Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas
from THE OXFORD BUS PAGE

updated Sunday, 3rd February 2002
the next update will be on Monday 11th February 2002

  Issue nr. 184

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.

Problems with the pictures ! - sometimes it seems that the pictures do not load.
I have found a solution which does work normally - 
RIGHT CLICK ON THE PICTURE AND THEN CLICK ON "SHOW PICTURE"
Good luck !

Visit the Archive Pages going back to 1998

Your reports are welcome at malcolmhc@aol.com

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

Welcome to Issue 184, which this week brings a number of changes in fleets around the area. New buses feature but also transfers in from other areas. Once again your contributions form an important part of the content and I am most impressed by the amount of information which is sent to me each week by so many of you.

Thames Travel features with new deliveries under the fleet news section.
Here V270BNV approaches the camera over Shillingford Bridge on its way to Oxford.
This services crosses and re-crosses the Thames a number of times on its journey.

Last week I mentioned the closure of the Chiltern Line in certain areas and one of my regulars writes to note:- If you want the full details of the line closure Bicester to Banbury, go and look at www.chilternrailways.co.uk and look at the Major Track Improvements for 2002. You will get 2 pages (if you follow a further link) and those 2 pages were issued as a double sided A4 letter to all passengers at Marylebone on the day of issue..

Further interesting information concerning Oxfordshire comes from Newman Morgan who sent this piece:

Tuesday's Oxford Mail carried a two page review on transport in Oxfordshire. This particular feature concentrated on Oxford city and the OTS. Future editions will visit Oxfordhsire towns.

The front page of the paper, under the slogan Transport in Oxfordshire, depicted the Radcliffe Camera contained within a traffic warning sign triangle and featured a bus on OBC colours with the destination Oxford. However the bus was a left-hand drive model and the bodywork suggested it was Ikarus, the Hungarian body-builder.

The two-page article, entitled "Car-cutting plan examined" listed the advantages and troubles of the Local Transport Plan. The advantages listed were longer than the troubles. It depicted a so-called photo of a Stagecoach MAN (No. 931 showing 7A Barton) on the platform of Oxford rail station next to a Thames turbo train. There were also shadows of Morse's red Jag, a motor cycle and a bicycle wheel in this so-called photo. In terms of integration, the paper had obviously, in my opinion, not done its homework as it is Thames Trains and OBC that are both Go-Ahead companies, and an OBC bus would have probably been a better feature. Also of course the 7A doesn't go to the Rail Station!

The article also summarises the OTS and shows the rear end of an exhaust belching Vauxhall Vectra together with an OBC Park & Ride bus. The bus is in latest livery and it is right hand drive (!). The downside is, the curved windscreen of the vehicle used makes it definitely an MCW Metrobus, a vehicle that has never actually operated on P&R to my knowledge.

As to the article itself, it didn't say anything that hasn't been said before, and tends to home in on shoppers going elsewhere to other centres because they cannot drive their beloved little motor cars to the individual isles of their chosen department store.

The weather this week was very poor and gave us a great deal of rain. This makes photography difficult and often unpleasant as to gain the required picture a soaking is often obligatory. however I did find a rather nice spot on Sunday morning for that shot of new Stagecoach 949. This was in the Victoria Fountain shelter in the centre of the road at the end of the Magdalen Bridge. Here one can, if lucky, park the car and take some rather nice shots. One was of an airport service heading off to Heathrow.

Oxford express 27 works the 1230 Heathrow departure from Oxford on Sunday 3rd February 2002.

I shall be off to Amsterdam again this coming week and present below a shot of the latest offering on view at Schiphol Airport. A new route called Zuidtangent operates from Haarlem to Amsterdam via Schiphol using Van Hool bodied gas buses of the articulated variety. Some 30 buses are required for the service which uses busways on its fast journey as an alternative to the train. There are 34 buses (7840-7873) provided of which four (7840-7843) are in green Connexion livery, the remainder being in the livery shown below. They are quiet and impressive and one wonder if this style of bodywork may find a buyer in the UK.

