Spottings & Jottings
Issue nr 62 - October 5th 2012
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Current archives from October 2002
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malcolmhc@aol.com
Editorial
A great deal has been happening since the last issue. The Olympics, both events, have come and gone and are now but a memory. The buses used have almost all returned to their operating companies.
We have a treat in store as Gavin Francis has prepared a special Olympic issue for the OCBP. I hope to publish this in the next two weeks.
The cruise ship used for accommodation moored alongside Bus Depot Athletes
(BDA).
Of other interest perhaps the most significant is that Weavaway have taken over Tappins from Heyfordian and we await full details. Suffice to say one of Tappins Van Hool coaches has appeared in white with Heyfordian at High Wycombe bearing Heyfordian legals and one of the double deck coaches was seen heading north out of Oxford with all Tappins branding removed except Oxford.
Another surprise is the closure of R H with effect midnight on October 4th. The company had grown from small beginnings and had some interesting stage routes, including the 700 J R service and many schools contracts. They had an interesting fleet and the local scene will be less colourful as a result. Further details are shown under their section in the operators area.
Another item of interest in the past few days was the cancellation by the government of the award to First Group of the West coast main line rail franchise. This will now remain with Virgin pending re-tendering. It seems that mistakes were made by civil servants, three of whom have been suspended.
The Award's season is upon us and we should have reports on the winners by the next issue.
Also in early November Eurobus 2012 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham. Dates for the event are:
Tuesday 6th November: 09:30 – 16:30hrs
Wednesday 7th November: 09:30 – 17:00hrs
Thursday 8th November : 09:30 – 17:00hrs
If you are there, on Wednesday 7th, I may see you.
Amersham & District Motorbus Society
Nearly nine years ago and on 5 October 2003,
RLH48 takes a happy group of enthusiasts on a run
Other Running Days in 2012
Sunday 7 October AMERSHAM based at car park near railway station
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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:
The next society meeting is on the
Tuesday, 16th October and will feature:
Howard Butler & Steve Loveridge giving a slide presentation
featuring "South Coast buses and East
Anglian operators from the past."
The meeting commences at
7.15pm
Non members are always welcome to join
us at our meetings for a fee of £2 per meeting.
Membership of the society allows free
entry into all meetings for free, and costs just £16 for a
year.
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 - October 5th 2012
Spottings
Observations and pictures
Mark Turner
Jamie Dyke
Dart Y846 TGH working for Reading Buses.
Thames Travel's R981FNW still in full Carousel livery on the X39.
SN11BMO on the 1, not the -1 as it is showing!
Bernard Lewendon
At the Lincoln
Road garage of Arriva I have seen T58 AUA in all over aquamarine. It was a
large coach and that was all I was able to see.
It is not
listed in the Arriva Handbook and without trespassing I could not see any
more details or if had a legal owner detailed.
Where are they now?
There are
several local buses not seen around for a month or more so where are they?
Arriva: 3457,
and 3865.
Carousel:
472, 481,753, and 872.
I also attach some pictures, all taken on 21 August at the Eden Bus Station.
Carousel 423 in new livery. Orange Route 39.
Vale Travel Enviro 200 DK57 OPY.
Carousel 416 now with no names or other lettering.
Arriva driver trainer 4367 SAF/Plaxton Prima.
Arriva staff transport FX4 taxi P564 SYF.
Close up of fleet number on Carousel 806. Perhaps one day they will all be
that clear and easy to read.
Route 377, Holtspur to Hazlemere run under contract
to Transport for Buckinghamshire changed operators recently.
The previous operator was Z & S International and
LT02 ZDA a Dennis Dart SLF with Marshall body in Purple Route colours was
pictured at Tesco towards the end of August, whilst an anonymous white
Mercedes Benz FX54 WFR bearing the fleet number 450 provided their last
service on 7 September.
The service was taken
over by Red Eagle and Y332 FJN was used on the first day, 11 September.
Richard Morgan
"I have also
attached a photo of Tom Tappin Ltd.'s latest bus, which I believe has been
in use now for about two weeks. 57(PJ53 NKC) Vo B7TL Transbus O41/25F
new to London Central (PVL538) 10/2003 as H41/23D. The conversion to
open top was done in-house by Tom Tappin Ltd.
Gavin
National Express/Stagecoach 53701 passing The Best Kept Village sign, in
Stokenchurch, which I have never noticed before.
Arriva Olympian 5162 in Lane End.
Luke Braham
This afternoon I saw Y509 UGC on a School Service in Aylesbury at Schweppes
(just inside Aylesbury from Bierton).
I understand that
ten of these DAF double decks have been received from London with six based
at Wycombe (6300-5) and four at Aylesbury (6306-9).
Weavaway have brought Tappins Coaches, which was owned by Heyfordian, on
Thursday 30th September. The sale includes 33 vehicles, with Weavaway's
coaching fleet expected to move to Tappins' Didcot site, and Heyfordian's
West Berkshire local bus contracts which were operated by Tappins
transferring to Weavaway at their Greenham site.
Now that this has happened Heyfordian are now running ex-Tappins Neoplan
Skyliner B20 TCL in plain orange and was on a school service today (Thursday
4th October) in Aylesbury.
John Marsh sent some pictures of the Borismaster
Alex Horwood
I have seen that 850 has transferred to Thames
Travel along with the other four Citaros and in return 900 is to transfer to
COMS.
Strangely only three (852 - 854) of the Citaros
have been treated to X2 branding however this isn't fully adhered to as I
had a trip on 854 to Wantage on the 36 and return on the X36, I noted the
same bus on the X32 a number of times, on the 106C earlier this month of
which I have a photo also a friend of mine noted it on the X40.. I noted 853
on the 36 today and on the X32 last week. 851 has also had a trip to
Wantage. 852 is the only Citaro so far I have noted as always being on the
X2.
Onto RH Buses.
Otherwise it is generally Optare Solos, although there is quite a variety in RH's fleet.
However there are no deckers used on the route
because of an 18 tonne weight limit on a bridge outside Longworth.
Richard Sharman has sent some nice pictures of interest.
Former Tube Jonckheere now with Girlings,
Plymouth
One of the remaining COMS Dart SLF's with PCB is
now a Trainer
Former Witney Trident passing a First Trident on
its last day in service in Barnstaple
One of the former Bicester allocated Tridents
Former Oxford Scania having just worked into
Exeter on Stagecoach's very first trip on the X9 from Bude
I am told that the Scanias will be
out-stationed at Bude for the X9. Ed.
