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

Your reports are welcome at malcolmhc@aol.com

updated Monday 20th August 2001
the next update will be on Sunday 26th August 2001

   Issue nr. 159  

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 !

Welcome to issue 159, which includes news this week of service 50 and a great piece of observation work by Vic Gacowski. 

Guide Friday launched a gas powered Fleetline this last week to a Fanfare on the trumpet. GF are converting their fleet of tour buses working in Oxford, to LPG over the next 18months. There are eight buses in the Oxford fleet and City Councillors are pleased that less dangerous emissions will result.

The Oxford Times headlined the news that Guided buses could run in the city by 2005, this last weekend. Plans are going ahead with a feasibility study stating that a £30m scheme is viable and could be in place by 2005/2006. Thames Trains have also announced backing for the scheme with an investment of £10,000 if the scheme goes ahead. 

Animal rights marchers head off down High Street escorted by police and TV cameramen.

   FROM THE DRIVING SEAT  
A weekly commentary on your Editors favourite pastime.

My weekend saw me taking the Oxford Bus Bowls Club to Cardiff for their annual fixture
with Cardiff Bus. Coach 58 was the transport this year and gave an excellent run down the M4
and over the Avon. It is seen here in the last afternoon sun at Cardiff Bus Station
which is by the Great Western Railway Station, an imposing edifice. 

My two duties this last weekend provided nice drives. Freshly painted coach 14 was my steed for the two London's which were very busy trips indeed. Sunday dawned wet and dismal but by the time I, 58 and the Bowls team got to Cardiff the sun had come out and we all enjoyed a warm sunny afternoon and a winning team slumbered as 58 ate up the miles on the return journey home. What a change from 601 last year, which whilst eating up the miles cannot compare with 58 for comfort. For one of our older coaches 58 still gives a really comfortable ride and seems to just iron out the hills, rolling along at a very respectable 62!  It was also interesting to see the faces of passing Flightlink coach drivers, who are more used to seeing 58 at Gatwick or Heathrow.

News from the companies - 20th August 2001

Airlinks.

The new DAFs are now seeing use on other than Oxford services.
D312 was seen here at Heathrow on its way to Brighton last week.

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Olympian 5833 was still away for repaint this last weekend and seems delayed in its return to Wycombe.

The picture above was taken in Old Beaconsfield and is the first I have taken of the BCC Solos in service. I have included it under Arriva since they run them for BCC. 0447 was laying over between trips which seem to give plenty of time for the driver to take a break.

City of Oxford Motor Services (The Oxford Bus Company)

The recent week has seen some interesting workings with THREE Darts on 2 road on Thursday 17th August, 513, 515 and 519.  Olympian 222 was on 15 road on the same day with 208 putting in an appearance on 5 road. Loaned Trident 929 is still working on 300 road through no further Oxford Tridents have yet left for Alexander's and rectification work.  SLF Dart 408 was on 5A/B road on the same day.

119 is back from Alexander's and has received a partial repaint, which has included the 
application of new style company logos. See above.

Coach 14 emerged this last Saturday from repaint and rebranding as an "Oxford express" multi route vehicle.
It is seen here in Victoria awaiting time for the 1715hrs service to Oxford last Saturday.

Highlighting Airport use, 26 is seen here at the coach park in Gatwick with a British Airways
Boeing 737 landing in the background. The air conditioning on these coaches has been
a godsend over the past few weeks of hot weather..

A sole survivor of the North East batch of Volvos is 628, the remainder having moved to Wycombe 
before the Arriva takeover. Seen here on 2 road this bus is more usually on 35 road.  

This last week saw Darts on 2 road running through to Barton.
513 is seen here in Queen Street.

Andrew Dyer sent some great photos of loaned buses in Oxford in the '70s which I will be using
in the coming weeks. Here is Aldershot & District Loline 1 SOU446 (33*) on route 4 to Wolvercote.

Chiltern Queens.

Saw a Y reg on the 10C/D last night (Sunday) but couldn't see the full registration.

Guide Friday.

Looking less than pristine is this Fleetline UTV217S in New Road by Nuffield College.

The bus I briefly glimpsed last week was OTO574M see picture in the headings.

Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach UCOC has now applied vinyls to the reliveried coaches operating the X5.

Stagecoach in Banbury  

Keith Wood writes to say "The news page has certainly seen an explosion of news ! Its well and truly taking off ! It's great to catch up on all the latest news as it happens !

Owing to extra work commitments I haven't been active this week and there doesn't appear to be much happening in SiW at the moment. After the withdrawal of service H (Coventry - Holbrooks) a number of early Mercedes-Benz 709D's have been laid up. Those noted at Nuneaton depot were 312 / 314 / 315 on 9/8/01. Also still there were Leyland Nationals 621 / 627 ex Banbury. It remains to be seen whether any of these are reallocated or sold.

