Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas
Oxford, High Wycombe &
surrounding areas
updated
Monday 9th April 2001
the
next update will be on Sunday 15th April 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 !
O'Neachtain take retiring Oxford express coaches!
A company far away on the west coast of Ireland is now the home for several ex Oxford express coaches. This view is of the depot nestling in the slopes of the coast near Galway. Four more coaches are due to leave shortly. Oxford Express driver Robin Farmer took these photos for us during a recent holiday.
Oxford express nr 52 now
with O'Neachtain on the west coast of Ireland. It is now 93G5900.
Contrary to our story last week that buses might return to Cornmarket, it has now been clarified that other diversionary routes will be used when George Street closes for sewer repairs, when work starts after Easter. One of the City Councilors made it clear to me last Friday that the gap between George Street and Worcester Street will be reopened and some one way working for buses only will take place in George Street.
A large group of members from the PSV Circle visited Oxford last Saturday as part of a weekend of activities based on Reading for the AGM. Buses used to transport the group of some 70, included a Reading Optare double decker, nr 752, Weavaway's Mutley a Scania double decker plus Oxford Buses' 603 for the return journey to Reading. One bus driver, on seeing so many "anoraks" said they want to try driving the b****y" things! I had to comment back, I do!!!
Moving to High Wycombe, news reaches me that Arriva has retained their services in Wycombe but with some alterations to fill gaps. Abbey Coaches will be altering their services from April 23 to serve one or two areas that could not justify a service. It will be altering the 1 service to go along Kingsmead Road (In place of the 317) and two journeys on the 400 will serve Rugwood road to replace the 301 journeys.
Revised fares were introduced by Stagecoach in Oxford from 8th April. The adult fares on The Tube are going up by 50p whilst student, child and concessionary fares remain unchanged. Many local fares are changing and a new Megarider Scheme is being introduced. Full details are available on their web site. http://www.stagecoach-oxford.co.uk.
Company reports - to 7th April 2001
Arriva serving the Shires & Essex.
Arriva VolvoB6 3247 awaits its
next duty in Newlands Bus Station. This bus has been
transferred in from Hemel Hempstead to Lincoln Road. It originally came from
Scotland.
The forecast renumbering of the ex Oxford Volvos means these will now be as follows:
3841 - N621FJO
- was 3841 - was 621
3842 - N622FJO - was 3842 - was 622
3843 - N623FJO - was 3854 - was 623
3844 - N624FJO - was 3855 - was 624
3853 - N413NRG - was 3843 - was 625
3854 - N414NRG - was 3844 - was 626
3855 - N415NRG - was 3853 - was 627
Only 3855 now remains to be repainted but many of those already done have missing gaps in their fleet numbers or none at all.
This week Dart 3821 is away for repaint with 3824 and 5824 away for repairs. Mercs 2833 and 2834 are now withdrawn and will be replaced by two Lynxs. These may be 3070 and 3076. However 3067 has appeared at Newlands and may be transferred from Lincoln Road. Olympian 5081 was borrowed from Lincoln Road on Friday last.
One of the recent arrivals is 5074 A154FPG. This Olympian was seen last Saturday working the 326 with the destination LUTON TOWN & AIRPORT!!!!! It is seen below. What the intending passengers thought is not recorded.
Matt Wheeler
kindly sent in the following brief observations....
Greenway
3048 (BAZ 6869) still in Aylesbury & The Vale livery has returned to
Aylesbury after a long stay with East Herts & Essex (as shown in the photo I
sent recently of 3048 at Bluewater shopping centre). On Wednesday it was on
route 63, whilst Friday saw it running on route 65.
Passing
through Aylesbury Bus Station on Wednesday around 11am, I noticed Olympian 5161
(S 161 KNK) had disgraced itself somewhat by dumping all of its Oil/Diesel (not
sure which) onto the floor of the bus station. When I saw this, they'd already
laid down the sand/powder to soak up the mess. A little later, around 11:30, the
engineers had arrived from the depot and were sweeping up the powder and
presumably trying to fix the bus.
Today I
spotted Alexander Dash bodied Volvo B6 3247 on route 323 (11::15 departure
from Aylesbury), so I would guess this vehicle has now moved to High Wycombe
from its previous location (Hemel Hempstead - see photo above Ed.)
Further to my recent observations of Aylesbury crews operating some turns on routes 323/4, Mon-Fri seems to see Aylesbury crews running the xx.45 departures on 324, whilst on Saturday, Wycombe runs the 324's with Aylesbury running at least one of the 323s (the odd hours xx.15 departures from Aylesbury). Also. some observations from last week, Greenway 3050 is now in full Arriva livery, leaving only 3046 in the revised version. And Blue/yellow Lynx 3074 (F 404 PUR) was on 323 last week, with no fleet name logos, and a faulty electronic destination display, instead relying on the trusty A4 piece of paper in the front windscreen. ( Thanks to Matt Wheeler for those observations. Ed)
Nigel Peach writes to say:
After a week at home using up some days holiday I felt a bit out of touch so thanks for your weekly update. I popped to the bus stn today. 624 came in & I note that it is bearing fleet number 38 !!! I'm glad they've seen sense with the renumbering of these buses. 622 was in there. That is in the new livery now & with 623/6 away at the mo, I think that just leaves 627 from the Volvos to be repainted.
