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

updated Sunday 6th January 2002
the next update will be on MONDAY 14th January 2002

  Issue nr. 180

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.

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Welcome to Issue 180 and 2002, which for me, started foggy and far from photographic weather. This Saturday I was not rostered to drive for OBC and thus had the opportunity to have a day out to catch up on various areas. I chose Bicester and Charlton-on-Otmoor, a place not visited since late last summer. The day dawned foggy to say the least and I did not expect to have any decent photos for this week's page. however I was to be proven wrong. As we made our way out of Buckinghamshire and down onto the Oxfordshire plane the sun began to break through and we enjoyed a few hours of better weather. After lunch at the Little Chef near Bicester, Bure Place was our first point of call. I had hoped to get some shots of the London Tridents but this was not be so, they appear to have been taken off the 27 and can be expected to reappear on the 77 very shortly.

The fog was really bad in Stokenchurch as Arriva 3127 sets down at Stokenchurch
on its way to Oxford last Saturday morning.

The next port of call after Bicester and its immediate environs was Charlton-on-Otmoor and the fleet of Charlton Services. This has to be the most immaculate fleet I have seen in a long time. Every bus and coach in the yard was clean and polished and belied the fact that the previous week had been one of freezing weather and very dirty roads.

The New Year is now in full swing and promises to be another bumper year for the enthusiast. New buses and coaches are on order and older vehicles will be moving on. Changes in operators on various services are in the pipeline and February will see a number of changes in Oxfordshire. These have been reported in these pages but the 10C/D moving to OBC and Thames Travel taking over the 101 and 103 services spring to mind.

News from the companies - 6th January 2002

Airlinks

Sunday was also a foggy day on the Chilterns and D314 was somewhat shrouded when
picking up at Stokenchurch on the 757 bound for Cambridge via Wycombe and Stansted.

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

My regular correspondent Steve Warwick wrote to note several interesting workings during the last week. He writes -

Wednesday 2nd Jan 2002
Iitems of unusual workings were
The 07.55 dep: 372 to Chesham was operated by NBS Dennis Dart SLF 3822.
The 16.40 dep:329 to Reading was operated by Dennis Dart (Bouncy Castle) 3819
Leyland Olympian 5831 was used on the 16.40 275 service to Oxford.

Thursday 3/1/2002
Leyland Olympian 5823 on 303's all day
Dennis Dart SLF 3826 is now displaying 'Happy New Year' on it's Hanover Display.
Leyland Olympian 5827 has lost it's middle number and is running around with route 33,37,31 today!

Arriva's 3811, a bouncy castle Dart, runs into Marlow, Reading bound on the 329 today Sunday.

A further M has arrived at Carousel and is seen here with other members of the fleet.
The line up is M737, 703(new - N29 on blind) and 598.

M1432 shows off its new livery with Carousel fleet names on the side.

Next Saturday, 12th January, there will be something of a celebration that Carousel has gained the 336. RLH48 will operate special services on that day, leaving Amersham at 1030 bound for Watford. It operates via Chalfont and Latimer, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Croxley Green arriving Watford Town Centre (stop D) at 1242. Departs again at 1252 with photo stops to Amersham arriving at 1500. This is, I am told, the first time a double deck has operated the 336 since the RLHs finished all those years ago. I intend to get some pictures of the event but I am sure it will be well worth making the effort to attend.

This very smart line up of Charlton fleet members includes JJI3505(B910UPW) ex JGS Rotherham,
A114MUD ex COMS, TJI6278 (C378PCD)  ex BH&D, A113MUD ex COMS,
OXI9100 (C801FMC) ex Horseman Reading and BBW217Y ex COMS.

BBW217Y ex Oxford Bus has been converted to single door and I must note a very
excellent job has been done.

For me pride of place must go to this Leyland Royal Tiger which started life as a
Leyland demonstrator. It featured in a video launching the Royal Tiger when new.

Seen in a scrap yard is City of Oxford Daimler Fleetline 415.
Wacton, Bromyard - 4 January 2002 courtesy Greg Taylor
What a sad end befalls all vehicles in the fullness of time.

One coach with a brighter future is BBW21V, an ex Citylink Leyland Leopard.
This coach has for a number of years been used as trainer T1.
It is now being refurbished as 21 once again in 190 livery, whereupon it will be
presented to The Oxford Bus Museum.

Regarding the query from Newman Morgan last week who noted that Trident 102 has one upper deck window in a changed place to the remainder of the fleet. This is indeed quite correct. An opening window is now one place further forward from the rear offside as can be seen in the pictures below unlike the remaining 19!!!

