Editorial
Another week passes and your support has been excellent. Some are working and therefore more able to get pictures and we have over 100 photographs again. I've been thankful for those who have provided items for "Times of Old" which is also very well received for so many of you.
Regular contributors are Gavin Francis, Jack Cooper, Martyn Sacaloff, Michael Wadman/Keith Newton and Paul Bateson. Examples of their contributions published below are given in this issue taster!
A recent arrival with Arriva HW is 2782 from Milton Keynes, which although 14
years old looks tidy by Gavin Francis.
Brighton & Hove loaned (1)657 is seen in Abingdon with Thames Travel service 33
by Jack Cooper.
Snow hits the depot at Northampton on February 6th by Martyn
Sacaloff.
Alder Valley 853 AAA526C seen at Chiddingfold in February 1978 by Keith
Newton via Michael Wadman.
Who remembers these rather splendid Daimlers when new? LT's XF2 seen at
East Grinstead on September 29th 1965 by Paul Bateson.
I thought readers might find this picture taken by me in 2003 which takes us back a number of years with the Oxford Bus training fleet.
Ex West Midlands Leyland Lynx T1 andT4 in use on August 22nd 2003. More pictures
are under "Times of Old".
This issue also includes the fleet allocation for Arriva Southern Region full listing which I am sure many will find of interest. Find this under FLEET NEWS below.
James Freeman has produced a video of the changes to route 3A which can be viewed at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WheVweb8txI
Finally we have some Witney pictures from Ciaran Bird, which in spite of a very late arrival this evening I have managed to fit on this issue.
As mentioned is a previous issue local bus services are also being reviewed and in many cases reduced. Oxford Bus and Stagecoach changes are noted below:
7th February 2021 - From Sunday 7th February 2021, the city5 and Stagecoach 1 services will temporarily operate to a slightly reduced Monday to Friday timetable and will operate to a Sunday timetable on Saturdays with a few additional journeys to match the levels of demand during the third national lockdown. Click here for details.
6th February 2021 - From Saturday 6th February 2021, the Oxford Bus Company city2/3/8/9 and Stagecoach 2/3/8/9 services will temporarily operate to a Sunday timetable on Saturdays with a few additional journeys to match the levels of demand during the third national lockdown. The additional journeys will be as follows;
city2 - Stagecoach 2: Towards Kidlington, four trips from Magdalen Street at 05:30, 06:00, 06:30 and 07:00. Towards Oxford City Centre, two trips from Yarnton Road at 05:19 and 06:19 and one trip from Evans Lane at 05:48. Click here for details.
city3 - Stagecoach 3: Towards Rose Hill, three trips from Oxford Rail Station at 06:35, 07:05 and 07:35. Towards Oxford Rail Station, three trips from Rose Hill at 06:00, 06:30 and 07:00. Click here for details.
city8/9 - Stagecoach 8/9: Towards
Risinghurst/Barton, two trips from Westgate at 06:25 and 06:55. Towards
Oxford City Centre, two trips from Edgecombe Road (Barton) at 05:44 and
06:14. Click
here for details.
Most of our services have now returned to
timetables that resemble to their pre-coronavirus times on weekdays.
Frequencies of many evening services are still reduced due to the continued
closure of several leisure and entertainment venues. At weekends, most of
our services operate to special timetables.
Following the announcement of a third national lockdown, we will, however,
be making a few changes to the airline, park&ride and BROOKESbus services.
Please see the details above under
“Latest updates”.
Fleet news and
developments
From Monday 8th February 2021, the 300 service’s 0640 bus between Aylesbury and High Wycombe will depart at 0630 and will run 10 minutes earlier throughout. View the new
timetable online at :
Timetables
Updated Southern Region fleet list courtesy Paul Swann of Arriva.
Arriva fleet lists/Enthusiast SR Full Fleet 01 Feb 2021.xlsx
Paul advises that he understands that 2159, one High Wycombe's oldest fleet members has provided interest to an enthusiast who may purchase same.
Gavin Francis provides some interesting pictures from a shopping visit to Wycombe on February 4th.
DAF SB120/Wright Cadets presently working in Wycombe with 2704 heading out with
a 1A and 2740 with a 33 on February 4th.
