Editorial

Not so many pictures this week but I am sure readers will find much to interest them.

UK’s first electric autonomous bus in Didcot, Oxfordshire with more from Michael Wadman

Home | KB COACHES LTD

KB Coaches is a coach hire company based in Gloucester, Stroud, Cheltenham and Cotswolds. They offer a wide range of day trips and have 16 - 70 seater vehicles available as well as full executive vehicles. They pride themselves in offering a friendly, personal service to all their customers.

So here we have XUN seen at Euro Tunnel at Folkestone. This left the fleet last week.

Then ZXK with YT23 BJZ at Wenchford in the Forest Of Dean.

ZVP at Harvington Hall near Kidderminster.

ZXK which is my allocated coach at "Dead Woman's Ditch" on the Quantock Hills.

NSK which left the fleet last week was a team coach primarily used for Gloucester City AFC.
On this occasion I had Hartpury RFC and was in Doncaster with it.

The next image of ZVP is seen near Kingsholm Stadium awaiting to go to round to Denmark Road High School for a run to Swindon.

AWW is seen in Wells.

DJK on July 4th.

As I said my allocated coach is ZXK but I do move around Coaches especially at the weekend. Last year we had 6 new deliveries. This year we have so far received 3 with a further 3 to join. Not bad for a fleet of 22 vehicles.

So for starters

Here BFF seen at Bath University.

Then CHD around France.

The first photo is on the ferry returning from Normandy.

We did Dieppe to Newhaven. The next photo is CHD with a French counterpart. I took Wotton-Under-Edge to their twin town in Beaumont-Le-Roger in Normandy.

On the Saturday we visited Le Havre where this French Temsa joined us with the French side of the party

The last photo of CHD is outside our hotel in Boulogne. We then have DJK at Redwood Centre near Berkeley.

Now some recent pictures of BFF at Heathrow.

An interesting article from an old friend, Chris Maxfield, who worked with me on the Oxford tube. Ed.

UK’s first electric autonomous bus in Didcot, Oxfordshire

Not yet mentioned, I think, is the supposedly “autonomous bus” operating in Milton Park. The experiment is being run by the Centre for Transport & Society at the University of the West of England and is funded by the DfT’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

The vehicle used is SJ71 HRM, a Fiat Ducato / Mellor Orion E, which is operated by First Beeline as its fleet no 59200. It carries what the blurb calls a “safety driver” to take control if anything unexpected happens; well, we’ll see how that works out.

The service began on 2^nd March on a frying-pan route from Bee House on Park Drive via Park Drive, Western Avenue, Innovation Drive, Olympic Avenue, and Park Drive back to Bee House. Western Avenue, Innovation Drive, and Olympic Avenue are otherwise unserved by buses. It ran every 15 minutes M-S with gaps in mid-morning and mid-afternoon, presumably for driver’s breaks.

After a fortnight’s break, phase two of the project started on 12^th June, and to mark this the route number changed from 001 to 002. This extends the route outside the Park, from Bee House via Park Avenue, Milton Road, Basil Hill Road, Foxhall Road, and Station Road to Didcot station, where confusingly it calls at stop R4 whereas all the other Milton Park buses go from stop R1. As there is still only one bus the frequency is reduced to every 40 minutes, again with gaps in mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

So on 27^th June I arrived at Didcot station in time for the 12:04 departure which turned up about ten minutes late, just as I was starting to wonder whether it was running. Straight away there was a problem as Thames Travel had decided to park a crew ferry bus on stand R4 so the robot couldn’t get on it. I was unhappy about having to wear a seat belt, but after several bouts of harsh braking for no obvious reason I appreciated the requirement.

In the Park itself most of the journey was run in auto, although some driver intervention was required. The driver pointed out several places where the bus thought that overhanging roadside vegetation was an obstruction and stopped, requiring him to take control. On the section between the Park and Didcot station much more driver intervention was required, and I reckon at least a third of the journey was done in manual. Exiting from Didcot station onto Station Road was quite clearly beyond the robot’s abilities.

