from THE OXFORD BUS PAGE
News & Pictures from:
Oxford, High Wycombe,
The Chilterns &
surrounding areas
Issue 214
Sunday 1st
September 2002
Please note that any comments made in this news page are those of the
Editors' and in no way constitute
any official points of view from the bus companies
mentioned, or indeed any other official body.
As a news page we reserve the right to
make valid comments as seen from an editorial point of view.
Visit the Archive Pages going back to 1998
Your reports are welcome at malcolmhc@aol.com
Gloucester Green Coach Station in
trouble again!
Following
problems with the surface of Gloucester Green Coach Station some months ago and
a complete
closure, the new surface is now indenting where coaches from all companies load.
Welcome to issue 214 and news of more problems for the coach station at Gloucester Green in Oxford. several correspondents have mentioned the fact that coaches are now parking on a surface which is not taking the weight of the vehicles in question. It does seem amazing that in the year 2002 those responsible cannot get it right. Only recently the station was closed for about one month whilst a complete resurfacing took place. Now one wonders how they are going to resolve the latest problem. Only time will tell.
On a historical note, Thames Valley opened a bus garage at Wycombe Marsh in 1924 which was extended to the rear alongside Micklefield Road. This proved inadequate for the fleet and another garage, used purely as a running shed was purchased in Desborough Road. Total allocation of buses as 39 at the premises seen above and 30 at Desborough Road. All of the operations were transferred to the new Newlands Bus Station in 1970 and indeed the present allocation at NBS is 65 buses. however it is noticeable that everyone will not fit inside and buses are often parked on the roadway outside NBS.
The old Wycombe Marsh depot seen
last Saturday with one of Wycombe's allocation of Scanias on the 326.
The depot is now used as a tyre and overhaul facility for Central Tyre. Bet
Arriva wish they still had this facility.
Tragedy struck on the M40 between High Wycombe and Stokenchurch last Thursday when a man was killed on the hard shoulder, after his van broke down. Traffic became gridlocked at Handy Cross and the motorway was closed for several hours. As a result coach services from London and the Airports to Oxford were diverted via the A40 through Stokenchurch.
Bus services in High Wycombe are in the news again, with one unhappy user urging other users to take their troubles to the top and complain to the Traffic Commissioners. A representative of Arriva said that anyone who is unhappy should contact the company and they will see what can be done. The company says that since last year driver shortfall has dropped from 14% to 4% and nearly 90% of buses are now running on time.
In last week's Bucks Free Press there was a delightful picture of Frogmoor in High Wycombe which included a number of buses. The date of the picture was 1935.
I was delighted to have a mail from
a reader in Japan this week. He says "I
am writing from Japan and I am big fan of National express & Euroline coaches,
so, I check your website every week, and I enjoy looking at them. I am wondering
if you can tell me website for photos gallery of National express or Euroline
coaches, as I would like to see them. Thank you in advance. Regards,
Hisato Shimizu.
Can anyone enlighten us re his question?
Geoff Cunliffe from the north West and a regular visitor to Oxford wrote to me after last week's page. He says "I much enjoyed your latest column, especially because of your content which was local to my area. You may be interested to know that:-
The Preston fleet is, generally, exceptionally well maintained. I have known the General Manager of Preston Bus, Peter Bell, for many years and he is very much of an enthusiast as well. He came with us on the HCVS London-Brighton run some years ago when I owned a Lytham PD1.
Many of Blackpool’s Atlanteans are a real credit to them, although some are now in decline and a batch are to be withdrawn shortly. The trams are a real mix; the standard of workmanship on rebuilds is very high indeed and, as you may expect, almost everything has to be done in-house. Their joiners are adept at rebuilding their long-lasting teak frames and they even have their own blacksmith for putting tram tyres on the wheels etc. However, their promenade operating environment is savage and they can quickly loose the shine from their paintwork with the constant exposure to the salt air. There is, though, a cloud over their future – one appears about every ten years, and usually revolves around the general operating infrastructure. The alarmist talk now is that, unless the Government will come to the party with money to upgrade to a light rail system, including providing fascinating extensions to the system, it may be forced to close. There is, generally, an outcry. At its simplest, with their right of way, there is no other mechanism of moving 100 people at a time along the length of the promenade, when the roadway is choked with cars, other than by double deck tramcar. Some of us, of course, just like trams!
