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

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updated Sunday 28th October 2001
the next update will be on Sunday 4th November 2001

   Issue nr. 170

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 !

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Welcome to issue 170 and what a bumper week for news this has been, with photo and news contributions. Due to time and space I have had to pend the second part of the report from Vic Gackowski on services to Didcot and Wantage but this will be included next week.

Time is of the essence since I am away in Amsterdam for three days this coming week and I must hasten to complete this report.

Much comment is included in the local press regarding the fare increases with some criticism from the public on that issue. I am not qualified to speak about the rights or wrongs of the matter, however wage increases do have to be paid for somewhere along the line. The lack of drivers not only affects Oxford, as I witnessed on Saturday afternoon in Wycombe Bus Station, when an Uxbridge service failed to operate. Sadly operators cannot magic up drivers and service can and do suffer. Indeed all the local operators I have spoken to across this area, both large and small, have quite serious difficulties. Thus the actions of the two major operators in Oxford are not without reason, regardless of the suggestions being made in the local press.

I am delighted with the feedback from correspondents, who not only keep the news flowing but also have found that old friends are reunited. Maybe that is one of the great advantages of the world wide web.

This weekend I took the opportunity to visit Wallingford and Didcot which proved most interesting. Perhaps the best thing was that I found the Tappins Garage open, it was a Saturday and not a Sunday. Thus I was able to get a few pictures of this well known fleet at home.

An open top Oxford Tour Atlantean can be seen with several other Tappins coaches in the garage view at Didcot.

Another operator is now garaging coaches in High Wycombe, this being a Maidenhead outfit called White Knight, see in the section below.

Steve Annells wrote to say "Abingdon Library has an interesting document from Oxfordshire County Council listing recent services put out for tender, the winning tender and its value, also the value of the highest tender received.  Alternatively the lack of any tender for a particular contract is also recorded. It's only indirectly relevant to bus and coach traffic, but for the first time this year traffic flow was reversed over St Helens Wharf Bridge in Abingdon for the Runaway Fair.  Unlike the Michaelmas Fair this only takes up the Market Square and High Street, and traffic is diverted via East and West St Helen.  Reversing flow over St Helens Wharf bridge enabled some car traffic to escape down Caldecott Road into Drayton Road and aid the flow.  There's a weight limit on the bridge, so it's of no use to heavy traffic.

I note the Abingdon Herald mentioned a new service 131 Didcot to Harwell Business Centre, but I've seen no publicity for it.  From the service number I would suspect a Thames Travel service.

Meantime, I'm in correspondence with a guy who now lives up in Staffs, who comes from Didcot - we have been reminiscing about Tappins/Happy Wanderer/Sunray Coaches.  When he gets back to Didcot next he's going to look out his old notes - this could make up a good fleet list for Tappins."

Thanks to Steve for those notes.

Ralph Adams wrote regarding the red bus mentioned in last week's notes. He says "the maroon bus I believe you refer to is Weavaway (from near Newbury, previously Bennetts). It is an Olympian with about 74 seats and normally has about 5 passengers on. It is the service 49 to Berinsfield on Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays,  may now be daily."

Last week, the M40 and A40 suffered some serious delays after accidents. One correspondent wrote to note that an enterprising X90 driver had gone through Blackbird Leys to avoid the jams. 

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

This section will resume when we have more time.

News from the companies - 27th October 2001

Arriva serving The Shires & Essex

Arriva's 5079, new to Nottingham and latterly with Buffalo of Flitwick, sees service on an
Aylesbury-Halton service recently. These buses rarely see service these days being some of
the oldest  in the Aylesbury allocation. The photo was taken by Mike Penn.

Arriva 3826 on its way to Osterley for LT work. This last Saturday and Sunday saw
Arriva buses helping out on rail replacement work.

Mike Penn also supplied this photo of 5823 recently repainted into corporate livery.

