Editorial

This past week has seen some nice contributions from various readers. Gary Seamarks has provided more pictures of his visit to Oxford and also various ones from Northampton which makes an interesting change. These include pictures of the recently transferred Gold Scanias from West. Gavin Francis made a visit to London on a day off and caught up with recent changes to TfL services.

Martyn Sacaloff made another visit, this time to Devon which has provided some very nice pictures. Another seaside trip was made by Nick Ross, this one to Brighton & Hove's area.

Ben Studley was on hand in Witney to record unusual buses working the 853 shown under Stagecoach West below.

As ever Gavin Francis and Jack Cooper have provided interesting pictures for this issue.


Magdalen College always makes a nice backdrop in Oxford, this time for 5469 heading for Aylesbury with a 280 service on June 16th.
The picture is by Gary Seamarks. The Oxford cityX3 is 665 once a Park & Ride bus.

A Brighton Scania heads South from Lewes crossing the Ouse river with Harvey's brewery in the background (nice beer!) on June 19th 


A Brighton & Hove by Lewes crossing the Ouse river on June 19th by Nick Ross. More pictures further down this issue.


This picture of Thames Travel 512 seen near Wytham on June 25th by Jack Cooper reveals some of the "country" routes in the area.

Gavin Francis reports on Buckingham Palace Road closure on Saturday, June 26th.

For my first trip I was allocated 50438. Took a few pictures in Bressenden Place, Victoria where I held waiting for my loading time.

 
50438 in Bressenden Place and also note Green Line 757's were also using this spot.


Departures used the north end of BPR as seen above with the closed section in the background.

The second trip was made with 50430 and this time I held in Vauxhall Bridge Road.

 
50430 was on the opposite side of the road to RT190 in Vauxhall Bridge Road. The RT looks good
for a bus new in 1947 with a varied history of body/chassis swops over the years.

Also took a a few pictures of the BPR road closure. This being the part used by The Oxford tube and Green Line etc.

 
To quote Gavin there was some serious heavy lift gear in use.

A new construction at Marble Arch - A mound

https://osd.london/marble-arch-mound/

 Gavin caught up with the latest progress on this mound

   
The Marble Arch Mound under construction on June 22nd. Check on the details at the link above.

Rail Replacement


Barnes PN10FOA, a 100 seat Volvo B9TL/Optare CH61/39F, seen in Aylesbury on June 26th by Tony Bungay.

Gavin Francis provided some pictures of the ALX400s now working in Northampton and featured in their 2021 work by Gary Seamarks


Well hopefully we are heading for July 19th without any further hitches. Further increases in services, especially long distance coach services show confidence in the return to normal and also we are seeing more coaches out and about with tours etc.


Pearces are out and about, having not been featured in these pages for sometime now. Jack Cooper caught OU20DVF on June 25th.

The tour buses are obvious again in London and other cities.

   
Three of the London tour buses seen at Marble Arch on June 22nd by Gavin Francis.

Just before the original lockdown Original Tour converted VLE 618 into a party bus a bit like the Tea Bus and Golden Tours Pizza Bus. Lockdown came and it was never seen again until today !! Grabbed a couple of pictures in BPR whilst stuck in a traffic jam.


Another TOOTBUS seen on Saturday, June 26th was VLE618 in Buckingham Palace Road.

Jack Cooper

On Monday 21st, City Sightseeing services were ramped up to every 20 minutes (Monday - Thursday) and every 15 minutes (Friday - Sunday). Live guides are onboard services at the weekend only currently. You may have seen that you can get 2 for 1 on Sightseeing tours currently, these are for the bus tour or for Carfax, vouchers can be found in the Oxford Times or Oxford Mail with 2 passengers travelling for the price of 1! This offer is only applicable on weekdays until 16th July. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
Graham Low caught the two recent arrivals with Oxford CSS, 631 and 632 on June 23rd.
For clarification the origins of these two buses are shown below courtesy www.ukbuses.co.uk

 


Fleet news and developments


Gavin Francis 

There is much building work taking place by the normal stops for coaches in Buckingham Palace Road for the coming days.


Above is 7202 at the temporary stop on Elizabeth Bridge on June 25th.


