Issue nr. 212
Wednesday, July 20th 2022

Editorial

Phew !! a couple of very hot days for many of us. Indeed it took me back some 40 years when I worked for TAP Air Portugal and after a flight from Lisbon to Luanda, Angola, walking out of the Boeing 707 into what seemed like a brick wall of heat at 2 am. Walking out of our back door yesterday and I was back 40 years !!!!!

Certainly not the best weather for sitting at my computer writing this issue. However, as always you have been  providing some interesting contributions and these are much appreciated.

There has been a rally at Alton with several reports, we also have a piece from Andrew Webb regarding his visit to Crewe and an overseas contribution from Robert Homan in Belgium and The Netherlands.

We also have an explanation why the loan buses at Stagecoach Oxford are not showing up on www.bustimes.org .

Gavin Francis has as ever provided some interesting pictures and there is more on the upcoming change of operator for the High Wycombe-Thame service from July 24th.

Mentioning July 24th - note that there is a special event at Victoria Coach Station celebrating its' 90th anniversary in 2022.

We have three interesting Readers Write under that section below. 

Finally there is a nice item from Steven Knight Media regarding upcoming events in the U.K. involving Stagecoach.

http://sadtht.co.uk/alton/index.html

This event was visited by a number of readers who contributed a variety of pictures of the buses and coaches present. Our area was represented as you will see below.

Andrew Webb

After Covid forced the cancellation of the previous two rallies, the Alton Bus Rally returned to the town's Anstey Park on July 17th.  Glorious sunshine greeted a wide range of buses and coaches, including this preserved South Midland Transit from the Oxford Bus Museum collection. 

It is seen departing with a good load of passengers bound for Lasham Church. 

Representing present day operators in the Chilterns was this former London Citaro, 877, in the fleet of Carousel who use it on the Chiltern Hundred group of routes. 

The route branding sparkles in the sun as it arrives on the display area.

This former Devon General Leyland PD2 is now part of the Stagecoach heritage fleet, the fleet number behind the driver's door being a subtle clue. 

During the late 1990s it spent time with Thames Transit in Oxford,
but is seen leaving the rally site with a trip on the Alton town service.

After a second service life with Charlton Services this former Stagecoach Alexander B10M has been saved for preservation.

 This representing what was once a common Stagecoach bus across the company's British operations.

David Beynon

     
   
     

From 1942 (rebodied 1955) to 2022, a few of yesterday’s exhibits.

Gary Seamarks

Attached are a few from Alton on Sunday, nice to see the South Midland Transit after so many years, a good varied selection were present also, the newest being YX22OJG, taking that out the images will give one preserved vehicle from each decade 40's to 00's. Quite a few first timers for me here, well organised event on a decent site, and praise for the food outlets, prices seemed reasonable, quality was good and service was fast.

Tony Bungay

Enclosed on this and the next  few e-mails are a selection of photos taken at Alton Bus Rally yesterday, the first  one since 2019, despite the heat warnings, the actual event was blessed with a breeze which made things tolerable.

As always the case you may well have received a number of contributions already, so apologies for more, but at least gives you a good choice of what to use, this particular show did as you will see include a number of local vehicles of various periods.

     
     
     
     
     
     
The wide variety is shown by Tony's pictures at Alton.

The group of Alder Valley and London Country National’s could almost have been Guildford in 1987/88 period!

I am very grateful to my three contributors who have, between them, provided a wide variety of vehciles present. Ed.

https://www.londonbusmuseum.com/victoria-coach-station-running-day/

London Bus Museum is pleased to be working with the TfL Coaches team at London's Victoria Coach Station in organising a running day on Sunday, 24th July 2022, featuring historic buses and coaches providing free rides between 0930 and 1700.

