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

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updated Sunday 25th November 2001
the next update will be on Sunday 2nd December 2001

  Issue nr. 174

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 !

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

Welcome to issue 174, which this week includes a report on the last Reading 328 service plus the usual mix of news from our area.

The weather on Saturday dawned fine and sunny as they say and proved excellent for a visit to Carfax and a large number of photos. Indeed this last weekend I took nearly 150 photos in Marlow, Wallingford, Berinsfield, Oxford and high Wycombe. Of course with digital one is only limited by the size of the disc being used. I have a 64mb disc which allows 110 shots at HQ resolution which when I add a CF disk with 54 gives more or less unlimited opportunities over a Saturday. It seems sad that I can only use a very small amount of the photos taken on the page and I had an idea that I might put photos on CD which I could then  offer to anyone who is interested for a small cost. please let me know (malcolmhc@aol.com) if any of you are interested and we can maybe develop the idea further. At least the photos would not languish unseen, in my files!

More news of vandalism came to my notice this week, when I saw a DW type Dart returning to Newlands Bus Station with a brick through an offside window. Seemingly it just missed a passenger travelling on a Maidenhead service. Add to this the fact that Arriva suffered SIXTEEN broken windows in buses parked at their Cressex depot, with kids also throwing bricks at returning buses to the Cressex depot on a recent evening and it does seem that things are getting worse. Another source said that he had heard that although the police were called, it took 40 minutes for them to respond and then they just drove up and down the road once before leaving, where after the same kids continued their activities. Hearing news like this, one despairs of life in general!

On a more interesting note, improved services in Wycombe see Carousel operating their service 1 to Bourne End Station seven days a week, using Metrobuses. Whilst ridership at present seems disappointing, one hopes that this will improve and support this initiative by a local company.

This Sunday's BBC TV news highlighted the mess that public transport is in, with people using cars because there is no viable alternative. I can substantiate this fact, since I have researched using public transport to my office in Staines from my home in Stokenchurch. Many of you will not be surprised to learn that it is almost impractical to use the bus. That is very sad but it is a fact. Here is the journey times for all to see.

CAR.    Dep Stokenchurch     0700
            Arr  Staines              0745 ( allowing for congestion - sometimes it is possible to get there by 0735)
            Dep Staines             1800
            Arr Stokenchurch      1845 (again if traffic is kind could be 1835)

Don't we all work long days now?

BUS

Now i would like to use public transport on some days, if not on every day but it does not work. Cost wise I think the fares are about £10 per day, which would mean £50 per week and if I got delayed at work I might not get home until after 11pm using the Jetlink from Wycombe, they are only every two hours now.

Arriva's Volvo B10B 3854, previously Oxford Bus 626, pauses at Stokenchurch on a
late Saturday afternoon service from Oxford to High Wycombe 24/11/01.

I could go on but I think my point is made. And before anyone says why not move closer to your work, when I moved from the Midlands in 1975, Stokenchurch was the nearest to Heathrow that I could afford. One clear point is that this "use public transport" is not nearly so simple as the authorities would have us believe. Somehow I am pleased I only have three years left before retirement.

I am sure many of you will have stories to add, which might make an interesting dossier to hand to our Transport Minister. In fact I can't remember any surveys recently about car users switching to public transport.

Well on to News Page proper and less of my ramblings.

News from the companies - 25th November 2001

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Arriva's 5829 (ex Wycombe Bus 229) and still in Thames Valley heritage livery
provided transport for a group of drivers route learning the 328 this Sunday. It was showing route 28
when picture passing the Dog and Badger at Medmenham on its way to Reading.

The Olympian is seen here passing through Marlow a few minutes earlier.
The day was, as can be seen, somewhat wet and dismal.

As mentioned by several correspondents, Arriva north West contributed this and three more
Mercedes minibuses to the Cressex allocation from Friday of last week.
110, N780EUA started life with Arriva Yorkshire, transferring to North West in 2000.
It most recently was based in Manchester.

Mercedes 177, N177DWM (WM was once a Southport registration) came from Haydock depot which
seemingly closed recently. It was received in the company of 175 and 176 from the same batch.

The training bus allocated to Wycombe changes each week and provides some interest.
This week it is a Bedford YLQ, DDX741T, which came from Davian of Enfield in 1991.

Wycombe developments this week are that route 328 will be taken over and operated from Monday next. Three Volvo B6s have been transferred down from Cressex for the 275 service. This will release Volvo B10Bs for the 328/329 services. The transferred buses are 3110, 3127 and 3138. however 3110 is having a PSV inspection and a temporary replacement has arrived in the shape of Alexander Dash Dart 3243. To replace those buses Cressex has received black liveried Olympian 5071 back from Aylesbury and four Mercedes from Arriva North West. These are 110 N780EUA from Manchester and 175-7, N175-7DWM from Haydock garage. It seems that the three SLF Darts mentioned in previous weeks are not to be.

