Issue nr 273
Thursday, October 26th, 2023
With thanks to the company for their reminder
poster
From the Editor
In order to maximise this issue's news I have once again delayed until Thursday to publish.
The major news item this week has been the significant increase in service by the Oxford tube with services now from Carterton, Witney and High Wycombe.
Showbus will be back in 2024 with a new location
Readers Write with items relating to:
Swindon surprise
Derek Wiggins about Swindon
Tony Bungay regarding Rail Replacement and the sale of Arriva
Ryan Butler and Peter Cartwright discuss the 335/336 services in our area
Coach Visitors to Oxford
Fleet News & Developments on our area operators
Reading's
TAP ON, TAP OFF SYSTEM BEGINS NEW JOURNEY
London developments including pictures from John Marsh
Peter Edgar visits Bristol
Oxford Tube - Route, Times & Tickets | London To Oxford | Stagecoach (stagecoachbus.com)
I am pleased to post pictures and details of the increased services and stop which took place on October 23rd.
The extra coaches were in service this week, 50445, 50453 and 50454. Keep your eyes peeled for 50452 which has been seen in the yard today at Horspath Road in a full poppy wrap !!
Gavin Francis
Lewknor - October 23rd
High Wycombe Coachway- October 24th
Thornhill- October 25th
Jack Cooper
Gloucester Green - October 19th
Gloucester Green - October 21st
Keith Shayshutt
You have the first day operation, Monday 23
October 2023, of the Oxford Tube from Calverton. This is the 0805
departure to London which picked up two customers in Carterton. Picture
one at Carterton crossroads, the starting point and picture two as it
left Brize Norton.
50453 on October 23rd.
Over the coming weeks we shall doubtless see repaints and other events with this route. Ed.
After the final 50th
event last September I had many disappointed enthusiasts contact me sad
that the event would be no more and I had a few commercial offers to
take the event on into the future. I felt it was inappropriate to
rush into things so soon after the “last” event and I have explored the
offers and secured what I hope will be a long term future for the event
at a great site.
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
(bucksrailcentre.org)
I am pleased to announce I have done a deal
with Bucks Railway Centre at
Quainton who will host the next SHOWBUS on Sunday September 29th 2024.
I will be involved with processing the entries as I have done for years
and arranging the display on the day. Gradually I will hand over
more and more of the arrangements to the Centre. As I have
probably mentioned in my reasons for finishing SHOWBUS on its 50th
anniversary I am not getting any younger and the weekend is a physical
strain from taking all the kit to the site on the Friday beforehand
through to clearing the site, returning the kit to store and finally
returning the Motts double-decker and getting home exhausted late on
Sunday evening. The Railway Centre will store all the kit onsite
and there will be no need to rush and clear the site on Sunday. A
huge reduction in workload, plus they have the staff to prepare the site
beforehand as well as clear it afterwards.
For those not familiar with the Bucks Railway
Centre at Quainton, the site is expanding with a huge 7 acre display
arena being prepared with a central structure serving refreshments and
with toilet facilities. This is in addition to their existing
facilities of an onsite cafeteria, toilets and gift shop all housed in a
period Victorian Station building. There will be outdoor and
undercover venues for our loyal stallholders as well as the onsite
bookshop.
In addition to the usual fabulous display of
buses there will be steam train rides, rides on the miniature railway,
restored railway exhibits to admire, you can even have a go at sorting
the mail on the Travelling Post Office! As always there are other
nearby attractions that we will ask for volunteers to run buses to: both
Waddesdon Manor and Claydon House. The routes will take you
through the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside. We expect local
bus company Red Rose will run a commercial bus service to Quainton from
Aylesbury railway station which is served by Chiltern Railways from
Marylebone, though there will be ample parking at Quainton. For
those in your party who are not huge bus enthusiasts we are planning an
excursion to nearby Bicester Shopping Village.
This exciting news will be released to the
press on Monday. Entry forms will be available to download, as
usual, via
showbus.com is early as next week! However if you just
want to re-enter the bus or buses you brought to SHOWBUS 2022, simply
email me at
rally@showbus.com
and say “same again please”.
Let all your friend know the good news and I hope you will support the new event and enjoy the fun setting at the expanding Bucks Railway Centre. I hope to welcome you once again to SHOWBUS on September 29th next year.
Gavin Francis regarding GAL DOE13 pictured last week at Swindon
Most interesting was the Go-Ahead Swindon bus
LX58CXC.
It also appears to be using roller blinds, not sure if they are old
stock or they have had some specially made.
Last week's picture by Kevin Fuller.
