Oxford, High Wycombe & surrounding areas

updated -Monday 17th 2000

The next update will be on Sunday 23rd July 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 !

First to apologise for the slight delay in this week's update but I have been busy on both Saturday and sunday.

The company reports contain a number of interesting observations but one item which stands out during this last week, is the total inadequacy of the coach station at Gloucester Green in Oxford. There is no doubt that whilst many cities and towns wish to rid themselves of the car problem, few are prepared to really come to terms with the need for adequate terminal faculties for bus and coach services. The coach and rail stations in Oxford are, some would say, only a short walking distance apart but try it in the pouring rain !!! Gloucester Green is seriously overcrowded for much of the day. Whilst cars are not supposed to enter the area, they do, often with quite dramatic consequences. As my photo below shows, some even resort to unloading on the pavements.

Another example of this problem was the arrival "in style" of a group for the Gatwick service. The car bringing these people was driven onto stand 6 and unloaded, as if it was the coach itself. The driver and the occupants were offended that they should be challenged by such an action ! Indeed the staff trying to run the coach station deserve a medal for patience, tact and diplomacy under extreme circumstances. One wonders just how long it will be before the "Burgers of Oxford" do something about this situation, or worse still someone gets seriously hurt. The coach station is too small and inadequate for its roll in the new millennium.

Fleet News week ending 15/7/00

Arriva - serving the Shires.

5104 -G654UPP was noted on 280 in the new corporate livery. It looked rather smart and much better than the garish yellow and blue livery previously carried.

Oxford Bus Company (City of Oxford Motor Services)

Thursday 17th July saw Volvo/NC Paladin 650 on 2 road and another Paladin, 647, on 22 road. 628 was on 5 road with 515 on 13 road. 15 road, now a low floor route, saw Volvo 605 during the evening of the same day. Most unusually Volvo B10BLE 808 put in an appearance on the 1715 35 service.

The foregoing shows just how interesting one persons observations can be for a few hours at the end of a day. Thanks to Vic Gackowski for those observations. 

Trident 108 is now awaiting parts (a destination glass) but is otherwise ready to return to service. 120 is away for repairs. 

Stagecoach Oxford.  

Darts 728 and 778 were operating the Blackbird Flyer on Thursday evening last in place of the more normal branded M A N s Dennis Lance 901 , based at Chipping Norton, put in an appearance on the 32 to Didcot on the same evening.

More Tube coaches have had TV screens fitted including new 66.

Cambridge Coach Services.

Sunday 9th July saw the return to "the old road" - through Stokenchurch - of the 757 and 767 , thereby providing an hourly service throughout most of the 24 hour day, 7 days a week. This has meant that two coaches seem to clash in the already crowded Gloucester Green Coach Station at Oxford.

Wycombe Bus Company

The major recasting of services, due on 23rd July is revealed on the news page on the Wycombe site. You can see this at http://www.wycombebus.co.uk

Lynx 301 is well forwarded in a major body refurbishment and should return to service very shortly. An idea of the very high standards maintained by Oxford can be seen in the picture below of the bus at Cowley Road works.  It only awaits a final tidy up and application of vinyls. Complete repanelling of the bus has taken place and the quality of paintwork is excellent. I am told there is an improvement in the paint used giving a higher gloss finish. How nice it would be to see the use of Leyland wheel trims once again !

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 express nr. 20 is seen leaving Gloucester Green on the 6pm to Gatwick
last Sunday evening. These coaches provide a very smooth and quiet ride.

Always an eye for coincidence provided this line up of Jonckheeres at Cowley Road.
42, 43 and 44 await their next duties in the parking area at the rear of the offices.
This was a picture of pure chance and not posed, promise !

Memory Corner

The early '90s saw the rebodying of ex Citylink coaches. A Willowbrook was is fitted
to ex Citylink 27, in place of the original Duple body 
and 627 is seen here in George Street on the 90 to Carterton.
It carried an advert for Howes Model Shop and you could even buy a card model
of the bus in the shop in question !

Stagecoach fielded a Merc on the 20B on Sunday afternoon, so one presumes 
that trade was not brisk. Normally the visitors to Blenheim Palace are such that
a larger bus would be needed. 381 leaves Oxford Gloucester Green.

A duty to Gatwick with the X80 last week provided to chance to snap IJI 6722, 
a Worth's Volvo/Plaxton waiting its time to go to the terminals to pick up passengers.

 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