oxford bus launch new fleet

launch new fleet

The Oxford Bus Company has invested £1.5 million launching a fleet of 10 brand new Mercedes Benz Citaro O530 buses
on the Kidlington corridor out of Oxford's City Centre. (picture - Phil Ashworth)

The launch took place at The Kassam Stadium last Thursday. The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Bob Price was delighted to see this level of investment from the company and was joined by the Managing Director of OBC, Philip Kirk. Nigel Eggleton, the Commercial Director, said "the new buses are the most comfortable and advanced buses available in this country for use on local services. He also claimed the new Citaros are the most environmentally friendly conventially powered buses on the market in Europe."

Pictures by Phil Ashworth, PR for Oxford Bus

The buses replace a batch of Volvo B10Bs with Plaxton Verde bodies which joined the company between late 1995 and early 1997. These buses have served the route faithfully over the intervening years. Their replacement allows them to be cascaded on to other routes which in turn allow the withdrawal of 10 Volvo B10Bs with NCME Paladin bodywork. These buses joined the fleet from London service in 1997 having spent 4 years working the 88 Clapham Omnibus route in the Capital. Most have been sold for further service to Solent Blue Line a fellow company with the Go-Ahead Group.

The opportunity has been taken to rebrand the route as City 2 and it is expected that all the city route will follow this style in the coming months. It is also revealed that the current fleet of low floor Volvo B10BLEs will get a facelift with updated interiors similar to those on the new Citaros.

Posters were placed in the shelters of the stops along the route from Kidlington advising intending customers what was to be on offer

The Oxford Bus Company fleet now has a total of 27 Citaros including 3 for Park & Ride, 7 for the X3 to Abingdon and 7 for use on various other routes including the 15. All are dual door except for the second batch, mainly used on the X3, which are 42 seat single door models.

Details of the new Citaros are as follows:

Fleet nr Registration Type Chassis Number Body Seating in service branding

839 AF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108858 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
840 BF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108859 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
841 CF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108860 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
842 DF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108861 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
843 EF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108862 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
844 FF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108863 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
845 GF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108864 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
846 HF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108865 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
847 JF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108866 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2
848 KF55 OXF Mercedes 0530 WED62804323108867 Mercedes Citaro B37D Dec-05 City 2

The first buses into service were on Friday December 2nd when some of the new buses were out on route 2 along with a number of older Citaros from the first and second batches.

Gavin Francis braved atrocious weather on the first day in service of 848, seen here in heavy rain at Magdalen Street East.
Some of the new buses carry a poster proclaiming "CLEAN AIR RATING ****" as seen in this picture.

The buses also have five different slogans on the rear of each bus which are shown below.

Gavin Francis, Chris Maxfield and Malcolm Crowe

Several colleagues spent quite a few hours along with myself to illustrate the new fleet in service. The pictures were taken by Chris Maxfield on 2nd December and Malcolm Crowe and Ben morroll on 3rd December.

Chris Maxfield first two and Malcolm Crowe last two

Chris Maxfield and Malcolm Crowe

Chris Maxfield and Malcolm Crowe

Ben Morroll

The pictures above were taken by Chris Maxfield on Friday 2nd December and Ben Morroll and myself on Saturday 3rd December.
Each picture has a title and who it was taken by. You should be able to see this in the bottom scroll bar on your browser.

The livery design and marketing campaign in connection with this new fleet for the oxford bus company has been carried out by Best Impressions .

Return to the Oxford Chiltern Bus Page - News Page for 4th December 2005