Historic coaches will run every half hour non-stop on route 090 to Hammersmith Lower Bus Station and buses from the 1980s and 1990s will operate the Airbus A1 service every half hour via Kensington to Hammersmith Lower Bus Station; these routes will depart from lanes 1 and 2 in Victoria Coach Station. Departing from outside on Buckingham Palace Road, about every 10 minutes, will be Routemasters and RTs on route 11 as far as Aldwych (for London Transport Museum); route 11 will run in normal service between these points alongside the normal TfL route 11 service.

http://www.tvagwot.org.uk/event-victoria2022.htm

Albums from James Freeman

The album so far this month

https://www.flickr.com/photos/d1661trains/albums/72177720300506931

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE UPCOMING SERVICE CHANGES

Brian Butler

The Buckinghamshire Council website is advising of more Redline changes with effect from July 25th, although no mention of these as yet on Redline's own website:- 

Minor timetable changes on the 6/6A, 11 & 12 

On the 130 (Aylesbury to High Wycombe) it is still 4 buses per hour on Mondays to Fridays but (from Aylesbury) the departure times are moved from 00, 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour to 07, 22, 37 and 52 minutes past the hour. The significance of this is that while at present Arriva's departures are 5 minutes in advance of Redline as of 25th July Redline will be 3 minutes in advance of Arriva!! Two earlier and two later journeys have also been added to the 130 on Mondays to Fridays. Arriva still have two later journeys after the last Redline. 

On Saturdays the 130 goes from half hourly to every 20 minutes (Arriva is every 15 minutes). One earlier and one later journey have been added. On Saturdays Arriva still have three later journeys after the last Redline. As a consequence of Redline's changes there will be both Arriva and Redline departures at 10 minutes past the hour!! 

On Sundays when both operators provide one bus per hour (Arriva departing Aylesbury at 50mins past the hour) perhaps surprisingly, given what they have done on the other days, Redline have moved their departure from

Ciaran Bird moves to Stagecoach

This is a photo from my last driving duty at Worth's Coaches at Chippy School.

I'll send you a photo of my first Stagecoach duty in due course, in which I was on duty 1804 and had 15834, 15757 and 15833 in that order.

We look forward to updates as and when time permits. Ed.  

Malcolm Crowe

Once a main trunk road to the west and Wales, now "bypassed" by the M40 here is the A40 looking west on July 14th.

and this is the Stigwood's Angel Coach in the distance closer to.

Jack Cooper 

MMC 601 with an X3 working in St Aldates on July 14th.

Nick Ross

Stagecoach Enviro 15612 crosses the "Free Bridge" over the Ouse river with the 0641 Kings Lynn - Spalding 505 on July 11th 2022  

      Coach visitors to Oxfordshire     

David Beynon

A couple of MCVs today, one at Redbridge P&R and one at Osney.

Anderson Travel PO17EKP on July 19th.

Gavin Francis

Anderson's VDL Beulas Cygnus WJ19HRA seen in St Giles on July 17th.

North East Coach Travel Yutong TC12 YL17BFM in St Giles on July 14th.

An ex NEx Caetano FJ11MKG seen in St Giles on July 14th now with Ridleys.

     Fleet News and developments   

Gavin Francis 

     
A selection of Arriva in Wycombe on July 19th.

Mark Turner

Arriva Hemel 6524 YX17NFA leaving Watford on Wednesday, July 20th heading back to Aylesbury on 500.

Flixbus

Douglas Rowley

BR21OCX ex Thandi now owned by Cymria coaches of Swansea for Flixbus contract for 046 route.

See operator partners in Wales above. Ed.

Gavin Francis 

Over from France on July 14th.

Flixbus Ridleys BF65WKJ working the 020 in Elizabeth Street on July 14th.

Gavin Francis 

Gavin took the bus from Stokenchurch to Wycombe on July 19th using the link40 (not long to run now) and travelled on Citaro 869. He had a surprise when this notice appeared inside.

869 has been at Carousel for a long time now !!!!

 
A couple of pictures in Wycombe on July 19th.

Carousel are also suffering a driver shortage as are many companies throughout the UK.

Malcolm Crowe

Just to record the approaching end of Carousel and the link40 here are the recent two most used buses for the route. 869 and 870

 
Seen on June 30th in Stokenchurch.

Bob Stanger

I noticed that 661 was working the X39 on July 15th and Bob caught the bus in Reading. Well done!

David Beynon

668 getting a tyre repair in Magdalen Street East on July 13th.

