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  

Issue 187
(OBP-402)
Sunday 30th July 2006
next update week ending 12th August 2006

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

Having had a very busy week I hope you will all understand that this week's page will be short and sweet. There has been quite a lot of interest in our area in the past few days but this page will focus on Oxford.

Oxford Bus Tours  http://www.oxfordbustours.com/

I received the following e-mail from S Brown who writes "The RMs operated around Oxford for only a few days before the Traffic Commissioners pulled them off the road. Rumour has it they were operating illegally by starting the service before the end of the 56 days notice period - sometime in early August!

This doesn't bode well and I'm sure Tappins and the City Council will both be watching this new operator more closely to see if they flaunt the rules further."

So we now await further developments but I had heard that they were operating on an excursion licence and as such should not have been using city centre routes which are for local buses and services including the City Sightseeing route.

Oxford High Street gets a facelift.

The High Street approaching the junction at Carfax is presently being worked on prior to resurfacing. As a result single file traffic is in operation causing significant delays at various times during the day.

Indeed from time to time express services entering Oxford have had to divert via the Marston Ferry Road and the Banbury Road to maintain any sort of schedule to the service.

Here we see Scania nr 3 heading down George St towards Gloucester Green, nearing the end of its run from London - 27th July 2006

With the roadworks requiring one way working some good photographic opportunities were presented at Carfax.

 
In the first picture we see OBC Volvo 81`9 operating a 15 road service
and in the second Brookes 18197 on a U1 service both in the one way system.

From time to time the temporary traffic lights fail and stop go boards are then used. On at least one occasion the lights stuck on green in both directions causing all kinds of problems.

By Carfax a man sits in a "cage" controlling the lights to try and keep the traffic moving. He is assisted by more men with two way radios who keep things moving as smoothly as possible. I was told that the poor chap was now in a "cage" as the barriers were knocked over by a bus leaving Carfax and he nearly went with it!

Here you can just see the man in the "cage" on the left of the picture.
OBC 116 waits for the lights to change on 27th July 2006.

Generally things sort of work but the masses of pedestrian walking all over the junction add to the hazards experienced by drivers. Cars are still suing the High Street adding to the general confusion and we won't talk about the cyclists who now ride all over the pavements adding to the dangers for pedestrians.  During my short time at Carfax there was no evidence of police or traffic wardens and cars were parking in St Aldates adding to the traffic delays.

Flash floods hit Oxford a week last Saturday

Following the pictures received showing the floods just over a week ago Matt Bullock sent one more picture taken at the very height of the storm in the Woodstock Road.

An OBC Park & ride service heads for the City Centre in this evocative picture by Matt Bullock.

Brookes Tridents on holiday - more pictures from Devon

Another picture came from Terry Wong showing a Brookes Trident on the X46 in Exeter bus station.

The bodies on these Tridents were built at Wigan in the old Northern Counties factory then owned by Plaxtons.
There is a new history of Northern Counties by Venture Publishing on sale at Headington Book Shop.

The Isle of Wight with pictures from Barry Pickett

Barry visited the Isle of Wight recently and took these pictures which give an idea of what waits a visiting bus enthusiast.

I entitle this picture Colourful Ryde with the many different liveries of Southern Vectis.
One can only wonder what the inhabitants from the '50s and '60s would make of it all, if they were suddenly plonked here by time warp?

The preserved Bristol K is seen here working a rail replacement service recently.
I'm not sure what has happened to "the old girl" sister bus used by Southern Vectis a few years ago?

Developments in Aylesbury Web Site link

Colin Richardson wrote regarding town centre developments in Aylesbury which include a facelift for the bus station.

Colin says "In brief:  Work started on 17 July at the double mini roundabout in Aylesbury, with removal of a filter lane from Friarage Road to Oxford Road.  The central reservation will be remove and replaced with double white lines.  This action of the work is from top of Oxford Road to the Walton Street roundabout.  It should be completed by mid November this year.  Other sections are still at the drawing office stage, with the next two phrases to commence in February 2007.  Bus lanes will be built in Oxford Road and Friarage in the phase. 

I am Secretary of the twenty one year Aylesbury Vale Transport Users Group, which five times a year.  Currently meetings with all parties involved on a monthly basis to discuss aspects of each phase. 

