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Issue 255 |
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Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002
News Archive Pages from the "Oxford Bus Page"
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/6995/archiveindex/arcindex.html
I regret that the server used to
store the pictures for many of these pages is no longer available.
I hope to restore the pictures at some time in the future.
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.
If
you wish to be included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid-week
news please let me know
malcolmhc@aol.com
To see the pictures full size just click on the thumbnail
Editorial
This past week and indeed for many weeks to come, St Aldates has been subject to major roadworks. These will last well into March and are the result of work by the GAS. This has meant the re-siting of many city terminal and departure points and Gavin Francis has been busy recording the various changes.
All services have had to move further down
St Aldates and the 300 Park & Ride has moved to Castle Street.
The eastbound OBC services to the JR and Wood Farm are currently using a stop
outside Lincoln College.
The extent of the work in St Aldates can be judged from this picture taken
yesterday
Pictures by Gavin Francis.
In this issue we have coverage of the launch of revised services between Luton Parkway and Luton Airport with a service now operated by First Capital Connect. This service using Wright's StreetCars some of which are intended for new services in Swansea, South Wales, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Cymru, hence the Welsh registrations on three. You can read more about this type of bus at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTR_(bus). I am told that these buses will be replaced by another type of bus, maybe Citaros, later in the year but this is only hearsay.
This week I have taken time out to copy a few interesting pictures of the '90s from my library including some more of the bus operations of Yellow Bus (Motts) which was featured last week in the piece about Arriva Volvo B6 buses.
As I write this issue I find that the weather is so far not as bad as forecast, I may even walk the dogs later, which is good for the health.
In what seems a regular occurrence these days, flooding hit Wheatley for several days in recent weeks and made for an nice picture to add to this weeks page. It is difficult to imagine this scene is miles from a lake or sea.
Luton Airport authorities, under changed management, introduced a revised transfer services for passengers using Luton Parkway. The buses chosen to operate the service by operator First Capital Connect were some Wright StreetCars and staff were drafted in from Leeds and York to get the service started, training local drivers and ensuring that operations ran smoothly.
The service was launched with four buses, three Welsh registered examples and one Yorkshire registered bus supported by a further Yorkshire registered bus for training purposes. The buses are using a base a Slip End operated by Airparks. http://www.airparks.co.uk/luton-parking/luton-airparks-services.html
| Fleet nr | Registration | Type | Branding |
| 19030 | CU57 AJV | Volvo B7LA - Wrightbus Streetcar AN40D | Parkway |
| 19031 | YN07 LVX | Volvo B7LA - Wrightbus Streetcar AN40D | Parkway |
| 19032 | CU57 AJX | Volvo B7LA - Wrightbus Streetcar AN40D | Parkway |
| 19034 | CU57 AJY | Volvo B7LA - Wrightbus Streetcar AN40D | Parkway |
| none | YN07 SYJ | Volvo B7LA - Wrightbus Streetcar AN40D | none |
StreetCar 19032 on the third day of
service.
An interior picture of these impressive
vehicles.
The bus in use for training which will
return to Leeds.
One of the Leeds driver team who have
helped to launch the new service.
An additional shelter has been erected
during the past week to offer additional
cover for waiting passengers.
To use an expression "the word on the block" is that these buses struggle on the hill up to the airport when they have a full load. It is said they can carry up to 100 passengers but if they all have baggage, some of which can be very heavy indeed, the weight of the load could be well over 10 tons which is a lot for a bus of this type.
The service started on Sunday 21st January and on the first Monday morning ran into all kinds of problems seemingly connected with the fact that no one using the service expected to have to pay. Until that point the service had been free and even the ticket machines were still saying it was a free service some days later.
This
picture was taken on Sunday 27th, a week
after services started.
Notices relating to the changes were
displayed on the buses after the early
hiccups.
