Issue nr. 193
Tuesday, March 1st 2022
Issue nr. 193
Tuesday, March 1st 2022
Editorial
This week we have some interesting pieces with pictures from South Wales by Ben Christie and East Scotland by Nick Ross and Bill Brown.
An interesting development by the Oxford tube is the use of the logo in multi colours, a first for this operation.
Picture from Gavin Francis.
As ever there are interesting and revealing photos from Gavin Francis and Jack Cooper.
CARABAO CUP
James Freeman
The flickr album of the Carabao Cup last weekend but
some of the photos are not good as some are a bit dark
https://www.flickr.com/photos/d1661trains/albums/72177720297022988
For Sale
Picture from Michael Wadman.
RML896 maybe for sale - contact me ( malcolmcrowe@oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk ) for further information. Serious interest only. It left London 20 years ago in 2003 and is a runner but needs cosmetic work on roof and interior but could be supplied with a new class 6 MOT immediately. Still with its original registration.
A few days in West Oxfordshire with Keith Shayshutt
Keith Shayshutt
I attach a selection of
photographs taken last week in West Oxfordshire for your consideration for the
The Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page. They will follow over a couple of emails.
Thames Travel 874 AE61EWP at Faringdon on service 67 to Wantage on 9
February 2022.
Rebound Coaches Trident T816RFG (originally Brighton & Hove) still in its
former livery of AVTL
working a Burford School to Carterton contract on 9 February
2022 seen in Carterton.
Rebound Coaches B7TL LJ05GPX (originally Arriva London VLA132) still in its
former livery
with a Burford School to Carterton contract on 9 February 2022 seen
in Carterton.
Rebound Coaches B7TL LJ05GPZ (originally Arriva London VLA134) still in its
former livery
with a Burford School to Carterton contract on 9 February 2022 seen
in Carterton.
Stagecoach Solo SR 47658 AJ58RBF on service 233 from Woodstock to Burford
seen in Carterton on 9 February 2022.
The Stagecoach Witney overflow outstation at Downs Road seen on Sunday 13
February 2022.
Pulhams Solo SR YJ65EUY in Witney on service X9 to Chipping Norton on 11
February 2022.
Thames Travel 944 YT59DYP at Didcot on 12 February 2022 on service X2 to Oxford.
Thames Travel Streetlite 441 SK66HRN at Didcot
on 12 February 2022 on service 98 to GWP North
Thames Travel 623 BN68XTO at Didcot on 12
February 2022 having just arrived on the X36.
on the S1 to Carterton coming up
behind on 16 February 2022.
Many thanks to Keith for an interesting selection from West Oxfordshire.
My thanks to all contributors.
Fleet news and developments
Gavin Francis
Solo 2452 seen leaving Bridge Street with a 300 working on February 24th.
Jack Cooper
E400 4400 seen in Oxford with a 280 service on February 22nd.
Paul Coley
A couple of photos taken on February 25th, while walking around Hawkeslade in Aylesbury.
An
Arriva Solo (also empty), travelling towards the town centre.
Also, on February 25th, typifying the mix of Arriva
stock on their 9 service, Solo meets Sapphire Enviro 400 5469 within Hawkeslade.
Tony Bungay
3813 on one of it’s regular duties earlier this week
On February 26th trainer T26 alongside Citaro 3030
Kevin Fuller
Following on from recent articles about the Queen's Platinum Jubilee being
celebrated with special liveried vehicles, I was lucky today to see the First
Berkshire contribution to the celebrations, in its first week in service.
Wright Streetlite Max 63313 , LM65LMH, has been recently painted in a
celebratory colour scheme - and has been put to work on the 8 route between
Slough and Heathrow T5 via Windsor and Staines, although I'm sure it will also
be seen on other routes in due course.
My picture was taken this morning, 24th February, appropriately in Windsor
(opposite the Parish Church),
whilst it was working an 8 service towards Slough. It looked very smart, despite
the wet road conditions.
Gavin Francis provided a picture of this bus when in the older livery seen in
Wycombe on May 22nd 2018.
Gavin Francis
Gavin has provided a selection of pictures from early days of CB51BUS.
Fromm nearly new to last days with Carousel and Thames Travel.
On February 24th back home !
He also sent an up to date photo for our interest.
Acquired 940 seen in Oxford Road with a 27 on February 27th.
Nigel Peach
Four pictures from a visit to Carousel's depot on February 21st.
Citaro variety 1: Ex London 877 with ex Thames Travel 856. Why does neither bus
display a fleet number on the front?
Citaro variety 2: Ex Konectbus 886 and 887 with Carousel original 871, all now
withdrawn, though I prefer to think of 871 as "now retired", after 18+ years of
service!
A closer up picture of 871 shows that it has lost its number 871, but has
reverted to its original, MB51. LOTS reports that the bus is to be preserved -
pleased to hear that!
Ex Brighton and Hove Scania OmniDekkas 245 and 242 showing their differences in
livery. Unfortunately the sun was in the wrong place (just after a shower of
rain).
Gavin Francis
682 is seen working 4 road on February 28th.
Jack Cooper
228, still with Thames Travel branding seen with an
X40 Oxford operated service X40 on February 25th.
A rear view of 365 working its new route 3 in The High on February 22nd.
Brookes buses 376, 608 and 610 in The High on February 22nd.
