Issue nr. 248
Wednesday, April 19th 2023
Editorial
A very busy issue with much of interest for everyone.
London Bus Museum's Brooklands event is fully covered and we have more on the
Oxford - Botley Road changes and what is happening with Rail Replacement between
Oxford and Didcot.
TV & GWOT event at Didcot h as been changed - please note.
OXFORD BUS ENTHUSIASTS MEETING in May announced.
Readers Write.
Buses in the Landscape and Coach visitors included.
Much has resulted from the Oxford-Didcot rail closure and there are lots of pictures as to what is happening.
Brooklands Event April 2023
Gavin Francis records his visit
Brooklands 16th April 2023
Going to The London Bus
Preservation Group rallies had been a regular annual feature for me for
nearly 50 years but always travelled in my own car to the event.
RT 4482 stands outside the old Museum building in Redhill Road on 6th
April 1975.
This year was however to be different as I had been asked to help a group of
friends prepare and take RF 525 to this year’s event. The bus has only just
been returned to the road following a 10 year restoration programme and this
was to be its first public appearance.
It entered service in October 1952 from Dalston Garage and carried fleet
number RF 306. In March 1956 it was renumbered RF 525. It was one of the RFs
which entered service with no platform doors but these were fitted in May
1959. It carried on in service until May 1973 and towards the end worked
from Edgware Garage on the Route 251 which it shows on its blinds display.
It was withdrawn in May 1973 following 21 years of service.
We spent Saturday
preparing it for the following day’s run to Brooklands.
We are fortunate in having access to an automatic wash.
I
It’s now 07.30 on
Sunday morning and we are back at the depot and ready for the off, just one
job to do and that is put some fuel in it!!
For a bus which has
basically not been on the road for 10 years it ran very well and apart from
a stop in Maidenhead to pick up passengers we had a clear run to Brooklands.
We were the last of a group of five RFs parked
together all with slightly different liveries.
We left about 16.30 and had to divert via Heathrow on the return trip to
drop of one of the team who was flying back home to Dublin. Again the RF ran
well all the way home and so ended a very enjoyable day out which hopefully
will be repeated sometime in the future.
A selection of pictures from Gavin
Tony Bungay at this event
As you can see below I attended the annual spring
gathering at Brooklands today, which was blessed with dry but somewhat
cloudy weather at times, though this probably made for better photography.
Whether you will get submissions from other
contributor’s or not, obviously I do not know, so apologies in advance if a
number of photos submitted are duplicated by other submissions or vice
versa!
Commenting on the
gathering it is perhaps sad to say it seemed noticeably a lot less busy than
many past events, whether this a reflection of the weather or more pointedly
the escalating costs of everything.
I have included in some
cases the same vehicle twice showing nearside and offside views, to show
either the livery or branding. So you have a choice to which you feel if any
is more of interest.
Of note on this selection the Sigma electric single
decker and UNO vehicle sporting 30 on the side.
On this group I feel fairly certain that Plaxton
President LT52 XAH is the unidentified vehicle in the Bus in Landscape photo
I submitted the other day. The reason being that the white roof has the red
somewhat untidy around it, and looking above top deck front window it looks
to be similar.
According to the information board in it’s front window, the Red and White
Bristol RELH was a South Midland vehicle.
And slightly amusing the Ensign StreetDeck proudly proclaims it’s
independent Bus company status!
Further participants.
What the future holds !
OXFORD STATION REBUILD AND BUS CHANGES
Oxford City Station Phase 2C Botley Road | Oxfordshire County Council
Graham Low
Here are views of the unusual turning arrangements
now set up on the west side of Oxford Station and a Stagecoach bus leaving
for Eynsham on new route E1. The rail replacement buses for Oxford-Didcot
services included a BMC dual-door bus and a King Long midicoach!
First pictures of an E1.
Jack Cooper with pictures of the services operating from the west side
E400 variety on April 13th.
It seems to be rather cramped.
I am also told that some Oxford tube coaches have been used on the rail replacement services. Ed.
Notice of cancellation and replacement
Jonathan Radley
Just to let you know, that
due to the volume of rail replacement coaches at Didcot Parkway, we have had
to cancel our planned Didcot Festival of Transport on Sunday 14th
May 2023.