One service which I didn't mention before (499 Banbury - Aynho) has also been severely cut leaving just the peak journeys in place.

I hope to visit Banbury shortly and report on all the service changes in detail along with the vehicle changes.

I'm still waiting for news of the Optare Solo's ! I've been keeping an eye on the local press for any launch details but as yet not a sniff ! All the work connected with the Camp Hill showcase route is complete but non low floor vehicles are still a regular sight.

Regards
Keith Wood"

Thanks to Keith for his report.

STAGECOACH in OXFORD

As pretty as a picture. Not the normal fodder for the 44 from what I have seen 
but no doubt a bouncy change for the passengers.
372 enters Queen Street last week.

Keith Wood writes to say "The Stagecoach Oxford site now has details of the Banbury service changes effective from yesterday (13/8/01)." 

Vic Gacowski has done an incredible job on getting information on Stagecoach working for the route 50 and associated routes. It makes most interesting reading and I hope does indeed answer some questions.

STAGECOACH in OXFORD
20 / 50 Routes
OXFORD - OLD WOODSTOCK - CHIPPING NORTON - AND STRATFORD UPON AVON

OPERATIONS SURVEY

 by VIC GACKOWSKI 

This report has not been endorsed by Stagecoach in Oxford and is based purely on the authors observations.

The interest generated in these pages by the new Stagecoach service to Stratford Upon Avon has been phenomenal with several correspondents detailing vehicle observations over the last few weeks. As one correspondent stated , unlike earlier timetables this one is indeed harder to work out made all the more difficult by the use of vehicles from four locations working the route and a number of dead moves for servicing.

On Tuesday 7th August 2001 I carried out a full survey during a whole day in Oxford resulting in the vehicle balances falling into place quite nicely. Hopefully the details in this report will enable those with an interest in the route to have their questions and queries answered.

Vehicle Allocation

Olympian 527 , Volvo/Pn Paladin 910 and Man/Ax 917 have all featured in correspondents reports as being regulars on the route and on the date of the survey they were indeed all in service. I can confirm that 527 and 910 started their day , as predicted in reports , from Stratford Depot whilst 917 along with regular Dennis/Pn Verde 902 started from Chipping Norton Bus Park . At least two vehicles from Witney Depot also play a part on the route along with two from Oxford. The allocations for out stabled vehicles include moves to and from Oxford Horspath Road Depot for servicing .

Prior to the current timetable the Stratford journeys were part of the Tube network whilst the 20 road journeys towards Old Woodstock and Chipping Norton were covered by three Chipping Norton Depot vehicles (normally 901 - 3) with odd journeys provided by Witney Depot. Some journeys covered by Witney were booked for 3xx series midi buses which no longer feature in the current timetable. Witney and Oxford now furnish a 7xx Dennis Dart on their commitments. It would appear that with the timetable currently in force Chipping Norton Depot has had its allocation reduced from three vehicles to two. With 910 being a regular along with just one 9xx Dennis/Pn it is not unusual to see the other two 9xx Dennis/Pn vehicles on city routes such 1 , 3 and 7.

Witney Depot have always played a part in 20 road operations with vehicles  often working in on the X1 Carterton to Oxford express service before taking up these duties. The 42 road from Witney to Old Woodstock is also used to position a vehicle to and from 20 road duties.

Manning

Drivers from Oxford and Stratford Depots work services along the whole length of the route whilst Chipping Norton and Witney Drivers work services between Oxford , Old Woodstock, Glympton and Chipping Norton only. Chipping Norton Drivers also carry out empty moves to and from Oxford Horspath Road Depot. Driver changes take place at Gloucester Green.

Here then are the allocations and balances seen on Tuesday 7th August 2001 which I hope readers will find interesting.

902
Start Chipping Norton Bus Park
50 0639 Chipping Norton - Oxford GG
50 0750 Oxford GG - Chipping Norton
50 0844 Chipping Norton - Oxford Sta
20 1045 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 1155 Old - Woodstock - Oxford Sta
Dead to and from Horspath Depot for servicing
20 1345 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 1455 Old - Woodstock - Oxford Sta
50 1630 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1825 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford GG
20 2005 Oxford GG - Old Woodstock
20 2032 Old Woodstock - Oxford GG
Dead to Horspath Depot  

