from THE OXFORD BUS PAGE
News & Pictures from:
Oxford, High Wycombe,
The Chilterns &
surrounding areas
Issue 212
Monday 19th August
2002
(amended 20/8/02)
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
Oxford Bus keeps the wheels turning
A piece in The
Oxford Times this week reported on the flash floods which struck Oxford on
Friday 9th August.
Here we see Oxford Bus Volvo 643 on 4 road easing its way under Botley Road Rail
Bridge.
Photo courtesy
Jon Lewis of Newsquest
Oxfordshire
Welcome to issue 212 and news of flooding in Oxford. This week's page also has another excellent selection of photos from Brian Matthews of Witney, fast becoming my most prolific photographic contributor each week.
Well another year has gone by and I've been to Cardiff again with the Bowls Club. Fate smiled on us this year and the Oxford Bus team won for the first time in three years against Cardiff Bus Bowls Club. Lady luck smiled again and we also had a very comfortable coach for our trip this year with nr 21.
The coach is seen above at Cardiff main bus station, with The Great Western Rail Station in the background. I took the opportunity to look inside this year and was most impressed with the decor and general air of this listed building.
There is always something quite special about this period of architecture and Cardiff Station is no exception.
Cardiff Bus is now home to one of largest collections of Dennis Darts outside London. I was told that double decks are out and that the smaller Darts are now top of the popular stakes, especially since vandalism has dropped significantly. I also noted the very clear electronic destination blinds, the best I have seen to date. The quality can be seen below. The latest batch of Darts, of which this is one, features both short and long versions of the model.
The return journey to Oxford was delayed by the closure of the M4 between junctions 18 and 17 and consequent traffic congestion all the way from Bristol. We therefore diverted towards Monmouth and Gloucester for the return and ran back into Oxford through Farmoor. Surprisingly the running time was not that much more than using the M4 motorway.
Ralph Adams wrote saying "I
went to Kidlington today (Thursday) and stopped at Silo Park & Ride. The traffic
signal control were due to start preparatory work today on the main road. 2
diggers were in place in the parking area to remove the top soil, part for
landscaping afterwards, and part for removal. The first half for 400 cars is due
to open in November for Christmas peaks, with the second 400 spaces by January,
complete with waiting room, toilets, etc. and the site manager feels the
timetable will be kept. Security staff will be on duty 24 hours a day to stop
unwelcome caravans till January."
Ralph goes on to say "Oxford, having started Park & Ride, has fallen behind
others towns which have far better presented Park & Ride e.g. Ipswich, York.
Perhaps with the County rather than the City controlling this one we will see
further advances."
"The Silo itself is apparently now empty with the last occupants just gone. It is planned to demolish the landmark, so what name will the Park & Ride be called. No doubt some historians will want a preservation order on the monstrous building. It will be difficult to redevelop however in green belt area."
Next weekend I will be in Blackpool and once again the update will be on Monday, a Bank Holiday!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News of the local companies - 19th August 2002
Arriva serving The Shires & Essex
Recently transferred from Arriva north West, 2416 works a Saturday 260 service
towards Aylesbury.
Nigel Peach writes
"Tues
13th: I bumped into an old acquaintance in the bus station. As we commiserated
with one another about the recent deterioration of services we observed that so
many buses now do not show a destination and/or a route number. One bus, Volvo
B6 3115 had just a piece of paper in the windscreen saying it was on the 310. We
wondered if Aylesbury knew beforehand that the DW Darts they got from Wycombe do
not have individual number blinds. It's fine if they are on the 331 or 332, but
if they stray from there, as they inevitably will....
As you reported, ex Oxford Marshall Dart 3833 is back. It was working the 363
today.
I was told that ex Wycombe Lynx 3809 has joined sister 3808 at Carousel. It is
currently up at Wycombe Air Park awaiting repaint. Presumably they will
then run the 333 & 334 on which Abbey Coaches are currently running.
There seems a tendency since the merger of the depots to run the 5 NCME
Olympians on local ex NBS routes. It does seem odd seeing them in places
like Flackwell Heath and they even appear at times on the 303 and 326 routes.
Unusual working early Tues evening: Merc Vario Minibus 2196 R196 DNM on the 301
Flackwell Heath route.
Thanks again for all your hard work on the Page every week."
Steve Warwick wrote "Sat
18th Aug - Volvo Olympian 5158
is on loan to NBS for the weekend to cover for PH on Sunday.
Greenway 3044 is also at NBS observed it on route 300 on Friday."
Newman Morgan, having read his LOTS
magazine notes "LOTS
also reports the following changes in Wycombe from 28-7-02:- 300, 317, 329,
schools 613, 675, contracts 955, 956 minor t/t changes. Funny thought schools
were closed!