However, instead we will
be undertaking a circular road run, re-creating the central sections of the
two SOUTH MIDLAND Oxford-London routes of the 1960’s on the 14 May.
Preserved/restored coaches from the period, including RELH’s will be taking
part. In May it’ll be 60 years since the prototype BRISTOL RELH / ECW coach
(reg. 521ABL) when into service with SOUTH MIDLAND of Oxford. This coach was
the first rear-engined and first 36-foot long chassis built by Bristol
Commercial Vehicles and Eastern Coach Works. It spent much of its career
working on the Oxford-High Wycombe-London and
Worcester-Oxford-Maidenhead-Slough-London routes.
More details of our road run will be available soon from the Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust website.
OXFORD BUS ENTHUSIASTS MEETING
Graham Low
Our last meeting before the summer break will be on Tuesday 16 May when Geoff Bushell will talk about the history and restoration of two Maltese buses.
Bob Chalmers
So today, Network Rail have publicly announced that the railway line will be
closed until 9th June (but I still reckon it will be longer). I wish these
organisations would be a bit more 'honest' with 'us' public in the first place.
Anyone seeing the pictures, with even a basic understanding of structural
damage, would realise it was going to go on a lot longer than 'the end of
April'. This is a major failure of the infrastructure - not necessarily due to
lack of maintenance or inspection - but just old-age (100 years +) and
river/water erosion. Network Rail run regular inspection trains throughout the
whole country (every 2 weeks) - they have highly sophisticated equipment
on board to monitor everything to do with the state of of their track and
related structures. The fact that a problem was highlighted last year and speed
restrictions were imposed over the bridge, which were subsequently reduced as
further issues developed, means they acted correctly. Obviously something
serious took place to suddenly close the line completely. Access to the area
will be difficult as it is fairly remote and I suspect simply securing the
bridge span from total collapse will need to be completed first, before any
thought of rebuilding the parapet can begin - 2 months - wishful thinking....
Paul Hawkins
Reading, Didcot and Oxford and noticed these two
route branded vehicles far from the routes they are branded for
Carousel Citaro branded for the One and a Stagecoach Distance Liveried
service 94 decker in Oxford on service 1
And one on the correct route TFL Service 63 at Kings Cross
Jack Cooper
Heading for Sandbanks on route 5.
An great location for 904, a
Wright StreetDeck Micro Hybrid seen climbing out of Oxford on April 12th
with a background of a dark sky.
Tony Bungay
This photo is obviously a
Bus in Landscape shot, taken by the River Thames at Runnymede on Sunday 090423,
an unidentified Plaxton President vehicle, from the colour and door layout
probably a former London vehicle.
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
George Candelin
I photographed this Dutch bus in the Peartree services on
Saturday April 8th.
Jack Cooper
Seen in George Street mmbandservices VDL double
deck SB18MMB in George Street on April 5th.
Fleet News and developments
Gavin Francis
A selection of pictures of workings on April 18th
in High Wycombe.
Jack Cooper
Seen in Oxford on April13th - 5462 and 5469 in
Westgate.
Tony Bungay
Not certain if you have heard anything yourself, but the
Arriva thread on UK rail users forum has mention that Arriva is possibly up for
sale? No real details other than that though.
Gavin Francis
63315 working the X74 on April 18th in High
Wycombe.
Jack Cooper from his visit to Slough
Seen in Slough on April13th - a great variety of liveries but this seems to
be heading for Orange and Blue in the future.
Gavin Francis
A selection of pictures of workings on April 18th
in High Wycombe including the recent arrival 461.
Jack Cooper
Scania 216 seen in Slough working the 107 on April
13th.
Jack Cooper
Tourismo 38 seen at Westgate heading for Heathrow
on April 13th.
Still giving useful service 69 is seen in New Road
April 13th then heading for Gatwick.
203 on April 7th and 631 five days later both
giving good service to city sightseers.
Mid April sees ex Hybrids busy at work on a
variety of routes.
During April the
Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 2's are gainfully employed on many routes.
The two little buses used for the 46 see service
most days as seen above with 516 on April 15th.
602 seen in its new livery on the east and west sides of the station on the
5th and 15th of April.
These early MMCs are still much employed working various city and
Brookes services.
