From the Editor

Several gatherings and visits to report in this issue

Chesham & Amersham Running Day from Gavin Francis and Tony Bungay

Visit to Windsor from Gary Seamarks

Slough from Kevin Fuller

Readers Write from Chris Huntingford

John Marsh with Buses in the Landscape

Fleet News

Latest Arriva allocations

Pictures from Cheltenham & Gloucester

London operations by Andrew Webb

Adam Green reports from Weymouth

 

  CHESHAM & AMERSHAM RUNNING DAY - October 1st 2023 

This was the 34th event in this area and did not disappoint. There were many opportunities to relive those now long off days when Green and Red London buses, such as the RT and RF AECs, which seem to hold sway for so many years.

Happy times were recreated by the selection on offer for rides and photography. Sadly your Editor ijis less able to get about as he is now in his twilight years but Gavin Francis and Tony Bungay provided excellent pictures of the day's event.

Also I received some pictures taken by Nigel Eadon-Clarke which added to the record on offer.

Gavin Francis

Gavin was much involved as spent some of the day driving RT2083 which he found more tiring than a bus with power steering. His pictures are shown below:

   
At Aylesbury.

By the old depot in Tring,

   
Chesham Broadway, Gerrards Cross and High Wycombe

     
     
     
 
The presentation of the buses on display was exemplary. 

Tony Bungay

For the first time in many years I was able to attend what is now the Chesham running day, it was great to see how well supported the event was, indeed they sold out of the programme, I did incidentally make a donation anyway. 

Enclose a few photos , I didn’t take many, but hopefully the ones taken could pass for when these vehicles and in most cases services were an almost everyday occurrence. 

       

NOTE The Green RF WAS NOT TAKEN AT THIS YEARS RUNNING DAY, but at an Amersham running day over 20 plus years ago, included to show the old Red LT bus stop flags were still in evidence. You may feel it is worth using this.

The route itself was operating yesterday, always a popular journey. Special mention and applause for the drivers of two Red RF’s who not only met on a narrow road at Lee Common, but had to negotiate their vehicles between awkwardly parked cars at this point on both sides of the road!.

Nigel Eadon-Clarke

     
   
It is noted that T792 had an extensive repaint. 

Windsor on Wednesday, September 27th by Gary Seamarks

 
Both the DUKW and Carousel at Windsor were taken off the boat.

     
     
The variety to be seen in Windsor is always interesting. Note 69928 working the RA2.

A couple of hours in Slough with Kevin Fuller

I spent a couple of hours in Slough last week - and took a few pictures, which I hope will be of interest: 

First 69928 is, I think, the last operational Volvo 7900 Hybrid in the local fleet.
On 26th September, it was resting in the depot yard in Slough. 

Parked in the next row was similar vehicle (First 69926, BV13ZCT), now devoid of fleet numbers
 and with a red 'not to be moved' sticker in the windscreen, so presumably no longer in the operational fleet.
Behind it is another unidentified similar vehicle. 

Photographed between duties in Brunel Way is Wright Streetlite 47689. Slough has several of these vehicles,
ransferred in from Southampton earlier this year, with most carrying at least some of their 'City Red' branding from their previous operating area on the south coast.
This example has nearly complete branding for what was Southampton route 7.

Working route 7 from Heathrow to Britwell is very smart Enviro 400MMC, SO68HGC, 34381.
The picture was taken on Brunel Way, outside the bus station, which is still closed nearly a year after the fire. 

First 63374, SL16RBV, Streetlite Max is seen on wellington Street, pausing for passengers on route 6 between Maidenhead and Knowlton Way.
This is another recently acquired vehicle, this time from Fareham, hence the 'Solent' fleet name.

I have also seen (although no photograph yet!), at least one similar vehicle in the 'Solent Rangers' livery used on Fareham's X4/X5 services between Southampton and Portsmouth / Gosport. 

Metroline's route 81 is usually worked by Wright Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL buses,
so it made a change to see VWH2315 one of the newer Volvo B5LH / Gemini 3 vehicles,
 laying over on Wellington Street before its return to Hounslow.

Reading Buses 735 is one of the new Enviro 400 City buses acquired for the London services 702/3.
GL23LGO picks up a good load on Wellington Street for its next run up to London. 

Thames Travel 511 appears to be on loan to Carousel for their service 583 (Hedgerley - Uxbridge),
seen pausing on Wellington Street. This service was for many years, until recently, run by Red Line. 

Carousel 215,  Scania /Alexander Dennis Enviro 400, picks up passengers on route 107 to Amersham. 

Chris Huntingford

“What often feels noticeable about public transport changes are their unexpected consequences. Here’s an example. The tap-on, tap-off system for buses in Oxford is usually presented to speed up loading times. However, the other day, with a gap between meetings in Oxford, I just wanted a break and venture out of the city for a bit. On St Aldates was an X1, so boarding on a whim, I couldn’t decide if I fancied a walk in Bagley Woods, around Abingdon, or Marcham. It depended a bit on any gap between rain showers. Now you feel like an idiot saying to a driver “Er, not sure where I want to go, so best sell me a ticket to the end of the route”. But with tap-on, tap-off, you have complete freedom to alight wherever you like. The upshot – maybe there are other ways to market the tap-on tap-off system, beyond simply supporting faster journeys?”

Any comments from Readers ? Ed.

John Marsh

Its nice to hear from John after a number of years.

High Peak YJ15AYB heads for Buxton in the Peak District National Park 090923.

