Issue nr. 257
Wednesday, June 28th 2023

From the Editor

Another week and another Wednesday, how quickly the weeks pass by ! This issue has proved very interesting to edit and contains a number of items which I enjoyed.

Jack Cooper attended the 2023 Summer Festival at Brooklands last Sunday providing some nice pictures.

Gavin Francis made several visits to London which has provided a great record of wraps and adds much to his coverage in Wycombe which I appreciate.

Andrew Webb  has also provided a record of developments in London.

We have some nice contributions from various readers covering Winchester, Shetlands, Cambridge and Jersey C.I.

As always your contributions have enabled each issue which would not be possible without YOU !

Summer Festival ~ 25th June - London Bus Museum

      visited by Jack Cooper     

     
Carousel's 881 recalling its past when MEC47 with London General.

     
     
     
     
     
A selection of attendees at this event some of which, despite their ago, look absolutely immaculate. 

Aylesbury Area Demand Responsive Transport - Brian Butler

An update for you on progress with this scheme. 

In February I was advised by Buckinghamshire Council that "the re-procurement process would be completed by May 2023". A further enquiry this week has elicited the response that "the re-procurement process is still underway, but we are on track to launch in the autumn". 

So, we continue to await the outcome.

Items of local interest from Tony Bungay

Two things you probably have seen or heard. Reading Buses have rebranded their 702/703 with the names Londonline and Airline, the former a name carried on Reading vehicles before.

On Bus and train user website  an article on the DRT service in High Wycombe.

The Buckinghamshire Council quarterly newspaper? Also mentions DRT both at High Wycombe and plans for one at Aylesbury later this year, no other details. The last I heard on that was Arriva had decided not to be the operator. 

Jack Cooper

The buildings in Oxford make a delightful background as seen with 672 with an X1 service on June 26th. 

      Date fopr your diary     

Saturday 1st July is the Transport Museum Wythall BusFest at Gaydon. 

https://www.wythall.org.uk/busfest.asp 

     Fleet News and developments   

3741 at Wycombe mentioned last week is still running around with a temporary ticket machine code.

Adam Green

     
 
Repainted Buses 3797,3798,3771,3772 and photos of 4076 and 4086 on the 724 

T82 at Watford Junction, a Driver Trainer

Gavin Francis

   
Variety working local services, 2325 with  a 33, 2957 with a 32 and 3029 covering a 48 in June 2023.

The decker fleet in Wycombe is much reduced and 4212 is one of the few remaining seen on June 23rd.

Jack Cooper

E400 5469 is seen in The High, Oxford with a 280 working on June 26th. 

Gavin Francis

   
47693 seen in Wycombe with an X74 covered in 6 branding making variety on June 23rd.

Still in basic celebration livery 63313 heads into High Wycombe on June 26th.

Even more choice with 69386 in the new beeline livery works the X74 on June 26th.

Brit saves on flights by catching buses to Poland spending just £83 - Manchester Evening News

Gavin Francis

     
Carousel have taken over from Arriva with a much larger fleet of deckers, 217, 241, 243 and 244 on 23rd and 26th of June.

403 heads for Uxbridge with a 103 on June 26th.

461 is seen with a 27 in Oxford Street on June 26th.

 
880 and 881 seen in The Eden on June 26th. 

979 was workin g staff bus on  June 28th.

982 is seen in Bridge Street on June 23rd.

With arrival of th e  23 plate PMU Sprinters 971-976 have returned to Oxford for other use.

Jack Cooper

881 appeared at Brooklands on June 25th.

Malcolm Crowe

On June 10th the RML had already left Carousel as seen above.

By June 24th CB53BUS had cosied up to a withdrawn Citaro in the yard.

An interesting line-up at the depot on June 24th.

 
Two of the recent deliveries of Sprinters with the last, 981 and 984 both looking new on June 24th. 

Jack Cooper

Smartly turned out 31 is seen in The High on June 26th.

Ex Hybrid 317 was working the 5A in The High on June 26th.

353 is  seen with its branded 35 service in St Aldates on June 26th.

 
376 with a 400 and 653 working in The High on June 26th.

