Oxford

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

updated Monday, 18th February 2002
the next update will be on Sunday 24th February 2002

Issue nr. 186

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.

Welcome to Issue 186, a shorter than usual update due to other commitments, including Sunday spent in Rugby with the Oxford Bus Bowls Club.

41 poses outside Rugby Rail Station on the stop for Stagecoach route 4.
This was during a visit to the town with the Oxford Bus Bowls Club.

Newman Morgan writes with quite a lot of information from around Oxford. He says "I have been catching up on the Oxford Mail and the following is a summary of the week's reports involving buses:

The edition of Tuesday February 12th reported an accident between a COMS X3 vehicle and a car at lunchtime on Monday February 11th. The accident happened on the A4183 near Abingdon and although no bus passengers were hurt the driver was taken to the JR hospital.
The same edition reports on traffic disruption on London Road, Headington for the next five weeks for County Council drainage and resurfacing work. For one week there will be no right turn into Headley Way from London Road between 7am and 7pm with lengthy diversions via Marston Road. Doubtless this will cause delays to OBC's 2/2A/2B/22, SiO's 7A/10/10A/77 Arriva's 260/280 and the express services. Wednesday's edition further reports that bus stops in Headley Way and New High Street may have to be temporarily closed.

The edition of Thursday February 14th reports on Thames Travel's threat to abandon the Bainton Road section of its X39 service due to parked cars meaning buses cannot get through. Recently apparently police were called four times after X39's became stuck in Bainton Road. The article continues with SiO reporting that Cutteslowe and Headington roundabouts were two examples of bus lane blackspots where buses and routes being impeded by cars and cyclists. OBC reported that insensitive behaviour (of cars and cyclists) seriously affects their ability to provide a reliable service. The County Council spokesman suggested more yellow lines and perhaps bus lane cameras.
The same edition also reports a new bus service from Monday 18th February linking Berinsfield with Didcot via Culham Science Centre and Milton Business Park. The hourly service will also run via Long Wittenham, Burcot and Clifton Hampden. No operator is mentioned.
Saturday February 16th's edition included a letter supporting a ban on school children boarding Route 16 buses in Cornwallis Road. Apparently these kids are notorious for their bad language and appalling behaviour to driver and passengers alike. There is also a report on the possible abandonment of OBC's Route 18 when current funding expires in October. It seems users of the 18 would prefer the 16A to be re-introduced but OBC report that they have no plans to re-introduce the 16A but would consider running more 18's if finance was forthcoming.

Somewhere I have also read the Arriva's 275 Wycombe to Oxford has been reduced to 4 round trips a day, and finally........on the one day I have been in Bicester over the past 10 or so days, I did note SiO 203 in Bure Place on a 28 journey to Launton.

The latest news regarding Gloucester Green is that the coach station will be closed from Monday 25th February for a period of about 4 weeks. Discussions are taking place for a shuttle service from Gloucester Green to the temporary coach station at The Oxpens.

A further week of yet more interesting arrivals were noted in Wycombe this week. Again many of you wrote to draw my attention to the comings and goings.

Steve Warwick writes that the following Scania's arrived for work in Wycombe. "

All are from Luton, 3145 arrived yesterday (Saturday) 3144 & 3146 arriving sometime today.

On Saturday morning 5076 had arrived back from repaint. It is seen flanked by Olympian 5070 and Mercedes 2092.

Wycombe Bus Station hosts Mercedes 2127, Dart 3812 - notable for displaying
Wycombe Bus Company on its blind. Ex North West Mercedes 177 is to the right.

Scania 3197 returns to Newlands Bus Station after a trip to Booker.
This Scania is returning to its home garage where its route branding is more appropriate.

The old yellow and blue livery is reaching the end of its days in Wycombe. Repaints
are eliminating the colours although 5081 still shows its old livery.

The very last Wycombe Bus liveried bus is Olympian 5827, which started it life on
Park & Ride duties in Oxford. It is seen here on a Monday afternoon school working
outside the Four Horseshoes in Stokenchurch.

Steve Warwick writes that "Dennis Darts 3361 (K411 FHJ) & 3098 (H245 MUK) back to don't know where. However I saw 3098 in NBS on Saturday morning.

