News Page
Editorial
& Features
Issue 275
(OBP-488)
Sunday 19th October 2008
(next update week ending 26th
October 2008)
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Editorial & Features - plus Picture Corner
As ever there are many interesting happenings in the industry we follow and one significant piece of news relating to Oxford is our lead article for this issue.
Brookes contract for buses to change operator
In mid Summer 2009 the Brookes Bus contract will move to Oxford Bus from the present operator Stagecoach in Oxfordshire. This is the result of a recent tendering process and it is rumoured that Oxford Bus may use 100 seat bio fuel buses on the contract but nothing is as yet confirmed.
Further details will be published on this page as they become available.
Stagecoach invests £3m in hi-tech buses
Stagecoach has placed a £3 million order for state-of-the-art vehicles to operate on the longest and greenest guided busway in the world.
The fleet of 20 vehicles - which will run on 100% bio fuel produced from recycled food waste - will go into service on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway when it opens in April 2009.
It has ordered 10 Wrightbus/Volvo Eclipse/B7RLE single deckers, in the first major order placed by Stagecoach with Wrightbus.
Also, 10 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400/Scania N230UD double deckers have been ordered by Stagecoach for the guided busway.
All vehicles will have leather seats, air chill or air conditioning, real time information, and Wi-Fi to enable passengers to access email and the web on the move.
ADL to build buses in America
Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) has made significant announcements at APTA, San Diego, at the major triennial gathering of North America’s transportation professionals.
It showed its new tri-axle Enviro500 hybrid (with Allison transmission) for the North American market, and indicating its intention to start assembling double decks in California from the middle of next year.
This involves a collaboration agreement with ElDorado National, part of Thor Industries. ADL will ship kits from the UK and the buses will be built at ElDorado’s facility in Riverside, California.
The deal give ADL full ‘Buy America’ compliance and access to ElDorado’s 33 dealerships across the USA and Canada, broadening its sales and marketing opportunities in North America.
ADL has also announced plans to open a 10,000 square foot warehouse and distribution centre in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will act as a hub for its North American aftermarket activities and be up and running by the end of this year.
Gloucester Green – comments from an observer
I received the following notes from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous but which one feels have some news relevance.
Whilst waiting for a bus at Gloucester Green, Oxford I was amazed to see just how many people appeared to have a death wish! I observed passengers getting off coaches and then having retrieved their luggage from the underfloor storage areas, they strolled off into the midst of reversing buses and coaches, apparently with no idea of the dangers they were exposing themselves to! In one case I was horrified to see a young mother wheel her pushchair right through the reversing area. Could not the staff who are there to oversee buses reverse, take a more proactive stance in forbidding people to continue walking through this area? Unless something is done to improve matters then I fear that a fatality is likely.
The many coaches which are parked diagonally at the rear of the reversing area seem to be creating great difficulties for reversing buses and coaches. For example our 66 route bus had to make many attempts at getting in and then out before it succeeded. This was due to it not being able to reverse back as far as it wished to. Could not the waiting coaches be stored at Oxpens and then called over by radio when needed?
An interesting note with some very valid points. It maybe the case that Gloucester Green is no longer adequate, especially in view of the longer buses and coaches now entering service. I suppose only time will tell.
MacBraynes question by Northampton Busman
Matthew asked for info on MacBraynes and Pete replies "...you had a request from Matthew wanting the OoP MacBraynes book. I'm looking for a copy but meanwhile there are two interesting books on Highlands Transport called Wheels around Lochaber and Wheels around Skye and Lochalsh. Only the cover pics are in colour, but they include some real rarities! Both are by Richard Grieves and cost £7.99. If he can't find them locally I'm happy to pick up a copy of each and forward them to him with P+P.
By the way, Rapsons have now sold out to Stagecoach who have improved local timetables (my village now has a return bus from Fort William on a Saturday!) and introduced a local 'Fort Link' design. If your interested I'll send you some pics, if it stops raining long enough to get some worth taking."
Atlantean in New England by Paul Davis
I was in New England recently and came across this open top Atlantean with Peter Pan Bus Services in Springfield Massachusetts on 28th Sept. I was unable to determine it's origin.
Maybe readers can help?
A Routemaster by Glenn Knight
Glenn writes that ex RML2409 (JJD 409D) is in use at Hatfield Park & Ride site as a mobile cafe.
Binders Yard - a new arrival by Gavin Francis
For the second time in a few months another ECW bodied Olympian coach has appeared in our area. C450BKM started life with Maidstone & District on their commuter runs into London but by the mid 80's most of the batch had moved to Northumbria Motor Services where it stayed until the mid 90s.
It has subsequently been owned by A2Z Travel in Walsall and also Young in Faversham, Kent. It is now owned by Stigwood Travel and it was in Binders Yard last Thursday.
Leyland National in Oxfordshire by John Hammond
Ex Harwell AERE Mk2 National 653 GBU which has been with Tappins of Didcot for a number of years has re-entered public stage service after a lengthy break! (Tappins gave up bus work until very recently)
It was spotted this evening working Tappins service 94/95 in Didcot in full Tappins Rapid Transit livery, probably a one off event as the service is normally worked by an Enviro 200 Dart.
My draw dropped about 10 foot when I saw it, sadly I didn't have a camera or time to get a ride on it in service!
http://gallery41664.fotopic.net/p7306173.html
It doesn't look much different to this 1994 picture!
Douglas Spencer visits the Isle of Man
I thought readers might find current operations in the Isle of Man of interest.
Doug writes "I recently spent an interesting and very relaxing week on the Isle of Man (returned home on 17th September) and thought that you might be interested in one or two pics.
Fleet No: 90 – FMN503J
Chassis (low-floor layout): DAF DB250LF DE02RS built 2001 Chassis number:
009260
Body: East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander H72F
New to Isle of Man Transport
A nice shot
showing the old and new forms of transport at work in Douglas.
Fleet No: 76 – FMN500T
Chassis (low-floor layout): DAF DB250LF DE02PSOH built 2002 Chassis number:
009650
Body: East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander H74F
New to Isle of Man Transport
Also on view Douglas Corporation Transport Horse Tram No 37, a Milnes 32-seat
covered Toastrack dating from 1896
Fleet No: 20
– HMN245J
Chassis (low-floor layout): Alexander Dennis Trident 2 148BR66GX built 2005/2006
Chassis number: 33935
Body: East Lancs Myllennium Lolyne H72F (17/18), H74F (19-24)
New to Isle of Man Transport
Fleet No: 15
– GMN375N
Chassis (low-floor layout): Transbus Trident 2 148BR64GX built 2004 Chassis
Number: 33438
Body: East Lancs Myllennium Lolyne H74F
New to Isle of Man Transport
There were a couple of others outside the Douglas depot but they were behind some rather large railings and I only caught a glimpse of them as we passed by on the train. MAN 24H – Isle of Man Road Services No 24 – Leyland National 03313 – Leyland B52F new 4/76 – Preserved by the Manx Transport Museum Group.
Glenn Knight sent two pictures of murals in the Gents loos at Bracknell. (Strange but true)
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