The StreetDecks carry a number of liveries now and seem to normally are to
be seen working branded routes.
The remaining Citaros are still in daily service mainly working the BMW and
Watlington services.
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An impressive sight in this location 902, a
Wright StreetDeck Micro Hybrid seen with an X3 climbs out of Oxford on April
12th.
Jack Cooper
A nice picture pof 248 working an X39 service to
Reading on April 13th.
E20D MMC 513 is seen in Magdalen Street East with
an ST2 on April 6th.
Rebranded 692 workin the X2 in St Aldates on April 15th.
Still carrying Carousel branding 869 and 870 continue with Thames
Travel in mid April.
904 has connector branding and is seen with an X2 turning out of ST Aldates
on April 15th.
Scania 944 is seen in St Aldates with an X40 service on April 13th.
pignbob
This nearly new
Wright StreetDeck Micro Hybrid 692 has just gained Milton Park branding seen
in Oxford on April 18th.
Charles Powell
Attached is a picture of myself in PDF567 next to Oxford’s 56 at Stansted
Airport this morning, April 15th.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
Jack Cooper visited Slough on April 13th
Another operator with varied liveries is Thames
Valley,
Somewhat confusing is the operator for the Green
Line services who seemingly can be Reading Bus or Thames Valley.
Red Group developments
Tony Bungay
The Travel Information centre located outside Aylesbury Bus station and built some 15 years or so ago, appears to have at long last gained an occupier in the former of Mr T Khan and his Red Group of Bus companies judging by the signage I noticed last week.
Appropriately Redline
Enviro 200 is seen about to pass the premises working Town Service 14.
It still
wears what originally was Green Route livery, which was a council inspired
initiative as part of the Rainbow routes scheme for local services, introduced
roundabout the same time as the construction of the Travel centre, all being
part of the bigger Transport Hub project for Aylesbury at that time.
I understand that perhaps
rather too typically once the centre was built there was little if any money to
staff it! I will admit that is only what I heard, so it is quite possible
another reader to your page may have fuller info.
Jack Cooper
Serving Slough two Redline E200s are seen on local
routes.
MX61BAU started life with Red Rose and is now with
Redline as seen working the X20 in Oxford on April 13th.
Tony Bungay
After the arrival of former Yellow Buses Enviros working various services, not much news worthy seems to have been seen.
Gavin Francis
E2RRT seen working the 40 route on April 12th.
Graham Mildenhall
A little update from
North Oxfordshire regarding the Red Rose Bicester to Upper Heyford service
25.
Last week and this the main road through the former
RAF base has been closed towards the Upper Heyford village end meaning that
the 25 could not run its usual route to Lower Heyford or Upper Heyford
villages from Heyford Park.
Rather than divert the single vehicle operation
which would have added a fair bit of running time and upset the hourly
timetable two new routes were set up for the duration of the closure – the
25A (yes, brings back memories) which runs Bicester Village Station to
Heyford Park via normal route as far as the closure and the 25B which runs
Bicester Village Station – Lower Heyford – Upper Heyford Village. Seems a
very efficient way of keeping to more or less normal schedules, they even
issued emergency timetables for both routes, not so sure about the cost of
running two vehicles though?
Last Thursday (6th April) I travelled into Bicester on the 25A on Red Rose
Dart BU05HFZ (blinded still as 25) and found the
Tonight (13th April) I did the same thing this time on board Red Rose
E200MMC E19RRT , pictures attached of these also.
Hope of interest, Red Rose have certainly been the
most interesting operator on our local route in the 40 plus years I’ve lived
here!
Vale Travel pictures for the 25B are under the operator heading below. Ed
Graham Mildenhall
A different Vale Travel Solo – AU54EOA - working the 25B on April 12th.
25B (paper label in windscreen) being operated by Vale Travel Solo AU54ENY,
on April 6th.
Quite a number of West buses are in temporary use at Oxford. See details with other items described in this issue.Ed.
David Beynon
A quick phone pic of Stagecoach 15359 while waiting time at Cowley Centre this
morning, April 12th.
Jack Cooper
Seen at Westgate, 10070 is currently not in
service and may have gone away for repaint.
Various deckers in service in April.
I spent many happy hours driving 15966 on London
driver training when it new and Gold. Ed.
pignbob
Two of West's buses on loan to Oxford.
