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

 Issue 203
 Sunday 16th June 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

Welcome to issue 203 and a much improved weekend. I suppose the highlight news is the England win on Saturday when much of England and indeed our area was rather deserted as people took to the box. Prior to that I spent a few hours in Marlow which was very busy since it is Regatta Weekend. I am always on the lookout for a nice picturesque shot and I feel that the one of Arriva's 3854 en route to Reading and leaving Marlow, Henley bound fills the bill nicely. The trees are all out now and indeed some seem "heavy" with  leaf and some roads are now very dark where the trees form a tunnel.

Rail replacement work continues for Oxford Bus with Tridents 117 and 118 plus Volvos 601 and 602 performing these duties. Indeed the two Tridents are seen above at Banbury train station on the second journeys of the day. You can just make out 601 down in the car park awaiting its turn for a trip to Oxford, this time via Kings Sutton, Heyford and Tackley at 1941. The Tridents will leave at 1841 direct to Oxford.

The Bucks Free Press, this last week, carried an article on the bus lanes in High Wycombe. The article was illustrated by a rather nice shot of an Oxford Bus Olympian when in use with Wycombe Bus Company and close to a Bus Lane. Amusing really since Wycombe Bus died late in the last century and we are now in the second year of the new!!!!

Well now on to our area happenings.

News of the local companies - 16th June 2002

Airlinks - Jetlink


On Thursday lunch time I came across the Dennis R series attached) in Gloucester Green.
It is owned by Kirkby Coach and Bus and is on hire to Cambridge Coach services
to cover for a coach away for accident damage repair.
The coach under repair is one which Cambridge Coach Services have acquired from Stort Valley
along with their Stansted base. Picture by Edmund Tresham.


I have now seen all three of these Volvo/Plaxtons which entered service with Stort Valley.
They are now regular performers on the 757 from Cambridge to Oxford. Here we see Y825HHE.
Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Edward Maun wrote following comments on the Wycombe Running Day.

Wycombe Running Day 

Re issue 200: Nigel Peach’s report says he is surprised the final journey on service 30 at 1620 ran as there were no passengers. All the running day services were registered as local bus services with the Traffic Commissioner and hence “had” to run to comply with the registration details.


Arriva 3053 mentioned by Neil Roughton below.


2138 alongside 5382 at Aylesbury depot.


Scania 3169 stops in the main street of High Wycombe to load on service 326.
Another Scania is seen heading for the Bus Station.


Dart 3826 climbs Desborough Road, High Wycombe and the photo well illustrates the
hilly nature of this town bordering on the Chilterns.


Another rural shot is of 3855 turn past The Dashwood Arms on the old A40
at Piddington. The new road to the right of picture has been there many years
but the old road still serves a number of properties and a small housing estate.


Olympian 5831 pauses at the top of the hill on Desborough Road on service 303.
This route is more usually Dart SLF operated and was once hailed as the new way
to travel when the SLF Darts were launched.

Current allocations.

I asked a few weeks ago for details on the allocation at Arriva Aylesbury. Neil Roughton wrote to send notes on this matter for which I thank him very much.

You asked for a fleet list of Arriva's Aylesbury Garage, well here it is:- 

Aylesbury (AYL)

Optare Solo [owned by Bucks CC but operated and maintained and garaged by Arriva] 0446, 0447, 0448, 0449

Merc 709D/Plaxton Beaver 2114, 2127, 2138, 2141, 2142, 2143

Merc 811D/Plaxton Beaver 2108, 2111, 2416 + 2417 delicensed awaiting attention & MOT + 2420 awaiting attention and sale

Merc Vario 814D/Plaxton Beaver 2244, 2247
The remaining manual gearbox Mercs are gradually being swapped for automatic versions with Varios coming from Hitchin plus others as released from elsewhere.

National Greenway 3044, 3048, 3050, 3053, 3057, 3305
[3305 is the "long version" others short. 3048 is still in Blue & yellow and 3053 and 3057 are Colorbus adverts with blue & yellow fronts. As intimated on your news page all are to be withdrawn as soon as possible.]

Scania L113/Eat Lancs European 3164, 3165 & 3166 [colorbus with Arriva front]

Scania L113/Northern Counties Paladin 3203, 3204, 3205

Volvo B10M-56/Plaxton Derwent 2 3080

Dennis Dart/Carlyle 3093

Dennis Dart/Reeve Burgess Pointer 3099

Dennis Dart/Wright Handybus 3354, 3374, 3375

Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer MPD 3482, 3484, 3485, 3486, 3487, 3492, 3497 

Leyland Olympian/ECW - 5382

Leyland Olympian/Roe - 5071[black + Arriva front]

Leyland Olympian/Alexander - 5083, 5085, 5088, 5097, 5099, 5100, 5101, 5102, 5103, 5104
[5083/5/8/97 remain in blue & yellow], [5099, 5100, 5101, 5102 are refurbished]

Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties Palatine 2 - 5156, 5157, 5158, 5159, 5160, 5161
The Volvo Olympians are branded for service 280, the Scania/NC Paladins for service X15 and 3165 for service 500.

