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

Issue 202
Sunday 9th June 2002

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 202 and the end of a very wet weekend. There has been a delay to posting this weeks edition due to the fact that my services were required on rail replacement, Oxford - Banbury. The heading picture is of interest in that Stagecoach Oxford supported The Ladies Driving Challenge organised by Marie Curie Cancer Care. Oxford depot sent London Trident TA433 and 528 (N338HGK) seen above. This was the fourth year that this event had taken place and Community Fund Raising Manager, Val Pearce, said "We are having a special session "Big Boys Toys" on Sunday afternoon, as a one off event to see how well the men can do. The challenge held at Upper Heyford, on the old USAF base, included car transporters, articulated lorries, JCB's, crane, sports cars, fire engines and the two Stagecoach buses. All the money raised will be used in Oxfordshire and Berkshire to provide practical nursing care to seriously ill people with cancer in their own homes surrounded by their loved ones.

One of the pleasures of spring and summer is the photo opportunities. The sweeping fields of Buckinghamshire provide the backdrop for this Arriva "Bouncy Castle" as it makes its way towards Marlow, last Saturday morning,  apparently out of service. Indeed the number blind was set to WBC suggesting the Wycombe Bus is not yet dead.

One of the oldest operators in our area is Chiltern Queens and below you can see a view of the stock still in situ at Woodcote. Horseman of Reading have of course taken over and it appears there will not be many seasons before CQ is but a memory. Vehicles seen in the picture are the ex Wycombe Bus Merc featured in these pages a few weeks ago, a Y reg Dennis Dart and three CQ coaches.. The last time I photographed this depot only a few months ago it appeared full of ex Oxford Leopards and a Tiger plus the vehicles pictured above. How things change.

A line up of the remaining vehicles at CQ, Woodcote.

Matt Cooper who is off on holiday wrote to say that "A few happenings from north of the Oxford border and also congratulations on 200 editions of the web page, always a good read and a useful historical record.  From Jeff's firstly, by the time this is read all the ex OBC Volvos will be in Jeff's livery with their new reg. plates.  Also acquired recently are two ex Lancashire United Leyland Olympians that originated with Ribble these are (SCK226X & DBV137Y) both currently running in rubbed down Stagecoach livery complete with side adverts.  226 has been in use at Greens Norton lately.  The two are likely to be repainted once the schools have broken up.  Both have ECW bodywork and are in good condition for vehicles of their age."

I appreciated the comment that the page provides a useful record. Indeed looking back at The Archive Pages I find it difficult to appreciate how much information of happening in our area are included.

An interesting piece in this week's Oxford Times records the fact that residents of Kidlington are being urged to support the return of a railway station to the town. Some locals say this has been on the cards since the station closed many years ago but it will be interesting to see how things develop.

Talking of trains I mentioned above a day on rail replacement service with OBC. It never ceases to amaze one so old as myself how many coaches and buses find their way on to such services every weekend now. When I was a lad trains ran, even if diverted and coaches only seemed to appear to bring track workers to get the job done. However it does make things very interesting and there are a great variety of vehicles used.

Seems things can still be done well. This lovely little bus shelter serves waiting Thames Travel passengers near Shillingford.

Ralph Adams wrote to note as follows:

1. Route 10C reawarded to COMS
2. New Route 5C (Greater Leys evenings) awarded to Stagecoach
3. Route 33 Awarded to ??????  (lost by Stagecoach)
4. New Stagecoach timetables out next week with 24 hour service on City routes being discontinued, probably in line with the NFBU meeting information. Obviously the County did not feel it worth subsidising empty night buses. Also changes on Witney and Bicester but no details

The above evening contracts are interesting. The evening operations are being operated by the opposite to the daytime operator.  I believe that 5C is also a Sunday operation, but Stagecoach did not win the contract.

Well now to the record of area happenings.

News of the local companies - 9th June 2002

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

More pictures from the Running Day at Wycombe - by Nigel Peach

NBS

Lynx:3069,3070,3076,3345,3806,3808,3809,3810.