Talbot Road Bus Station has just come out of use by Blackpool Transport although Stagecoach still uses it. It has been much criticised for many years as being both inhospitable and dangerous. I don’t regard either as being particularly true although concede that improvements would have been possible. There was a complex issue about rent for using it. As yet, the Council do not seem to have decided what to do with it now they have cleared the buses out of the ground floor leaving it as simply a multi-storey car park. One smells vested interests keen to redevelop the site at a profit!
My late cousin, Keith Ingham, was the architect for Preston Bus Station. Only an architect would design a bus station with no level pedestrian access, requiring the use of subways which tend to be full of muggers, flashers and perverts! Its upper floors are useful for those intent on suicide which is, regrettably, a not uncommon occurrence. You are right that there is talk about demolishing it. Preston is strange in that it has a bus station right at one end of town and a railway station (where the Queen has just unveiled a plaque to mark its renovation) at the other. There is, however, no realistic alternative site, certainly not of a comparable size. Again, one smells vested interests keen to redevelop the site at a profit!
Hope the above may be of interest. I should be back in Oxford the week after next. I’ll be at Carfax Corner again."
Thanks Geoff, I hope others also find your comments of interest.
And so on to this weeks local news.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News of the local companies - 1st September 2002
Abbey Coaches, High Wycombe.
Martyn wrote regarding developments at this company. He says "Have just seen a photo of my Mercedes J566DJV on this weeks web page - the terrible re-spray doesn't look so bad on the screen!!! Just for your info it was bought from Warrens-Boomerang Bus Co and is being used currently on the 333/334 and the Gt Missenden runs of the 2 (which pass under a low bridge) on behalf of Carousel. You have assumed correctly, we are helping Carousel on these services until the two Lynxs take over this duty on Wednesday of next week. It has been confirmed today(!!) that we (Abbey Coaches) have won the Tuesday & Wednesday only 377 which starts on Tuesday!!!! Woottens of Chesham's last day of operating the service was today. J566DJV will then be used on that, plus the Sainsbury's Freebus on Thursdays. At the moment the Leyland Atlantean KPJ262W is being used on the Sainsbury's Free bus on Fridays and the Asda Freebus on Wednesdays. Anyone is welcome for a free ride to the supermarket and back! Timetables are on the website: http://www.abbeycoaches.com As from today Abbey Coaches have vacated the yard behind Desborough Rd, shared with Carousel, and have moved to a new site on the Cressex Business Park (NOT the ex-Arriva bus garage!!!) to allow room necessary for the expansion of both Abbey Coaches and Carousel Buses.
G726CEM 26 seat Mercedes mini coach is withdrawn and is for sale."
Airlinks.
Mentioned in this week's Editorial
is the lack of space in Newlands Bus Station, High Wycombe.
Here we see a 757 service entering the bus station and negotiating the crowded
roadway leading in.
D319 also has a GB sticker, I wonder if it has been to Europe.
Arriva serving The Shires & Essex
Arriva 5108, the ex Motts Olympian draws into the Stokenchurch Kings Arms stop
on a 340 working last Friday.
The lack of destination is not good, especially since the blind does have High
Wycombe on it!!
Frogmoor, High Wycombe is mentioned in the Editorial and here Dart 3811 enters
the town from Downley.
Dart 3816 passes low floor Dart 3821 in Desborough Road, Wycombe last Saturday.
The little bus was
heeling over as the driver hastened on his way.