Former X90 Coach at Pool Depot
Former SC Oxford ALX200 now withdrawn at Exeter
after being on loan to South(see legals pic)
Former Oxford ALX200 still in use in Torquay
Last Issue
Trevor Wilson writes
"Lot of info in issue 61.
Re Megabus picture with X27
branding - photo shows X74 branding Dumfries & Moffat, Hamilton and Glasgow
Re 141st Open Golf and
Stagecoach. There is reference to a coach seated Scania - and included
is a picture of 15729 PX61CVK named Blencathra - one of a batch of 9 (I
think) all named after Lake District peaks and based at Kendal in the a
Lakeland green and white livery and used on the 555
Lancaster-Kendal-Windermere-Ambleside-Keswick.
The part open top Trident
S812BWC is one of 5 S-BWC and 1 V-MEV open top Tridents based at Kendal for
the 599 Grasmere-Ambleside-Windermere-Bowness. Stagecoach Carlisle depot
also have 2 open top Tridents (ex London) for the 78 Keswick-Seatoller
and TGM
Adam Green writes "Hemel has a New 12 plate Enviro 300, 3579, which arrived a few weeks ago
I was at Heathrow last Monday and there were four
Citaros for Luton and the Busway on Olympic duty around the airport
Trident 5456 was on the 4&5
Here is a photo of 3579 with its new branding.
Gavin Francis writes "Arriva Darts 4530 and 4531 have arrived at Wycombe. They were previously DWL 18 and 19 in London and photos of them in those days are shown below."
Luke Braham
Arriva's 0441, YJ10 LZV, was operating the Green Route 4 service on the 11th
September it was also operating it today (13th September).
Bernard Lewendon
Taken at Aston Rowant on A40 inviting us to travel on Wycombe Bus.
Not a bus picture but perhaps of interest.
Taken at Wycombe railway station 35 years after the train service to Bourne
End ended
hence making it not possible to travel by train Wycombe to Maidenhead.
From the top of the multi-storey (55 steps!) car park at the Wycombe railway
station showing a Red Route 33 Arriva bus.
In Paul Lacey's recent and excellent book "Thames Valley, the Final Decade"
there is a picture on page 168 on the Wycombe Marsh garage of Thames Valley
taken in 1970 when it was under offer for sale.
This is the present condition of that garage.
Also seen on
October 2nd at Wycombe was 4531. A new arrival.
Pictured at Wycombe Marsh on 2nd. October and got this picture. You will see
that the registration IS LJ51 DFD.
According to the Arriva
Handbook it was last with London as their DWL 19. It
is a DAF SB120 with Wrightbus Cadet body.
Also pictured the unceremonious removal of 3827 from the bus station.
With the
arrival of 6300 - 6304 the DAF / Alexander double deckers, it was inevitable
that there would be the removal of some of the elders at Wycombe.
Still in
service is 5141 of 1996, also still working are 5150, 5151, and 5162. but it
looks as though 5147, 5148, and 5153 are out of service and have gone or are
going soon.
Two of the Volvo Wrights from Harlow now at Wycombe. Pictures by Gavin
Francis.
A quartet of MPDs seen around High Wycombe, pictures by Gavin Francis.
Ex Wycombe Bus Dart 3827 on a 40 turn with picture by Gavin Francis.
Another Dart on the 40, this time 3181 at Stokenchurch with picture from
Gavin Francis.
The two Solos which when new were used on the 40 to Thame now appear on
other routes as the 40 required more capacity.
2497 is seen on a 74 working by Gavin Francis.
A new bus that has been added to a route through Hemel Hempstead is expected
to reduce the number of delays for people using it.
It was
bought by Herts County Council for the 300 and 301 service and will be
funded by the group for a year as part of a drive to cut CO2 emissions and
boost growth.
Paul Adcock,
managing director of Arriva, said “The new bus has been added to the
schedule to offer improved reliability and punctuality for this service.
“In the past
the service has suffered from delays as it passes through many of the
county’s busy town centres.”
He hopes the
new timetable and bus will improve the service and encourage more people to
travel by bus instead of car.
The 300 and
301 route passes through Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and St
Albans – with buses stopping at up to once every 15 minutes.
An Arriva service in Milton Keynes is to be
converted to battery-electric operation next summer using a fleet of eight
Wrightbus StreetLites which will incorporate wireless recharging, a
technology not previously seen in Britain. It means they should be able to
cover comparable schedules to diesel buses. A five-year collaboration
agreement has been signed by the eight organisations involved, including
Arriva, Wrightbus, Milton Keynes council and Mitsui. The scheme was planned
and will be managed by Mitsui-Arup joint venture MBK Arup Sustainable
Projects. Its aim is to demonstrate the economic viability of low-carbon
public transport.
The partners are not putting a cost on the
project, but Milton Keynes council was awarded £640,000 of support in the
most recent round of Green Bus Fund awards. They say it could reduce annual
running costs per bus by between £12,000 and £15,000.
The buses will charge when power transmitted from
a primary coil buried in the road is picked up by a secondary coil on the
bus. Ten minutes parked over a coil will replenish two thirds of the energy
consumed by the bus. The primary coils will be placed at three points on the
route, which runs between Wolverton, central Milton Keynes and Bletchley,
and the buses will charge in scheduled layover the time.
John Miles from Arup, who initiated the trial,
says: “What makes the Milton Keynes project different to other electric bus
schemes is the wireless charging system. The Milton Keynes buses will be
able to cover a heavily-used urban route because they are able to charge for
ten minutes at the beginning and end of each cycle without interrupting the
timetable. This means that for the first time, an electric bus will
effectively be able to do everything a diesel bus can do, which is a
significant step forwards to a cleaner, quieter, public transport system.”
These will be the first battery-electric buses
from Wrightbus since some experimental vehicles in the 1990s.
521 (DAF 54), CB54 BUS a DAF SB120/Wright Cadet has moved to Thames Travel and is painted all white.
Recent additions to the Carousel fleet. Pictures
by Gavin Francis.
Carousel now operate a new service, the 28, which
serves Stokenchurch on an irregular basis. Picture by M. Crowe.
Carousel's new Mercedes 875 is seen on the 740 by
Gavin Francis.
923-924 (L 530,534), G530 & G534 VBB Leyland Olympian/Northern Counties deckers have appeared in all over blue school livery.
The two Olympians join those from Go-Ahead London
via Go North East also in blue. Picture by Gavin Francis.
Jonathan Harwood
The bus will be attending the Oxford Bus museum
event on 21 October and will be used on the shuttle service throughout the
day- so here's hoping for a dry day.
Dart 42338 loads at Wycombe with picture by
Gavin Francis.