2740 is seemingly allocated to Aylesbury in the latest allocation list.
Similar 2782 has come from Milton Keynes in the latest changes, nice to see the
Poppy retained!
MCV eVolution 2790 is seen turning out of Bridge Street with a 1A to Chesham.
Volvo B7TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 4019 follow by VDL DB250 Wright Pulsar Gemini
6042 are heading for Aylesbury
with 300 services on February 4th.
DAF DB250 Alexander ALX400 6000 is seen arriving in Wycombe with a 32 service
from Cressex.
Malcolm Crowe
Another
DAF SB120 Wright Cadet 2783 from Milton Keynes is seen with a 30 working
in Downley on February 5th.
Tony Bungay
Heading for the depot in Aylesbury after working a 280 service, 5463 is seen on
February 5th.
"Managed to quickly get this photo of 5463 heading back to
it’s garage after working a 280 journey. Not the most ideal location, but shows
the addition of a memorial transfer below the fleetname to a long standing
Arriva driver who sadly passed away last November as a result I understand of
becoming a victim of covid19
It reads 45 years behind the wheel Bill Money 1975 -2020,
Cannot say at present whether this is applied to just this vehicle or other
vehicles.
Gavin Francis provides some interesting pictures from a shopping visit to Wycombe on February 4th.
From Southampton First 69393 is seen "helping out" in Slough and here with an
X74 in High Wycombe.
Jack Cooper writes "Quite an interesting week this week in Abingdon. From Tuesday the 33 was on diversion due to flooding at Culham. Further down the river at Clifton Hampden there was also flooding, meaning the 95/95B were being diverted through Abingdon! It was interesting to see the new 95 route, although noticed very little passengers use the service. The highest number of passengers I had seen was 1, and that was on the 12:20 Berinsfield - Didcot on Thursday.
Also this week I have managed to see all Brighton Omnidekka's that are in service. One thing to note is that 1650 is actually tracking as 1652!"
Ex Metrobus 241 is seemingly back in High Wycombe now suitably repainted, has anyone seen this bus?
Gavin Francis
Scania 218 is seen heading for Bourne End on February 4th.
Due to the absence of a blue branded StreetLite, 869 is seen working the 8 to
the Park & Ride on February 4th.
Citaro 876 is seen working the 35 to the Flackwell Heath on February 4th.
Blue link40 branded Citaro 886 is seen arriving from Thame working 40A card on
February 4th.
Malcolm Crowe
The closure of Aston Hill near Stokenchurch (A40) has resulted in the
link40 Wycombe bound using the M40 and here seen in heavy
rain is 886 on February 5th.
Pete Cannon
Unusual allocation on February 2nd when 219 HF10OXF substituted for
940 LX05EZO from 11am until 2pm then 940 was reinstated for the last through
service from Pheasant drive to Olympic Way, as there must have been a fault on LX05EZO during the
morning.
Notes on unusual workings are always welcome.
Various Changes to note
https://www.facebook.com/oxfordbuscompany/photos/a.297034930341582/4023429607702077/?type=3
Jack Cooper on his daily walk has provided some interesting pictures as seen below.
Hybrid 308 branded for route 35 is seen in Abingdon on
February 1st.
MMC 607 is seen in High Street, Abingdon with a City
bound X3 on February 1st.
Brookes branded MMC 608 is seen with a 35 road service
in Radley on February 4th.
Heralding more to come in this livery, 901 shows of
variety in destination screens on February 2nd and 1st in Abingdon.
As a temporary measure whilst repaints take place,
668 is seen in Stert Street, Abingdon on February 4th.
Anon
On the subject of interest blind displays, this one is unusual seen on February
1st in The High when 371 was taking a break !
James Freeman has been recording sightings in Greater Leys of the recently changed service 3A.
Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 360 is seen heading for the City on
February 1st.
GWR branded 602 is seen turning into
Watlington Road, on the first day of operation revision.
MMC 606 and
Wright StreetDeck 684 are seen negotiating the narrow roads in Greater Leys on
February 2nd.
MMC 604 has avoided the dustbin collections in Greater Leys on February
3rd.
Hybrid 311 is seen on February 4th, a wetter day, in Greater Leys heading for
the City.
