Spottings & Jottings nr. 77 - 10th April 2014
Visit the "OXFORD & CHILTERN BUS PAGE " Current archives from October 2002
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Editorial
This issue sees a number of new vehicles with 14 plates. It is always interesting to see who makes it first and I think that this year's accolade goes to Motts and pictures taken by Luke Braham. Hot on their heels were pictures of the latest Volvo coaches for Oxford Bus in their well recognised Airline livery. John Marsh was also the first, as ever, with a 14 plate in service. This time for National Holidays, a Setra which will be one of the last right hand drive ones as Setra announced sometime ago that they would not be building right hand drive models after this year. Plaxton have been busy with further examples of the Elite body on Volvo B11RT chassis for Parks of Hamilton in National Express livery.
New Stagecoach orders for 2014-15 reveal a complete replacement of the present Oxford tube fleet with 26 new Astromega TX27 coaches to Euro 6 specification. These are expected in the summer and we will reveal further information as and when it becomes available but we are promised "state of the art" coaches to enhance this already world famous service.
Indeed it is noteworthy that the Stagecoach orders are the largest ever placed in the UK bus business.
A major facelift to VCS has seen new signs placed on frontage shown in the picture below. The use of the top of the tower reverts to the original design.
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Running Days in 2012
Sunday 19 August HEMEL HEMPSTEAD based at bus
station, Waterhouse Street
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.
22nd April – (Society AGM followed by photo show.)
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 - 10th April 2014
Spottings
Observations and pictures
Ralph
Arriva 5454 was in use on route
280 again today, a Saturday when the PVR is only six. This bus is not
authorised into Oxford under the LEZ restrictions.
Stagecoach. Large number of students giving £5 and
£10 notes in Summertown. Next stop elderly man asked how much return to the
town. He was not happy at the price saying he had left his card at home.
Could he travel Free? !!!!!
Driver said no (very politely) so passenger gave
him a £20 note. Driver said, Sorry but it will be a lot of £1 coins.
London United's LT80
sweeps round the precinct of Guildford Cathedral.
Terravision BK63ZTC in London on March 15th 2014 taken by Clive King.
and TGM
Luke Braham
Arriva the Shires 5007 KP63 TEU is seen operating route 7 in Milton Keynes.
Arriva the Shires 5008 KP63 TEV is seen operating route 7 in Milton Keynes.
After disappearing for a few weeks, 2060 YX04GBE is in use at Aylesbury again and is seen working the Crew Shuttle Service.
Route 61 is mostly operated using double deckers
but on the 15th March Dart 3388 P195 LKJ was used.
In the last issue there was a photo taken by
yourself of Aylesbury’s 6004 KL52 CWT operating route 300. Adding to this on
the 15th march Sapphire spare 5454 SN58 EOB operated the 300. Double deckers
are becoming quite common on the 300 at the moment especially when the
Citaros are used on other routes.
Arriva the Shires 5455 SN58EOB also on the300 on March 15th by Luke Braham.
Also in the last issue was a photo of 6286 on the Blue Route 2 and it looks like double deckers continue to be used on the route from time to time with 6000 KL52 CWN being used on the route on the 15th March.
5454 SN58 EOA was noted on Sapphire route 280 on the 22nd March with a
couple of dark Sapphire blue panels with its Arriva fleet livery.
Due to rail replacement, a number of 52-plate
ALX400s operated the 300 on the 22nd March. Noted were 6002 KL52 CWP, 6004
KL52 CWT and 6012 KL52 CXD.
Another double decker on the Blue Route 2 this week, this one being 6008 KL52 CWZ.
Arriva the Shires’ Hemel Hempstead based 5149 S149 KNK arrived in Aylesbury
on the 500 this morning (29/03/14). This one of only two Volvo Olympians
still in service at Hemel Hempstead. The other being 5152 S152 KNK.
The presentation of the Sapphire fleet at Aylesbury is decreasing with 5454
SN58 EOA with two Sapphire coloured panels as mentioned in an email last
week, 5435 SN58 EOG has two
Arriva livery panels and 5452 SN58 ENX has a Arriva livery flap on the
drivers side.
The two brand new Enviro400s to Sapphire
specification due at Aylesbury later this year are currently set to arrive
in July but this has not yet been set in stone. They will be numbered 5459
and 5460.
Garston’s route 321 is due to be launched as a
Sapphire route later this year when the new Wright Streetlite Maxs arrive.
The Citaros from route 321 will transfer to other depots.
