Is sue nr. 179
Monday, November 15th 2021

Editorial

This has been a busy week as I have been changing how I use my computer and arranging matters to use my Laptop for the preparation work downstairs, thus enabling me to spend time with my wife. Hence the delay for which I apologise, in publishing this issue.

It has been an interesting week for contributions and we have reports, details and photographs from Cheltenham Races which required extra buses by Stagecoach West. This event is covered below.

Matt Robinson records his day with  a recent transfer to Aylesbury from Tamworth.

Joel Forey has provided several pictures of ex Oxford X90 coaches now enjoying a new lease of life in the North East.

Gavin Francis caught up with Oxford's 316 back from conversion  to Diesel from Hybrid on its second day in service. 

Michael Wadman recalls memories of Stagecoach Swindon and District in the late '90s

Cheltenham Race Day November Meeting

https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-november-meeting/

Three contributors sent pictures which make for interesting and rewarding viewing. Also included is a list of buses involved from both Cheltenham and Oxfordshire.

Gavin Francis

.... caught up with 10070 after its return to Oxford.

The destination display is interesting.

Robert Homan

Buses for the town centre/railway station to Cheltenham racecourse at lunchtime today were largely supplied from Stagecoach West depots at Cheltenham and Gloucester plus 1 from Stroud and 1 or 2 from Swindon (depending on the whereabouts of 10687).

   
Of interest are photographs of 11251, 11234 with 10687, and 10068 sandwiched between West’s 15359 and 19187 (and looking in need of some TLC!)

There were also six or seven vehicles from Thames Transit. (See list below)

It is of interest that 10903-10905 were delivered new to Oxford and transferred to West before entering service.

Rob Hough

I worked at Cheltenham on Friday and Saturday driving the shuttle buses between Cheltenham Spa station and the racecourse. Pictures are included hereunder.

It would appear that West and Oxfordshire provided the required buses for the event. 

VS

The U's played Ipswich away last Saturday and James Freeman has provided pictures of the supporters coaches at the ground.

     
One from Heyfordian and three from Motts at Ipswich.

Gavin Francis visited Binders Yard, High Wycombe home to a number of operators

 
Two vehicles in the Angel fleet were at the yard on November 11th.

Ex Carousel 712 now carries Chiltern Automotive legals.

Ex GAL WVL149 was in for work but the current operator is not known.

Ex Reading 701 was also in the yard for attention on November 11th.

Kevin Fuller

In the absence of anything new this week, I enclose a photo for your 'Buses in the Landscape' section, which I took earlier this year.

On June 26th, Arriva Midlands 2143, MX12JXE, a short Alexander Dennis Enviro 200
crosses the River Severn at Bridgnorth, whilst working a Saturday afternoon town service. 

The picture was taken from the high town, close to the upper funicular railway station.

Many thanks to all who contributed. 

It is now becoming more the case that people are not wearing masks unless where they are specifically insists on such protection.

However there are still many new cases each day and it now appears to be attacking the younger population ! 

Fleet news and developments

Gavin Francis

   
2509, 3007 and 3038 on November 9th.

3731 with a 300 service to Aylesbury on November 9th.

 
3731 when quite new at Showbus 2008 Duxford and branded for a route to Stafford.

Citaro 3925 in The Eden Bus Station on November 9th.

Jack Cooper

 
4401 and 5468 seen at Oxford Train /Station on November 13th with appropriate destination displays.

5462 seen at the top of New Road with a 280 working on November 11th. 

Hazel Richardson

Monday, November 8th I went for a ride on Arriva 3813 for the first time since it was refurbished.  I have included some photos including the retrimmed interior.

    
This was an Arriva Sales Demonstrator until recently it was in all white.

Malcolm Crowe

Pictures from Cressex depot on Sunday, November 14th.

     
Members of the current fleet show how many Citaros are still to gain the new livery. Buses are 2509, 2783, 2318 - 2740 - 3917 - 3919.

2786 from the rear by the offices. 

Matt Robinson

I’ve attached a couple of photos of Scania Omnilink 3506 (YN08HZT) which joined Aylesbury’s fleet from Tamworth on Friday. It will be trialled on various services with a view to us receiving more. I’ve currently got it for the day on the 150 today (Sunday, November 14th) and it performed very well.

 
Scania Omnilink 3506 (YN08HZT)

Tony Bungay 

One of a now decreasing number of vehicles at Aylesbury wearing the previous livery, caught 4025 working service 150 on Monday 8/11/21.

What makes this slightly different is this Aylesbury bound journey is extended to serve the Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School on school days, until last summer this had been operated by service 250. 