Derek Wiggins
IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS YOU HAVE HAD PHOTOS
OF SWINDON BUSES BUT HAVE NOT GONE DEEPER . GO AHEAD SWINDON BUS SENT
E200 MMC 2773 , 2776 , 2777 , 2778 , 2781 , 2782 , 2783 , 2784 TO GO
AHEAD MANCHESTER AT THE START OF SEPTEMBER AND OTHER DEPOTS ALSO SENT
VEHICLES .TO COVER FOR BUSES AWAY GO AHEAD LONDON HAVE SENT DENNIS
TRIDENT OPTARE OLYMPUS DOE 3 , 13 , 15 , 22 , 24 , 25 , 29 , 34 THEY
HAVE HAD BLINDS MADE FOR ROUTE 5 ORBIT CENTRE TO PARK NORTH . IN THE
PAST WEEK ALL SWINDON BUSES HAVE HAD NEW WORDING PUT ON BOTH SIDES OF
BUS PART OF GO AHEAD .
Tony Bungay on Rail Replacement operators
Have not seen much
of note recently myself, though caught this parked up in Exchange
Street, Aylesbury the other week. It is being used on Rail Replacement
work. I was in Wales a couple of weeks back and saw an identical vehicle
including livery doing the same job there, in this instance in
connection with the ongoing refurbishment of the historic Barmouth
Bridge. For my sins did not get a picture! But did note legal address
was located in Kidderminster, whereas the Aylesbury one was shown as
Newcastle upon Tyne.
You no doubt have already heard the big news,
but if not. Arriva has been sold to an American investment company.
There are some threads on this on Uk Rail Forum, I think there is more
details in a statement on there, but I did not try and open. Though did
note a quote of 2 billion pound investment?
Without speculating any further, of course
Arriva has interests outside the UK as well, at the risk of stating the
obvious! So any investment figure has a lot to take into account.
Ryan Butler comments on 335/336
I am unsure if you are aware, but both the
Arriva website and the Intalink website are reporting the withdrawal of
the 335/336 service. Intalink are saying they're investigating a
replacement service for this route, but if a replacement service can not
be found, this would mean this link, that has existed in various forms
since the 1920s would be withdrawn.
I have attached a photo of RLH69 on the 336
during the Chesham Running Day a couple of weeks ago.
Peter Cartwright replies with his thoughts on 335/336
I think any replacement is likely to be wholly within Hertfordshire. As
long distance passenger numbers along this now circuitous route has
greatly diminished as the train between Amersham and Rickmansworth is
much quicker and more frequent. Carousel's 106 and 107 now serve the
Amersham and Little Chalfont section hourly Monday to Saturday daytime
which caters for most needs.
However, I think there is an opportunity for a fast limited stop service
if Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire work together and that is to extend
the new
limited stop service 725 Stevenage - Welwyn Garden City - St
Albans - Rickmansworth starting 19 November via the A404 to Amersham
then the A355 to Beaconsfield and then the A40 to Wycombe. This would
give not only a fast journey from Wycombe, Beaconsfield and Amersham to
Watford etc but also restore a link between Beaconsfield and Amersham.
It would also be prudent to serve Amersham Hospital and perhaps also
Wycombe Hospital as well.
Some 50 or so years ago Express route 724 was diverted away from Wycombe
to serve Heathrow Airport as the 727 could not cope with high passenger
;loadings but this was before the M25 motorway. was built.
Carousel's 103 to Watford was not attractive for longer distance travellers as it was an all stops service and long distance travellers require a faster journey with limited stops. Food for thought?
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
Jack Cooper
Humphries BN17JFO in St Giles on October 20th.
JH Coaches JH72COM in St Giles on October 20th.
Voyages Rouillard EV-268-MV in St Giles on October 20th.
Fleet News and developments
Nick Ross
Arriva Enviro 4400 leaves Milton Keynes Central on a 150 on October 13th
.
Since MK have taken over the 150 from Aylesbury garage former Derby
Enviros 4400 and 4401 have been regular performers on the 150
Tony Bungay
3741, now based at Aylesbury, seen in that town with a 300 working on
October 21st.
A very nice story to read about Oxford Bus
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-oxfordshire-67092895
Gavin Francis
The X8 serviced by PMU 988
at Wycombe Coachway on October 24th.
Gavin Francis
Oxford 34 at Wycombe Coachway on October 24th.
29 at Thornhill on October 25th still devoid of branding and fleet numbers.
68 at Thornhill on October 25th. This appears to be only elite I in service at present.