Derek Piekielniak
3214 R214GMJ is scrapped and parked in death row at
High Wycombe
3216 S216XPP is withdrawn and parked in death row
at High Wycombe
5162 S651KJU has finally been removed from High
Wycombe, I presume this has gone for scrap
5151 S151KNK scrapped and removed from High
Wycombe
Peter Cabin
Looking at 3216 S216SPP I wonder if this bus may
make it back on the road, as at this time it classed as withdrawn, it has
not been meddled as such judging by the photo attached.
This leaves just two taxis and Dart 3214 R214GMJ in
the back row
M A N 3746 AE56MDX has returned to High Wycombe
after luggage racking has been removed with further seating installed.
Apparently 3747 (registration unknown) is to be allocated to High Wycombe.
On the Bucks Travel Guide new time tables for the
Wycombe area starting April 27th 2014 to note there is a new service pink
route 30 High Wycombe to Downley Green route 31 will now just run from High
Wycombe to Penn
Arriva Aylesbury had 5454 SN58EOA working service 300 High Wycombe to
Aylesbury on March 29th 2014
Arriva 4075 being recovered from Green Line,
Victoria on March 26th by Gavin Francis.
Following a repaint eliminating the "easyJet"
orange rear, Arriva 4201 now has revised Green Line livery with new
lettering.
Seen on Buckingham Palace road, London on March
24th by Gavin Francis.
Arriva 4380 on the 757 Luton Airport service
restored by March 2nd taken by Malcolm Crowe.
The revised lettering on the rear of Arriva 4385
on March 3rd taken by Malcolm Crowe.
Acquired
Vehicles
Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400 all from City
of Oxford
102 (T102 DBW)
103 (T103 DBW)
104 (T104 DBW)
111 (T111 DBW)
112 (T112 DBW)
113 (T113 DBW)
116 (T116 DBW)
118 (T118 DBW)
119 (T119 DBW)
120 (T120
DBW)
These are
direct replacements for Volvo B7TLs 918 (PN02 XBZ), 919 (PN02 XCA), 920
(PN02XCK), 921 (PN02 XCS), 922 (PN02 XCT);
Leyland Olympians 923 (G530 VBB), 924 (G534 VBB),
Adrian Hartless writes "COMS Trident 118 was seen yesterday afternoon (March 28,) going into the Watlington Road depot having approached from the direction of Headington. It still carried full Brookes livery and was withdrawn on Dec 13 2013.
Any ideas what it is doing?
Trident 103 was recently seen working the 336 from Wycombe in plain blue livery.
and
Crusader Holidays
Luke Braham
Plaxton Cheetah GT14 MTT with C29F seating also arrived on the 25th February
at the Motts Travel depot. GT14 MTT is one of the last Plaxton Cheetahs to
carry a Mercedes Benz Vario chassis.
After the 1st April, two more coaches are due for delivery. These are a
Scania OmniExpress with C63Ft seating with the registration MT14 MTT and a
short 10 meter Scania Irizar i6 with the registration CT14 MTT.
GT05 MTT has been sold this week and is awaiting collection."
http://www.nationalexpress.com/
New Coaches
Bruce,
Salsburgh YX14 GPV Scania / Caetano Levante tri-axle
South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach
have acquired three former Stagecoach Scania / Caetano Levante’s FJ56 OBR
FJ56 OBZ and FJ56 OCA.
Pictures by Malcolm Crowe.
Park's of Hamilton:
The latest Volvo B13R (T) / Plaxton Elites used on National Express services
have now been re-registered
YY63WCJ to LSK807
YY63WCK to LSK808
YY63WCL to LSK812
YY63WCM to LSK814
YY63WCN to LSK815
YY63WCO to LSK819
YY63WCP to LSK825
NEx Park's LSK 807 ex YY63WCJ r 504 in Sammy's
on March 19th by Malcolm Crowe.
NEx Park's LSK 815 ex YY63WCN r 501 in Sammy's
on March 11th by Malcolm Crowe.
A number of the
Tri-axle Plaxton Panthers used on National Express duties have been
re-registered, prior to disposal
KSK949 to SW09 UMC
LSK513 to SW09 URH
LSK845 to SW09 UNS.
Noted at
Plaxtons have been Volvo B11R / Jonckheere SHVs
BU14EGK,
BU14EGX and BU14EHB.
They carry the black Parks livery, but the previous gold skirt has been
replaced by a silver band. The fleet names remain gold though
NEx Park's YX14SGV r 540 leaving and in Sammy's
on March 25th 2014 taken by Gavin Francis.
NEx Bruce's 15 metre tri-axle having difficulty
getting out of Gloucester Green Bus Station on March 9th 2014 by Malcolm
Crowe.
