Editorial
Well, this issue finds us in the midst of a serious virus outbreak, encompassing self isolation, many working from home and so much more interrupting our everyday lives. There has been a noticeable downturn in mails and photographic contributions but as always we will do our best to provide a readable and interesting page.
A number of things in our area of interest make headline news. One particular item is the dramatic reduction in the share price of the major bus companies, with losses seeing share values drop by significant amounts varying between 50% and 75%, certainly unheard of in my lifetime. From time to time these prices rally momentarily but it is a portent of worrying times ahead. However as I write this on March 19th, bus company share prices have seen a very small recovery for the first time in several days.
I wonder how many watched the Panorama programme on the bus situation in England. The presenter made a journey from coast to coast starting on the North East Coast and ending in Blackpool. It was most interesting and gave rise to many thoughts to those of us old enough to remember nationalisation, privatisation and competition followed by efforts to replicate TfL London in our major cities in England.
I must thank those who have supported the page this week, as many of you may have little time for the luxury of photography and sightings.
I have changed the dividers I use following a comment that the one I used with the flashing star on a blue bar was very distracting. I wonder how many more of you also disliked this divider?
Finally and for the time of the Covid-19 crises I will include a section with as much local information as I can find. Not everyone may be interested but it does preserve a record of the current situation.
For the foreseeable future I intend recording items of specific note regarding COVID-
19Effects of the Coronavirus crisis:
The Senior Traffic Commissioner has made a short term change ins respect the licensing of bus and coach services
.Full announcement from the Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain
25. Current legislation already allows operators to seek short notice dispensation from a traffic commissioner in certain emergencies. Traffic commissioners have a discretionary power (Regulation 7) to accept short notice applications for services and in particular: h) where the operator, due to circumstances he could not reasonably have foreseen, failed to make an application in sufficient time for the period of notice applicable; i) where an operator applies to register or vary a registration to meet an urgent or exceptional public passenger transport requirement.
26. In the event of widespread disruption operators who need to change their local bus service registrations at short notice will be encouraged to apply using those provisions which allow for circumstances that could not reasonably have been foreseen or to meet an urgent and exceptional public passenger transport requirement. Operators who need to change their local bus service registrations at short notice to allow for a temporary variation of services will be encouraged to apply using those provisions which allow for circumstances that could not reasonably have been foreseen or to meet an urgent and exceptional public passenger transport requirement. The temporary variation might be treated as akin to a holiday service, where the registration automatically reverts back to the original route timetable at the expiry of the given period.
I presume that these rules will apply to many of the bus service changes.
The Original London Sightseeing Tour, Big Bus and Golden Tours
have been cancelled until further notice. The London Transport Museum is closed until further notice. London Underground is reported to be moving to a Saturday schedule on Mondays to Fridays.The Megasightseeing operation will cease after Saturday 21 March. The Heritage 15 will not now commence on 28 March.
It is noted services will operate significant timetables changes from March 23rd until further notice. More details are shown under the links below.
https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/covid-19/
Unfortunately, due to the current conditions related to COVID-19, the launch of the X50 airline service between High Wycombe, Maidenhead and Heathrow Airport will be delayed until May 17th 2020. The company remain very committed to the X50 project and are looking forward to beginning the service when conditions return to normal.
Reading Bus report :
Over the past few weeks customer numbers dropped two weeks ago by 5%, last week by 10% and 30% this week. This is doubtless reflected by many other companies.
From Monday 23
March Reading will be running a Saturday service on weekdays until further
notice.
Latest news release from Stagecoach - March 20th
https://m.stagecoachgroup.com/media/news-releases/2020/2020-03-20.aspx
... and locally in Oxfordshire the following has been released late on publication day
March 19th
2020
GOVERNMENT CORONAVIRUS MEASURES: CHANGES TO BUS
SERVICES
·
Measures reflect reduced travel and keeping key
workers communities connected
·
Temporary reduced service to operate from 23rd
March 23rd 2020
·
Changes follow new government advice on social
contact + non-essential travel
·
Stagecoach support for national effort to help
tackle challenging situation
·
Safety and well-being of customers and bus
employees remains top priority
·
Full details of new timetables available online
at stagecoachbus.com
Temporary changes to bus services in Oxfordshire
are being introduced by Stagecoach from Monday 23rd March 2020 following new
government advice around social contact and non-essential travel to help
combat the coronavirus.