8 buses and hour to Heathrow gives example of
the problems of branding - Citaro 64044 at Wycombe on the X74. Picture by
Gavin Francis.
News was received as this page was being prepared that subsidiary Tappins has been sold to Weavaway. This was effective from September 30th but it is not known what vehicles are involved or if the Didcot depot will be used by Waevaway.
Steve Warwick wrote on October 1st that a Heyfordian Visitor at Wycombe was Van Hool B13TCL. This, as seen below is all white and bear legals for Heyfordian.
Heyfordian Visitor at Wycombe 011012 - S. Warwick.
Ensign Bus dealers have taken Enviro 200's OU08 AYF and OU08 AYG.
Luke
Braham writes
"On Sunday 9th September Halton House was open to the public and Motts
Travel, 6247 MT, were operating a shuttle service between Halton House
and Trenchard Museum.
Today
(260912) I saw Motts Travel CT10 MTT in Aylesbury in plain white with
no Motts Travel livery, you could just see where it had been.
New vehicles
FJ12 FXZ
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
FJ12 FYA
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
FJ12 FYB
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
FJ12 FYE
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
FJ12 FYF
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
FJ12 FYG
Volvo B9R
Caetano Levante II
C48FLT
Edwards Coaches
HSK 651
Volvo B9R
Plaxton Elite
Parks
HSK 653
Volvo B9R
Plaxton Elite
Parks
HSK 656
Volvo B9R
Plaxton Elite
Parks
A Bruce owned Scania tri-axle has been working on loan to Stansted. Picture
by Paul Montague.
Two new Caetano Levantes now based at Start Hill. Picture by Paul Montague.
A strange thing, most unlike OBC is the use of rear displays on the X90 with the X90 variously on the right or the left of the box!! However it does make for interest.
Iwan
Jones
writes "Here
is a link to my flickr with pictures of the two Volvo/Wrights in driver
training livery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73435613@N07/7602756550/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73435613@N07/7602775492/in/photostream/
A photo for your OCBP - City of Oxford Enviro 400 308 (HH11 OXF) operates an
emergency working of Park & Ride service 700 on Friday 5 October,
replacing at short notice the service operated by RH Buses. It is seen in
Summertown on the 0710 from Water Eaton to the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Red Rose
The 275, operated by Red Rose now has several
journeys each day via Chinnor instead of Stokenchurch.
Here an Enviro 200 leaves Wycombe pictured by Gavin Francis.
R H Buses
The following announcement appeared on the company web site on the day in question.
"From the end
of Service today, Thursday the 4th of October 2012, RH Transport Services
will cease to operate All Oxfordshire County Council Bus Services and School
Contracts.
Any one who has
booked Private Hire's with us should make other arrangements.
Oxfordshire County
Council are currently working on finding replacement Bus Operators.
For further
information please contact the County Council's Transport Department 01865
816000
We would like to
thank all our Passengers for there Custom over the years."
It is always sad to see the demise of a local company.
Alex Rose sent a list of their routes and further information.
As I'm sure you are already aware, RH Transport have gone into
administration and have ceased operating.
I found some lists of operators who will takeover RH's contracts, and
thought this might be of interest for your readers:
Route |
Area served |
Replacement operator |
18 |
Clanfield – Bampton – Oxford |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
19 |
Carterton – Bampton – Witney |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
63 |
Longworth – Eaton – Oxford |
Heyfordian Travel |
64 |
Carterton- Lechlade – Swindon |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
67/A |
Wantage - Stanford – Faringdon |
Heyfordian Travel |
98 |
Great Western Park – Didcot |
Thames Travel |
243 |
Combe – Leafield – Witney |
Pulhams Coaches |
700 |
Oxford Hospitals service |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
C1 |
Charlbury Rail bus |
Go-Ride |
T1 |
Charlbury |
Go-Ride |
X8 |
Wychwoods – Kingham – Chipping Norton |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
X9 |
Witney – Charlbury - Chipping Norton |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
X15 |
Witney – Southmoor- Abingdon |
Stagecoach Oxfordshire |
X47 |
Wantage – Swindon (Saturday shopping bus) |
Ridgeways Coaches |
Route |
School |
Area served |
Replacement operator |
1503 |
Leafield-Shipton-Fulbrook |
Pulham & Sons (Coaches) Ltd |
|
1505 |
Leafield-Fordwells |
Pulham & Sons (Coaches) Ltd |
|
1506 |
Minster Lovell-Worsham |
Henshaws Executive Travel Ltd |
|
1508 |
Brize Norton-Carterton-Langford |
Blunsdon's Coach Travel |
|
1509 |
Bourton-Alvescot-Filkins |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
1702 |
Charlbury-Spelsbury |
Worths Motor Services Ltd |
|
1703 |
Charlbury |
Worths Motor Services Ltd |
|
1704 |
Enstone |
Worths Motor Services Ltd |
|
1705 |
Dean-Chadlington |
Tex Cars & Tex Coaches Ltd |
|
1706 |
Middle Barton |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
1750 |
Salford-Churchill |
Bakers Commercial Services Ltd |
|
1757 |
Charlbury-Enstone |
Charlbury Travel |
|
1758 |
Finstock-Cornbury Park |
Cherwell Cars |
|
1759 |
Ditchley Park |
Charlbury Travel |
|
1801 |
Kennington |
The School Bus Company |
|
1803 |
Kennington |
Tappins Coaches Ltd |
|
1810 |
Kennington |
Tappins Coaches Ltd |
|
2903 |
Rowstock-East and West Hendred |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
3106 |
Risinghurst |
Walters (Didcot) Ltd |
|
3108 |
Risinghurst-Sandhills |
Walters (Didcot) Ltd |
|
3202 |
Aston-Bampton |
Angela's Travel |
|
3203 |
Aston-Cote-Standlake |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
3205 |
Stonesfield-Finstock-Ramsden |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
3207 |
East End-North Leigh |
Heyfordian Travel Ltd |
|
3216 |
Finstock |
Corder Cabs |
|
1510 |
Kelmscott-Clanfield |
Kinch Coaches Ltd |
|
1518 |
Bampton-Brize Norton |
Ridgeways Coaches Ltd |
|
1519 |
Bampton-Brize Norton |
Barnes Coaches Ltd |
|
1701 |
Charlbury |
Henshaws Executive Travel Ltd |
|
2007 |
Standlake-Brighthampton |
Grayline Coaches |
Oxfordshire
A change to some of the registrations on the new Scanias occurred before three entered service. The revised list is shown below:
David Percy pictured 15838 arriving at Duxford.