Blackburn Bus Company 510 XX69NTN climbs out of Darwen with the impressive India Mill chimney in the background 080923.

     Fleet News and developments   

Latest allocation list from Toby  France of Arriva:

Arriva fleet lists/South Fleet List P9 2023.xlsx

Our contract to provide Wycombe Wanderers matchday bus services to Adams Park has now drawn to a close. Saturday 30 September was the last day of operation. For more information visit

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/.../last-day-of-wycombe. 

Gavin Francis

Back from holiday I have been busy catching up on October 3rd.

3812 is seen working the 300 and later was seen working the 500.

   
Three of the four E400s recently transferred from Aylesbury.

Of interest is that 69928 spent most of the week before last working the RA2 ! Indeed it is working there today, Sunday August 6th.

Luke Marion

28 is BF23 CJE 

The remaining airline coaches yet to enter service on the airline are the following 

27 BF73 CCN

29 BF73 CCO (currently at Pulhams) 

651 is due to complete engine repairs in Northern Ireland today and we hope it to be back with us soon.

 

Gavin Francis

Back from holiday I have been busy catching up on October 3rd.

   
   
Variety in the Chilterns

Nigel Peach

 
I was surprised to see 432 at High Wycombe Coachway around midday on 28th September.
According to bustimes.org this bus has been out of service for over 8 months!

Also at Cressex were 938 and 978. 

Jack Cooper

Another rainy day in Gloucester Green with 23 working the next Heathrow

670 working tjhe X1 at  the Oxford Rail Station on September 29th.

Charles Powell

603 is on loan as we’re desperate for deckers on schools.

241 has returned to Carousel is seen at Pulhams on October 1st. 

Jack Cooper

...... visited Cheltenham on September 28th

AA68BUS seen in Witney on September 28th.

     
   
Showing many of the routes served by Pulhams in Cheltenham on September 28th.

511 and 512 are still at Carousel.  520 is still away being modified.

Jack Cooper

...... visited Cheltenham on September 28th

Bennetts BD68TXC leaves Cheltenham bound for Gloucester with a 444 service from London.

 

Gavin Francis

Back from holiday I have been busy catching up on October 3rd.

     
Two buses of interest, one which started life with Red Rose and has the Bucks Uni got revised branding ? 

Gavin Francis

Back from holiday I have been busy catching up on October 3rd.

Not often seen working the 40 this 17 year old Dart/MCV Evolution on September 30th.

 
The elusive E1RRT gracing this 10 year old E200 in Aylesbury on September 30th.

Jack Cooper

...... visited Cheltenham & Gloucester on September 28th

   
     
     
The E400 is the major model in service including the latest purchased for the 10.

 
A few ALX400s are still in service.

     
The once proud fleet of Gold Scania saloons are mainly repainted in the current local livery.

This E300 spent time in Banbury but is now in Gloucester.

35211 is in use as a Driver Trainer having returned from Oxford !

   
The E200s are mostly in the older livery but 37246 has kept it Cheltenham & District livery.

 
Some E20 MMCs are also  used by West.

Solo models are still used but in declining numbers.

Gavin Francis

 
10675 at Horspath having been recovered on August 30th.

 
27554 is now In use as a driver trainer at Oxford as seen on August 30th.

     
35211 and 34475 were also In use as a driver trainers at Oxford as seen on August 30th.

.... which coaches are coming to help provide the enhanced services are still not known. 

     London operations    

Andrew Webb

A flurry of new adverts added to the kaleidoscope of colours on the London bus fleet this week. 

American software company Alteryx has just one bus in this distinctive blue and white advert. 

Go Ahead's WHV192 is the recipient, seen rounding St George's Circus on 30 September. 

Boxing heavyweights Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou will fight each other in Saudi Arabia on 28 October, a bout being advertised (unusually) on both New Routemasters and more conventional double deckers. 

Abellio's LT617 in Brixton and Metroline's VWH2403 at North Acton show off the slightly different designs on 30 September 

Old Spice Girl (bad pun intended!) Victoria Beckham has launched a new range of perfumes
which are advertised on Abellio's LT613 as it heads out of Brixton town centre on the same day.

The latest incarnation of Super Mario drops on the Nintendo Switch from 20 October, a date being promoted with 5 different designs on New Routemasters.   

Abellio's LT168 has developed a penchant for pink having lost its Barbie advert for a very pink Super Mario advert.
It is seen at Notting Hill Gate on 30 September.  

Metroline's LT759 has gained the yellow version, complimenting the yellow and blue scheme of the new Ikea store being opened at Oxford Circus. 

Go Ahead's LT848 is seen at Bank on the same in the re version of the advert. 

There are also buses in blue and green versions of the campaign. 

Tootbus have wrapped Ayats YXY792 in this campaign for Taiwan, seen at Piccadilly Circus.

Route 40 is the latest route to gain electric double deckers, with more of Go Ahead's Ee class taking over the route. 

A typical example is Ee193 seen passing St George's Circus on 30 September. 

The first Wright Electroliners with Stagecoach London are destined for route 199 linking Catford Garage with Canada Water. 

82008 was exploring new territory on 30 September when seen in Northumberland Avenue.

Gary Seamarks

Tenerife added, we are back out in Lanzarote before Christmas. 

Adam Green with photos from Weymouth

Coach visitors provide much interest in seaside towns.

     
     

   

   

An interesting spread of vehicles from a short time in Weymouth. Ed.