Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated Sunday 15th October 2000
The next update will be on Sunday 22nd October 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 !

This last weeks visit to Sweden gave me a few moments to get a couple of photos and I start with the excellent method of travel from the UK, Ryanair. If you are prepared to be flexible on your travel dates, a day either side, there are some real bargains to be had, just look at their Web site, 

http://www.ryanair.com/

Ryanair new Boeing 737-800 EI-CSG arrives at Stansted from Malmo.

The flight from Stansted takes just 90 minutes or so and a whole new world opens up before you, including some magnificent 4 axle double deck coaches which operate between Malmo and Gothenburg.I hope to bring you some photos of these coaches. for this week I bring you a picture of the coaches used between Malmo and Sturup Airport, a 40 minute journey, being Volvo B10 articswith Saffle bodywork. Details of these coaches will follow in a future news page.

Flygbussarna Airport coaches Volvo artic with Saffle bodywork 0789 - BRO131

A break from driving this last weekend gave me the opportunity to get some photos in Oxford and these included some visiting coaches. Oxford it seems is set to become a location for Dart MPDs with two operators, Arriva and Stagecoach fielding examples on local services.

This weekend sees the service cuts come into force for Oxford Bus and rumours abound of service changes in Abingdon by Stagecoach.

Watching the traffic in Oxford one was also able to see how private cars ignore the bus/taxi only areas and continue to clog up the station area !

Cooperation between the competing operators in Oxford must have been suitably warned by the report of Fair Trading Inspectors in Leeds raiding the offices of First Bus and Arriva in that area. It seems that one is not allowed to use ones resources without risking trouble.

Company reports - 14th October 2000

Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)

The service cuts which come into effect on October 15th have resulted in the withdrawal of 15 Darts and one coach. An advert in bus & Coach week offers these vehicles plus two Volvo/Plaxton Paramount coaches for sale. It is not yet certain which Darts will go but Premier coach 52 , seen below, is a victim of the cuts.

814, Volvo B10BLE was seen on 22 road last week and 817 appeared on 16 road. A shortage of Tridents on Saturday saw 642 on 300 road.

I mentioned last week that Volvos in the 600-643 range are now the regular performers on 22 road. These buses are unable to show the new destination and on Saturday two such buses were showing no destination in either direction. 610 is seen below on its way to Harcourt Hill !

Stagecoach Oxford.  

The news of the week is the arrival of a Dart SLF - Alexander ALX200 MPD for a 13 week period on loan. The short length of these types can be seen in the picture. An interior difference from previous ALX types is the use of different seats with a more rounded top. This bus is expected to se service on the 101 to Watlington and the Bicester group routes.

Dennis Dart SLF(MPD) - Alexander ALX200 N28F - 100 : W102PMS 

This interior view captures the small nature of these vehicles and the new seats.

The  repainted of Olympian decker 515 was caught on camera last Saturday, displaying X14 Leamington, even though it was in Oxford. It thus seems that this bus may have been used in service by Midland Red whilst it was away for repaint?  

Reader Richard Griffin adds to his information on the Oxford Tube fleet , featured last week and advises that there is a difference to the seating tpye in the latest coach nr 66.

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

Another short Dart is seen here when 3487 visited Oxford last Saturday on the 260.

 Oxford Darts shortly to be withdrawn for sale.

The newly resurfaced area near the Rail Station can be just be seen in this photograph taken last Saturday.

Ambassador Travels Volvo B10M PIJ3379 waits for its passengers neat The Randolf last Saturday.

Two coaches seen in the coach park at The Oxpens wait for time. They are Arriva serving The Shires
HIL7597 which was once E660UNE of Shearings, next to Wallace Arnold Volvo/Van Hool 7820WA.

It was certainly a weekend for Arriva. Seen here at The Kings Arms in Stokenchurch
is an ex Shires coach, GIL6253, a Volvo B10M-61/Plaxton Paramount C50F coach.
Originally D209LWX this left our area in 1997 for service with Fox County.

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.