There is a web site for Luton Airport and there are some interesting items relating to the new service which did not enjoy a very auspicious start. I quote from their site :-
22.01.08
A reader has told us about the unpublicised changes to the free bus transfer service between Luton Airport and Luton Parkway Station, initiated yesterday morning. The move was news to us, it has not been announced on the airport website. In fact on the airport website's rail page still carries the text '...catch the free Luton Airport shuttle bus...'.
The reader, a weekly commuter who has been using the service for over a year and described it as 'overcrowded and subject to delays caused by roadworks, but relatively effective,' describes the chaos caused yesterday by the introduction of fees.
He said: 'The changes introduced this morning caused me and hundreds of others unacceptable delays as one ticket seller tried to deal with the hundreds of people wishing to use the service. I and many others ended up taking a taxi.'
We have both contacted the airport to ask:
" Why this change was not advertised?
" Why a free service has now been removed?
It is still advertised as a free service on
the rail and airports websites.
" How much it will cost for a return fare?
We have yet to receive a reply (and would welcome any other readers feedback on this).
Our reader concludes: 'As a regular traveller I am staggered by the way in which this change has been introduced, especially as the airport has a captive clientele who have a limited number of transfer options once they arrive at Luton Parkway Station.'
23.01.08
We posted information about a new charge for train transfers between Luton Airport and the nearby Luton Parkway train station yesterday. A reader has provided more information, and some details have been announced on the airport website, although its getting to the airport by train page still says '....free Luton Airport shuttle bus…'.
FirstGroup has taken over the operation of the shuttle buses between Luton Airport Parkway train station and the airport terminal.
The new shuttle service has four new air-conditioned bendy-buses, each over 18 metres long and able to carry up to 97 passengers plus luggage. They provide double the capacity of the old buses, 'offering passengers and staff a seamless, high quality link between the train and plane', the airport says. The service runs every ten minutes between 05:00 and midnight and also connects with all trains calling at Luton Airport Parkway overnight.
Rail passengers can purchase through tickets to the terminal. Those passengers arriving at the Airport Parkway station without a through ticket and who wish to use the shuttle bus will pay £1.00 each way if they arrive at the station by train. Passengers arriving at the airport or at the station without purchasing a rail ticket will pay a bus fare of £1.50 single, £2.50 Standard Day Return and £3.00 Standard Open Return (children pay half price).
Our reader points out that it is not possible to book a through ticket if you book a rail travel online. He also tells us that someone tried to charge him £2 for the journey from the airport on Sunday, when most passengers were being charged for the journey to the airport and some were forced to hand over £20 notes for the £1 fare as they did not have change.
20.01.08
Passengers on Wizz Air services landing at Luton Airport can now book an onward bus transfer to London's Victoria Station when purchasing flights. The service is currently only available for travel into London, with tickets costing £8 (€11), but Wizz Air hopes to allow passengers to book tickets in the opposite direction in the near future.
The low-cost airline has integrated the new service into its booking engine, allowing people to reserve a flight and a seat on the coach service from Luton to central London, and pay online in one single transaction.
Bus departure times will coincide with Wizz Air's flight schedule. It is not clear who is operating the bus service from the press release, but sounds like easyBus / Greenline bus service.
The Eastern European budget airline currently operates 75 flights a week to Luton Airport from nine destinations; Katowice, Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Budapest, Bucharest, Cluj, Sofia and Zagreb.
As
already mentioned in these pages Luton Bus Station closed on Monday 7th January
2008.
Arriva bus services 46 and 321, and Green Line coach service 757, therefore no
longer serve the Bus Station.
The replacement stops are in Church Street. Service 757 towards Luton Airport
serves stop C3.
Service 46 towards Hemel Hempstead, service 321 and 521 towards St Albans and
Watford, and Green Line 757 towards London Victoria, all serve stop C9 by St
Mary's Church, opposite the Arndale Centre Church Street entrance/exit.