Fleet changes advised for September show some inter company transfers.
22944 | OU51 WLN | MAN A69 - Oxford to Eastbourne |
22945 | OV51 KAE | MAN A69 - Oxford to Eastbourne |
22946 | OV51 KAJ | MAN A69 - Oxford to Eastbourne |
22947 | OV51 KAK | MAN A69 - Oxford to Eastbourne |
22948 | OV51 KAO | MAN A69 - Oxford to Eastbourne |
22925 | S925 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
22926 | S926 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
22934 | S934 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
22935 | S935 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
22940 | S940 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
33822 | R822 YUD | Dennis Dart SLF | OX |
22936 | S936 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
22941 | S941 CFC | MAN 18.220 ALX300 | OX |
The National Express fleet is now complete with 53701 back in service. However South Glos FJ61GZE is on short term loan to cover for a problem with one of the Elites. 59211 has left for Dover and work on the 007.
Scanias 15431-3 have now left for Exeter where they are employed on the X9 from Barnstaple to Exeter being out-stationed at Bude.
Stagecoach 47455 working the 1405 departure on the RH 18 from George Street.
Mat Bullock.
15832 is seen leaving Gloucester Green by Gavin Francis.
Northampton
Gary Seamarks reports that Stagecoach Northampton are extending the X7 Northampton - Leicester back to MK soon, its hourly via X4 route so provides a 30 minute headway.
Good day out from Oxford via X5 on an explorer ??, could a return via Coventry be made also ??
Dave advises that the last 4 Skyliners at Dawson Rentals have been sold to the operator in Ireland. He says "We only have OX04 BZU, left in our yard, though KP04 GKE, is it ?, is at a paint shop, possibly being re-painted green."
In the early hours of September 10th Dave Allen took this picture of the
coach ready to operate the 0440 to London.
The closure of Eliabeth Street, Victoria for three days resulted in the
"park up" coaches being taken to West Ham for their layover.
The two are seen here on September 17th by M. Crowe.
The first of a batch of TX bodied Van Hool Astromegas was on display at Duxford and won "Best Stagecoach vehicle in show".
It was 50245 which I am advised is presently at Cwmbran and another 50246 is at Rugby. none have as yet entered service.
your Editor is seen in front of the new coach taken by S. Lowe.
The new Plaxton Inter-decker ordered by Megabus will enter service in the new year and some chassis (Volvo B11RT) have arrived at Scarborough for bodying.
The Megabus sleeper coach is serviced at West Ham during its daytime
layover. The coach seen is 51097.
Pictured by M. Crowe.
CB54 is now white and at Thames Travel.
TT have Citaros 850-854 inclusive
Hybrid 900 has been transferred to Oxford with 850 replacing it at Wallingford.
DAF976 and 481 are withdrawn from both fleets (Carousel & TT) for disposal.
Vale
This company has taken over the Sunday workings to Stokenchurch on the 48.
As it is and as it was by Gavin Francis.
As mentioned under Heyfordian Weavaway have purchased Tappins with effect September 30th.
TfL orders 600 Borismasters
Transport for London is to buy 600 Borismasters
from Wrightbus for delivery over four years from 2013 to 2016. It is the
biggest single hybrid bus order ever placed in Europe, and marks a change
from TfL's normal policy where the buses operated in the capital are sourced
by the individual operators. The first 30 Borismasters will be delivered by
April. When the last of the 600 are delivered there will be over 1,000
hybrid buses in operation in London, making up around 13 per cent of the
fleet.
London mayor Boris Johnson says: “These
magnificent vehicles not only ooze London style but are a testament to
British design, engineering and above all innovation. Not only do they
deliver significant environmental benefits, they also reinstate the
traditional hop-on, hop-off rear platform and passengers love them. By
ordering large numbers of these fantastic machines we are also creating UK
jobs.”
Almost 200 Borismasters will be delivered to TfL
in 2013, followed by 200 vehicles in 2014, 250 in 2015 and the remainder in
2016. The buses will be used on central London routes, but particular routes
have not yet been identified.
TfL says that its decision to purchase the buses
will mean lower prices thanks to bulk ordering, while ignoring any
reluctance on the part of operators to invest in a bus which is unlikely to
have a second life outside London. TfL also says, rather curiously, that
contract costs will be reduced “as the operator will simply quote for
staffing, fuel and maintenance costs” - as if the capital investment, as yet
unquantified, was of no relevance. TfL will also pay the added cost of
employing conductors.
And it notes: “The new ownership model will
enable us to more easily move the buses between operators when route
contracts change and significantly extend the operational life of the
vehicle.” TfL says the Borismasters will run in London for 14 years.
The decision has been attacked by Green Party
London assembly member Darren Johnson: “The mayor intends to force
operators to use this bus, making the contracts more expensive.
"They won’t be given an option to choose the best
bus from the best manufacturer and the best price. So these extra costs will
be carried by Transport for London and that means higher fares. He is having
to buy these buses from a monopoly supplier, rather than at a competitive
market rate and unlike all the other buses in London we won’t be able to get
money back by selling them on to operators in the rest of the country.”
Government sets out BSOG changes
Plans to change the way BSOG is paid in England have been set out this
morning by Local Transport Minister Norman Baker.
Announcing an eight-week consultation, the government proposes that the BSOG
changes will start from October 2013, when BSOG payments for London
operators and tendered services outside London will be made to local
transport authorities (LTAs), instead of operators.
From April 2014, BSOG payments in Better Bus Areas (currently 24) will be
devolved to LTAs.
Mr Baker also proposes that BSOG will be devolved to PTEs that implement a
Quality Contract Scheme (franchising).
Mr Baker says that the consultation will ensure that changes to BSOG funding
are “fair and fit for the future.”
Read/download the 30-page PDF at
www.dft.gov.uk/consultations
17 September 2012
Leading transport provider Arriva is championing
the important role bus travel has in reinvigorating and connecting local
communities and supporting the UK economy.
The group, which operates around 6,000 buses in
the UK, is backing a new five-point plan for growth(1) launched
by Greener Journeys which calls for measures to help bus travel boost
long-term economic growth by link communities to give people greater
mobility and access to employment.
Greener Journeys(3), the campaign to
promote sustainable travel funded by organisations including Arriva,
launched
Bus Policy: a five-point plan for growthwhich
calls for:
The five-point plan draws from the results of an
authoritative new report
‘Buses and Economic Growth’,(2)
by the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, which
revealed that:
Transport minister Norman Baker said: "Buses are
the mainstay of the public transport sector, carrying millions of passengers
every day for business and leisure as well as helping to cut carbon by
reducing congestion and replacing car journeys. And crucially, as this
report highlights, buses are a keystone to the economy.