Many of you wrote to mention these buses, including Nigel Peach and Matt Wheeler. Nigel also noted that Sainsbury's Merc 2820(720) had a long last gone.

Matt wrote to say ".....couple of brief sightings so far this week.....

Dart 5822 has received a metal plate over its rear destination screen as advised by Nigel Peach..
It is seen here negotiating the winding road from Lane End to Booker.
(and NO, I was not driving before anyone asks!)

I have received even more information for my article on the 28/328 and I hope to have this ready for publication within the next few weeks. So if you have any recollections or useful information please do send it to me at malcolmhc@aol.com

New arrival from White Rose of Thorpe, KYV737X leaving on route 1, today Sunday.

Trident 102 has received a new dot matrix screen, on test, and is seen here working 2 road last Saturday.

Oxford's 102 shows the revised livery application on this repainted Trident.
It is seen in Queen Street operating 2 road last Saturday..

An interesting line up in Cowley road last Saturday brought recently returned 509, from Thames Travel
into company with delicensed 214, 222 and new T14, C66HOM, the Lynx trainer.

Oxford Bus 811 comes up from Florence Park on the 16 last Saturday.
It is hard to believe that it is nearly the end of November 2001.
This picture has a real summer atmosphere don't you agree?

Wednesday 14th November saw Olympians 220 and 221 running on the 300 services. 222 also put in an appearance on 4 road for a while.

Coach 15 is due to get as Hanover display for tests. This will be similar to that fitted to 14 which is by a different manufacturer.

Managing Director Doug Aide retires at the end of November, being replaced by Philip Kirk, presently Commercial Director. Philip is replaced by Nigel Eggleton in the Commercial role. We wish Doug every happiness in  his retirement. His career in the bus industry spanned 28 years and included spells with Midland Red, Alder Valley and National Bus before coming to Oxford Bus. He was also much involved in setting up the Manchester Minibus Company. Anyone remember those little yellow and red minibuses "buzzing back to depot".

Motts

Motts still operate from Aylesbury to Reading a couple of times a day.
Chris caught Merc M971CVG at Reading Station last week.

Reading Buses - Newbury Buses

Reading Buses ceased operation of the 328 effective 24th November. The pictures below show the 328 in its last days of operation.

Optare 501 pauses at Marlow on the 0940 service from Reading due out at 1037.

Chris Maxfield took this shot a few days earlier of 908 at Reading.

The 1840 departure from High Wycombe on the 24th was operated by this
ex Cardiff Optare 949 R204DKG. It lacked proper destination displays.

The very last Reading Buses service from High Wycombe was the 1910 service on
Saturday 24th November 2001. Optare 514 was the bus rostered.

Just two people were on the service as it left High Wycombe, one an enthusiast.
A third "passenger" who has purchased a ticket to Desborough was taking this picture
and so missed the bus, so to speak!!!!.

Red Rose - Aylesbury

Stagecoach in Banbury and Warwickshire

No news this week from my regular correspondents.

Re the expected transfer of Banbury to Oxford's charge. This seems to have been delayed for the time being. no further news on that, I'm sorry.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Jim Wright, wrote last week about the merits of 501 and on Saturday I was fortunate
to find 501 just nicely positioned for the autumn sun and this shot was taken.

Keith Wood wrote in response to the article on 501, "...how interesting to read a feature about 964. I used to ride these buses (960/961/962-964) regularly on my spotting trips to Stratford. Back then most X16's were Olympians from Stratford depot. The service used to go via Snitterfield and coming down the hill from the village could get pretty scary ! especially if the bus was late. Coach seated 960/961 B960/961 ODU and 962 C962 XVC are still regular on this service and the X18 as well. All appeared at some stage last week."

Volvo B6 nr 841 was operating the X31 last Saturday when seen in St Aldates.

941 was on a route 3 duty last Saturday and is seen here at Carfax.

948 was working on route 3 and the difference in display can be seen on these new buses
when compared to 941 above.

943 was operating the Blackbird Flyer last Saturday and shows of the display working
£1 single fare on its nearside destination display. Shades of fare wars of earlier days?

Thames Travel, Wallingford.

Oxford's Dart 501 now been purchased by this company is seen leaving Berinsfield
last Saturday. This bus is due to be repainted into all white shortly.

As mentioned last week a further Dart has joined Thames Travel on a short term loan.
T417MNH is seen here on route 105 last Saturday, in Oxford with Carfax Tower as a backdrop.

Meanwhile previously mentioned Dart P830BUD was returned to the dealer without it having been operated. It was replaced by another Dart T417MNH with Plaxton Pointer B36F bodywork wef 13/11/01.

Some general Oxfordshire news from Richard Sharman.

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

Bruce Billingham of Abingdon owns this ex Chiltern Rover Leyland National 2.
3033  SVV588W was new to The Shires/Luton & District and was last operated at High Wycombe.

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

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