On a different note as your latest news page headlined, a Green Line reduction. In this case withdrawal of service 758 after 40 years. There has been some protests on the Green Line twitter feed regarding this. As I wrote to you when the operation of this service moved from Hemel Hempstead to Luton, it didn’t seem to bode well for the future of the service, after all it was now required to run dead I assume to and from Luton, which if nothing else must have added to the fuel bill! And of course being even more at risk to the trials and tribulations of the M1. So while undoubtedly changed travel patterns caused by the curse of covid are no doubt the indisputable reason to why this has happened, I wouldn’t have thought operating from Luton improved things. I will add it is of course my personal observation.

Gavin Francis

It was not clear if this coach was operating a National Express service.

VDL WJ16KBP seen at Elizabeth Bridge on November 14th. 

Gavin Francis

This VDL was caught in Elizabeth Street on November 14th.

Turners were using this Irizar BB18WEB for Flixbus service on November 8th.

Gavin Francis 

   
244 and 977 at the Wycombe depot on November 9th and 11th.

980 is seen in The Eden Bus Station on November 9th.

Gavin Francis

Hybrid 300 is back in service and seen on November 14th with a 35 road service.

 
Also returning to service is Diesel ex Hybrid 316 as seen above on November 14th.

Hybrid 303 working 4 road on November 13th.

355 seen in Magdalen Street West with a 2B road service on November 8th.

With the advent of Remembrance Sunday services normally using MSW had to use Broad Street and 360 is seen with a 2A on November 14th.

Brookes held and open day with special services, seen above with a U1X is 603 on November 13th.

   
Gavin questioned seeing the 6 and 35 in George Street on November 14th and Jack replies below.

Jack Cooper

Route 6 had returned on Sunday, with 660 completing the first Oxford - Wolvercote trip, and 222 completing the first Wolvercote - Oxford trip. The allocation this week has generally been 1 decker, and a Citaro. 

Ex Hybrid 316 has returned to service today (13th November), on the 4A. It will be interesting to see what it is like since being converted to straight diesel drive.

On Sundays / evenings the route is ran through, just changing the machine and destination over from one route to another. In this case driver changes will take place at George Street. When the routes are split 6s have a change at Magdalen Street, and 35s at St Aldates. I hope that answers your question? 

     
The 6 is back shown on November 7th and 10th.

More pictures from Jack taken over the past week follow.

city 2 liveried 361 is seen entering MSE on November 12th.

 
Nice evening pictures of 353 working 13 road on November 13th and 901 with an X3 in St Aldates on November 9th.

I must compliment Jack regarding his evening pictures which he has got down to a fine art. 

Jack Cooper 

A wet day in Oxford's George Street and Tourismo 31 is seen setting out for Heathrow on November 12th.

Jack Cooper

Another nice evening picture from Jack shows 907 heading for Didcot on November 9th.

Bob Chalmers

Carousel liveried 241 was on Didcot BB1 school duties this morning (November 16th) - seen in Ock Street, Abingdon heading towards Didcot (sorry couldn't stop to get a picture) 

This snippet arrived as I was finishing this issue.

Gavin Francis 

   
Three services in Elizabeth Street, 272, BD68TWX with a 400 and Lucketts X5605 ready for the 025 all on November 8th.

Bennetts BV67JYO running round to departures with a 444 to Gloucester on November 8th.

NEx Bournemouth's depots BV19XRH seen in Oxford on November 13th.

Gavin Francis

E200 YX61FZH is seen in High Wycombe with the 275 Oxford service on November 9th. 

As seen above West operated the shuttle services for Cheltenham Race Day on November 13th. 

Gavin Francis

 
Another diverted service on Remembrance Sunday, November 13th was 10680 working the 2B and 15835 with the S3.

 
Due to same diversion 10788 was seen in Parrs Road with service 7 with 15767 inbound working the 2 both on November 13th.

 
Gold 10787 in George Street and ex Gold 15757 both working 14A services on November 13th.

Jack Cooper

Witney based MMC 11244 with an S2 inbound service on November 11th.

Another picture of 15757 in MSW with the 14A on November 12th.

 
Golds 15761 with an S5 and 15767 working the 7 on November 12th and 10th respectively.

Rather scruffy Gold 28746 is seen in MSE with an S4 on November 10th.

Jim Wright

... has this morning provided interior pictures of the retrimmed 15757.

 
As can be seen although plain the seats look much better than the original. November 16th.

Gavin Francis

Seen in Magdalen Street West heading for Bedford with an X5 10499 bears a very large poppy on November 13th, Remembrance Sunday.

Distance livery covers 10804 nicely displaying a great destination scroll on November 8th.

A recent addition to the distance fleet from Bedford, 10881 in Gloucester Green on November 14th.

Jack Cooper

Distance livery adorns 10803 seen in Magdalen Street East on November 10th.  

Jack Cooper

Great to see the revised destination now used for Driver Training plus the poppy covering 50444 in New Road on November 11th. 

