Issue 284
(OBP-497)
Monday 9th March 2009
(next update week ending 21st March 2009)

Now in our 11th year

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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.

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Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002 to date

 Company & fleet news – 9th March 2009

A nice surprise was the arrival of two new tri-axles for the Green Line 757 service Luton Airport to London but these two are in full easyBus livery.

4385 and 4386 seen at Luton Airport with only a few days in service. M Crowe.

On the easyBus front a 28 seater appears to be being trialled on the Stansted-London run as seen in the pictures below. Certainly at times the serv ice is very full and could justify a larger vehicle than the current 19 seaters.

First picture by me and second by Gavin Francis.

Dear old 5836 has arrived at the end of the Arriva road and lies awaiting sale in the Cressex yard. One assumes it was withdrawn on the last day of February?

Picture by Peter Cabin.

One of the VDL buses, 4524 leaves Wycombe on the hilly journey to Hemel. Adam Green.

Originally delivered garbed in inter urban livery in 2007, 2491 with its sister proved under powered and was replaced.
It is now at Milton Keynes garbed in green.  G Francis.

Hemel Hempstead based 3173 is seen at the Wycombe end of the 52 route between Wycombe and Hemel. Gavin Francis.

Most routes have gained new numbers but the 305 harks back to LT days in this picture by Gavin Francis.

With a large fleet of tri-axles now in service one wonders why this Scania bus was in service on the 757 on March 2nd? Picture by Gavin Francis.

I do like the red and cream on these Red Route buses in Wycombe but this one is not on its branded route but on the 45.
Picture by Gavin Francis.

Getting long in the tooth now, this old Olympian soldiers on at Wycombe. Picture by Gavin Francis.

Somewhat newer and a very fine bus is 5148 but still in somewhat bizarre fashion carrying branding for Hemel-Watford routes.
Picture by Gavin Francis.

All is revealed. After several weeks in dark blue and white livery, Vario 2179 has now appeared in Tesco Free Bus livery.
Seen at Hemel by your Editor.
I have also seen this bus very recently on route 46 to Luton as I have also seen the ex M K Metro one.

Red and cream again, this time the fully branded side. Sadly the branding is not so good on the second one.
Picture by M Crowe.

A rear offside shot of one of the new Citaros showing the 321 branding. M Crowe.

Enviro 400 with a full destination display (why is the route number on the wrong side?) passing Oxford Castle. Photo by Richard Sharman.

A further ex National Express Volvo B6 P247AAP has been sighted and is presumed working for Carousel. P235AAP has already been sold (seemingly why it operated in white) on but Steve Burns did mention there were other available.

Picture by Glenn Knight

Adam Green visited Wycombe and took these pictures of Carousel's Baker St yard.

P236AAP again, this time by Gavin Francis.

I mentioned last issue about the Y registered Volvos at Luton Airport.

However, on page 115 of the 2007 edition of the fleet book the fleet numbers 66357/8 refer to probably the same buses, but on loan from Dawson Rentals to the Dublin operator Aircoach Limited of Dublin Airport, with registrations 01D46133 and 01D45249 respectively.  Here they are listed as N41F, so they must have acquired the extra doors on transfer to Luton Airport."

including Tappins of Didcot

These are the new arrivals into Heyfordian.

Shearings  02  B12M Sunsun Sid     YC02CHG     Heyfordian Travel    28/02/09

Shearings  02  B12M Sunsun Sid     YC02CHK     Heyfordian Travel    28/02/09

Doigs       05   B12B Sunsundagi Sid      FJ05ANX     Heyfordian Travel     28/02/09

Hookways  01  B10M Jonckheere Mistral    Y164EAY  Heyfordian Travel    28/02/09

AAA Coaches  02 B10M Jonckheere Mistral    SN51AAA  Heyfordian Travel    28/02/09

Regards.