657 is seen in Oxford on February 25th.
661 is most often used for the 5 but here it is working the 15 on February 20th.
663 and 666 both in use working the X3 in the last days of February.
679 minus a front fleet number is seen in Speedwell Street with a 300 service on
February 21st.
682 seen in The High with a 15 road working on February 22nd.
8/9 roads with 687 and 688 in late February.
Citaro 845 is seen in St Aldates with an 11 road service on February 25th.
Jack Cooper
Tourismo 30 seen in Westgate on February 21st.
32 is seen heading for Heathrow on February 22nd.
40, Ashmolean branded, is seen in The High with an inbound service on February
22nd.
Jack Cooper
224 in Speedwell Street with an X2 service on February
21st.
864 is seen at rest in The High on February 22nd.
Gavin Francis
290WE, a Neoplan seen in VCS on December 31st featuring its earlier days
reference the picture of it now in the last issue.
Jack Cooper
...... who visited Birmingham last week.
Working the 210 which will pass through Oxford heading for Heathrow worked by
215 - BX65WCP - on February 26th.
We have featured this coach before, Travelscenes' NX69TSE with a 150 working on
February 26th.
Gavin Francis
T25RRT seen working the 130 in High Wycombe on February 24th.
Paul Coley
A photo taken on February 25th, while walking around Hawkeslade in Aylesbury.
Red Rose Scania, travelling towards the town centre.
Since Red Rose made their route 10 a single bus, half hourly service, I haven’t seen a single passenger on board any bus and one wonders how long they will keep this up against their 10 minute frequency rival.
You would think that sooner, rather than later, the Red Rose driver shortage will be sorted and maybe they can increase frequencies again to a reasonable level.
Tony Bungay
Evenings are getting lighter, so just after dusk Red Rose E15RRT working Service
50
Tony Gaze
Ran into 28743 on out No.10 on
February 25th, a bit of luck
Working the 10 Cheltenham - Lower Tuffley
(normally in the hands of 'long distance' livery double decks)
200 Banbury to
Daventry
Withdrawn by Stagecoach from April
It is suggested that its only covering 85% of it's costs
Jack Cooper
MMC 0679 seen at The High Bus Gate in Oxford with a route 1 on February 22nd.
The big news this week is the branding to be seen adorning 50272 now back in tube livery with a difference.
Gavin Francis
The Astromega seen at the Horspath Depot on February 27th.
Jack Cooper
50432 near Westgate heading for London on February 21st.
50438 is seen by Queens Lane with an inbound service on February 22nd.
In the past week we have seen megabus M34 services using Gloucester Green as seen in the pictures below.
Jack Cooper
54266 is seen using Gloucester Green on February 21st.
Martin Sacaloff with some interesting pictures from two min companies
Merlin Travel are using this ex Airline FF08OXF as
seen on February 25th.
.jpg)
Now with Plymouth City Coach ex Airline UF61OXF again
on February 25th.
Various recent pictures by Martyn on his facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227938280632436&set=a.1802826520490
Michael Wadman
.... with memories of past days in Cheltenham, Gloucester and the west.
The "minibus" at work in Cheltenham in 1993 and 1994.
Cheltenham & District 3024 once with Bristol working service E in the town on
December 11th 1993.
In those past days when the 94 saw Leyland Nationals like 3507 on December 11th
1993.
Martin Sutton
Just a gentle correction to say that the picture of
Stagecoach 15981 shows it working Stagecoach route A in Cheltenham, not
Gloucester. It is pictured in the High Street. The Cheltenham
numbering of the local services with letters rather than numbers is a legacy of
Andrew Dyer who was manager of Cheltenham District in the mid-80's He had
previously been the manager of the Greenslades coaching arm of Harry Blundred's
Devon General and liked Exeter's system of letters for the City services, itself
inherited from Exeter Corporation.
Many thanks to Martin and I have corrected last week's page.
Scotland
Nick Ross
Near Garve, a long dumped Ford prototype
Q224 GFV, been in that field 17 years!
this old Westerbus girl has been on this remote farm
for many years and is visible from the nearby Kyle line trains. Taken on
February 22nd
City Link coach YS16 YML on the Glasgow - Uig run tops the Skye bridge on
February 22nd
At a damp Aviemore Stagecoach Enviro 300 on the X37 to Carrbridge and beyond on
February 23rd
For those who like ex RM registrations Lothians 803DYE working Rail Replacement
on February 26th.
South Wales
Ben Christie
A selection of the buses I drive in the Stagecoach South Wales fleet based in Caerphilly.
Gold 26193 with a 26 service to Blackwood on January
21st.
34750, one the oldest Darts on September 11th 2021.
Route 56 is worked by Caerphilly depot as seen above
with 35201 and 36777 the latter from last year.
36777 again and 36794 both in latest livery working
route B & C.
37014 with route C, 37018 with route A and 37019 with
route B taken over the past few months.
A number of Solos are based at Caerphilly as shown above with several repainted
into the latest livery.
The Solo SR type also features in the allocation to
Caerphilly again seen on local routes.
Also one of the two ex-Oxford B10B’s that local company Harris own for school work, they are still providing good service !
http://quack77.uk/fleetlists/fleet.php?ownerid=425
According to the fleet list this could be ex OBC 613,
632, 635 or 637.
Ben, very many thanks to Ben for these interesting pictures.