Issue nr 301
Thursday May 23rd 2024
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
This week has produced some most interesting contributions and pictures for readers.
There is a record of visits to some interesting places far and wide.
There much to read and your support is as ever much appreciated
In this issue
Memories of other 301's by Grahame Wareham
Fawley Festival of Transport 2024 by Mike Walker
Faversham Transport Festival
Last day of Arriva service to Lane End by Gavin Francis
Readers Write
Coach visitors to Oxford
Fleet News & Developments
Carousel update by Luke Marion
Pulhams acquires four Solo SRs
Visit to Thame by Gavin Francis
London Operations from Andrew Webb & Gavin Francis
Memories of other 301's by Grahame Wareham
The fleet
number 301 appeared within a period spanning almost eight
decades within the City of Oxford and associated subsidiaries. Oxford
fleet numbering had traditionally started from number one and covered a
mixture of single deck and double deck buses but this was not without
its operational issues. Oxford Station bridge on the Botley Road had
long been a 'thorn in the side' as a hindrance preventing normal height
buses from proceeding west out of the City. 'Lowbridge' 13ft 3iin
(4.0386m) specification buses cost more to build and were not popular
with passengers and staff but solved the bridge problem and up to the
1950's were numbered in the same way as everything else. From 1953,
after a few deroofings!, a new numbering system was introduced which
split the 'highbridge' buses starting from H801 and 'lowbridge' buses
starting from L101 into two distinct groups even though the numbering
was prefixed by L or H and this continued until the advent of the
'Lowheight' double decker's of the 1960's starting from 301. This meant
that a conventional seating layout could still be maintained on both
decks by using a reduction rear axle with a dropped centre section which
allowed for a sunken centre gangway from front to rear on the lower
deck. In Oxford on newly built buses this specification became standard
even though the Station bridge deck was renewed in 1978 allowing 13ft
8in (4.1656m) high double decker to safely pass under, although there
were one or two more deroofings involving highbridge double deckers
purchased second-hand!. By the 1990's with the advent of low floor
double decker and all the dimensional regulations which surrounded
Diptac with ceiling heights etc..the low height had increased to 13ft
10in (4,2164m) and this did initiate a test by me in one of the new OBC
Tridents 101 before it entered service with some polystyrene sheets
strapped to the roof one evening.............passing the test with two
inches to spare!
From later on this year we are told this year we
will be able to use normal highbridge type 14ft 6in(4.462m) under a new
bridge deck which is currently having the road lowered to allow this to
take place..
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The first Oxford bus to carry the number 301 was
the first of a batch of twenty-five, a 1946 AEC Regent II/Park Royal
H30/26R registered KFC139. It was the first AEC double decker to be
delivered after WW2 but was built to a semi-utility specification as
there was still a critical material shortage. H301 became H835 in 1953
being withdrawn from daily Oxford service in May1957 after only 11
years. It went on to serve Edwards of Lydbrook for another 8 years
finally working at the building of the new Llanwern steelworks near
Newport for just over a further year, then finally passing to Way
(dealer) Cardiff where it was sent for scrap.
City of Oxford's second 301 was the first of the low height double deck design based on a Dennis Loline II chassis with East Lancs forward entrance H35/28F body. Part of a batch of five unique AEC engine'd buses. 301 was delivered in 1961 and was withdrawn in 1971 after only ten years in the City. These were never popular buses with drivers as the engine and constant mesh gearbox weren't best matched with each other spending periods 'off the road' awaiting spare pars which were unique in some respects. 301 migrated North upon withdrawal from Oxford and spent three more years with Stonier of Goldenhill, near Stoke and finishing its days by the seaside with Cobholm of Great Yarmouth until scrapped by North (dealer) Sherburn in 1977. The final image shows 301 on its way through Carfax Oxford having been just been collected by TPE of Macclesfield from Cowley Road garage.
