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

updated Monday, 11th February 2002
the next update will be on Monday 18th February 2002

  Issue nr. 185

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 185, which this week brings a number of changes in the presentation. After receiving a large number of replies regarding the background colour I have opted for this very pale blue background which I hope improves readability for those who were having problems. I am interested to hear your reactions and if its does what it is supposed to.

Thames Travel starts services to Watlington & Wheatley

Today, Monday 11th February saw Thames Travel of Wallingford commence operations on several Oxfordshire County funded services.  The first services were the 0730 from Watlington to Oxford operated by brand new Dart MPD - 651 : KP51UFH which left Watlington terminus with three passengers on board for its run through to Oxford.  It would doubtless pick up many more en route. Stagecoach operated its last service on Saturday evening using an older Thames Transit origin Dart 762 which is seen below at the traffic lights by the Swan in Cowley.

This sees the end of a linked association with COMS going back to the very early days of bus operation in the Oxford area on services to Watlington. In earlier days early morning services were operated by a bus from the Stokenchurch depot. Such services ran through to Cowley Works. The new buses provided by Thames Travel are low floor 29 seat Darts and are some the first new buses on this route for many years. Other new service changes see Thames Travel operating a number of services across Oxfordshire and their fleet has grown significantly as a result.

Ralph Adams wrote to note that Monday is the change date for several local services. Thames Travel appear to be operating new services as follows.

101 Oxford - Stadhampton - Watlington Basically hourly (2 buses)
103 Oxford - Wheatley Basically hourly (1 bus)
TB103 Taxibus Wheatley- Stadhampton Basically hourly, connecting with 103 and 101both ways (1 taxibus)
The late night service does not appear to operate anymore.

The first service from Watlington operated Dart 651 is seen above.

Other new services

19 Witney-Aston-Bampton-Lew-Witney Basically hourly (Note circular, Lew had no previous service.) Basically hourly
19D Witney-Ducklington Basically hourly (1 bus on 19/19D)
TB19 Taxibus Carterton-Bampton Basically hourly, connecting with 19, plus existing 2 hourly service 18 to Oxford at Bampton (1 taxibus)

Thames Travel already operate a Taxibus - an 8 seat Mercedes in Wallingford. Comments have been made that an outstation will be at Carterton if they can recruit sufficient local staff. Have they succeeded? It would save dead mileage.

Thanks to Ralph Adams for that input.

Newman Morgan has been reading the papers again and writes : Today's edition of the Oxford Mail includes its second feature on 'Transport in Oxfordshire'. This week the left-hand drive Oxford Bus and the Metrobus Park & Ride have been replaced by a red car which looks remarkably like a Ford Mondeo minus steering-wheel.

This week's article features opinions. Of 10 people interviewed , 3 have good commutes on local buses, two people commute to Coventry on Virgin XC and complain about regular cancellations and late running trains with no information. One interviewee reckons Virgin's excuses have included a swan on the line and the driver stuck in traffic! There is a couple of cyclists, two young mothers who prefer their cars although one is reported as saying that she would probably use the bus if there were low floor vehicles on her route (Kennington road). Another interviewee drives from Littlemore to Blackbird Leys for work and complains that it takes about 45 mins. Must be faster on the 16 to Templars Square and then the 5 !

As for the editorial itself there is concern of the cutting of rural services, e.g. West Hanney, or no buses, e.g. Stanton Harcourt to Eynsham. Concern over lack of disabled parking spaces since the introduction of OTS in Oxford city centre. However, it is commented that the disabled have seen big improvements with low floor buses, Oxford's city bus system is probably one of the best in the country, but lacking in the rural districts. More investment in trains is recommended along with a special tax to pay for it.

The paper continues by commenting on the failure of the proposed re-opening of the Witney to Oxford railway line and the consultants' dismissal of a metro style light railway or guided bus route. The County's increased rural bus grant of £170k will not mean improved services as the additional funding has had to be spent on retaining existing services.

Apparently there are plans to improve services to Kidlington with more low floor buses but the 2D route along the Moors, Kidlington is to be axed.

