Issue nr. 244
Wednesday, February 15th 2023

Editorial

A quieter week by recent standard but of much interest nevertheless. Wycombe PICKMEUP grows as time passes Wycombe has become quite a rainbow of colours with operators serving the town.

Indeed Redline have added to the colours with ex Bournemouth and Nottingham E200s and reports advise that Vale Travel as well as Redline and Rose with  ex Bournemouth buses.

This is is right up to date with details of imported Stagecoach buses to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup.

Additionally there are the latest SC West changes and a visit to London Victoria by Gavin Francis.

There is a follow up to that National Express coach used by Oxford Bus - ADD50Y plus pictures of the rail bridge in Botley Road due for replacement soon.

https://www.pickmeupwycombe.co.uk/

PickMeUp DRT hits 25,000 journey milestone

More than 25,000 journeys have been made on PickMeUp, Carousel Buses’ ride-sharing service since it launched in High Wycombe.

The landmark has been achieved five months after the demand responsive transport (DRT) service was launched using funding from Buckinghamshire Council via the Government’s Rural Mobility Fund.

Go-Ahead-owned Carousel Buses also confirmed there have been more than 5,000 sign-ups to the PickMeUp app.

PickMeUp enables passengers in High Wycombe to summon minibuses to pick them up at a ‘virtual bus stop’ of their choice, to go to a bespoke destination. A telephone booking service is available for those who want to use the service but are not able to use a smartphone.

Luke Marion, Carousel Buses Managing Director, said: “To break the 25,000 passengers journey barrier is a fantastic milestone for an innovative service that is new to the area.

“We’ve experienced a highly positive response to the service, with more than 5,000 people in the area now having signed up. Thanks to the strong response from the public to PickMeUp we have ordered additional vehicles which we hope to add to the fleet over the coming months to maintain our quality of service and allow for further passenger growth.

“The success to date of PickMeUp in High Wycombe further demonstrates demand responsive transport can play a key role in helping improve air quality and traffic congestion in the UK in conjunction with traditional bus services. While there is a comprehensive existing bus network in the town, there are some areas the main buses can’t serve, due to location, demand for the bus, or the size of the vehicle and PickMeUp helps serve that gap.”

PickMeUp operates Monday to Friday in High Wycombe between 6am and 7pm. Trips costs between £2 and £3.50 depending on the distance travelled, in line with local bus services.

Mercedes-Benz minibuses with Wi-Fi, USB charging points, wheelchair access and comfortable high-back seating are used to deliver the service. The front-end and back-end technology for the service was developed in partnership with ride-sharing technology specialist Via. 

Click on the thumbnail for full view.
https://www.amershammotorbussociety.co.uk/

Peter Cartwright

On Sunday 2 April there will be a Classic Bus Running Day at High Wycombe based on Eden Bus Station by kind permission of the  Eden Centre and Buckinghamshire Council. Local managers of both Arriva and Carousel have also been consulted and are supportive.

Bus departures will be between 9.05 and 17 25 on a wide variety of routes serving a number of places who not only have no Sunday service but no or little bus service at all.

Buses up to 75 years old are scheduled to attend and operate in service as are younger vehicles which were withdrawn 10 years ago.

There will also be a stall selling transport related memorabilia near Bay 18 and a separate stall selling a 44 page programme at £6 which helps to fund the event.

This event is suitable for everyone regardless of age but bus owners retain the right to deny access to anyone who causes offence to others by lack of personal hygiene.

There will be a number of feeder services to the event - from places as far away as Harlow, Dorking, West Croydon, Maidenhead, Aylesbury via Wendover & Great Missenden, Thame & Chinnor etc and these will be shown in the programme and Amersham & District website in due course. 

Arriva have also approached us to organise an event to celebrate 60 years since Harlow garage opened and we will organise an event at Harlow on Sunday 21 May. 

We did the same at Garston Garage twice and, indeed, at closure in co-operation with Arriva London North and these were well received.

There are a number of scheduled Sunday bus services to High Wycombe on Sundays e.g  from Uxbridge, Slough, Reading, Hemel Hempstead and Aylesbury and it is more cost effective to travel to bus at the current £2 maximum single fare than arrive by car and pay to park in a car park  

Andy Churchill regarding Ensign in the last Briefing

Ensign did indeed loan a total of six Leyland Leopard PSU3/3R/Alexander C49F which included (RSD736J) the rest of the batch were (RSD735/741/742/750/752J) they were loaned Between May and June 1982 and provided much needed support during the ASLEF railway strikes and extra coaches loaned from June 1982 were from Western National being just Three Willowbrook C49F bodied Leyland Leopards PSU3E/4RT (FDV823/825/826V) . 

Jack Cooper

 
Oxford's historic building provide a backdrop for TT 905 and 670 in St Aldates on March 11th.

Wot No Buses ! Gloucester Green on March 11th.

