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News Page
 News of the local companies

Issue 280
(OBP-493)
Sunday 18th January 2009

(next update week ending 31st January 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 
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 Company & fleet news – 18th January 2009

The new vehicles feature in your reports and they seem to be predominant on the 6 in Hemel, 321 at Luton, the 280 and 300 from Aylesbury. One thing noticed is the early failure of at least one destination screen on a 280 Enviro 400.

Most amazingly ex London Olympian 5836, WLT916 is still active at Wycombe on various school duties and occasionally a mainline working. Surely its days are numbered now?

The Palatine II bodied Volvo Olympians are now appearing on other workings at their respective depots and there appear to have been now further migrations since 5147 and 5148 to Wycombe from Hemel.


Garston's 5154 on route 5 in Watford on 9th January - Glenn Knight.

Glenn Knight sent some further pictures which I include below.


The two unusually liveried Solos which work out of Garston depot, 2479 and 2480 caught on camera by Glenn Knight on 9th January.


Citaro 3911 seen at Watford Junc early in its long journey to Luton Airport via St Albans, Harpenden and Luton Town. 9th January by Glenn Knight.


Enviro 400 5453 seen at Watford Junc. and 5458 - looking very dirty - seen in Watford's main street on 9th January by Glenn Knight.

Ben Morroll visited Milton Keynes on a sunny Saturday last week and sent some excellent pictures of buses Arriva Mk style. Large numbers of new Solos have been delivered for local routes and feature strongly in Ben's submissions.


Seen first is 2452 working the !B in a blue livery, then 2495 in corporate local bus livery followed by 2499 in dedicated 7 livery.
Finally for the Solos we see 2503 branded for the 2 but working at a 32 service to Buckingham.


Dart 3526 is seen on a 39 working to Bletchley.

Richard Sharman also sent pictures from Milton Keynes which nicely compliment those of Ben Morroll.


Solo 2451 is seen in MK with 3174 which has been transferred in from another depot?

Gavin Francis sent a few interesting pictures covering Arriva The Shires.


The first shows an ex Wycombe Bus Dart, 3824 unusually working a Line 40 service through Stokenchurch to Thames on 7th January.
And yes, it was a little snowy! The body moulding gives an impression of a smile - happy 3824 on a day out.


The ex 757 branded Van Hool's are now gaining branding for the 797 - Stevenage London service.


Finally a gathering of 58 plates from my camera, seen at Luton Airport on 13th January.

Centrebus - Luton

Ben Morroll also caught up with Centrebus during his visit to MK.


Solo 348 on the X31 MK-Luton service, 17th January.

First is also involved in having branded buses for greener matters.


Southern Electric claims a green agenda on Dart/ALX200 42343 seen on route 74 in Beaconsfield, Slough bound. M Crowe - 8th January.

I am always interested to see First at "first hand" (what an awful pun) when I visit Stansted. Sometimes there are surprises and one seen last week was a coach from First in Kings Lynn, now branded and working on the X22 to Colchester. The branding follows the Aircoach theme becoming so prevalent in the First group now.

Another surprise was in store for me when a Wright bodied Scania 65680 appeared on the X30, now normally the preserve of the Volvo B9 coaches or the Mercedes Vario Cheetah mini coaches. There is even an older Volvo coach to use, 20463??

Gary Seamarks sent an interesting snippet saying this appeared in N&P for 17/12/08 Eastern Traffic area. 

New Application

PF1084987 SI   FIRST COACHES

ENTERPRISE HOUSE, EASTON ROAD , BRISTOL BS5 0DZ

Operating Centre: WOODSIDE ANIMAL PARK & LEISURE PARK,

WOODSIDE ROAD, ALEY GREEN LUTON LU1 4DG

Authorisation:10 Vehicle(s).

Transport Manager(s): DOUGLAS MICHAEL YOUNG

Is this for a new coaching operation, or could it be to do with the airport shuttle, which at present is on First London discs.

Grant Palmer

Ben Morroll caught up with this Dart when in Milton Keynes. A similar bus is in  use at Luton.