Oxford's third 301 didn't become so until September 1979 after the original 13ft 6in (4.1148m)Oxford Station bridge had been replaced. Originally 901, a Bristol VRT2/ECW H39/31F registered OFC901H in May 1970 and delivered as part of a batch of 3 ordered by Southern Vectis but diverted to COMS to speed up the introduction of OMO, initially allocated to Aylesbury depot for the 82 service later migrating to Bicester depot. 301 was converted to open top 039/31F in May 1986 and finished its days as a driver trainer numbered 401 from March 1991 and re-registered ABW135H and again renumbered to T4 before being sold to North (dealer), Sherburn for scrap. Many of the mechanical units from this bus have been transferred to sister bus OFC902H during the course of 902's restoration.
Another vehicle to receive the number 301, albeit for only a short time was,F556NJM a 1988 Leyland Lynx LX112L10ZR1S B49F which Oxford Bus Company had inherited from The Berks, Bucks Bus Co, (The Bee Line) as its former 401, later becoming Wycombe Bus Co. 1401. 401 became 301 in 1996 as the 400 series became the low floor midibus series. 301 was part of a batch of five and the newest buses passing over with the business, Unfortunately from day one they suffered with some body stress problems and weren't very good at keeping their windows in.situ. They passed over to Arriva with the sale of Wycombe Bus in 12/00 with 301 becoming 3806 and lasting only a matter of months before Arriva disposed of it and the others...It had been reported that 301 had since been sold to the Quantock Heritage fleet in Norton Fitzwarren but is not currently in use.
Pictures from Gavin Francis
Oxford's latest 301 has only recently departed
for pastures new in Plymouth. 301 was an ADL E400H registered HY11BRD,
originally BAE Hybrid specification with ADL Enviro 400 H47/31F. It was
part of a batch of 17 painted in a new Park & Ride two tone metallic
green livery being a flagship operation using hybrid electric
technology. 301 along with the remainder of the batch were repainted
into branded route liveries from 2016/17, with 301 being a 4 road
Abingdon based route. In 2018 301, along with all the remaining series
Hybrids were converted by East Yorkshire Motor Services to normal diesel
power using the original 4 cyl Cummins IBS4.5 engine but coupled to a ZF
Ecomat 5HP500 automatic gearbox. From March 2024 301 was decommissioned
and moved on to fellow Go-Ahead South West operation in Plymouth. Prior
to departing from Oxford 301 was reregistered OE11YMX.
I hope that a reader can provide pictures of 301 in its new home at Plymouth. Ed.
A fascinating look back in tome, well done Grahame. Ed.
Fawley Festival of Transport 2024 by Mike Walker
The railway was in operation with three locomotives.
King George
(Hunslet 2409 of 1942) on loan from Didcot in exchange for Fawley’s 31, which is
at Didcot for overhaul,
climbs the infamous 1 in 13 with resident BR Class 03
Diesel D2120 added for braking purposes.
This diminutive Kerr Stewart “Witch” class 0-4-0ST (4388
of 1926) was new to British Gas Light Co. at Stoke-on-Trent
and now resides at
the Foxfield Railway in the ownership of Jack Dibnah, son of the legendary Fred.
It made several runs on the hill but is seen taking a rest in the top yard.
Also in steam was David
Buck’s 0-4-0GWT Sir Vincent
(Aveling Porter 8800 of 1917) which is basically a traction engine on railway
wheels.
It was confined to the top yard where it is seen making a move.
It is normally at David’s private railway at Fifield –
he and Colin Billington are next door neighbours!
More pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke
Faversham Transport Festival
On Saturday 18th
May the annual Faversham Transport Festival was held and Nigel
Eadon-Clarke went along to record the buses which were present.
Whilst in Faversham he also went to Kent
Coachworks and found 2 RMLS (2701 and 2750) undergoing restoration along
with a nearly finished RML 2454 about to join the Golden Tours fleet. In
a change of direction they have previously used ex-Metroline E400s so
this will be their first use of a Routemaster for their Afternoon Tea
Bus.
RML 2454 has local connections being allocated to Windsor Garage
and the
Black & White picture from Vic Zealy shows it in The High Street, High
Wycombe in 1976.
Last day of Arriva's service to Lane End by Gavin Francis
Arriva's last day going to Lane End today so I have put together a file of pictures showing different buses. liveries and route numbers.
2004 - 2020
2024
2979 working the 4 on May 16th.