There are no significant changes to the timetable of any of the three services
In the last issue I posted some nice pictures from Paul Davis and received the following pleasant mail from Tim Burns who writes
"Interesting website as ever. Those green AV buses are (f I am not mistaken) ex Eastern National FLF's with semi auto transmissions, originally bought for the 151/251/351 group of services into London, Wood Green. Occasionally one would turn up for our school bus in Chelmsford and they seemed modern yet retro somehow; really it was trying to make an old design modern and it did not really work in my view. These Semi FLF's had a bit of a wow factor because they sounded and behaved different to the normal manual FLF fare we got, which always seemed to go just that bit quicker.
Paul Davis sent these two delightful pictures of Bristol FLF buses in green
working at Wycombe in October 1979.
It's still been a bit gloomy so I've not been able to get many pictures, but here are a few more taken in January.
Here's 4426 at Hemel on 14th January 2008 - Roger Spence
At Luton on January 25th, Darts 3284 and 3280 wait to depart on routes 4 and 1
respectively - Roger Spence
Volvo 3263 at Milton Keynes working the 70, on January 5th.
It still has branding for route 31, including the large number 31 on the
nearside, so presumably wasn't rebranded as described in issue 250 - Roger
Spence
Vario 2299, aka MK Metro No 121, in Central Milton Keynes, January 26th.
I was amazed how many pedestrians walked out across the road right in front of
approaching buses.
It happened at least three times in as many minutes! - Roger Spence
Solo 2432, aka MK Metro No 2, also on January 26th - Roger Spence
5 January. Optare Excel 3002, one of two of this type with MK Metro. It
carries its proper Arriva fleet number, but no obvious fleet names - Roger
Spence
26 January. Vario 2290 (MK Metro No 112) loads passengers for Wolverton while
Urbanstar Dart 3537 approaches on route 4 - Roger Spence
26 January. Handybus Dart 3514 also carries its Arriva number, and the newer
version of the MK Metro logo.
I wonder why they are keeping this fleet identity separate from the national Arriva standard? I would have thought that adopting the corporate livery, at least when repaints were required, would have made subsequent fleet movements easier. I also wonder why some transfers-in (eg, Varios from Hemel) as well as being repainted yellow, have been renumbered into the MK Metro scheme, whereas other vehicles, like 3514 here, are renumbered the other way!
Grant Palmer, who to my eyes seem to have adopted a rather Arriva-like livery,
also operate services in MK.
Their Mercedes P220LKK was previously with Arriva Southern Counties, originally
Maidstone & District - Roger Spence.
15 January. Redline of Aylesbury also have a presence in MK. Ex-Rhondda Dart
M65HHB, looks smart in their simple red livery, on route 6 - Roger Spence
Keep up the excellent work.
Regards
Roger Spence
I enjoyed reading the article about the B6 of Arriva and it's predecessors.
Attached are some photos of the class when new and relatively new.
L309/310HPP were photographed at the North Weald rally and I am recalling this
was in July of the year delivered viz 1994. - Bob Stanger
M726OMJ was photographed at the back of Tesco's in Amersham the date regrettably
I cannot recall. - Bob Stanger
Also attached are three other B6 vehicles that found their way into the Arriva fleet with the purchase of LondonLinks, Kentish Bus and London&Country.
L206 was photographed at Lewisham bus station - Bob Stanger
L212 at West Croydon bus station - Bob Stanger
The Plaxton bodied L513 photographed at a Cobham Bus rally on that occasion
using Apps Farm Walton to display vehicles. - Bob Stanger
I do not know
where these vehicles are now or whether they even remain in Arriva's ownership.
If you choose to use these maybe some of your readership could provide the
information?
Weekly report in the Luton Area from Glenn
Knight
Attached photos from Luton and Luton Airport taken in recent days.
Scania 3199 - R199RBM with reconditioned engine has been of the road since Nov
2006.
