from THE OXFORD BUS PAGE
News from:
 Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas
and thoughts for H.M.The Queen Mother who passed away on Saturday 30th March.

updated Sunday, 7th April 2002
the next update will be on Sunday 14th April 2002

  Issue nr. 193

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

Welcome to Issue 193, with first news of the upcoming launch of The Oxford Bus Company's new look airport services. First day of service will be Friday, 12th April. The actual launch ceremony will be on Thursday evening at 7pm and the new coaches will take the road the following day. I am delighted to be able to wet your appetites with this star view of the first coach, nr 29 OA02OXF, presently being used for driver familiarisation. A full report will appear in next week's issue, nr 194. more details can be found below in the company report section of this news page..

The next few weeks promise to be most interesting with several new and fresh buses taking the road in the City of Oxford. Details are given under the specific operators headings but the most significant will be the introduction of a totally revised Airport service by city of Oxford motor Services - Oxford express. A new look as well as new coaches are imminent and this page will keep you fully informed.

Newman Morgan writes with his usual newsy comments which I include here for continuity purposes. "I ventured into Oxford today, Saturday. I saw TA429 on the Bicester road together with an unidentified SiO Olympian. An Olympian, No. 504, was working on the 10 road, complete with Stagecoach Midland Red old-style fleet name.

I also noted Oxford Classic Tour No. 303 in a new all over gaudy red livery branded as city sightseeing Tour. Several of the other Classic Tour open toppers had a city sightseeing Tour sticker between decks at the rear. Assumedly this is a new branding. At least the new coat of paint covers up the 'Lothian' lettering that is visible through the white livery just below the rear upper deck window!"

A new livery has appeared on one of the Lothian/Tappins open toppers. One presumes
the other three, 300-302, will also be so treated. This one is 303, E303MSG.
It is seen outside Queen's College in The High.

Newman goes on to say "I also noted Trident 101 on the X3 road. As I walked by the vehicle in Queen Street I noticed three rust bubbles appearing just below the kerbside destination display. Already! The affected panel is obviously a weak spot on OBS' Tridents as all those on the Park & Rides before Alexanders warranty checkups had varying degrees of rust bubbles at this spot.

I picked up new timetable leaflets for the revamped 2 road, the X3 and others. I notice that a re-branding of the Airport services is imminent. The rear page of the timetable leaflets refer to the London service as the Oxford express and the airport services as 'the airline' with a logo of a face looking up to either the sun or the moon. There is also mention of a website http:www.theairline.info - I have yet to check it out. (This site will be live from Friday I understand Ed.) The logo reminds me of the RATP (Paris Transport) logo as this includes a design that looks like the outline of a face but is actually meant to be the River Seine meandering through Paris. Insane perhaps!

One thing I have never understood about the Gatwick service, especially as it is now hourly and that is that the service could, I believe, generate extra revenue by running on to Brighton. After all Brighton & Hove is a Go-Ahead company and could perhaps provide a coach or two from that end. I appreciate that it is primarily an Airport service but an extension down the A23 to Brighton could bring a daytrip facility to the coast - and Brighton is a popular destination all year round. (I am sure the company has its own reasons for retaining the service exclusively for the airport. Ed.)

Looking at a leaflet in the National Express office in Gloucester Green, perhaps the airline may feel the necessity to provide a service to Luton Airport now that Jetlink does not from Oxford (or from High Wycombe for that matter). Oxford-Aylesbury-Leighton Buzzard-A505-Dunstable-Luton-Luton Airport wouldn't take that long.I'd prefer Oxford-Bicester-Aylesbury as this would also provide a direct service between Bicester and Aylesbury. The hastily produced NatEx leaflet lists journeys from Oxford to Luton Airport changing at either Heathrow (X70 to Jetlink), Hemel Hempstead (757 to another Jetlink) or Milton Keynes (Stagecoach X5 to Arriva X66). Some years ago there was an Oxford to Luton Airport express service via Bicester and Aylesbury that was jointly worked by COMS and United Counties. Route 505???? The current Jetlink timetable does show connections to Luton Airport out of the 757 at Hemel Hempstead but there is a 40 minute wait for the connection making it an almost 3 hour journey. Oxford bound the waiting time at Hemel is 65 minutes. Personally, I'd rather take the car!  (I could imagine that other companies would feel threatened by such actions. Ed.)