Variety working the 400 at Thornhill on October 25th.
Jack Cooper
Oxford Bus 28
returned from Pulhams on Tuesday, and was in service on the Airline on
Wednesday. 29 was returned to Oxford on Wednesday and was in service for
the first time on Thursday.
28 has already been
used on the Airline prior to Wednesday, this was on Heathrow to Gatwick
shuttles on 30th September.
28 and 29 on October 19th.
28 is on a 23
plate, however 29 is on a 73 plate. Might 29 be the first 73 plate
delivered to an operator within the county?
692 is working out of Oxford
Bus today, October 23rd, I had seen it on the X2 when I was on my lunch
break around 14:00 then on a U5 when I was on my way home at 19:00 !
Richard Sharman
976 is seen operating it's normal 11X route, note the Christmas
decorations are now up in the city centre!
656 is seen off route heading beyond Blackbird Leys towards Watlington.
CSS 631 seen at Carfax, one expects heading back to depot on
October 24th.
It appears that 520 and 521 are out service have euro 6 conversion. Two Sprinters are being used on the ST2. Ed.
Richard Sharman
Ex London 929 works a late evening X2 service to Didcot.
This week mark's the last week of being able to capture services operating in the evening before the clocks go back, and it's dark by 1600hrs.
John Marsh
.... seen during a visit to London
Stansted's 309 works the A9 at Bow on October
16th.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
TAP ON, TAP OFF SYSTEM BEGINS NEW
JOURNEY
Bus travel is set to take a giant leap forward
for customers of Reading Buses from the start of next month.
The introduction of a new tap on, tap off
payment system will benefit many existing Reading Buses customers and is
thought will also attract more people onto the bus.
From November 1 customers will be able to use
contactless bank cards, watches and phones to pay for bus travel by
simply tapping on at the card reader on the ticket machine and tapping
off on the reader by the exit door.
The new system will automatically calculate the
fare and then cap it at the day ticket price of the zone in which the
customer is travelling.
This means that if a customer is travelling in
the simplyReading area their first journey will be £2. For the next
journey they will be capped at the day ticket price.
They will be able to continue travelling all
day within the same zone at no extra cost – providing they remember to
tap on and tap off with the same device they previously used.
This system will also apply in all other
Reading Buses zones including the simplyNetwork area.
For tap on, tap off users the operator is also
offering a special reduction in the price of the Reading All-Bus day
ticket until December 31 – customers in the simplyReading zone will have
their day ticket capped at just £3 until the end of the year. The price
of the day ticket on their app will not benefit from this reduction to
help incentivise customers to use tap on tap off.
Said Chief Executive Officer, Robert Williams:
“By using tap on, tap off customers will never pay more than the day
ticket price and don’t need to worry about having the right fare or
asking for the right ticket.
“It also means that if a customer ends up
making more journeys than they planned they don’t have to buy more
tickets as their fare will likely have been capped.
“The capping will also work across all
operators in the simplyReading area due to the Reading All-Bus ticket.”
Reading Buses say the tap on, tap off system
will only be available for adult tickets and will only cap to the day
ticket price at the time of launch.
Said Robert: “If customers want to buy Boost
tickets they should do so on the app and for those travelling regularly,
buying a period ticket on the app or smartcard might still be more
cost-effective to give better savings.
“The tap on, tap off system will be available
on all Reading Buses services, excluding football and school services.
It will also be available on Thames Valley Buses services that run into
Reading, but will not be applicable on Newbury & District.”
Reading Buses point out that customers will be
able to track their payments online as well as in their app using the
‘contactless journeys’ section. Robert added: “They will need to
register their card first, but then can track all payments made.
“Full information
on the new system, plus a list of frequently asked questions, are on the
Reading Buses website
www.reading-buses.co.uk”.
“We think this will be another step change in
bus travel along with our app and the original contactless payments
project.
“Customers won’t need to worry about their fare
any more knowing they will be capped at the day rate within whichever
zone they are travelling.”
He added: “Alongside the £2 single fare extension and the Reading All-Bus ticket there’s really never been a better time for customers to take the bus.”
John Marsh
Reading 761 in Newbury loaned on October 20th.
Reading 1201 in Newbury working the 1 on October 20th.
Four Volvo B8R/MCV eVoRa buses have been ordered for the X20 and the acquired ADL MMC E20's are being sold.
Gavin Francis
Working a school service from Watlington,
PO58NPP is seen turning into New Road on October 20th.
Seen in many guises V185OOE from 2007 to 2023
Gavin Francis
Working the 40 one of acquired MMCs soon to
leave this fleet GW16BUS is seen turning out of New Road on October 20th.
