Welcome to the second Weekly Briefing, the first of which was very well received by all who read the missive! Apologies to those who had problems uploading various items during the early part of the week. This was caused by my succumbing to 'flu late on Monday which is only now clearing up.

The weather was kinder on Thursday and Friday morning but as I start issue number 2 has turned wet and windy again.

I read that a school coach had suffered a partial fire near Crowmarsh whilst in service. It seems all the students were safe and further details of the coach and operator are scant.

This week gives me change to mention a trip to delight all Olympian fans, details of which are given below. Personally I loved Olympians and enjoyed driving various ones belonging to Oxford Bus from 1998 through to 2004 and during that time I also did some work for Go-Ahead in London on Derby Day, Farnborough and Wimbledon. This was for two or three consecutive years and NV185 became my regular steed/ She was fine if well used bus with DP seating and a lovely body style. Nothing like a good load from Heathrow to Farnborough with the wind "ruffling" my few remaining locks with the driving window down. A good turn of speed as well, 60mph+ with a good tail wind. Ah happy days!

Nearly 15 years ago one could enjoy Olympians in many parts of the UK. One place was Wimbledon's Annual Tennis Tournament  which is mainly served
by Go Ahead's Private Hire fleet. Three of the Olympians used in 2003 are seen above being NV's 185, 183 and 184 between duties on June 27th 2003.
Not for the first time I was involved and ran an Express service from Heathrow every morning with an evening return. In between several trips were made on Park & Ride.

However all is not lost for Olympian aficionados as a special day for your calendar is recorded below.

Leyland Olympians Running Days - Saturday May 5th.

WALTERS LIMOUSINES F845ENV at the Oxford BMW FACTORY on January 22nd 2014 by Gavin Francis

This is a private hire and if anyone wants to ask anything they must e-mail me at:

chrismartin13601@hotmail.co.uk

I hope this might be of interest to Oxford and Chiltern Bus Page readers- keep up the good work!!

Checking with Gavin Francis who has taken many pictures of Walters buses I can add those below for your reference.

 
Both taken by Gavin Francis in 2017. The cornering buses remind me of the cross river bus station in Hong Kong with Chinese drivers who love cornering!!

Please mention the OCBP if booking or travelling.

Other news:

Due to the weather there were various problems including the item below.

Difficult times by Mark Magowan.

Resplendent in its new coat of blue, 2493 YJ57EJD heads out of Aylesbury on March 6th by Tony Bungay. I note 2491 and 2492 started life on the 40 from High Wycombe to Thame!

That much travelled and somewhat a "wandering minstrel", 3866 in Downley on route 30 on March 9th by Malcolm Crowe.
It's FMO registration repeats one seen on a Bristol saloon of Thames Valley. One readers wondered about the allocation of 3866 to Wycombe.

June 5th near Didcot and 556, a sturdy Bristol LL6B with the FMO registration.

I noticed Aylesbury's 6000 working the 300 service to High Wycombe on March 9th and over two days a regular use of branded buses on alternative routes. Does route branding work, I wonder?

 

Many local enthusiasts take the opportunity to pass by the depot and not a great deal changes except if one can see into the gloom of the depot and there is sometimes a surprise.

Solo 709, until recently in Thames Travel green, was showing off a new white livery and the ultimate in "multi tasking" branding.
One can make out the three company logos on this recently repainted bus. March 9th by Malcolm Crowe.
(Apologies for the quality of the picture, I was in the road outside!)

A surprise at present is the apparent lack of use  with Citaros 837 and 838. It may be that they do go out but both seem to remain exactly where they were many days ago

837 on March 9th by Malcolm Crowe.

The three ex Thames Travel green Scanias 912-4 also see little all day use.

Since leaving the West Wycombe Road depot some weeks ago, coaches are somewhat scattered around but most of the school bus fleet is at the yard at Hazlemere.

Jonckheere DXZ4630 rests up between duties at the new depot in Hazlemere on February 26th by Malcolm Crowe.

Rail Replacement work has always been lucrative for coach and bus companies. Oxford seems to get a very fair share of such work and recently quite a major operation took place involving many operators.

One of Heyfordian's latest coaches YG67FZR on Cross Country Rail Replacement at Oxford on March 4th by Gavin Francis.

 

 

 

I have quite a lot information and pictures for the full news issue 108. However of interest is the use of a Red Eagle bus on the 275.

Following a technical problem with the regular bus, this bus was used from Red Eagle - Y349FJN - on hire for 275 in High St Oxford on March 9th by Nick Cherry.
I didn't know that Red Eagle had ben going for 25 years. One learns something everyday!

 

 

A reminder of recent snowy days we see MMC 37401 working the S4 outside Randolph, Oxford on March 2nd by Gavin Francis

Looking very new, 15349 arrives on the 66 showing off some branding changes on March 4th by Gavin Francis.

This weekend some readers in the West area may have seen Gold 15902-5 at work on the Cheltenham Festival. Any pictures guys? 

 

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