Talking of Arriva all their timetables are now available on their website http://www.arriva.co.uk. All Arriva service timetables throughout the UK are on the website. There is also a website http://www.arriva.co.nl or maybe just http://www.arriva.nl for their Dutch operations.

Today's Oxford Mail reports on a £30m county council boost for buses in Oxfordshire. Reading the article it seems this money is to be spent over the next 10 years to ensure that their is a network of premium services linking Oxford city with surrounding towns on timetables of every 15 minutes or more and using low-floor buses. When you think about it, this is almost the case anyway! Abingdon and Witney both have services to Oxford of every 15 mins off-peak minimum and Bicester has off-peak of every 20 mins plus the hourly X5. I suppose Wheatley could be improved along with Wallingford or even Didcot but Didcot services have to compete with the train. I can't see a 15 minute frequency to Thame because Thame's population feeds into Aylesbury more than Oxford.

Apparently the County Council wishes better bus shelters, more priority measures, real time bus stop information, more low floor buses. Black spot road junctions are to be improved to give bus priority measures.

The two bus companies are apparently working on a real time bus stop scheme with the Council and it could be on trial in the city before the end of the year.

High Street, Oxford with a Park & ride Trident plus a Dart on the 10D.
note the flag at half mast for the Queen Mother.

I still think they should build a tram! Thornhill P&R-Headington-Brookes-St Clements-High Street, then branch to Queen Street-Rail Station and branch to Cornmarket-Banbury Road-Summertown-Pear Tree P&R-Garden City-Kidlington. A coach station could be built at Thornhill - bye bye Gloucester Green and Oxpens! A circular line should also run Rail Station-Queen Street-St Aldates-Abingdon Road-Redbridge P&R-Littlemore-Blackbird Leys-Cowley Centre-Cowley Road-High Street-Queen Street-Rail Station, and vice versa. Unfortunately my 5 years of commuting to Strasbourg, France has a role to play here! Strasbourg's four new tram lines carry 160,000 passengers a day with all day frequencies of every 2.5 minutes and public transport use is up almost 13% on last year. But £30million would just about build a line along Oxford High Street, although the Tridents would be able to go and rust in peace! (It does seem that the Alexander bodies have their fair share of problems. Ed.)

Last Wednesday's Oxford Mail carried a colour picture of OBS Dart 519 on the revamped 18 road together with OBS' Commercial Manager, a local councillor and a crew of third agers + shopping trolleys waiting to board.

Must go, it's 6.30pm and I don't even know yet who won the Grand National!

Many thanks to Newman for his contribution.

Following my comments last week regarding Gloucester Green vs The Oxpens, Steven le Bras wrote to say "I agree that Gloucester Green should be for tourist coaches- after all they have the tourist information there!

As for The Oxpens, it is too small for all the tourist coaches which stop there but the car/coach link is good as you say and if you put the express services in there you would need something like the Solo link to/from central Oxford. I await developments with interest."

Well that is an interesting point of view and I hope the Oxford City Council may look at this matter further.

I understand that the matter of the Westgate development has come to the fore once more. I covered this matter in a news page a couple of years ago and it now seems that the bus station is somewhat nearer.

Another matter regarding a rather famous operator often seen in Oxford concerns Flights of Birmingham. Last week's Coach & Bus Week covers the takeover of Flights by Dunn-Line Group of Nottingham. Flights had already sold Excelsior of Bournemouth late last year and they have now found themselves taken over.   Flights had developed Flightlink, a name now used by National Express and it is sad to see the demise of a once proud operator.

Although not on Flightlink work this Plaxton bodied Volvo is from Trathens, another well known operator.
KP51UVE pauses at Gloucester Green on the 310 service last Bank Holiday Monday.
One does however wonder why the driver could not have fully pulled onto the stand
since he leaves several metres of his coach in the operating area.