Arriva 3845 - M102UKX on the 102 from Stevenage - an appropriate registration I
think.
easyBus 0306 - YX57CAO unusually at Luton Airport.
(This is the first time I've seen one of these at Luton Airport ED.)
Arriva 3613 - KE55CVH on 60s 20.01.2008.
Arriva 3808 - SN54GPK on 102 23.01.2008.
Arriva 3492 - W492YGS Dennis Dart on daytime 61 resprayed.
Arriva 3619 - KE55CVA on 757 to London taken28/1/2008.
Arriva 3399, a Dennis Dart registered L119YVK in Hertford 31.01.2008.
Centrebus 604
- KE06RXL 604 on X31 to Milton Keynes.
Centrebus 606
- FJ56YBW a Centro now used on 89s Hitchin 31.01.2008.
Luton Borough council have now scrapped to Leyland National replaced it with a 57-reg Dennis Enviro 300 for the promotion of recycling also 2 SN57 DXD/E Dennis Enviro 300 all yellow for St Margaret's school, Farley Hill.
Thanks to Glenn for that very interesting picture report. Another member of YVK batch is now with Excel and appears below.
Excel – Stansted – an interesting link
I was checking on registrations and put in the Dart pictured below and came up with an interesting web site with enthusiast information for the Harlow area.
http://www.harlowride.co.uk/index.html
http://www.harlowride.co.uk/enthothers.html
Picture by M Crowe
Glenn visited Clintonia last week and sent a few pictures of the fleet. Coincidental as it turns out since I saw one of the mini coaches at Stansted and wondered about the fleet.
Mike says he was looking through some old pictures and came across this one of
the COMS ex MR Ford pictured last week. Mike writes "Following
on from your story of the Midland Red shortened Fords here is a
photo of another of the type (PHA 371M) taken relatively recently, in fact at
Stoke Mandeville in July 1998. Who owned it at the time I don't know but it
seemed to be involved in a motorcycle training scheme."
Picture by Mike Penn
I was delighted to receive a selection of pictures from Marcus showing Reading as it used to be. I wonder how many younger readers would like a time machine to go back and see and hear how these buses were?
Marcus writes "These shots of Reading Corporation buses were taken by me in June 1975. Locations are as follows:
A recent company that is growing into full size coaches is J D Travel, Rose Hill (parked some where in Berinsfield), this is there recent addition, a Mercedes Touro BU04 EYZ.
Paramount
6220WY
Whilst in Chesterfield today (as I am most Wednesdays) I thought that I would try and capture something that connects both our areas.
Please find attached two photos. The first is of Telling Golden Miller MM03TGM on National Express service 310 to Southsea (ex-Chesterfield at 11:40 and on-time). This service is due in at Gloucester Green at 17:00.
The second is of National Express YN54WWG, a Volvo B12B, again on NX310 (to Bradford) and again on time @ 16:20. This service departed Gloucester Green at 11:20. When it arrived in Chesterfield a local Stagecoach driver had decided to ‘bag’ Bay A (NX Stop) for his layover causing the NX to stop in the road!
Thornhill Park & Ride nears completion in pictures from Gavin Francis
Yellowbus (Motts) from last week - comments from Stephen Archer
I was excited to see the photograph of the Motts YellowBus Volvo B6 M923LJO in
the latest News page. Particularly as it was me driving the bus!
As a life-long bus enthusiast, I was a part-time YellowBus driver in the
early/mid 1990s - and I loved every moment. My records show that I drove M923LJO
on only three dates, 9 April 94, 16 April 94 and for
part of my shift on 22 July 95, the last day of large-scale YellowBus operations
and certainly a sad day for me. Was your photograph taken on that last day?
For me the B6s were fast and easy to drive - and of course they were new then -
but the position of the accelerator pedal caused me to have terrible pains in my
right foot and leg after a few hours of driving
one. I wonder if any other B6 drivers have that problem? All-in-all I much
preferred driving Motts' many aged Leopards or Metrobuses and would take one of
these over a B6 whenever given the opportunity -
these had real "character". (I always had the driver's cab window wide open on
the Leopards to enjoy the roar of the old 0680 engines - great memories!).
