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

Issue 211
Sunday 11th August 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

Thornhill Park&Ride set for development


A report in The Oxford Times this week says that major development of the Thornhill Park & Ride site is
now going ahead and may include a bus station facility as well. Saturday morning saw the site totally full.

Welcome to issue 211 and news of Thornhill developments. Not only is the site going to be expanded by a further 400 parking spaces but also security will be improved and a charge of £0.60p levied on all motorists using the facility. Further plans include the possibility of a bus station with proper waiting and toilet facilities. It is hoped that express services to the airports and London will call at the proposed new bus station. At present the parking is popular with commuters who use the coach services, not only to London, but also to Heathrow which attracts workers from the Oxford area. Of interest also concerning Park & Ride is the Water Eaton site where there may well be a delay to the opening of that site. I am told that services envisaged not only are that running to the City Centre but also services to the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals

Of course the foregoing follows on comments published on this page last week regarding the Lewknor stop on the Oxford Tube and the official attitude to the use of that stop as a "Park & Ride" facility for commuters. There is a need for a proper facility midway along the M40 and surely the Government, in view of policy toward private cars, should be taking a very serious view of this matter. This is especially so when one realises the importance of this busy trunk route in to London and the potential reduction in traffic flows if this was dealt with in a positive manner.

Andy Gilmour wrote "The following hyperlink enables you to access the Traffic Area Network website, which amongst other things contains details of all bus/coach operator licences AND allows you to view Notices and Proceedings on-line. For example, I was able to see which services Hampshire Bus are varying at the start of the school year. The link is http://www.tan.gov.uk/tanen/dpages/menubusall.asp"  On the same subject Ralph Adams writes "Traffic Commissioner. I don't think I reported that the TC now have an active web site. The Western (Bristol) is at present incomplete.
http://www.tan.gov.uk/TANen/dpages/adnpbytaoarch.asp?DocType=AandD&TAOOffice=Western+Area

This week we have some more archive views of Oxfordshire buses, especially those in overall advertising liveries. This seems to have fallen out of favour at present although "super rear" adverts are more in vogue. I do appreciate these photos that so many of you send. I feel that the page becomes everyone's page with so many contributions.

This week's edition of Coach & Bus Week also covers the discontinuation of the coach parking bays in Oxford's St Giles and the comments from a local coach operator of the rather unsatisfactory way in which this matter has been handled by the local authorities.

Brian Matthews of Witney has sent the two lovely black and white photos which I am sure will interest many of you.

A view from the 1950's when there was two--way traffic in Queen Street 
(and also the days of the Littlewoods £600,000 Treble Chance as shown on AEC Regent V  977 CWL on the 1 road to Minchery Farm)
[Note - The photo (and the one of Oxford Station) are from "my collection", photographer unknown]. 

Oxford Station area in the 1950's  -  half-cab and 'low-bridge' d-decker in evidence  -   
also Rewley Road LNWR station building on the right (now splendidly rebuilt at the preserved railway centre at Quainton Road) ;  
the centre footway, with old style bus-stop flag, leading to the long entrance to the subway to the west side platform  - 
and finally, just above the half-cab, a steam loco waiting to depart to (probably) Paddington.

On a personal note I would just like to mention the sad passing on last Tuesday of a much appreciated colleague in Oxford Bus. Dave Fillary was most recently one of the driving school instructors and was one of the two instructors when I took my test in 1998. David contracted motor neurones disease shortly afterwards but always maintained a happy view on life even when the going became as tough as it does in such circumstances. My sympathies go to his family and his friends who will I am sure miss him greatly. He was also a stalwart supporter of The Oxford Bus Museum and gave support most willingly whilst he was able so to do. The funeral is set for next Wednesday, 14th August.

News of the local companies - 11th August 2002

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Following the withdrawal of 5822, the Swan FM advertising bus, 5828 has been
repainted in preparation for an overall SWAN FM advert.

Sunday saw 5110 on the 323 to Aylesbury.

Newlands Bus Station, High Wycombe (NBS) - eff 4th August 2002

Optare Solo 0442

Lynx:3068,3069, 3070,3345.

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

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

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

Volvo B10B :3841,3842,3843,3844,3853,3854,3855

Total:65

Motts of Aylesbury.

Steve Annells wrote to include the two photos below. He says "Just a couple more, this time from the halfcab days of Motts of Aylesbury.I visited the garage at Stone in September 1976 and among other things found KFW316, a 1954 ex Lincolnshire Road Car Bristol LD5G!  It didn't look very operational at the time, but in August 1978 I shot a very operational RDB876, a 1961 Dennis Loline III/Alexander originally with North Western Road Car Co Ltd.

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

I travelled down to my Saturday X90 duty on Olympian 224, upper deck, which provided the opportunity
to take this photo of 807 working a Blackbird Leys bound 5 service.

D Presdee writes "Low floor volvo 804 was today (08/08/02) seen working on 2 road card unknown. Is this going to become a regular occurrence as every time I go to Headington or into the City there always seems to be an 800 series Volvo working on this route."  (As I advised Mr Presedee although now officially rostered for 2 road, the 8xx Volvos do often get on to this route following a change over or shortage of 6xx series buses, the more normal allocation for 2 road. Ed.)

Another correspondent wrote "One of the Olympians is on Greater Leys today, which isn't something I've come across before."

802 is still not out of works yet but should be so in the coming week.

Coach 39, the loaned Volvo B12M, operated on the X80, has now been returned to Volvo.

Steve Annells sent some more interesting photos for this week's page.
Above is VR 432 again, this time in another advertising livery.

Again by Steve Annells, coach seated 103 in advertising livery for Rediffusion.