It seemed to me that the sensors weren’t looking very far ahead, so that the bus appeared to be reacting suddenly to short-range input, resulting in DLR-style acceleration and braking and thre’penny bit cornering; whereas a human driver would look ahead, evaluate the situation, and take the necessary action well in advance. The line taken through junctions and especially roundabouts seemed quite different to what a human driver would take. And its default response to obstructions seemed to be to stop and wait for the obstruction to go away: unlikely to happen when the obstruction in question was a temporary “road works ahead” sign in the middle of the road.

My conclusion: at present this is an expensive toy. A clever toy admittedly, but still just a toy. As Dr Johnson said of dogs walking on their hind legs: it is not done well, but one is surprised to find it done at all. It may well have a niche role in an area specifically designed for it, but it would need a much better sensor suite and much better software before it could be used on normal roads without a keeper. And if it has to have a driver anyway, then what’s the point?

I thought you might like to see a selection of pictures I took at Windsor coach park on Saturday 1st July. There was still no sign of the new buses for the 702/703 service although I did photograph Enviro 200 YX67 UYO in Windsor heading for Central London on the 702 or so the blind says.

Network Rail has revealed the Botley Road works have come to an abrupt halt on part of their site due to the discovery of an “historic arch”.

Geoff's wife Margaret phoned me to give me the sad news of his passing. I met Geoff and his wife through this page and we had dinner at Stow when they visited the area. He owned a Lytham St Annes Leyland PD1 some years ago and often provided pictures and news for the OCBP. A good friend and he will be missed.

Congratulations on your latest update. As always it was A pleasure to read. It was nice reading about the change of operator for service 700. However I'd like to point out that what Matthew Searle said about the 2 segments of route being operated by OBC before they were amalgamated is incorrect as they were operated by Stagecoach West as they were till OBC took over the 700. Now the route is being operated by OBC will they give it A colour? At present they're just using the Geminins, which are in standard livery, but most of their other routes have their own colour so it would make sense if the 700 did as well. Especially since they still have busses that are in the colours they were in when branded for the 4 and 35 which are no longer used on those routes, 1 of the disadvantages of route branding is when route changes occur as happened with the 4 and 35.

With regards to what Tony Bungay said about the service that currently serves Harwell being extended to Newbury and renumbered X34, I read about that on the OBC website but didn't realize that the number X34 had been used in the past for A much longer route. Although I do remember the Stagecoach 34 running between Oxford and Newbury back in their early '00's. For some reason that route, now with Thames Travel, is being renumbered 43 from the same date.

Just trying out a new method of sending photos and hopefully you will get these in the better picture size and quality as sometimes pictures do not always come through in the size that you send them and Gaydon was certainly well attended with many exhibits appearing and operating on rides .

abellio 3406 in its wrap for LondonForEveryone is seen between the clock towers of St Pancras and Kings Cross Station.

3730 making the tight turn out of The Eden with a 300 service in Wycombe on July 9th.

The overflow yard and then 938 followed by Sprinters and a Thames Travel visitor 935,

The Airline was still awaiting the arrival of the four further Tourismo when 33 and 67 were in service on July 4th.

One wonders if this fleet will be renumbered into the fleet series used for the other companies.

Pulhams GL68PUL at Stow on the Wold, about to do a school private hire, June 30th 2023.

Buses fit for a King as Reading Buses relaunches Windsor Express network with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 fleet

Larbert, United Kingdom – 10^th July 2023: (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI.DB) Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that it has supplied seven new Enviro400 to Reading Buses and its sister company Thames Valley Buses.

The new double deck buses introduce new identities for the companies’ Windsor Express routes, formerly known as Green Line. The 702 between Legoland and the capital becomes the London Line, while sister route 703 from Bracknell to Heathrow Airport is now the Flight Line. Both run directly past the royal residence at Windsor Castle.