Around the time that the B6s arrived at YellowBus, a very young "anorak" joined
Motts as a part-time cleaner. We often talked about buses, even though he didn't
really share my love for the Routemasters that I had driven in London. That
young "anorak" was called Michael Wootten. Michael, I've been delighted
to follow the excellent progress of your company through these pages!
I've lived in the USA for 12 years now, but still read every issue of the Oxford
and Chilterns Bus page to keep in touch with the local scene. I would love to
see further photographs of the Motts YellowBus operation - hopefully you and
some other readers can contribute more for the "History in Words and Pictures"
section in future.
Well Stephen I have scanned some more pictures from the period and maybe you will recognise other drivers?
Littleworth is a very narrow village and the Enviro 200 is well suited to the
routes running through.
HISTORY IN PICTURES AND WORDS
If you have any pictures or historical memories and wish to submit them for this page please send them to the me at malcolmhc@aol.com
The COMS fleet was always interesting and I received two pictures this week from Paul Davis which should bring back some memories for those old enough to remember.
Coach 114 is seen at Heathrow on the X70 in May 1984.
Coach 33 is also seen in Heathrow on a 390 working which went through Henley.
The registration now graces a private car.
Green Line TP87 on a 290 working somewhere on the A40 in 1995. Photo M Crowe
Malcolm Crowe - Friday 1st February 2008
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date
News of the local companies – 1st February 2008
Arriva's refurbished DAF/Plaxton Prestiges go wandering
I was coming back last week from Oxford, through Wheatley, when I came across route 500 branded Trident 5421 suffering a roadside breakdown. I had intended taking some pictures of the flooding and so spent a short time on the old river bridge, just past the Trident. Imagine my surprise when DAF 100 branded 3446 came the other way from the Aylesbury direction driven by a fitter. He took over the stranded Trident and the driver went off with 3446 to take up service on the 280. I thought what a set of circumstances could produce two branded bus off route and so far from their normal haunts.
Imagine my further surprise, when passing through Wycombe last Wednesday, 100 branded DAF 3449 was in the Eden Bus Station on a Line 300 working.
Sunday's see the 321 route worked by other than the normal DAFs. Here 2477
leaves the airport bound for Watford last Sunday morning.
Nigel Peach writes "Thank you to whoever it was on last week's page (I couldn't quite work out who it was!) who provided that interesting history of Arriva's B6s.
It just goes to show how the memory plays tricks! I'd thought that 3115 and 3116 had been in Wycombe since new - not so, they were two years old when they arrived."
The loaned white Versa now seems to have gone from whence it came.
Martin Isles wrote regarding the picture shown below saying "I noticed you appealed for pics of Carousel's Ailsa which I caught in Marlow at the beginning of the Autumn school term. I have only seen it in service once since."
Martin Isles sent this nice picture of one of the ex Cardiff Ailsas on a school
working last September.
In addition to the picture of the new Mercedes at Luton airport seen in the articles above, Gavin Francis managed to get a picture on Buckingham Palace Road of two sizes Easy Bus. Sadly they were a bit too far apart and dark but at least its a picture.
Matt Taylor sent an interesting report on his training on the new trial coach for NEx, an M A N/Plaxton.
"On Monday, 28th January, I was asked to go type training up in Barnsley on a new trial coach. As you maybe aware there are a couple of National Express coaches been sent out to depots on a evaluation basis, one being a Volvo B9B, the other being a MAN I believe with an R22 engine.
Barnsley had the MAN delivered, however it has some warranty problems and has gone back to MAN for repair work to be carried out. It seems the old Air Condition belt is still a problem that plagues National Express coaches, this being a problem when the Levante's were first delivered.
