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

Your reports are welcome at malcolmhc@aol.com

updated Sunday 12th August 2001
the next update will be on Monday 20th August 2001 (I am off to Cardiff on the 19th)

   Issue nr. 158  

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 !

Welcome to issue 158, which includes news this week of new services to the Oxford United ground at Kassam Stadium. Also the last week saw new operators in Oxford in the shape of Chiltern Queens running on the 10C/D in the evening and Weavaway, though I'm not sure if they are operating into Oxford on a regular service. I am sure someone will let me know!

This week also saw an Animal rights march on Saturday afternoon, which caused much disruption to services between 2 and 3pm. 

Animal rights marchers head off down High Street escorted by police and TV cameramen.

Workmen turned up on Friday evening to make emergency repairs to the surface of Gloucester Green.
I must say that 6pm in the rush hour did not make things easy for operators.

   FROM THE DRIVING SEAT  
A weekly commentary on your Editors favourite pastime.

My holiday visit to Somerset brought the opportunity to drive
an ex East Kent Leyland TS8. I must say it really was a lovely bus
and the melody of the gear box and engine were delightful.

During my holiday in Somerset and Devon, I enjoyed driving several older buses and coaches. The star of the driving for me, was the East Kent 1937, Leyland Tiger TS8. The biggest surprise was the tightness of the whole vehicle. The steering was a treat, positive and light, making the drive easy. The gear box was also excellent, considering it was a crash box. An AEC Regal, ex Trent with Windover body was also interesting but considering it was 10 years or so younger, not such a pleasant drive. More AECs, Dennis's and Leylands were tried out, being part of the Rexquote Heritage collection. 

Back to reality and a spell on Oxford Airport work saw me in both Heathrow and Gatwick. The ease of driving modern coaches was obvious but somehow the sound, the glamour and the nostalgia were missing. I suppose that in twenty years or so, younger enthusiasts will extol the virtues of the Volvo B10M and maybe even Scania and Dennis types. Certainly it will not be so easy to solve problems and the equipment needed to maintain modern buses and coaches will be very expensive indeed. 

On my hobby horse, I witnessed TOTAL blatant ignoring of road signs once again in Oxford. Whilst the most large road signs state BUSES and TAXIS ONLY at the Headington end of St Clements, many motorists ignore the sign and drive through. This still applies to the various restricted routes through the City centre, meaning that the OTS is still not really working. It is sometime now since I have witnessed the police taking action but since they are much involved in other matters -  the Animal rights march for example - how can once blame them. 

Also on the matter of driving standard, how many of you who have driven heavy vehicles, experience the frustration of that car who maintains the middle lane when the bus or truck needs to pull out, even though the outside lane is clear for miles. Braking is then required by the heavy and the momentum for overtaking lost. Or the again, there is that car which speeds up every time one goes to overtake same.  I admire that general standard of heavy drivers who seem to manage to work, day in - day out, without showing the road rage exhibited by many car drivers. Reading about the young lady in the papers this weekend, who pushed another car out of a parking space she felt was hers, I wonder how those people would feel if when parking on a bus stop, the bus driver pushed the car out of the way?

Another interesting development, as a result of revised Constructions & Use Regulations, is the need for all new coaches on Express Services built after 1st January 2001 to display route numbers on the rear and route numbers and destinations on the side and front. As a result Van Hool seem to have got it just right with the latest Jetlink deliveries. Oxford's latest batch of Plaxtons were delivered without this facility and seemingly have to have a retrofit. As an interim measure, a slip board holder has been put in the front nearside window. However drivers don't like them and thus they seem not to be used. I put up a display last week, much to the amusement of other drivers. 

The latest Plaxton deliveries have been seen with either a slip board holder, box in the second nearside window or a rather clumsy box on the side panel. I suppose someone in Plaxton is trying to cut costs. 

 A Plaxton Y reg in Victoria, the first seen with a box on the side.

News from the companies - 12th August 2001

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Nigel Peach visited Newlands Bus Station, High Wycombe. Lynx 3807 is now repainted. Amazing how different that looks after the dreadfully neglected state it was in just a few weeks ago. London Dart 3818 has been out of service for some weeks. It is still in the back row. Withdrawn Mercs 711 & 720 are also still there. Imported Mercs 2127 & 2132 are now the only minibuses in use at Wycombe.