Artful Dodger with thoughts on the 280
Congratulations on your latest update. As always it was A pleasure to read! The
280 was originally A COMS service 'til 1995 when they stopped running country
routes so they could concentrate on competing with Thames Transit in Oxford. I
do think it's disappointing that they're only going to be running it as far as
Thame this time as someone who used to work for COMS when they ran the 280
before was saying how busy the route was with school traffic back then. With
regards to your picture of 692 in Park End St, it's actually operating an X2 not
A 3A according to the front blind. It was nice to read about the many smaller
operators no longer trading; I remember Percival's of Oxford, Jeff's of Helmdon,
Heyfordian, Upper Heyford, House's of Watlington, Chiltern Queens of Woodcote
and A. E. R. E. Harwell but not any of the others. Tappins is just A trading
name of Weavaway now, according to their website.
With reference to the last issue regarding long gone local private operators by Andrew Dyer. Ed.
TIA. I can think of 1 other operator to add to the list of smaller operators no longer trading and that's RH Transport of Witney, which ceased in 2012.
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
David Beynon
14/5 A couple
of pics from earlier today, one in Beaumont Street and one in St. Giles.
Just the one pic from this morning and a reminder of what BRS stood for when we
were younger.
Happy memories indeed. Ed.
The Eagle landed in St. Giles on Tuesday and the Tamar was in Redbridge on
Monday, May 20th.
George Candelin
Two Bedford OB with Duple bodywork having a short break
at Peartree Services.20/5/24
They were returning home to Somerset from a
coach rally.
Fleet News and developments
Gavin Francis in Wycombe
Variety on diversion during May 16th.
and on May 20th.
back to The Eden Bus Station on May 21st
3580 has surprisingly reappeared after a long
absence but is not recorded in
www.bustimes.org on May 21st.
Gavin Francis in Thame on May 23rd
The X7 is worked by 3023 and 5468 through Thame
on May 23rd.
Michael Penn contribution which I did not fully publish last week - Apologies !
Arriva The Shires
Two Wright StreetLites have received the blue/purple Connect Herts livery,
similar to that used on Centrebus vehicles on services 390 and 907 at
Stevenage. These are 3652 and 3659 (LK 14 FTA/FTO) and are intended
for routes 321 and 721 although they also appear on other routes.
Twelve East
Lancs “Olympus” bodied Volvo B9TLs have been received from Arriva Midlands
although they were new to Arriva Yorkshire West. Six are for Luton and
six for Milton Keynes. The Luton ones are intended mainly for school
services although no doubt they will appear on other routes, particularly
during school holidays. In service so far are 4107-10 (YJ 08
EEH/M/N/P).
Thomas Walker-Werth
Here's another of the Olympuses (or should it be Olympi?) on the 6 at Milton
Keynes Central. This one is no. 4106.
Michael Penn again missed the pictures from the last issue.
Two Alexander Dennis E20Ds have been received from Universitybus.
These are 493/5 (YX 66 WGV/WGY).
Gavin Francis
Route 3 at Uxbridge on May 21st.
63304 working the X74 on May 20th.
69387 in The Eden Bus Station with an X74 on May
21st.
Luke Marion - MD
We
are hoping to move to the Arriva Cressex facility, however this requires
Arriva to work with us as although they are not the freeholder of the site,
they do hold the lease on the property for many years to come.
We are hopeful however that we can agree terms
to take the site on and are awaiting a proposal from Arriva.
608 is the next E400 currently away for conversion for the 102 and we will
be doing all of 608-614.
402 with a 27, 514 a 275 and 520 all seen in The Eden Bus Station on May 21st.
Diverted 38 service with 532 on 16th and 533 on May 20th.
609 during layover in The Eden Bus Station on May 21st.
892 now at Wycombe seen at work on May 21st.
978 at rest in The Eden Bus Station on May 20th.
408 and 409 working the 4 to Lane End on May 20th - first day for Carousel.
and now to Uxbridge on May 21st
Route 102, 104, 581 and 583 served by Carousel.
