Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated - Sunday 4th June 2000

The next update will be on Monday 12th June 2000

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 !

The week was a busy one for me with three trip on The Oxford Express plus Saturday on Park & Ride. This followed a weekend in Somerset which is the reason for the missing update, so apologies to my regular readers. 

Oxford City Council have displayed details of the planning for the City Centre development which will include a Bus Station at the rear of Castle Street, if the go ahead is given. I am told that the closure of Queen Street to buses is somewhat dependent upon this development. Certainly a proper bus station in the City Centre will be a great step forward and will make travel to and from the City much easier for many people. This is especially so for those visitors who are not familiar with all the stops and who often try to get on the wrong Park & Ride services and sometimes even arrive at the wrong car park !  

This is the plan on display in the Council Offices which I hope they will mind my including in the issue.
There are 12 stands planned which should bring many services, especially the Park & Ride services to one 
pick up and set down point in the centre. Castle Street can be seen at the top right and buses presently 
use Old Greyfriars Street and Castle Street one way on westbound workings 
and Queen Street (not shown) on east bound workings.

The 7B which was operated by Heyfordian for a while is now operated by a TaxiBus service and sees an Omni bus as the normal vehicle. The depot for this fleet is on the Cowley road just above the Oxford Bus company premises.

L746RVW, an Omni seen on Cowley Road displays the route on a large board in the front window.
The timetable is displayed on a sheet in the side window by the door.

The condition of the road surfaces in Oxford leave a great deal to be desired. High Street is especially bad now and the sentiment "riding in a ploughed field" come to mind. Whilst the main road between Headington shops and the roundabout is now excellent, having been resurfaced, the city centre roads are really awful. This does mean that traffic slows down but the buses seem to shake themselves to pieces and visitors are not gaining the best impressions. It seems to follow recent cable works where the road repairs are beginning sink leaving a very uneven surface. A point of note however is that the entrance and exit to Queen Street has been repaired and buses no longer "bang in and bang out" of that street !

Following the introduction of a useful and welcome service to Oxford by the Wycombe Bus Company. (275) which is shortly to receive further improvements, Cambridge coach Services (Airlinks - National Express) have announced that they will re-commence services to Stokenchurch from July 9th !!!! Why ever did CCs remove the service in the first place ?!? It is not clear as which of the two services, 757 and 767 (old 75) will call en route. Full details will be advised when they are known. 

Fleet News week ending 3/6/00

Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)

The Olympians are coming back into service for the Summer. 208 and 224 started service last weekend and will be followed by 214, 220, 221, 222, and 223. The main route worked by these buses is to be 4 road but already 208 has put in a day on 300 road (Saturday) and 224 on 400 a week ago. 208 was also on 2 road last Friday and we can expect to see them on different routes as the summer progresses.

Several unusual sightings again this week on various routes. Saturday saw Volvo B10BLE 801 on 22 road. This replaced 519 the more normal Dart earlier in the day changed over for technical reasons.  

Volvo B10BLE 821 and Dart SLF 408 are awaiting repairs at Cowley Road though as previously mentioned it is unlikely that the two will be repaired at Oxford.

Stagecoach Oxford.  

The latest fleet list shows no allocation changes but of interest is the overnight stops of National Express liveried coaches from Midland Red South operating the Bradford service from Oxford. 

One noted addition to the fleet is Mercedes F770FDV which has returned as is numbered 333.

Wycombe Bus Company.

The Volvos continue to appear in Oxford on the 275 but the rear and side destinations are not used anymore. A pity really , especially in Oxford where they can be confused with local buses !!

I will be pleased to receive your reports for this section
Please send your reports to MalcolmHC@aol.com and thank you for all your sightings, they are most welcome.

  PHOTO CORNER
If anyone else has a digital camera and wishes to submit photos for this page please send them to the above email.

Oxford Bus 208 seen in Oxford Castle Street (the proposed new bus station will be 
on the road which the Olympian has just used). 
208 needs some livery work to bring matters up to date, plus new logos. This
is due to take place this coming week.

Sporting new Oxford Bus vinyls, 224 is seen during Saturday at Cowley Road Garage.
This bus has "wintered" in High Wycombe and was recently pictured on this page 
working through Ibstone on the edge of The Chilterns !

Oxford express coach 55 awaits departure from London's Victoria Coach Station.
It was operating the 2230hrs departure to Oxford last Friday evening. 
This coach was until recently branded for the Airport services and the marks left by 
the removed vinyls on the back window can still be seen. 
They are a shadowy reminder of its earlier life. 
It is now branded for the X90 and is probably nearing the end of its career with Oxford, 
having done well over a million miles since new. 

Volvo B10BLE 801 seen operating 22 road last Saturday. 
This route is normally the haunt of the 5XX series Darts.

In 18 months driving I have only once carried a wheelchair passenger in Oxford.
One does not see that many occasions when buses do and last Saturday it was
pleasing to see Stagecoach M A N 940 being so used , disembarking a passenger
in High Street and showing the ramp used on these buses. 
These ramps need to be taken out and placed by the driver.

A further Mercedes Vario has been in use with Thames Travel on their X39 service to Henley.
V254BNV is seen here loading in St Aldates last Saturday. 
It has yet to receive vinyls and had not suitable destination available save rear route numbers.

A ex Oxford Tube Volvo now with Stagecoach United Counties. 
Seen here at Oxford Rail Station operating the X5 service to Cambridge.
102, 647DYE (an ex Routemaster registration) with thanks to Neil Gow.

Guide Friday have introduced a new livery and the first recipient in the Oxford fleet 
is this Leyland Atlantean STK124T. I must say it looks very smart.

HILLINGDON
Both the Oxford express and Stagecoach Oxford Tube call at Hillingdon 
en route to and from London. This has become a popular stop with passengers
in both directions and on both operators. It is interesting how many people now use the service 
from Hillingdon into Central London, especially since the services operate all night.

A selections of pictures is given below.

Oxford express Volvo-Plaxton / Excalibur nr 7 pauses at Hillingdon this afternoon (Sunday) 
on an early afternoon journey from Oxford to London.

Tube M A N 38 sets down passengers in the forecourt of Hillingdon Station, 
before continuing its journey to Grosvenor Gardens in London.

London bound departing services cross the main carriageway to turn right 
and regain the A40 towards Central London. Oxford bound services stop some distance
away across the old A40 junction towards Northolt airfield.
38 shows another advert now appearing on the backs of these fine coaches.
This one is for The Welcome Break and Burger King.

 If anyone has any further news please email below.

Malcolmhc@aol.com 

It adds to the interest of the page which I'm sure everyone appreciates.

THE OXFORD BUS MUSEUM