May 15th taken by Derek Dawson. 

Bob Morley

We are still occasionally getting a different liveried bus on the Jet Black Reading to Newbury service 1. 

A picture taken on the morning of May 20th Reading Buses 774 in Emerald livery seen in Newbury heading back to Reading. 

STAGECOACH PLANS £80MILLION NEW VEHICLE ORDERS TO DELIVER BETTER MOBILITY AND AIR QUALITY

20 May 2019

• More than 350 new buses and coaches ordered across UK
• Planned orders include 48 electric buses for Manchester and South Wales
• Mix of local buses with latest Euro 6 emissions standards and state-of-the-art coaches due for delivery this year
• Local authorities urged to match private sector investment with measures to tackle road congestion.

Stagecoach Group today (20 May 2019) announced planned new vehicle orders worth more than £80million to help tackle the twin challenges of car congestion and air quality.

A new fleet of 351 cleaner, greener vehicles, will be introduced in the coming 2019-20 financial year as the company invests further in to improve services for customers in communities across the UK.

The brand new buses and coaches will be introduced in Stagecoach's regional networks in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as on the company’s megabus.com network in the UK.

The planned orders include 48 electric buses which are being part-funded by the UK Government’s Green Bus Fund and – once orders are finalised – will go into service in Manchester and South Wales.

Virtually all of the new vehicles meet the Government’s Low Carbon Emission Bus specification, with a mixture of electric vehicle technology and the latest Euro 6 emissions standard engines.

Most of the new vehicles are set to be built in the UK, helping to support hundreds of British manufacturing jobs and smaller businesses in the supply chain.

Around three quarters of the new vehicles will be fitted with audio visual display systems which provide next-stop information. Each of the new vehicles will also be fitted with CCTV, and USB charging points, while most will also have Wi-Fi installed, giving customers free internet access during their journeys. The new vehicles are expected to go into service this year.

The latest investment includes 131 low-floor double-decker vehicles to go into service across the UK, as well as around 95 single deck vehicles and 28 midibuses.

Also included are a fleet of 12 new double deck vehicles for the Cambridge Guided Busway, delivering more capacity than ever before, carrying 100 passengers. There are also 22 coaches for the Group’s UK Bus, Scottish Citylink and megabus.com operations.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “This is a huge investment by the private sector in providing better mobility and better air quality in local communities. It follows other significant investment that we’ve made in smart ticketing, improved information for customers and digital technology.

“Delivering better bus services is a shared responsibility and it is absolutely essential that this commitment is matched by urgent action by local authorities to address the growing gridlock in our towns and cities. Without action on congestion, local people will not enjoy the full benefits of this investment and people’s quality of life, health and our economy will continue to be damaged by too many cars on the road.”

Details of the new orders are as follows:

131 ADL MMC Enviro400 double-deckers

95 ADL MMC Enviro200 single-deckers

28 ADL MMC Enviro200 midibuses

12 ADL MMC Enviro400 XLB Volvo B8L double deckers

32 ADL MMC City Enviro400 BYD Electric Bus double deckers

12 Optare Metrocity Electric Bus single deckers

5 Optare Solo Electric Bus mini-buses

14 Plaxton Panorama Volvo B11Rle double deck coaches

8 Caetano Levante Volvo B11R coaches

12 MCV Volvo B8RLE single deckers

3 Optare Solo mini-buses

In the most recent Bus Passenger Satisfaction Survey carried out by independent watchdog Transport Focus reported that 90% of Stagecoach customers in England, and 92% of Stagecoach customers in Scotland, were satisfied with their journey.

Now the orders are interesting as they have ordered 14 Volvo/Plaxton Panorama coaches and also 8 Volvo/Caetano Levante coaches (for National Express contract operations) but no mention of any coaches for the Oxford tube operations. Their coaches are approaching five years old and in previous years have always been replaced by a fleet of new coaches every five years ! Certainly the Oxford-London route is most demanding with local slow traffic at each end with high speed motorway running in the middle using the M40. Thus coaches only have a relatively short distance to run on the motorway and heavy and demanding traffic conditions on the road into and out of both London and Oxford. A good test of a vehicles reliability as shown over the years by various types used.

The order of 100 seats tri-axle Volvo B8L E400 XLB buses for Cambridge is another milestone and will provide an interesting development.

Some late news giving more on the expected allocations of the orders are provided by our associate SKM Media:

Main news is that the wash is now repaired and buses and tube coaches are now looking much better.

Referring to the orders above I would comment as follows:

The Witney order suggests a replacement of their current and very early Gold fleet being:

Gold 15832 with an S3 working to Charlbury seen at the top of Park End Street on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

Twelve high capacity ADL Enviro 400MMC XLB double deck buses are on order for Cambridge Busway work and will be allocated to Fenstanton depot. The order follows the evaluation of one of the Lothian vehicles earlier this year. Delivery is expected later this year. The buses will enable an increase in seats on the Busway to cater for increasing loadings.

New deliveries scheduled for this year are 14 ADL Enviro 200 MMC (10.8m) 37616-37629 for Cheltenham.

Swindon's 10985 with an S6 working heads west through Frideswide Square on May 15th taken by Gavin Francis.

The addition to this week's logo above is showing the Connector available from various parts of Oxfordshire where customers can buy a through ticket on the local bus and onto London on the Oxford tube at no extra cost.

Loaned Astromega 50237 is now delicenced for disposal eff. 10/5/19

Long out of service 50272 has been taken to SC Rugby for repairs and then to be returned to Oxford for service. Mileages on most of the tube coaches is now approaching 1 million kilometres with a few exceptions.

50272 ready for towing to Rugby on May 15th taken by Andy Churchill. 

New orders for the 2019/20 period are as under.

14 Volvo B11RlE double deck coaches
50406-50411 Megabus/Cumbernauld [Stagecoach West Scotland]
50412-50419 CityLink/Cumbernauld    [Stagecoach West Scotland]

Smaller operators and London developments

Derek Dawson

Photographed on the A34 18/05/19 one of the new Irizar i6S with Weavaway IRZ363.
I think the new livery looks a lot more classy than their all black. 

James Freeman

Weaving around Oxford

Another Irizar i6 at St Giles - IRZ616 on May 20th by James Freeman.

Other operators seen in and around Oxford

Derek Dawson

Also taken the same day Setra S431DT S11VFB (ex GM-CS 1016) with Vans for Bands

I have been visiting Redbridge quite a lot recently for the European visitors if f you think they will be of interest and you need some material can send some pictures over if you give me an idea how many would be acceptable will sort them out.

Rather elderly now but still looking good M&R Travel of Banbury's N117RJF heads along the A34 on May 18th by Derek Dawson.

 
Lothian Motor Coaches LC19AAA is seen first at Redbridge and then in St Giles on May 14th by James Freeman.

Tappins VDL WA64CVM in London on May 19th by Paul Hawkins.

In London by Gavin Francis

   
Volvo B11R with MCV coach bodywork part of a fleet of eight nice coaches with seat back screen and excellent seating.

Full details are shown below.

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