Special Issue for London Underground Strike - 5th & 6th February 2014.
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Current archives from October 2002
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Editorial
London Underground Strike
Our staff photographer, Gavin Francis, happened to be in London on Wednesday 5th February and was on hand to get some interesting pictures of the buses involved in providing relief capacity for normal services.
London’s Tube strike – surprise buses used as service extras by Gavin
Francis.
Wednesday 5th February
Today was the first day of a two day strike by London Underground staff and
as on previous occasions the streets were soon full of people trying to use
the bus services as a replacement to the underground they normally used on
the journeys to and from work.
London Buses put on some additional buses on a few key routes and there were
some interesting vehicles on the road today. In the past this practice has
been used.
Route 148 is a cross central London route starting at
White City in the west passing through Marble Arch, Victoria and Westminster
and terminating at Camberwell in the south. On the 15th February
it is due to be the next route to operate
The New Routemaster but today
many were out running as extras albeit in one person operation as it seems
it will do from the 15th and not as expected to be crew operated.
I saw LT 124, LT 128, LT 142 and LT 144 although more of them may well have
been on the road.
However probably the most interesting buses in use were supplied by Ensign
and again ran as extras on the 38 route. At least three Routemasters were
running, These were RM25, RML882 and RML2588, RT1499 which is one of only
two surviving Cravens bodied RTs, Trident 103 which was former Stagecoach
17123 (then based at Plumstead garage) and finally former Leeds City
Transport 280 a 1958 Roe bodied Leyland PD3/5.
Additionally of note is that RT1499 survived in London service until April
1957 – 8 years from new – so only eight of its 65 years life were spent in
London. However of note, is it did return to London in1978 as a Chiswick
training bus.
All of the following pictures were taken in Vauxhall Bridge Road, Victoria
whilst the buses were on break between morning and afternoon peak runs.
Tube strike – and a general view along Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin
Francis.
Cravens bodied RT1499 is seen in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin Francis.
Leeds 280 and RT1499 in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin Francis.
A with a nearside view of Leeds 280 in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin
Francis.
RM25 in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin Francis.
.jpg)
RML2588 from the rear nearside in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin Francis.
Ensignbus 103 V479KJN ex Stagecoach London 17123 based at Plumstead,
seen
in Vauxhall Bridge Road by Gavin Francis.
Running Days in 2014
Amersham & District Motorbus Society
Nearly ten years ago and on 5 October 2003,
RLH48 takes a happy group of enthusiasts on a run
Sunday 30 March
1st WATFORD
Sunday 4 May
- 2nd HARLOW Running Day
based at Harlow bus station
Sunday 1 June
- 10th SLOUGH Running Day
based at Slough bus station, Brunel Way
Sunday 17 August - 9th HEMEL
HEMPSTEAD Running Day based at Hemel bus station.
Sunday 5 October - The 26th AMERSHAM
Running Day
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Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society
The Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society was formed in June 2010 and aims to
provide an informal monthly social meeting in Oxford for those with an
interest in buses. Meetings are normally held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month
and normally take the form of a picture show with local and guest
speakers. A small charge is made to cover the cost of hiring the function
room and this is usually around £1 for members per meeting depending on numbers.
For non-members a charge of £2 per head is made.
Next Meeting:
18th February – An
evening with Roger Davies.
Meetings are held in the upstairs function room at:
The Folly Bridge Inn
38 Abingdon Road
Oxford
OX1 4PD
Some limited parking at the back of the pub, also close to bus stops (frequent X3/X13 or 35 routes stop outside)
or a short walk from Oxford City Centre - For directions click HERE
A detailed programme of meetings can be found at the following link and we hope many of you will attend future meetings.
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When readers take copies of pictures from the OCBP site
Some of the contributors to this site have noticed that their pictures are appearing on e-bay sites selling such things.
Needless to say this is a theft of copyright and one which I deplore!
I would not wish to have to watermark photographs, thereby making them unsalable as such but if this practice continues I shall be left with no alternative. I am sure this would detract from the pleasure so many of you get from the OCBP.
May I please ask readers to do two things?
1/ If you see any photos on sale please let me know and where they are appearing.
2/ If you are someone who has copied and sold photos please desist as this is theft and I will have to take legal action against anyone found doing so.
The site is free to all readers and I pay a price to publish the pages which is not passed on.
Please respect those freedoms and I hope I may not have to mention this matter again.
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The level of contribution to this page by readers, as ever, remains excellent! Thank you all.
Malcolm Crowe - Editor - OCBP - 6th February 2014 2014
Spottings & Jottings
The next full issue will be published by week ending 23rd February.