There is quite a lot of comment on access for disabled people, and this is aimed as much at railway stations as buses. However, road humps cause difficulty and, in more rural areas, low-floor buses cannot line up against a grass verge to allow a wheelchair to board.

However, the report concludes by commenting that one of the most important things is investment and integration at a national level.

Many thanks to Newman for that informative report. Certainly having sampled the new busway in Holland between Haarlem and Amsterdam I second the fact that more Government investment is needed. The Dutch system cost Dfl 600 million - that's around £170 million in our money. When using the system I couldn't help wondering what it would do to bus ridership if we had a similar system in Oxford running between Witney and the City and beyond say to Abingdon. Certainly support for the tram system in Manchester has made that a fantastic success.

Andy Gilmour wrote to ask "when are we getting another one of Vic Gackowski's excellent surveys?" Andy I hope quite soon now, indeed I do agree they are a most useful source of information.

During my weekend jaunts I have been recording locations for nice photos when the summer is here. It occurred to me that a bit more scenery was needed to improve interest in general. I include a shot of Wallingford Market Square to highlight what I mean.

A Thames Travel Vario on route 130 to Didcot pauses in the Square and a Solo on the X39
to Oxford loads on its stand. The Vario is V254BNV.

Well on to the company news in our area.

News of the local companies - 11th February 2002

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

A further week of yet more interesting arrivals were noted in Wycombe this week. Many of you wrote to draw my attention to the comings and goings.

Steve Warwick writes that the following buses arrived for work here: FOUR East Lancs bodied Scania's and two Dennis Darts

Scania East Lancs 3158 (N708 EUR) from Hemel Hempstead
Scania East Lancs 3163 (N713 EUR) from Aylesbury
Scania East Lancs 3169 (N31 KGS) from Luton
Scania Plaxton Prestige(?) 3197 (R197 RBM) from Hitchin
Dennis Dart SDL Plaxton 3361 (K412 FHJ) from Harlow
Dennis Dart SDL Plaxton 3385 (M951 LYR) from Harlow

Iveco minibus number 2093 has gone to Aylesbury for storage.

Nigel Peach wrote " loan Merc 2200 was running the 326 today and Olympian 5379 was the Sainsbury's shuttle. I agree with you - it does look tatty, particularly compared with those of the same batch which had a brief spell in Wycombe 3 years ago before being ousted by 5825-29."

Mike Penn writes "With regard to this week's Oxford bus page it should be pointed out that Lutonian are not part of the Status group. However Julian Peddle is a shareholder and it has a fairly close operating relationship with MK Metro.

On the subject of Motts don't forget that Volvo B6/Northern Counties L922/3 LJO are still with Arriva The Shires at High Wycombe.
The five ex Motts Metrobuses which went to Cardiff Bluebird passed to Cardiff City Transport on cessation in 9/96 but weren't used. Four at least then went to Ensign but again weren't used and two have since gone to PVS at Barnsley - a sudden end for these vehicles.(this matter is fully described under the Motts heading Ed.)

Mike goes on to say "Today's report follows.
Arriva The Shires seem to be suffering from an extreme shortage of serviceable vehicles at High Wycombe and some have been drafted in from all over the company's area and from Arriva East Herts & Essex.

Those seen today are as follows:

2200/24 (L426/4 CPB) - Mercedes/Dormobile from Luton.
3098 (H245 MUK) - Dart/Carlyle from Luton - in advertising livery for the free
service to Dunstable's White Lion Retail Park!!!
3158 (N708 EUR) - Scania/East Lancs from Hemel Hempstead.
3163 (N713 EUR) - Scania/East Lancs from Aylesbury.
3169 (N31 KGS) - Scania/East Lancs from Luton.
3197 (R197 RBM) - Scania/Northern Counties from Stevenage - has route
branding for services 100/101 - Stevenage to Luton.
3361 (K411 FHJ) - Dart/Plaxton from Harlow.
3385 (M951 LYR) - Dart/Plaxton from Ware.
5379 (TPD 109X) - Olympian/Roe from Harlow - in County cream & green livery.

None of these had correct blinds fitted.