Ken Gladstone

and from Steve Warwick Heyfordian new additions to the fleet as follows

FJ05 ANX   Vo B12B  Ssd C49F  3/06     ex Doigs, Glasgow

Y164 EAY   Vo B10M Je  C53F   5/01     ex Hookways

Still to arrive 

SN51 AAA   Vo B12M  Je  C53Ft  12/01  ex AAA Coaches, Edinburgh

YC02 CHG   Vo B12M  Ssd  C48FT   5/02  ex Shearings

YC02 CHJ    Vo B12M  Ssd  C48FT   5/02  ex Shearings

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

The news that the Trathens Neoplans are being replaced in service on National Express route might be mourned by some but it seems that a lack of luggage space has often caused problems for these coaches. The new coaches are tri-axle Volvo/Plaxton Panthers and Gavin Francis has managed a few pictures of these fine new vehicles.

As is usual with Parks Group coaches the new coaches have LSK registrations.

Last week and some of the double deck Neoplans were still in service. Pictures by Gavin Francis.

A Plaxton Paragon from Stagecoach Yorkshire working the 310 service from Bradford to Poole  - picture Gavin Francis.

Levante tri-axle Go -North East 7101 works the 303 Liverpool to Weymouth service. Picture by Richard Sharman.

Selwyn's work a number of National Express diagrams and here Van Hool 105 is seen on a 303 service to Southsea by Richard Sharman.

http://www.rhtransportservices.co.uk/

Perhaps the biggest news this week is the renumbering of the latest M A N deliveries which now take the numbers 22761-22771. Please refer to the table below for the full details. I have put the old end two figure number for cross reference purposes. We have quite a number of pictures of buses carrying the old fleet number and now more with the new fleet numbers. Additionally, a very welcome change is the registration of deliveries after March 1st with 09 plates, the first 09 plates on buses that I am aware of in Oxfordshire area.

Alexander Enviro 300 MAN A69 Chassis 

Revised fleet numbers 050309

u.w. 9940 kgs

Three buses still to be delivered as at 8th March, registrations unknown.

One of the first 09 plates being prepared for service. Gavin Francis.

First day in service 9th March, 22766 by Gavin Francis.

The buses in service renumbered.

22763, 22765, 22768 (front and rear) and 22771 in the city centre by Gavin Francis on 7th March.

Four of the new buses during early type training, with their first fleet number, seen at Horspath depot by Chris Maxfield on 23rd February.

Driver training with 22771, now 22764, at Cowley Centre on 28th February by Chris Maxfield.

The first day in service for this type was 24th February and we are lucky to have this picture of 22769 (now 22762)
in service at Summertown on the 7/7A. Chris Birkett via John Hammond.

A nice line up taken by your Editor on 1st March in the early morning.

Looking crisp and clean 22775, now 22768, turns into the stop outside Debenhams in the city centre on 1st March.
Picture by Richard Sharman.

Mike Bennett writes "I was in Oxford this Thursday 26th and just happened to see one of the new MAN / Enviro300s coming out of Magdalen Street East into Broad Street on a driver training duty at 14:50.  Luckily the traffic lights held the bus for long enough for me to get out my camera and get some shots as the bus moved off."

Picture by Mike Bennett

As a result of these new deliveries some older members of the fleet are moving to pastures new. I am grateful to Martin Sutton, Managing Director of Stagecoach in Oxfordshire for details of these movements.

Disposals:
Volvo Olympians 16523, 16524, 16525 to Stagecoach South (going to Cheltenham Festival next week and will be picked up from there).
Volvo B10Ms 20004, 20005, 20006, 20012, 20228, 20543 to Stagecoach South
M A N s 22920, 22921 to Stagecoach East (Northampton) - I understand these are for route 8 Ed.

Internal movements:
Pointer Darts 34467, 34468, 34469, 34470 to Banbury for service 59
Volvo B6LE (which one to be determined) from Banbury to reserve.
Vario 42383 from Banbury to reserve. (This is the last Vario at Oxford, the others having moved on to SC South for service from Dover and Herne Bay. One exception is one that went to SC West for service at Coleford - 42376. Ed.)

