Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated - Monday 14th August 2000

The next update will be on Monday 21st August 2000

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 !

The Oxford Mail lead story last week was of excessive speed by some buses in the centre of Oxford and especially on The High. This follows a tragic incident when a cyclist was killed in a collision with a bus. Whilst any such incident is absolutely awful, it should not go without comment, that many cyclists in Oxford are the own worst enemy. I have lost count of the numbers of cyclists who ride around Oxford at night without lights, totally ignoring traffic lights and constantly putting themselves at risk in the way they ride their bikes. Criticism is levelled at the bus drivers of our city but it seems none at the cyclists.  When I wonder are the police going to do something about this situation ? As someone who drives buses in Oxford, I can say that everyday there is an accident involving a cyclist waiting to happen.

On a more happy note the week saw the handing over of a Thames Transit Minibus to The Oxford Bus Museum. Ford Transit/Mellor 16 seat 122 D122PTT joined the collection of buses and coaches on display at Long Hanborough. This was a significant milestone in the history of the Museum, since the Oxford Minibus could be said to have been the forerunner of the competitive scene of the '90s.

The mini bus had been fully restored to its original condition and looked resplendent in a new coat of paint. Even the original vinyls had been obtained and applied to ensure that an important piece of history was kept for the future. Thanks go to David Whitley of  Stagecoach Oxford and the workshop team at Horspath, who made this possible.

Roadworks continue in the centre of Oxford and some roads are now like ploughed fields. It seems that resurfacing will take place in the not too distant future but for the time being the impression created to tourists is far from good.

Go-Ahead lost out to M40 Trains in their bid to gain control of The Chiltern Line and some major projects were announced  by M40 trains including a new line from Princes Risborough to Oxford. Whilst in Chinnor during the week, I noticed an Arriva service nr 320 connecting Chinnor with P.Risborough operated by a Mercedes minibus. The future looks full of interest and one wonders how an additional rail service between Oxford and London will affect the two direct express coach services in the future.

Fleet News and observations week ending 12/8/00

Cambridge Coach Services/Jetlink

I noticed several working over the weekend on the 757 and 767 at Gloucester Green were in the hands of the last CCS coaches 320 to 325. When under the control of CCS, before Airlinks took over, these later coaches, fitted with toilets, were always used on the Gatwick services, with the exception of the overnight Oxford service. Generally this fleet is looking care worn now and even some drivers do not have uniforms. A sad end to a fine company !

325 seen above was purchased for the work done by CCS for disabled people but I am told even this work is reducing with the new owners. The coach is fitted with a tail lift and rear nearside door for its special duties.

Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)

Details of the proposed new Oxford Bus Company garage can be seen on the company web page under the news section.

http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk 

Metrorider 783 has gone to Chiltern Queens and the only operational minibus at Oxford now, besides staff/training bus T3(781) is Mercedes 717 used on the Barton Shuttle. 

Olympian 214 is now the only bus in the fleet to retain Cityline vinyls. This deckers is used on Q busting duties this summer.  22 road is now scheduled for Olympians on both duties. en route to Pear Tree 

Volvo/Paladin 651 has received a repaint. This was somewhat unusual as the batch 629-643 appeared to being so treated. Indeed where the old Cityline vinyls have been removed, a number of buses are looking less than smart, in a condition unexpected of this fleet. 

Trident 120 is still under repaint an may emerged next weekend in its X3 guise. The vinyls for dedicated route branding will be 'tween decks and this Trident will be used on journeys presently heavily loaded.   

Neil Gow reports that Olympian 214 was on the 22 on 11th August on 1905 departure ex Station. He says that the same departure the previous day was 
a Volvo 605. Neil also notes the sliding window upstairs on 214 (see the photo below). Neil notes that they never had those from new and wonders if it came out of a Bristol VR. Also notable are the Cityline fleetnames. 

Oxford Express
-----------------------

News of the week is the announcement of an order for six new coaches for delivery in Spring 2001. they are to replace Volvos 50-55 all of which have now done over 1 million miles. The new coaches will be Volvo/Plaxton Excaliburs and will be fleet number 23-29. Registrations may of course be under the new system and as such will not follow the *00OXF pattern of recent deliveries. This will mean that over 65% of the fleet will now be of one type, the Excalibur on Volvo chassis. A significant sum of nearly £4 million will have been invested in the Oxford Express and the company can be proud of the service it now offers to travellers to and from Oxford. 

Volvo 15, which suffered front end damage has now got its front fleet number in the centre under the windscreen instead of on the offisde as is more ususal. Withdrawn Volvo coaches 59 and 60 still remain at Cowley Road unsold. 

58 is presently in the body shop receiving attention after an incident. 

Oxford Classic Tour.

Olympian/Alexanders in service -

300 - E300 MSG
301 - E301 MSG
302 - E302 MSG
303 - E303 MSG

Also Atlanteans  BFS 14 and 48 L are still in service as is the half top covered Panoramic.

Stagecoach Oxford.  

516 - working on 1s last Wednesday with both 514 and 516 on 10A City Circle on Saturday.

As mentioned above Transit 122 has gone to the Oxford Bus Museum having been restored to pristine and original condition 

Wycombe Bus Company

Nigel Peach writes to note that only 7 Mercedes remain at Wycombe - 703/4 711/6/20/4/7. Also FIVE Darts are now branded for the 326 being 522/3/7/8/9. 

Additionally Dart 421 has a new rear advert. Thanks to Nigel for his input.

Volvo B10Bs 620 and 628 which were expected to go to Wycombe are still at Oxford and it is not known what the intentions are at this time.

We hope the foregoing is of interest, showing as it does, how varied a days workings can be in any city especially Oxford..

I will be pleased to receive your reports for this section
Please send your reports to MalcolmHC@aol.com and thank you for all your sightings, they are most welcome.

  PHOTO CORNER
If anyone else has a digital camera and wishes to submit photos for this page please send them to the above email.

Oxford Bus Olympian on the 22 road departure from the Station last Friday.
The sliding window mentioned in Neil's report above can be seen at the rear of the upper deck.
Photo by Neil Gow.

Tridents 108 and 114 are seen at Cowley Road.
108 following an accident repair has lost its Trident badge !

Oxford Express 15 seen at Terminal 4, Heathrow displays its revised fleet number position.

A dull Sunday morning sees Stagecoach Oxford Olympian 514
on the City Circle 10A passing the COMS garage.

A sunny Saturday sees Dart ("shed") 523 leaving Asda at Booker on the 326.
Route branded buses are now a feature of this service.

Volvo B10B 622 arrives at Wycombe off the long 329 route from Reading.

Ex Lothian Olympian 303 loads at Gloucester Green for its tour of Oxford.
A good job of the open top conversion has been made in Edinburgh.

Finally the pretty village of West Wycombe makes a setting for CCS 323 on its way
to Cambridge last Saturday morning. 
This batch of coaches (320-324) are unable to show the correct route number 757 or 767 
and instead show 75 or 76 !!

 If anyone has any further news please email below.

Malcolmhc@aol.com 

It adds to the interest of the page which I'm sure everyone appreciates.

THE OXFORD BUS MUSEUM