Gavin Francis

Seems that deckers are now being employed for 11 road, as seen above with 221 heading for Chalgrove
on July 17th with 603 and 614 today, July 20th.

 
Now diesel, Hybrids 316 and 317 are seen in St Aldates on July 17th.

In a happy blue livery, 369 is seen working 3 road in St Aldates on July 17th.

 
Loan 599 is seen in St Aldates on July 17th working 46 road.

 
603 and 608 are seen in St Aldates on July 17th.

 
669 working the 35 and 973 with an 11X seen in St Aldates on July 17th

Jack Cooper 

Tourismo 40 seen in Gloucester Green on July 11th. 

https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/careers  

   https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/timeline

The following new Caetanos are worthy of mention.

Gavin Francis

Lucketts BV19XRJ (X550355) with a 035 in Buckingham Palace Road on July 14th.

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Reading Buses

As part of their annual summer programme changes, Reading Buses has reviewed some of their bus timetables. 

From Monday July 25 six services will see minor changes made to their frequency for the summer period when fewer people traditionally travel by bus. 

The service changes are: 

jet black – some tweaks to times to ensure the timetables reflect the reality on the road, but no change to frequency. 

emerald 5 – slight change to peak time buses, but frequency remains up to every 10 minutes. 

emerald 6 – slight change to peak time buses, but frequency remains up to every 10 minutes. 

purple 17 – peak time frequency reduced from up to every eight minutes to up to every 10 minutes. 

yellow 26 – slight reduction in frequency for summer with buses running up to every 15 minutes. 

royal blue 33 – peak time frequency reduced to every 20 minutes from every 15 minutes. 

Said Robert Williams, Chief Executive Officer “The reduced frequency also allows our employees to enjoy a well-earned summer holiday and to deliver services when they are needed. For those who are travelling during the summer period our group ticket has been reduced to £6 until September, allowing a group of any four people to travel together in the Simply Reading zone. Just ask your driver when you board.” 

Gavin Francis

E200 YX09FMK is seen heading out of West Wycombe with school service 654 on July 14th. 

Gavin Francis

E200 YX10FEF is seen heading out of Wycombe with service 130 on July 19th. 

(East of England) Notices and Proceedings 130722

Section 3.2 – Registration of New Services Granted Under Short Notice

Red Rose

PF0001493/156 RED ROSE TRAVEL LTD, THE BLINKING OWL GARAGE, OXFORD ROAD, HADDENHAM, AYLESBURY, HP17 8TT From: Town Hall, Thame To: High Wycombe Bus Station Via: Chinnor and Stokenchurch Name or No.: 40 Service type: Normal Stopping Effective date: 27 July 2022 Other details: Monday - Sunday service

PF0001493/156 RED ROSE TRAVEL LTD, THE BLINKING OWL GARAGE, OXFORD ROAD, HADDENHAM, AYLESBURY, HP17 8TT From: Town Hall, Thame To: High Wycombe Bus Station Via: Chinnor and Stokenchurch Name or No.: 40 Service type: Normal Stopping Effective date: 27 July 2022 Other details: Monday - Sunday service

https://www.redrosetravel.com/service-40-diversion-in-chinnor-thame-road

https://www.redrosetravel.com/service-40

I think that the dates mentioned should be July 24th or 25th. Ed. 

Gavin Francis

 
E19RRT seen heading out of West Wycombe with service 275 to Oxford on July 14th. 
The second picture is of this bus when in service with Metrobus on April 22nd 2009.
This is an East Lancs Omnitown bodied Scania N94U.

This seem to an unusual duty for the Scania as we have not seen one working the 275 before. 

My thanks to SKM for some explanation for the recent transfer of buses to and from various depots.

The British Grand Prix, Royal International Air Tattoo, Open Golf Championship, Glastonbury and the 2022 Commonwealth Games all have something in common. They are all events where Stagecoach has provided/is providing a huge resource in both vehicle and driver numbers to operate special services.

It has, however, become more challenging and for the Silverstone Grand Prix operation the net had to be cast wider with Stagecoach pulling in buses and drivers from its South West, South East, North East and East Scotland operating companies as well as support from UNO and Reading Buses.