Jeffs Coaches

Richard Sharman sent this picture of Jeffs latest, which I think is taken at their Helmdon depot.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

Dave Francis, who runs a National Express interest site sent the following regarding liveries. Mayb e readers will have sightings to help clarify matters. I saw NEx VC13 at Stansted yesterday and it sports the latest branding. Indeed many of these coaches pass through our area.

Dave writes "I would imagine all coaches have been rebranded by now, but i'm still yet to see evidence of the following having been done."
 
Arriva Burton’s Coaches:
YN54DDO NX
 
Arriva Classic Coaches:
8943 X143WNL DEX (now off NX work)
8945 NL52XZV NX (now off NX work)
8946 NL52XZW NX (now off NX work)
8947 NL52XZX white (now off NX work)
8948 NL52XZY white (now off NX work)
8951 YN54ZHL NX
 
Arriva Midlands:
3204 YJ03PFX NX
3208 YJ05PVT white
3209 T209XVO NX
3255 FJ56OBP white
 
Arriva Tellings Golden Miller: (no longer on NX work)
YN54WWG white
 
Bharat Travel (Dhillon):
D304 Y304HUA NXA
 
Coach Miles:
FJ07TKA NX
 
East Yorkshire Motor Services:
46 A19EYC NX
 
First Coaches:
20516 WV02EUT NX
20517 WV02EUU NX
20525 WV52KTJ NX
20533 WV52AKY NXS
23202 YN04YHW NX
23301 YN54NXM NX
23302 YN54NXU white
23305 YN54NXX NXL
23314 YN54NYV NX
23318 YN55PXJ NX
23320 YN55PXL white
23325 YN06CGZ white
 
First Cymru:
20512 WX51AJY NX
20513 WX51AKY NX
20521 WV52FAM NX
20549 CU53AFZ NX
23205 WM04NYV NX
23206 WM04NYW NX
23501 FJ56OBO NX
 
First Devon & Cornwall:
20416 WSV408 NX
20518 WK02UMA white
20529 WK52SVV NX
20531 WV52HVE white
20532 WV52HVF NX
20541 WX53PFG NX
 
First Truronian:
20701 FN06FLC ?
 
Go Northern:
7085 Y785MFT white
 
Hayton’s:
35 07 FJ07DWO NX
 
National Express Limited, Birmingham  
D314 Y314HUA white
D317 Y317HUA NXA
D327 Y327HUA white
D331 Y331HUA NXA
V34 LK53KVZ white
V38 LK53KVV white
V39 LK53KVU white
V43 LK53KVP NXA
VC2 FH05URO white
VC7 FJ06URG white
VC8 FN06FMC white
VC12 FH06EAX NXZ
VC13 FH06EBM white now new branding
 
Selwyns Travel:
105 YJ53VDN white
107 YJ04BYH NX
112 YJ05PWF NX
113 FH06EBO white
114 FJ56PAO NX
116 FJ56PBO white
 
Stagecoach Cambridgeshire:
53001 GU52WSX white
53002 GU52WSY white
53003 GU52WSZ white
53004 GU52WTA NX
53005 GU52WTC NX
 
Stagecoach East Kent:
53010 GU52WTJ NX
59209 FJ56OBW NX
 
Stagecoach East Midlands:
53007 GU52WTE NX
53008 GU52WTF NX
 
Stagecoach Yorkshire:
52526 1737HE NX
52567 PHE692 NX
53028 HE8054 NX
 
Transdev Bournemouth:
310 HF53OBG NX
 
Ulsterbus:
120 KEZ9120 EUR
121 KEZ9121 EUR
122 KEZ9122 EUR
123 KEZ9123 EUR
 
Veolia Birmingham:
C003 YN55PXU white
NXL26 YN05WJM NX
KP51UEY white
 
Veolia East Midlands:
0622 FN06FLB NX
5402 FJ54ZDE NX
KP51UEW white
 
Veolia North:
27 FD54DHO white
0417 CN04NFF white
0418 CN04NFG white
0602 FJ06GHA NX

 
Yeomans Canyon Travel, Hereford  
1 YR52VEO white (now off NX work)
22 YP52CTV white (now off NX work)

Readers reports and any would be appreciated.

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, having had engine problems with 59211, now have South Gloucestershire's DAF/Van Hool L99SGB on short term hire for the 737 service. These Van Hools are really nice coaches, no rattles - a very solid vehicle indeed.