Some more usual sightings at High Wycombe were 5075 (A155 FPG), 5108 (F506 OYW) and 5110 (G130 YEV) now in Arriva livery. Also 582 2 (D822 UTF) now in advertising livery for Swan FM Radio. Those still in the old blue & yellow fleet livery were 2127 (N907 ETM), 3054 (TIB 7835), 3139 (L923 LJO) and 5081 (B271 LPH). 5827 (E227 CFC) is still in advertising livery for "Travelwise" - this is the last vehicle with any vestige of Wycombe Bus livery.
2132 (N912 ETM) still has its dark blue front bumper obtained from ex City of Oxford 2820 (G120 PGT). The only one of the ex Arriva North West minis I saw was 110 (N780 EUA). I wonder why this hasn't been renumbered."

Thanks to Mike for those comprehensive notes. I have repeated some items mentioned earlier for the sake of clarity.

Paul Coley writes " Went past Aylesbury depot yesterday (Saturday) and neither of the Buffalo Olympians were there, as I suspected they wouldn't be. In case this has not been previously reported, National Greenway IIL 4822 (3045) and Volvo single decker F314 RMH (3076) are both being cannibalised on site, presumably to keep the remaining Volvo and Greenways active. Local press report 'mixed' views to the service cuts implemented last week locally "

On Saturday afternoon this Mercedes 2138 was seen at Aylesbury depot
still carrying Arriva serving Southend vinyls!!!

Aylesbury Station is the setting for this ex Buffalo Volvo with Duple bodywork.
Carrying fleet number 3080 it looks very smart in its corporate livery last Saturday.


Scania 3163 poses for the camera last Sunday. I am told these are very
powerful buses and eat the hills around Wycombe. They are only for the 326.

Steve Warwick sent this picture of 3197 , a late registered Scania still carrying route branding for its former depot.

Another bus drafted in last week is this Dart 3361 - K411FHJ

Two buses under the hammer are 3076 and 3045 at Aylesbury Depot.
They are being cannibalised.

Paul Goodwin writes to say " Your report from Paul Coley regarding the 4/5 is not correct. The service operates under contract to BCC but has retained the half hourly frequency. In reality it has returned to the timetable that operated for two weeks prior to the closure of the oxford road bridge to buses last January."

.................and on the same subject Matt Wheeler writes " Contrary to what the correspondent reported (sorry, can't remember his name), but Arriva route 5 in Aylesbury is still running. I met it on my way to Tesco at lunchtime today. He was correct to mention that the Elmhurst area only gets 1 Arriva bus per hour, but that is because for well over a year Route 5 has operated to the Coppice estate via Tesco (Tring road) and Broughton.
The two routes 4 and 5 then combine to run half hourly between Aylesbury to the Rabans Lane bus depot via Fairford Leys estate. I appreciate the inaccurate information isn't your fault, and you are only able to report what you are given."

Thank you to all three of you for those interesting and informative notes.

The current Wycombe - Newlands Bus Station allocation is:

Olympians        5074, 5379, 5822-35
Lynx                3070, 3076, 3344, 3345, 3806-10
Dart SLF          3821-27 
Dart                 3098, 3633, 3634, 3361,  3811-20
Mercedes         2127, 2132, 2224
Volvo B6           3127, 3138, 3243
Volvo B10B       3842-4, 3853-5
Scania              3158, 3163, 3169, 3197

Carousel Buses, High Wycombe

Carousel's Arriva liveried London Metrobus, M703.

The Volvo B7L Wright's bodied demonstrator entered service on 7/2/02 on route 15.
It is seen here last Saturday turning into to Wood Farm Road.

The rear mounted engine compartment can be seen in this shot. The driver said that
passengers commented upon how noisy the vehicle was at the back.

Having traversed the estate 800 approach the terminus.

.
Volvo/Paladin 654 heels over as it heads of Green Road Roundabout towards Risinghurst
and the end of its journey across Oxford on 22 road.

Volvo/Plaxton Verde unusually works 2 road last Saturday.
This bus more normally works on 35 road.