Well done to the company in seeking out commercial opportunities to increase bottom line finances. The biggest of these activities is the Commonwealth Games operation. Well, Stagecoach does have a proven track record in managing such ‘mega’ events. Remember the 2012 Olympic Games transport operation in London? It even shouted about its involvement with notices on buses.

Being a major national operator, Stagecoach is well placed to tap into its huge resources and expertise to manage special events. But wait... Something is different this time. Back in 2012 there was little in the way of driver shortages. Indeed Stagecoach was in a position to increase its driver numbers in the run up to the Olympic Games operation and then operate with surplus drivers after the Games, giving a robust buffer to cover driving staff leaving or retiring.

A large fleet of Reserve vehicles had also been built up that could cover whilst vehicles were away on special operations.

Fast forward ten years. For Stagecoach the Commonwealth Games operation needs several hundred vehicles. Yes, the School Holiday period means that there are surplus resources available but there is no doubt that the loss of double deck buses to the Games operation will result will result in the substitution with vehicles of a Fleet Digest No. 154 Published on July 18th 2022.

Covering the period 100722 until 170722
To provide cover for buses away on Commonwealth Games duties there have been numerous transfers of vehicles internally at Stagecoach operating companies.
At Stagecoach East Midlands, Pronto-liveried ADL Enviro 400MMC have been moved from Mansfield to Hull to allow vehicles in standard Stagecoach liveries to be released.

There is no argument that Stagecoach in 2022 does not have the surplus drivers it had ten years ago. Infarct there is no argument that in many parts of the country Stagecoach does not even have enough drivers to provide the timetable it advertises. Don’t believe me?
Then just look online and at Twitter feeds. In this, Stagecoach is not alone. Shortage of bus drivers is a national issue affecting large and small operators alike.
It is not just me that is voicing concerns. Over at CBW magazine Editor Richard Sharman has used a magazine Editorial to similarly publicly say what many stakeholders and customers are privately thinking.
So what does all this mean?
Hopefully I can be proved wrong, and if so will admit it. But I have that ‘niggling’ feeling that at depots where the number of drivers is at a critical level, or where a current shortage is resulting in advertised services not operating on a regular basis, then the number of ad-hoc cancellations will increase. If this happens than some hard hitting questions need to be asked. Not least how and why a respected bus company can neglect its ‘bread and butter’ passengers to seek the ‘golden nugget’ from contract operations.

Also let’s not forget it is not just special events bringing in guaranteed income - lots of smaller contracts have been taken on over the last year or so. And where services do operate, then don’t be surprised if a midibus turns up instead of a single deck or worse still a single deck turns up in place of a double deck. And your relatively new regular bus may be replaced by ‘superannuated’ examples.

There is an additional aspect insofar that the ‘bread and butter’ passengers will suffer service failures for some considerable time after the Commonwealth Games has packed up and the winner’s medals have started to tarnish. We are sure that to maximise staffing levels for the Games all holidays will have been cancelled for the duration. That means during the remainder of the year more driver holidays will have to be allocated, which will create a longer term shortage with the resultant service cancellations.

I suspect, and hope, that the situation is being closely monitored by stakeholders and local authorities.
The time has come to ensure that the advertised timetable is actually operated and does not suffer to cater for the whim of special events.

Steven Knight MCIJ

Very many thanks to Steve for this analysis.

Robert Homan

Stagecoach West have fanned the controversy about poor local service provision in Cheltenham and Gloucester with a number of vehicles deployed over the weekend on services from Cheltenham racecourse to RIAT at Fairford.

 
Shown are 15370 and 15980.

A minor concession, perhaps, to staff shortages was the hiring in of at least one white Trident.

P6WTL is shown on its way back to base on Sunday evening. I have no idea as to ownership.
This was YS08HYT and was at one time with Wheelers. Ed. 

Gavin Francis

Another picture of contract Trainer LX09AYF seen at Horspath depot on July 13th.

MMC 10434 has gained a super rear advert as seen when working the 2A in Oxford on July 17th.