More "heeling" as Olympian 5833 turns into Station Road, Loudwater on its way to
Flackwell Heath last Saturday.
Steve Warwick wrote "Once again a very interesting News Page last week. Apologies for the error in the Aylesbury fleet list re registrations of the Darts YGS and not XKX, blame the Arriva 2002 Bus Handbook, they had them listed as XKX and I just wrote them in without checking, at least there is always someone on the ball.
Greenway 3050 looks as if it has come to the end of it's days it is now parked at the back of the garage (Aylesbury) with blown engine.
Fun and games in Oxford this morning, two skips and one lorry all parked in the last two stop in St Aldgate's, one b****y minded taxi driver and Oxford Tube all meeting together so everything ground to a halt. On the return journey in exactly the same place a Plastow's Jonckheere coach (L944NWW) decided to bury it's n/s mirror into the back of Stagecoach MAN Alexander No 915. Oh what fun!"
Carousel Buses, High Wycombe.
A further visit to the depot today showed further developments in this growing company. Two more Metrobuses had just arrived from a dealer, they are ex Arriva examples from Colchester. They are BYX283V (5364) and EYE336V (5366). M283 will go into service next Wednesday, probably only with partial repaint, M336 will take a while longer as it requires attention to its engine. The interiors are in excellent condition having been refurbished by Arriva only about two years ago. They are also single door conversions.
A shot of the depot yard shows both ex Arriva Metrobuses with M283 on the right.
M703 has been converted to single door in Carousels own workshops.
I was also told that following the demise of DTS in London, Carousel has been working on the 185 route.
For the record the following routes are now operated by Carousel.
1 - High Wycombe - Bourne End with
extensions to Marlow.
2 - High Wycombe - Great Missenden. The Lynx LX558 has worked
this service.
3 - High Wycombe - Penn Pond
321/621 - High Wycombe to Princes
Risborough.
333/334 - High Wycombe - Speen (Circular) from Wednesday 4th September)
336 - Chesham - Watford Junction.
400 - High Wycombe - Bourne End - Marlow. early and late services
are extended from High Wycombe to Stokenchurch.
922 - Marlow Schools.
948 - Princes Risborough - high Wycombe Schools.
956 - Penn Pond - Marlow Hill Schools.
957 - Medmenham - Marlow - Daws Hill Schools.
As can be seen, quite some development for a company with such a short history. there are now 10 Metrobuses and 2 Lynxs.
The 336 will have to revert to
single deck operation as there is considerable damage to the upper near corners
of the Metrobuses operating this service.
Charlton Services.
Ex Oxford Metrorider 783 has now left this fleet. (see below)
The recently acquired ex Reading
Metrorider has been repainted and is seen here near Gypsy Lane
on the last working on Saturday afternoon of the 108.
Whilst L616 was being repainted DYA
stood in and is seen here earlier last week.
Oxford Bus (City of Oxford Motor Services) http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk
News highlight this week is that the Olympians are now nearing the end. It seems that two are to be kept on, one for the driving school and one for service. I understand that 208 is one of these two. 214 and 224 have just gone off on loan to Metrobus at Crawley. This loan is for about one month. (Any pictures please! Ed). 220 is expected to be sold to Worth's of Enstone where it will join 218 sold some years ago now. I am not yet advised of the fate of the remaining buses, 221, 222 and 223.
Oxford Bus nr 1 picks up in St
Clements as it works the 1945hrs service to Victoria last Saturday.
Behind is V200 of Airlinks on the 757 service to Cambridge.
Chris Maxfield took this shot of 102
overtaking 104, the Golden Jubilee bus in Queen St.
104 is expected to take part in Duxford Showbus in a few weeks time.
A more original Oxford Trident is seen as 111 unloads in high St/Carfax last
Saturday.
During peak hours on Saturdays the 300 is split and routed inbound via
Donnington Bridge and the Iffley Road.