My soucres tell me that an Olympian worked on Greater Leys last week. Neil Gow writes "My son saw the 5L card working yesterday and got quite excited
about it. Still, I reckon 223 running on the 5A is quite notable, given that this route is scheduled to be worked by the smallest buses in the fleet. It might well have been the first visit of a double decker to Greater Leys.

410 on service 10D (first day of Oxford Bus).

Your comment last week on numbering of demonstrators caused me to look some up. There appears to be much more use of conventional flee numbers instead of X99 than you imply. The following are all in my photograph collection.

1982,         Leyland Tiger/Plaxton DNK 571Y, unnumbered.
1990,         Scania 113/Alexander G113 SKX, 393
1991,         Dennis Dart/Wadham Stringer J459 JOW, unnumbered
1994,         Dennis Lance/Optare Sigma L486 CFT, 4786 (Gateshead fleet number)
1995,         Volvo B10L/Alexander M394 MRW, 600
1995,         Dennis Lance/Optare Sigma M21 UUA, 601
1997,         Dennis Lance/Northern Counties P452 BPH, 699
1998,         DAF LPG/Plaxton P10 LPG, 398
1998,         DAF LPG/Plaxton R29 GNW, 399
2002,         Volvo B7L/Wright Y814 BOJ, 800

Thank you Neil, I appreciate your correction to my thoughts. Your point is well made.

Heyfordian Bicester

Roland Cox says : It appears there are changes to the fleet. On the dealer Coach Europe's web site are two coaches for sale C72 KLG ex 2110 UK and RBD 636Y ex 3150 MC.  8779 KW is re-regd back to NBD 103Y and 7209 RU to RBD 379Y.

A Plaxton Paramount is registered 2779 UE previously on a Bova.  Two Jonckheere white coaches are N802/8 NHS seen this week.

When I visited the Bicester Depot on Saturday I saw N83 and N808NHS so this means three in  all. They had been repainted as seen below.

Motts

M575RJM caught on camera near Marlow

Pete Brown wrote following last weeks notes on Motts. He says "Once again this week I enjoyed reading your News Page and I found the article from Paul Coley of particular interest to me. I was a very big fan of Yellow Bus when I was younger and I am still interested in what happened to the vehicles.

From my old fleet lists and photos I have come up with some more information on the fleet from the early 1990's. Following on from what Paul Coley said, Yellow Bus also had a third Mercedes 709D, J171 GGG which was until recently a crew transfer vehicle at Cressex. This has now been withdrawn and I presume sold on elsewhere.

On the subject of the Metrobus, four of the MK1's were sold to Cardiff Blue who went bust a few years later. As far as I know these buses were all scrapped. The other Metrobus was sold for scrap by Motts after a few years. Motts also had, and still have, two Mk2 Metrobus (CUB 539/40Y) which were acquired from Leaside Buses and were new to Yorkshire Rider.

I also have a list of several other DMS's that yellow bus and Motts have owned and I would be willing to pass on my lists to anyone who wanted them.

This was smartly followed by an e-mail from Michael Wootton of Woottons Coaches. He says: "I very much enjoyed reading Paul Coley's interesting notes on your News Page regarding the disposal of the Motts Yellow Bus fleet in the mid 1990's. I worked for Motts from an early age and have many happy memories of the Yellow Bus era. Looking back at my notes I have put together a short list of vehicle disposals which I thought may interest some of your readers.

Yellow Bus Disposals

MCW Metrobus MK1
139 JHE 139W - Sold '95 to Cardiff Bluebird
141 JHE 141W - Sold '95 to Cardiff Bluebird
142 JHE 142W - Sold For Scrap
143 JHE 143W - Sold '95 to Cardiff Bluebird
163 JHE 163W - Sold '95 to Cardiff Bluebird
164 JHE 164W - Sold '95 to Cardiff Bluebird
Cardiff Bluebird were taken over by Cardiff Bus in the late 1990's.