Current deliveries of Electroliners. This would appear to complete the current order.
| 752 | BN24ZWW | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000480 | Wt AV216 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 753 | BN24ZWX | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000481 | Wt AV217 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 754 | BN24ZWY | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000482 | Wt AV218 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 755 | BN24ZWZ | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000483 | Wt AV219 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 756 | BN24ZXA | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000484 | Wt AV220 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 757 | BN24ZXB | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000485 | Wt AV221 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 758 | BN24ZXC | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000486 | Wt AV222 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 759 | BN24ZXD | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000487 | Wt AV223 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 760 | BN24ZXE | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000488 | Wt AV224 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 761 | BN24ZXF | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000489 | Wt AV225 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 762 | BN24ZXG | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000490 | Wt AV226 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 763 | BN24ZXH | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000491 | Wt AV227 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 764 | BN24ZXJ | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000492 | Wt AV228 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 765 | BN24ZXK | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000493 | Wt AV229 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 766 | BN24ZXL | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000494 | Wt AV230 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 767 | BN24ZXM | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000495 | Wt AV231 | H44/26F | /2024 | City of Oxford |
| 768 | BN24ZXO | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000496 | Wt AV232 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
| 769 | BN24ZXP | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000497 | Wt AV233 | H44/26F | /2024 | City of Oxford |
| 770 | BN24ZXR | Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000498 | Wt AV234 | H44/26F | 5/2024 | City of Oxford |
747 and 752 have entered service today - May 23rd.
Alan Hollis at Grayson's
New Electroliners 756, 757, 759, 760 and 761 seen
on May 21st.
George Candelin
Wright Streetdeck Electroliners of COMS noted today at Didcot depot 752, 753 & 756 earlier this week.
Jack Cooper
28 seen in St Aldates on May 18th.
Not always on their branded routes on May 18th.
663 is however working the X3 on May 18th.
Electroliners 730 and 745 in St Aldates on May 18th.
659 and 668 both off branded routes on May 22nd.
Richard Sharman
Surely, former London DOE15 will go down in the
history books as being the last PCV
still in daily service in Oxford with
proper destination blinds fitted!?.
Seemingly, the very last two of this batch of 2010
Enviro400H's left in service
on the 21st of May were 310 and 316, with 311
and 314 not tracking since last week.
It is a sobering thought how quickly two large batches of vehicles have disappeared from the street's of Oxford, with the first being the Wrightbus Gemini 2-bodied Volvo B5H's.
Electroliner 754, the highest number now in service,
heralds in the latest 24 plate for this batch.
pignbob
200 this afternoon after doing the Oxford United open top parade yesterday
Charles Powell
Another pair of ex Nottingham solos arrived on Tuesday. All four will be re-trimmed and seat belted.
Jack Cooper
PC73PUL seen in Beaumont Street on May 13th.
Grahame Wareham
A few taken in a hot Wallingford May 15th
606 on an X40 to Reading in Market Place
864 on a 33A to Didcot in Market Place
868 on a 139 Benson circular with 865 on a 33 to Henley.
Kevin Fuller
I went to Wallingford on Saturday 11th May, mainly to see and ride on the
Cholsey & Wallingford preserved railway (which was very interesting!), and of
course made some time to see and photograph a few buses in the town.
/is
Lewis Anthony
938 and 942 in Wallingford on May 18th.
Gavin Francis in Wycombe on May 16th
Gavin Francis in Wycombe & Thame
Variety on May 16th and 21st.
Still awaiting branding, BV73MTF pauses at
Thame with an X20 on May 23rd.
Gavin Francis in Stokenchurch and Thame
Working the 40 on May 19th and previously with Metrobus on April 22nd 2009.
Working Thame Town service 121 is E12RRT on May 23rd.
Solo MK58KYR seen in Thame on May 23rd.
Regular for the 40 Y25RRT in Thame on May 23rd.