Stephen le Bras writes "Ex
Oxford and Charlton on Otmoor Metrorider 783 remains as the regular bus
for Leggs Travel on Sunday service 442 (Windsor-Heathrow).
It has a
swinging sign by the driver so that he can change it at the terminus, rather
than use of a blind."
It is seen here recently in Staines and photographed by Mike Penn.
Steve Annells sent this evocative
shot of ex 773 (no not a Metrorider) after sale by Oxford to South Wales.
It is seen here in Ammanford Garage..
Steve
Annells wrote saying "the
attached is a record of a trip I made in August 1976 to Ammanford garage in
South Wales to photograph 773NJO, formerly Oxford-South Midland 773, a 1963 AEC
Reliance/Marshall, by then numbered 400 in the South Wales fleet. I was
fortunate enough to be able to ride it to Llanelli! " (see photo above Ed.)
Steve also says "Advance notice - I'm in the process of
crashing a batch of slides from the 1974-9 era through a scanner and posting
them on a Yahoo group.
Posted or awaiting posting so far are:
4 (Leopard), 22 (RELH), 24/6 (Leopards ex Midland Red - the latter also as 726),
27 (Leopard ex Ribble), 49,50/2/4, 754, 56 (752)(Reliances in dp or bus livery),
60 (YRQ), 72-5/7/8, 81-4/6/7 (RELHs), 103/6 (VRTs), 200 (Regent V trainer), 206
(Atlantean), 213-5 (Fleetlines), 340/52/4/67/70 (Renowns - the first is a
trainer), 373/4/7/94/6,410/4/23 (Fleetlines), 432/4/45/53/60/87, (VRTs), 613-5 (Reliances),
622/5/6/31/2/7/8 (Swifts), 642/51/5/60/72 (Ford R1014s),674 (shortened R192),
704 (Transit), 716/7 (dp Reliances ex 6/7), 773/91 (Reliance), 903 (VRT) and
908/15/6 (Fleetline ex Midland Red).
I am also posting
vehicles from Reliance of Newbury, Percival, Mott, Regis of Challow, Smith of
Reading, Marston Coaches, White of Little Milton, Sunray of Didcot, a YRT of
Oxfordshire Education Authority. There are many more to come.
.....there are two criteria for posting: a. an Oxfordshire operator b.
photograph taken in Oxfordshire. They're not in any particular order, they're
'as they come'. I'm not opening it up for public viewing (or posting, come to
that) until I've got a few more posted, but I'll let you know! Some of the
pictures are lousy, some are OK, some are great. Some are large, some are small!
Some are vehicles on their own, others are in combination."
(I have
put the link for Steve's main site at the bottom of this news page Ed.)
Other news this week is that coach 27 is now in for repainting into Airline livery and will complete the allocation for the Gatwick service. Work will then start on the 23-25 batch for Heathrow.
Red Rose, Aylesbury
Chris Maxfield has been busy this last few weeks and sent me a large number of photos. Some are used on this week's apge and I liked this one of red rose 107 on the 373 service.
Stagecoach in South Midlands & in Oxford
Surely THE classic Oxford shot.
M A N 949, the ex Scottish one, is
seen loading on route 1 art Carfax last Saturday.
The last M A N Tube to be delivered
was 66, W66BBW. It is seen here on a late afternoon working
to London and taking on a goodly load of passengers at St Clements.
Now moving to company
developments Keith Wood wrote "I'm
just catching up with things. Leamington Merc 335 is in new livery whilst
Olympian 933 P533HMP is now in service also in new livery. This leaves just
P529HMP to come. This takes the new livery tally to 99 !
Leamington B10M 246 was working from
Rugby
today (28/8/02). This
could be a transfer as a result of the expanded 63 service between Rugby and
Leamington which starts on 2/9/02.