MCW Metrobus MK2
539 CUB 539Y - Still In Service With Motts
540 CUB 540Y - Still In Service With Motts

Volvo B58 / East Lancs EL2000 (Re-body)
641 UTO - Still In Service With Motts

Leyland Leopard / Duple Dominant Bus
151 MUS 151P - Withdrawn (In Store At Woodham)
152 MUS 152P - Sold '95
219 TGD 219R - Sold '95
107 EHS 107T - Withdrawn (In Store At Woodham)

Leyland Leopard / ECW
830 UKE 830X - Passed to Oxford Bus Museum

Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook 003 Express
834 LOA 834X - Withdrawn (In Store At Woodham)
330 DDM 33X - Sold For Scrap
270 TPD 27V - Sold For Scrap
101 LCY 101X - Sold '95
960 GGM 96W - Sold '95

Leyland Leopard / Plaxton
283 SUR 283R - Still In Service With Motts
368 OWG 368X - Still In Service With Motts

Leyland Fleetline (DMS)
463 OJD 463R - Exported to New York
545 THX 545S - Sold To Big Bus Company, London
247 OJD 247R - Sold To Big Bus Company, London

Daimler Fleetline
323 KON 323P - Sold 2000 to Woottens, Chesham (For Preservation see http://www.woottens.co.uk/kon323p.htm )
517 OKW 517R - Withdrawn (In Store At Woodham)

Leyland Lynx
965 E965 PME - Sold '95 to British Bus
966 E966 PME - Sold '95 to British Bus
Both These Buses Are Now In Use With Arriva As Driver Trainers

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties
506 F506 OYW - Sold '95 to British Bus In Service With Arriva (HIGH WYCOMBE.)

Mercedes Mini-Buses
184 K184 GDU - Sold '95 to British Bus
360 G360 FOP - Sold '95 to British Bus
171 J171 GGG - Sold '95 to British Bus

Volvo B6 / Northern Counties
922 L922 LJO - Sold '95 to British Bus
923 L923 LJO - Sold '95 to British Bus
In Service With Arriva (HIGH WYCOMBE)

Thanks to Michael for those comprehensive notes.

Plastows of Wheatley.

Noted in service was one of the Jonckheere Mistrals now carrying the registration W1BUS. Or is this a new coach to Plastows.

Stagecoach in Warwick

I have received the following from Keith Wood " The WCC website has been updated this morning with news of Kenilworth service changes. All services will be operated by Johnsons of Henley. A new service 555 will operate between Warwick, Kenilworth, Balsall Common and Birmingham International every 2 hours. The 539 will run between Kenilworth and Coventry only. These services along with 540 / 541 & 543 will replace the existing SiW 539, and K2-K4. These changes take place on February 18th.

Other tenders are due soon including the 585 Coventry - Rugby, and some of De Courcey's rural routes in Warwickshire. I understand SiW has bid for some or all of these routes. Another unusual 48 working today - Volvo B10M 211 in place of the usual Low Floor.

A new timetable for the 57 / 157 Coventry - Nuneaton - Leicester has been cast. An extra 5 minutes inbound to Coventry has been allowed for most of the day with longer Coventry layover times. The leaflet also warns passengers that services will cease to use Pool Meadow bus station from April because of the Pheonix redevelopment work. It looks as if Pool Meadow is to close - a shameful blight on Coventry City Council and Centro. It is one of the finest bus stations in the country but has never been used to full capacity due to TWM prefering street stops. All Stagecoach services use the Bus Station but future cross Warwickshire trips will almost certainly require a cross city walk to change buses. No wonder people choose to use their cars instead of the bus !

On the 6^th - SiW Dart / Dash 106 was working an 87 Rugby - Coventry service this afternoon. This is a Nuneaton vehicle so I'm assuming it's been transfered to Rugby in exchange for 105.

Rob Williams writes "Another repaint is SiW Volvo/Alexander 919, which following on from 917 a couple of weeks ago leaves only 914 of this batch yet to be done.

Newman Morgan writes " Have just been looking at the Stagecoach in Banbury web page on the http://www.stagecoachbus.com corporate website. It seems that, from Sunday 10th February, as well as changes to the X59 Oxford road, there are changes to the B8 local and the 488 Chipping Norton road.In addition SiB take over the B1/B2 locals from Grayline. This web page also puts SiB firmly under management of SiO.