7863  BL-MR-70 pauses at Schiphol on its way to Haarlem from Amsterdam.

Newman Morgan wrote regarding models which some of you might be interested in : regarding bus models, I don't know if you collect modern items, but I have managed to prize from beneath the counter in Automodels one each of the new Northcord Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 models. These are coming, I think, from Japan, although the address on the box is Hong Kong and they were made in China. They are being distributed for the time being by Corgi. Anyway Model No. UKBUS 1001 is a First Capital Trident TNL on the LT Route 25. It is in the slightly lighter red colour that was used by First Capital. The modelling is superb and includes opening engine cowl.

Model No. UKBUS 1002 is an even more superb Metroline TAL Trident/Alexander depicted on LT Route 16. Automodels are retailing them at £22.49 each, but supplies are limited to 3k models of each run.

I was in the East End yesterday for my sins and actually saw the real life version on the modelled bus on Route 25. Most of First Group's London Tridents are Plaxton President bodied but there is a batch of Alexander ones on the 25 road from Victoria to Ilford.

Well on to the company news in our area.

News of the local companies - 3rd February 2002

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

A number of interesting arrivals were noted in Wycombe this week. Many of you wrote to draw my attention to the comings and goings.

Steve Warwick wrote to report as follows:

Tuesday 29th Jan

Carlyle bodied Dennis Dart 3098 (H245 MUK) has arrived on loan from Luton Depot and promptly worked the 1540 dep to Oxford.

On Saturday morning it was working the 339 route to Lane End.
It appears that it only has a small fuel tank and as such is not wholly suitable for longer routes.
It is seen here having arrived back from Lane End ahead of Olympian 5830.
This bus was shown as allocated to Watford in 2001.

Cressex Olympian 5075 has arrived back from Watford after being painted in Arriva livery and was working 372's today.

Wed 30th Jan

Arrived late yesterday afternoon on loan from Luton was Roe bodied Leyland Olympian 5379 (TPD 109X). It is in a cream livery with a dark green skirt and two rear stripes rather like Stagecoach.

5379 parked up on Saturday morning in Newlands Bus Station. Its appearance hardly
brings credit to its un-indicated owner. This bus is not shown on the allocations for 2001.

Thursday 31st January

Arrived today from Luton on loan were two Dormobile Routemaker bodied Mercedes 709D numbers 2200 (L426 CPB) and 2244 (L424 CPB) both in Arriva livery. It seems that there are a number of buses off the road hence these loaned arrivals.

2224 seen in the bus station working a 339 service. These two buses are in quite good condition.
This bus was allocated to Southend in 2001.

Friday 1st Feb

Arrived late yesterday afternoon  for Cressex were two Iveco Marshall bodied mini buses. One is 2093 (M153 RBH) and I haven't ascertained what number the other one is yet. They are both manual gearboxes that's why they have gone to Cressex. I think they've come from either Harlow or Ware.

The other bus mentioned by Steve is 2092 - M152RBH. Both buses are recorded as
being allocated to Harlow in the Arriva 2001 fleetlist.

Dart No 3098 is in White Lion Retail Park livery.

I learned this morning on my visit to Newlands today that that Olympian 5829 (Thames Valley) has gone for re-paint. Oh dear how sad!

Matt Wheeler writes "went to High Wycombe yesterday morning and was surprised by a number of "new" arrivals on Arriva (Bus station) services. Firstly, on 363, was 3098 (H245 MUK) a DP/Coach seated Carlyle Dart in advertising livery for "White Lion Centre". Next, parked in the bus station (and showing 341 on front) was TPD 109X (5379), still in its "County Bus" (ie previous name of Arriva East Herts and Essex) livery.

There were also two minibuses, both Dormobile bodied Mercedes 709Ds.2200 (L426 CPB) was on route 317, whilst 2224 (L424 CPB) on route 339.

Needless to say none of them had correct destination blinds fitted so were all seemingly running with blank yellows and numbers instead. According to an oldish fleetlist I have (which therefore might be wrong), the buses originally were from: Luton (2224,.3098), Harlow (5379) whilst 2200 was listed as "unallocated".