Olympians        5074, 5379, 5822-35
Lynx                3070, 3076, 3344, 3345, 3806-10
Dart SLF          3821-27
Dart                 3098, 3633, 3634, 3361, 3811-20
Mercedes         2127, 2132, 2224
Volvo B6           3127, 3138, 3243
Volvo B10B       3841-4, 3853-5
Scania              3144, 3145, 3146, 3158, 3163, 3169

Ralph Adams writes "Acquired Volvos L52UNS and L53UNS are ex Whitelaw of Stonehouse, Lanarkshire. They are to be 657 and 658, following on from the earlier batch of ex London NC Volvos 645-6546. They are single door 51 seaters. It seems that three Darts have gone to Whitelaw in exchange. They are 509, 513 and 514.

It is also suggested that Volvo coach 27 is going in the next few days to have a toilet installed.

The Volvo B10Bs mentioned above are seen in the bodyshop at Oxford with earlier 647.
This clearly shows the difference in the rear ends of the newer buses.

This front view of 658 with 657 just in shot to the right shows the current state.

Leyland Olympian 224 is back in service. Still minus any fleet names it was working
the 601 last Saturday afternoon when United played Lincoln and won 2-1.

The full run out for football is seen here, although 224 was hiding in the lay by.
102 leads, 101, 103, 224(hiding) 118, 619 and finally 223 on the 602.

Dart SLF 402 was on 5A road last Saturday and two Volvos were on Park&Ride. 604 was on 300D card and 816 was on 2 road.

The delicensed Olympian fleet comprises 208, 214, 220, 221 and 222. It is expected that all Olympians will return to service for the summer. The older Darts remaining comprise 505, 510, 512, 515, 517 and 519. Parking arrangements have changed and the three red Tridents now spend their nights at the rear of the office block displacing three coaches, more normally parked at this point.

I have received the following from Keith Wood " Saturday at Rugby and Nuneaton produced some interesting sightings as follows

Rugby

New Volvo Olympian P532 HMP was in the depot in new livery but with no fleetnames or numbers. It was in area usually reserved for vehicles awaiting mechanical attention.

Olympian 910 of Leamington was in the normal in use parking area (a transfer ?)

Olympian 963 of Banbury was heading out of Rugby for the south (Banbury / Leamington) direction no idea why.

Leyland National 710 was on the 86.

Nuneaton

The ex Oxford Volvo B6LE's are in service:

472 P327 JND Stripes & SMR Fleetname
473 P328 JND New Livery & SiW Fleetnames
474 P334 JND New Livery & SiW Fleetnames

News of the day was the use of Leyland Nationals 702 & 705 on 10 Grove Farm and 50/51 Camp Hill and Keresley services (diagrams inter work). I don't know how long this will last on a Saturday but despite the new B6LE's arriving Nuneaton is still short of Low Floors to run all of the 10 / 50 / 51. Indeed B6LE's are now working 17 / 717 Arley & Birmingham Airport and 41 Birchley Heath services stretching them even further !

Stored vehicles at the depot are as follows :

K306 ARW ; L307 SKV ; L327YKV ; N661 VSS ; C472 CAP ; A70 KDU.
The last two are ex Chiltern contract.

Leyland Nationals 721 / 727 were not present - anyone seen them ?

During Malcolm's visit to Rugby only one bus was seen, this Mercedes 358 on a local route.

Rob Williams writes "I have sighted 920 (Oxford 527) back in Leamington a number of times this week. Tuesday it still was showing fleetnumber 527 all around, but did have SMR legals. By Thursday the fleet nos had been changed to 920 and it was notable still having it's Mercia FM adverts on the front around the display and old style SMR Stagecoach logos in tact from before it's move to Oxford!

A new arrival is P531 HMP which has been given fleet number 931 - no sign of a 930 yet as far as I have seen however. It seems that the blinds for the ex-London Olympians have arrived, they contain the route number and route details on the via screens. Noted with them fitted so far are 929 and 931.

Olympians 914, 916-20 have had their displays reprogrammed to lower case on the front and side with ultimate destinations now being shown in bold. Don't know why 915 was missed. Some of the B10Ms seem also to have been done, 230 being the only one noted so far, with many others still all in capitals"

Ralph Adams writes "MAN 937 back in new livery. Volvo 907 went for repaint instead of 935 so the last Orange Top will be with us a while longer."

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