Loaned South Wales 37027 is seen at Horspath Road on July 14th.

Peter Leyman

The first of the Stagecoach Welsh buses arrived this week at Bicester outstation. Slight difference is the seats, these ones have taller seats for the passengers. Overall the buses are in very good condition and are really nice to drive, you can certainly tell the difference between them and the Oxford Buses. Very impressed.

   
Fleet number 37017 photos taken at Bicester Outstation July 19th.

In Bicester the ticket machine it was showing no GPS & AVL this morning when I got in it and so I switched the machine off for 5 minutes and it was still showing the same. This explains why the four buses on loan from Wales are not showing up on www.bustimes.org

The buses are only here for five weeks to replace four Oxford deckers that are going to the Commonwealth Games. Hopefully they will sort the GPS out on them soon so customers are aware when they are going turn up at the bus stops.

 
Parked up at Bicester outstation this morning, July 20th, 37014 a extra vehicle from Stagecoach South Wales.

Many thanks to Peter for that clarification. Ed. 

Yet again 39699 has appeared working the tube but must be a spare ticket machine not fully configured. 

Gavin Francis

It's that Astromega again working M11X in Elizabeth Street on July 13th.

Seems Darcey Bussell is in trouble in Buckingham Palace Road on July 13th. 

     London operations    

Gavin Francis

EvanEvansTours Tourismo EE9938 another personalised plate for this operator in Elizabeth Street on July 13th. 

Grahame Wareham

The final Atlantean PDR1/1 to arrive in 1970 from South Wales Transport was numbered 212 registered RTH639, and new in 1959 to James Bros, Ammanford as their 228, later 1228 in the SWT fleet. It lasted in the COMS fleet long enough to receive NBC corporate poppy red livery in 1973 and upon withdrawal in March 1976 was the last of the trio sold to Derby Corporation Transport as their 63. It lasted until at least December 1980 with Derby and I believe was nearly sold for preservation but I would think that highly unlikely now as I'm sure it would have surfaced somewhere.

North Western Fleetlines next week then!

Oxford 212 Olympian images. 212 WWL212X was delivered in July 1982 and was the final vehicle of 12 originally ordered by NBC in June 1981 for COMS on contract ON040 1/82.

In January 1983 it received unibus advertising for Johnsons Homecare, being altered in March 1986 to Johnsons D.I.Y and further altered in May 1988 to Johnsons Buildbase.

 It received the new OBC standard fleet livery in March 1992 and was repainted into Cityline livery, front only, whilst receiving an overall advert livery for Berkeley Waterside Homes in November 1996.

It then received the new green Park & Ride livery in February 1998 prior to being withdrawn in August 1999 for sale.

It was initially earmarked to be sold to Whippet of Fenstanton, Cambridge but they took Titan 950 instead so 212 still headed East but to Hedingham Omnibus who converted it to single door and upseated the lower deck capacity by four. In September 2011 it was sold to L.C. Transport (Ladycars), Leyton, East London for use on their Palmers College contract in Grays until March 2013 when their licence was revoked. After that it is a bit of a mystery as their seem to be no records of for any of these former Hedingham/Ladycars buses, which included 202,206,212,213,218,223,224 and 236-239, with only 213, 238 and 239 having final disposals. I am assuming they were disposed of for scrap if the condition of 239..........which I am restoring.............is anything to go by, but having said that they are 40 years old! I haven't any images of this 212 after it left Oxford but am sure there are plenty taken during the Hedingham era.

Andy Churchill

Leyland Olympian 212 (WWL212X) pictured in George Street Oxford and in a wrap round livery for Johnson’s Homecentre .

Gavin Francis

...... with pictures of the current 212

Taken April 30th 2011

By December 22nd 2012 it was rather dirt.

     
From 2014 Thames Travel took over even if on July 11th 2018 it was back home woking 5 road!

Michael Wadman

Stagecoach acquired Circle Line in 1995 but for some reason made no attempt to apply corporate identity to it and indeed pretended that it was nothing to do with them, even to the extent of not stocking Circle Line timetables in their Cheltenham enquiry office. The only outward manifestations of the new ownership were the appearance of fleet numbers in the Stagecoach West series and the cascading of vehicles from the other Stagecoach West fleets.

