Issue 94
(OBP-309)
Sunday
12th September 2004
next update week ending
27th September 2004
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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This week has been rather less newsworthy than usual and as such the page will be somewhat shorter than usual. However several of you sent some interesting items and I start with one from Nigel Peach regarding last week's Wycombe Charity Running Day.
Nigel writes "It was good to see you last Sunday. I also note that I feature in last week's photo taken at The King's Arms, on the top deck!! I have of course emailed all my friends to point out my fame at last! ..... (or maybe I didn't!)
Regarding last Sunday's Wycombe Running Day, I travelled on the 12.30 departure to Aylesbury on route 80. You pointed out last week that Volvo B6 3242 worked the earlier 10.30 run. (It also did the third and final run at 14.30.) We had Wright bodied Dart 3365 (longer than the ex London "Bouncy Castles" and therefore less bouncy). Volvo 3243 had been earmarked for the route and its blinds set, but it was partially blocked in in the bus station, so 3365 was used.
3365 at Princes Risborough by Nigel Peach
The 80 route was withdrawn (we think) in the late 1960s. Before that it ran between High Wycombe and Aylesbury, via lots of villages (Hughenden Valley, Bryant's Bottom, Great Hampden, Lacey Green, Princes Risborough, Longwick, Great Kimble, Little Kimble, Terrick, Stoke Mandeville) and the total journey time was one hour and eight minutes. On Sunday we were blessed with sunny weather and the journey through the countryside and particularly the stretch between Great Hampden and Lacey Green produced some stunning views over the vale of Aylesbury. Our conductor for the journey was Peter Cartwright, who is a frequent contributor to your pages and the driver (Richard) was one who has worked from Wycombe depot for almost 40 years (I remember riding on his bus when I was a schoolboy!). The journey was not uneventful - we took a couple of wrong turnings and at another junction the driver consulted us all for a consensus on which way to go!! With no signposts on some of those country lanes it was not surprising. Then in Longwick we were unable to go down the scheduled route due to parked cars in the way, so he had to turn round in a housing estate. All of this of course added to the fun of the journey and the looks on people's faces as passed was good to see. We even picked up some "proper" passengers on the return journey between Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville.
Today, Sunday, there was an interesting event reported by Colin Cooke saying "The AEC Society held there Southern Rally today at Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles. Two nice coaches turned up."
An ex
Devon General TUO74J and ex Green Line RB51 - Photos by Colin Cooke.
Work continues on the interchange at Lewknor and this week changes have been made to the north side of the M40. The off slip road now has a T junction rather than a "sort of slip road" to join the Chinnor bound road. This now means that the Tubes have to swing wide into the through road which is not too good to be honest. However there is then a more effective bus lay by rather than an acceleration lane.
The photo by Derek Winkfield shows
50120 picking up at Lewknor, London bound.
Ed Maun writes to say "There is a photograph in this week’s Bucks Free Press (Sept 10th) on page 8 which depicts a Thames Valley coach. You can just see the “TV” monogram on the side of the coach by the right hand lady’s left shoulder. This is a Leyland Tiger TS7 with Duple C32F body of the 262 – 264 (JB5842 – 5843) batch, new in 1935. All three were allocated to High Wycombe. The photograph was probably taken in the late 1930s after these vehicles were repainted with red roofs – they originally had grey roofs."
Well on to the news of our local companies and many thanks for the continuing reports including the late ones received today..
Malcolm Crowe, Stokenchurch - 12th September 2004
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002
News of the local companies – 12th September 2004
Steve Warwick reports a fire to one of the Aylesbury depot buses saying "Just heard that Dennis Lance 3376 caught fire and was burnt out at Cow Roast this morning, all other Lances withdrawn at the moment.
Always a sad sight when such things happen, the sad
remain s of the Dennis Lance mentioned above.
The Metrobuses pictured last week in white and grey livery have no disappeared from the old petrol station on Bridge Street.
Perhaps the most newsworthy item this week is the appearance of a Scania owned coach in Airline blue livery which has been given the fleet number 50. It would appear that this coach is on loan since it has been Scania and COMS legal lettering. It is not known how long this coach is to be at Oxford.
The Scania mentioned above which to my eyes has a
distinctly Stockport look in view of the *JA registration.
In fact YJA 4 was a Fleetline !!! It is seen in Gloucester Green on Saturday.
The service fleet has been renumbered as shown in the latest fleet list on the company web site. Follow the link here "Fleet list". Of interest are some new crew vans with EX54 registrations seemingly replacing the Ford vans used so far. It may be that this is in connection with the new depot on the Watlington road where I understand a move will be made from Cowley road on September 18th.
I really liked this shot of Volvo 51 in bound from
Heathrow to Oxford taken by Derek Winkfield.
Friday saw working 813 was on 2 road and then on Saturday 406 was
unusually on 2 road.
Geoff Cunliffe caught Citaro 833 on 15 road during
his recent visit to Oxford.
Derek Winkfield took this night shot of Cowley Road Garage and records a scene
soon only to be a memory.
Television advertising is showing one of the new Scania Irizar PBs of which some twenty or so are on order or have been delivered. Route 420 seems to be the home of one of these coaches and I caught up with one of the PBs in Victoria coach Station on Saturday morning. They are legally owned by National Express, Birmingham.
An older model Irizar is alongside
the new PB for comparison. Registration is YN04GKX
What an impressive coach they are.
This week correspondents north of the border have
been busy and some interesting shots have emerged. Suzy Scott writes "Seen
in City Road, St Andrews, heading for the Bus Station, is former Stagecoach
Oxford (But new to London!) Olympian 16144.
The bus then parked up at St Andrews bus station, so I was unable to resist this
snap of it parked up - with Brookes Bus logos - beside the St Andrews
Megabus.com Volvo Citybus 127ASV. Note that the St Andrews Megabus route is due
for withdrawal at the end of next weekend. The combination of Brookes Bus and
Megabus.com brand names over 400 miles away from Oxford is somewhat rare to
spot!
The M320DGP in front is a former Devon Volvo Olympian."
Suzy Scott sent this shot of 16144 working
out of St Andrews Bus Station.
This is a nice shot, again by Suzy, showing an ex Devon Olympian 16320 in front
of 16144.
Readers have indeed submitted their comments on the fleet list and next weekend I will publish an updated version. Thanks to all who wrote.
Rob Williams says "I keep an up to date fleet list at www.buszone.co.uk/SiWfleet.html
Gavin Francis, sent this photo and says "there was a
German coach in the yard last week but no one seemed able to shed any light on
the reason."
50120 heads off towards London with misty Chiltern Hills in the background. Some
months ago I posted a picture of a Volvo Artic in the same spot.
Photo by Derek Winkfield.
Many pictures of old Tubes at work in Scotland continue to reach me and a sample selection is posted below.
50053 with X77y livery passes an ex Oxford Dart up in Scotland also. Photo by
Campbell Morrison.
Suzy Scott sent these shots of
50053 and 50066 at work on the 900 Motorvator service last week.
More photos by Campbell Morrison, this time of 50035 on its first day on
Motorvator service.
A view of Kilmarnock workshops with several Tubes being prepared for service in
Scotland. - picture by Leslie Smith.
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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
Heritage Volvo KV4644 was also in Oxford last week and is seen passing down
George Street.
I welcome your photos for
inclusion on this page. Please send them to me at
malcolmhc@aol.com
This is a most interesting site which I do recommend
Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Archives from October 2002