A reduced timetable will operate across the region
until further notice. The timetables have been carefully created to ensure
that critical routes are maintained wherever possible.
It follows extensive action by bus operators to
enhance cleaning regimes and protect the safety and well-being of customers
and bus workers.
Separately, the bus and coach industry is also
engaging with government to help ensure the long-term future of bus
services, which are critical to the economy and local communities, is
protected.
Chris Coleman, Managing
Director at Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, said:
“Along with other bus operators and key sectors, we are working hard to
support the national effort to tackle the current challenging situation.
"The safety of our
customers and our employees is at the heart of everything we do. We also
know that
bus services play a vital role in keeping the country running and
ensuring key sector personnel get to work.
“Following the latest government advice, we have reviewed our timetables
and made temporary changes which reflect the reduced level of travel. Our
objective has been to focus resources on where we know they are needed most
at this time.
“We are working hard to best maintain essential services, safeguard jobs
and ensure the long-term sustainability of a sector which is central to our
economy and communities.
“We will continue to monitor the position, liaise closely with
government and other authorities, and respond as appropriate to what is a
dynamic situation.”
The majority of timetables will be running to a
Sunday timetable with additional early morning journeys.
A full timetable with no reductions will continue to run on the 700, 800, 900, S7 and 14/14a to maintain frequent connections to the hospitals.
Information regarding Oxford Tube services will be announced shortly.
Since the
impact of the coronavirus in the UK, Stagecoach has implemented additional
hygiene measures to protect passengers, frontline bus workers and
office-based staff.
In addition to
well-established and rigorous cleaning regimes, there has been more frequent
cleaning of main customer touch-points on buses, such as hand poles and grab
rails.
Customer
services will be open for enquiries from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am
to 5pm weekends. Any changes to this will be published on our website and
through social media.
Customers can
stay up to date with all the latest news from Stagecoach on Twitter
@Stagecoach Ox or by signing up to their email mailing list. Full details
will be made available online at stagecoachbus.com from Friday, March 20th.
Oxfordshire changes from March 23rd 2020
Message from the MD: "We’re still here to get you where you need to be"
We’ve been working very hard to keep our services running, whilst aiming to protect the safety of all customers and our people.
Following new government advice around social
contact and non-essential travel to help combat the coronavirus, we’re
introducing a special network which will operate from Monday 23 March 2020
until further notice. This is to ensure we can continue to serve those
people who still have an essential need to travel.
We’re therefore offering any customers with a pre-booked ticket for travel
between Monday 23 March and 20 April the choice of changing their booking,
free of amendment fees. For those affected, you’ll receive an email with a
link to use to rebook. Alternatively, should you wish to cancel and receive
a refund – you’ll have the option to do this within the email too.
If you have a booked ticket for dates outside of
the above timeframe (after 20 April) and wish to cancel, please contact our
Customer Services Team on 0141 352 4444 or
enquiries@megabus.com
quoting your reference number and they will issue you with a redemption
voucher valid for 12 months. Please note Customer Services are likely to be
very busy, so please bear with us.
For those travelling with us, we continue to have a number of extra measures in place:
• Enhanced cleaning regimes on board our
coaches, with particular focus on handles, tables and all customer touch
points.
• Encouraging good hand hygiene for all of our staff in line with advice
from Public Health England.
• Enhanced cleaning regime at stations and travel centres that we operate.
Our website is being updated regularly, so please check our service alerts for the most up-to-date information, along with our @megabusuk twitter account.
I hope that for customers who absolutely need to travel, we’re still able to help. For anyone else, we’ll miss seeing you on board until such time as government advice changes. Thanks for understanding and best wishes to all.