327 withdrawn and 307 rerouted every 30 mins via London Road, Hatters Lane,
Hicks Farm Rise, Roebuck Avenue, St Hughs Avenue, Hicks Farm Rise, Hatters Lane,
London Road. Well some of us remember this as more or less the good
old LCBS 365.
333, 334, 346, schools 617, 618, 621 all to Carousel
232, 323, 324, 331, 332, contract 947 transferred to Aylesbury depot
353 (all), 362/372 (part) reallocated to the new Amersham outstation which is
quoted elsewhere in the Magazine as being the council yard in Olde Amershame.
This is NOT the Car Park next to Tesco and behind the site of the old LCBS
depot. The Council Depot is further along opposite Tesco. However the LBM also
refers to the Car Park next to Tesco. I wonder if AtS still use the minute rest
room in Old Amersham by the Memorial Gardens stop? It was certainly used up to
Jan 2001.
364 remaining schools journeys withdrawn
653, 655, 963 all withdrawn"
Brian Matthews writes again, this time enclosing the two pictures reproduced below.
Following the recent views of the Chiltern Queens fleet here are a couple from the seventies....
AEC 474FCG at Britwell Salome in 1976......and AEC EUD256K leaving Reading for Didcot in 1975.
Various of you have written regarding the apparent demise of Chiltern Queens.
Mac H wrote "Over
the last four months there has been much comment within Yahoo Fleet News re
Chiltern Queen, most of which seems to have originated from local newspaper
reports.
The following has been received from a very reliable source (a PSV Circle area
editor) - Chiltern Queens has not been taken over by Horseman Coaches; it would
appear that around mid-April, 2002, Keith Horseman and others joined the board
of Chiltern Queens at the invitation of the company's owners, all
other directors having resigned. Their remit was to turn the company round and
stem the losses it was incurring.
The local press must have assumed the take-over would be a formality. The
Traffic Commissioners obviously had other ideas!
Rob Willaims of Bus Zone wrote to say "Notices
inside Chiltern Queens
MPD KP51 SXU last week advertised that a new timetable commenced on the
Reading/Woodcote service from Monday 12th. The notice also advises that
timetables are available from the driver, and indeed they were. The service is
still being operated under the Chiltern Queens name, and the Dart retains full
Chiltern Buses jazzy purple livery and CQ Woodcote legal lettering."
Oxford Bus (City of Oxford Motor Services) http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk
Coach 21 shares a parking area in
Cardiff Bus Station with the local operators Darts.
Steve
Annells writes "Noted
this about teatime at Worthing, 28 July, the day of the Worthing Rally.
Appallingly hot weather/two irritable toddlers, so didn't get close enough to
check the owner, but it had no fleet names. Former Oxford Bus E132YUD,
DAF/Plaxton, collecting day trippers by the look of it."
Ken Lansdowne writes "I have the operator of
this as Seaview Travel of Rochford, one of only two > vehicles owned. It seems
unlikely to be a Jubilee special."
Steve Annells
sent this shot of ex Oxford Citylink coach 132.
Last week I mentioned that 802 had
an electronic destination display. He it is at Cowley Rd Garage.
The blind was in operation proclaiming Cowley Bus Garage 5.
Neil Gow writes "It's my week off this week, so here's a summary of sightings so far.
Firstly though, your correspondent who saw an Olympian on Greater Leys road last week was quite right. It was on the afternoon/evening peak extra journeys of 5B - I forget which day. It was rare - only the second time I've seen on Olympian on this road and I see all three cars almost every day.
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday there has been an Olympian out on all day working of 5 road each day. On Monday there were two on 5 road at the same time when 214 came out for the afternoon 5L card working too, but this card seems not to have run on Tuesday and Wednesday. Other Olympian workings have been an all-day card on 2 on Wednesday and various peak hour extras on 13 and 35. The best one though was 221 on Herschel Crescent shoppers service 18 on Wednesday. This is another unusual occurrence, only the second time I've seen it. There is a length restriction in the Herschel Crescent, Bodley Road area because of parked cars, so when the rostered Marshall bodied Dart isn't available an Olympian would become the next choice. Still, with a 74 seat bus provided on a service that never takes more than three passengers, they had plenty of choice of seats."
Neil Gow mentions the use of
Olympians on the 5A/B routes and here 208 is at work last Friday afternoon.
Nigel Eggleton, Commercial Director
of Oxford Bus wrote to advise that "Today
we have a B12B/Jonckheere from Volvo and a DAF SB4000/Van Hool from Arriva.
Neither are registered and hence are on trade plates - both apparently straight
off the production line. They will be departing today."
(It would appear that these are further offerings from the manufacturers in
view of a potential order for new coaches next year. Ed.)