Nigel didn't know which buses have now gone for repaint. He didn't see either 5832 or 5833 (Honda ad). I guess that either or maybe both of these have gone. (In fact 5832 is back and 5833 is still away today (12th) Ed). Certainly 5827 & 5829 are still around in their Travelwise & Thames Valley liveries respectively. So are the three double deck coaches 5822-24. Interestingly 5823 now has fleet numbers again - WHITE ones - Wycombe Bus style rather than Arriva!!  However, 5824 (today the Sainsbury's bus) is still without. (Perhaps they had white "3s" but no "4s" in stock!!)

3247 - M847DDS - running the 324 to Aylesbury through Naphill. 
Typical Buckinghamshire cottages make a backdrop

 
Arriva 5383 has turned up at Binders Yard this weekend. Some of this batch went to 
Wycombe Bus a few years ago. Since the bus looked very clean, I found it surprising
that it appeared to have been sold. It was last noted at Colchester.

City of Oxford Motor Services (The Oxford Bus Company)

NEW FOOTBALL SERVICES START

Two new services started on Saturday 4th August. They are the 601 running from the Rail Station (forecourt) via St Aldates (stop H1) to Kassam Stadium with a running time of 30 minutes. The 602 operates from Kidlington (Grovelands) via Garden City, Banbury Road, Summertown Shops, Headington Shops, The Slade (Wood Farm) arriving at Kassam Stadium 45 minutes from Kidlington.

The return services leave the stadium 10 minutes after the final whistle.

The buses used so far have been the fleet of rejuvenated Olympians and six have appeared for the two matches played so far. 

I must thank Stefan Soanes, Oxford Express Manager, for the excellent pictures of events on the first day of the stadium.

222 loads at the Rail Station on 4th August.  

223 heads the line awaiting returning supporters on the 4th August. It is operating
the 602 service to Kidlington. New blinds have been fitted to the Olympian fleet.

Thursday 2nd saw a party of staff, including drivers involved, from the Oxford Bus Company
visiting the new Kassam Stadium. 510 was the transport used and everyone was able 
to see the new stadium "behind the scenes.

I had hoped to get some pictures of the sojourn of the Olympians with Truronian during the past summer.
David Root has come up trumps with this shot of 220 on schools duty in company with other
Truronian buses. One wonders if these much travelled Olympians will be off again during the coming winter?

TRAINING FLEET REPLACED.

The three elderly Leopards used by Oxford Bus for driver training are almost life expired. Indeed T1 BBW21V has suffered mechanical problems is currently out of use. Casting around for suitable replacements is not easy and an opportunity arose to purchase three Lynxs, already converted to trainers from West Midlands. The three are 9063, 9064 and 9066 - registered C63,64,66HOM. They arrived at Oxford on August 2nd and are being tided up prior to service with the company. They have dual controls already fitted as can be seen in the second picture below.  These will be the first Lynxs in the Oxford fleet, although Wycombe Bus had several.  

This week sees another vintage photo from Alan Gelson whose contributions I welcome. 

Alan took this photo in July 1995 prior to the batch of Volvos 156-158 entering service.
They became 56-58 and sadly 56 was involved in the M40 accident earlier this year.
57 and 58 are still in service but are due for replacement next spring. 

The Animal Rights march caused diversions and a 4 road Volvo is seen
coming up St Aldates, since Queen Street had been closed, blocked by marchers.

Delivered branded for airport services, nr 15 has now been rebranded as a "pool" coach
for use on any express service. It lacks any branding on the front and 
one waits with interest to see what if any branding will be applied.

All service buses are having their dot matrix displays changed to lower case lettering 
in the interests of clarity and Government guidelines.

Geoff Cunliffe wrote to say that he had visited Oxford and noted some items of interest.

On a very hot day, I travelled in on Trident 108 from Pear Tree with the upper saloon heaters blasting away as seems to be common. I understand they are not controllable from the cab - so I have been assured by one driver. Saw the Alexander demonstrator 929 operating 300 on the C card; had I known....

Y-registered Airport coaches were busy in service; I saw 24, 26, 27 & 28. Multi-branded 58 was also in use. Q-Buster Olympians 214, 221, 222, 223 and 224 were all about and they looked to have scrubbed up well. 221 was even on the X3. Yes, I know 224 went to London as a one-off but regular use on the X3? 

Talking of heat, doesn't a fair hot blast come out of the Tridents when they pass you on a street corner. And talking of street corners, how do you fellahs manage round Carfax Corner with tourists totally oblivious of the basic principles of road safety when applied to crossing the carriageway!