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/beds-and-bucks/updates/service-changes-in-high-wycombe-from-23rd-february-2020/
Timetable changes are to take affect from February 23rd with many routes and services affected. Check the website above and follow its links for more services.
There are many changes to services and the link below will let you see which services are running after Monday, March 23rd 2020.
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/live-service-updates
Announcement re upcoming trip on an Olympian
Chris Martin
http://www.busrunningdays.co.uk/2020/01/the-manx-tale-saturday-28th-march-2020.html
Chris writes saying "my planned trip to Cheney
Coaches for their ex Isle of Man Leyland Olympians has been POSTPONED
until Saturday 6th June owning to ongoing situation.
We will of course update readers on this page of developments.
Gavin Francis visits Turnpike Lane and Finsbury Park on February 13th
Gavin spent a pleasant day recording events at these two locations and I am including some of the 107 pictures he took.
On March 7th the 444 was taken over by Go Ahead with a mix of new electric E200EVs and old diesel E200s. This operates between Turnpike Lane and Chingford.
This is the brand new 20 plate BYD electric, SEe112 ready to work a 444 duty at Turnpike Lane on March 13th recorded by Gavin
Arriva E200s ENN49 and ENN54 working the W4 at Turnpike Lane. I think some might refer to these buses as "sweet little"!
GAL's SEe67 outside Finsbury Park Station with a
153 service.
StreetLite WS135 with a 232 rotation at Turnpike
Lane.
Tower StreetLite WV46210 with a 236 service at
Finsbury Park
A new Thames Valley book from Paul Lacey
Celebrating the centenary since the formation of the Thames Valley Traction Co. Ltd. on 10th July 1920 in a selection of photos from the foremost collection on that operator and its subsidiaries Newbury & District and South Midland and its many competitors.
The pages take the reader over the wide area of operations by the ‘Valley
during the years 1920 to 1971, and also the variety of vehicles employed
from the solid-tyred Thornycroft J-types through to the
final intakes of Bristol chassis, including the various second-hand
purchases during the 1959-1971 period, all of which added greater variety
and interest.
Within its 144 A4 perfect bound pages are 330 monochrome photos and 100 in colour, previously un-published, each with a fully-detailed caption.
Send your cheque for £23 for this post-free offer to:
Paul Lacey, 17 Sparrow Close, Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 3HT
If you prefer to collect your copy please call me on 0118 979 4097 to set up
a mutually-convenient time.
Still available:
Thames Valley, 1920-1930 (cover price £15) £13
Thames Valley, 1931-1945 (£25) £13
Thames Valley, 1946-1960 (£25) £13
Please mention The Oxford Chiltern Bus Page when ordering.
North of the Border with Gordon Scott
Two shots from March 13th of First
West England New
Taken
at Picardy Place Edinburgh on March 14th of
12004 - YX20ODP
| YX20ODK | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27852 | AD K238/01 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12001 |
| YX20ODM | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27856 | AD K238/02 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12002 |
| YX20ODN | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27855 | AD K238/03 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12003 |
| YX20ODP | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27859 | AD K238/04 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12004 |
| YX20ODR | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27860 | AD K238/05 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12005 |
| YX20ODS | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27864 | AD K238/06 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12006 |
| YX20ODT | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27865 | AD K238/07 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12007 |
| YX20ODU | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27867 | AD K238/08 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12008 |
| YX20ODV | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27869 | AD K238/09 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12009 |
| YX20ODW | AD E20D SFDDWCBR9KGY27853 | AD K238/10 | B38F | 3/2020 | Borders Buses | 12010 |
Pictures from Friday, March 20th at ADL, Falkirk
Gordon visited Falkirk today, Friday and has sent some interesting pictures of a new bus for Manchester complete in the new livery.
A new MMC on a test run at Falkirk on March 20th
which we understand is part of an order for Manchester.
Gordon also remarks that Lothian are modifying their livery with the removal of the lower gold lining as shown in the pictures below of 419 and 420.
Pictures taken by Gordon on March 19th.
