Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated Sunday 4th March 2001
the next update will be on Sunday 11th March 2001

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 !

Oxford express new coaches arrive!

The first of 6 new coaches for Oxford express Airport services 
poses outside Head Office in Cowley Road prior to entering service.

Well the diversions came and went, accompanied by the expected delays and congestion. It seems that whilst work is almost complete on Magdalen Street West, further work will be the resurfacing of George Street in the late summer. General congestion in the station area, as mentioned last week is causing bus services serious delays on most days and it seems something will have to done if the City Fathers are going to really support the public transport system.

I regret that my report this week is somewhat limited due to other commitments but I hope to revert to normal next week again.

Company reports - to 4th March 2001

Arriva serving the Shires & Essex.

A recent repaint at Wycombe (Newlands) is Dart SLF 3826, with 3827 away for its repaint this week. 3826 is seen above leaving Wycombe Bus Station last Saturday.3841 ( 621) was in the depot area devoid of fleet numbers except for 621 on the rear and on the inside front bulkhead. It has been suggested that some renumbering may take place ? 5829 (the Thames Valley Olympian) is I am told going to be the last of the Wycombe fleet to repainted. I was able to catch a nice shot of this bus on its way from Stokenchurch to High Wycombe last Saturday. It is seen passing through the picturesque village of West Wycombe. It seems to be a regular performer on the 340 to Ibstone.

Matt Wheeler writes to say that firstly, Plaxton bodied Dennis Dart MPD 3492 (W 492 YGS) has arrived from Luton. The main difference being a drivers assault screen and different mounting for the card reader part of the ticket machine. It has correct blinds fitted, but the control panel for the PowerBlind system still has Luton destination coded in. It does, however, show the right destination when the correct code is entered. The arrival of this vehicle means (in theory) that both routes 2 and 9 can be fully MPD operated.

Secondly, Greenway 3046 (TIB 4873) formerly an allover ad for ASM Scrap Metal/Skip Hire has returned to Aylesbury. It is now in Arriva livery, similar to 3044 in that its all over Aquamarine with the Cream/Costwold Stone around the windscreen only. It was on service 2 on Wednesday, but now showing a destination, suggesting it has the wrong blinds fitted (possibly High Wycombe?).  

Finally, East Lancs bodied Scania L113CRL 3166 (N 716 EUR) has had a repaint out of Aylesbury & the Vale livery. It now has an Arriva livery front end, and a white/blue based allover-ad for Lakes TV/Hifi shops. It is similar to that carried to Wycombe based 3811, but with Blue on the "rear" half, and white to the "front".

Matt also notes there is an article in Friday's Bucks Free Press reporting that from April Arriva will be cutting/changing a number of services in High Wycombe. Included will be likely reductions in frequency on 303/313 and 326 along with a rerouting of 303/313. The article suggests that these reductions in frequency may be balanced out by larger vehicles.

In Aylesbury it is reported on www.lots.org.uk that Arriva the Shires have lost Sunday route 501 (Aylesbury - Watford) to Red Rose from April 1st.

Thank you Matt for this interesting input. It is really good to have up to date news on the Aylesbury area.

Carousel Buses - high Wycombe / Abbey Coaches

Now claiming to be the second largest operator in High Wycombe. Carousel are operating several routes using Metrobuses. One comes from West midlands, the remaining three from london. There is also a further one expected shortly. I had not seen one of these Metrobuses before at was confronted by the 1826 arrival on the 400 to Stokenchurch, returning empty to High Wycombe last Friday evening. A visit to their depot at the rear of Desborough Road revealed a most interesting operation. Abbey Coaches, until now mainly involved in contracts and local coach work has spawned a bus operation under the name of Carousel. As a lot of rail replacement work is undertaken for LT, standard style blinds are fitted to the Metrobuses and as such look most professional and "big bus" company. routes to Bourne End and Beaconsfield are included and I will be bringing you more details in the coming weeks.

Ex London KYV758X (M758) has just been fully repainted and looks splendid with its full
set of blinds for the 400 which runs two journeys per day through to Stokenchurch and
short workings 7 times between High Wycombe and Bourne End.

Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)

News of the week is the arrival of 3 of the 6 new coaches expected to enter service in the coming week or so. The major external difference to previous similar deliveries is the mounting of an air con pod on the roof, freeing up more space for luggage below the floor. It had been hoped that 23 would operate the midnight journey on March 1st to Gatwick. This would have made it probably the first Y reg coach in service anywhere in the UK. Sadly this was not to be due to a delay in the delivery. It did enter service on March 2nd and was thus one of the very first Y regs in service. 24 and 26 arrived on Friday and will go into service next week. Coaches 50, 51 and 54 will be withdrawn and it seems that they are being sold to Worths of Enstone and Swanbrook of Cheltenham. There is no official confirmation of this however.

26 and 24 are seen in company with nr 11 on the pits. 26 and 24 have yet to receive fleet numbers and other fitments. Nr 11 is due to be transferred to the X90 route. The picture below shows nr 23 and you can just see the roof mounted air con pod. These new coaches are the very last Plaxton Excaliburs to be built. They bring the total of this type in service with Oxford to 23.

208 has entered works for repaint and is seen below still carrying its Freedom Card livery. This will gone in a matter of weeks and will be the first time for many years that this bus has carried Red livery.

My Saturday duty, again on X90s, provided me this week with nr 44 for both trips. This coach presently lack any front screen branding following the fitment of a replacement windscreen. In fact there are now two Jonckheeres with X90 branding.

Stagecoach in Oxford.  

The picture above shows Volvo Olympian 526 turning into George Street. I spent sometime last Saturday trying to get a shot of 520, now repainted but without success.

Dart 709, ex london, leaves George Street on its way to the Rail Station. These buses are giving good service in Oxford, though the body styling is now looking dated.

  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

Another place, another Excalibur, this time Shearings 922. It is seen leaving Newlands Bus Station
working on a feeder service last Saturday. The driver was giving a cheery wave.

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