Lewis Hawkins

 
First two Photos are 310 Oxford Bus Company ADL On 15 seen here at Morrell Avenue on 21st June 2023 

682  going around the roundabout returning to Oxford on 15 road. 

pignbob

This week sees the older PMU Sprinters move from Wycombe to Oxford where they have appeared on 11 and 11X services.

 
974 working an 11X on June 28th

     
I think 972 was with Thames Travel when these pictures were taken on June 24th.

Charles Powell

Oxford bus 604 and 605 are on loan to us at Pulhams just to help out on schools for the next few weeks. We are so so busy and theses are going to be such a great help and can free up coaches to do other jobs. 

     
The first two taken on June 25th and the other two on June 28th. 

Jack Cooper

Today saw the move of all remaining Citaros from Oxford to Didcot with TT.

842 was already with TT when seen in The High on June 26th.

pignbob

     
I think 972 was with Thames Travel when these pictures were taken in Magdalen Street East on June 24th. 

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Gavin Francis

A rather sad looking Dart, AA53GHA seen in Wycombe Eden with a 38 service on June 26th.

E200 WX08LNO seen in New Road, Stokenchurch with a 28 service on June 27th.

On the 28th this time seen in The Eden WX08LNO was busy again.

Gavin Francis

LJ09KPL in Oxford Street with a 130 service on June 23rd.

MX61BAU in Oxford Street with a 130 service on June 26th..

YX10BFZ in Oxford Street with a 130 service on June 23rd.

LJ09KPL in Oxford Street with a 130 service on June 23rd.

Seen again on June 28th in Oxford Road with 130  working

At this time none of the acquired E200s has received a repaint into fleet livery. 

Since our last issue the company has reregistered a number of buses with Y**RRT plates. Check this on :

Fleet list – Red Rose Travel – bustimes.org

Gavin Francis

   
A regular for the 40 is E19RRT seen in Oxford Street on June 23rd.

 
One of the remaining Scania E15RRT working the 40 on June 26th and again on the 28th.

 
We think this bus may need some TLC, E17RRT (YX61FZG) is seen with the 275 on June 26th

   
Taken on April 29th YX61FZH has now been re-registered E14RRT.
I think the old E14RRT may be withdrawn as it is not listed on their "bustimes" page.  Originally Metrobus 619.

 
Something different today, June 22nd, Y25RRT former Bournemouth bus and First 44316 which went to B'mouth !

pignbob

   
I missed this on May 30th when YX18KOV appeared with the 275 in Oxford which is a first I believe.

We mentioned that there were new coaches for this operator n ow shown below.

Jack Cooper

MMC 10437 is seen with a 1 working near Queens Lane on June 26th. 

Gavin Francis

...... caught these whilst in London.

   
50425, 50435 and 50441 on June 24th looking so clean and bright. 

Gavin Francis

...... caught these whilst in London.

   
Seen at Marble Arch, 54218, Airsym OU19XXB and Johnson Bros V19JBT on June 24th. 

     London operations    

Adam Green

   
Metroline BDE's on the 142 at Watford on June 20th.

RATP ADE40422 with a 258 service in Watford on June 20th.

Andrew Webb

Following on from last week's Barclays at Wimbledon advert, the tournament currently taking place has inspired another advert from Puma and New York City based men's clothing brand Noah.  It is different on both sides and currently worn by two vehicles. 

Abellio's 2543 shows the offside as it passes The Monument whilst working route 344 on 24 June. 

The nearside is seen on Metroline's VWH2380 as it arrives at Victoria, new destination of route 6, on 25 June.

Just as Wimbledon is a set fixture in the London sporting calendar, so the Chiquita banana campaign seem to be a set piece in the London advert calendar.  The 2023 campaign has just launched and features a different message on each side of each bus, keeping photographers on their toes!. 

 
RATP's BCE47008 shows off both sides as it passes Marble Arch whilst working route 94 on 24 June. 

This batch of buses also share the workload with New Routemasters on route 148. 

BCE47019 is seen rounding St George's Circus whilst operating a short working to Elephant and Castle on 24 June.

A short while later it is seen passing Parliament Square en route back to White City.

Gavin Francis

Gavin also. provides numerous pictures taken in London

BARKING STATION-4 11TH APRIL 2023.JPG Pictures from London today.