And now to some comprehensive notes from Peter Hale.

Here is some news about Stagecoach in Warwickshire and Stagecoach in Banbury.

Stagecoach in Warwickshire

A number of minor service changes took place at Nuneaton on 4 February, mainly to give extra running time on 50/51 (Chapel End - Keresley) and 57/157 (Coventry - Hinckley - Leicester). This requires an extra vehicle, which has been obtained by withdrawing most of 52 (Nuneaton - Bedworth), which 50/51 now cover. Other changes include the Saturday frequency on "Primeline" 48 (Coventry - Atherstone) increasing from 30 to 20 minutes in line with M-F; and the frequencies of 5 and 6 were equalised from 10 and 30 mins respectively to every 20 mins, with effectively a through service running from Nuneaton to Smorrall Lane via Bedworth.

All this seems to have had little (if any) effect on the peak vehicle requirement, or indeed on the allocation at Nuneaton garage if what I saw on Saturday 9 February on the road was anything to go by. Although the 50/51 are low-floor routes, on Saturday buses in use included at least one Mercedes 709 and, to my pleasant surprise, Leyland National 702 (NOE 602R), which I think is the oldest bus in the Midland Red South fleet.

Further changes are due on 18 February, when 538/9 (Coventry - Leamington/Warwick) pass to Johnson's of Henley-in-Arden, and Kenilworth local services K2-5 are replaced by a new local network as part of the same Warwickshire CC contract. This lost work for Leamington garage will be offset by it taking over the Stratford portion of SiO 50 when it is divided at Chipping Norton. The Oxford portion will become SiO 20 again. I understand that SiO's Stratford outstation has already closed, due to operating problems, with Witney garage (?) apparently taking on its work until the 50 is divided.

Stagecoach in Banbury

Changes due on 11 February will see town services B1/B2 (Cherwell Heights/Easington Circular) taken back from Grayline on a long-term Oxfordshire CC tender, and 488 (Banbury- Chipping Norton) regained from SiO's Chipping Norton outstation. Town service B8 (Hardwick) is reduced in frequency as is the X59 (Banbury - Oxford), which also loses the early and late journeys introduced last summer.

Plans to apparently transfer Banbury from Midland Red to Stagecoach in Oxford seem to be common knowledge. I have seen one other website alleging that it happened last November, and I then heard last week that it had supposedly taken place - but a reliable source told me that it had not, and that it was not imminent. The moral seems to be: wait until an official announcement is made or the legal lettering on the vehicles is changed.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Richard Sharman writes "Any way to business. It would appear that SiO are going down the same line as COMS did a few years back by withdrawing longer distance country routes in favour for keeping town or very profitable country routes such as Chippy and Witney. A shame really. Any how the point to this message is that service 50 is being split from the 11th, Leamington will run the Stratford to Chippy end and Oxford will go back to only going as far as Chippy. Journeys should connect but there is some fair time between connections and as Leamington vehicles don't have Radio's it could be a problem.

Was told today that six B6's (-840) and two Darts have gone this week with the B10M's you mentioned to compensate. I think the idea of the B10/PS's are that there greater top speed of 65+mph will help maintain Bicester services better, rather than the Paladin batch which typically rest at 56/7mph.

Recent transfer in from Banbury, 235, gets ready to work a Wantage duty last Saturday.

Steve Annells wrote on Saturday "Somewhat surprised to note Stagecoach Oxford 235 on 32A into Didcot Saturday afternoon. Currently a Paladin and an Olympian are parked up at Volvo Truck and Bus, Southmead Park, Didcot but I was unable to stop and check numbers. Vic Gackowski confirmed the Olympian was 520.

