Editorial

Issue nr. 191
Tuesday, January 15th 2022

Editorial

A slightly delayed issue again and I may change to publishing every Tuesday as domestic requirements have changed. It also gives more time to include weekend events.

Much is happening locally with delays due to roadworks and reduced services by come operators. Details can be found below.

The weather today is rather poor and although such weather would have been a no no for photography in my younger days contributors seem to manage really superb shots in spite of time of day, weather and traffic.

Some of the results can be seen under "Buses in the Landscape" below.

OM936 StreetDeck

The bus reviewed on January 19th in Oxford by Ciaran Bird.

Coach & Bus Week's latest test drive video, Go North East's Daimler OM936 Wrightbus StreetDeck 6377 on a run from Cowley House to Chipping Norton and back to see how the larger engine performs on a demanding route.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16KSvQKbGUM

STAGECOACH UNVEIL PLATINUM JUBILEE BUSES IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND

As the country prepares to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this summer, bus operator, Stagecoach South, has unveiled two platinum jubilee themed buses to mark this unprecedented anniversary.

The buses were officially launched in the week of the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne, which took place on February 6th 1952.

The platinum jubilee buses will be seen across the year, on services throughout Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

Managing Director of Stagecoach South, Edward Hodgson commented: “The whole nation and our commonwealth countries are gearing up for a big celebration in June and we felt that it was important for us to honour this historic milestone within the communities we serve.

“We are therefore proud to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with these two special buses that will be used throughout the year on our local bus networks.

The two buses feature the official Platinum Jubilee emblem, and have been finished in a white, platinum and purple adaption of the Stagecoach livery scheme. The platinum colour represents Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne, whilst the purple colour is synonymous with royalty.

Steve Thorpe, Marketing Officer for Stagecoach South said “This is such an historic moment, as it is the first time that any British monarch has attained 70 years on the throne.

“We hope that our customers and residents across the area will enjoy travelling on, and seeing, the jubilee buses on the streets throughout the year.”

The jubilee themed buses will initially enter service at Andover depot in Hampshire and Worthing depot in West Sussex, before commencing a tour of the other 6 depots throughout the South region during 2022.

So, that's Reading and Stagecoach South. I wonder who will be next?

A number of bus services in Oxford and the wider county could be cut if further Government funding is not secured

Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel warned if funding support was not extended in April, it would have to reduce its network by between 20 and 30 per cent as reported in The Oxford Mail recently.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19908192.oxford-bus-services-cut-without-funding/

This would include the removal of Park & Ride services into the centre of Oxford, and some city and rural bus services. Funding runs out on April 5th and the Government has not yet confirmed if further support will be provided. Currently operators must provide 35 days’ notice to alter or withdraw services, meaning they must serve notice on plans to make any changes on February 25th.

https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/

The Oxford Mail reports that unless more Government funding is given, the following Go Ahead services will be withdrawn:

It will be noticed that some routes appear more than once, so maybe this refers to different parts of the routes ?

There are some further reports regarding reduction of services in the U.K. so we will have to wait and see.

Another Gold, 10786 seen in Stonesfield in February 2022, the colours seem to blend so well with the surroundings !

Thames Travel's 442 seen in St Aldates working the X1 on February 9th in the evening light.

A great celebration not enjoyed by many was 100 years of service by Worths and Ciaran Bird has sent some nice pictures including a recent acquisition suitably registered.

What a wonderful celebration and our congratulations to this long serving company.

D J Thomas's Volvo 9700, with a great registration - DJ19DJT - outside the Ashmolean on February 8th.

This Morton's of Southsea tri-axle - P111KGF - was also outside the Ashmolean on February 10th.
This P111 KGF (TK08ADK, WX58YHB) is a Volvo B9TL, Optare Olympus.

Following publication of the latest allocation lists from Arriva a question was asked regarding High Wycombe's ALX400 6000. It is I am advised on loan to Aylesbury who are very short of deckers and often is seen working the 9 and 500.

Arriva 6000 KL52CWN seen in Hemel on the 500 for the first time in around three years February 9th 2022.
The bus is seen in Hemel Hempstead and was last seen working the 500 on February 14th, yesterday.

...... who spent some time in the Wycombe area sending the pictures below from February 8th.

Three Citaros, 3023, 3024 and 3025, recently transferred from South show a variety of destination screens.
The full length emergency doors not painted is an less usual feature of these buses.

3029 once 3929 when at Milton Keynes, is seen arriving with an 800 service from Reading.

