The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  ~~~~   The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  ~~~~   The page for enthusiasts in the Oxford Chilterns Area - News from you and news for you - pictures too  

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

Issue 283
(OBP-496)
Friday 20th February 2009
(next update week ending 7th March 2009)

Now in our 11th year

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

Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002

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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malcolmhc@aol.com

To see the pictures full size just click on the thumbnail

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

Buses in the Landscape


The Magdalen Bridge and The Oxford Bus company well represented on a winter's morning, Tuesday, 17th February. M Crowe.


The Magdalen Bridge and one of the latest Enviro 400s on the Arriva service to Aylesbury on a winter's morning, Tuesday, 17th February. M Crowe.


Headington Hill and an Oxford Bus company Park & Ride Trident heading for the city on a winter's morning, Tuesday, 17th February. M Crowe.


Stagecoach Scania 15436in the snow in February on an S3 service - Richard Sharman.

Historical items

A question from David Williams.

I appreciate your website and that that you give your free time after work and family life to compile regular updates. I did send you this last year and you replied to me but I never saw it on the website, if you did publish it and I missed it my apologies.

I actually live in mid-Warwickshire but back to 1975 to 1982 I lived on the Gloucester/Warwickshire border and I travelled to school in Stratford-upon-Avon on vehicles operated by Meon Valley Coaches / Barry's Coaches.
Before around 1975 Meon Valley was managed by either a Mr Rees or a Mr Guest or both and then by Mr Herdman but this may not reflect the actual operators licence.

I never really knew the relationship between the companies although the 1996 South Midland Bus Handbook lists under Barry's Coaches, ' RB Talbott, Meon Valley Coaches Ltd ......' and I recall around that time the legal lettering on the vehicles was something like ' Barry's Coaches (trading as Meon Valley Coaches Ltd) ..... ' so at least in later years it appears that Meon Valley was the name on the operators licence.

The vehicles over the years included Duple Super Vega, Bella Vega and Harrington Crusader on Bedford SB chassis, Plaxton Panorama and Duple Vega Major on Bedford VAL14 chassis, Duple Viceroy on Ford chassis, later Plaxton Panorama, Elite, Supreme, Duple Dominant and early Caetano / Moseley Continental all mainly on Bedford Chassis.

Barry's depot in Parkers Lane, Moreton-in-Marsh closed around 1998.

I would be interested to know if Barry's simply closed and the fleet dispersed or if the fleet was absorbed in to that of another company? Also if anyone has other information or photographs of either fleet?

Best regards,
David Williams.

 

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