917
Start Chipping Norton Bus Park
50 0719 Chipping Norton - Oxford GG
Dead to and from Horspath Depot for servicing
50 0925 Oxford GG - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1120 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
50 1315 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon*
* - To Alster and return on School Days
50 1615 *Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford GG
50 1810 Oxford GG - Chipping Norton
Stable Chipping Norton Bus Park 

527
Start Stratford Upon Avon Depot
Dead to Shipston On Stour
50 0750 Shipston On Stour - Stratford Upon Avon*
* - To Alster and return on School Days
50 *0910 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
Dead to Oxford GG and Return to change Drivers
20 1145 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 1255 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
Dead to and from Horspath Road for servicing
20 1515 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 1625 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
50 1705 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
Stable Stratford Upon Avon Depot

730
Start Witney Depot
42 0659 Witney - Old Woodstock via Long Hanborough
20 0725 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
20 0805 Oxford - Sta - Old Woodstock via Botley Road / Western By Pass
20 0840 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
20 0945 Oxford Sta - Glympton
20 1042 Glympton - Oxford Sta
50 1215 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1410 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
Dead to Oxford GG
X1 1730 Oxford GG - Carterton Express
Dead to Witney Depot and Stable

910
Start Stratford Upon Avon Depot
50 0650 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford GG
Dead to and from Horspath Depot for servicing
50 1015 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1210 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta 
50 1415 Oxford Sta - Chipping Norton
50 1529 Chipping Norton - Oxford Sta
20 1650 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 1750 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
50 1830 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
Stable Stratford Upon Avon Depot

787 / 901-3 from 2100
Start Horspath Depot
Dead to Oxford GG
50 0835 Oxford GG - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1020 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
20 1245 Oxford Sta - Glympton
20 1342 Glympton - Oxford - Sta
50 1445 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1710 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
20 1905 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
Dead to Horspath Depot via Oxford GG to change Drivers 
901-903 series vehicle provided from Horspath Depot
Dead to Oxford GG
50 2100 Oxford GG - Chipping Norton
50 2147 Chipping Norton - Oxford GG
20 2240 Oxford GG - Old Woodstock
20 2307 Old Woodstock - Oxford GG
50 2340 Oxford GG - Chipping Norton
Stable Chipping Norton Bus Park

727
Start Witney Depot
X1 0750 Carterton - Oxford GG Express
Dead to Oxford Sta
20 0910 Oxford Sta - Old Woodstock
20 0955 Old Woodstock - Oxford Sta
50 1115 Oxford Sta - Stratford Upon Avon
50 1320 Stratford Upon Avon - Oxford Sta
50 1535 Oxford Sta - Chipping Norton
50 1640 Chipping Norton - Oxford GG
50 1740 Oxford GG - Chipping Norton
Dead to Witney Depot and Stable or other (May be linked with next listed vehicle)

Witney Extract (May be linked with vehicle above)

20 2200 Oxford GG - Old Woodstock 
42 2226 Old Woodstock - Witney via Long Hanborough - Mon to Thu Only
20 2227 Old Woodstock - Oxford GG - Friday Only
Next working on Friday unknown
Stable Witney Depot Mon - Thu

712
Horspath Extract
20 1615 Oxford GG - Old Woodstock
20 1655 Old Woodstock - Oxford GG
Then to other Roads

The following 50 route journeys also operate

Midland Red Vehicle

50 1515 Stratford Upon Avon - Shipston On Stour
50 1540 Shipston On Stour - Stratford Upon Avon

Petes Travel - Fridays
50 2245 Stratford Upon Avon - Shipston On Stour
50 2305 Shipston On Stour - Stratford Upon Avon

Weavaway

Saw three Van Hools in Oxford Station on Sunday on Rail Replacement duties.

Z&S Travel Aylesbury.

Pete of Showbus Page fame writes to say "The answer to your request for info on the Merc you say is Motts is that the Merc actually belongs to Z & S of Aylesbury who appear to be using it on services that they won a couple of months ago when a number of the Aylesbury area rural services were re-tendered."  (see last weeks page Ed.)

Another Z&S Travel Mercedes ex WM in Speedwell Street on the 14 - G715HOP

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

Volvo/Plaxton from Excelsior in the new National Express livery operating the
Aberdeen - Bornemouth.  805(A9XEL)

This is a regular visitor to Oxford, 6341HE for Yorkshire Traction's fleet.
the first new on the 310 to Poole.

A following 310 service, this time to Southsea provided freshly repainted
R644VAO, a Premier 320.

Couldn't get the registration on this Heyfordian Metrorider. And was it operating a service?

The Metrobus at Carousel's yard with roof panels missing is for scrap and seems to be 
providing parts for the roof damaged General Metrobus on the right.
There is no registration visible on the General bus. Anyone know?

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

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