Working the 40, Y23RRT is seen near the fire gutted Kings Arms, Stokenchurch
on October 24th.
Nick Ross
Red Rose Enviro Y30 RRT parked up between turns on route 21 at Milton
Keynes Central on October 13th.
Dave & Deric
There are no changes affecting Oxford depots.
We are aware that 50452-4 transferred to Oxford Tube from Inverness last
week, but these arrived too late for inclusion on this Fleet Card.
|
Transfers |
28682-4 |
Cheltenham |
To |
Gloucester |
|
|
28743/4/6 |
Gloucester |
To |
Cheltenham |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sold/Gone |
50302/4/7 |
For
Disposal |
To |
Gone |
10441 appears be away near Bristol, I wonder if for repaint? Ed.
Jack Cooper
MMC 10439 is seen with a 2A in St Giles on
October 20th.
MMC 11251 is heading for Carterton with an S1 on
October 20th.
Hybrid 12012 is seen returning to depot on
October 20th.
Hidden Gold still working it one time branded S5
on October 20th.
Gold 15831 heading for the station with an
S3 on October 20th.
Gold 15934 is seen with an S7 in Magdalen Street
on October 20th.
15992 clean of branding works a 14 in Park End
Street on October 20th.
Sister 15993 with a 2 in Magdalen Street East
on October 20th.
It seems a pity that these "distance" branded buses are not used on longer country routes ! Ed.
Richard Sharman
Partial Coastliner branded 15991 is
seen on the 8 under the Christmas decorations.
An atmospheric shot of 15758 heading off to Barton on the 8.
Gloucester's 15359 is seen with the S5 at Gosford towards Oxford on
October 23rd.
Jack Cooper
50446, once yellow and blue, heads for London on
October 21st.
West Oxfordshire Community Transport (woct.org.uk)
Keith Shayshutt
West Oxfordshire Community Transport 345, the Carterton Town Service, on
Tuesday 26 October 2023.
London operations
Andrew Webb
Go Ahead and Stagecoach swiftly followed Abellio in getting Poppy buses on the road.
Go Ahead have wrapped Ee200, seen here waiting time
at Elephant and Castle whilst working route 40 on 21 October.
Later the same day Stagecoach's Enviro City 12518 is seen in a downpour
on London Bridge.
The wrap on this vehicle includes a poppy
applied to the front.
Also at London Bridge is Go Ahead's LT865 which has gained an advert
proclaiming LG's support for Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030.
This is the second campaign run for this bid during 2023.
British Gas have employed Olympic medallists Tom Daley and Ellie Simmonds to promote half price electricity every Sunday between 11:00 and 16:00.
Diver Tom is seen hanging out one of the tools of his
trade on the offside of Metroline's LT748 at Marble Arch.
Ellie
Simmonds has swapped the swimming pool for a jet washer on the nearside
of Go Ahead's LT443 as it passes through a gloomy Elephant and Castle.
Londoner Buses, part of the Transpora group, revised their London sightseeing route with effect from 21 October. Now renumbered T
15 it operates from Piccadilly Circus to Tower Gateway, largely following the same route as TfL route 15 and that followed by the Routemaster operated 15H until 2019. Limited coverage over the original 'Route A' is provided by the first three journeys in the morning operating from Waterloo via Piccadilly Circus with the final three evening journeys returning the same way.
The advert on the side is for Brazilian company Ipiranga,
the second-largest fuel
distributer in Brazil.
John Marsh
.... seen during a visit to London
Stagecoach 11356 seen in Bow working the 8 on October 16th.
Stagecoach 11374 seen in Bow working the 425 on October 16th.
Stagecoach LT s seen in Bow with a variety of liveries on October 16th.
Peter Edgar from Bristol
I recently had cause to make a family visit
to Bristol and managed to have a couple of hours to do some photography
in the city. On visiting the bus station to see the plaque that I had
been told about commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus
Boycott I was surprised to find the vehicle that had been decorated to
commemorate the same event parked there.There maybe readers who know
nothing about the Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963 but living in the Bristol
Omnibus territory at the time and old enough to remember it is was
basically a refusal for the Bristol company
to employ Black and Asian people, resulting in Bristolians refusing to
use the buses, this protest lasted for around 5 months until the company
backed down.
Photographs
of the plaque which is on display within the bus station concourse and
photographs of the commemorative vehicle, First West of England 39401.
Jack Coopers article on his visit to The Isle of Wight has been held over until next week. Ed.