Here 7206 is seen at Marble Arch on June 22nd.

The first Tourismos of Green Line, 7001 etc, have all now returned to the lessor.

Gary Seamarks

Gary has provided some interesting pictures from Northampton and Oxford.


Not quite the same as our green ones at Wycombe for the 33, StreetLite 2311 is seen in Northampton working their route 33 on June 19th.


A 280 Aylesbury service, operated by 5468, seen in Frideswide Square, Oxford on June 16th.

Paul Coley


Citaro 3030 working the 300 from High Wycombe on June 24th passing by Stoke Mandeville.


Wrights 6049 seen on June 24th passing by Stoke Mandeville.

Tony Bungay


3927 seen working the S8 in Aylesbury on June 23rd. This bus was new to High Wycombe many moons ago!

Tony notes "3927 passes Morrisons stores Aylesbury in morning sunshine on School pupils only S8, the only part of former route 8 still operated by Arriva on June 23rd."


E400 5459 also working the S8 by Aylesbury Station on June 25th.


5469 a little off its branded route with an S500 school service passing Aylesbury Station on June 25th.

BRITANNIA BUS COMPANY
http://www.britanniabus.co.uk/en-gb/

Gary Seamarks


In Northampton SK15GXW operates the 31 service on June 19th.
SK15GXW is operated by Britannia Bus of Northampton

James Freeman

This video shot of Charlton Services BMC bus I uploaded on to flickr and the registration is YK06ATO

https://www.flickr.com/photos/d1661trains/51267919032/ 


https://www.flixbus.co.uk/coach/united-kingdom

Timetables from July 1st can be seen at the link below courtesy Chucky Shaw.

Flixbus services from July 1st 2021

Also Chucky drew our attention to this advert.


Click to see full size for detail.

Gavin Francis

 
Linburg's 22 with the 004 to Birmingham on June 22nd and Thandi's TEC34 with an 023 in Semley Place on June 25th.



Jack Cooper

514 has transferred from Carousel to Oxford Bus this week as planned, although it is yet to enter service. It was fully branded on Wednesday so I would expect it to enter service in the next few days on the BV1. This of course will release 662 for Oxford City work.

The 581/583 is now operated by a Sprinter, I believe 979 ?

Maybe readers would check on Monday morning ? 

Gary Seamarks


Ex Airline 24 is seen in High Street, Oxford on June 16th.


Hybrid 313 is seen in St Aldates working the 35 on June 16th.


356 is seen passing Queens College with a 15 road service on June 16th. The colour variety in this picture is significant !


Sister 357 is seen heading westwards in High Street with a 13 road service on  June 16th.

Jack Cooper


Scania 222 is seen with an X3 service in   seen in St Aldates on June 22nd.


Chiltern Railways branded 602 is seen in St Giles with a 35 service to Abingdon on June 25th.

Gary Seamarks


Tourismo 32 is seen in Speedwell Street heading for Heathrow on June 16th.

Jack Cooper


Tourismo 37 on driver break seen in Gloucester Green on June 21st.

 

Gavin Francis


CSS 632 in the morning sun seen in Gloucester Green on June 26th. 

Daniel Harwood


An ominous sky shows 247 working the 98 in Station Road, Didcot on June 25th.


Still with Thames Travel, Carousel's 869 rests at Didcot Parkway on June 24th.

Gary Seamarks


209 works an 11 service across Magdalen Bridge on June 16th.


A bright day shows off Scania 254 heads down St Aldates with an X38 service on June 16th.

Jack Cooper


Citaro 851 seen in Broad Street with an ST1 working on June 25th.


Scania 913 is not seen in service very often nowadays but here it is at Didcot Parkway on June 24th. 

Mark Doggett

Delivered last week. Good to see Roger investing in fleet replacements during these bleak times.


Seen on June 18th having arrived at Aylesbury.

Following some confusion in my last issue (160) I have now clarified the correct situation as to when the 160 and 161 commenced operation through Oxford.

Paula Mitchell - Head of Media - UK Coach - National Express

Paula kindly advised me that "These services both started running on June 18th - they were brought forward by a few days from the original scheduled start date. Hope that clears the confusion."