"The coalition Government strongly supports bus
travel. We spent£1.77 billion last year supporting passengers travelling by
bus in England, including financing for local government major projects and
our Better Bus Area Fund. This was in addition to our£600 million Local
Sustainable Transport Fund which is helping to finance projects improving
provision of bus services and facilities for passengers.”
Claire Haigh, Greener Journeys chief executive,
said: "In these difficult times we need to exploit the potential of the bus
to stimulate jobs and growth.
“We need to match up unemployed people with jobs.
For too many cars are a luxury they can’t afford, buses provide essential
access. This is why we are calling for fairer tax treatment for bus
passengers, and measures like tax incentives for bus commuting."
David Martin, Arriva chief executive, said: "The
bus is the unsung hero of public transport delivering three times more
people to and from work than the UK’s rail network. Its contribution to the
UK economy is significant and, supported by the right infrastructure, policy
and industry partnerships, it can contribute even more towards achieving the
vital economic growth this country needs.
“To support economic development and regenerate the
economy, it's essential to ensure the UK’s planning system delivers the
right incentives for local authorities and developers to provide the right
transport infrastructure and environment to support bus services.
“Ensuring employers have access to a wider pool of
labour and people have more opportunities to use public transport to get to
work or make a new job possible has never been more important. The bus
provides lower cost transport options which have less impact on the
environment and can help mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of
congestion on our roads.
“The bus industry has a significant role to play.
If the industry and our stakeholders work in partnership to achieve this
five-point plan we will be able to deliver even better value bus services
that benefit our passengers, the taxpayer and the UK economy."
Note
1. Greener Journeys presented its five-point plan
for growth to MPs at the House of Commons on Monday 17 September. Transport
Minister Norman Baker MP gave the keynote address.
Copies of the report,
Bus Policy: a five-point plan for growth
by Greener Journeys on the Greener Journeys website:www.greenerjourneys.com.
2. The
Buses and Economic Growth report,
conducted by the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of
Leeds has quantified an assessment of the economic contribution of the bus
in growing the economy, connecting people with jobs, helping businesses and
supporting the vitality of city centres. It also highlights the significant
direct contribution of the bus industry itself in creating employment and
investment.
To download the report, visit
http://www.greenerjourneys.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/BusesEconomicGrowth_FINAL-REPORT.pdf
Key findings include:
3. Greener Journeys is a campaign dedicated to
encouraging people to make sustainable transport choices. It is a coalition
of Britain's leading bus companies and other public transport supporters,
including the Confederation for Passenger Transport, PTEG, the RAC
Foundation and Transport for London. Its primary funders are bus companies
(Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach).
4. SUMMARY OF FIVE-POINT PLAN
1. Creating the right public policy framework
1.1 The wider economic impacts of the bus system
need to be captured in to the appraisal and allocation of funds for bus
infrastructure projects and consideration of the case for Bus Service
Operator Grant (BSOG)
1.2 To provide adequate revenue funding in
addition to capital funding streams to enable the ‘full bus package’ to be
implemented.
1.3 To conduct joined-up thinking across different
government departments on the role of the bus in helping the economy (e.g.
DfT, HM Treasury, BIS, DWP, DfE, DCLG and DoH).
1.4 Planning decisions on new developments to
consider fully the critical role of public transport in giving employers
access to a wide and diverse labour market and giving people access to jobs.
2. Meeting the needs of bus passengers
2.1 Good value fares to be maintained to ensure
accessibility of bus services to low-income commuters and young people in
particular
2.2 Where feasible, smart attractively priced
multi-operator ticketing should be introduced
2.3 Local implementation of pro-bus policies
3. Supporting the bus in its vital role in the labour market
3.1 Taxation incentives for travelling by bus
3.2 Increased take-up of workplace travel plans
and for the bus to be considered and promoted as a core option within them
3.3 Travel planning assistance and fares offers
for school leavers and unemployed people to help connect them to education,
training and the job market
4. Enabling businesses and local retail economies to benefit from bus
services
4.1 LEPs to prioritise funding for bus
infrastructure projects to optimise the role of the bus in helping to create
the right environment for business growth in their areas
4.2 Business Improvement Districts to use part of
their levies to help fund bus improvements
4.3 Town Centre Management Groups to include the
bus as part of their town centre transport access strategies
5. Building strong alliances across bus operators, businesses and local
government
5.1 An effective and locally appropriate
framework for closer working between local business community, local bus
operators and local authorities
5.2 Stronger corporate ownership of
responsibilities for sustainable transport policies
5.3 Better monitoring of bus users by employers
and retail/town centre management groups
22nd. August, 2012:-
Brush car 627, painted up by the residents of nearby Kirkham Prison, which
is to form a static exhibit art this year’s illuminations, arrived on site
at the Pleasure Beach today. It waited until the evening and the more
intensive tram service had finished before being manoeuvred into position.
It has been painted in a gold and white colour scheme to celebrate the
Queen’s jubilee, with several enlarged sketches in the windows.
Picture by Jonathan Niblock and reproduced by courtesy of the Buses Trains
Traction Engine and Tram Blog at
http://busestractionengines.blogspot.co.uk/
to whom we extend our thanks.
24th. August, 2012:-
A rare sight today for photographers as one of the two trams selected to
operate the Heritage service was 147 (the other was 717). Not only that, but
147 went as far as Thornton Gate (usually they turn on the loop at Little
Bispham). It is seen here just leaving Thornton Gate and returning towards
Cleveleys, showing an appropriate heritage destination on its blind -
Central Station. The journey was not without incident because the tram
decided to dewire its trolley at Cleveleys just south of the tram station
platform. Woe betide anyone who suggests replacing the trolley with a
pantograph!
Once again, the picture is by Jonathan Niblock and reproduced by courtesy of
the Buses Trains Traction Engine and Tram Blog at
http://busestractionengines.blogspot.co.uk/
to whom we extend our thanks.
Also today, the Blackpool wrecker, 929, was required to tow a defective
Optare Solo back to base. 929 retains its green and cream livery it received
on its purchase from Johnny Marsh’s Blackpool Van Transport in the 1990s.
This lovely ERF has avoided Metro Coastline colours although it might yet
succumb to black & yellow!
Picture by Paul Turner from the Fylde Bus Blog at
http://fyldebus.blogspot.co.uk/
to whom acknowledgement is made.
28th. August, 2012:-
More disruption for the new trams, still really struggling with their
credibility. Tonight saw the annual “Ride the Lights” where families and
cyclists get to see a preview of the illuminations without the Promenade
being open to normal traffic.