Edward Dixon provides interior pictures of the new Volvo 9700DDs entering service in Scotland
Please find attached interior shots of 50510
They may be of interest as its a likelihood that when
the current Tube fleet become time expired these might be the replacements -Also
to note they have the much more practical wheelchair ramp compared with the
current Panoramas
| SK24XRB | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10005 | AD N453/1 | H46/23F | 3/2024 | Thames Transit | 80001 | Intended as SK73CZE |
| SK24XRC | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10004 | AD N453/2 | H46/23F | 3/2024 | Thames Transit | 80002 | Intended as SK73CZF |
| SK24XRD | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10006 | AD N453/3 | H46/23F | 3/2024 | Thames Transit | 80003 | Intended as SK73CZG |
| SK24XRE | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10008 | AD N453/4 | H46/23F | 3/2024 | Thames Transit | 80004 | Intended as SK73CZH |
| SK24XRF | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10009 | AD N453/5 | H46/23F | 3/2024 | Thames Transit | 80005 | Intended as SK73CZJ |
| SK24XRG | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10010 | AD N453/6 | H46/23F | 4/2024 | Thames Transit | 80006 | Intended as SK73CZL |
| SK24XRH | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10007 | AD N453/7 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80007 | Intended as SK73CZM |
| SK24XRJ | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10015 | AD N453/8 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80008 | Intended as SK73CZN |
| SK24XRL | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10013 | AD N453/9 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80009 | Intended as SK73CZO |
| SK24XRM | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10018 | AD N453/10 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80010 | Intended as SK73CZP |
| SK24CXS | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10014 | AD P414/1 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80011 |
| SK24CXW | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10012 | AD P414/5 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80015 |
| SK24CXX | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10019 | AD P414/6 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80016 |
| SK24CXZ | AD E40EV SFD211AR1PGD10020 | AD P414/8 | H46/23F | /2024 | Thames Transit | 80018 |
David Bell
Last week I took part in the Merseyside Bus Club's annual holiday which this year featured the East Midlands. On a visit to Stagecoach's Stonegravels depot in Chesterfield I was surprised to see five new electric deckers being stored before eventual delivery to Stagecoach Oxford.
They are registered SK24 CXU/CXZ/XRG/XRL/XRM.
Jack Cooper
15991, 10070, 10779 and 12008 seen in St Aldates on May 18th.
Richard Sharman
Gold-spec ADL Enviro400MMC 10780 puts in an unusual
turn on service 14, normally the preserve of single-deckers.
The new blindset for Oxford's 2 service, featuring
the Park & Ride logo is seen on
ADL Enviro400-bodied Scania 15756 on the
Banbury Road coming out of Oxford.
Rather ironically, Stagecoach's Enviro400 Hybrid's
can now thank their survival to the fact that their new fully electric
counterparts
don't yet have the charging infrastructure ready to go for a
full launch,
meaning that on 12002/ 8 and 10 continue to enjoy a stay of
execution. All three were seen in quick succession on the 21st of May.
The St. Aldates Tavern has been a fixture of Oxford
city centre since 1823, no doubt horse and cart were the only form of
transport back then,
but fast forward to 2024 and we see Stagecoach's' all
electric Enviro400EV parked outside it.
80005 put in a full day on service 10 on the 21st of
May, from 0700hrs to 0000hrs.
Richard Sharman
The vinyl wrap on Plaxton Panorama 50452 looks like
it is wanting to return back to Scottish CityLink livery on the offside
front corner!.
Gavin Francis in Thame
MX62GNJ with service 113 in Thame on May 23rd.
London operations
Andrew Webb
Brewdog's Punk IPA is advertised on five New Routemasters across the capital.
Stagecoach's LT388 shows off the nearside
advert at Walthamstow on 18 May,
whilst Go Ahead's LT862 displays the offside
later the same day at London Bridge.
Arriva's LT734 has already reset the blind for a
return journey on service 137 as it arrives at the last northbound stop on Park
Lane on 18 May.
It's gaudy advert brightens a dull spring day as it
promotes Polo Ralph Lauren shirts.
The offside version is seen on Metroline's LT792 on the same day in Tottenham
Court Road.
Cos is a regular advertiser on the capital's buses,
often having different models on each bus in a campaign
Go Ahead's LT889 is seen near Oxford Circus on 18 May
awaiting departure with another journey on route 12.
Stagecoach's LT358 at Walthamstow demonstrates how
different models are used on each bus.
German holiday company TUI have this advert on DA225,
seen on Park Lane on 18 May.
Londoner Buses' T15 played host to RT8 on 18 and 19 May.
A large protest
march saw the route curtailed from Trafalgar Square to Aldwych, where RT8 is
seen ready to depart for Tower Hill on 18 May.
The Arriva 724 service using 3774 and 3798.
Metroline i.n Uxbridge.
Transport UK (Abellio) 3435 with a U5.