Nothing really to report for Aylesbury, except that the new timetable on route 9 (now every 15 minutes instead of 10) seems to be running well, and hasn't lead to major over crowding, at least not on journeys.

Paul Coley writes :

In Aylesbury:- Routes 4 and 5: Route 5 has been withdrawn, and the service has now been reduced to hourly throughout operated under contract to BCC. It also has to be stated that Elmhurst is now served by only 1 Arriva bus per hour in to town (Star Travel operate the 36 every 30 minutes on weekdays, every 15 minutes on Saturday). Only 6 years ago, if you stood at the Dairy Maid pub, Arriva operated the 4 every 30 minutes and the 6 (in competition with the then Red Rose/Yellow Bus 12) every 30 minutes, giving 4 buses per hour...........all provided commercially.........how times change.

Mind you, looking at the loadings on Star's 'new second-hand Merc mini's, it is no surprise that the services provided by Arriva have contracted so much.

Neither of the ex Buffalo Olympians appeared to move at all last week - I am surprised that these have lasted so long after their transfer from Wycombe 4 or 5 years ago. With the service cuts etc it seems inevitable that these interesting machines will leave Aylesbury. None of the APR...X batch seem to be active either now - I last saw one in use just prior to Christmas. None of these had been repainted in to Arriva livery and had latterly looked fairly 'tired'.

The 77/78/79 group of services in Risborough are all BCC contracts. Yellow Bus, when operating the M1 service, started diverting various journeys through estates on the way in to the town prior to them selling out to Arriva. Good loadings were had at the time from these areas. The original 77/78/79 were the BCC Sunday services operated by Classic. When these were dropped, the Risborough town services assumed the numbers. Z&S have been 'building' a Merc mini fleet for some time. If you are operating evening Milton Keynes services, it seems quite logical to give your drivers something to do during the day in Risborough as well!!

Thank you to all three of you for those interesting and informative notes.

News of the week is the arrival last Friday morning of this Volvo B7L Wright's bodied demonstrator.
Registered Y814BOJ and seemingly most recently with Go North East, it will stay in Oxford
for two weeks during which time it is expected to operate on 15 road.
It has been given fleet number 800, unusually since previous demonstrators have gained a X99 fleet number.

It is also of note that Olympian 224 was reinstated last week and will help out on various services including 5 road and football specials. This means there are now two Olympians in service 223 and 224. Following the loan of 224 to Go North East one wonders if 224 raised an eyebrow when 800 arrived!!!

Saturday saw 223 and 224 working football specials for the Bristol Rovers match at the Kassam Stadium. It was a 0-0 draw.

.
As mentioned last week Lynx trainers have been given fleet numbers. T1(C63HOM) is seen above.

Work progresses on the old T1, BBW21V, formerly coach 21. This coach is going to
the Oxford Bus Museum when completed.

Sister coach nr 20, until recently with Chiltern Queens, has now been purchased by
Berinsfield Car Breakers but is still a runner. Fellow ex Oxford coach Tiger 107 is also
with BCB and both are for sale as runners. Anyone interested can call 01865 340035 to discuss.
Several other old Chiltern coaches are in the yard but only for scrap.

Finally I never cease to be impressed by the power of the web. Reader Pete Thomas of Chester sent me an email on Saturday last asking if could tell where he might find an Olympian when visiting Oxford on the following Monday. I told him I expected 5 road in the rush hour. He wrote on his return to Chester. On arrival in town on the 300 this morning, we came across an OBC controller at Carfax who was extremely obliging in giving us information on the whereabouts of 223, however it seemed that we had missed our opportunity. He confirmed as you quite rightly said, that it had operated morning peak on 5 road and had now run in. He also said that it may reappear for afternoon peak, but obviously this could not be guaranteed.