Following accident repairs 2132 now sports the bonnet, grill and bumper from ex Wycombe Bus 2820.
Fleet number 720 and Sainsbury's can just be made out on what is now 2132.

Wycombe developments this week are that three Darts are expected for use when Arriva takes over the 328 Reading service from Reading Bus on November 24th. It seems the Darts will be used on the 275 and the Volvo B10Bs then transferred to the 328.

Much inter working takes place now between Cressex and Newlands Bus Station and one can expect to see unusual workings on many routes.

The bus involved in a serious accident last week with an Onyx waste collection vehicle was 3115 a Volvo B6 which originated with Motts. It seems this bus will be out of service for sometime to come as damage was severe. The Onyx truck has been written off.

I expect to have an update fleet list for Aylesbury and Wycombe by the end of nest week, which I will of course publish.

Nigel Peach wrote to say "I noticed that with Merc 2132 (which is in Arriva livery) something looked unusual about it the other day. Today I saw it close up. It now has a blue (ie Oxford!) skirt at the front and a cream bonnet. Further investigation revealed that Sainsbury's Merc 2820 now has no bonnet or skirt at the front! Further scrutiny of 2132 showed that you could just read the "Sainsbury's Free Bus" writing on the front! One for your camera!   (see above Ed.) Lynx 3806 no longer says 3608 on its nearside - it has no fleet number there at all!

Thanks to Nigel for those notes. 

Beckwith Coaches

Chris Beckwith wrote to say - Sorry for the delay in forwarding this information. The original reg no of JSV 362 was L971 KDF.

As a point of interest for you, the original reg no for the Jonckheere, GIL 4605 was A308 XHE. Some of your readers may be interested, particularly those  from Cleveland way, as she is also ex Continental Coachways. (This is where the latest addition came from. Ed)

City of Oxford Motor Services (The Oxford Bus Company)

Oxford Bus 122 latterly with Swanbrooks and a regular visitor to Oxford has now
been disposed of to Mike Nash at Cobham.
It was seen there today by Chris Jenkinson, who took this picture.

News is just coming in that 120 is to be repainted green. This will no doubt happen when it
returns to Alexander's for warranty work on the body. It is seen here at Oxford Rail Station.

Trident 102 has presently gone to Alexander's for rectification work.

Olympian 221 never went to the north East as suggested by your Editor last week. What a dum dum, the buses involved were 208, 223 and 224, all of which are still up there. They may return by year end. Thanks to Grahame Wareham of Oxford Bus for this correction.

Edmund Tresham writes to say "Tuesday afternoon (23rd) saw Plaxton bodied Volvo B10B 633 working on route 13A to Northway. It appears that there was some problem displaying the correct route number as it ran with 1 A in the numeral part of the display. I enclose a picture but am afraid the quality is not good as I just had time to grab my camera out of my bag and point it in the right direction before the bus moved off.

I went to Crawley the other day and can report that the little ex-500 series Darts are whizzing around very happily. They seem happier on the largely flat  routes, and are driven hard and fast.  Some ex-Oxford interior stickers remain, which is a nice touch. I read in the trade press that the Crawley operations are very successful, and there are to be some frequency revisions from today to cope with loads and improve reliability of timings. The vehicles are in nice condition, and the staff friendly on the whole.

Not sure if I mentioned it last time, but I saw A114 MUD in Oxford last time in was there.......an old friend ? (I think it is with Charlton Services now Ed.)

Thanks Edmund for that feedback. Maybe we may have some photos of the Darts in Crawley one day.

Dart 501 may have been sold to Thames Travel whereas 509 returns off loan to Oxford on Monday. They have two other loaned Darts just arrived. (q.v.)

.35A road is now half hourly in the daytimes and Volvo 620 is seen here last Saturday afternoon
at Didcot Station waiting time. This is a regular performer on 35 road.

Talking of Darts, one of the few remaining 5xx series in service speeds by on its way
Greater Leys last Saturday. 517 keeps ahead of a Stagecoach orange top.