Richard Sharman
Jack Cooper
Not what is expected working t he X5 - 37433 in
Gloucester Green on April 7th.
Jack Cooper
Three tube coaches in
Oxford looking very pristine on April 13th.
50448 seen in Gloucester Green has also been
working Rail Replacement between Didcot and Oxford.
pignbob
In the last two days working Rail Replacement between Didcot and Oxford.
On the 18th, 50441 works the Rail Replacement seen
outside the car park
On the 19th, 50434 works the Rail Replacement seen
near the car park
Jack Cooper
elite I 54268 working the M34 near Westgate on
April 13th.
London operations
Gavin Francis spent an interesting day in Barking
LT92 and 137 working the 248.
East London Transport operates EL services in
Barking with specially liveried LTs.
Stagecoach operates in this area as with 10102
working the 238.
All the sixes - 36666 working service 366 in
Barking. Pity it was too late to be a 66 plate !
Motts Yellow
Bus Memories - 2
Stephen
Archer was a part-time driver for Motts Yellow Bus between 1993 and 1995. Now -
nearly 30 years later and living in the USA - he looks back fondly to those
years when he spent Saturdays driving buses around Oxford and the Chilterns.
********************************************
Yellow Bus
Routes
While
driving for Motts Yellow Bus, I kept a notebook to record the dates, duties and
vehicles that I drove. That forms the basis for these memories. However, my
collection of Yellow Bus fare charts and timetables has sadly disappeared during
multiple moves to and within the USA since those days.
Sadly I
didn’t record the specific routes I drove on specific dates. Nor - even worse -
did I take any photographs.
However, my
notebook does record that I learned - and drove - the following Motts Yellow Bus
routes:
M1 Aylesbury
- High Wycombe, Lane End.
M1 Aylesbury
- Reading.
M11 High
Wycombe / Lane End circular.
280
Aylesbury - Oxford.
260 Oxford -
Thame.
37 Aylesbury
- Oxford via “the scenic route”.
333/334 High
Wycombe - Speen.
M15
M39
It has to be said that the route training I received as a Yellow Bus driver was a little thin. I was expected to know most of the local routes intuitively from local knowledge, supported with advice from Angus Munday, the Bus Manager, other drivers and the fare charts.
True, there
was some route training. I remember having a “pilot” on one round trip of the M1
extension right down to Reading railway station - but not out the other side.
Some runs were scheduled to terminate at Theale, I seem to remember, but very
few drivers actually ventured out there, calling it quits at the station. I
tried it a couple of times and gave up. There were no passengers out to Theale -
probably due to the aforementioned erratic service.
I also was
provided once with a pilot on a 280 service to Oxford, returning on the very
rural route 37 which served almost every village in a circuitous route back to
Aylesbury.
However,
after one disastrous wrong turn in Stokenchurch that I shudder to think about
even today, I made sure to learn every Yellow Bus route by driving it first in
my car. It was better that way!
My
favorite route was the 280 from Aylesbury to Oxford. I never tired of its
combination of open county speed and urban working in the city of Oxford.
Mostly, loadings meant that the 280 was run with the ex-South Yorkshire PTE
Metrobuses, at least on Saturdays. However Leopards
(and later Lynxes) also took their turn - particularly on the 260
short workings to Thame.
Some of
these Metrobuses had a maximum speed of about 40-41 MPH, while others could
reach the dizzying heights of 43-44 MPH in open-road running. That small
variation made all the difference in being able to keep time on the 280, or not,
as this was a very sharply-timed route in those days. The single deckers were
much faster and so there was no trouble keeping time if you had one of those
models.
One thing
that surprised me was how different drivers saw the same route in different
ways. One day I was discussing the 280 working with an experienced full-time
driver. He admitted that he could never keep time between Aylesbury and Thame,
but found it easy thereafter.
My
experience was completely the reverse! I could not help being early at Thame
after leaving Aylesbury and often sat in Thame High Street for several minutes.
The stop was close to Newitt’s butchers - I’m sure it still is - and there was
always the temptation to hop off and buy one of their delicious sausage rolls. I
still drool thinking of them…
In those
days, the 280 route passed down Churchways in Haddenham in both directions. The
driver then made a complete circular turn at the end before returning in the
direction from which he had come. The route today is somewhat different.