Fortunately, we came across the said chariot on 5 road heading out of town at around 1620, but unfortunately we were nowhere near a bus stop, part way between Carfax and the bus gate. In hot pursuit on the following 5 Volvo, with no real route knowledge, we estimated where to bail out and await 223's return. After a not too long wait (by a mini roundabout between the Cowley centre and where the route passes over the by-pass) we were paid considerable dividends and had the pleasure of a busy journey back to Carfax, where she terminated for her return journey to Blackbird Leys. I'll leave it there as it's been a long but enjoyable day.

Many thanks again. - Regards - Pete Thomas

Grayline of Bicester (plus some Bicester news etc)

Steve Oxbrow wrote following my request for the photographer of the Solo in last weeks page. He says : The Solo photo was taken by me -  It appears (from the sighting over the UK) this bus is in use as a Mistral rental bus but was initially on lease purchase to the company shown - Somerset Rider. Indeed this was the only bus to my knowledge that had references to them!

The final fleet for Somerset Rider was:

 Y341 BWP/Y198 KNB, Optare Solo B29F
T74 JBA, Dart MPD/Plaxton
 J383 GKH, Dart/Plaxton B28F
V897 DNB, Dart SLF/Plaxton B39F.

Also used was Vario/Plaxton Beaver 2  R943AMB.  J383GKH was loaned from Holts, Bolton all the others were from Mistral,

Thanks for posting the picture, apologies for the dodgy quality but I used the college scanner which has expired now. Also it was done on a camera which wasn't too good.

Newman Morgan writes : Noted Grayline's 3rd new Solo today 01/02/02 on their Bicester-Brackley route 37. It is OA51 OOC.   It differs from OOA and OOB in so far as it has an open filler cap on the upper left side of the rear corner, next to the upper near side of engine cowl. The other two don't have this. Am not sure whether it is fuel tank or water intake at this stage. Will check when I see the bus again and it is cleaner!

Not much else to report, boring miserable wet week!!!!

Motts

Paul Coley wrote some interesting notes : returning from Milton Keynes (via Winslow) I was passed by MCW Metrobus JHE 145W, operating for Knowles? in a livery of blue and white on a school service.

Not overly significant, maybe, but it took me back some 6 years or so to Motts Travel and their Yellow Bus operation, for which I worked for about 4 years until their sell out to Arriva. They had Metrobuses JHE 139/141/142/143 and 164W. At the time they were very 'grand' sporting Rolls Royce engines, which initially were their Achilles heal. After the garage staff had grappled with them for a year or so they 'settled' in and were fairly reliable, bearing in mind their age and the mileage they covered while in Yellow Bus ownership. 143 did the least number of miles, but got through the most number of engines!! I know they were all sold to an operator in Cardiff, who subsequently ceased operations. If anyone knows where they went from there, please advise.

There are 5 other 'Yellow Bus originals' still operating locally. Mercedes Benz/Carlyle mini G360FOP is in service with Whites in Abingdon. This came second hand to Yellow Bus from an operator in Birmingham and I think it was sold to Arriva after Motts passed their services to them. The other is Mercedes Mini K184GDU. This was bought new by Yellow Bus and was sold to Arriva who operated it in Aylesbury and Luton. It is still operating in Luton for Lutonian which is part of Status Bus and Coach, who bought it when Arriva was forced to sell the company by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission a couple of years ago. And, of course, Leopard Plaxton OWG368X is still operated by Motts, along with two mk11 Metrobuses purchased from the erstwhile Leaside operating arm of London Buses.

Of the remainder, Duple Leopard EHS107T, Willowbrook Leopard LOA 834X and Daimler Fleetline OKW517R are 'stored' in a yard beside the A41 between Bicester and Aylesbury. Motts already had OKW for schools services, although it was used in daily 'Yellow Bus' service until its withdrawal.

I also saw ECW Leopard UKE830X outside the Oxford Bus Museum some time ago - is it still there, or has it moved on?

