Ed Maun
Nigel Peach writes "I keep meaning to
thank you for the new look bus page. It's much easier to navigate. Hope it
doesn't involve you in lots of extra preparation time.
Nothing to report on the local scene - not that I've seen anyway.
On
your list of the Arriva allocation at Wycombe, 3013 should be added, being the
12th and last of the Citaros to arrive.
A correction to the Carousel report (which I noticed
was incorrect in LOTS), the report says: "418 has been repainted red and 419 is
now branded "The Red One" for Chesham." It's the other way round. 418 has the
branding (and has had for about a year I should think). 419 was painted red
probably two years ago, but with no fleet names until a month or two ago. It
looks smart, but not the same as the two tone red that most of the fleet enjoys.
I was at Cressex this morning (3rd Dec). Very surprised to see that Volvo B7RLE
/ Wright Eclipse Urban 3862 (KE05 FMV) was parked there. This had moved to
Tamworth a few months ago with all the others in that batch. I wonder why it has
returned. It is seen pictured next to withdrawn 3454.
Picture by Nigel Peach
DAF DB250 / Alexander ALX400 6302 (Y502 UGC) has gained a
rear advert for The Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading.
Picture by Nigel Peach
Yesterday (15th Dec), I noticed that Carousel Trident 111
has regained its original registration number T111 DBW (see attached picture). I
suppose that with these Tridents having to be withdrawn by the end of this month
due to DDA requirements, the cherished plate NLZ 5111 is probably worth more
than the bus itself. I wonder if this will happen to all the Tridents prior to
disposal. 103 was still wearing its cherished plate yesterday.
Picture by Nigel Peach
The last three evenings as I have driven home from work (at different times) I
have seen unusual buses. They were
Optare Solo 2546 YN53 SVT
Dennis Dart 2289 BU51 KWJ
Optare Solo 1030 WL03 AOL
I hope I've got the reg nrs correct - not that easy to
see in the dark - and then remember until a pen is at hand! I've then looked
them up to ascertain fleet numbers. All of them are Arriva Midlands buses.
Interesting that Arriva Wycombe lost their remaining Darts and Solos some years
ago. I wonder if they are loans, or maybe they are in for Alexander ALX400
6242-4, all of which I think are not DDA compliant so will have to go by the end
of the month.
New Year's Day
and no buses running. Here are three pictures taken at the full Cressex yard in
the pouring rain!
On the picture of the withdrawn buses, I guess it is 6242 on the left, behind the wrecked car, then 3454 withdrawn many months ago, 6243 and 6244. As mentioned before, these three S reg DAFs are not DDA compliant, so have had to be withdrawn!"
Pictures by Nigel Peach
Luke Braham
Another addition to the Aylesbury fleet is Dennis Dart 2153 LJ51 DBV.
I’d imagine this was a temporary loan to High Wycombe with Aylesbury blinds
still programmed.
Wright Renown 3267 V267 HBH has been withdrawn. Renowns 3264 V264 HBH and 3266
V266 HBH are still in use with them both operating route 70 from the Leighton
Buzzard outstation on the 1st December.
Aylesbury’s Sapphires continue to stray from the 280 and X8 from time to time
with
5462 SN15 LPL operating route 300 on the 24th November and 3797 FL63
DWX operating route 150 on the 3rd December.
Arriva Midlands 9000 R423 TJW was noted in Aylesbury Bus Station on the 7th
December in the Bus4Life livery.
This bus also turned up at Wycombe Bus Station being pictured by Gavin
Francis on December 8th.
James Allum writes
"Not much to report
at the Hemel end apart from Arriva's renumbering scheme to bring it into line
with the Southern Counties fleet.
The Sapphire route 320 Enviro Deckers are now 646x's and
one of particular interest is former The Shires 3502 which is now 1592 was a
brand new Dart MPD at Garston for the 350 Watford - South Harrow via Carpenders
Park.
Also to note the route 2 eclipse's are no longer 396x and
397x but now 37xx's as 3973 is now 3773.
Also a picture of Enviro 3554 (Stevenage based) at Hemel displaying signs of
winter wear as it was covered in dirt pictured in Hemel on the 300.
Picture by James Allum.
On January 4thWatford's
4515
was seen in Hemel and was travelled on by myself on the 2 Woodhall
Farm - Bennetts Gate twice as it happened to be my bus home too. This bus
has no working LED blind (Possibly still programmed for Watford routes)
and so had a white sheet of paper in the front saying 2!
If the rumour is true that I have been hearing this could
be happening more as of March as Garston's Blue and Cream buses are being
shifted to Hemel, like previously noted in Luton where Sapphire
321 vehicles have been reported on the local routes i.e. 12 and 33 etc. so it
could be interesting to see if any of Hemel's buses appear on Watford
locals and vice versa at Hemel.
Gavin Francis writes " Wycombe on December 15th with a few shots."
6243 which along with 6242 and 6244 were DDA non compliant at the end of the
2016.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
3705 from Arriva Midlands, here whilst 3703 is repaired. Picture by Gavin
Francis.
Now some pictures by the Editor.
Solo 2546 in Wycombe Bus Station on January 6th 2017. 2550 was on the 34 at
Cressex on January 10th.
Citaros 3007 and 3018 in Wycombe Bus Station on
December 19th.
3008 and 3012 at Cressex depot on December 2nd.
3744 AE56MBU on the 37 at Wycombe Marsh on November
30th.
3932 on the 300
in Wycombe Bus Station on December 19th.
Seen on the Editor's bi-annual visit to Bangor, North Wales in December.
Arriva Wales at Bangor is 4190 Y705XJF on December
17th. Itr seems this and several other similar deckers are still in service
as at January 8th so must be DDA Compliant. They came from Arriva, Leicester in
2014.
A general view of Bangor Depot on December 17th. The
fleet here is rather elderly although they do have some nice 14 plates for the
Cymru Coastliners.
You will find a number of pictures of Arriva London New Routemasters on the TfL page.