Spottings & Jottings Special - 30th April 2014
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Current archives from October 2002
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Editorial
This special edition records the recent RT Running Day on London's 22 route. The buses operated between Piccadilly Circus and Homerton with short workings from Shoreditch.
The next full edition of the OCBP will be in two weeks time and will include the latest on local happenings. We will also record the days of the Tube strike in London when extra buses were provided on many routes, including the 11, 38 and 211.
Any pictures of these Tube strike days would be appreciated.
Running Days
Amersham & District
Motorbus Society
http://www.amershammotorbussociety.co.uk/
Nearly eleven years ago and on 5 October 2003,
RLH48 takes a happy group of enthusiasts on a run
I note that your last bus page in Feb included our 2013 Running Days - NOT
the 2014 Running Days details of which are attached (see end of e-mail).
Programmes can be purchased in advance through our website
http://www.amershammotorbussociety.co.uk/
or from the Tourist Information Centre in High Wycombe Library at the Eden
Centre where they cost £6 ( £7 on the day).
http://www.amershammotorbussociety.co.uk/
As a group, we organise 5 Running Days per year, Watford, Slough, Uxbridge, Hemel Hempstead and Amersham. We also attend various events and rallies during the year. Take a look at our Dates to Remember section to see where we are going.
At each Running Day we have a commemorative model bus for sale for the particular event. These are a real collectors item and beautifully manufactured. The models are usually of vehicles relative to that area or services run from that area.
The programmes from our Running Days are also collectors items. They have interesting articles about vehicles running and historical items of past routes, services and vehicles running around the area as well as full time tables for the day. The programme is full of photographs of vehicles found both in the past and those running the routes on the day. Programmes usually run into 30 to 40 pages.
You can buy your programmes about 1 month before the event - click here for ordering information - ordering now available online!!
If you are a vehicle owner and would like to get involved in one of our events please e-mail us for further details. Owners receive a commemorative plaque to celebrate the occasion.
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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.
20th May - Pictures from the John Law collection
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The level of contribution to this page by readers, as ever, remains excellent! Thank you all.
Malcolm Crowe - Editor - OCBP - 30th April 2014
RT Running Day 12th April 2014 by Gavin Francis
Transport for London have designated 2014 The Year
of the Bus and one of the first events to be held was a running day using
buses from the RT family on Route 22.
This route had for many years run between Putney
and Homerton but along with many long cross London routes was cut in half
with the western end running from Putney to Piccadilly Circus retaining the
22 number with the eastern section from Tottenham Court Road to Homerton
becoming Route 242.
For the running day, Route 22 ran from Piccadilly
Circus to Homerton with some short workings terminating at St. Paul's and
Shoreditch Church and also some trips ran on to Ash Grove Garage where there
was a display buses both old and new.
Your editor Malcolm Crowe and I used The Oxford
Tube from Lewknor to Victoria and then the chance to ride on a New Bus for
London to get us to St. Paul's which is just around the corner from
Cheapside where we were to board our first bus.
The timetable showed that there was due to be a
bus every 10mins from about 10.30am through to 16.30. As always in London
keeping to a timetable is very difficult with the amount of traffic
congestion and large gaps soon started to appear with buses sometimes
running in pairs. However in general most buses carried good loads picking
up both enthusiasts and the normal travelling public. There were no fares
charged but there was a chance to make a donation towards the upkeep of the
bus. The only fare charged was to ride on RT1 which was 10 pounds per
journey.
15 buses were used in total covering most of the
RT family variations. There were both A.E.C. and Leylands, central area red,
country area green and Green Line versions, different body builders
represented with buses from Park Royal, Metro-Cammell, Weymann, Saunders and
Cravens and also both 7ft 6ins and 8ft wide versions.
Our first bus was RT3491 which took us to
Shoreditch Church where it terminated. Malcolm wanted to ride on RT1 which
was due to arrive from Homerton so we decided to split up. He went west back
to Piccadilly Circus whilst I headed east to Homerton. This enabled us to
get a wider range of pictures.
We met up later in the afternoon at Ash Grove
Garage where the display of buses showed buses of the RT family through to
New Buses for London waiting to enter service on Route 38.
We were lucky enough to get a lift back to Central
London on RT1784 now owned by John and Gill Hinson. It brought back many
memories for me having owned it over 40 years ago and great to see it out
and about.
It was then back on The Oxford Tube back to
Lewknor which ended a very enjoyable unique day out.