Fleet news and developments
It is noted under The Coronavirus item above that services will operate significant service changes from March 23rd until further notice.
Arriva Beds & Bucks
From today, March 20th, concessionary passes can be used at any time on Arriva bus services. Whilst we recommend current government guidelines should be followed, we want to ensure we are supporting our communities.
Paul Swann of Arriva has provided full details of the Tourismo coaches for the new 720 service from Stansted to Liverpool Street.
| Chassis No | Body No | Reg. No. | Fleet No | Vehicle Make / Model |
| WEB41054523001825 | BB4105450297 | BV20 HRA | 7200 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001826 | BB4105450298 | BV20 HRC | 7201 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001827 | BB4105450299 | BV20 HRD | 7202 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001828 | BB4105450300 | BV20 HRE | 7203 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001829 | BB4105450301 | BV20 HRF | 7204 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001830 | BB4105450302 | BV20 HRG | 7205 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001831 | BB4105450303 | BV20 HRJ | 7206 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001832 | BB4105450304 | BV20 HRK | 7207 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001833 | BB4105450305 | BV20 HRL | 7208 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001834 | BB4105450306 | BV20 HRM | 7209 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001835 | BB4105450307 | BV20 HRN | 7210 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001836 | BB4105450308 | BV20 HRO | 7211 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001837 | BB4105450309 | BV20 HRP | 7212 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001838 | BB4105450310 | BV20 HRR | 7213 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001839 | BB4105450311 | BV20 HRU | 7214 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
| WEB41054523001840 | BB4105450312 | BV20 HRW | 7215 | Tourismo 15 RHD RL COACH |
Despite our report last week that all the Temsas had now arrived, a 757 coach was seen working the 758 on March 10th by Gavin Francis.
Tony Bungay
As it is Green Line 90 this year, are you planning to do any photo features on it, past and present, I know it is not exactly a milestone, but it is anybody’s guess whether the brand will still be in use for the 100th
Like a number of your contributors I can supply some
photos if required going back, in my case the early 1980’s
More interesting at the Cressex depot shows that many of the fleet were out operating a full service.
VDL 4819 was in the yard looking care work and lopsided but probably fit for
service.
A source of spares is continued with 2708 and 3862 in the yard ready to
donate.
A more complete picture of New Adventure 2880 still waiting for something to
happen!!
I now understand that there was a plan to use this coach for driver training
but it has not materialised.
Nick Ross
Hope you are keeping well, troubled times. A photo from Wing for you.
Good to see deckers back on this route after a long absence.
Z & S Trident LN51KYH on the 1340 165 Leighton
Buzzard -Aylesbury on March 11th 2020.
It is noted under The Coronavirus item above that services will operate significant service changes from March 23rd until further notice.
Allocations
There is a recent allocation list but this is now rather out of date. We may expect this to change by April.
Timetable changes
From Sunday, March 29th 2020, we will be making further improvements to the Chiltern Hundreds 102 service. Late night journeys will be extended to serve High Wycombe for the first time.
During the day, the service will continue to operate up to every hour between High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, South Bucks and Heathrow Airport.
Due to the current reduction in service this could be postponed.
Other developments are:
Coaches 67, 68, 69 and 70 are now in the X50 livery and all except 69 have operated the 102 night service in recent days.
The Citaros on loan from Go East Anglia are now entering service with 884, 886 and 887 now in service with 885 still to start.
Citaros 876 and 877 are now with Thames Travel, leaving 878 still to move. It has not been recorded in service with Carousel since March 3rd.
Richard Griffin sent a nice picture saying
"Here's unbranded coach 63 at 0621hrs last Friday morning (March 13th) with the 102 to High Wycombe -- not sure whether this is one that runs from Oxford or whether this coach is now in the Carousel fleet but awaiting repaint?
887 had a couple of rest days but is now back in service, on March 18th
working the ONE to Chesham and later the 105 to Hemel Hempstead.
886 is seen on March 20th being readied at the depot for its day's work,
note the livery variation!