This event affected the tramway big time with the heritage service not even
running this day. It's questionable why the service didn't run as the Ride
the Lights event started after the heritage tours normally finish. The
biggest effect the event had is the mainline service was split from late
afternoon until 22:30pm with no direct transport to Fleetwood. However this
isn't a one off as the service will be split whilst the illuminations are
switched on Friday 31st. August. The heritage service will also
be suspended due to the switch on taking up the track outside the tower.
31st. August, 2012:-
Yesterday saw the last day of the heritage service for this year. Fittingly,
Bolton 66, built at Preston in 1901 and the oldest operational tram in
Blackpool, was first out, later joined by Balloon 717.The
trams now operate during the evenings when the illuminations are switched
providing tours, where you can only get on and off at the Pleasure Beach.
There will be 3 trams in use on the service whereas the original figure was
6 but has been reduced.
August, 2012:-
On the day of the Blackpool Air Show, there was yet more criticism in the
paper of queues and overloading on the trams. Local resident Larry Peake
said he and his family waited for more than ninety minutes as full trams
went past them and about forty other people. His frustration was compounded
by the fact it took Blackpool Transport more than a month to respond to his
complaint.
BTS acknowledged that they had struggled to cope with demand on the day of
the Air Show,- as if they hadn’t expected many people to attend. Meanwhile,
many trams languished unused in both depots. They really have not been able
to get it right this year. I know it is the first year of operation of the
new, light rail type trams, but we have had trams in Blackpool for 126 years
and coping with crowds was something which the old system did exceptionally
well, with spare cars at various parts of the system to cope with demands.
It really has not been good enough this year.
4th.
September, 2012:-
The Lancastrian Transport Trust which had been storing some of its trams in
Blackpool Transport’s depot moved at least three of them to alternative
accommodation. They were 624, a former Brush car used to tow an open trailer
containing lengths of track and “proper” Brush car 632. OMO car 8 was then
shunted in to the Electrical Shop to have its pantograph removed prior to
its departure also. The haulier responsible for transporting most trams away
from Blundell Street has been Scotts; instead, Allelys were used, the
company which brought the Salvage Squad Vambac Coronation car from the St.
Helens museum in 2002.
6th.
September, 2012:-
More of the LTT trams have been on the move from the BTS depot. Today,
Balloons 704, 715 and OMO car 8. Storage is outside and one hopes security
is good; some cars are in very good condition and to see them rotting away
and having windows broken would be heartbreaking.
7th.
September, 2012:-
Today saw the last LTT tram removed from the depot of Blackpool Transport
Services. The precious cargo was the magnificent Coronation class 304, the
Salvage Squad tram, which, like the others, has been moved to storage on the
site of the old Duple (formerly Burlingham) coach factory at Marton. The
future prospects of the LTT tram fleet look a lot more secure now, and it is
to be hoped that most if not all of the trams that have been moved to
outside storage can at some point find a more permanent home, preferably
under cover, as some of them, notably 624 and 704, will deteriorate very
rapidly if the exposed woodwork is subjected to prolonged exposure to damp
conditions.
Two other bits of good news from today - Unimog 938 moved Balloon 719 from
the fitting shop to the paint shop. It has now been fitted with the wider,
plug-type doors to enable it to be used in service, loading at the new
platforms used by the Bombardiers. It last carried a rather dismal black &
gold advertising livery for the Pleasure Beach, and it is hoped it will now
receive a somewhat brighter one! The other good news is that an original
twin-car set looks likely to join the heritage fleet. Both cars of set
672/682 have been repainted, magnificently, in the early albeit short-lived
all cream livery with green lining and Blackpool Corporation crests. It is
understood the two cars have been united on the same depot road and it is
hoped this superb looking twin car set will see use again in the not too
distant future. It would be interesting to see how it compares with the
Bombardier multi-car sets!
Both of my pictures show the trams last year in original liveries.
This event affected the tramway big time with the heritage service not even
running this day. It's questionable why the service didn't run as the Ride
the Lights event started after the heritage tours normally finish. The
biggest effect the event had is the mainline service was split from late
afternoon until 22:30pm with no direct transport to Fleetwood. However this
isn't a one off as the service will be split whilst the illuminations are
switched on Friday 31st. August. The heritage service will also
be suspended due to the switch on taking up the track outside the tower.
Two other bits of news from today - Unimog 938 moved Balloon 719 from the
fitting shop to the paint shop. It has now been fitted with the wider,
plug-type doors to enable it to be used in service, loading at the new
platforms used by the Bombardiers. It first carried a rather dismal black &
gold advertising livery for the Pleasure Beach, and it is hoped it will now
receive a somewhat brighter one! The other good news is that an original
twin-car set looks likely to join the heritage fleet. Both cars of set
672/682 have been repainted, magnificently, in the early albeit short-lived
all cream livery with green lining and Blackpool Corporation crests. It is
understood the two cars have been united on the same depot road and it is
hoped this superb looking twin car set will see use again in the not too
distant future. It would be interesting to see how it compares with the
Bombardier multi-car sets!
14th. September, 2012:-
Following weeks of work, the twin car set, 672/682 has entered service. The
cars have regained their original fleet numbers and now show T2 and 272,
although in the first photograph as the pair left the depot, their fleet
numbers were masked. They performed a one-off tour from the Pleasure Beach
before operating the evening Illuminations Tours, although the one-off tour
was slightly delayed as the unit had to run to Little Bispham to turn round
due to problems with the points at Foxhall Square. The set now joins the
Heritage fleet.
15th. September, 2012:-
After 8 days of moving out of Rigby Road 304 is now set to move to Beamish
open air museum. The tram is expected to operate during an event on the 6th
and 7th of October. Before then a driver training course will start, the
course will enable crews to familiarise themselves with the tram and see if
the tram can complete the clockwise circuit without any gauging issues. The
last time 304 ran was on the 6th November 2010 when it operated a tour with
OMO 8, and the pair are seen in the accompanying photo at Bispham.
The last two pieces of information are from from the Buses Trains Traction
Engines and Tram blog at
http://busestractionengines.blogspot.co.uk/;
they are reproduced with their permission and our thanks.
19th. September:-
An update on tram 002, which was returned to Bombardier in Germany for
warranty work, shows that it is currently being exhibited outside at the
Messe Berlin until 23rd September. When it returns, it will be
only the second unit to be supplied with its adorning vinyls applied,- the
other being the last set, 016. The show in Berlin is in its sixteenth year
with all sorts of traction attending. It is expected back in Blackpool soon.
