Editorial

Well, it was just 20 years ago this month, that I took over the Oxford Bus Page from David Root. David, at that time was a student at Hertford College Oxford, and was looking for someone to take over his page. I knew nothing about Web Page design and he patiently taught me the rudiments of design which have stood me in good stead over these past twenty years.

 
David Root at the wheel of 642 on August 15th 1998 by Malcolm Crowe.

For a few years I was even Editor for the Oxford Bus Company on their web page, often burning the midnight oil in my efforts to ensure that it was up to date. Having a website which people could buy tickets was outside my remit and it was then taken over by an outside company.

I changed the name of my web page to The Oxford Chiltern Bus Page in 2002 and my first page can be found at this link. http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/011002.htm  Previous pages were on Geocities and sadly many of these pages have got lost when Geocities changed its' policy.

I have enjoyed Editing the OCBP over these past years, having made many friends and contacts as a result. My Digital photo library goes back to 1998 and many photos taken by me have appeared over the past twenty years, including those from overseas visits.

Starting with the present IP (Internet Provider) 1&1 in October 2002, for a number of years I ran the page as News Page and before changing to Spottings & Jottings reached 294 in September 2009. S&J reached 108 by March 2018 and then a change was made to Weekly Briefing from March 2018 and this issue is 37. So a Grand total of 439 pages which is, I feel, something of an achievement!

However, it has been  a labour of love and there is enough to write a record running to several editions. Of course the early Geocities editions from December 1998 have sadly disappeared but you will find some of the pictures which appeared prior to 2002 below, which I hope gives readers some idea of life in the "last century"! 

CCS 301 M301BAV with the 75 at Stokenchurch on April 5th 1999 by Malcolm Crowe.

Following a breakdown of the CCS coach Wycombe Bus substituted this DP Olympian, 241 D823UTF for the return to Oxford.
241 is seen leaving Gloucester Green with a couple of 75 leaflets as a destination!!! The date was February 7th 1999. Picture by the Editor.

Chiltern Rover National Greenway 3052 with a 300 service in Stokenchurch on September 9th 1998 by Malcolm Crowe.

London Pride's 416 C906GUD which was ex COMS 906 seen in Park Lane London on August 11th 1999 by Malcolm Crowe.

There used to be a direct service to Reading in 1998 operated by Reading Buses as seen above by 514 N514YTF in Queen St Oxford.
The date was October 11th 1998 seen by Malcolm Crowe.

Here's something to surprise a few readers when Stagecoach United Counties operated an Oxford-Nottingham service, the X6.
On this day, February 27th 1999 it was the turn of Olympian 759 S759DRP seen in George Street,  Oxford by Malcolm Crowe.
This bus was a dual purpose seating 45/32 and became 16229 in the National renumbering seemingly remaining at Bedford for most of its working life.

Stagecoach in Oxford retained the original fleet numbers on take over from Thames Transit and the early minibuses had Devon registrations.
Mercedes 332 F769FDV was working the 63 to Faringdon when seen in George Street, Oxford on September 19th 1999 by Malcolm Crowe.

These three Mercedes buses with bodies by Marshall were specifically obtained to work the 390 service from Oxford to London via Wallingford.
Thames Transit 203 N203CUD is seen with her sisters at Horspath on March 8th 1998 by Malcolm Crowe
Of note is that 203 is ready to work the 65 to Faringdon.

The Stagecoach name had been applied to the windscreen of Mercedes 329 F766FDV, still in full Thames Transit livery,
 when seen with a 65 service in Cornmarket on May 31st 1998 by Malcolm Crowe.

I hope readers will have enjoyed these pictures from around 20 years ago and for the older readers maybe some memories have been brought back?

A BUS company will not serve a park-and-ride after children 'ran into the path' of buses and travellers harassed drivers.

Oxford Bus Company has decided it can't safely access the park-and-ride bus stop 'until further notice'.

Earlier Oxford City Council was intending to ask the court to seek a warrant to apply for the removal of the travellers in the latest attempt to move the group on.