The new Enviro400 buses have a striking road presence with the manufacturer’s ‘City’-style body, which includes a glazed staircase and skylights.

Inside, they are fitted with an air-chill system on the upper deck, high-backed seats, tables on both decks, USB and wireless charging, wi-fi, next stop announcements, and an additional luggage rack on the buses for Flight Line. Coffee shop-style flooring completes the specification.

Reading Buses has declared the new Enviro400 buses fit for a King and publicity around the relaunch involved a journey on the service by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla – or at least their lookalikes.

Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer, Robert Williams, said: “The new buses are the next-level offering from Reading Buses. We have ensured that they are equipped with all the latest mod-cons to help our customers have the highest level of luxury and to ensure they can make the most of their journeys – whether through charging their phones, checking their emails or simply having room to relax. We are really excited to see how holiday makers use the Flight Line buses which have spacious luggage racks on the lower deck so customers can travel with their cases without worrying about them!”

The Enviro400 have been the municipal operator’s first new buses since the start of the pandemic. Investment continues with follow-up orders now confirmed for another 12 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double deckers, four Enviro200 single deck buses and four Plaxton Panther coaches.

Alexander Dennis Regional Sales Manager, Mark Taylor, said: “These new Enviro400 double deckers for the London Line and Flight Line are another brilliant example of our unique ability at Alexander Dennis to build buses that deliver an amazing journey experience. This is only possible thanks to the forward-thinking approach taken by companies like Reading Buses. I look forward to continuing this partnership for the next 20 vehicles due for delivery later this year, which will again be tailored to the specific needs of passengers on their routes.”

* Correcting last month’s update, due to an error by ADL, 736 has been registered GL23 LHR and 737 GL23 BKL rather than vice versa, so the plates they were delivered with have been swapped over.

Also, the seating capacity of 731-5 is 77 not 76 as previously stated. 736-7 are 76.

We have yet to set a firm date for entry into service following the official handover which took place on 5 July, and driver training is starting shortly. *

Pictures of the Caetano Levante IIIs for Quinn's Coach Hire to Operate the Dublin Express branded route from Belfast to Dublin on behalf of National Express. There will be 6 in total. Service goes live 18th July.

There are other pictures at Dublin Airport are of members of the Dublin based fleet operated by Bernard Kavanagh.

Paul has been sending me lots of pictures from his trip to Halifax to get Routemaster pictures.

He used the trip to catch up on old British buses still in existence including ex-Thames Valley 742.

Also a picture he took of the same bus 65 years ago !! February 15th 1958.
I'd just joined the RAF. Ed.

Sunday 2 July saw the Bournemouth bus rally take place for the first time since the original sponsor Yellow Buses ceased trading on 4th August 2022, although the memory of the operator lives on after 120 years of service.

Wright Volvo HF03ODU served the fleet throughout its operational life and has now been acquired for preservation.

Currently wearing the livery it finished service in, it is seen at the Kings Park rally site
between turns on the two local routes radiating from the event.

Six years younger, GX09ZZU started life on the Isle of Man before passing to Yellow Buses.

When the company ceased trading Xelabus of Eastleigh took it on for use on three tendered routes in the town, these lasting until retender earlier this year. Transpora are now the latest operator who employ it on school routes and a couple of commercial services in the town. It still wears an overall advert and branding applied by Yellow Buses.

Other preserved Yellow Buses include this Burlingham Bedford WTB and Weymann Leyland,
both seen carrying good loads back onto the rally site after doing the local routes.

The rally is now sponsored by Go Ahead South Coast's 'More' brand, a logical progression as the same brand also quickly filled most of the gaps left by the collapse of Yellow Buses. The wider South Coast company also operates long established and well respected coach company Excelsior.

Updating the fleet are three Yutong GT12s which were displayed at the rally, including number 12 seen gleaming in a short spell of sunshine.