Following our story on the 5 to Reading and Wallingford this picture arrived this week which illustrates the history of the route when operated by COMS.

Neil Gow sent this picture of Fleetline 415 at Wallingford in 1979.
Seems like a lifetime ago!!!

Grayline of Bicester.

Newman Morgan wrote to say "I heard today that GrayLine, the local Bicester operator, has two Optare Solos on order for imminent delivery. These may have something to do with the new 'Bicester North' rail services, or may just be replacements for the Optares used on Bicester locals 22, 23, 24 and 26."

Heyfordian (Wycombe Depot)

Steve Annells wrote to say "Re the Heyfordian Olympian - it was B255RAJ on 25th September.  I'd taken the car into Ock Street to be serviced and was walking back up Drayton Road.  At 8.30 in the morning it's quicker to walk into Abingdon along Drayton Road than drive.  I met B255RAJ outside the garages; it was completely unidentified on the offside and  I wasn't able to get across the road to check the legals.

This follows my report last week on the Wycombe based vehicles.

Luxicars

Steve Annells wrote to say "I note Luxicars have at least 2 new-reg Mercedes minibuses, but haven't got the registrations - I think they had 51 in them.

Reading Buses

This scene will soon be a thing of the past when Reading stop operating the 328 into
High Wycombe towards the end of November. 1997 Optare Excel 509 waits time
at Newlands Bus Station.  Time for an article and pictures on the history of this route?
Any offers?

Stagecoach in Banbury and Warwickshire

Keith Wood and Rob Williams wrote to say - Rugby's ex Oxford B6's are having onboard computers (sorry ticket machines) fitted this week (school half term) and will be out next week. Our grave loss of two more B10M's has been cushioned by the extra school buses not employed this week (Nationals). Any more losses and I shall be tearing up my zone ranger and switching to my car.

I see you can download Oxfords period lists - excellent information ! and they link to the OBP for latest fleet news.

I'm doing Nuneaton and Rugby on Thursday this week and Leamington on Saturday (hoping to catch the last two Solos) so I should have a fair bit of news on Friday ready for Sundays news page.

Rob says Solo 605 is KX 51 CSO with "66" branding whilst 607 we think is KX 51 CSV although I don't think either of us has seen it yet. I'll try and get it on Saturday. If Oxford get any ex Leamington Mercs can you let me know please ?  - Thanks Keith.

To fill in the gap in the list of Solos sent from Keith the other week, 605 is KX51 CSO and has route 66 branding.

Sometime since the beginning of the month the big Stagecoach Midland Red logo outside the Leamington Depot was updated with the new logo, but without any mention of the company division i.e. there's no "Midland Red", "South Midlands" or "in Warwickshire" etc. on it anymore. -  Thanks Rob.

Surely news of the week (sorry year) is that just when you thought they'd gone they're back ! Yes Leyland Nationals 621 / 627 (now 721 /727) are back in service!!!!!!!  721 is at Nuneaton for schools work whilst 727 has been joined by Nuneaton's 702 in daily service at Rugby !

Rugby now has 7

702 NOE 602R
706 NOE 606R
710 TOF 710S
722 PUK 622R
727 PUK 627R
753 XOV 753T
772 BVP 772V

Nuneaton still has 2

705 NOE 605R
721 PUK 621R

Rugby News

5 Volvo B6LE's / Alexander ALX200 start on service 4 on Monday 29th October. All are in new livery and at least 2 have route branding. The branding is similar to Route 500 in Banbury. Route 4 on the lower bodyside and Brownsover - rail station - Rugby - Admirals Estate above the windows. The timetable leaflet is similar to the 66 in Leamington. Showcase improvements are to follow to the infrastructure although the timetable remains unaltered.