James O'Neill writes "Oxford vehicles with Emsworth & District, Hants:
G778 WFC - Villiage Nipper livery (like original Oxford livery)
G779 WFC - As 778

C724 JJO - Now with Oxford Bus Museum
B735 YUD - Now with Oford Bus Museum (spares for 724?)

oneillpf@clovelly7.fsnet.co.uk

I have asked James if he has any pictures of the Metroriders.

Stagecoach in Banbury and Warwickshire

Basil wrote to amend his comments on his trip on National 772. Vehicle travelled on was no.772 (BVP772V) and the services used were the X40  1300 Rugby – Leicester and X40 1415 Leicester – Rugby.

Keith Wood wrote to say "The PSV Circle news sheet for December showed former Banbury in Sainsbury's Merc J305 THP going to an operator in Staffordshire in August 2001. This would be about the last time I saw this vehicle dumped at the side Nuneaton depot !

I did a Nuneaton survey on Saturday 29th December. The large pile of Mercs at the side of Nuneaton depot have all gone ! Presumably they have been sold as Bus Fayre magazine suggests to other Stagecoach companies. Also missing were still in service 331/332 which are Nuneaton's oldest Mercs. I'm back on Saturday so I'll look out for them.

Volvo B6LE / ALX200 466 P356 JND has been repainted into new livery joining 465 P355 JND. Volvo B6LE 467 P357 JND was working an interesting diagram which may be the norm on Saturdays as there are spare low floors available from the 48.
717 Birmingham Airport - Nuneaton
4 Horeston Grange Circular
17 Arley Circular.

This is the first time I've ever seen a low floor bus on the 4 ! Arley services used to be regular B6LE turns before the October revisions but are rare now.

Well it had to happen sooner or later. Volvo B6LE 455 P325 JND was working the X86 Coventry - Rugby last night. In full "Route 4" branding this is the first time I've seen one of these in Coventry.

The Merc situation seems to be that 312-325/329-332 have all gone to South East whilst 344/345 to Red & White. However also reported with South East is 364 which wasn't withdrawn and which I saw in service recently from Rugby depot. This is the one with Dual Purpose Seats. I shall confirm next Friday when I visit Rugby.

Finally Keith asks "I need to update my records and I was wondering whether one of your correspondents could send me a list of all the former Midland Red vehicles currently in service (or withdrawn etc) with Stagecoach Oxford.

Can you post my request on the page ?"

Stagecoach in Oxford

Ralph Wood writes to note "On Friday, the Iffley Road was closed for 2 hours in the afternoon when 2 cars went into each other (no buses involved - but it certainly caused them problems as a result)

At 5.15, half hour after the Iffley Road reopened, a pedestrian decided to cross at Carfax when the lights showed red. He was knocked down by a bus and taken to hospital. I gather that there was no serious injury - apart from most City workers who were delayed by the chaos until 6.20. Single lane working was being organised from the Town Hall to Rymans. Quite well organised for 15 minutes by on site bus controllers, then big problems when the police turned up in 6 cars and did not get the traffic running as efficiently.

According to Coach & Bus weekly, the 7 new MANs will be officially launched alongside timetable improvements in the New Year.

I gather that Witney B10 912 and 2 Tubes are going on holiday to sunny seaside at Portsmouth this afternoon for a few days ((Re South West Trains problems) - Cobham-Waterloo on Monday.

TA431 was parked in Roman Way this afternoon with destination 7A Special Service. Last Sunday one of the Tridents had 50 Alcester on the display. However, the schools had not reopened, and if it had been in service, the last destination would have been Oxford. I think someone is trying to wind up visitors with destination blinds.

Richard Sharman writes"Haven't seen any think new but noted the following at Chipping Norton out station on the 1/1/02-
381-For 480
456-For X8
514-For 50/20
910-For 50/20

A fair cry from when it was just the three Lances."

Bicester Bure place is the setting for 228, one of the two Volvos transferred from MRS.

Tillingbourne

We are asked for help by an ex Tillingbourne employee, John Gaff. He says "I am trying to find photos of ex Tillingbourne vehicles with new ops. I worked there for 20+ years.

The vehicles looked for are:
TIL 1184 Tappins
H423 GPM Magpie (Ash) Wycombe - summer 2001 then Swanbrook

I think I have got pictures of those buses and am looking for them but if anyone else has info then please let me know.

Tourex, Oxford

A visitor to these pages writes, "My name is Gavin Rowney and I run "The Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Site" http://www.iwbus.4t.com/ .

I have heard that Tourex of Oxford have acquired a Leyland Tiger/Marshall reg F86TDL from Southern Vectis within the past couple of months. Can you confirm this and have you seen it/got any photos of the vehicle? Any information would be most gratefully appreciated."

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

This coach is sitting in a lay-by on the A34 and appears abandoned. DVL940T.

 From the front it looks even more lost. There are no seats remaining and most
instruments have been removed.

I wonder what this was? It is standing at RAF Bicester by the hangars.

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

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