The registration on this Aldermaston Coach Lines East Lancs Volvo Citybus is the original fitted when delivered to London and Country 34 years go in 1989. On privatisation it passed to Cowie and remained in service when the company rebranded to Arriva.

It later passed to Bradshaws Coaches in Bury who rebuilt it extensively before it passed to Moretons of Little London.

It is now with Aldermaston Coach Lines wearing this smart blue livery, a remarkable survivor!

Independent operators can at times seem to be an endangered species as they either sell out to the big groups or cease trading. Burrows Coaches of Blandford Forum are bucking this trend and slowly expanding to provide rural Dorset with private hires, school contracts and traditional 'shoppers' excursions.

L27BUS started life serving Go Ahead London as VWL27.
It arrived at the rally after working a rail replacement service between Southampton and Bournemouth.

My destination was near Pitlochry with stops up at Blyth and Whitehaven for return.

I curtailed the stops in Windermere area due to car park machines broken and 50p per visit to public toilets...

Parks Of Hamilton Volvo B11R Plaxton Panorama HSK 651 Second one to be painted into overall STV Television advert.
Seen beside it is 50277 - YJ14 LFO Van Hool Astromega taken in Edinburgh Bus Station.

Stagecoach East Scotland 54261 - YY65 SXZ Volvo B11R Plaxton Elite i seen on Citylink M92 arriving at Edinburgh Bus Station.

Stagecoach 59223 - BN64 FKR Scania Caetano Levante on loan to Stagecoach East Scotland
Citylink Megabus seen in Edinburgh Bus Station.

A new section of Edinburgh Tram opened on 26th June from Picardy Place,
Leith Walk, Constitution Street, New Dock area, Ocean Terminal and Newhaven.
Shots attached are taken in Leith Walk. Edinburgh Tram route now runs from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven

Hope everyone likes these shots I know we all prefer Buses but just an update on Edinburgh transport systems.

Ratho Coaches Volvo B8R Plaxton Panther YX18 LJZ seen entering Edinburgh Bus Station. Ratho is near Edinburgh Airport.

Edinburgh Coachlines Volvo 9700 Integral 3 axle SJ23 HRF operating Citylink M92 at Edinburgh Bus Station.

McGill's Flixbus 0617 - SJ23 HVB Volvo 9700 Integral B11R on 092 Edinburgh to Aberdeen taken in Queen Street Edinburgh.

I have completed my York trip and got some photos which i'd like to share on the next issue.

Wright Gemini B9TL First York Double Decker37443, operating the 1 To Chapelfields with the Iconic York Minster In the Background

First York 35927 Streetdeck MicroHybrid On Route 66 To York Rail Station seen at the City Walls Portal.

Transdev City Sightseeing York Which was a brilliant tour. Here is 4001 ADL E400 seen at York Exhibition Square
note that there is a big difference to City Sightseeing Oxford as Oxford ones are Scania's.

First York Bendy Bus Citaro 11102 Seen at York's Rawcliffe P&R on the 2
These were a joy to travel on.

Pictures of the open top buses currently operating in the Peak District around Chatsworth Hoses and Baslow with the photos taken in Baslow on July 9th.

SCY Peak Sightseer 17643 and 18467 in Baslow. 17645 is also used on this service.

Jack has certainly caught up with colourful buses and varied operators. Perhaps it is better than the standard National Bus liveries.