James Freeman has also produced a video of the changes to route 3A which can be viewed at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WheVweb8txI
Jack Cooper on his daily walk has provided some interesting pictures as seen below.
Variety on the X2 sees various types working this road
in early February, 206 and 454 on the 1st, with 623 in Ock Street the 2nd.
209 working the 41 with differing destinations on
February 1st and 3rd.
Citaro 842 is seen with route 95B with a diversion on February 3rd due to
flooding.
The same service worked by 843 on February 4th in Ock Street, Abingdon.
Citaro 846 is seen crossing Abingdon Bridge with service 95 on February 2nd.
connector branded 867, with minature front fleet number is seen with service 33
in High Street, Abingdon on February 1st.
The "connector" livery is planned for more Thames Travel buses
in the future.
Recently transferred from Carousel, 942 in Go London livery is seen in Abingdon
with a 33 service on February 3rd.
Brighton & Hove loaned (1)657 is seen in Abingdon with Thames Travel service 33
on February 1st.
Seemingly although showing 652 in www.bustimes.org it is actually (1)650 that is the real bus.
Simon Caygill has also provided a couple of interesting pictures.
Another interesting route is shown here with 622 displaying 90 in Didcot on February 3rd.
Whereas on February 2nd it is seen at Didcot Parkway working the X2.
As mentioned above (1)650 is the bus quoted as (1)652 here
working a 33 service in Didcot on February 3rd.
(1)666 is seen first working the 94 and second the 98 on a wet morning both a
Didcot Parkway on February 2nd.
Nick Ross
Not many of these little beasts in service now, Plaxton Primo 109 YN08NLF is working the 36C in Leighton Buzzard on January 29th.
Ciaran Bird
who sent these from Witney taken on February 6th.
CC70BUS loads for Carterton with a 19 service.
Jack Cooper
Pulhams BB70BUS working the 15 along Wootton Road on February 5th.
Charles Powell provides some interesting picture of Rail Replacement work on January 31st at Bicester.
He writes
"I was in one of our other
deckers XDG614, you can also see both of us meeting at Bicester village. There
were also Westbus, Travellers Choice, Barnes, Walters, Redwing, Ridleys and
First Bath running on Sunday but couldn’t get pictures of those as I was passing
them on the road!
Hope there are a nice selection for you, something a little different."
For the sake of ease I have included two of the company buses mentioned above.
Is this a UK first? The coloured lighting on the inside and outside of our
orange, purple and little berry buses has been a real success - helping them to
look really eye catching, especially at night. Our suppliers have been keen to
help us continue innovating despite Covid, so bus 201 (which has become a
generic silver bus as part of our work to convert the remaining hybrids to
diesel) has been fitted with a prototype system that will light it according to
the branding of each route. It is under test with us as our customers find route
branding invaluable, and is an extension of the destination system so the driver
doesn’t have to do anything extra. The interior colour is over-ridden when the
normal interior lights are switched on. The bus also has a new type of high definition
destination display on 6 months trial to help us assess customer reception, a
logo projector in the front entrance to extend a warm Reading Buses welcome to
the kerbside when the doors open, and under-seat lighting in addition to our
usual addition of USB chargers. We hope to have it ready to go on the road in the next
day or two.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
Gavin Francis
Variety in High Wycombe on February 4th with AA53GHA with service 158
and FP04CEE working the 306.
I don't think we have recorded the second of the buses before?
Gavin Francis
Somewhat unusual now that we getting used to the red and white livery, KF52NBN
seen working the 130 on February 4th.
Short E200 MX60GXK is also working the 130 on February 4th.
Ciaran Bird writes
"Photos from Witney yesterday 6/2/21. I must praise Stagecoach for the immaculate condition of the MMCs I saw that day, not a scratch or dent on 11252 and was very clean considering the weather conditions!"
Solo 47451 heading for Woodstock.
..... and the immaculate 11252 looking very pristine, congratulations to the
depot staff at Witney.
Jack Cooper
with some pictures from Abingdon
MMC 10442 is seen in Ock Street with a Wantage bound S8 on February 3rd.
MMC 10677 is seen in Stratton Way with an Oxford bound 34 on February 2nd.