Hopefully there will be no delays to bus services, however, some delays may happen.. Route 280 now has roadwork's at four sites on its route, at least for three months. 

I will provide updates from time to time."

I look forward to more details as work progresses and also some pictures.

A new local website

Mike Knuckey has launched a new web site and writes "I have launched a new community website called mychilterns and would like to add a link to your website. Can you add a link to my site at http://www.mychilterns.co.uk "

News of an interesting rally

I received news of an interesting rally which would make a nice day out.

James Webb writes "Wonder if your readers might be interested in the Avon Valley Railway/Bristol Vintage Bus Group's rally and running day at Brislington Park and Ride in Bristol on August 13? I know it's a bit outside the area but still an easy day trip.

I believe there are over 50 vehicles entered at the time of writing this, some of which will be operating services to and from the Railway itself, the BVBG's depot at Flowers Hill and possibly either Temple Meads or Bath Spa stations (not 100% sure on this one but they have in the past) which would make getting to the event by public transport easier.

More information from http://www.avonvalleyrailway.org or info@avonvalleyrailway.org who will be able to give you more complete details if you're interested - with a bit of luck they might respond a bit quicker if you let them know I sent you.

And I'd better declare a vested interest...despite living in Oxford I'm a volunteer conductor/stationmaster on the railway!"

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Model Buses for Sale

I have a new Deal on Models for your readers...

Each of the following models are available in the following price structure: 

1 Model = £13.00

2 Models = £24.00

3 Models = £35.00

4 Models = £41.00 

Postage is £2.70 for the first models and 40p per model after that.

UKBUS 1014 - CREATIVE MASTER OXFORD P&R TRIDENT

UKBUS 5002 - CREATIVE MASTER OXFORD P&R CITARO

UKBUS 2012 - CREATIVE MASTER BROOKES BUS TRIDENT

CORGI ORIGINAL OMNIBUS OXFORD ESPRESS EXCALIBUR

Once again this offer is only available by emailing me direct at modelsmk@aol.com

More models are for sale on my eBay store, http://www.modelsmk.co.uk/shop

Thanks!    James

Would readers who respond to the above please quote my site when doing so.

Again my thanks to all my contributors, both old and new.

Malcolm Crowe - Sunday 30th July 2006

I never cease to be amazed at the power of the web. Last week I had a call from Fred Spresser who used to be with Thames Travel but now resides in the North East saying he had followed OBC 603 out of Durham. When I arrived home low and behold there was an e-mail from Mark Westgarth saying "Thanks for the excellent and regular news coverage from the Oxfordshire area. Currently running with Go Northern is Oxford Bus B10B 603 (N603FJO).  It has been observed running out of Chester-le-Street depot on a variety of routes and retains full Oxford Bus livery, except for Go Northern fleet names.  I enclose a photograph of it at Durham on Saturday 22nd July."

Thanks to Mark and in return I can advise that Trident/Plaxton President 3883 - NK51 UCL from Chester-le-Street is on loan to Oxford but has not entered service, currently only having been seen on driver training.

Also still on loan at Oxford are the two Wilts & Dorset Citaros which work the X3 and X4 routes.
This picture was taken on the 27th July 2006.

More B10BLEs return from refurb.

806 has now re-entered service following refurbishment. In common with 805 and 806 it does not have any picture branding on the rear panels.

The 737 continues to provide interest. One of the Scania PBs came into Oxpens on Friday morning correctly displaying 737 on the front blind but 757 on the rear blind.

Speedlink operated a very fine fleet of coaches with 30 seats, tables, servery and toilets.
These coaches are now operated by National Express and turn up all over the place.
The picture above shows P444SAS in Oxpens on 28th July 2006, laying over on a 737 working.

Red Rose

The 275 once again produced an unusual performer last week and was caught on camera by Gavin Francis..

I think the contract calls for a low floor bus and this is most certainly not !!!!!

Visit the "OXFORD BUS PAGE" Archive 1998 - 2002

Mike Penn's photo page with much from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire as well as Buckinghamshire

Chris Lowe's Photo page - mainly North West UK

The Oxford Bus Museum