Unusual workings: You snapped Lynx 3344 on the 275. I saw it on the 329 about 10 days ago & yesterday it was running the 315. Lynx 3807 (302) was on the pits today. That had 275 on its desty blind. On Saturday evening the Sainsbury's Merc 2820 was running the 315. My wife observed that it says "Free" by the door & wondered how many passengers would be disappointed in having to pay! (2820 was on the pits today & London Dart 3812 - branded for 326 - was on the Sainsbury's run.) (Thank you Nigel - Ed)
Motts Travel
Sunday saw the major part of Motts fleet plus many hired coaches, 65 in all, making the journey to Birmingham (Villa Park) for the FA Semi Final , when Wycombe sadly lost 2-1 to Liverpool. It was however an excellent game and no one need be sad after the home team made a valiant effort to secure a place in the next round.
Peter Brown advises that Motts latest Volvo B10M is now re-registered as:
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Mistral 50 C49Ft R50 MMT (R16 CED)
Motts Travel Fleetlist (Correct to 9th April 2001)
I am most grateful to Pete Brown for keeping the Motts fleet List up to date.
Neoplan N122/3 / Neoplan
Skyliner CH59/18Dt
B12M MT
Neoplan N122/3 / Neoplan Skyliner
CH59/16Mt
4442 MT
Volvo B12T / Jonckheere Monaco
CH57/14Mt
5705MT (M20TCC) ex Travellers, London
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Mistral 50
C51Ft
R968 RCH
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Mistral 50
C49Ft
T100 MTT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Mistral 50
C49Ft
W200 MTT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Mistral 50
C28Ft
90 WFC (S68 UBO) ex Bebb,
Llantwit Fardre *
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere
Mistral 50 C49Ft
R50 MMT (R16 CED)
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45
C53F M616/7
ORJ ex Shearings
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45
C49Ft
6787 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45
C49Ft
M573 DSJ ex Shearings
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C51Ft
9920 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C51Ft
1746 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C51Ft
5874 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C49Ft
6247 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C49Ft
5723 MT (L214 GJO) ex Oxford Tube
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C49Ft
5812 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C49Ft
B10M MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Jubilee P599
C51Ft
6957 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Jubilee P50
C53F
5814 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Jubilee P50
C53F
9775 MT
Volvo B10M-62 / Jonckheere Jubilee P50
C51Ft
6601 MT
Volvo B7R / Plaxton Prima C55F (or C45F & 5 wheelchairs)
T7 MTT
Dennis Javelin / Plaxton Premiere 320
C53F
M575 RJM
MAN P35 / Jonckheere Deauville 45L
C34Ft
K229 WNH
DAF DHTD / Plaxton Paramount II 3200
C57F
KSK 965/6
Mercedes-Benz 0.814 Vario / Plaxton Cheetah
C29F
S490 UAK
Mercedes-Benz 814D / Autobus Classique Nouvelle I C29F
R902 EDO
Mercedes-Benz 811D / Optare Starider
DP27F
B6R MT
Mercedes-Benz 711D / Plaxton Beaver
C25F
M371 CVG
Mercedes-Benz 609D / Reeve Burgees Beaver
DP24F F600
DWB
Leyland Olympian / Eastern Coach Works
CH46/27F
LIL 7230 (B688 BPU) Ex Brentwood Coaches **
MCW Metrobus II / MCW DPH41/29F
F763/6 EKM Ex
Stagecoach East Kent
MCW Metrobus II / MCW H46/30F
CUB 539/40Y Ex LT , new to
west Yorks PTE
Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Bustler
DP53F
OWG 368X
Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Supreme III
C53F
SUR 283R
Volvo B58 / East Lancs EL 2000
B49F
641 UTO Ex Black
Prince of Morley ***
·
- (Wycombe Wanderers
Team Coach)
·
**
rebuilt front
·
***
rebodied
·
****
(C45F & 5 wheelchairs) / C53F
Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)
Oxford's 601 in company with
Weavaway R19CES (RACES) during the PSV Circle visit to Cowley Road last
Saturday.
Volvo 603 seen on an working to Blackbird Leys last Friday. It is most unusual
to see a single door bus on 5 road.
One of the Darts now with Metrobus of Orpington (518) attended Cobham last Sunday. My correspondent said he thought it looked smart but not as nice as in the Oxford livery!
Details of Easter services are now posted on the Oxford Web Site - http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk
Olympians are on the move again, with 208 and 222 off to Devon. They have been loaned to Truronian for about one week and are expected back by Easter.
Red Rose - Aylesbury
Pete Brown writes to say that Red Rose's new East Lancs bodied Dart SLFs have both arrived. He confirms details as:
Dennis Dart SLF
(10.7m) / East Lancs Spryte
B41F Y358
LCK
Dennis Dart SLF (10.7m) / East Lancs Spryte
B41F Y359
LCK
They are to operate the Hertfordshire R8, R9 and R10 contracts.
Stagecoach in Oxford.
Courtesy Stagecoach I can show you the latest livery on Paladin 908. Some changes to lettering positions is seen with the fleet name behind the door, instead of over, with the fleet number in the centre of the dash.
The fleet number on the rear is different to those completed so far. i.e. 838-842 and 520.
As mentioned above in general news some fare changes took place on Sunday 8th. The local press carries much comment on these increases and changes.
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
Tillingbourne ceased trading
a few weeks ago and one of the victims of closure is this
re registered Leyland Tiger. Originally F2XXHOD based at Horspath it is now
TIL1182.
It was probably F282HOD and originally came from Devon. (Burtons of Brixham)
An Arriva Merc seen working the 340 Stokenchurch-High Wycombe service last
Saturday.
This is usually a big bus duty.
When the PSV Circle left Oxford on Saturday the visited Chiltern Queens where
they saw ex Oxford Citylink 107.
Another company visited was Thames Travel where X384VVY , an Optare Solo posed
for the cameras.
I welcome your photos for inclusion on this page.
Visitor count since 19th April 1999.