Services X30 and 31 will become M A N operated.

So, there is very little time now for an Olympian ride in Oxford. These buses were delivered for route 1, the Blackbird Flyer and operated on that route with two doors for a number of years before moving to Witney where they spent further time on the 100 and 200.

Volvos will still be represented at Oxford in the training fleet.

Volvo 20228 takes a break at Horspath on 28th February in this picture by Chris Maxfield.

Two of the Banbury based Volvo B6s receive attention in these pictures from Chris Maxfield taken on 2nd March in the depot.
I am told that some refurbishment work is in hand on 31362.

Volvo 20543 loads for Wantage on service 31 seen in St Aldates outside Christ Church in this picture by Gavin Francis.

M A N s 22924 and 22925 show the current 7 branding, these buses soon to move to Wantage routes in these pictures by Gavin Francis taken on 7th March.

I'm pretty confident your Marketing Manager will not have seen anything quite like the Route 60 "flower power"-inspired branding down here! I speak as an ex-Stagecoach man myself (and this is where I give away my age bracket!). Although my career has ended up in the insurance industry I did have an interesting time working on the admin side for Stagecoach South based in Chichester during my university holidays in the mid-1990s. Indeed, I'm still friendly with a colleague of mine from those days who is still there and now works on the marketing side of the business. I retain a certain affection for Stagecoach and hold it in higher regard than the other major groups - it became my local operator here when it purchased Southdown 20 years ago.
 
Anyhow, it was a beautifully sunny day in Chichester today and at lunchtime I got a couple of pictures for you of our former Oxford residents using my camera phone. I think another go with my digital camera is called for, but you'll get the general idea from these. I give you 33814 (R814YUD), a better view of the side branding treatment on 33814, and the non-contravision super rear on 33815 (R815YUD). All of 33813-8 (R813-8YUD) have been treated identically. Different I think you'll agree - enjoy!"

"On Saturday I found myself in Aldershot and couldn't resist the chance to try out the Goldline concept. I think the pictures I took provide an interesting comparison with those in the most recent OCBP of Oxford's new 'standard' Alexander Dennis Enviro 300-bodied MAN 18.240 - indeed they make the Oxford buses look very much like poor relations!
 
Goldline service 1 sets off from Aldershot Bus Station through North Camp to Farnborough, then crosses the A331 Blackwater Valley Relief Road from Hampshire into Surrey, serves Frimley, passes under the M3 on the way to Camberley then heads up to the Old Dean Estate where it operates a one-way loop before returning towards Aldershot. The round trip takes just over 2 hours, requiring 13 of the 14-strong batch 22741-54 to maintain the 10 minute Monday to Saturday daytime frequency. The buses are specified to a very high standard which makes one wonder why all buses cannot be like this. They are 41 seaters as compared with the 46 seaters recently delivered to Oxford, but the leather-trimmed Lazzerini Transito seats are so comfortable I think the sacrifice of 5 seats is easily justified. The internal colourings are easy on the eye - in my opinion black leather seats are too plain and stark (which is perhaps why I go for cars upholstered in cream leather!), and the shade of blue used coupled with cream piping accentuates the sense of luxury. Stagecoach South has never operated the MAN 18.220 so this my first experience of the heavy-duty MAN single-decker, and I have to say I was impressed. It has more of a feeling of solidity than the lighter Enviro 300 chassis (as found in Portsmouth and on Winchester's park and ride service) though I can't help feeling it would be even better with the ZF 6-speed auto option in place of the Voith 4-speed auto Stagecoach seems to favour currently on heavy-duty buses (personally I've always preferred ZF to Voith). Overall, though, a resounding hit for me, and I think what Stagecoach is trying to achieve with the Goldline concept deserves great praise. I would be intrigued to see an Enviro 400-bodied double-decker kitted out to Goldline specification, however I think it would need to be a full-height version to allow the concept to be at its most effective and excluding the Cambridge park and ride fleet and the batch ordered for Selkent prior to the London operations being sold Stagecoach haven't bought any, so I suppose the chances of that happening are slim.