These days there are more "long coaches" using
the bus station and accidents are not unknown.
It would however eliminate these problems if
layovers were removed from the station altogether.
NEx Stagecoach East Kent's Volvo-Plaxton Elite
53704 on route 022 in Sammy's on March 3rd 2014 by Malcolm Crowe.
This coach, with four more, was new to SC Oxford
for service on the 737 Stansted service.
Interesting news is that on a number of occasions Oxford Bus Citaros have appeared on Thames Travel services, suggesting a current shortage of buses for TT service. Another significant development has seen the use of Park & Ride buses on city services and the loan of an Alexander demonstrator Hybrid on city service 5.
Ralph Adams writes
"On
Thursday 6th March, Thames Travel were using COMS Citaro 844 on the X39. No
change of legal ownership so presumably a short term loan.
As I was going into town
this afternoon on the bus, I looked back at a bus we just passed. It was a
red Citaro on route X32 so yet another bus on loan but unable to see which
bus it was.
It appears that TT is short of a Citaro and would
have expected them to keep the same bus all of the time. Changing over means
the Hanover screen needs to keep being changed and then back again shortly
afterwards.
Seen on 22nd March Thames travel X1 was COMS 838.
COMS have SN59 AWW on hire from Alexander Dennis. This is an AD E400H and has been allocated fleet number 900. It has a fixed destination for route 5. At least this way it will not venture under the railway bridge!"
Several pictures of the hired bus have been received.
OX 900 on route in The High on March 17th by
Malcolm Crowe
Three views of the same bus, showing the livery
of which the vinyl's have seen better days.
The fixed blinds have no lighting at night and as
such are difficult to see which route the bus is on.
Seen by Gavin Francis on March 29th 2014.
The same bus with the red reflected from a
passing company bus and seen on March 29th by Adrian Hartless.
900 seen by Graham Low on March 16th 2014.
Richard Sharman writes "On 27th of March- Park & Ride 312 on the 2C late PM"
Park & Ride Hybrid 313 most surprisingly
on 5 road loading in St. Aldates on March 17th 2014.
Several readers have reported seeing these buses
on city routes in recent weeks which is most unlike the company who have
always been fastidious in the matter of allocation.
Airline 22 waits it's next duty on March 19th by Malcolm Crowe.
The interior of one of the new coaches. Malcolm Crowe.
21 and 23 on their first days in service. Malcolm Crowe.
Volvo B11R 22 Heathrow bound on the A40 near Wheatley on March 20th by
Richard Sharman.
24 and 21 rears at Volvo Didcot prior to entering service seen on February
26th by Richard Sharman.
Panther 21 at Speed on the A40 Gatwick bound on March 20th 2014 taken by
Richard Sharman.
All white 45 getting a lift back to the yard, seen on the M40 hear Wheatley
on March 20th by Richard Sharman.
Interdecker 64 London bound on the A40 near Wheatley on March 20th as seen
by Richard Sharman.
The extra length of the new Volvos can be seen in the picture of 23 taken by
Graham Low on March 16th 2014.
Two of the older 61 plate Airline coaches have been repainted into X90 livery and renumbered. There was some confusion when nr 82 entered service as it was numbered 81. It had been 15 whereas it was expected that nr 11 was to become 82. 10 became 81 only after the confusion with 15 becoming 81 and then 82.
Coach 82 as 81 ex 15 on March 5th in London seen by Gavin Francis. This was
more or less its first day in service after repaint.
March 5th again with 8, 42 and 81 lined up for service in Oxford. Picture by
Gavin Francis.
Corporate branding identity seems somewhat in doubt!
By March 7th 81 had become 82 but had broken down at Stokenchurch where
Malcolm Crowe pictured same.
By March 14th 81 ex nr 10 had appeared in service and was caught on camera
by Malcolm Crowe.
The new Interdeckers only appear on the Airline services occasionally,
spending most of their days on the X90.
Coach 64 is seen at Thornhill and Ride on March 24th by Gavin Francis.
Another odd thing with these coaches is the varying destination displays on
the same route.
The difference as seen on coach 62.
I have some more pictures of the Chiltern Rail service, some taken at Bicester, all by Richard Sharman.
OX 1581 and 1583 at Bicester on February 27th by Richard Sharman.
1583 at Bicester on February 27th by Richard Sharman.
OX 1583 r CR1 en route to Oxford on February 27th by Richard Sharman.
OX 1584
A surprise bus in use on the Chiltern service is Trident 114 which we do not
think is LEZ compliant.
