Editorial

This issue has some very interesting items including details of Showbus which is on September 29th, this year at Hertfordshire Showground. Also there is a photographic piece by two contributors regarding last Sunday's Running Day in High Wycombe. This recreated the routes of the '60s and '70s when London Transport ran many of the local routes having done so since the 1930s.

TfL has confirmed that Victoria Coach Station will remain the major coach terminal in London and will be refurbished improving passenger facilities.

Another subject this week is the recent RT80 Event in London when RT1, STL441 and STL2377. Nigel Eadon-Clarke has kindly provided a number of the pictures he took on Saturday, August 24th at this event which was arranged so that photographers could get live running pictures as RT4779 provided transport.

A further nice small piece is from Theo Freeman who visited Oxford and provided a few pictures in Banbury and Oxford.

Coming events

This coming weekend on Sunday, September 8th there is an RT/RF Celebration Running Day North Weald Station and on Sunday, October 6th the Amersham & Chesham Classic Bus Running Day is taking place. This is based on Chesham Broadway. 

SHOWBUS will be held, this year, on Sunday, September 29th at The Hertfordshire Showground. This is a change of venue which will be within easier reach for many participants and visitors. Full details can be found on the link mentioned below and there are a number of direct services to the event from our area (OCBP). The home page is comprehensive will full travel details as special services are being run by Arriva, Carousel and Red Rose. Do take a look !

 https://showbus.com

 Transport Links

https://showbus.com/subind1/1A1S.htm This the Carousel timetable.

https://showbus.com/subind1/trips.htm This has links to all the services.

For all those attending I hope you have an enjoyable day. Ed.

Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society

From Graham Low

The first meeting in our new season will be on Tuesday, September 10th, with an illustrated talk by myself on the great variety of buses and coaches built by Northern Counties in Wigan, some of which served Oxford from 1967 onwards.


This type ended up with Oxford Bus.

Our meeting on Tuesday, October 10th, will be a talk by Paul Lacey on the history of South Midland, the predecessor of today's frequent X90 and Oxford Tube services.

On Tuesday, November 12th, Simon Hewings will talk to us about recent bus rallies he has attended. 

On Tuesday, December 10th, the chairman will run his celebrated and challenging annual quiz, followed by a social evening.

All meetings start at 7 30 p.m. and will be held in The Tree Hotel, Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, OX4 4EY, where meals are available before the meetings.

Simon Matt and I very much hope that you will be able to come to our meetings.


Much is lost in the black & white, which dampens the orange, green and white.

TfL confirms historic site will continue and be renovated, and coach parking elsewhere will be improved

The Grade II-listed Art Deco Coach Station
 
The exterior and part of the interior taken by Gavin Francis on September 3rd 2019.
I wonder how many of you know that the architect who designed VCS also designed The Hoover Building on the north side of the A40 at Perivale.

Victoria Coach Station is to remain where it is, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed, ending long-running uncertainty over the future and location of London’s main coach hub.
TfL also plans to improve its customer facilities, and will work with coach operators to do so, it says.

The Grade II-listed Art Deco station, built in 1932 by a consortium of coach operators, will see renovations and possible changes to its layout in the early 2020s, as sections of its lease expire.

TfL priorities

TfL says it is “prioritising sustainable operations that reduce harmful vehicle emissions”, and retaining a coach station in Victoria minimises on-street pick-ups and drop-offs, plus enables people to reach the centre of London without using a private car.
 
Helen Lee, Head of Coach Operations at TfL, says: “Without Victoria Coach Station, coaches would still travel to the centre of the city but drop off and pick up on-street. This would increase noise, congestion and pollution for people living, working and visiting central London. It would also deprive the 14 million passengers who use this affordable long-distance travel every year of vital welfare facilities and ease of access to onward connections.”

Across London

TfL says it is also identifying sites for enhanced coach facilities across the capital, to complement Victoria Coach Station. It will work with the industry to identify appropriate locations for the supporting sites over the coming months.

Keith McNally, Operations Director at the Confederation of Passenger Transport, says: “This is great news for coach operators, who provide affordable connectivity across the UK and Europe. As well as playing a vital role in cutting congestion and improving air quality, the station acts as a working hub for operators and as a focal point for travellers, with many using it to interchange to onward destinations."