Neil Gow

Here are a couple of pictures of buses in the landscape from former times. First, Duple bodied Leyland Leopard 9, downgraded from Citylink to bus duties and repainted red, seen at the terminus at Holton in August 1987, along with a rather shabby version of a great British icon. I wonder if that impressive bus shelter is still there. Second, Leyland Leopard 11, still in Citylink livery, also on the 229 service at Forest Hill in September 1987. In 1991 I visited Holton again, as it was the last week of operation of the 229 by COMS. Leyland Leopard 18 was pictured this time, and the K5 phone box had been replaced by a functional 1990s model.

Then we have another downgraded London coach, this time Leyland Tiger 107, pictured negotiating the disused railway arch bridge at Horspath in January 1995. 107 was the only one of its batch to receive bus livery, although some of the subsequent Plaxton bodied examples also did so.

      Coach visitors to Oxfordshire     

David Beynon

A varied collection at the Kassam today for the visit of Derby County. 

The team coach was an Ellisons (St. Helens)  Van Hool.

Jack Cooper

Catteralls Neoplan UUI 4928 under the soon to be closed railway bridge in Oxford on March 8th. 

     Fleet News and developments   

Gavin Francis

     
The recently arrived Optare Versas are all usefully employed with local services.

 
Aylesbury depot provides Wycombe residents of the convenience of their services to Oxford. 

Gavin Francis

Volvo Hybrids at Slough are being replaced by 68 plate MMCs from Scotland. 34375-34387.

Trader branded 44562 seen in Wycombe with an X74 working on March 9th.

First 47692 with an X74 in Gomm Rd, Wycombe Marsh on March 15th.

As well as the ex-Southampton Wright Streetlites mentioned in last weeks newsletter, the First depot in Slough now has at least 4 Enviro 400 MMC's, transferred from First in Glasgow. If a permanent move, these will be the first double deckers based in Slough for several years. 

Pictures attached, taken on 11th March: 

1) First 34383, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC pauses on Wellington Street before taking up a route 8 working to Heathrow. 

2) Wright StreetLite 47691, recently transferred from Southampton is seen parked at the rear of Slough depot. 

3) Another ex-Southampton StreetLite, 47692 on Wellington Street, still in full 'City Reds branding',
and coincidentally (?) branded for route 6, on which the bus is working towards Knolton Way. 

It will be interesting to see what vehicles these newcomers will be replacing, and what liveries they will be given.

FlixBus is launching a service between Manchester and Newcastle with new partner, Belle Vue.

The Stockport-based operator is to begin serving FlixBus passengers between Manchester, Leeds, Middlesborough, Sunderland and Newcastle at the end of April, with a regular, daily service.

As part of the new partnership, Belle Vue will add a brand new FlixBus branded MAN Neoplan Tourliner to the network.

Belle Vue’s Managing Director, Philip Hitchen, has led the coach company for over 30 years, and says the new partnership offers new opportunities for growth, diversification and commercial success: “We have been following the rise of FlixBus in the UK over the past two years, and have been impressed by their ambition, rapid success and focus on sustainability.

“The FlixBus model allows us to diversify and add express services to our existing revenue streams. We felt it was a great time to join their network, which is showing great promise for growth and profitability in 2023, as well as being on track to become the largest in the UK.”

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on March 9th & 12th.

 
215 and 223 at work in Wycombe.

 
The 8 sees a variety of buses now with deckers often replacing the branded StreetLites.

 
The two sisters, 431 and 432 seem to have some problems as it has been rare to see them both in service on the same day !

   
The ex London Citaros give regular service as seen above.

The crew car used for transport between the garage and bus station looks very smart.

Jack Cooper

CSS 199 seen in St Aldates on March 11th,.

 
With closure planned for rebuilding these scenes will be just a memory.

   
Seen in St Aldates 353, 365 and 375 on March 11th.

Although branded for the 100 607 is seen in St Aldates with a U5.

 
On a wet day 656 and 613 pass through Frideswide Square.

X1 branded 670 and 674 meet in St Aldates on March 11th.

 
668 with an X3 working on March 11th.

689 seen working the 3 on March 11th. 

220 is currently on loan to Thames Travel. It has been at Didcot since Friday 10th where it had worked the 136 in the morning followed by X32s.

621 with an X2 in Frideswide Square on March 8th.

St Aldates hosts another X2 service worked by 905 on March 11th. 

Longmile of Chesham's Volvo Olympian with East Lancs body) YIL 6138 seen on a schools at Berkhamsted on March 8th 2023.
Don't see many Ollies these days sadly...

Levante III BF21CZL seen in Victoria Street on March 11th.

Also at the same time Kings Ferry YH68MWK.

Jack Cooper

Surprise visitor to Gloucester Green was this Transport Solutions Tourismo on March 10th. 

   
Ex Yellow Bus YX12AXU working the 130 service on March 9th in High Wycombe.

   
Ex Nottingham YX63LJE also with a 130 service also on March 9th in High Wycombe. 

   
YX12AKN seen in Stokenchurch and Wycombe with a 40 working on March 12th.
This is ex Yellow Bus and  the first to be repainted in to Red Rose colours. 