The vehicles are  

832 P322 JND no branding
833 P323 JND no branding
834 P324 JND "Route 4" branding
835 P325 JND "Route 4" branding
??? P??? JND no branding

Nuneaton News

More 709d's have been moved to Nuneaton to oust L reg ones which appear to be all withdrawn although some may be used in connection with service enhancements starting next Monday (29/10/01)  

342 / 346 / 365 / 366 / 370 / 371 / 372 are all ex Leamington whilst 369 has come from Rugby.

Parked out of use at the side of the depot are 312 / 314 / 315 / 317 / 318 / 319 / 320 / 325 / 329 and 5 others I couldn't see.

In Nuneaton depot were two ALX200 vehicles. One had new livery and a R??? YUD registration and was being prepared for service (but with whom?) whilst the other was in patchwork livery similar to PrimeLine livery. I couldn't identify either vehicle - sorry ! Any help would be appreciated ! 

According to my survey yesterday Nuneaton B10M 204 may have been swapped with 244 from Banbury.  Can anyone please confirm.

As for the LN's I suspect that more B10M's are on their way next week when the 5 B6LE's hit the road. This will eliminate the B10M from Rugby. I'm pretty sure that all five will go (probably to Oxford) failing that it will be the end for the three H reg 811d's. However they wouldn't have reinstated the LN's unless they were going to keep them all in service for some time. That's my view !

Thanks to Keith for that update.

Stagecoach in Oxford

Four more new M A N s have arrived and above we see 947, 948 and 945 hidden.
Full details are set out below.

Four more new M A N s have arrived and they are:

945 - OV51KAE    WMAA69ZZZ1H 001785    BODY ALX300-0072/2

946 - OV51KAJ     WMAA69ZZZ1H 001786    BODY ALX300-0072/3  SHOW EXHIBIT

947 - OV51KAK     WMAA69ZZZ1H 001787   BODY ALX300-0072/4

948 - OV51KAO     WMAA69ZZZ1H 001788   BODY ALX300-0072/5

They will enter service next Thursday, probably on routes 1 or 7. Several Blackbird flyer branded M A N s are being reapinted into new fleet livery. The first is 938 away at this time followed by 941 which was being prepared last Friday.

Newman Morgan wrote to say that "I have noticed these past couple of days a few of the Alexander PS type machines on SiO's Bicester routes. From memory can't remember if they are Volvos or something else. Those seen today were 228 and 242, I didn't catch reg nos. Presumedly these have come from Stagecoach's Warwickshire"

Tracey wrote to note "new arrivals noted on Monday 22nd were ex Midland Red Volvo B10Ms/Alexander PS in new livery 228 and 242. They entered service on Thursday 23rd being used on Bicester services. Notable were correct destination blinds." Tracey also noted that the 942-944 entrered service a week last Saturday and were generally used on the 1s. however other correspondents have also seen them the 7s.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STAGECOACH IN OXFORD - SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE OPERATIONS
OXFORD - DIDCOT - WANTAGE

Part 2

Held over until next week - apologies but time defeats me! Ed.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

THAMES TRAVEL, WALLINGFORD.

One of two new Dart arrivals on loan pending new deliveries in January.
P830BUD was seemingly with Metrobus prior to arriving with Thames Travel.

The other new arrival is R531YRP , a 41 seater Wrights Crusader bus. National II RSG824V was sold to Mike Nash today and Oxford's 509 will be returned on Monday. 501 is staying with the Thames Travel fleet.

A fairly recent arrival was the Dart MPD, V270BNV, seen here waiting to cross
Wallingford Bridge.

WHITE KNIGHT - Maidenhead but depot is at Booker.

Hadn't noticed these two little fellows before but they are resident as Booker.

Merc SRC376                              Caetano X538JOV

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

Beards of Cinderford's Volvo coach broke down in Marlow last Saturday causing quite some traffic congestion.
I thought an apt title would be "It always happens in the worst spot!"

Rescue came in the form of a Leyland Tiger and a mechanic has a look to see!

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

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