“Coach operators can now make their business and investments plans with the welcome knowledge that the station will remain operational.” 


     High Wycombe Running Day  

A very successful day was enjoyed by numbers of enthusiasts on Sunday, September 1st. The weather was just perfect and several hundred people boarded the many buses on offer for the various journeys, of which many went out completely full. Eleven buses were on show and routes related to the 1960s with the exception of the Green Line 711. However a 724 service was operated from Harlow.

 
Pictures from Gavin Francis.

Two of my regular correspondents enjoyed the day and sent me a number of pictures which will give readers who did not attend a chance to see what they missed !

Sadly I was unable to go with Gavin Francis due to having a really bad day in terms of being out and about. Never mind I do hope to go to Showbus this year.

So with my thanks to Gavin Francis and Tony Bungay here are a selection of the photos they took.

Gavin Francis


Close your eyes and you could imagine being back in 1969 maybe?


Having come in with a 724, RF26 is waiting for its next duty in High Wycombe bus station.


A study in the rear of country buses - the paint work on GS13 is superb.

 
GS13-arriving in Wycombe with a 442 service in Abbey Way.

   
AEC Merlin MB90 leaves the Eden Bus Station with a 305 service.


RF 600 leaves the Eden Bus Station with a 364 service to Holmer Green.


RF 673 departs from the Eden Bus Station with a 305 service to Beaconsfield.

  
RML2414 is seen in the Eden Bus Station and then on route 363 in Church Street.

 
The light has changed on the two pictures of Peter Cartwright's RML2440 which has just had a full repaint, it does look good.

   
Looking every inch a Green Line RT is seen here on a short working to West Wycombe.


RT3254 seen but this time in the express bay at Eden Bus Station having worked, I think, a 724 service inbound?


RT 3491 is seen heading for Beaconsfield with a 305 service.

     
RTL554 is seen at Micklefield Estate - Woodside Road North, then an interior picture and one from the nearside rear.
I have driven both the RTLs and a St Helens RT when working for Harpers and I must be honest and say the RTL was better. 

Tony Bungay

As it was on your doorstep so to speak, I assume and indeed hope you were able to attend the above running day which was blessed with good weather and was a very pleasant temperature compared with last Sunday!

The only problem to some extent was photography could be a shade difficult depending where the sun shone.


RTL554 outside the former London Transport/London Country High Wycombe Garage.


Green Line RT3254 at Gerrards Cross turning circle.

 
MB90 proceeding through Gerrards Cross returning from a short working to Chalfont Common and later at Seer Green.


Green RT and Red RTL at Wycombe End Beaconsfield.


Two RF’s at Penn providing opportunity to change journeys, 363 to High Wycombe and 373 to Beaconsfield.


One of only two journeys worked to Wooburn Common, RF673 had to reverse off the road into the Pub car park.
There was a short interval to get a photo but not a pint! Unless one was happy to wait three hours for the next and final journey !

So with many thanks to Gavin and Tony on to the next subject.

RT 1 and the RT 80th birthday run in Central London

An iconic design of London bus which came to be known in many parts of the world, RT1 entered service from Chelverton Road, Putney (AF) on June 17th 1939 and along with its early sisters ran through the second world war until withdrawn in 1945. The present bus seen on the day has had a varied and interesting life ending in its current condition with the chassis from RT1420 (it lost its body in an argument with a low bridge) and using the original body which first saw the light of day in 1938. It has been in preservation since 1979 regaining its original registration EYK396 in April of that year. So the bus is over 80 years old, in spite of its varied history, giving the public a chance to see what the most numerous bus of London is like in "the tin".

Nigel Eadon-Clarke has kindly provided a number of the pictures, including STL441 and STL2377, which he took on Saturday, August 24th this year on the running day in London. The photos in the link below were taken at Putney Common, Putney Bridge, Sloane Square, Hyde Park Corner and The Guildhall. The link to the total of 217 photos is shown below.

Buses at the Road Run on August 24th

Please note the pictures are copyright to Nigel Eadon-Clarke and not for publication by anyone without permission.


STL 2377 followed by STL441 and then RT1, turn on to Putney Bridge, a scene that might have been 80 years ago.