From Thame
to Oxford, I always had the accelerator flat on the floor, yet it was inevitably
a struggle to reach the Dreaming Spires on time. Wheatley usually was the cause
of some delays, due to cars parked on Church Road. Then the hard right junction
(going towards Oxford) into Holloway Road always required the driver to “breathe
in” in order to make the turn - particularly if driving a Lynx.
One day, I
had picked-up an almost full load in my Metrobus by the time we had reached
Headington. There Bryan, one of Motts traveling inspectors, boarded the bus,
brusquely saying “You’re late.” But then, looking around the bus, he immediately
added “But you can be as late as you like with this many passengers!”
Returning
from Oxford, there was an afternoon 280 service that was scheduled to pass
Headington just after an Oxford FC home match had finished. The exiting crowds
always completely blocked the road in a “human wave” and some of them - of
course, wanted to catch the 280. I have to admit that - if running this duty -
my aim was always to be past the football ground a just little early,
immediately before this outpouring!
Fortunately,
I rarely worked late duties on the 280. But one time that I did, our bus was
accosted by a rowdy drunk in Oxford High Street. It was clear that he would
cause trouble to the other passengers on the bus, so as he climbed on board I
asked “Where do you want to go, mate?” He answered “Headington”, which of course
was on our route. But I certainly did not fancy him as a passenger. So -
guessing that he was as drunk as he appeared - I answered “That’s not us, you
want the next bus”. He stumbled back off and I closed the doors very fast!
That was the
only time I ever turned a passenger away from my bus.
The then-new
Aylesbury bus station was - I always felt - a rather dingy place with very
limited headroom and decidedly tight turning required, particularly when
reversing out of the stands. Due to the inadequate ventilation, all bus drivers
were strongly required by signs to switch off their engines when waiting there.
One day I
was driving a Metrobus on the 280 and decided - for once - to comply with the
signs. It was a mistake. The old girl would not re-start and I had to be rescued
by the engineers.
My ears were certainly burning as a result! As you may imagine, I
never turned off the engine again in that bus station or anywhere else…
Another
route I enjoyed driving was the 37. This was a three (?) times a week route from
Aylesbury that connected many small villages on the way to Oxford. It was a
shoppers service really.
When I
joined Motts, the 37 was always operated using a Metrobus. This was in spite of
the rural nature of the route, which did not demand double-deck operation. The
reason for this was the very sharp turn in Beckley village - just down the High
Street from the Abingdon Arms pub. It was believed than anything longer than a
Metrobus could not make this turn without contact with either a very solid stone
house on the inside or a dangerous-looking stone wall on the outside edge.
However,
probably during 1994, some unknown hero (definitely not me) discovered that it
was possible - with great care - to thread a 36-Foot Leopard around this corner.
The result was that route 37 was inevitably operated by single-deckers
thereafter.
I worked the
37 many times, usually with a Leopard. However one particular trip stands-out in
my memory. Judging from my notebook, it must have been 4 March 1995.
That day I
was given a new Volvo B6 single-decker. Motts had two of these (L922 LJO and
L923 LJO). Recently delivered new to the company, they were the pride of the
fleet. What I remember clearly is that heavy snow was on the ground and had been
for a couple of days. The roads were very icy and treacherous.
On the way
to Oxford, the road conditions were very poor. In Beckley, going uphill past the
pub, I had the rear wheels spinning wildly in an effort to gain some adhesion,
the only time I was ever aware of doing this with a bus. We made it - just!
My return to
the garage was over 20 minutes late. As I turned-in there was a “welcoming
committee” waiting for me in the yard. This was something I had never seen
before. Roger Mott, his brother Chris and the Engineering Manager all walked
slowly around the bus, paying particular attention to the lower panels.
The entire
vehicle was covered with a thick coat of white road salt, but there was not even
a scratch in the salt surface from an errant twig! Apparently disgusted, they
walked away, without saying a word.
While
paying-in the day’s takings, another driver told me that the previous day a
full-time driver had failed to complete the route and had turned-back due to the
conditions, which had not changed. Hence the concern.