 Michael Wootten writes "I thought you would be interested in the attached photographs of former Oxford Bristol VR NUD 106L, one of nine Bristol VRs delivered for the London service in 1973.  When new these vehicles were painted in a special livery of red and white, but later found themselves demoted to normal work and standard bus livery.

 A Michael Wootten offering is this ex COMS VR 106 still working the City Tour in Bath.

The open top conversion has been done very well.

The bus retains coach style seating in the lower saloon per COMS days.

Knowing that many of your like to see garage working, I caught an unhappy Volvo being recovered
Kardos today, Sunday, and being manoeuvred in the garage. Not only was the turn in from the entrance
tight, I was most impressed when the recovery truck backed the bus into a parking area with a skill
that said, I've done this before. I know that bus companies don't like to admit that breakdowns occur
but I hope OBC will not mind me showing this event which is interesting in itself.

Oxford's Metroliner coaches were once a familiar sight on the M40 between the Capital and Oxford.
Still working hard on London Sightseeing tours, ex COMS 906 pauses by Victoria Rail Station today, Sunday.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Another nice shot from the upper deck of 224 as we crossed the Magdalen Bridge.

520 in George St last Saturday on route 100.

Tappins of Didcot (including City Sightseeing, Guide Friday and The Oxford Classic Tour)

Neil Gow took this shot of the Osney Yard mentioned below.

The ex Cambridge tour buses are now all lettered for Oxford. Here 928 picks up at Queens Lane.
The buses have all now gained large fleet number on the upper rear, just discernable in this shot.
Wycombe based Arriva 3841, ex Oxford 621 passes in the opposite direction.

301 picks up passengers further west up High Street.

Neil Gow wrote re the open top operations in Oxford. He says "Although not evident from the exterior of the vehicles, the amalgamation of Guide Friday and Classic Tour services is in fact almost complete.  Tickets are now interchangeable and the two fares systems have been rationalised into a single system based on the computer system previously used by Guide Friday (the chap who reprogrammed the fares system works with me - he sometimes drives for GF too and was once an OBC 2 road driver).  PSV Circle reported the formal transfer of Olympians E300-3 MSG from Lothian Buses to Tappins, Didcot, to whom the former Guide Friday fleet has also passed, so all vehicles are now owned by the same company.  Interestingly though, this doesn't seem to include Atlantean BFS 14L, which was running two weeks ago still with Lothian legal lettering, so presumably remains on hire to Tappins. 

Here are some more details on the open-top operations merger.

The intention is to introduce a single combined timetable but this has been delayed while the registration changes are sorted out, so at the moment they have to run as two separate services although tickets are interchangeable.  Buses are being used interchangeably so at the end of a shift green/cream, blue/white or red buses could end up at either Didcot or Osney.  There are also some technical issues relating to differences in (or lack of) PA equipment on the former Guide Friday fleet.

Thames Travel, Wallingford

Rob Williams writes - The status of Chiltern Buses MPD KP51SXU doesn't seem to have been confirmed yet following the reported TT takeover of CQ's routes. It was operating route I today, still with CQ legals. Route I is another point - have the A and I been renumbered? Were they even included in the deal? I haven't heard any mention of them yet.

AT LAST - I have been trying, until Saturday in vain, to get a shot of one the two new Taxi buses from TT.
BX02CMF picks up in Watlington last Saturday prior to its return journey to Wallingford on TB30.

Y877KDP still on its Chiltern Queens route H3 in Henley now proclaims its new ownership,
Thames Travel, as it loads last Saturday morning for a Henley town service journey.

The rear view is a give away as to its former ownership. 9777 on route H3.

Ralph Adams writes "One of the multi coloured Thames travel B6 buses was on the 105/X39 on Tuesday with the new name on and most of the old website name deleted from the window."

Thames Valley Traction (Historical)

Thames Valley 811, PRX929, displaying that quaint Thames Valley style on its front blind. 
Picture by Steve Warwick.

Ed Maun writes "The photo of Thames Valley 811 in issue 210 has stirred the memories again. This photo links straight back to the item in issue 199 and the fact that 810 and 811 were the normal Stokenchurch dormy shed allocation at that time.To prove the point it is on the 39 Watlington to High Wycombe service which was operated by the dormy shed. They were Bristol LD6B Lodekkas with ECW 60 seat bodies with platform doors. 810/811 were new in 1959 but I am sure they did not replace 730/731 (see issue 198) at Stokenchurch when new, that happened later in life.  811 survived into the Alder Valley era where it became their number 566.   Notes from the photo of 811 – It has the later “Thames Valley” fleet name style (thinner gold lettering without the black shading); the fleet number is in white (previously they were in black); there is still a cream band under the top deck windows (these were later over-painted red – the black lining to the cream bands had long since disappeared); note also that orange direction indicators have been added.   The “Thames Valley” in the via destination box was introduced as a cost saving measure – saving on blind linen.   It would appear that the driver’s cab is empty (No driver?) – has it broken down?   I am not sure this is in the West Wycombe Road – road looks too narrow (bus fills half the road).   I thought the West Wycombe Road was wider than this, or has it been widened since the photo was taken? "

Whytes

Bland & Bainbridge T/A Whytes have repainted the Dart / Caetano G47TGW into all yellow livery. It operated for a while with the nearside only yellow. It is normally used on the X30 Oxford - Abingdon service

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

Newbury Buses Solo 122 - YG02FVV runs into Didcot on the 6 from Newbury.
The destination screens just don't photograph at all well.

Snapped out of the window of coach 33, on which I was travelling back to the garage on,
Pete's Travel Dart P827BUD was working the 50 service today, Sunday.

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

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