Picture by Richard Sharman on March 3rd 2014.
Although their withdrawal was expected earlier 51
was still working on March 27th as seen by Adrian Hartless.
Park & Ride 306 with Sorry Bus Full on March 1st 2014 by Richard Sharman.
The company website update reports the following fleet changes.
12 March 2014
New Vehicles (3/14):
21-25 AF, BF, CF, DF, EF14OXF Volvo B11R Plaxton C44Ft new 3/14
Withdrawn (3/14): 51/2, 83-90
Renumbered: 10 to 81, 11 to 44, 12-14 to 41-43, 15 to 82, 16-18 to 45-7
Reinstated (2/14): 114 to act as spare bus for Chiltern Railways contract
Lewknor - new stop for Airline services - from April 6th 2014.
Red Line
Bernard Lewendon
Red Rose
The company started to use a 61 plate E200 on the 275, late last year, thereby complying with the Oxford LEZ. This is seen below in a picture by Richard Sharman taken when the bus was at speed on the A40 approaching Wheatley on March 20th 2014.
Oxfordshire
E300 22766 on the X30 in Wantage Market Place on March 16th by David Allen.
Some changes to the allocations have seen 62 plate E200s moving to Witney and their places taken in Oxford by E300s from the reserve fleet. Older Darts 33463,4,50 and 53 have now moved to reserve. This means that the 62 plate E200s can be seen on the 18 and sometimes on the S1 or S2.
Gold Scania 15934 attended an event at the Oxford Bus Museum on Sunday April 6th. Pictures of this event wil be included in the next issue with a short report from Gavin Francis who drove 15934.
| fleet movements last period | ||
| 33650 | R150 CRW | Dennis Dart SLF - Witney to Reserve |
| 33653 | R153 CRW | Dennis Dart SLF - Witney to Reserve |
| 33463 | V463 TVV | Dennis Dart SLF - Witney to Reserve |
| 33464 | V464 TVV | Dennis Dart SLF - Witney to Reserve |
| 22768 | OU58 GKK | MAN E300 - Reserve to Oxford |
| 22769 | OU09 BZO | MAN E300 - Reserve to Oxford |
| 22770 | OU09 BZP | MAN E300 - Reserve to Oxford |
| 22771 | OU58 GKO | MAN E300 - Reserve to Oxford |
| 36760 | OU62 BBE | ADL E200 - Oxford to Witney |
| 36761 | OU62 BCX | ADL E200 - Oxford to Witney |
| 36762 | OU62 BEO | ADL E200 - Oxford to Witney |
| 36763 | OU62 BHV | ADL E200 - Oxford to Witney |
| 22935 | S935 CFC | MAN ALX300 - Reserve to Yorkshire |
| vehicle disposed of | |||
| 42624 | R624 CTX | Mercedes Vario (Staff Transport) | OX |
E200 36761 recently transferred to Witney depot
on the S2 at Gloucester Green on March 25th by Gavin Francis.
E200 36984, the latest delivered on the Sunday
X30 in St Aldates on March 2nd by Gavin Francis.
Darts 33464, 33462 and 33653 now in reserve seen
in our remote parking area on March 25th by Malcolm Crowe.
Gold 15933 on an S3 duty that also does an S1
Short to Thorney Leys as seen on March 24th by Richard Sharman.
East is using some ex Scottish Volvos on the X5
53315 is the latest addition to this fleet and
is seen on March 15th by Malcolm Crowe.
Swindon's 15769 on the 66 at Gloucester Green
fitted with anti-spray equip on front wheel arches.
Seen on March 9th 2014 by Malcolm Crowe.
It seems that all the Gold buses on the 66 are so fitted. Are these the
first Stagecoach buses to be treated like this.
The biggest news, reported elsewhere in this issue, is the order for 26 Van Hool Astromega TX27 models to Euro 6 standard to replace the current fleet of TD927 models (50201-50226). These coaches have given sterling service along the M40 corridor to London for the past near five years. Further details of the new coaches are eagerly awaited and we are told they will arrive in the summer this year. The keeps up the Stagecoach standard of replacing this high profile fleet every five years.
Oxford Tube coaches with cherished
registrations
Re-registered overnight 10-11 April 2014
Old registrations in parenthesis
50201
GX09OTN
(T40UBE)
50202
GX09OTM
(T44UBE)
50203
GX09OYF
(T50UBE)
50204
GX09OTP
(T55UBE)
50205
GX09OFE
(T60UBE)
This coach worked the 0700 Express departure to London on April
11th 2014 bearing the new registration.
It is not known where the TD927s will be going but news of this will be given as soon as it is known.