The emphasis is very much on 'Goldline' rather than 'Stagecoach' -  note the use of metallic paint. A welcoming touch - the first thing you see on boarding is this on the sound-deadening flooring."

The interior looking from rear to front.
The ceiling is lined in blue carpet - I hadn't expected that! The sides are also carpet-lined - with the Fleur de Lys motif again.
Leather-trimmed Lazzerini Transito seats - most certainly not your average bus seats!

22753 pausing at Camberley Railway Station on the way back to Aldershot - note you can see the driver is wearing the dedicated Goldline uniform.

The rear of 22753 - the blue metallic paint used looks particularly tasteful.

Indeed it does Jonathan. Your article is much appreciated and I am sure readers will be most interested.

A few more pictures of the Goldline buses are to hand for comparison and interest.

Colin Grafham took this picture of 22749 at North Camp.

22751 at the depot taken by Geoff Stewart.

This issue has seen lots of contribution from readers and some interesting pictures, one of which I include below.

I was interested to see that the coach had gone from the X38, Exeter to Plymouth service but of more interest to our area
is the ex Oxford Tube coach still in use on training duties. Picture by Dave Godley taken 6th February 2009.

Two nice examples of the new S branding taken by Chris Maxfield in GG on 7th March.

The Swindon M A N s have settled in now after some early teething problems and the extra length is obvious in this picture taken by Chris Maxfield in GG on 7th March.

Ex Manchester and then Newcastle M A N 22207 on route 1 taken by Chris Maxfield at Carfax on 7th March.

SC East 53602 backs off ready for its journey to Cambridge taken by Chris Maxfield in GG on 7th March.

from time to time older Darts appear on the 66 and we think this is a first for 33502 taken by Gavin Francis in GG on 23rd February.

Following the unfortunate event with 53614, this older Volvo is being used on the X5 to cover. Taken by Richard Sharman on 22nd February.

Another new Volvo 53608 is seen passing Scania 15442 in Magdalen St East. Taken by Richard Sharman on 22nd February.

Gavin Francis visited Milton Keynes and caught up with ex Manchester Scania 15444 on route 4. This bus follows on from the Oxford batch.

In the Editorial there are details of the S3/50 service being worked wholly by Stagecoach reference is made to the buses working the services. Back in February Richard Sharman caught two Alexander PS Volvos on the service as seen below.

Alexander PS buses 20224 and 20225 working the 20 back in February Richard Sharman taken on 22nd February.

Some nice pictures of 53615 in Cambridge loading and departing for Oxford on 28th February, taken by John Marsh.

The Neoplans are now entering their 6th year or will do so by June-August time but they still look smart and continue to ply the M40 between Oxford and London.

Heading for London and Oxford respectively, 50120 and 50106 pass junction 5 on the M40 last Saturday. M Crowe.

The Tubes take a little while to gain speed when coming off Lewknor and climbing the chalk cutting on the M40 but this one - 50109 was starting to gain on Oxford's nr 1
as the pair passed under junction 5 overbridge. The Tube was showing Sorry Coach Full last Saturday.

Neoplan 50102 waits for a place in Gloucester Green when seen in Magdalen St East last Saturday.
Picture by Gavin Francis.

I have received some nice and interesting pictures for inclusion in this issue.

This Volvo is still giving excellent service and is seen here on a Sunday working to Reading. Picture by Gavin Francis.

The latest M A N saloon to enter service is this 58 plate bus - 158 - seen on the private shuttle service 391. Picture by Gavin Francis.

John Hammond sent this selection of Thames Travel buses operating around Didcot.

I would be pleased to receive any pictures of these buses, especially the deckers, on the 614 service to Queensbury or the 615 service to Rayners Lane. It would be nice to get some at those destinations.

http://www.woottens.co.uk/fleet.htm