The ex playbus NCME Olympian, currently operating out of Cressex for Arriva (and looking very shabby it has to be said), never operated in 'Yellow Bus' livery, instead it was painted overall off white. And we shouldn't, I suppose, forget ex West Midlands PTE Fleetline KON323P. Again, painted off white, this was already owned by Motts for school services. This was always a 'final resort vehicle' in the earlier operational days of Yellow Bus. Its top speed of 35mph (going down hill with the wind behind it) meant it couldn't keep up with any timetable and was occasionally used when no other bus was available during the day. I remember doing a couple of Lane End returns from Aylesbury and conductoring on it a. because there was no ticket machine and b. any help to enable the poor driver to keep to time was appreciated! Woottons, Chesham now own this vehicle and have restored it to its former WMPTE glory.

And finally, THX545S, one of those awful ex London Buses B20 Fleetlines, was sold and returned to the capital. I saw it recently operating for Big Bus Company sightseeing tours. It looked resplendent in their maroon and cream livery. I do not know the whereabouts of the other three that Yellow Bus operated, but I know that both passengers and staff did not shed any tears when these were sold after a very short time - reliability was awful!!

Stagecoach in Warwick

I have received the following from Keith Wood " Sighting of the week on Friday 25th was the reappearance of a Dennis Dart / Alexander Dash on the Low Floor 48 Coventry - Atherstone. This was made more unusual by the fact that when a Low Floor Dart is unavailable a Low Floor B6LE deputises. However on this occasion a Dart / Dash was used. The vehicle ? None other than 105 P105 HNH from Rugby depot ! Assuming this vehicle has been transferred to Nuneaton it is the first time on this service (for which they were originally purchased) since being transferred to Banbury over three years ago !

Following recent problems with the lack of a suitable 49 seat vehicle at Rugby this morning's (Monday 28th) 0722 X86 Rugby- Coventry was back in B10M hands - 223 being used. The following 0752 was unusually worked by Leyland National 706 (normally a B10M working). Luckily I missed 223 and caught 706 instead - lucky me !

Monster ! Monster ! For those in Oxfordshire not used to Leyland Nationals the surviving Rugby ones are well worth a bash and are still in excellent mechanical condition. They are truly worthy of their classic bus status.

Nuneaton's Dennis Dart 110 P451 KRP has been missing from my last three Nuneaton surveys. I'm assuming 105 has been transferred to replace it. Any sightings of 110 would be useful and most welcome !

I received my PSV Circle news sheets yesterday and spotted some inaccuracies. Firstly Merc 364 was not transferred to South in 10/01 but was still in service in Rugby on December 12th. I know because it's written in my notebook and that was the day I paid my Council Tax in Rugby ! It must have gone straight from service just before Christmas which is when the Nuneaton pile disappeared. Dart 156 is R463 LSO not R465 LSO.

I've always used the PSV News Sheets as my bible although our web based information seems to be better at the moment. I will write to the sub editor with our up to date info. Rugby depot is still in the grip of 49 seat vehicle problems. A new Leyland National diagram has appeared on the 86 Rugby - Coventry road during the day. How long this lasts is anyone's guess but complaints about using a 40 seat Dennis Dart seem to be getting through ! Yesterday my partner unfortunately got one though on the 0752 X86 as a replacement for a broken down National. It was replaced when it returned to Rugby however by National 722. On Monday 706 was the star. B10M 224 is still not back after 3-4 weeks from repaint so there must be a problem or it's moved (any sightings of it would be much appreciated).

Finally Olympian 911 was without it's destination equipment last Friday although it's numbers were still there. I'm assuming that a donation to an ex London Olympian has occured! Saw 927 yesterday with its electonic numbers working but unlike 925 no destination was working. Seen this lunchtime B10M 218 P218 HBD of Leamington depot in New Livery (30.01.02) B10M 224 was back in service on Tuesday and took me home last night! It's been brush painted (apparently) and you could certainly smell the paint ! That's this entire batch treated. 221 / 223-228

The Centro website has posted changes to operators on services 538 / 539 Leamington / Warwick - Coventry and also the K4 Kenilworth local and presumably also the K1-K3. Johnsons of Henley will be the new operator.

No details of these changes are on the WCC website yet. This should however free up a couple of Mercs from SiW Leamington depot the normal vehicles being 586 / 588 and / or a 709D.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Ralph Adams wrote " New MAN has now arrived. 949 SP51AMO, ex Fife. Arrived this weekend, although it was taken out of service by Fife before Christmas (and earlier denials it was coming to Oxford) Chassis ...001800 Body no not known.