STL441 in a rear view as they leave Putney Bridge by the Approach before turning into New Kings Road.

  
Here STL2377 and STL441 are making a circle of Sloane Square for the benefit of photographers.


The three stars line up at Hyde Park Corner, whilst waiting for The Horse Guards pass by, with sun bringing out the best in these wonderful buses. 

Welcome to Guildhall - London powerhouse since the twelfth century


The buses used at The Guildhall, which is noted as London's ancient town hall, entered by Guildhall Yard.
Spanning 800 years - from the Gothic grandeur of the Great Hall to the largest surviving medieval crypts in London.

I have much enjoyed editing these pictures, including finding the various locations using Google Earth. Very many thanks to Nigel Eadon-Clarke for allowing the use of his pictures. - Editor.

Theo Freeman visited Oxford

Theo sent a few interesting pictures from his visit saying -

"Oxford today and got some photos as well as a surprise visit of 20933 at Banbury (I see its sister 20936 is up for disposal according to UKBuses) I also saw Stagecoach Hull's 10735 on loan operating on route 3's. Photos are..."

 
20933 at Banbury Bus Station


OBC coach 37 Not in Service at Gloucester Green

 
E400MMC 10735 at Carfax (this was took on my phone as it crept upon me, so not the best quality I'm afraid)

Many thanks to Theo for that brief interlude.

North of the Border with Gordon Scott

Taken August 28th of Stagecoach Midlands Rugby depot based 54605 - YX68UAN named Bus Lightyear a Volvo B11RT Plaxton Elite i on Megabus M20 route seen arriving and leaving Edinburgh Bus Station.

  
The coach is incredibly clean and looks like new!

Stagecoach East Scotland Aberhill depot based 53735 - BF63ZRT Volvo B9R Caetano Levante seen on route X60 leaving Edinburgh Bus Station. Ex Stagecoach Yorkshire Chesterfield depot and National Express from new.

53737 - BF63 ZRV Volvo B9R Caetano Levante ex Stagecoach Yorkshire seen in Princess Street Edinburgh on X60 -on August 30th

Many thanks to Gordon for this contribution.

A question from Alexander

When Oxford Bus Company's 18 service became the 16A, did it interwork the 2C the way the 18 did? 

Fleet news and developments

During Gavin Francis's involvement with the High Wycombe Running Day he also got an number of local bus pictures.


StreetLite 2327 is working the 33 on September 1st.

   
September 1st was marked by Arriva in Wycombe with a significant turnout of Citaros for the services.


Oh dear, surely they could have found a bus with a working blind to go to Reading?


Yet again was it really necessary for Aylesbury to use a 280 branded bus on the 300 or were the short of buses? 

Maybe it is easy to say but on a Sunday when the turnout is rather small surely the allocation could provide the correct bus. Even 3008 is branded for the 800/850 and is working the 32. A paper 32 would be easier for the local people using 3009? 

During Gavin Francis's involvement with the High Wycombe Running Day he also got an number of local bus pictures.


StreetLite 63314 is seen in The Eden Bus Station on September 1st on its branded route!

As ever I would like to record my thanks to Phil Southall, Managing Director, for answering my questions and also help from Luke Marion, the Commercial Director. Without their help I would have to listen to rumour and comment which so often turns out to be incorrect.

Latest news from Phil Southall is that ex Go Ahead London 941, converted in house to single door, is presently away being repainted. He adds "938 to 940 will be converted once the new STS buses arrive!"

These are the six for the ST1 and ST2 which are noted under Thames Travel.

During Gavin Francis's involvement with the High Wycombe Running Day he also got an number of local bus pictures as shown below.

 
Solo 712 is seen ready and then departing with a Link 40 to Stokenchurch on September 1st.


876 is seen working the 102 to Beaconsfield on September 1st. 

Service 250 between Oxford and Bicester transferred to Oxford Bus for operation from Monday, September 2nd. It is intended that Citaro 869, transferred to Oxford and 870 will be the buses used on this service.

A few pictures have already reached me showing the change which has also included a StreetLite, SK68TXP in white, on short term loan which does not have a fleet number.

James Freeman caught up with buses on the 250 as below.

 
On the 28th StreetLite SK68TXP had arrived at the depot still bearing Arriva names.
By September 3rd it was working the 250 service from The Randolph.


