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
 News of the local companies – 28th September 2008

Issue 274
(OBP-487)
Sunday 28th September 2008
(next update week ending 12th October 2008)

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.

If you wish to be included on a mailing list where I will advise of any mid-week news please let me know
malcolmhc@aol.com

To see the pictures full size just click on the thumbnail

A significant amount of news has been received from various readers and I much appreciate this.

Nigel Peach writes "I noticed from the list in the bus station that a lot of vehicles are currently off the road. This must have caused a shortage and two buses have reappeared, presumably to cover. Plaxton bodied Volvo B6 3138 (L43MEH) had disappeared I think around the time that the three M reg Alexander bodied Volvos appeared. Ironically I think it has replaced one of those - 3330 which has severe accident damage - I can't see that this will see further service."

Well I received this picture from Matt Robinson taken on 20th September so I don't think 3137 has disappeared just yet.

Nigel goes on to say "Ex Oxford 3833 (M503VJO) is also back - I believe this was being used as a staff bus from Aylesbury. It has regained conventional blinds (number only) and was working the Great Missenden route on Friday 19th.

Another bus to suffer accident damage is Volvo B6 3115 (L315HPP)."

Nigel Peach

Nigel Peach

Late news (Friday evening) from Nigel Peach is he says that"Marshall bodied Dart 3833. It has regained an electronic destination display - so perhaps its third spell at Wycombe depot is more permanent than I'd expected!"  (Maybe this is an omen for Kevin Keegan and Newcastle??!!!)

Glenn Knight writes that S340SET, a Scania L94 UB Wright Renown which caught fire around six months ago in Milton Keynes has now been rebuilt and given a full repaint and was seen at Ware depot where Glenn took two views of the facility.

I would like to see more general depot pictures as it does give a nice idea of what each facility is like.

M841 DDS 3341 Dennis Dart not to be moved both in Ware Depot and 2 shots of Ware depot. M298 TWB Scania L113 CRL en-route to Debden/Loughton .

ARRIVA Harlow 3190 - P190SRO repainted.

Interurban - it's now just an alternative livery... by Neil Gow

There has been quite some discussion about the Interurban livery used by Arriva. Neil now gives an opinion. 

New Optare Solos running ex Stagecoach local routes in Darlington are in Interurban livery.  They never get out of Darlington so the routes are intraurban not interurban (although you could argue there is a big town at both ends), and anyway putting it on Solos just devalues the whole concept.  Meanwhile there are only three vehicles in Scotland in this livery (Scanias) and they run almost exclusively on the Glasgow-Irvine route.  Not the trunk route to Paisley/Johnstone or the long route to Largs, but Irvine! 

It doesn't mean anything anymore. But I'd love to see them paint 5836 in that livery and put it on Maidenheads every day! 

Thanks for the response.  It's handy to know which run it works if I'm in the area. 

By the way, I mentioned Arriva Scotland Interurban liveried Scanias on the Glasgow-Irvine route... I meant Erskine (Arriva don't serve Irvine).

Here's another example.  The almost 2 hour long limited stop X1 service run by Arriva North East between Newcastle and Middlesborough.  Definitely an interurban route you would think, since it is a long-distance service with a major town/city at each end and in the middle (Durham) and relatively high frequency (2 per hour).  It has its own branded buses, the branding being applied to Optare Prismas... in standard livery. 

Hey ho...!

Matt Robinson reports on local happenings in and around Luton.......

Reports are reaching me this evening that Luton's recently repainted Volvo Olympian 5140 (N46JPP) has suffered serious roof damage today (Sunday 21st September) whilst on a Rail Replacement assignment.

A quick update on 5140. The first two bays of the roof have been pushed back, but the upper deck shell at the front seems to be reasonably intact.
The bus is due for structural assessment, to determine if the main pillars have escaped serious damage.
 
Volvo Olympian 5139 was seen in Silver Street, Luton in Interurban livery. 5137 and 5140 are also treated in this way, while 5138 has LED display but was repainted in standard Arriva livery at Watford, rather than interurban.