My thanks to Paula for this clarification.

Gavin Francis

A number of pictures from Gavin show the latest services running through London and Oxford.

       
Various routes seen at Marble Arch on June 22nd all worked by NEx own vehicles.


Oxford Bus are contracted again to operate the 737 Oxford-Stansted service seen with coach 58 at 0644 on June 24th.
The service started on Monday, June 21st.

 
Levante III SH308 (BF21CYO) is seen in Elizabeth Street and VCS on June 25th. This was Gavin's first sighting of a 21 plate NEx !

Below is a full list the 21 plate Levante III 's which entered service in June.

BF21CYK Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915137 Co F193043094 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 306
BF21CYL Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915140 Co F193043095 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 307
BF21CYO Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915148 Co F193043096 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 308
BF21CYP Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915152 Co F193043097 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 309
BF21CYT Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915175 Co F193043098 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 310
BF21CYU Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915197 Co F193043102 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 311
BF21CYV Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915213 Co F193043103 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 312
BF21CYW Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915225 Co F193043104 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 313
BF21CYX Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001915232 Co F193043105 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 314
BF21CYZ Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001916069 Co F203043001 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 315
BF21CZA Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001916074 Co F203043002 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 316
BF21CZB Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001916078 Co F203043003 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 317
BF21CZC Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001916082 Co F203043004 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 318
BF21CZD Sca K410EB6 YS2K6X20001916091 Co F203043005 C??FLt 6/2021 West Midlands 319

Jack Cooper


Here we see one of the first 737 services on June 21st entering Gloucester Green.

 
On June 22nd another route revived through Oxford is the 210 seen in St Giles operated by 223 of the West Midlands.
Another service from the Midlands worked by 216 on June 23rd in Gloucester Green.

It is nice to see the return of these services after many months. 

Paul Coley


Looking less than usual for Redline, ex Edinburgh L983WSC with a schools run on June 24th passing by Stoke Mandeville. 

Tony Bungay


Scania E14RRT is seen with a route 10 working by Friars Square on June 26.

with

West

Here are details of the fleet so far produced and licenced as of June 26th. Many later ones will be en route to Gloucester as you read this issue.

YT21DVF Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001917879 AD L406/4 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15353
YT21DVG Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001917880 AD L406/5 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15354
YT21DVH Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001917881 AD L406/6 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15355
YT21DVJ Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001917882 AD L406/7 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15356
YT21DVK Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918015 AD L406/8 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15357
YT21DVL Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918016 AD L406/9 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15358
YT21DVM Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918017 AD L406/10 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15359
YT21DVN Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918018 AD L406/11 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15360
YT21DVO Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918014 AD L406/12 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15361
YT21DVP Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918019 AD L406/13 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15362
YT21DVR Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918020 AD L406/14 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15363
YT21DVU Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918127 AD L406/15 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15364
YT21DVV Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918128 AD L406/16 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15365
YT21DVW Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918129 AD L406/17 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15366
YT21DVX Sca N250UD YS2N4X20001918130 AD L406/18 H43/28F 6/2021 Cheltenham & Gloucester 15367

curly42

15352.  Scania N250UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC. Newly delivered to Gloucester for use on the service 10,and seen here in Tuffley Avenue - June 18th 2021.

 
First day in service, June 18th, now branded 15352 is seen working the 10 with thanks to curly42.

Ben/Mandy Studley

We are is seeing different buses on 853 this week due to diversion for the last run between Minster Lovell and Burford. The driver took a 300 through it last night and said the 200's are more suitable.

The pictures were taken on June 24th in Witney.

   
What a delight to see 37246 in Heritage livery in Witney!

     
Other E200s in use on June 24th were 37617 and 37620.

Guy Watts


37246 seen in Magdalen Street East, Oxford on June 24th with the 853.

This diversion is now ended.

Jack Cooper


Gold unbranded 10994 seen in Gloucester Green with an S6 service on June 21st 

Oxfordshire

Jack Cooper


Gold S5 branded 15759 seen in Gloucester Green with an S3 service on June 21st 

Gary Seamarks

Some pictures from Northampton on June 19th.


A current picture of 10040 on June 20th working route 1 in Northampton.