21st. September:-
Yet another accident on the tram tracks, but not involving trams this time.
In Cleveleys, near to the emotive Lauderdale Road crossing, a car managed to
turn on to the tracks at one of the open crossings and became well and truly
wedged on the ballast and sleepers about 9pm. It took about two hours for it
to be removed and the tram service to be restored. Photo from the local
Blackpool Gazette newspaper.
The paper said it was the first time such an accident had happened, although
in August, two motorists close together turned through the concrete fencing
on to the tracks in a similar location assuming that an old crossing was
still open.
On the same night, there was a collision between a tram and a cyclist towing
a carriage with a child in the back near to the former Miners’ Home near
Bispham. Fortunately both people only suffered what were described as
superficial injuries
24th. September:-
With the Tramnik One sputnik tram sat on Gynn Square roundabout, many are
now saying it looks considerably more impressive than was expected. One of
the first, postwar illuminated trams, it is now a static exhibition but
cleverly positioned images of passengers and the driver are displayed at the
windows giving a most pleasant effect.
25th. September:-
This one will not go away - another couple of letters have been published in
the Blackpool local paper saying how disappointingly poor several residents
have found the timekeeping of the new trams. Time and again this issue has
been raised. Given they have fifteen new trams plus a number of updated
1930s deckers adapted for current service, why don’t they run a sufficient
number to cope with the crowds?
27th. September:
In a euphoric article in the paper, it was announced that 1.4 million people
have ridden on the new trams between the service starting at Easter and the
middle of August. This was about one fifth more journeys than were
anticipated and more than a million more than the same period last year,
although the comparison is unfair because a much reduced service was
operated over only part of the system in 2011. The last time a full service
was operated, it carried 2.3 million passengers in a twelve month period in
2008/9.
Managing Director of Blackpool Transport Services, Trevor Roberts, has said
that passenger numbers were exceptional for the first few months of a new
system.
Wet blanket and cynic that I am, I wonder how many more passengers would
have been carried had the right number of trams been operated! It is
admitted that they have a lot to learn about operating this new system along
with addressing the delays caused by passengers getting used to boarding the
new cars(!!!) As many of us
have said many times, they have had 126 years worth of experience at
operating trams in Blackpool, albeit with traditional units. But given a bit
of imagination and foresight, just how much is there to learn? And why have
so many trams languished, empty, in the depots whilst passengers become
disenchanted with the service?
Paralympics rowing at Eton Dorney from
Trevor Wilson
We went to the Paralympics rowing at Eton Dorney.
First buses, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400, all
brand new, at least 40, in use on all services.
Reading buses (about 18) or so I believe
from info
elsewhere) in use on the Maidenhead Park and Ride.
See http://www.buszone.co.uk/News0712.html
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirewiping/7604293534/
Service numbers
?? Eton Dorney - Windsor and Eton Rail Station
32 Eton Dorney - Slough Rail Station
34 Eton Dorney - Maidenhead Park and Ride
35 Eton Dorney - Slough Upton Park
All well organised.
No delays.
These photos taken 11.45 Saturday 1st September
2012.
We left early hence few passengers.
These photos all from the far end of the
bus park.
You had to walk past the Slough rail
station bus stops then round the end for the other stops.
These 4 photos are a panorama from left to
right.
Then a drive through lane.
Then 3 rows of parked up buses, rear ends
nearest the camera - 4 buses in each row. A gap in front of the front bus
and then 3 rows of buses facing towards the camera - you can only see one
such row.
Then a drive through lane.
Then the bus stops lane for Slough Upton
Park Park an Ride - 3 buses waiting.
P1060801 Centre of picture is the bus stops lane
for Slough Upton Park Park and Ride.
Then the passenger circulating area.
Then the bus stops lane for Maidenhead
Park and Ride - one First bus waiting furthest from camera.
Then a drive through lane.
Then parked up Reading buses which were
only used on the Maidenhead Park and Ride.
P1060802 Another photo of the Maidenhead Park and
Ride - a First bus at the farthest bus stop and a Reading bus passing the
bus stop nearest the camera.
P1060803 To the left of the photo, Reading buses
parked up.
On the right, the bus stops lane for
Windsor and Eton Riverside Station.
Upton Park Slough was in use as a Park and Ride
for the Paralympics.
First buses queuing - 3 or 4 stands spread
out along the road across the park.
A very frequent service.
Several hundred if not thousand
cars parked here.
Photo taken at 07.23 Friday 31st August 2012 when
there about 50 cars parked.
A bus every few minutes and the first
event at Eton Dorney was at 09.30.
A few more Paralympics Eton Dorney photos.
Most taken leaving the Eton Dorney ticket exit and
heading for the bus park.
These photos taken about 13.00 Friday 31st August
when the general exodus was in progress and thus many buses had already
left.
Trips & Events
Duxford 2012
Arriva the Shires 3952, KX12 GZO, which say it will be on the busway soon
Arriva the Shires 3752, KX12 HAA
Cozy's KP04 GJX (ex-Oxford Tube)
Motts Travel 90 WFC and R50 MTT
Motts Travel N590 BRH (ex- East Yorkshire)
All above pictures by Luke Braham
Carousel 801 by Gavin Francis.
New Megabus 50245 by Gavin Francis.
Thames Travel 852 by Gavin Francis.
The famous SUPERCAR at Duxford by Gavin Francis.
Old timer TV Bristol LL5G at Duxford by Gavin Francis.
Red Rose special at Duxford by Gavin Francis.
A Hong Kong Olympian by Frazer Peddle.
Istanbul by Marcus Lapthorn
Istanbul is an extremely busy City with over 15 million inhabitants,
making getting around quite difficult at times.
Photo 738
shows the raised metal hoops that are set into the road surface to delineate
the part of the road that is presumably supposed to be just for trams to
use. In reality taxis, some coaches and other vehicles still drive down the
tram tracks area.
Photo 769
is of a 'heritage' tram that is in regular use by tourists and travels along
a short stretch of track down a principal shopping street. No other public
transport uses this particular street.
Photo 777
shows prospective passengers queuing for tickets.
Tram route T1 took me out to the suburbs at Zeytinburnu, where there is an
interchange between trams, metro and buses of various shapes and sizes.
Photo 782
shows one of the numerous 'feeder' buses that ferry people into these public
transport interchanges. This works well in that it reduces significantly the
number of buses that penetrate the busiest city centre streets and trams
take the heavier loads. On T1 route the trams were packed most of the time
even with the frequency being a tram every 3 minutes or so.
Photos 785 and 786
show very clearly the very detailed destination boards carried by these
little buses.