At any one time three Olympian/Alexander, one short Greenway and two Merc 709s are out-stationed at Leighton Buzzard. 

Please note that for your Cressex fleet list add Optare Solo 0442 although when required for maintenance it is covered by the spare Solo at Aylesbury. 3062 and 3063 are sold and 3067 is now a driver trainer in ancillary livery with the central driving school. 2415 is delicensed at Cressex and 2200 in use as a staff bus.

Hope this is helpful to you and your readers.  

Thank you indeed Neil, I hope that maybe you can help keep this up to date in the future.

Newlands Bus Station, High Wycombe (NBS)

Lynx:3069,3070,3076,3345,3806,3808,3809,3810.

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

Dennis Dart DW:3811,3812,3813,3814,3815,3816,3817,3818,3819,3820

Dennis Dart DM:3833,3834

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

Olympian:5822,5823,5824,5825,5826,5827,5828,5829,5830,5831,5832,5833,5834,5835,5379,5074

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

Total:56


BCC Optare Solo 0442 is seen in Newlands Bus Station where it is visiting for service.

CRESSEX (CRX)  (Think this needs an update!)

Optare Solo 0442

Mercs:2410,2196,2197,2198  - 2415 delicensed at CRX)  2200 (Staff Bus)

Lynx:3067 (Driver Trainer) 3068

Volvo B6:3110,3115,3116,3126,3127,3138,3139,3242,3243,3244,3258,3259,3260

Olympian:5075,5076,5081,5108,5109,5110,5134,5135,5167

Total:29 for service.

Carousel, High Wycombe


Carousel M758 operates the 325 service from Marlow to Wycombe.
The Metrobus has just climbed for a long way out of the Thames Valley.

Cheney, Banbury


Cheney of Banbury operate most the town services in that town. Here W3CTS leaves
the square on a local town service R8.
 

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

There were several interesting workings last Friday. Two Olympians were on 35 road (223 and 224) with 223 working beyond 2200hrs, three on 5 road (208, 214 and 221) and later 208 on 22 road and another on 400 road. Additionally there were two 63x series Volvos on 5 road at the same time. On Monday 10th June 220 and 221 were on 2 road and 103 on 5 road peak. Tuesday 11th saw 221 on 2 road, 220 on 5 road (all day card) 223 on 35F card and later on 400 road. 512 most unusually appeared on 4 road that day. 512 also appeared on 5 and 13 roads during the same day. 620 also worked on 13s during last week.

Buses not previously associated with CCTV cameras are being so equipped; 404 and 410, and now 654 each have the suite of 4 "black hemisphere"  camera pods on the ceilings, though no LCD screen nor reversing cam.  There are doubtless other buses that have been done. 


Seen in Oxford 486 OUD486T Bristol VRT / ECW freshly painted in Oxford Bus Company livery.
This livery was introduced to replace the former National Bus Company 'Poppy Red'.
It is seen on route 52 to Blackbird Leys.

Tim Walton wrote to say "Blast from the past!  -  Seen in Oxford City is 486 OUT486T Bristol VRT / ECW freshly painted in Oxford Bus Company livery. This livery was introduced to replace the former National Bus Company 'Poppy Red'. It is seen on route 52 to Blackbird Leys."

Certainly the bus had only just been repainted and the Olympian in the background was still in NBC poppy livery.


Olympian 208 is back in service for the summer rush. It lacks fleet names which is a shame.


The other older olympian with OBC is 214 now back in service.
Seen heeling over as it approaches Bond Square.


Volvo 804 works a 2A service from the Rail Station to Kidlington Airport.
The destinations are not properly set.

Rail Replacement rosters saw Tridents 117 and 118, with Volvos 601 and 602 working between Oxford and Banbury last Sunday.

Guide Friday

The tour page on this site has been update to reflect this change.

Red Rose, Aylesbury


Two Mercs at the Red Rose depot in Aylesbury. N784JBN and K540OGA.

Stagecoach in Warwick

Keith Wood writes "There was no sign of Leyland National 706 at Rugby last night. 705 / 710 / 722 & 772 were all present. I have no idea of this or 727's current whereabouts".

Rob Williams wrote "A new arrival, seen for the first time on Wednesday is P528 HMP, fleet number 928. This duplicates the fleet number 928 which was given to P527 HMP in January! The mystery of the two 928s was however solved the next day when I noted that P527 now has fleet number 935. I have attached a photo of it on the X12 at the University of Warwick that day. 

Also on Thursday I noted another new arrival in service - P530 HMP, fleet number 930. I have attached a photo of it on the X14 at the University of Warwick that day. For some reason the side and rear numeral displays on this one have not been blanked over / removed. On the photo you can see that it still has it's old London blinds fitted - it is displaying the old Stagecoach corporate logo on a purple background. 