I came out on 118 on the D card (heaters blowing a little less than on 108), spotting a couple of Jetlink Van Hools, D307 & D311, outside Debenhams, whilst also observing that many of the tour buses are looking, and, occasionally, sounding somewhat below par. I know they only operate at slow speeds, but it seems that it is probably as well!

My regards to you, and may thanks for the continuing and eminently readable column.  Geoff Cunliffe.

Thanks to Geoff for his interesting report.

Neil Gow wrote to say

Looks like OBC finally have a use for their relicensed Olympians following only sporadic use so far this summer due to the reduced number of foreign students. 208, 214 and 222 were all running on service 601 from the Kassam Stadium to City Centre and Station via Cowley Road, and another on service 602 which runs to/from North Oxford at least as far as Cutteslowe and presumably Kidlington.

Does this regular requirement for double deckers on Saturdays throughout the winter mean the Olympians will remain licensed, or will they revert to their old habits of pulling buses off the 400 leaving service gaps of 30 minutes when the number of people leaving the city centre is at its greatest?

Thanks to Neil for his comments. I have quoted same since I am aware that Managers at OBC read this news page and they may care to answer these thoughts?

Chiltern Queens.

Neil Gow writes to advise of the first day of Chiltern Queens running the evening/Sunday 10C/D city circle service.  He sent the photo of low floor Volvo W992 BOP on the 10C at Cowley Centre.  The other vehicle in use is a MAN/East Lancs Spryte N222 LFW. Neil advises that they didn't get off to a very auspicious start.  BOP was running 15 minutes late and LFW 20 minutes late by 13.30 last Sunday, the first day.

Another seemingly new service is the 17C to Southfield which is using this ex Wycombe Bus Merc XJI 4133. I think this was 717? It is seen in Speedwell Street, Oxford.

Guide Friday.

I briefly glimpsed another repaint into the new livery but was unable to get a photo. The bus in question was an Atlantean OTO548M.

Motts

Motts run two services between Aylesbury and Oxford via Brill. They have seemingly acquired some Mercedes minibuses from West midlands including G708HOP, seen running the 14. Does anyone have further information?

Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach in Banbury are introducing major service changes from the 13th August. Timetables are available from the Stagecoach Oxford web page. The main changes are as follows.

Service 500 Banbury - Brackley     Service frequency enhanced from 60min  to 30min Monday - Saturday Daytime. Low Floor Buses guaranteed.

Service 488 Banbury - Chipping Norton     Service unchanged but new through tickets to Oxford on the 50/X59 available.

Service X59 Banbury - Oxford     Service enhanced with an extra early evening journey on Monday - Saturday and two late evening journeys on Fridays / Saturdays. Evening service avoides Tackley and Steeple Aston.

Service B8 Banbury - Ruscote / Hardwick     Service frequency remains at 15min Monday - Saturday Daytime.

Service B3/B5 Banbury - Bretch Hill     
Service B3 withdrawn. Service B5  now every 12min Monday - Saturday Daytime.  Cheney still operating B3/B5 Evenings and Sundays.

Service B1/B2 Banbury - Easington / Cherwell Heights     Service taken over by Grayline of Bicester. Frequency unchanged.

Thanks to Keith for his report.

STAGECOACH in OXFORD

I was somewhat amused to realise that during the taking of this picture, the blind showed
another destination. Or was there a Tube missing?  776 is the bus in question.

Much has been made of the Olympian transferred to Stagecoach Oxford. Here it is with 
fleet number 527 but still with Midland Red lettering!

During my Somerset visit to Rexquote I was surprised to find this ex Thames Transit tow bus.
Steve Morris of Rexquote says he is going to put it back on the road.

Weavaway

Oxford saw this Metrorider from Weavaway last week. Was it on a service of just visiting.
Anyone know?

Thames Valley (Archive) - correction Worthing.

Paul Goodwin sent me this picture as a "blast from the past"
For those who remember these Tillings in service with many operators, they were
often known as Tinkling Tillys.
MO9324 is now with the Amberley Museum and is seen here at Worthing a few weekends ago.

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

New Volvo/Plaxton for Go-Ahead in National Express livery.
This is the first new one I have seen in Gloucester Green and this one had a side destination
at the bottom of the second nearside window. Neither side or rear was working as the coach 
was so new it had not yet had the destination gear programmed.

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

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