Photos 764 and 765
capture the sheer bedlam that is central Istanbul! It took our taxi 2 hours
20 minutes to travel from the airport to our hotel. The journey time is
normally about 30 minutes we were told, but the weight of traffic was so bad
that our driver sometimes just turned his engine off and we sat there until
something moved. The driving style is very aggressive.
Lewis Nagle visits Mallorca
I have recently arrived home from Mallorca and as I
saw on your last S&J that you placed some photos of Malta buses in I was
wondering if you would like me to email you some of my photos from the bus
scene in Mallorca. If yes, please tell me how many you like, I think I have
about 30-40 photos but that would be a bit much for your S&J.
The buses consist of mostly Sunsundegai Astrals and
Hispano Habits where I stayed. I can also provide a little info on the
services if you wish.
I'm given to understand that TIB is a subsidiary of
Arriva!
Torquay by Luke Braham
Heyfordian B11 HTL on Torquay seafront straight out of use at the Olympics
Stagecoach South West Olympian at the Strand taken from across the Harbour
Sightseeing bus BYX 304V park up at Torquay Rail Station
Stagecoach South West 17053 / T653 KPU on its way to Brixham on route 12a
First Devon 32717 / W717 RHT on the X80 to Paignton
Stagecoach South West 18305 / WA05 ??? on it's way to Brixham on the 12
Stagecoach South West 15785 / WA61 KLK on its way to Brixham on route 12
Stagecoach South West 15786 / WA61 KLL on its way to the town to take up
route 12
Stagecoach South West 15787 / WA61 KLM on route 12 to Brixham
Marcus
I recently
decided to take two trips out to Stagecoach West's (Swindon) more southerly
destinations. First stopping point on Friday was at Marlborough where a
vividly coloured Line 4 bus was to be seen (pic 717). Next to arrive was
Stagecoach West's 16110 on route 70 (pic 719).
Stagecoach
West's route 80 runs only about 5 times a day between Swindon & Ludgershall
via the army town of Tidworth. Often to be seen on this route are older
members of the fleet and I was particularly keen to photograph one of the
former 66 route Volvo B10M's at Ludgershall. Imagine my disappointment when
one of the newer members of the fleet turned up instead on the following
Monday! This was in the shape of another former 66 route bus - MAN 22621
(pic 724), which was apparently deputising for 16110 which had failed that
morning in the garage. The loadings on this route were very light, with just
one passenger joining the bus for the trip to Marlborough.
I was
determined to try and obtain a shot of a B10M on the 80 route and I was
successful later at Collingbourne, when 20683 was captured cornering at
speed on its way south to Tidworth. Two passengers on this bus, but
unfortunately the destination blind did not come out in pic 727.
It is at
Ludgershall that three bus companies operate, these being Stagecoach West,
Stagecoach Hants and Wilts & Dorset. The latter two companies operate route
8 jointly between Andover and Salisbury. Pic 721 shows Stagecoach
Hampshire's 15806.
August 26th saw the first Weston-super Mare Running Day, sponsored by Crosville Motor Services (the newly reincarnated operator of local services in Weston not the original Chester based one!)
In addition to a number of services using (mainly) Bristols from both Crosville's heritage fleet and that of the Bristol Omnibus Vehicle Collection there was a static display at the company's depot.
History
RFO361 at Falmouth 8th May 2006 - new as 241AJB to AWRE, Harwell by Dave
An interesting Bristol visited Oxford's
Bonn Sq recently. Gavin Francis.
Abba of High Wycombe use this Mercedes BU05VFL.
Gavin Francis.
Once a stalwart of the 757 service 4049 is now
with Fowlers of Holbeach.
BM Coaches own a number of Van Hools one of which
is seen here in Stokenchurch by Gavin Francis.
easyJet are replacing their fleet of Mercedes and
these are turning up with other operators.
One is seen near kings Cross (300) whilst 313 is
in a yard in West Wycombe. Pictures by Gavin Francis and Malcolm Crowe.
Evan Evans are operating a Wartime tour of London
using Ensign's old London RT/RTL fleet.
First we see RT8 in Victoria Coach Station and
thereafter leaving. Pictures by Malcolm Crowe.
Another shot of RT8 by Dave Allen.
Second is the use of RTL453 seen heading down
BPR.
A Virgin Stars coach visited Oxford last month
and is seen here in New Road. M Crowe.
iD BUS are operating to London in competition
with Eurolines and Megabus.
Pictures by Gavin Francis and Malcolm Crowe.
US Interlude by Gavin Francis.
Gavin is on holiday in Florida and has sent us some pictures.
Hungary by Robert Kalman.
Links & Publications
Thames Valley history final part
The latest book on Thames Valley is now available from Paul Lacey at a special price to readers of £20.00 + £3 post and packing. Just quote the OCBP when ordering. More details at the bottom of this page.
http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/go-ahead-group.htm.
Mark has written a new book as outlined below. I am sure it will be a great book.
"Over the last quarter century the Go-Ahead Group has become one of the UK's leading providers of passenger transport.
Its origins lie in the purchase of the National Bus Company's Northern General subsidiary by a management team in 1987
with the newly formed company branding itself as Go-Ahead Northern.
Initial growth in the north-east saw it expand into taxi and pub operations before adoption of the now familiar Go-Ahead name and stock market
floatation saw it expand into Oxford, Brighton and London in the mid-1990's setting the pattern for a focus on urban bus markets that has been
a key feature since.
The privatisation of British Rail saw Go-Ahead establish itself as a major player in rail franchising, establishing Govia,
a joint venture with French owned Via-GTI (now Keolis), for the purpose. Today Govia is the UK's busiest rail operator and is well placed
to play its part in delivering a more affordable railway.
During the last quarter century the Group has also diversified into aviation handling and car park management, although it has since
re-focussed on its core activities of local bus and rail provision. It has also successfully fought of a hostile take-over bid from
the French state-owned C3D.
Unlike other UK transport groups Go-Ahead has a devolved structure with all of its bus and rail companies are locally managed and branded.
This has allowed its subsidiaries to respond to local market conditions whilst retaining the benefits of being part of a larger Group.
The Group is committed to delivering quality services in an environmentally sensitive way, investing in energy saving technology for both
its bus and rail operations, and is the first major UK bus operator to commission a regular, independent customer satisfaction survey of
its customers.
Packed with informative text and copiously illustrated this book charts the development of the companies that now form part of
the Go-Ahead Group from their inception to the present day and shows how the Group is helping to deliver a strong and growing public transport
network as the key to the sustainable future of the UK"
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.