Stagecoach in South Midlands & in Oxford
Neil Gow says "Thames Transit seem to be resting their Oxford based Olympians. Haven't seen either of the ex London models out or any of the old ECWs apart from 500 on a crew ferry still showing Banbury route number B2."
Ketih Wood wrote "News
from Rugby is that Dart 102 has received new livery and looks very smart indeed.
Also at Rugby
are Mercs 420 and 524 from
Leamington
although neither were in service. It may be that they will be used on the new
Rugby
- Leamington
corridor services which are being extensively revised from
2/9/02.
A definite transfer is Olympian 962 from Leamington. This was the last "Native"
ECW Olympian at
Leamington and ends a
reign which at one time saw 901-909 A541-549 HAC at
Leamington
and 960-964 B960/961 ODU C962-964 XVC at
Stratford.
These vehicles ran most services on the
Stratford - Leamington -
Coventry corridor and Stratford - Birmingham corridor. 960-964 have coach seats
for longer journeys and would have had MRS Local Coach Livery, Stratford Blue
Livery and Stagecoach Stripes during their lifetime. (These liveries have
already been covered in these page Ed.)
For the record
Rugby
still has 902 / 903 / 904 / 910 / 911 / 912 & 962 and all are regulars on
Rugby
- Leamington
services as well as school runs.
Nuneaton Volvo
B10M 209 has received new livery. There are now 96 vehicles confirmed in new
livery."
Neil Gow wrote again "Stagecoach Oxford Olympian 500 is back from Banbury and
currently based at Oxford running crew ferries, still displaying B2 in its
number blind so presumably it got a run out on that route whilst at Banbury."
Ralph
Adams writes "Stagecoach 500 (Leyland Olympian) has moved from store at
Banbury to active at Oxford (BRS), although not needed with Brookes holidays at
present Volvo Olympian 529 is not at present at Oxford."
The single door conversion, 524,
running out of Oxford, Witney bound last Saturday.
Dart 712 lacks the usual fleet
number for new liveried buses. Seen here on The City Circle.
In the late afternoon shadows, Dart
779 waits time in St Aldates as does Tappins 303 on a city tour.
Regular correspondent Jin Wright
operates a Woodstock service last Saturday with Dennis 901.
Stagecoach up from Swindon on the
66. Dennis Dart 943 leaves Oxford, homeward bound.
Also homeward bound, however
eastwards rather than westward, UCOC 697 still resplendent in the old stripey
livery.
Tappins of Didcot (including City Sightseeing, Guide Friday and The Oxford Classic Tour)
Another addition to the Oxford tour
fleet is 129, most recently in Cambridge.
Fleetline 217, one of the longest
serving buses in the tour fleet, gets an engine look over by its driver last
Saturday.
Thames Travel, Wallingford
Vario 846 works a 107 service from St Aldates to The John Radcliffe Hospital
last Friday.
Thames Valley Traction (Historical)
Newman
Morgan, having read the page last week adds his suggestion to those already
expressed as to the location of TV Lodekka 811. Newman says "That photo of
TVT 811. I think Ed Maun is right, it ain't on the West Wycombe Road because the
road is too narrow. The bay windowed houses are very WWR but the large house
immediately behind 811 together with the stone wall isn't WWR.
The photo isn't West Wycombe, Piddington, Studley Green or St. Okenchurch (as a
late uncle who once lived there always called the place). [And no -
Studley Green wasn't St. Udleygreen] By a process of elimination, the fact that
the driver isn't on board and there is a distinct lack of passengers downstairs,
I reckon the bus is laying over in Watlington. I'm pretty sure that upon arrival
in the centre of Watlington the 39 did a right turn then a left turn to stand. I
can't remember the name of the road but it featured in timetables as the
terminus. Leaving the terminus I think the bus would do two left turns to run up
main street, Watlington.
Any more suggestions from other readers???" concludes Newman.
I love the nicknames for the local villages used above.
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
This week I include a few shots
taken in Cardiff. Certainly on a Sunday this is Dart city.
First a National Express offering.
A late Y reg
Plaxton Paragon works the 304 service toward Weymouth from Oxford last Saturday.
Passing inbound from the south is
north bound Selwyn's Expressliner R71ECA, with final destination Birkenhead.
Like Oxford, Cardiff are putting
Lynx's into training roles with a new livery.
Here 257, G257HUH rests up in the garage yard.
One of Cardiff's Y reg Dart SLFs.
381 is leaving the bus station en route to a local suburb.
10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses
visited Cardiff on Sunday and a Park & Ride service was provided by
Cardiff Bus from The Millennium Stadium. This was run by 6 elderly Volvo Ailsas
of which 405 is seen here
leaving the garage. These buses have a very striking sound when on the move.
I welcome your
photos for inclusion on this page.
malcolmhc@aol.com