Although initially thoughts of it were not very good, once you have got used to it, the coach drives very well. It has the ability to drive it in either fully Automatic or TipMatic pre-select manual mode at the twist of a dial. In my personal opinion it is better when accelerating from a stop on steep hills to have full manual control of the gears, as in auto it is very sluggish and will almost stop before it changes up.
Like everything these days it features the standard leather seats as in the Levante and the PLS Magic Floor lift with the trial version also set up to receive a ticket machine, hence the strange shaped dash.
Overall it was a very nice coach to drive and I look forward to seeing more on the network. I thought it much better than a Caetano."
Outwardly there is little to identify this as having an M A N chassis.
Pictures by Matt Taylor.
Internally the drivers compartment gives a clue with an M A N steering wheel.
Leather seats are prominent.
Whilst I have yet to see any coaches with the new style branding, the first timetable I have seen is for the A group of routes from Stansted to London.
Keeping up to date with new deliveries I show SC38 and SC 39 above. They are
awaiting application of full livery.
A report included in the last mid week update, that coach 94 had been seen on delivery is incorrect. I am assured by the Managing Director of Oxford Bus that this coach has not yet been delivered. Nor indeed are they expected as yet. Sorry for any raised hopes.
Some new Super Rear ads have appeared on various deckers as shown in the pictures below taken by Gavin Francis.
Two Tridents showing off new super rear ads.
The Volvo B10BLEs are gaining new wheel trims as shown in the picture of 812 by
Gavin Francis.
One of very few b uses left in the old white and red livery is 634 working a 4
road service last week. Picture by Gavin Francis.
Citaros of two batches, 56 and 57, now appear on the X3/X13 routes. 856 and 862
are shown in these pictures by Gavin Francis.
Red Kite Aylesbury/Red Rose
I have linked these two operators as recently a Red Kite bus appeared on a Red Rose route.
Martin Isles wrote to say "Thanks for another good issue.
The Red Rose Merc N802GRV was new to RR, the Portsmouth area registration comes from the fact that it was registered by its bodybuilder, Waterlooville based UVG. It is one of three Mercs (two 709s - N802/3GRV - and a 711 - N784JBM) and a Dart - N219HBK - purchased in 1996. The Dart was a victim of the November arson attack. I have attached a picture of N802GRV in Bicester in Jan 4 years back.
Red Kite or Red Line?
They did borrow an ex TWM Volvo B6/Wright from Red Line following the fire. The four damaged buses have only been replaced by the two EY Darts, the ex Stagecoach B10M/Alexander PS was to replace the retired Eastbourne Dennis Javelin."
Red Kite
T506TOL seen on a Red Rose 275 working in Wycombe Bus Station on 22nd January - picture by
Gavin Francis.
Was this bus used airside at an airport at some stage? Ed.
R H Transport
A couple of interesting pictures from Richard Sharman.
RH 406 with a fitting destination since M A N are based in Swindon. Picture by
Richard Sharman
Two RH coaches, 701 and 703, are seen on rail replacement - picture by Richard
Sharman
Marcus Lapthorn sent a very nice picture of an Olympian held in a special old livery at Swindon
"Stagecoach Swindon & District's G102 AAD in special Swindon & District livery in Faringdon, on Tuesday 29 January on the 0953 service 65 to Swindon via the villages."
Richard Sharman sent some pictures to keep us up to date on goings on at Chippy
out station.
Gavin Francis took these two pictures showing the extent of the roadworks in St
Aldates. They are helping with time keeping at present.
New unbranded 34470 is seen on a 16 working in this picture
by Gavin Francis.
Gavin Francis sent this picture of Tube 50115 unloading in St Aldates last week.
Solo PL06TFY
now with Thames Travel pictured a few
days ago by Vikki Lee.
We think this is now 757 - picture by Vikki Lee.