Pictures
RT 1 (EYK 396).
Star performer of the
day was RT1. A mere 75 years after it first entered service in August 1939
it was back doing a day’s work on the
streets of London.
After being sold by London Transport in 1978 it
ended up in the U.S.A. where it almost met its end in a scrapyard.
In the 1980s it returned to the UK where it
was given a thorough restoration
and is pictured here in Shoreditch High Street
bound for Piccadilly Circus.
They are taken in Shaftsbury Avenue and reflect
75 years since this wonderful bus entered service.
RT 1396 (KXW 495).
This bus has a Saunders body which is
different from other body builders by having the offside route number set
further back.
Again it is in Shoreditch High Street.
RT 1431 (JXC 194).
A small batch of RTs were bodied by
Cravens on Anglesey. Their design varied from the other body builders.
This picture shows the 5 bay lower deck windows
as opposed to other builders using 4. Shoreditch High Street is the
location.
RT 1700 (KYY 527).
This Park Royal bodied example was
new to London Transport in 1950.
Now regularly used on the Epping - Ongar shuttle
bus it is pictured approaching its Homerton destination.
RT 3028 (NLE 918).
The final few streets approaching
the terminus at Homerton are twisty and narrow.
Here Weymann bodied RT 3028 threads its way to
its final destination.
RT 3062 (KXW 171).
Another Saunders bodied example
this time waits at the Shoreditch Church terminal for its next trip.
RT 3238 (KYY 967).
A small number of RTs were painted in
Green Line livery normally to be used as duplicates on busy summer weekends.
RT 3238 is seen heading south towards
Liverpool Street Station. Picture: Clive King.
RT 3491 (LYR 910).
Another Green Line liveried example is
seen leaving Shoreditch Church bound for Piccadilly Circus.
RT 3871 (LLU 670).
Although in red livery now this
Weymann bodied bus was green when delivered in 1950.
It worked from both Swanley and Watford garages
before entering Aldenham for overhaul in 1959 and emerging red and sent to
work from Leyton Garage.
A regular performer on the last day
Routemaster routes it is seen approaching its destination at Shoreditch
Church.
RT 4421 (NXP 775).
This bus is one of many buses in
the Ensign Heritage fleet and therefore carries their fleet name.
It is pictured in Cheapside bound for Piccadilly
Circus.
RTL 139 (KGK 803).
Delivered new in 1949 this bus initially
operated from Riverside Garage and continued to work in London until
withdrawal in 1967.
It was then sold to a museum in Holland where it
stayed until it closed in 1998,
thereafter being purchased by an individual who
donated it to The London Bus Museum.
It is pictured in Shoreditch High Street on its
way through East London to Homerton.
RTL 453 (KLB 648).
Delivered new in December 1949 it first
entered service on Route 53 at Plumstead before moving on to Riverside
Garage.
Following overhaul it was one of a very few
Leylands to gain a roof box body.
Originally sold to Ceylon as part of a large
batch a broken spring meant it had to be replaced by another RTL.
Instead it was acquired for preservation and is
now owned by Ensignbus. It is often used on The Wartime London Tour.
It is seen here passing Shoreditch Church.
RTL 1076 (LUC 253).
In 1967 this became the first bus to be
bought by Abegweit Tours of Charlettown, Prince Edward Island Canada.
Subsequently 10 more London Buses were bought
with the purchase of more RTLs, RTs and RMs.
In 2010 The London Bus Company bought the fleet
and had them shipped back to England.
Here RTL 1076 is pictured in Shoreditch High
Street en route to Homerton.
RTW 75 (KGK 575).
Entered service at Shepherds Bush Garage
in 1950 on Route 105,
it was one of the buses used to test the
suitability of 8ft wide buses in Central London
and ended its life as a trainer due to its width
being the same as the RMs being introduced.
Sold in 1970 to Ted Brakell dealer and is now
another bus from The London Bus Company.
It is seen turning into Ash Grove Garage.
RTW 467 (LLU (957).
New into service in November 1950 at
Battersea Garage and was used on Routes 31 and 39.
It was sold straight into preservation in March
1967 and is seen in Shoreditch High Street.
Ash Grove Garage
In conjunction with the 22 route there was a
display of London Buses both past and new at Ash Grove Garage on Cambridge
Heath Road.
Most of the buses on view were of the RT family although New Buses for
London
were being stored
ready for the full conversion of Route 38 to this type.