3508, 3509 and 3729 all from Aylesbury with 300 services in The Eden Bus Station.
3508 was new to Tamworth with 3509 and they have transferred down from Midlands, with 3729 which spent time at Cannock
where I worked some 50 years ago !!

ADL 4084 caught whilst Jack was at Central Bus Station LHR with a 724 service on February 8th.
This is a Harlow based bus normally seen working the Stansted services !! The 8th was one day is worked the 724.

On Thursday 3rd February 3rd, Arriva Mercedes Citaro 3027, BG59FCX, pauses in Oxford Road
to collect passengers on its journey on the 800 from Reading to High Wycombe.

Travelling in the opposite direction, negotiating heavy lunchtime traffic, similar Citaro, Arriva 3013, BJ12YPY,
approaches Marlow town centre with a service 850 from High Wycombe to Reading.

3816, was 3075 hence the Manchester registration in Liverpool, now with Shires working the 500 on February 10th.

5463 fully branded for the 280 yet working the 150 in Aylesbury on February 12th.

I must comment on the mostly well present appearance of the Shires vehicles mostly in the latest liveries. Ed.

Wrights 69387 branded for service 4 and in use with same at Heathrow on February 8th.
This bus started life around Southampton in 2009.

You do not need to go to Slough or Heathrow to catch sight of this bus, seen with an X74
in High Wycombe on February 8th. 69922 turns out of Bridge Street.

This coach, SJ21NDO, is operated by McGills and will have come to London working the night service from Glasgow on February 10th.

Due to operational reasons services today, February 15th are subject to change or cancellation. See the link below.

243 is seen heading for Flackwell Heath working the 35 from The Eden Bus Station.

A Chiltern Hundreds service, 103 operated by 404 is seen departing for Watford. The branding seems much reduced!

Cressex Connect 409 is seen at Handy Cross bus station with an 8 to the bus station.

Seen working The ONE, 857 is in Oxford Street, Wycombe taking a good load towards Hemel.

869 is seen leaving The Eden for Thame with a link40 service. Its livery is quite a mixture !

The link40 and the 39 seem interworked as 870 is also a 40 bus ! Apart from the Animal branding this bus is much as it ever was in Oxford.
877 is also seen working the 39 but has a running board (408) for the 40.

938, obvious by its lack of fleet number, is seen in Oxford Road working the 36.

940 is seen heading to Pheasant Drive across the Chiltern Railway and before in the bus station with the 27 service.

Maybe on loan from Oxford 975 is seen in the bus station and then up at Handy Cross with a 34 service.

Well what a gathering of Carousel from Jack who has provided some excellent pictures. Ed.

StreetLite 406 with the very smallest fleet number at the depot on February 9th.

871 has returned to tis home and is seen in the yard at Wycombe with other buses on February 9th.

Two of the Sprinters were at rest in front of the Wycombe depot on February 9th.

Whilst another picture also shows the Oxford City Sightseeing promotional van on February 11th.

Again in Reading on January 19th City 661 is seen working the X40 making something of a change for the route.

668 seen in Magdalen Street East with a 6 road service on February 11th, this bus has now gone for repaint into 6 road livery.

Now much involved working 11 road duties during January 844 and 846 were still employed with local City routes.

Fresh into service, 667 is seen in the new 6 road livery looking rather smart in Oxford City on February 12th.

Now back in service after a long break, 253 is working out of Cowley House, here with an X40 in Westgate on February 10th.

Variety for 5 road, 317 and 652 also back in service after a long break and of note is 657 named Sarah Waugh seen at Cowley House on February 11th.

Seemingly as 668 was away and the need for three buses for 6 road, 662 was working this duty on February 12th.

Still carrying the original Park & Ride livery a number of buses are still at work fir the 300 and 400.
Above 672 and 677 are seen in the City with 300 road services on February 12th.

Tuesday 15th of Feb - mid morning in Ock Street, Abingdon - horrendous traffic and weather - traffic problems for 3rd day due to 3 way temp traffic lights at Fairacres outside B & Q - chaos everywhere so not much hope of X1/2's being able to keep to time

One of Edwards latest coaches, BV71GYJ arriving with a 507 service in Buckingham Palace Road on February 10th.

An 030 to Fareham worked by BV69KRZ operated by Lucketts again on February 10th.

Red Eagle run the weekdays only Marlow town services, which consist of several local loops (route 160, not Wednesday), and as far as High Wycombe (route 158, not Wednesday) and Maidenhead (route 155, Wednesday only).