514 to Witney, 524 to Oxford (yes it had 4 extra seats when the centre door was removed)

310, already withdrawn. This week it is being prepared for a service in the workshop, then disposal - presumably within the group as you would not service a bus for a dealer, but my contact does not know the destination.

788 - now withdrawn. Don't know the reason.

=============================

Changes due to come this week

516 to Witney, another DD from Witney to Oxford (not yet known which)

=============================

Service changes due on 11 Feb.

837, 838, 844 Oxford to Nuneaton (SiW)

203, 204, 235 Banbury (SiW) to Oxford

Note 838 and 844 are part of the Harwell allocation. The allocation should be 5 new livery B6 buses but only 839 841 842 left - 840 is still sick

422 Witney to Banbury (SiW) - Banbury taking over operation of the 488 to Chippy.

QUERY 203 204 235 are used on the X59 Banbury - Oxford. The bus arriving at 8.30 used to be a B10 because of loadings. So what will they use after the changes? The X59 PVR reduces from 3 to 2 at this date - frequency every 90 mins instead of 60 mins. An extra 2 buses should therefore come to Banbury but Oxford does not have full details of SiW - the merger of Banbury into Oxford still does not appear to have occurred.

With effect from 11 Feb, it appears to me that Witney need 2 less minibuses.

Oxford should need 4 less Mini or Midi buses, although 1 bus off the 103 does 08.00 on 10A and 08.25 on service 77A (Re Brookes University needs), then back onto 09.05 service 103. Will they be able to work these 2 services into another duty? I think the 08.00 can be covered by a Trident before the 0840 route 77, but the 08.25 may be difficult

B10M 235 was on the Ring Road near Heyford Hill this morning (2/2/02), as if coming of duty going to Horspath Garage at 1130. The destination was out of service and I did not notice the legal details.

Newman Morgan writes : Friday's Bicester Advertiser reports on a service cut due 15th February on X59 road from hourly to every 90 minutes. Seems like the residents of Deddington, Steeple Aston and Tackley, the main villages en route, are up in arms. SiO marketing manager says that the service suffers poor patronage and the choices were either an hourly Banbury-Oxford express via the main road or a bus every 90 mins via the villages and, in consultation with Oxon CC, they opted for the latter. The last bus Oxford-Banbury will be 17h55 apparently because later journeys carry an average passenger load of 0 to 4 persons!

Neil Gow writes: Volvo 235 (N805 DNE) appears to have been transferred in from MRS Banbury as it was running on Bicester's today  . thus confirming Ralph Adams comments above.

Last day of operation for the 101 and 103 services will be next Saturday, 9th February. Pictures if possible please.

I noted Dart 714 on Sunday seemingly off an X31 working near the depot repainted in new livery but without an fleet names or numbers.

Thames Travel.

A whole host of new buses have arrived. As mentioned by Steve Annells last week a new Dart 10.8 metre had arrived. I can now give details of the FIVE buses received to date.

KP51UFK and KP51UFL are 10.8 metre Darts seating 38.
They have interestingly gained FLEET NUMBERS 151 and 251.
This is an imaginative use of the new registration system to link with a fleet number.
A first for Thames Travel I believe.

Just delivered when I visited the depot on Sunday were 3 MPD Darts.
KP51UFB, KP51UFC and KF51UFG. They had Dawson Rentals as the legal owner.

Timetables are now available for the 101, 103 and Taxibus 103 all starting on Monday 11th February. The new MPD Darts are for these services. They seat 29 in normal configuration. This leaves one MPD remaining for delivery.

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
 

The Peter Carol fleet seems to have a preference for ROI registrations.
This Berkhof bodied Volvo ROI2929 was carrying the Bristol Rovers team last Saturday
for their away tie with Oxford United at The Kassam Stadium..

I welcome your photos for inclusion on this page.
malcolmhc@aol.com

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