I always
have considered that, with that day’s trip, I had passed my unofficial “Yellow
Bus driving test”. Somehow I felt that I was treated just a little differently
afterwards…
Sadly I
don’t remember much at all about routes M15 and M39. They must have been
involved with the early morning congregations of Yellow Bus services that seemed
to happen in Watlington. (Why? I don’t remember picking-up many passengers
there). I do remember the very tight clearances in the town and the difficulties
that ensued with badly-parked cars and delivery vans, however!
So far as I
am aware, the only Saturday Yellow Bus route I did not work was the X15. This
limited-stop service from Milton Keynes to Reading had one or - maybe - two
evening journeys on Saturday, but I was never asked to learn or drive it.
Having a
full-time job on Mondays to Fridays, I was only ever a “Saturday driver” for
Motts. This meant that I was never involved with routes like the 351 and 396
around High Wycombe that ran only five days a week. Nor was I involved with the
many school bus contracts that were run by Yellow Bus.
In the next
part of this series, I’ll cover the vehicles run by Yellow Bus at that period.
Below are a selection of the buses, coaches past and in their earlier lives. Ed.
Michael Penn provides a selection of pictures
These are photos of vehicles running for Motts.
TGD 219R at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
EHS 107T at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
GGM 96W at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
JHE 163W at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
LCY 101X at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
UKE 830X at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
CUB 540Y at High Wycombe on 13/8/94.
E966 PME at High Wycombe on 8/7/95.
J171 GGG at Reading on 11/7/94.
L922 LJO at Oxford on 20/8/94.
L923 LJO at Oxford on 20/8/94.
These are photos of
buses with other operators prior to Motts.
MUS 152P with Graham’s of Paisley at Paisley on 9/5/87.
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TGD 219R with Garelochhead Coach Services at Helensburgh
on 31/5/78.
GGM 96W with Alder Valley at Reading on 4/6/83.
CUB 540Y with London Northern at Borehamwood on 3/5/89.
E965 PME and E966 PME with Pan Atlas at Brent Cross on
29/4/94.
JHE 164W with Cardiff Bluebird at the Bristol bus rally
on 20/8/95.
This was one of the buses purchased by LDT as dealers only and
did not run for the company.
E965 PME with LDT at Aylesbury on 28/2/96.
E965 PME with Arriva The Shires at Watford on 25/6/99.
E965 PME with Arriva The Shires at Garston in driver
training livery on 12/6/00 .
E966 PME with LDT at Luton on 25/4/96.
E966 PME with Arriva The Shires at Garston in driver
training livery on 8/6/00.
F506 OYW with LDT at High Wycombe on 8/5/96.
F506 OYW with Arriva The Shires at High Wycombe
on16/5/02.
These are more photos of buses with owners
subsequent to Motts.
G360 FOP with LDT at Aylesbury on 8/5/96
G360 FOP with Arriva The Shires in white livery for
Lutonian services at Luton on 2/7/99.
J171 GGG with LDT in an advertising livery at Aylesbury
on 9/7/97.
K184 GDU with LDT at Aylesbury on 5/8/96.
K184 GDU with Arriva The Shires at Hitchin on 23/7/99.
K184 GDU with Arriva The Shires in Lutonian livery at
Luton on 31/5/00.
K184 GDU with Lutonian Buses at Luton on 17/10/02.
L922 LJO with LDT at High Wycombe on 8/5/96.
L922 LJO with Arriva The Shires at High Wycombe on
2/5/07.
L923 LJO with LDT at Watford on 6/6/96.
L923 LJO with Arriva The Shires at High Wycombe on
12/5/08.
Kevin Fuller with his memories
I read with interest the article on Motts in the last issue, and well remember their vehicles in High Wycombe in the early - mid 1990's.
Although not having taken very many pictures of the Yellowbus fleet, I am
enclosing scans of some of the few that I did manage to get at various
times:
Metrobus JHE164W originated with South Yorkshire PTE, and was seen at
Micklefield on 8th February 1994 while working a 396 service.
Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook LCY101X was previously with South Wales
Transport. Photo taken on 7th February 1994 in central High Wycombe.
Also laying over in Wycombe centre, on 7th March 1994, is ex-Grahams Bus
Services of Paisley Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard EHS107T.
At Reading rail station on 20th May 1996, Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Bustler
OWG368X is seen preparing to depart for High Wycombe.