Gold 15753, branded for the S5, oh why can't they get branded buses on their
branded route??? with an S8 seen in Stratton Way
on February 2nd.
S3 branded Gold 15834 also seen in Stratton Way with an S8 on February 3rd.
Kevin Fitzpatrick sends us three pictures of recently arrived 10439 at Banbury seemingly replacing 11245?
10439 on loan to Banbury at the moment, complete with piece of paper in the window saying
"on loan to Midland Red Ltd"
Also Dart 34832 having a day out to Brackley
All taken on February 4th in Banbury Bus Station.
Theo Freeman reminds us of 11245's time in Banbury.
The Carterton-Oxford poster seems somewhat out of place with 11245 working a 500
service on January 23rd.
The same day, 34472 is working the 488 to "Chippy" here leaving the bus station
in Banbury.
Martyn Sacaloff sends pictures from his night duty at Northampton depot.
Loaned
80076 80077 are going up Scotland in
the morning been told Moffat and William has bought them.
For all you Trident lovers here is a line up to feast your eyes upon - February
5th.
Ciaran Bird sent these from yesterday, February 6th taken in Witney.
West's 28684 looking spruce on its way to Oxford.
For those who like to keep up with the old Astromegas here is one to gladden your hearts.
Bill Brown in Halbeth Park & Ride.
Although the destination is faint it is working for the M92 from Edinburgh to
Aberdeen on Saturday, February 6th.
Note from previous pictures it has now acquired fleet numbers, 50266 and looks
very smart with ALL it wheel trims !!
Our usual selection of pictures from Times of Old from various contributors to whom I am sure we are all very grateful.
Michael Wadman
My thanks to Paul Weal for clarifying the circumstances regarding the transfer
of KUF 236F to Alder Valley.
Here are
a few more shots from Alder Valley’s Southern Division in the ‘seventies.
No 355
(MOR 592), ex-Aldershot & District AEC Reliance / Metro-Cammell rebody, formerly
a Strachans coach,
entering Guildford Farnham Road bus station on service 99B in
1976.
Sadly for me as your
Editor, these buses don't look half the bus in NBC livery!!
A most
unusual purchase in 1974 was of a pair of AEC Swift / Strachans from Southampton
Corporation.
No 397 (MTR 422F) at Alton station on service 407 in 1976 sporting
what appears to be a home-made front grille panel.
No 726
(LPK 981P), Ford R1014 / Plaxton in Guildford Farnham Road bus station on
service 94 in 1977.
A second
shot from Keith Newton of no 853 (AAA 526C), ex-Aldershot & District Dennis
Loline III / Weymann,
in Chiddingfold on service 271 in February 1978.
Paul Bateson
This
time my theme is the first colour pictures that I took in 1965 when I switched
from black and white prints to colour slides. These slides have survived
very well over the years. I always carefully stored them in Logan slide
boxes and this has helped preserve the quality. Looking back, I am amazed
to think that the slides taken between 1965 and 1983 actually crossed the
Atlantic three times. In 1973 UK to Canada, 1984 Canada to the UK and
finally 1986 UK to Canada.
I have a total of 16 pictures. Please note that whilst they are numbered
in the order they were photographed, please put the XF buses together as one
group (00851/2/3 & 00855). All pictures coming to you as usual via "we
transfer".
PAUL BATESON LOOKS BACK TO HIS FIRST COLOUR PICTURES
I decided in 1965 that it was time to experiment with taking colour slides after
photographing buses since 1957 in black and white with varying quality.
I was pleased with the results and I decided to switched to taking colour
slides. At this time the slides were
mounted in a 2 x 2 cardboard frame.
I used Kodak ASA25 film and these slides have survived to this day without
deteriorating. The best results were
obtained when taking views on a sunny day!
I am pleased to share these early colour pictures.
(00837) I was on holiday in Scotland
and my first colour picture was this Duple-bodied Bedford VAS with David
MacBrayne Ltd.
Fleet number 94 (847
HUS) was photographed at Ardrishaig on 25 August 1965.
(00838) This has been one of my
favourite colour pictures out of the thousands that I have taken over the last
55 years!
The livery used by David
MacBrayne was most attractive and the opportunity to take my second colour
picture could not be missed.