Whilst I was in Amsterdam last week I came across this impressive Swiss Setra
awaiting its passengers at Schiphol Airport. I was rather taken with its livery.

Thank you to all who continue to send information each and every week, this is much appreciated and adds much to the page and so on to the company news in our area.

News of the local companies - 7th April 2002

Airlinks

 
Ex Cambridge Coach 310 with revised Jetlink branding operates a 757 service into
Gloucester Green on Bank Holiday Monday.

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

The next "Running Day" is planned for Sunday May 26th with a number of local routes being run as usual. There will be visiting Routemasters.

Steve Warwick was driving this ex Oxford Olympian last Saturday and was keen to
point out the new destination blinds now appearing on Arriva buses in Wycombe.
5828 is seen leaving Stokenchurch bound for High Wycombe.

I must apologise for the error in the caption of a Lynx in Lane End featured in last week's News Page. It read "Lynx 5809 turns into a housing estate at Simmons Way, Lane End.". The fleet number should have read 3809.

Oxford Bus (City of Oxford Motor Services)  http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk

It is surprising what can be achieved on the blinds of some of Oxford's buses!

The one remaining "NRG" Volvo, 628 is seen on Saturday evening on a working to Abingdon
on 35road. This was an unexpected end to my driving day with just one trip to Abingdon.

Stagecoach in Warwick

Keith Wood is back this week. Rob Williams sent some info on his behalf. He says "I have some sightings from Keith Wood that he asked me to pass on to you whilst he's away from his computer:

Nuneaton

101 from Banbury to Nuneaton withdrawn
105 from Banbury to Nuneaton in service
361 from withdrawn to Nuneaton in service
471 in new livery
106, 107, 108, 205 all possibly transferred to Banbury as were absent from Nuneaton and Rugby.

Leamington

338 in new livery

613 has returned from Oxford

Stagecoach in Oxford 

Richard Sharman writes "The very last Stagecoach in Oxford working of the full 50 service was today, B10M 904 had the honour along with Leamington's B10M 231. Oxford was operating the Sunday service on the Tube roster. Interesting to see which vehicle Pete's Travel will use next Sunday!."

Did anyone see what operated this Sunday from Petes Travel?

Ralph Adams writes to say "Firstly a correction and apology for incorrect report.  I believe I reported 839 as leaving Oxford to Stagecoach in Warwickshire. It probably did not go as it was on Wantage duties this week.
Merc 324, recently the publicity van, has gone to Nuneaton for disposal with 2 Darts - do not know which at present
I have been very busy this week, but looking out of the window, I am sure I saw 948 back in service after its accident some months ago. However have not had the opportunity to see it again."

Another correspondent wrote"As you have probably heard from Ralph Adams, Darts 776 and 787 were collected from Oxford Saturday 6th for transfer to Stagecoach south east (Winchester depot - my depot!)

This is because our PVR rises by 2 on Monday as new service 'line 13' from Kempshott Park into Basingstoke commences this weekend, although it is believed that the Oxford darts will operate in Winchester rather than on line 13."

Easter Monday saw this Dart, 729, unusually operating the 100.

Stagecoach Oxford have now seen the last of the orange top M A N s for route 1.
All workings are now with buses in the new livery.

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

Chiltern Queens are now working National Express Diagrams.
Here we see T20DMB off back to Woodcote after arrival from Glasgow on the 539.

One of Hallmarks Dennis/Plaxtons brought the Leyton Orient team to Oxford last Saturday.
Its driver Dick proved very hospitable to a small group of cold Oxford drivers. Thank you Dick.
The coach was Y3HMC.

Somehow showing just how awful a super rear ad can be is this Speedlink N826DKU
at Terminal 4 Heathrow.

Back home!  L150HUD, one time Oxford express Volvo, now with Worth's, visit Cowley Road.
These coaches have been up-seated to 55 now.

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

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

  OXFORD BUS PAGE CONTENTS