On Thursday, February 3rd, Enviro 200 is on duty for the 160 service as it leaves Court Garden leisure centre for Marlow Bottom.
The bus is branded for a Hemel Hempstead local route.

At the town end of the Marlow routes the same bus is seen with a 158 service on February 8th.

Contribution to the 130 on February 8th, BU05HFX and MX09HHL both seen in Wycombe.

KH55KMH which was in school yellow livery is now in the latest livery as seen at the depot on February 1st.
It is an Alexander Dennis Enviro300

Looking rather smart in Red Rose colours LK08NVL seen in Aylesbury on February 9th.
This was Metroline TE895.

Two gentlemen have promised to provide fleet updates for this and future issues.

As promised, here is the first of our Stagecoach West fleet updates taken from the Period 10 Fleet Card dated 04/02/2022. We are sure you realise that although this is an official listing, the odd thing could be different in reality, especially as we aren’t aware of what is happening on the ground in Oxfordshire apart from what we read on your website!

As we mentioned, we mainly deal with the Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company area, but we have highlighted the Thames Transit changes at the end for you

My picture of 50307 at Stokenchurch on October 18th 2015 during a road test along the M40.

We’ve picked up the following changes to the Thames Transit fleet: (main report below)

Other news: Ross on Wye depot will close on the weekend of February 26/27^thwith vehicles transferring to Coleford outstation and Gloucester, though on paper all vehicles were allocated to Gloucester anyway.

28681 from Cheltenham still working the 853 despite the best laid plans of mice and men on February 12th.

10787 passes 10432 at Oxford Parkway with 10783 outside the terminal building on February 11th.

I'm sorry but the new livery does not lend itself to bad weather and dirty roads as seen on January 17th.

When they are clean the sister bus does not look too bad but the colours lend themselves to a more sunny clime.

Even a rather battle scarred Gold 15762 looks better than that seen above. Taken on January 10th.

Recently transferred from Gloucester E300 27701 is seen in Kidlington with an S4 on January 6th.

One believed that the 1 is worked by double deck buses but here E200 36933 belies that belief on January 19th.

10669 heels over as it leaves Oxford Train Station with a 1 to The Leys on February 10th followed by 10783 heading for Chippy.

Passing St Giles, 11234 is running round to MSE for an S1 to Witney on February 7th.

the last currently repainted ex Gold 15758 looks OK when clean working the S3 on February 12th.

Not all buses working the X5 are yellow ! 10871 on February 11th still citi branding !!!!

A nice picture of the remaining ex megabus Astromegas in Network Oxford on February 12th.
also seen is 50272 awaiting tube branding.

Now seemingly to be always in London Stagecoach open top 13812 is turning into Elizabeth Bridge on February 10th.

A brand new BYD ADL BCE47056 in Heathrow CBS with an x140 service on February 8th.

Stagecoach East Scotland Rennies 54116 - PIB9211 ex SP62 BNK Volvo B13RT Plaxton Elite taken in Queen Street Edinburgh
waiting in a long queue to enter Edinburgh Bus Station on January 22nd.

Stagecoach East Scotland Perth, Van Hool Astromega On Citylink M90 Edinburgh to Perth on February 13th.
50265 - BHZ9545 ex OW14 LKE, New T60UBE Stagecoach Oxford Tube.

Local recovery operator McPhie - DAF ON20TOW suspended tow lift
First East Scotland Livingston depot Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 on Glasgow Road Edinburgh on January 28th.

Whitehead of Carterton GDZ8449 ex A489POD at Broadwell with a 64 around 1994 by Keith Newton.

I was wondering if you know who’s doing the school working at Stokenchurch that Chiltern Bus used to do with Enviro400 LK56FHH (now sold to Cardinal Buses). I noticed that Chiltern Automotive have put a former Thisbus.com Volvo B7TL on the road and acquired a similar vehicle from Imperial so I thought they might be a candidate. Chiltern Automotive also took Chiltern Bus’s Solo.

I am advised that Chiltern Bus are still working this operation using hired buses. Ed.

This ex London Wrights - LK06DZY - was at Stokenchurch parked up on February 14th with no indication of owner..
I wonder if this is working or had worked a school service?

YD71FJA	Ytg T122HDH LZYTMTG60L1010107	Ytg	C53F	10/2021	AirSym, Colnbrook
YD71FJC	Ytg T122HDH LZYTMTG64L1010109	Ytg	C53F	10/2021	AirSym, Colnbrook