Gavin Francis

Contracted operator Orion of Openshaw with Yutong OT71BUS working the M15 to Manchester on November 13th.

Not seen before are Issar Coaches with AA19SAR working for Megabus on November 15th. 

London operators

Gavin Francis

Traditional Travel now operate this Routemaster RM 980 seen in Elizabeth Street on November 13th.

Andy Churchill

Here is another fine bunch of City of Oxford Advert buses featuring

Leyland Olympian 205 (VJO205X) advert for Cumnor SAAB centre

Leyland Olympian 212 (WWL212X) advert For Johnson Homecare centre

Bristol VRT 483 (OUD483T) all-over advert for National Travelworld

Bristol VRT 486 (OUD486T) all-over advert for the Oxford Gas Log Fire Studio

All were hand painted adverts carried out in the Cowley Road Depot paint Shop.

Michael Wadman

Thanks very much for that. I’ve had a look on Google and can confirm Martin’s and Neil’s identification. Service 47 was Swindon – Lambourn;  and here is Dennis Dart / Plaxton  no 127 “Knight of the Golden Fleece” (N127 LMW) in Lambourn on 14^th November 2008. 

And a few more Thamesdown vehicles on rural and out-of-town services: 

No 5 (GTP95X), a former Portsmouth Corporation Dennis Lancet / Wadham Stringer
 at Sambre Road, Chiseldon, on service 71 (photo by Keith Newton). 

No 108 “Kingfisher” (K108 OMW), Dennis Dart / Plaxton, in Avebury on service 48, 7^th July 1999. 

No 2 (FAM 2W), one of the unusual Dennis Dominators with Marshall bodywork, passing Marlborough College
on service 49 around 1991 (photo by Keith Newton). 

No 10 “Liddington Hall” (PJU 90W), a former Leicester City Transport Dennis Falcon H / Duple,
in Cirencester on service X53, 6^th April 1996.

Most interesting pictures from over 20 years ago, thank you both.

and from Michael Wadman more from the '90s and Stagecoach Swindon & District

     
Bristol VR 229 in two locations, 712 in Ashbury and ex Oxford 914in Bath.

New to Swindon 918 with an 8 in Swindon on February 2nd 1999.

Paul Bateson

...... some pictures from Showbus 1985 with vehicles from our area

For the younger readers you will see how much has changed from 36 years ago. Nationals were still in service.

David Hillas

       Southern Counties

This may interest readers of The Oxford and Chilterns Bus website page, but you will see on the Surrey County Council website below news about Arriva leaving Guildford next month and changes being made to bus services in that area. It is a far cry from the 1960s when Aldershot & District and London Transport ran bus services in Guildford. 

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/buses-and-other-transport/bus-timetable-changes/forthcoming-changes

Follow up regarding items in last week's page

John Ledbury

Appreciate all of your efforts, this is one of the best things on the web.

Your comments much appreciated.

Marcus Lapthorn

I thought the criticism of you for failing to provide early notification of some up-coming events was unfair. Gavin  Francis has answered your critic very ably. I know that you spend a massive amount of time in collating and publishing every week, so you should be thanked profusely for consistently proving a quality we site. It should also be remembered that your site is FREE to access!

Thanks Marcus, you echo a number of similar comments received.

In answer to the question raised in last week's issue regarding the Rose & Crown

Martin Dowling

I can't help with the country scene with a Thamesdown bus, but I think the Rose and Crown Hotel is in Ashbury - here is their web site

https://roseandcrownatashbury.co.uk/home

Presumably route 47 ran between Swindon and Wantage. 

Thanks for your regular updates!

Appreciate your comments Martin.

Neil Gow

It’s the Rose and Crown at Ashbury. The service 47 still serves Ashbury today (Swindon-Lambourn). There’s a small shrub hidden by the Dart which has grown a bit now! 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/the-rose-amp-crown-ashbury.en-gb.html 

Doors are open and bus is stopped. I think a friendly driver has allowed the photographer out to take a scenic photo.

Michael Wadman responded ...

Thanks very much for that. I’ve had a look on Google and can confirm Martin’s and Neil’s identification. Service 47 was Swindon – Lambourn;  and here is Dennis Dart / Plaxton  no 127 “Knight of the Golden Fleece” (N127 LMW) in Lambourn on 14^th November 2008.  

Joel Forey

I've really been enjoying reading the OCBP over the last few months - as always it's interesting to see all the latest changes and also the excellent historical photos and information. 

I'm attaching to this email a few photos of the ex-Oxford B11R Elite Interdecks which are now in service with Go North East up here in Tyneside.  Don't feel you have to use all, or indeed any of them if you don't feel they would fit in! 

Thanks a lot for all your work.

...and thanks to you Joel for some most interesting pictures of some of the Interdecks which started life in our area.