 
Yellow Buses outcast on the Red Rose 25

Just travelled on "Red Line service 25"  on YX12AEU to Bicester Village Station. Had a closer look at it, not only in full Yellow Buses livery complete with slogans etc, it still carries Bournemouth Transport legals superseded by a paper label in the nearside window giving Red Rose as the legal owner. 

‘Some more former London Buses later Yellow Buses Enviro 200’s that you may find useful. 

Taken in Aylesbury on a very wet cold March 9^th is  former Centrewest  DML44317 later Yellow Buses 2026 then 524. The livery and promotional advertising extolling tourism in Christchurch/Bournemouth/Poole with it’s association with summer contrast with the aforementioned weather!!

 
Being used by Red Rose on Town service 10, in one of the photos it can be seen ahead of Arriva Enviro 400 working Town service 9 with whom it is competing. 

Here is our summary of the Stagecoach West Fleet Card for Period 11 (03/03/2023). There is a lot to report this month and there seems to have been a clear out of withdrawn vehicles. Also, there are a couple of movements between West and Oxford. 

14^th to 17^th March, is the Cheltenham Gold Cup Race Meeting. We will try and send you a list of vehicles on loan for the Race Shuttles.

Here is a list of the loans to Stagecoach West for this week’s Cheltenham Festival Race Meeting.  

We can’t guarantee it is 100% complete although we believe it is. It is possible that additional buses may turn up on Friday, the busiest race day. You will note that we have shown the buses from Oxford, although these are no longer strictly speaking loans as it is now the same operating company. The Oxford buses may also vary from day to day. Of course, other members of the local Stagecoach West fleet are also involved. 

Vehicles on Loan for Cheltenham National Hunt Festival 14/03/2023-17/03/2023

Hopefully there are no typing errors!

11118 at Horspath depot on March 13th en route for Cheltenham Races.

Here is our summary of the Stagecoach West Fleet Card for Period 11 (03/03/2023). There is a lot to report this month and there seems to have been a clear out of withdrawn vehicles.

   
11238, 11248 and 10433 head to the Botley Road.

 
10683 with an S7 and 15759 with a 1 by Oxford Station.

Although 36448 is not tracking in www.bustimes.org we can see it here working the 14 on March 11th. 

     
On the 4th, we said goodbye to the 7 and on the 5th, we said hello to the S7

On the 10th, 

689 works the 3 also seen at St Aldates 

 
668 works the X3 at St Aldates

Lastly, 220 works the X32 on loan to Thames Travel at St Aldates. 

East meets West in Gloucester Green on March 11th.

50446 back in Oxford being prepared for a return to service on March 13th. 

As I mentioned in last weeks Newspage, Vale Travel also have some former London Buses/Yellow Buses Enviro 200’s, getting photos of these has been less easy as they tend to be used on school work etc.

However seen today 11/3/23 at Aylesbury Railway Station on Rail Replacement work is former First Capital DMV442527 later Yellow Buses 2034 then 532.

Another former Yellow Buses Enviro 200 vehicle being used by Redline. Seen in Walton Street Aylesbury passing the old County Offices building on town service 2 on 13^th March, is former First Capital DMV 44233, later Yellow Buses 537 becoming 2039. This vehicle still has it’s London white roof with large FG fleet number on top.

 
Go Ahead London's LT428 is one of two New Routemasters to wear a new advert for Michael Kors.  It is seen at Oxford Circus on 11 March.

In 2013 work started on the rebuilding of Victoria Underground Station and the slip road Terminus Place which runs alongside the bus station was closed to allow contractor's offices to be built. The result was that several routes had to go on a long diversion through Grosvenor Gardens, Lower Grosvenor Place and Bressenden Place to regain line of route. 

This lasted until a couple of years ago when Terminus Place reopened but it still did not allow buses to go back to normal route as the street directly opposite the exit from Victoria Station was still closed so routes still had to make the long diversion. 

Now the road layout has been changed to allow a right turn direct from Victoria Station into Victoria Street so speeding up the service through Victoria.

   
These pictures show buses leaving Victoria Station on March 14th.

More pictures from Gavin in the same area.

LT 50 now repainted red after being in General livery. 

 
LT 76 wrap for M & S 

 
LT 84 wrap for TRS Holidays 

   
V154MEV  Golden Tours English Tea Bus. Originally Stagecoach 17154 it came to Golden Tours as part of their original open top fleet.
It must have then been re-roofed and fitted out for the service.

Moving to the more modernised by Golden Tours. 

Regarding ADD50Y you might be interested these photos of it. 

The first of it is with National Travel West when brand new at the Bristol bus rally on August 15th, 1982. 

The second of it is with Bristol Omnibus Company at the Sandwell bus rally in May 1985. 
It was in Badgerline livery although Badgerline didn’t become a separate company until January 1986. 

 
The last two are in November 1992 after it was shipped to Hong Kong and converted to open top for a service to the Peak Tram for Citybus.  

Well, what a snow fest we've had up here in the North East, anyway the resulting snowstorm we had has produced these lovely pictures.