I've recently invested in a new camera (just in time for Duxford!), and Saturday's day trip was its first assignment. Attached are some of the photos from the day.

 
Volvo B6 3139 on route 52 in Hemel Hempstead Bus Station.
I hope one day to capture 3115 here, returning 'home' after 13 years, having moved in 1995.
As you will see above, 3115 is presently suffering some front end damage. Ed.

A pair of Hemel Volvo Olympians, 5147 and 5148 on route 6. Both are earmarked for replacement by imminent Enviro 400s for the route.
Wonder where these rather fine deckers will go to then? Ed. 

 
Another repaint is Scania 3162 (N712EUR), based at Hemel Hempstead, from the old style Intalink Explorer advert into standard Arriva livery. With 3155 gaining an interurban front repaint styles remain a lottery.
 
Depot rumours currently circulating at Luton are that our B6s are to be replaced by Watford's P-reg Darts once the new Citaros enter service on the 321. I did note 3180 immobilised at Watford Junction on Saturday afternoon with engineers in attendance.

 
Ex Sovereign 3852 on route 301 at Hemel by Matt Robinson.

ATS has sub contracted a school job to Barfordian by Gary Seamarks
 
Just a quick note, believe that ATS has sub contracted a school job to Barfordian.

It was awarded a 3 year contract from Aug 06 for Houghton Conquest to Stewartby Middle. It was decker operated, which meant a long diversion due to a low bridge. The duty was   dead Leighton Buzzard- Kempston Hardwick (about 20 miles) then via B530 to How End, Houghton Conquest, Kempston Hardwick then A421 to Stewartby (about 6 miles). Dead at 8.39 to Leighton Buzzard (about 16 miles) to take up a Aylesbury Road Duty.

PM was Dead Aylesbury to Stewartby (30 miles) then to Houghton Conquest (6miles) then via Ampthill to Leighton Dead (16 miles) the dead mileage for this duty was incredible, about 80 miles

Barfordian have been on it for the last few days.

Speaking of where the Palatine II bodied Olympians may end up, those on the 280 - and they have rarely strayed off this route since new - are shortly to be replaced by Citaros. One is seen below looking in fine fettle at Headington.

I spoke to Steve Burns last week and he advises me that "the Tridents will be leaving the fleet shortly - they have been less than successful in the Wycombe area. (Lots of hills). He also advised that they have temporarily moved back to the Cressex Park & ride area for parking whilst new premises are found. Joining the fleet this week are ex Metroline Darts DMS13, 14 and 23. The same as exiting ones but S reg.

Nigel Peach writes "I was interested to read in the programme for the Amersham Running Day on Sunday 5th Oct that because the centre of Uxbridge is within the London Low Emission Zone, buses on the 305 form Wycombe now have to be LEZ compliant. It  also mentions that the one daily journey operated by Carousel, using one of their elderly step entrance Darts now terminates on the town centre by-pass, just outside the LEZ thereby avoiding Uxbridge station and a £200 daily fine! But it's not so popular with passengers alighting from the Underground who now have a long walk!" (The £200 fine is only for operators who pre-arrange the use of a non-LEZ compliant vehicle. If they use it without warning the fine is £500. Ed.

See the Editorial for pictures of the new double deckers for Green Line

Steve Warwick has sent a new Wycombe allocation list saying "Once again an excellent Bus page, as requested the following vehicles are based at Wycombe,"

Red Rose, Aylesbury

Adam Green writes "I was in Hemel bus station on Monday and there was a ex Brighton & Hove bus now with Red Rose.M79CYJ  (79)"

John Hammond sent this nice picture of F49ENF working the 275 last week. 

Warwickshire

Richard Sharman says that more Tridents have been received at Stratford, this time from Manchester.
They are used on route 28 as the ex London one seen above.

Thames Travel

I am indebted to Moya Wright who has supplied the latest fleet list for this operator. 
 

uno bus, Hatfield

Glenn Knight sent these pictures of one of the new Olympus's now with uno Bus.