This
Duple-bodied AEC Reliance was fleet number 91 (388 FGB) and pictured in a lay-by
at Furnace on 25 August 1965.
(00839/40) I have always liked
London buses and I was very pleased to find two former London Transport buses
with Garelochhead Coach Services on 25 August 1965.
Fleet number 41 (LUC 224) was previously RF 24 and one of the fleet of 25
Private Hire MCCW-bodied AEC Regal IV.
35 (KGK 739) was a Craven-bodied AEC Regent 3RT of which 120 were built
for London Transport but had short lives in the capital.
RT 1480 came to Garelochhead via Wass, Mansfield and East Midland (D46).
(00841/2) I continued across the
River Clyde on 25 August 1965 with a stop at Renfrew Ferry.
This was a good location for photographing different independent bus
companies.
Two buses operated by
Paton Brothers were 87 (EN 8873), Weymann-bodied Leyland Titan PD2/4, ex-Bury
Corporation Transport 173
and 80 (CCK 634), Leyland-bodied Leyland Titan PD2/3
that was previously Ribble 2646.
(00843) Another Independent serving
Renfrew Ferry was Cunningham Bus Services, Paisley.
This was another former Ribble bus (2643) and now Cunningham 37 (CCK
631).
(00844) I was working in the Traffic
Office of Southend Corporation Transport in 1965 and a short time loan
was this
ECW-bodied Bristol LS5G of Eastern National (1208 : WVX 443).
We must have been short of drivers on 7 September 1965 as I drove this
bus on route 4A but took the opportunity to photograph it at North Shoebury.
(00851/2/3/5) London Transport
purchased eight Park Royal-bodied Daimler Fleetlines in 1965
and these operated
out of EG on route 424 between East Grinstead and Reigate.
A rear view of XF 4 (CUV 54C) was taken at Woodhatch on 29 September
1965.
Later on the same day was
this
view of XF 3 (CUV 53C) in East Grinstead.
(00854) I have always been very fond
of the RF class of London Transport.
The driver of RF 663 (NLE 663) glanced up from his newspaper to give a friendly
smile
whilst on layover on route 473 in East Grinstead on 29 September 1965.
(00856/7/8) I stopped at the bus
station in Crawley for my next three photographs.
Southdown 887 (2887 CD) was a Northern Counties-bodied Leyland Titan
PD3/4.
London Transport was
represented by RT 3205 (KYY 934) and RF 28 (LYF 379).
Photographs by PAUL A. BATESON
Readers will note that many of these buses came from southern England and the ex Ribble deckers I drove many times.
Your Editor goes back to 2003 with Oxford Bus Company
August 2003 saw two demonstrator as the company
planned new purchases for the Park & Ride service to Water Eaton.
The winner seen in Oxford was the Citaro, here 851, BX02CMK a 2002 demo, loading
in Oxford City.
Then the loser was brand new Irisbus Agora Line demo, 852 seen in Cowley Road
depot on August 22nd 2003.
Indeed the Citaro continued to great things, as many are still in service in
2021.
Kenneth Aveyard
Looking at the latest update I saw the picture of Carousel Optare Tempo 963 with
a caption that it was new to Wilts and Dorset. In fact Wilts and Dorset (in Go
South Coast days) purchased the Tempos in August 2011 from Veolia in Wales - new
in 2006,
where some were branded for the 600 and other were in an orange Park and Ride
livery.
YJ56WVT came to Go South Coast in Veolia red and received Wilts and Dorset
livery subsequently.
Picture 1 shows 2507 YJ56WVT at Eastleigh on October 24th 2011 awaiting a trip to
Hants and Dorset trim for a repaint.
Picture 2 was taken in Poole Bus Station on April 11th 2012.
Ian Hardy
Your comment about the offside numbers in the drivers
side window on the Green Line coaches is interesting:
Arriva has been done it since the time of DAF / Plaxton
coaches on the 757, see this photo (not mine) taken in April 2008:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arriva_Shires_%26_Essex_4367_on_Green_Line_757.JPG
Many thanks to Ian for that additional information. Ed.