I am now speculating about whether or not 929 (P534) will be renumbered 934 to make way for P529 which has yet to arrive."

Stagecoach in Banbury

See the notes under Oxford about changes to the management of this part of the Stagecoach Empire.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Ralph Adams writes "Present fleet appears to be
TR1       D935TJO     Dodge        B12F
TR3       PUK621R    National      B12F
T11       BVP753V    National      B12F
T10       Unknown
This was not parked at Horspath or BRS
The Blue ex Manchester National (SJI...) was not in evidence

The MRS fleet trainers are T  whilst the Oxford ones were TR.  Why has T11 now been used (common number system possibly)
The G Reg Dodge appears to have gone. As Oxford are all manual except the 5 approx N Reg 709s, staff are now being trained on Automatics (although TR1 is still being used)

TA431 & 433 both still at Oxford
"530" not in evidence, possibly gone away to have its windows replaced or something.

More problems at Barton this week. Apparently one bus had 4 windows broken one evening"


One of recently received Volvo Alexander PS buses, 204 on route X31.

Banbury, SCiB converting to Wayfarer ticketing from 16 Jun and this forms part of a reorganisation of Banbury depot and from 1/7/2002 Banbury will become part of Stagecoach in Oxford. This will mean Banbury will be merged in a similar way to work as Witney does.

All vehicles at Banbury will gain Thames Transit legal lettering but at present SCiB fleet names will be retained.

On Sunday 21st July SCiO will be sending 15 double decks to work a Park & Ride service for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Buses will be drawn from Oxford and Witney.  All local services on that day will be worked by saloons and single decks will be sent to Witney. 

Thanks to Tracey and Jim for that input.


Ex Stratford Blue and SCiB Olympian 500, B960ODU. The bus is seen in Castle Street
last Friday afternoon on service 10A - City Circle


The following service was worked by Dart 761 again seen in Speedwell Street.


The last non low floor Darts delivered to Oxford were the Blackbirds Flyers in a
black and gold livery. Seen as it is today is 793, R63UFC entering Bond Square.

Tridents TA431 and 433 remain in Oxford as these notes were written.

Thames Travel, Wallingford


Dart MPD, 451-KP51UFG pauses fro traffic in Speedwell Street last Friday.

Thames Valley Traction (Historical)

I was delighted to hear again from Edward Maun who lives in Stokenchurch and you will remeber has aome excellent memories of Thasmes Valley in the area.

Thames Valley – historic notes 

Reference issue 199, the picture of the TV K6B certainly brought back memories.   This was one of the 2 Stokenchurch buses new in 1950 to which I referred in issue 198, being fleet number 529.   Incidentally, it appears to have an incorrect blind setting as services to Radnage were numbered 40.    Service 39 ran to Watlington, that number also being used for Stokenchurch shorts.    Service 41 was the Ibstone service – all from High Wycombe of course, commencing from the Railway Station Yard.   Note the link with today's 340 to Radnage and 341 to Ibstone services.   There is a photograph of sister vehicle 528 (FBL30) at West Wycombe village, bound for High Wycombe on service 39, on page 18 of the book “Glory days – Tilling Group” by Gavin Booth, published by Ian Allan in 1998 – the cars in the picture are a delight as well!   Sorry about 533 (FMO8); it wasn’t allocated to High Wycombe when new – seems it was transferred later in life. 

I can confirm Newman Morgan’s comments re the Stokenchurch allocation rostered to visit Wycombe Marsh depot during the day, as my father was lead driver at Stokenchurch dormy shed for many years. 

Thames Valley took over certain Stokenchurch area routes from City of Oxford Motor Services (COMS) in 1937, including control of the dormy shed, and allocated 3 new Leyland Titan TD4 double deckers  - 339-341 (AJB811-813).    I believe these were replaced in 1939 by 407-409 (BRX923-925), Bristol K5Gs, but this requires confirmation.   Certainly, by the middle of the war the allocation had been reduced to 2 and had become Bristol K5G 413/414 (CJB 132/133) which soldiered on until replaced by 528/529 in 1950.   The allocation remained at 2 until the dormy shed closed in Alder Valley days – I believe in 1980 on the introduction of the MAP inspired “Chilternlink” changes. 

I trust these notes are of interest – enough for now – more in the future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 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


Richard Griffin writes "Yesterday evening at Oxford Bus a phone call was received from
a National Express coach which had broken down somewhere around Stokenchurch. 
It had 44 people on who needed to get to Heathrow, could OBC help? 
OBC assisted by sending a coach out to get the people to LHR-CBS after which
it returned dead to the garage." 
By chance I happened upon the Nat-Ex coach at Stokenchurch in a lay-by on the A40.
IT appeared to have dumped a lot of water at the back. P31KUG on  service 240.


Seen leaving Banbury on Sunday afternoon en route to Heathrow, V447EAL.


Visitor to Oxford is this Volvo/Plaxton Premiere 350, M234LYT in Speedwell Street.

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

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