Fleet No	Registration	Vehicle Type	From	Sold to
32520	YJ54 XUK	B7TL	First West Yorks	Hardwick
32201	LT52 WTF	B7TL	Eastern Counties	Shelton
69009	AU05 DMX	RLE B7	Eastern Counties	Shelton
64045	LK08 FME	Citaro	First Midlands	Hardwick
42930	SN05 EAM	Dart	First Essex	Shelton
42941	WA56 OAO	Dart	First Essex	Shelton
42944	WA56 OAU	Dart	First Essex	Shelton
66823	MX05 CEU	RLE B7	First Essex	Shelton
23325	MIG 3864	K114 Scania	First South West	Hardwick
66717	WX54 XDD	RLE B7	First Cymru	Hardwick
66723	WX54 XDH	RLE B7	First Cymru	Hardwick
66818	MX05 CEA	RLE B7	First Essex	Shelton
33166	LR02 LYD	RLE B7	Eastern Counties	Shelton
32905	W905 VLN	Trident	Eastern Counties	Stock
63012	SM13 NEJ	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63031	SK63 KHH	Streetlite DF	First South Yorkshire	Rotala
63032	SK63 KHJ	Streetlite DF	First South Yorkshire	Rotala
63034	SK63 KHM	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63037	SK63 KHR	Streetlite DF	First South Yorkshire	Rotala
63069	SM13 NAO	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63068	SM13 NAE	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63072	SM13 NBD	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63073	SM13 NBE	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63074	SM13 NBF	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63075	SM13 NBG	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63076	SM13 NBJ	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63077	SM13 NBK	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
63078	SM13 NBL	Streetlite DF	First Midlands	Rotala
SOE 37	LX09 EVF	Optare Enviro 200	Go Ahead London	JSM London
SOE 39	LX09 EVH	Optare Enviro 200	Go Ahead London	JSM London
	GV63 HXX	Enviro 200 (Airport)	stock ex Heathrow Airport	OddBall Trucks Bristol
	GV63 HWU	Enviro 200 (Airport)	stock ex Heathrow Airport	OddBall Trucks Bristol
	GV63 HXS	Enviro 200 (Airport)	stock ex Heathrow Airport	Realise Training Sheffield
	GV63 HXT	Enviro 200 (Airport)	stock ex Heathrow Airport	Realise Training Sheffield
RML 2286	CUV 286C	Routemaster	Stagecoach Carlisle	RML2286 Preservation Group

Fleet No	Registration	Veh Type	From	Sold to
SOE 7	LX09 AYM	Optare Enviro 200	Go Ahead London	into stock
SOE 13	LX09 AYU	Optare Enviro 200	Go Ahead London	into stock
SOE 22	LX09 AZF	Optare Enviro 200	Go Ahead London	into stock
SP 40041	YT09 BKA	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40042	YT09 BMO	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40043	YT09 BMU	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40044	YT09 BMY	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40045	YT09 BMZ	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40046	YT09 BNA	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40047	YT09 BNB	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40048	YT09 BND	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40052	YT09 BNK	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40053	YT09 BNL	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40054	YT09 BNN	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40055	YT09 BJU	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40166	YT10 UWB	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40176	YT10 XBZ	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40177	YT10 XCA	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40178	YT10 XCB	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40179	YT10 XCC	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40181	YT10 XCE	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40182	YT10 XCF	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40185	YT10 XCJ	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock

SP 40186	YT10 XCK	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
SP 40190	YT10 XCO	Scania Omnicity	RATP London	into stock
69901	BV13 ZBC	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69902	BV13 ZBD	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69003	BV13 ZBE	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69904	BV13 ZBF	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69006	BV13 ZBJ	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69011	BV13 ZBR	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69912	BV13 ZBT	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69913	BV13 ZBU	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69914	BV13 ZBW	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69918	BV13 ZCA	Volvo 7900H	First Essex	Into stock for scrap
69923	BV13 ZCL	Volvo 7900H	First Beeline Buses	Into stock for scrap
69929	BV13 ZCY	Volvo 7900H	First Beeline Buses	Into stock for scrap
69934	BJ63 UJZ	Volvo 7900H	First Beeline Buses	Into stock for scrap
	MX12 JXD	Enviro 200	A2B Cambridge	Into stock
	MX62 AWG	Enviro 200	A2B Cambridge	Into stock
25211	CN57 BYX	Optare Versa	Stagecoach Highlands	Into stock