Nuneaton on 22/8/02 had Darts 101 / 102 / 104 all in the garage. 101 has
probably been reinstated to help out with the 777 won from A-Line. It was being
prepared for service after a long lay off parked outside. Whether 102 / 104 have
been transferred from Rugby I'm not yet sure. The school term starts on 2/9/02
so this should make things a bit clearer. B6 472 ex
Oxford
is still in stripes the last one still hanging on !
It is normal at this time of year for Stagecoach to have a shift around so it
may take a couple of weeks to sort it all out !
Midland Red South 107 at
Banbury in New Livery. That makes 100 ! because Leamington Merc 335 has
received new livery. However Merc 351 has been withdrawn so we still only have
99 in service at the moment !"
Following the picture last week of the little Iveco in Preston Bus Station
James Cusworth wrote "R603KDD was formerly Stagecoach Devon 603, and was
originally with Cheltenham & Gloucester. Stagecoach decided to use them as
ancillary vehicles as they couldn't find buyers for this batch of 17 vehicles
(R601-17KDD). They are probably not in Stagecoach handbook as they sat in
reserve at Exmouth depot for months waiting for a buyer. They are now being
scattered across the country."
Woottens of Chesham
Last week Chris Maxfield went visiting and one of his calls was on Woottens of Chesham. There he found a lot of interest and some of his pictures are included here. I am also delighted to have official news from Michael Wootten whose company continues to grow.
Woottens new Euroriders seen prior to entering service.
Also visible is the original example which joined the fleet two years ago
Seen during the visit of Chris
Maxfield was this ex MOD Leyland Tiger. It looks very smart in its school
livery.
Another gem in the Wootten fleet is
this ex COMS Leopard, ABW310X, formerly VUD33X.
It is seen alongside KIW3768 now withdrawn for sale.
FLEET NEWS - WOOTTENS
Joining Woottens from 1st September are two new Beulas bodied Iveco Eurorider 35 coaches registered FN52GVE and FN52GVF.
Supplied by Coach Europe PLC, both coaches have been built to an extremely high specification. Refinements include climate controlled air conditioning, inertia reel seat belts, reclining seats with integral headrests, arm rests, double glazed panoramic windows, ABS brakes with retarder, public address system, stereo radio / CD / cassette player, refrigerator, courier seat, large luggage capacity, video and monitor, hot drinks dispenser, WC and washroom. Both coaches are fitted with ZF fully automatic transmission, which is Woottens standard choice for new vehicles.
In store here is the flat-floored Leyland National 'Suburban Express' demonstrator RRM148M. This bus has been acquired by Michael Wootten from Mr T Moore of Norwich. The vehicle will remain in preservation and shall attend a number of events throughout the year.
Now confirmed as entered for Showbus are Volvo B12M / Jonckheere Millennium Mistral FE02FCC and newly acquired Leyland National RRM148M.
Withdrawn Volvo B10M MK3 / Ikarus Blue Danube 366 KIW 3768 (H607 SWG) C53F has been sold to Coach Europe (dealer).
I am delighted that Michael Wootten has sent such a comprehensive update on his fleet. I can certainly recommend a visit to the company web site.WOOTTENS
If you wish to be included on a
mailing list where I will advise of any mid week news please
let me know on
malcolmhc@aol.com
PHOTO CORNER
If you have a digital camera and wish
to submit photos for this page please send them to the me at
malcolmhc@aol.com
Chris found this delicious Leyland
at Binders Yard.
Another find in the workshops was
this Harrington bodied AEC Reliance formerly with Maidstone & District.
I now realise that this week Lakes
are getting a good plug on my site. First Slough 226 runs along
London road towards Wycombe Marsh on a 74 working last Saturday.
For the traditionalist surely the
Wallace Arnold livery is still one of the best around. Their coaches always
look so smart and fresh and the livery seemingly suits all styles of coach.
Here a new Plaxton, Y748NWT speeds along the Oxford Eastern by-pass by the Mini
works.
I welcome your
photos for inclusion on this page. Please send them to me at
malcolmhc@aol.com
This is a most interesting site I do recommend