It comes as drivers who regularly use the car park have spoken of their fear for their safety as they walk past the encampment to reach their cars, especially at night.

In a tweet Oxford Bus Company said Tuesday had been a 'particularly challenging' day for its 300 drivers as well as for passengers.

It added: "The temporary residents within the car park were giving our drivers a very hard time and, with children running around in the path of our buses, the car park was deemed as unsafe."

Buses are now only stopping on the Woodstock Road at the entrance to the park-and-ride 'until further notice'.

Updates on Route 66

Graham Low writes "I attach a couple of my snaps of BOC vehicles on the 466 (i.e. pre 66)in the 1960s, for your interest. Both are at Gloucester Green and are of a Bristol MW6G and a Bristol RELH6L, both with dual purpose ECW bodies." 

Bristol's MW 2030, HAE262D with a 74 working in the mid 60s seen at Gloucester Green by Graham Low .

Delivered in June 1967 this Bristol RELHL 2043 KHW312E had a Leyland engine which gave a very powerful ride.
It is seen with a 466 working at Gloucester Green in the late 60s when photographed by Graham Low, having ben delivered in this dual purpose livery. 

Swindon's National II, SN3521 AAE665V with a 68 working in Oxford's Gloucester Green in the early late 80s by Tony Bungay.

Swindon's Black & White branded Leyland Tiger (look at that badge!) 2214 A214SAE with a 68 working to Swindon sometime after October 1983,
seen at Gloucester Green by Tony Bungay.

The same coach which by 1986 had been rebranded in the relaxation by National Express, thereby allowing more local liveries.
2214 A214SAE is seen with a 68 in Faringdon heading for Oxford. This was later in 1986 by Tony Bungay.

Another picture of a coach on the 68 was this Leopard of South Midland, nr 5 LWL5S seen in Gloucester Green in the late '80s by Tony Bungay.

Finally Tony supplied this picture of Thamesdown's 319 A106EPA ex Green Line TP6 at Swindon depot in the 90s.

Michael Wadman writes "I saw your comment on the website about Thamesdown’s operation of the Swindon – Oxford service, which I have to admit I’d totally forgotten about, and as it happens I’ve scanned all my Thamesdown photos, including Leyland Tiger / Plaxton A106 EPA, former LCBS TP6, in Oxford.

Photos from a visit to Oxfordshire last month by Michael Wadman

I caught a surprisingly cheap Chiltern Railways train to Oxford Parkway and a bus into Kidlington, where I photographed vehicles on service 2 (photos 1 and 2) whilst waiting for the Ourbus Bartons community bus (photo 3) on its service 9, on which I had a very pleasant ride through the lanes to Middle Barton. As this was effectively the back working I wasn’t surprised to be the only passenger; the inbound journey had carried a good load. 

Oxford Bus 226 RF10OXF with route 2 in Kidlington on November 6th by Michael Wadman.

Stagecoach's MMC 10668 SN16OYP on the 2 in Kidlington  on November 6th by Michael Wadman.

Anyone thinking of tracing my steps should be aware that in Kidlington the bus stops at the main bus stop in front of Tesco’s – not in the car park round the back as Traveline thinks!!!

Photo 4 is at the operating centre at Middle Barton. YX10 AXZ is a Volkswagen Transporter with body conversion by Bluebird Accessible of Scarborough, and was new to the Risborough Area Community Bus. Unfortunately it is fitted with the type of destination display that doesn’t come out in photos, so I’m afraid you’ll have to take my word about the route numbers. A flat fare of £3 per single journey is charged passengers without a free pass.

I then rode on the bus’s next journey, on service 4b to Deddington (photo 5), where it connected with the Stagecoach S4 to Banbury.

In Banbury I was a little confused by Stagecoach’s operation on the town services. Although most of them were, as I had expected, operated by Midland Red South, the vehicles on the B5 belonged, if their discs and legals were to be believed, to Thames Transit. Particularly surprising was 34468 (photo 6) as the PSVC had recorded that as sold by Midland Red South in August 2017!

I appreciated Michael's story which I hope readers will also enjoy?