Dennis Dart SLF:3821,3822,3823,3824,3825,3826,3827

Dennis Dart DW:3811,3812,3813,3814,3815,3816,3817,3818,3819,3820

Dennis Dart DM:3833,3834

Scania:3144,3145,3146,3158,3163,3169

Olympian:5822,5823,5824,5825,5826,5827,5828,5829,5830,5831,5832,5833,5834,5835,5379,5074

Volvo:3841,3842,3843,3844,3853,3854,3855

Total:56

CRESSEX

Mercs:2410,2196,2197,2198

Lynx:3062,3063,3067,3068,

Volvo B6:3110,3115,3116,3126,3127,3138,3139,3242,3243,3244,3258,3259,3260

Olympian:5075,5076,5081,5108,5109,5110,5134,5135,5167

Total:30

Charlton Services.

Chris Maxfield caught this new addition to the fleet when he visited Charlton-on-Otmoor garage
last weekend. L600CLA comes from Clarke's of London and is currently in dealer white.

Chiltern Queens, Woodcote

591STT, a long serving member of the fleet was still at Woodcote last Saturday.

The Wallingford-Reading service was worked last Saturday by F344TSC, seen
here in Wallingford Square.

Chiltern Railways

Taxi Bus services in Bicester were recorded in these pages some months ago.
Here is the bus in question, Ford Transit, OE51KHG, in Bure Place last Saturday.

Cliffs of High Wycombe

Cliff's of High Wycombe had their latest midi coach BU02DNE on Rail Replacement
service at Banbury last Sunday.

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

Work continues on coach 26 now in works for a repaint into the new Airline livery.

T118DBW - OX 118 seen on Rail Replacement work at Banbury. This must be the first use
of these deckers outside Oxford. Volvo 601 has just arrived from Oxford whence 118 is bound.

Guide Friday

The company has been sold to Ensign Bus who actually own City Sightseeing. This means only one operator of open top services in Oxford for the foreseeable future. It is somehow sad to see the demise of what is now a long standing operator in Oxford.

McLeans Coaches

Chris Maxfield also sent this photo of a McLeans Volvo Y751NAY taken at their depot.

Plastow's of Wheatley

Another new arrival at Plastow's is this Volvo/Jonckheere T910UCS. This brings their fleet
total of this type to four now.

Stagecoach in Warwick

Keith Wood writes "Nuneaton's B6LE 459 P363 DSA has received new livery.  Leamington Olympian 915 in New Livery has had an overall rear advert for
Salmon's Land Rover Dealership added. Noted working the X14 last night.

Stagecoach in Oxford 

Night services from 16 June will be modified and routes 1 and 7 will only run on Friday and Saturday nights. Operation by Stagecoach 33 will cease. route 20 is to be amended and will now serve Cornish Road Estate every two hours.

Training bus 753 has gained fleet number T11.

Thanks to Tracey and Jim for that input.

Ex London Olympian 530, N340HGK, has arrived at Oxford and was being prepared
for service last Saturday when this photo was taken.

A general view of the yard at Horspath shows 500, 784, 501, 934, 504 and 454.

Volvo 910 loads in Bure Place, Bicester for its fast journey to Oxford last Saturday.

National training bus at Horspath. This is an ex Midland Red example. PUK621R

TA429 has left Oxford, replaced by 528. TA431 and 433 remain but their days with Oxford must be numbered now with the arrival of 530 (see above).I

Thames Travel, Wallingford

TaxiBus W682WYV running under the old railway bridge at Wheatley which used
to carry the line from Oxford to Thame. I waited some 15 minutes hoping to record
the new Mercedes Sprinter. This is what appeared.

Shillingford Bridge carries the Thames Travel 105 service to and from Wallingford.
Here we see Dart 251 approaching Wallingford over the bridge last Saturday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

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

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

  OXFORD BUS PAGE CONTENTS