It appears that bus 757 was involved in an accident last week - details can be found at http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/2020/2020915/five_hurt_in_bus_crash
Another new bus is the long Enviro 200 - 957. Picture by Gavin Francis.
A note regarding photographs which show drivers faces.
Following one complaint from a bus driver in Oxford but considering the
fact that the photographs are taken of the vehicle not any person,
I will blank out the face to avoid any discomfort to the individual concerned.
If you are the person involved send me an email to have this action taken.
I am sure people will realise that to ask everyone in advance of publication,
whose face may appear in a picture is wholly impractical in both time and
practice.
I am sorry to have to mention such a matter but we now live in a world of human
rights and political correctness which must be considered.
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
?
Coming events, models and useful links
New Trident model with an Oxford flavour
Date: 21st December 2007.
ukbus 1036 Alexander Dennis ALX400-bodied Trident
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire
Creative Master Northcord is proud to release a brand new livery on its well-known casting – the Alexander Dennis ALX400-bodied Trident. This is ukbus 1036 carrying standard Stagecoach livery but with special route branding livery.
This model represents Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 18394 (KX55 TLN). This is the second Stagecoach in Oxfordshire ADL ALX400-bodied Trident model that CMNL produced. The previous one is ukbus 1026 with Brookes bus colours.
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 18394 is one of a fleet of seven Tridents introduced onto route 27 in March 2006 to replace Volvo B10M single deckers. Route 27 operates between Oxford and Bicester up to every 15 minutes at busy times with three main route variants around Bicester – 27A to Glory Farm and Launton, 27B to Glory Farm and Langford and 27C to Ambrosden and Arncott.
18394 is one of three vehicles which carry supplementary branding for the Bicester Duo ticket which was introduced during 2007. The ticket allows two people to travel from Bicester to Oxford for the price of one.
The replica features excellent detailing, inside and out, including an opening engine door, engine detail and the representation of LED lights at the rear. This is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the windows and livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. The model has no unnecessary metal poles to hold it together.
It will be a good opportunity to make a twin Stagecoach in Oxfordshire bus model set with ukbus 1036 and ukbus 1025 representing the common street scene in Oxford.
PSV Circle publishes latest issue of the fleet list for Berkshire and Oxfordshire
Ken MacKenzie writes to note that the new PSV Circle fleet list for Berkshire/Oxfordshire (G432) is now available.
Those readers wishing to buy a copy should write to: PSV Circle, 59 Palmer Avenue, Cheam SM3 8EF - Cost id £7.00 plus 50p P & P and it will also be available at the PSV Circle sales stand at Showbus 2007.
This will be a most useful reference for all those interested in the local scene.
Editors review - I have now had chance to review this book and it is indeed very useful, giving details of all known fleets in Berks and Oxon. Whilst some information is not totally up to date it allows the readers to have a comprehensive view of the local fleets and up dates can be gained by joining the PSV Circle. At £7.00 this represents value for money as it also includes a number of good photographs.
Britbus
A new casting with a local flavour has been released by Britbus as a picture from Mark Lyons shows. It is a nice model but as Mark says, a little pricey at £33.
Model News of an Oxford bus
Guy writes to send a picture of the latest offering on the model front related to Oxford.
A photo disc for your collection
This week I can bring details of a really super new photo disc from Vics cliix. The disc contains pictures taken in the early 1970s by Vic Zealey and copies can be obtained through Malcolm Hyland's web site http://www.cliix.co.uk.
Here are some samples of the 158 pictures on this disc.
The quality is good and they are all at high resolution.
Oxford Bus 125 commemorative book
In last week's issue I mentioned that Oxford Bus were publishing a book to commemorate the 125 years of public transport in Oxford. Thanks to Phil Ashworth I have had a review copy and hereunder give my thoughts on this book.
The book is well presented and includes a number of historical pictures of interest including some I had not seen before. The modern pictures have received a nice treatment reflecting the modern fleet against a background of typical Oxford architecture. The Botley Road rail bridge gets a mention and a picture of an AEC pre war decker which has done battle with said bridge and come off worse from its encounter is included.