On the first day of Oxford Bus working the 250, 883 is seen heading back to Oxford on a beautiful sunny day.


The next day 869, now with City branding is seen heading up St Giles on service to Bicester.

Phil Southall

"46, 842 and 870 have been long term VOR, although 870 is back from this weekend to operate service 250 along with 869 from TT.46, 842 and 870 have been long term VOR, although 870 is back from this weekend to operate service 250 along with 869 from TT." ( note above)

PICTUREVIEW


Tourismo 39, promoting the Ashmolean, is seen leaving London for Oxford on a bright and sunny day August 27th by Gavin Francis.


The weather means clean buses and here 369 is seen in St Giles with an X3 to Abingdon on August 31st by Gavin Francis. 

Phil Southall

"The two new PMU buses have now arrived. 979 is purple and 980 silver for now. The former will run in Oxford straight away, the latter has been for the last week but will be going to HW shortly."

Luke Marion

"Registrations are 979 RN19WSO and 980 RN19WSV for the two new PMU vehicles."

James Freeman

James has provided pictures of the two new PMU Mercedes.


979 is seen at the depot on arrival and awaiting branding - the date August 28th.


980 is seen in service on PMU duties running up St Giles - September 4th.

Phil Southall

"New E200s are coming next week and the week after. Long ones will be 451-3 and short ones 511-3. No registrations yet as will be 69 plate."

This will allow Carousel's StreetLites to return to High Wycombe and then the Scania double decks will return to Oxford. The present loan buses 597-599 will return to their owner. 

Jack Cooper

A new Thames Travel 45 service is starting September 9th 2019

. The route is between Abingdon and Culham Science Centre.

https://www.thames-travel.co.uk/routes/45

Service 250 between Oxford and Bicester transferred to Oxford Bus for operation from Monday, September 2nd. It is intended that Citaro 869, transferred to Oxford and 870 will be the buses used on this service. q.v.


I mentioned in the last issue that 252 seemed to have been off the road for some time. However here it is in service on August 31st by Gavin Francis.

During Gavin Francis's involvement with the High Wycombe Running Day he also got an number of local bus & coach pictures.


Oxford's coach 58, a recent Levante III is seen leaving High Wycombe on September 1st by Gavin Francis.


The Levante shows a novel way of advertising travel with National Express by the rear wrap. Gavin Francis took this on August 30th in Gloucester Green.


Parks LSK844 with a National Express 540 service on August 27th by Gavin Francis

Gavin Francis

Plastow's have two coaches (second hand). They appeared a few weeks ago and were plain white for a while but they are now in fleet livery. SJ16ZZT and SJ16ZZU. They have come from D & E Coaches of Inverness and are more used to being in the Orkneys!! Could not have come much further and from recent purchases it is unusual for them to buy second hand ! 

 
The 600 service to Legoland from Windsor is now worked by Newbury & district as seen above with 786 and 787 pictured by James Freeman.
The date is August 26th 2019.
 

We understand that Enviro 400MMC 10735, on loan at Oxford from Stagecoach East Midlands, is to allow Scania/Enviro 400 15966 to be released from Oxford to Witney to provide cover whilst several Gold-spec Scania/Enviro 400s from Witney receive bodywork attention which is being done by Stagecoach East Midlands at its Hull bodyshop.

Several pictures of this bus have been received and are shown below.

 
10735 is seen in Oxford with a 2A service on August 30th. The local Hull branding is interesting as is the super rear advert. Gavin Francis.


Striking from the rear and unmistakable seen on August 30th by James Freeman.


September 1st found the bus on Rail Replacement duties in Oxford in this picture by James Freeman.

Other pictures received.

 
Gold buses on the 2 route including one branded for the S5, confusing for anyone chasing across the road to catch the bus!!!
Seen on August 30th and 31st by Gavin Francis.


A nice picture of Gold S4 branded 28742 resting between trips in St Giles on August 30th by Gavin Francis.


X5 branded 54308 arrives from Cambridge in the City of Dreaming Spires ! Picture from August 25th by Gavin Francis.


Working the M34 is this repainted Interdecker, 54207, seen in St Giles on September 3rd by James Freeman. Is this a revised colour for Megabus?  

 

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