Ian Williamson
I was interested in the feature on the Thames Valley
service 20 back in 1964. At that time London Transport also operated 441 between
Wycombe and Windsor but via Beaconsfield and Slough en route to Staines so
altogether there would be 5 journeys an hour connecting Wycombe and Windsor –
today there are none, a change being required at either Maidenhead or Slough.
Because today’s Thames Valley service does not operate at
regular times throughout the day from Maidenhead, there are some extended waits
for the connection and unfortunately First’s X74 and 8 have the same arrival and
departure times at Slough so a connection is likely to require a sprint worthy
of an Olympic athlete!
I have summarised the changes in the enclosed chart.
Incidentally the AA suggests a journey time by car of around 30 mins between
Wycombe and Windsor so a 2 hour plus bus journey does not seem too attractive!
Routing | Journey Time | Journey Time | Frequency per hour | Frequency per hour |
1963 | 2021 | 1963 | 2021 | |
Aylesbury – Wycombe | 1 hr 1m | 42 or 51 m | 2 | 7 |
Wycombe – Windsor via Maidenhead | 1 hr 21m | 1hr 44 /2 hr 37m | 4 | 1 |
Wycombe – Windsor via Slough | 1 hr 15m | 1 hr 40 | 1 | 2 |
Windsor -Wycombe via Maidenhead | 1 hr 21m | 2h 15m/ 2h 35m | 4 | 1 |
Windsor -Wycombe via Slough | 1 hr 15m | 1 hr 8m | 1 | 2 |
It might be a surprise to know that route 441 still
exists – today it operates between Staines and Englefield Green and in LT days
was 441C. It might be even more surprising to know that is operated by White Bus
whose base in Winkfield just outside Windsor dates back even before the
formation of London Transport in 1933!
Thanks to Ian for a most interesting comparison.
As a
follow up to your piece on the Southdown Bristol RE acquired by Alder Valley for
the Alton route you might like to know that also in 1974 Alder Valley acquired
two Strachan bodied AEC Swifts from Southampton City Transport.
These were MTR 422F and MTR 423F which were
numbered 397 and 398 in the Alder Valley fleet.
This appeared to be a very strange purchase
with no other similar vehicles in the fleet.
Even more strange was the fact that they were
separated initially with 397 sent to Guildford and 398 sent to Aldershot.
Eventually they were both transferred to Alton
where I photographed 398 in May 1976.
They were both withdrawn that August.
As a postscript to your feature about the Green Line coaches at Hemel Hempstead which were originally to be based at Harlow for the 720 service, the opposite side of the coin is that at least four of the Temsa Safaris purchased for the Hemel Hempstead routes and later transferred to Harlow for school work are now at Luton, also for school work. Here are 7101 (YJ 69 AAU) and 7102 (YJ 69 AAV).
If you look at Michael Wadman's contribution above you will see a picture of the ex Southampton bus. Many thanks to Mike for those additional notes.
Norrie Thomas
You may not have seen this 1967 shot of OFC 394 earning its retirement in Porthcawl. It’s loading at Grand Pavilion for the short trip to Rest Bay.
Thanks Norrie, I hadn't seen this which is most interesting for COMS followers.
I said I would follow up with more news about First South West's proposed
"Dartmoor Explorer".
First South West has registered a new route, which will operate twice daily in
each direction between Plymouth and Exeter via Tavistock, Princetown and
Moretonhampstead recreating the former route 82 which ran across Dartmoor until
the mid 2010s. The route is registered in two sections as it is over 50km long;
the split is at Postbridge, a tiny settlement in the middle of Dartmoor best
known for its medieval packhorse bridge. The route is to be operated
commercially.
First South West is painting at least two Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini into
a dedicated light blue/light green/dark green livery for the route. These will
operate from existing First outstations near Exeter and Plymouth which already
house First vehicles used on Duchy College contracts; it is possible that some
of these vehicles may be used to operate additional peak summer journeys when
the colleges are closed.
The registration is effective from 12th February, but due to covid-19
restrictions the start date has been deferred to 3rd April.
The attached photo is of First South West Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 37155 arriving at Exeter St David's Station on rail replacement service from Honiton in late October 2020.
Dartmoor Explorer will see First
operating a regular bus route in Devon for the first time since 2015.
With many thanks to Julian for that most interesting update.