The book, whilst rather small to reflect the 125 years in detail is nevertheless a must for all who love Oxford, historians and enthusiasts alike.
Copies of the book can be bought from the Oxford Bus Company, Cowley House, Watlington Rd, Oxford OX4 6GA. The cost is £5.95 including postage. Cheques should be made payable to "Oxford Bus Company", it is also available in person from the Oxford Bus Museum during normal opening hours.
Robin sent me a copy of his latest DVD to review. "Today's buses - Oxfordshire" is the compelling title which includes Henley, Wallingford and Didcot before the viewer is taken onto Wantage, Witney, Banbury and finally Bicester. Each of these locations is covered in2 to 5 minutes and each shows the current selection of buses and coaches to be found. Finally over 37 minutes is devoted to Oxford with filming in a variety of locations in the city.
On another subject the road sense and behaviour of cyclists in Oxford has to be seen to be believed!!!!
The quality of the DVD is excellent and one can really see clearly the details of each vehicle, something which older video always seemed unable to do. All the latest developments are shown in this September 2007 DVD, including workings from Broad Street during the St Giles Fair weekend.
The DVD provides a unique record of events in Oxfordshire during this period and at £10 is not a very large outlay.
Robin Clare
Transport Video
74 Polruan Place, Fishermead,
Milton Keynes MK6 2EA
The full details of DVDs available from Robin Clare may be found at his web site :- http://www.robinclare.co.uk/
Citaro models
Dave Rogers sent the following press release.
CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD - PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz Citaro - ukbus 5004 Arriva Manchester - ukbus 5007 Oxford Bus
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Creative Master Northcord Limited is proud to release two brand new liveries on its well known Mercedes-Benz Citaro casting. Both models have received significant, yet different, modifications to the tooling in order to represent, as close to 100% accuracy as possible, the real buses on the roads.
ukbus 5004 represents fleet number Arriva North West’s 2851 (CX55 EAA). This Mercedes Citaro is one of three such vehicles with dedicated route branding for service 700 and with the destination set to Manchester. The model features a redesigned interior layout that includes the reduced seating capacity and luggage racks.
Starting on 29th October 2005, Arriva North West’s service 700 runs from Manchester’s Piccadilly Railway Station to Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport. For the service, 3 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were purchased and numbered 2851-3. They were painted in the same style and colours as the Scania OmniCity buses that already operated between John Lennon and Liverpool city centre.
ukbus 5007 represents fleet number 830 (X13 OXF) of Oxford Bus Company. 830 entered service in December 2003, to upgrade the X3 & X13 Oxford – Abingdon services. The bus was painted in a new and distinctive livery designed by Best Impressions.
ukbus 5007 features the smooth, curved windscreen with the destination display set behind the windscreen glass rather than the protruding destination found on the Park & Ride Citaros in the fleet. This feature is one of the standard specifications on other Citaros that the Go-Ahead Group has purchased.
Mercedes-Benz Citaro ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are each a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square-mounted, double-glazed windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on both models is the extensive portrayal of handrails. The headlight / indicator units at the front and indicator / tail light units at the rear are made of individual components to look more realistic.
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The brand new single-door Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The ukbus 5004 and 5007 models are limited to 1700 pieces worldwide respectively.
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Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date
Links
These are nine most interesting sites which I do recommend
Mike Penn's photo page with much from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire as well as Buckinghamshire
Chris Lowe's Photo page - mainly North West UK
John Marsh's pictures with a difference
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A web site which has paintings of buses.
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Arriva Handbook for 2006-2007 http://www.britishbuspublishing.co.uk/
The latest handbooks are now
on sale, the ever |
Links
Bus Services in Buckinghamshire
Bus services in Hertfordshire
Where are the Chilterns?
Visit this informative site through the link below.
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002