We were able to get a reasonable destination display on this one, readers may remember we had L66SGB just over a year ago.


Gavin Francis provided this picture of L99SGB on an 040 working late last year in all white livery at VCS.


Talking of problems, the PLS lift systems don't always function 100% and various contractors are used to maintain these items.
Picture at Stansted by Gavin Francis.


Luckett's have taken over the Portsmouth area services, until recently run by Telling Golden Miller.
Some brand new Levantes have been purchased for the operation as shown in the pictures above by Gavin Francs.


The Irizar PBs are now mainly focused on Veolia and First operation.
Three are seen in this MK Coachway picture from Richard Sharman

One thing that I've noticed is that the growing use of wheeltrims on buses, especially the Tridents, has covered the use of wheels painted in various different colours. This certainly enhances the look of the fleet.

Trident 104 has not been seen on the road for some days now and one surmises that it being repainted, thereby eradicating the "white top" livery which for so many years graced the Oxford Bus fleet.


Most unusually a branded bus appears on the wrong road. 806, branded for 5 road is seen on an 8 road working in the centre of Oxford.
Picture taken 14th January by Gavin Francis.


For those who may have wondered why coaches 25 and 26 were reregistered shortly before their recent sale, the answer is seen the pictures above taken by Gavin Francis.
Two vans, serving the commercial needs of the company are seen on 17th January in Gloucester Green bearing these cherished registrations.

Latest fleet list 

Reading Buses/Newbury Buses

Richard Sharman sent this pictures of a Newbury Solo taken at the depot.

Redline Travel

Ben Morroll caught up with this Dart when in Milton Keynes.

RH Transport

A couple of interesting pictures have reached my desk for this issue.


The first is from Gavin Francis who caught up with this "rail bus" at Thornhill Park & Ride. One presumes it was on shuttle duties.


The second, again from Gavin, is this Vario on service 201 in Oxford city centre. One must say the bus looks very smart.

Take a look at the introduction pages to see more on the new S series. Introduction & main menu and Editorial & Features plus Picture Corner


The secret is out. Let's have your pictures of the various buses and routes.


Gavin Francis took this picture of the rear branding on M A N 22057 which has so far escaped an airing on this page.

Oxford news.

M A N 22936 has now been repainted and sports revised route 3 branding. 22937 is now away for repaint and is seen below in a picture by Gavin Francis ready to leave for Banbury paint shop on 18th January.


Prior to the introduction of S series S5 and also the Brookes Lent term, 18196 is seen on the 27C in Oxford.

The Oxford Tube


Transferred from West Scotland to give additional capacity on The Tube, 50133 is seen in London by Gavin Francis.

Bedford news

Gavin Francis and Ben Morroll. have caught up with new X5 coaches and their pictures are added to those taken by your Editor.


Pictures from the Editor of 53615 inside and out. No branding yet.


Pictures of 53610 taken by Gavin Francis, now with branding.


53610 again, this time in Milton Keynes, taken by Ben Morroll.

Ben also caught up with 53274, once in Virgin Trains livery for the Vt99 and now used as a spare for the X5 and VT99. Indeed this coach was on the X5 on Monday 19th January, seen in Oxford.

Last workings of the X5 by the old Volvos seen in Milton Keynes by Richard Sharman.


Soon to be replaced on the X4 by Enviro 400 Scania deckers cascaded from Manchester
 Trident 18102 sets out on its long journey from Milton Keynes. Picture by Richard Sharman.

Visit to Nuneaton by Adam Green

Adam Green writes "I visited Nuneaton and saw a lot of Stagecoach some of the pictures are included below."

 

Z & S Aylesbury

 

Not a company that one sees so much as others but recently they have been very active on rail replacement as far away as Stansted and I also saw their Metrorider plodding along the M25 in easterly direction a week or so ago.

 


The plodding Metrorider seen in Milton Keynes by Richard Sharman.

 


I saw this Jonckheere Mistral at Stansted on two successive weekends.

  

Menu for News Page Issue 18th January 2009

Archive Index (previous News Pages)

Introduction & main menu

Editorial & Features plus Picture Corner

Company and Fleet News

Concessionary Travel, Buses in the Landscape, Running Days and Historical articles.