Picture: Malcolm Crowe
LT 4 was one of the original batch
of 8 originally trialled on the 38 route. The route is due to be fully
converted to NBFL in the next few weeks.
Newly delivered LT 180 and LT 181
await entry into service.
Apart from RT 1 the oldest bodied RT on show was RT 1784. Built in 1947 it
was one of the first post war RTs.
It has a band beneath the engine compartment
canopy and the route number is a stencil rather than a roller blind. This
distinguishes it from later roof box RTs.
However 67 was one of 40 bought by St.
Helens.
It was new in 1950 and was bought for
preservation in 1971 after it had spent the latter part of its life with
Hull Corporation.
It had come all the way down from Lathalmond,
Scotland for the event!
Malcolm took some more pictures of the St Helens RT.
Homerton
Parked
all day at the Homerton end of Route 22 was RT 2775.
Delivered in January 1952 it went with 2 other
members of the RT family on a 12000 mile tour of North America.
Throughout its working life it retained its
original body complete with GB plate on the back,
however upon overhaul in 1964 the body was placed
on the chassis of RT 734 from 1948 which it retains today.
Withdrawn in May 1977 it was one of the last RTs
in service.
It is a Leyland Olympian with Eastern Coachworks
body built in 1984. It has also been with The Coachmasters (Rochdale).
Overall a very well organised day which was
greatly enjoyed by both enthusiasts and the general public alike.
All the pictures are by the author unless otherwise stated.
I was delighted to join Gavin on this day out and as I had wanted to ride on RT1 for many years, indeed ever since I saw it in Amersham depot what must have been some 30 years ago!
It is a credit to the preservation movement that so many of these wonderful buses are still around.
I must look out some pictures I took of the RTs on Prince Edward Island, Canada back in 1994.
Malcolm.
Links & Publications
Mike Penn's interesting web site for pictures
You might be interested to know that I have now uploaded 268 photos taken in
Beds, Bucks and Herts in the year 2000 to my website -
http://166emj.piwigo.com/index?/category/50-beds_bucks_and_herts_photographs_2000
One of the
major events of the year was the purchase by Arriva the Shires of the City
of Oxford operation in High Wycombe on December 13th. Two days later, as can
be seen from the photographs, vehicles had received Arriva The Shires fleet
names and legal lettering but retained their Oxford fleet numbers.
The other
major event was the enforced sale of the Lutonian operation by Arriva the
Shires.
Both Arriva
The Shires and Arriva East Herts & Essex continued to repaint vehicles into
Arriva livery though there were still many in previous liveries.
Elsewhere in
the region M K Metro continued their policy of purchasing various
interesting secondhand vehicles. Some of these came from Border Buses – the
company in Lancashire that M K Metro had bought.
Buffalo
Travel continued to run but Seamarks were taken over by Dunn-Line early in
the year.
Many other
independents are also represented.
Mike Penn
Todays buses - Oxfordshire
This review covers the
September 2010 video by Robin Clare
Transport. The issue costs £10 and is well worth this small cost for
over one hour of buses and coaches in our area.
THE FINAL
VOLUME IS
SO
RETAIL
PRICE £25
ORDER NOW
FOR £20+ £3
p&p
This final installment of the
4-volume 800-page history of the Thames Valley Traction Co. Ltd. brings the
story to its conclusion on the last day of 1971.
All route developments and changes
to the fleet are fully detailed, along with special appendices for the
service vehicle fleet, garages and out-stations, a route map, garage
allocations and working arrangements.
Profusely illustrated with 548
monochrome half-tone illustrations and a full-colour section of 45 photos,
this provides a very comprehensive history of this interesting decade,
including the numerous secondhand vehicles acquired during those years.
Demand will be high, so
order now from: Paul Lacey, 17
Sparrow Close
Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire,
RG41 3HT
If you are local and wish to
collect please call me on 0118 979 4097
A Guy Arab on the Oxford service and seen at Gloucester Green.
One of the constituent companies was Denham's.
Apart from the archaic Leylands, the company ran some AEC Regals after the
war.
These were rebodied with ECOC/ECW bodies purchased from North Western Road
Car, Stockport via dealers.
They had been new in 1936 on Bristol Jo5G chassis which were rebodied with
Brush bodies in 1946 to a similar design.
Your Editor must have travelled on one of these buses, when in NWRCC
service, as a small boy.
They would have doubtless run on service to Highclere, now well known as the
house is featured in Downton Abbey.
17 Sparrow Close
Woosehill
Wokingham
Berkshire RG41 3HT.