 
MMCs 10726 and 10731 seen on June 19th in Northampton.


MMC 10732 is seen working route 55 in Northampton on June 19th.

 
Route 41 from Bedford operates a variety of buses, such as 10726 and 37438 seen on June 19th in Northampton.
I wonder why this route shows the route number to the right which is not of order ?


Gold MMC 11129 seen with a 10 service seen on June 19th in Northampton.

   
Gold MMCs 11134 and 11137 working the X4 service seen on June 19th in Northampton.


An older Scania now in Northampton is 15404 working route 6 on June 19th.
These buses were first allocated to Corby for the star service.


Gold 15939 is seen in Northampton on June 19th working service 16.


Gold 15940 is seen in Northampton on June 19th working service X46.

 
E400s 18127 and 18128 seen in Northampton on June 19th working services 8 and 12.
See below for these buses in their first life at Oxford.


E400 18199 seen in Northampton on June 19th working service 5.
See below for this bus in its' first life at Oxford.

 
Recently transferred from Nuneaton for the X7 service, 26202 and 26215 on June 19th.


28624 is seen in Northampton on June 19th working service 88 to Silverstone.


Loaned 88073 - SN13CHC Loan from Ensign to SC Northampton

 
80078 and 80082 ex Lothian working in Northampton on June 19th.

 
In their first life the same buses seen in Edinburgh with Lothian on May 18th 2019.


MMC 10732 is seen working route 55 in Northampton on June 19th.

Gavin Francis

A picture of 10040 when new at the Olympics in 2012.


E400 10040 is seen at Eton Manor, Olympic Transport Hub on September 10th 2012.

Now provides some pictures of 18127 and 18128 plus 18199 in their first life in Oxford more than 10 years ago !

     
18127 seen in Botley Road on August 13th 2007, then in George Street on March 3rd 2009.
18128 is seen in George Street on January 25th 2009 and then earlier in Worcester Street on September 4th 2009.

   
Above 18199 was delivered for Brookes Bus services and is seen in original livery on July 3rd 2006 and at the depot on April 6th 2008.
By the time the third picture was taken on March 30th 2010 it had gained local livery  for S (Superior) services but  working local 3.

Martyn Sacaloff

from Northampton of Gold transfers from West.

   
Golds 15521, 15522 and 15841 seen after arrival on June 21st by Martyn Sacaloff.

As readers will have seen in the Editorial of this issue some diversions were in place over the weekend for services at Victoria.

Astromegas 50237 and 50250 have been in service this weekend again.

Gavin Francis

Sunday saw the continued closure of Buckingham Palace Road where the tube normally stops.

 
Flagship 50421 is seen in Bressenden Place on June 27th.

 
Seen in Buckingham Palace Road, 50421 at the temporary stop opposite Victoria Station on June 27th.

Gavin Francis


Panorama 50409 "Tartan Traveller" is seen in Elizabeth Street having arrived from Glasgow with an overnight M11 on June 25th.

Gary Seamarks

 
uno operate some services in Northampton where 525 and 528 are seen on June 19th. 

London operators

Gavin Francis

 ...... spent some time over the past week in London catching up with developments.


Seen by Ruislip Station abellio MMC 2007 works the 278 on June 22nd.

 
Go Ahead London WHV124 passes Marble Arch with a 74 service on June 22nd. It has a wrap for Google.


Go Ahead London WHV142 passes the new construction at Marble Arch with a 74 service on June 22nd.


London United BCE47003 appears to be working a special service on June 22nd.

New buses on route 7

     
Metroline WHD 2715, 2716, 2717 and 2718 working the 7 past Marble Arch on June 22nd.
These Wrights StreetDeck Hydrogen buses based at Perivale East.

   
LT748 is seen at Marble Arch and Kings Cross with the new Gorillas wrap on June 22nd.

 
LT763 in the wrap for Taylors - June 22nd at Kings Cross.

       
Optare MD1050EV MetroDeckers 34000, 34004, 34023 and 34031 now operating route 23. Seen at Marble Arch on June 22nd.

Following Michael Wadman's memories of the Reading Rail Air Link in the last issue, this prompted Graham Low to provide more interesting pictures of this service from 1067.