 
19757 - I only pictured in April so it has had a quick change to open top.

  
BCE 47014 at Acton Green with Banana wrap. This is the same bus which was the Evian wrap on Saturday so its had a quick change. 

SN59BGO Tates Wright bodied ex-Lothian. I think they are a local operator? 

 
LT 75 This is a new wrap, was not about Saturday. 

LT 73. This is the 3rd of the 3 Korea 2030 wraps on the 148. 

LT 84 another Korea wrap. 

A better picture of 15759. 

Other London pictures taken over the past week

     
     
 

     
Each picture has a title in its location. 

Kevin Fuller

Re your request last week, attached is my one and only picture of the Carousel Buses BMC Hawk MP 54 BUS.

It was taken on 16th July 2011, at the Flackwell Heath terminus of route 35.

I had gone there for a different vehicle, and was very surprised to see this one turn up; I don't recall seeing it either before or after, so not sure if it was a 'loan' vehicle for a short period, despite the fleetname applied to the front.  

Internet pictures show the bus in service with Bromyard Omnibus Company in Herefordshire, in whose livery it is seen in with Carousel. 

David Gray

from Winchester

I managed to get a trip to Salisbury last Wednesday and attach a few of the photographs which I took.

George Candelin

More of Shetland 's finest

   J&DS Halcrow of Cunningsburgh  

Gary Seamarks

from Cambridge

From Wednesdays trip to Cambridge, new electrics out, managed to photo 86001-21/4-6/8-30 of the new batch. Impressive vehicles to ride, they are 14'1'' high according to sign in cab, the headroom is very good on both decks, lower deck has space for 2 wheelchairs which lowers the capacity to just 19, with 42 on upper deck should be ok on the high frequency routes, of note the blinds change colour for each route, think that's a UK first.

 
LJ54 BFN and YT10UWD are Whippet vehicles 

Nick Ross

in Jersey C.I.

Jerseys large DART fleet are mainly confined to school runs,
the scenic 22 from St Helier to L'Etacq remains solid DART with 1159 arriving at lonely L'Etacq |
where most of the passengers stayed on for the return trip on June 16th 2023 

Jersey's sole Trident open top 2701 (formerly of Lothian Transport)
leaves St Brelade with the seasonal service 14 back to St Helier on June 14th 2023. 

Tony Bungay

Part Two from the South West

Enviro 400mmc  15312  leaving Brixham again on service 12 

   
The next three are of Dennis Trident  18308 wearing original Stagecoach  livery at it’s Kingswear terminus
and heading back to Paignton on Service 120. 

Back in Brixham smaller vehicles Optare Solo 47520 working Brixham Town Service 17, and behind Enviro 200 36249 working Service 13.

Passing the Toll House on the edge of Brixham is Dennis Trident 18136, again still wearing previous livery on Service 12 

Notices on side of an Optare Solo informing of the £2 fare,
if Stagecoach participates in the latest extension of the scheme, a new notice will need to be added! 

Contrasting Optare Solo styles in Brixham, lead vehicle is of the later SR type 48013 working Service 18 to Kingswear.
The Service which is hourly Monday to Saturday.

When I first visited the area in 1997, the Service was if I remember correctly operated by Ford Transits on a 20 minute frequency. Given the narrowness of the road in places into Brixham, probably an easier vehicle to use.

Behind is earlier Solo 47520 

Again in Brixham on service 12 is Enviro 400 mmc 15309 

Moving to Torquay in the Town Centre is what is a less common sight in these days in the larger fleets, a Dennis Dart 34869 also in latest livery working Service 31 

At the same location is Dennis Trident 18384 working Service 22 to South Devon College 

Also leaving it’s stop by Torquay harbour, is Dennis Trident open topper 18305 working Service 122 to Holbourne holiday camp  

Back to Torquay town centre is Dennis Trident in previous standard livery 18393 on Service 22 to South Devon College 

By the now closed Debenhams store is Dennis Trident Open Topper 18305 heading to the other end of Service 122 Babbacombe. Behind in older livery is Scania 15901. 

A general view of Churston station on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, with a couple of buses parked alongside, presumably used on the Rail – Boat – Bus circular trips.