This vehicle was originally with Premier coaches in Yorkshire, and is quite
an unusual chassis / body combination.
Hope that these are of use and interest. - they are not of the best quality
compared to modern digital photo technology, but they are at least a record
of times that are now past!
Thomas W W Knowles
OJD 463R in High Wycombe having just left the old Bus
Station on 18th January 1994.
TGD 219R in Oxford on layover in Speedwell Street
on 26th April 1995.
JHE 141W in Oxford followed by an Oxford Classic Tour
open topper on 2nd July 1995.
G360 FOP in Aylesbury on 13th September 1994.
Many tanks to all who contributed and added much to Steven Archer's article of which there is mo/re to come. Ed.
Gary Seamarks
Few from Cyprus for you.
the City Sightseeing are phone shots, as didn't take camera on our trip into
Paphos, note one is a now rare Leyland bodied example.
UK regs are in captions, the Metrobus was used for the wedding we was at and
went like a rocket, iirc was one of the trac-line65 batch when new,
The Lodekka was about a mile from Hotel, so an after breakfast walk was
needed, it is now fitted out as a cafe kitchen downstairs,
the upstairs is devoid of seating and i think used as a storeroom, not sure
if engine removed as no oil traces were underneath.
Service bus work is all Citaro, think some may be ex UK/Eire but unsure.
Jim Wright
I've not done much in Oxford lately, been away to Paris &
Malta though!
Paris seems to have mainly Hybrid Ivecos, Malta have had a brand nee fleet of 25 Electric King Longs, but only two prototypes operating!
I had
a ride on one in Gozo. The Electrical Charging points in Malta haven't been
installed yet. So they are all sitting parked up!
Paris,1 Gare de Nord
Paris 2 & 3 Gare de Est
Jack Cooper IOW
Friday 24th March
On Friday I had spent the day around Bournemouth, Poole
and Swanage. I was after photos of the ex Go North East B7s which have recently
been acquired by Go South Coast, the bulk being in Southampton for Bluestar. I
had started the day taking some photos around Bournemouth before taking the m2
to Poole for a walk around the Quay and to take some photos, and then headed
back to Bournemouth, this time to the Station to take some more photos. Here I
was successful in hunting down 2 ex Go North East B7s within 10 minutes of each
other!
From there I headed to Swanage on the impressive Purbeck
Breezer route 50, a journey I had missed out on last year as when I had gone
down the Sandbanks Ferry was away for a refit. The 50 operates from Bournemouth
Station to Swanage via Bournemouth Centre, Sandbanks and Studland. Again, this
was a nice open top bus journey! After a walk around Swanage, and some dinner it
was time to head back to Bournemouth Station on the 50 for my train back to
Oxford, bringing my week away to a close.
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I have added a few photos which I thought might be of
interest, these are
-
Hovercrafts Island Flyer, and Solent Flyer
- The Southern Vectis timetable collection point situated at Southsea Hoverport.
Southern Vectis 1579 and 1580 were some of the Go South
Coast Enviro 400s to be loaned to Oxford Bus when they were new. The buses that
were loaned were 1571 - 1584, with only 1571 - 1580 ever seeing service with Go
South Coast. 1581 - 1584 became 251-254, which are still in the fleet at
Oxford.
Southern Vectis are due an order of 7 new Enviro
400mmc's later this year, for service 1. This is is alongside 28 new Enviro
400mmc's for More.
More is also adding new open top routes this summer, as
well as rebranding existing routes which fall under the Purbeck Breezer
brand. These will be:
Jurassic Breezer 30 / 31 (new brand - the 30 / 31 are currently ran under the Purbeck Breezer brand)
Purbeck Breezer 40 (no change)
Purbeck Breezer 50 (no change)
Harbor Breezer 60 (new brand - the 60 is currently ran
under the Purbeck Breezer brand)
Beach Breezer 70 / 80 (new routes - I believe that these
were the Yellow Buses Busters Beach Bus)
Judging by the graphics it looks like there will be
several new liveries in the summer, so it will be worth another visit once the
routes have been launched!
More details can be found here - https://www.morebus.co.uk/purbeck-breezer
So, a very interesting selection for Jack's south coast visit. Ed.