Graham Low

Thank you for your continuing excellent work on the page.


I attach views of two of the first TVT Bedford VAM14/Duple Viceroy C41Fs in the Weldale Street garage
before they entered service in 1967 on the new Reading-Heathrow Rail Air service.


Secondly a view of a Bristol RELH6G/Duple Commander III C49F of 1968, one of four which replaced the Bedford's.


Thirdly a Bristol RELH6G/Plaxton Panorama Elite C51F of 1971, one of six which replaced the earlier Bristol RELH6Gs.

The service passed to Alder Valley in 1972 and was operated in turn by a varied fleet including Bristol RELHs, Leyland Leopards, Leyland Tigers, Duple 425s, and even AEC Reliance's briefly hired from East Kent!

Michael Wadman

Continuing our survey of local independents, some photos of Z&S Travel of Aylesbury. 


Firstly from their early days as a bus operator, we find E374AMJ, a Ford Transit with Chassis Developments body
new to Cedric of Wivenhoe, at College Crescent, Oakley, on July 16th 1997,
operating service 38 which I think went to Aylesbury, but don’t quote me. I do remember riding on it
but how I got to Oakley in the first place I have no idea. 


Z&S had several former London Transport Leyland Titans that made regular weekend appearances on Underground rail replacements.
T891 (A891SYE) is at Wembley Park on a Metropolitan Line service on November 27th 1999. 


G715HOP was one of several Mercedes 709D with Carlyle bodies acquired from West Midlands Travel in 2000.
You will doubtless recognise at St Aldates, on service 14, July 4th 2001.  


Another Titan, T375  (KYV375X) in North Acton on Central Line rail replacement, November 10th 2002. 


G715HOP again, at Milton Keynes station on service 1E, July 7th 2002

GLOUCESTER 


Cheltenham & Gloucester no 219 (VOD 597S)
Former Western National Bristol VRT/ECW 
Cirencester (Old Town Station car park)  February 25th 1999. 

Richard Sharman

Richard added to us:

Bustimes is only showing data for this service from Saturday 19 June. 

Additionally, it looks like the 210 is jointly operated by Chalfont and WMT, judging by the allocation on bustimes this morning, June 21st.

Gavin Francis

The start date of NatEx services in Oxford you have as Sat 19th but my pictures were taken on Friday 18th. I assume the 160 was in service but maybe the N.I.S. coach was on a training run.

See the clarification from National Express shown above under the National Express heading.

I think I must be getting old as I am starting to see a number of Citaros including bendibuses entering preservation. 

 
June 2nd 2004                   May 21st 2010
One of them is 64005. This started life on Route RV1 in London before moving to Slough from where it used to come into Wycombe on the X74.


It was repainted into First livery and converted to single door as seen above on January 27th 2012.


It moved onto First at Bracknell seen working the 194 on November 14th 2013.

Eventually ended it's time with First Hampshire & Dorset. I wonder in what condition it will be preserved ??

Thanks to Gavin for an interesting revelation.

Tony Bungay

regarding a picture of a CCL coach in the last issue.

"With reference to my picture of the CCJ Coaches vehicle, I do not know what their connection is with SX60, whether it is a contract on behalf of Bucks CC or Arriva (probably not) I am uncertain. Be interesting if anybody has been able to comment on it ? 

James Freeman

On a day trip to Tonbridge saw this bus there Autocar AE06OPH is the reg of the bus. Ex Travel de Courcey Warwickshire.


de Courcey 556 (AE06OPH), a MCV Evolution bodied MAN 14.220.

Martyn Sacaloff

In Dartmouth and S Coast Devon at this link:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10226516357765253&set=pb.1534651426.-2207520000..&type=3


River Link at Dartmouth, FD54FGG on June 22nd.


Rail River Link Y827TGH in Dartmouth on June 22nd.

See the link for all of Martyn's pictures from his trip to Devon.

Nick Ross

From East Sussex.


On a grey but dry! June 18th Brighton's Enviro 350 YX70 OJV arrives at Churchill Square.


Brighton Scania 928 crosses the level crossing near Newhaven Town on June 19th.