Circle Line B439WTC Former Bristol Omnibus Co Ford Transit / Dormobile's
destination board can’t be made out but thought to be on town service K Cheltenham High Street on December 11th 1993.

As with the Ford Transit, this pre-dates the Stagecoach takeover, when Circle Line was still an independent. I have seen it suggested that even at this time Stagecoach had a minority shareholding in the company that they inherited from Western Travel, but I didn’t mention that because I haven’t been able to verify it. 

Circle Line post-1995 was quite bizarre in the way that Stagecoach tried to pretend that it was nothing to do with them. I asked in the Cheltenham enquiry office for a service Q timetable and the lady said that that was Circle Line and nothing to do with them. “But you own it,” I said. If looks could kill I’d be dead. Apparently I wasn’t supposed to know that!

Well, a nice question which maybe someone can answer ? Ed.

Robert Homan

A couple of photographs showing approaches to bus provision well outside "our area". 

One of the 129 Citaro G Hybrid artics supplied by Mercedes-Benz for the Belgium operator Transport en Commun, Le TEC.

This one was in Liege on July 6th. I wonder at what point in the future it will no longer be "nouveau"?

An Arriva Limburgliner VDL Citea electric bus in Maastricht on July 7th.

Do Arriva have any electrics in the UK yet?

Robert poses an interesting question. Ed. 

Brian Hawkins

A month or so back Mr. Swann ceased notifying the fleet locations for our area, citing redundancy. It was said that a replacement was being sought.

Am I to take it that as no further fleet lists have appeared, that this useful and informative part of the news letter has ended ?

Thank you for what you do each week to keep us informed of the goings on in our hobby.

I was pleased to advise Brian that I am receiving this information from a senior management source in Arriva, so hopefully no problems in the future. Ed.

Gavin Francis

... caught up with this bus twice in recent days but we are not sure who the operators is?

 
Seen in West Wycombe on July 14th and then in Binders Yard on July 19th.
I think it is operating for Chiltern Buses?

Gary Seamarks

Just to clear up for you Berry's Taunton have BR21OCV and OCZ on Plymouth routes and Cymria coaches have BR21OCX on Swansea service for Flixbus and one gone to Scotland for normal service not FlixBus service

Ian McNeil

I always enjoy reading the page even though it's many years since I lived in the area.

Even before that I lived in Poole and became familiar with the trains on the line east of there which ran past the school.  So I remember well that trains from Bournemouth West to Ringwood and Brockenhurst ran for many years beyond 1935 which Andrew Webb quotes as the closure date for Ringwood station; in fact the line was an early casualty of the 1963 Beeching report and closed in 1964.

I would also comment that the main type of vehicle operated by the then BCT was the trolleybus, with motor buses in a definite minority.   

Andrew Webb in Crewe

Crewe, a town loved by generations of train spotters, is also the destination for several Arriva services which terminate at the town's very dilapidated bus station.  Not prime bus territory (or maybe potential isn't exploited), the fleet has often served more profitable operations before cascade.  This creates the opportunity to see the history of Arriva's corporate image on the buses. 

The earliest livery was Aquamarine with a Cotswold stone swoop at the front, as illustrated by 2950, a Wright Pulsar 2 VDL SB200.
Originally operating in Liverpool it is seen arriving at the town's bus station on 16 July,
passing a hoarding on the edge of the demolished bus garage. 

The swoop became a smaller cow horn, initially for 'Express' services before being rolled out as the standard fleet livery. 

Alexander ALX400 Volvo B7TL 4107 started life in Greater Manchester, but is seen passing Crewe railway station. 

Another cascade from Merseyside is this Wright Pulsar VDL Cadet,
displaying the latest Arrivabus corporate image
to good effect as it reverses from the stand at Crewe bus station.

D&G Bus, part of the Centrebus group, are the second main operator in Crewe.  Their trunk route is the Leighton Link, offering a 30 minute frequency between the town centre and the large Leighton Hospital.