Ralph Adams wrote " Stagecoach transfers this weekend were :-
WY to OX         453 454 912
OX to WY         382 714 524
OX to CN          901 902 903   (903 was replaced by 912 whilst a defect is repaired on 903 - notes from Jim Wright.)
WY to withdrawn at Nuneaton 306 307
OX to withdrawn at Nuneaton 310 426 427 461
OX to Nuneaton 838 844 (837 already gone)
BY to OX          203 204 (235 already come)
527 (OX) has been at Witney, now gone back to Leamington

So Chipping Norton has all of the Lance buses back again, plus 1 minibus
Harwell will have 3 B6s plus 2 Darts
MAN 935 is the last Blackbird Flyer livery left with only about 2 weeks left (937 is being prepared for full repaint)

Last day of operation for the 101 and 103 services

will be next Saturday, 9th February.
 

Coach 34 bearing the "Park Royal" advert mentioned in Edmund Tresham's report below.

Edmund Tresham writes "Park Royal now have an advert on the back of a Jonckheere!! The advert which covers the full rear of Tube coach 34 (T34 DFC) does not include the sedan chair logo (when I was younger I always used to think it was a top hat) or indeed advertise any bodywork at all. Instead the advert is to try and get businesses to relocate to that district of West London. Does anyone know whether there might be Routemasters (or any other Park Royal bodied vehicle) operating with this advert on the back of it. If not it seems the local authority seem to be missing a trick.

I managed to get a photo of the back of Tube 34 this week. I had noticed the advert previously but this was the first time I got a picture. I am afraid it is fairly dark as it was a gloomy day. (At least its a picture Edmund Ed.)

Earlier in the day I saw SiO Alexander Dash bodied Dart 730 which looked very smart in the new livery. The seats have been reupholstered in the new style Stagecoach moquette, again looking very smart. I failed to get close enough to see whether anything had been done to the floor lino.

Neil Gow writes " Dart 784 ran the 1840 departure of service 103 and 762 the 1845 departure of service 101. The picture at the top of this week's page are of 762 at the traffic lights outside The Original Swan on the 1845 journey -  It's not that good I'm afraid - I still haven't got the exposure compensation right for night shots with headlights, let alone trying to hold the camera steady in the howling gale. (I know the feeling - sometimes good luck rather than good management Ed.)

Use it if you want.

I noted Dart 714 on Sunday seemingly off an X31 working near the depot repainted in new livery but without an fleet names or numbers.

Taylor French, Aylesbury

Paul Coley wrote re this company. "I don't know if this has already been reported, but Taylor French Coaches (depot opposite Aylesbury postal sorting office in Cambridge Street) have been operating a Bristol/Leyland B21 for a couple of months now. Registered XRT 947X, it has come (via another operator) from Ipswich Borough Transport. In the UK, these rare machines were confined to a single order from Ipswich, who refused to buy Leyland Nationals, particularly when they were not available with Gardner engines. They also purchased some second hand from the only other operator of the type, Citibus, Belfast - and I think XRT is one of these. Rare enough in the UK, even rarer operating outside Ipswich (who still operate the ones they bought new)!

Painted off-white, with wheel trims, it looks a fine vehicle. For those wanting a photo, it operates a school contract between Hazelmere and Great Missenden (Misbourne School) on a daily basis. Taylors also have a 'more common' VR, again immaculately presented, in use on another school contract between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury.

Thames Travel.

As mentioned in the editorial above TT started their new services today with fleet numbered 651 operating the first service from Watlington. The second was operated by V270BNV and it is interesting to note the application of fleet numbers to the latest deliveries. All to do with the Wayfarer ticket system as mentioned last week. V270BNV is seen approaching the outskirts of Oxford by The Leys Estate. All four new MPD Darts have been delivered being KP51UFB,C,G and H. H has become 651 as seen at the top of the page.

The second service from Wheatley was operated by X387XVY seen here loading
at the second stop in Wheatley. It appeared that the waiting passengers prefer the
Arriva service to Oxford which would provide an Olympian from Aylesbury. Indeed that
service is more direct through suffers from traffic through Headington.

Z&S International. Aylesbury.

A visit to Aylesbury on Saturday revealed these Leyland Titans at the yard of Z&S International
They are ex T818, 435 and 375. The owner commented on the vandalised state these buses
are in following service in London. A lot of work is needed to make them fit for service.
He was however very pleased with them mechanically saying they were most reliable.

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
 

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