Megabus 50246, a TX27, next to Tube 50213 shows the revised lighting at the
front end which is a feature of the new coaches.
Tube 50202 at speed on the A40, London bound on March 20th in this picture
by Richard Sharman.
For those who notice such things and enjoy knowing what is in the distance, both 50201 and now 50222 are devoid of any rear end branding. This is following a general tidy up and 50222 is seen below at Horspath depot on March 14th by Malcolm Crowe.
The Megabus orders for this year are reported elsewhere in this issue but for those who follow this company I am repeating the orders below.
• 3 Astromega
Euro 5 double-deck coaches
• 6 Van Hool
Altano TDX 21 left-hand drive coaches
Plaxton Interdeckers are presently being used on the Paris service to provide additional capacity on this popular route.
Megabus Gold sleeper 50308 seen en route to Cardiff on the G7 service on
March 1st by Malcolm Crowe.
Three more of these coaches are now due in 2014.
Altano left hand drive 55001 arrives at Victoria from Amsterdam via
Rotterdam and Antwerp on March 11th seen by Malcolm Crowe.
Occasionally when problems occur a replacement vehicle has to found.
This happened when the rostered Gold sleeper failed and was replaced by one
of Parks Gold Citylink Volvo Elites seen above on March 21st.
This coach would have worked the night sleeper from Scotland to Cardiff and
then the G7 to London to be followed by the route in reverse.
LSK 481 is a long way from its normal haunts in the Scotland!! March 25th
was the date, seen by Malcolm Crowe.
A trio of Interdeckers in VCS on March 25th 2014 caught on camera by Gavin
Francis.
Stagecoach serving from one end of our land to the other and one of the very
latest Interdeckers, 54220, waits time to go to VCs to load for Penzance.
Seen on March 25th by Gavin Francis.
Interdecker 54213 ready for an ME1 departure to PARIS on March 25th by Gavin
Francis.
The Volvo B9Rs originally used on the European services, ME1 and ME2 are now
to found on other services, their place taken by various Interdeckers.
Richard Sharman caught 53645 working the M35 service out of Oxford, near the
Rail Station on March 9th 2014.
The European branding remains!
Following my question last month several of you kindly replied.
Ralph Adams writes
"You ask if the four Tridents have been withdrawn but not at present.
Also the route 72 at around 16.50 is quite
interesting with stagecoach proper buses Volvo Olympians S590 and P282 the
last few days working through to Aldershot,
no plastic yellow buses insight.
Another correspondent
says "I can confirm that Thames Travel still have at least 101 and 109 in service. 101 was observed yesterday 25th Feb, 106 in late January."
The four East Lancs bodied Scania N94s left Wallingford for Go-Ahead's Plymouth City Bus.
See information at this link:
http://www.plymothiantransit.com/2014/02/incoming-plymouth-citybus.html
Five vehicles left the fleet on Thursday 20th March; 401-403 (402 & 403 were originally said to be transferring to Carousel) the company's longest serving bus: 501 and after a lengthy period of being withdrawn and up for sale the final ex Brighton & Hove Trident: 916 all left one week ago for their new home in Malta!
Citaro 854 at the same location on the same day
also by David Allen.
Stagecoach,
Britain's biggest bus and coach operator announced on 3rd March that it has
placed orders for
The vast
majority of the new buses and coaches will be produced in the UK. The
investment will support
It is
the largest set of orders ever placed by Stagecoach and is also understood
to be the biggest placed by
In the next
financial year, Stagecoach is investing more than £81million in 495 new
vehicles for its regional
All of the new
vehicles will be fitted with CCTV while more than 350 will also have Wi-Fi
installed, giving
The latest
orders follow an annual competitive tendering process and the first of the
new vehicles will be
Details of the
new orders are as follows:
UK
Regional operations
• 69 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 400 Scania double-deckers
• 86 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers
• 28 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 300 Scania single-deckers
• 23 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 300 Scania GAS single-deckers
• 29 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 400 Euro 6 double-deckers
• 26
Astromega Euro 6 double deck coaches
• 199 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 200 Dart 4 midi-buses
• 3 Astromega
Euro 5 double-deck coaches
• 6 Van Hool
Altano TDX 21 left-hand drive coaches
• 2 Alexander
Dennis Enviro 200 Dart 4 Euro 6 midi-buses
• 13 Optare
Solo Cummins minibuses
• 8 Plaxton
Elite i Volvo B11R Euro 6 coaches
• 3 Van Hool
Astromega double-deck sleeper coach vehicles
London
• 32 Wrightbus
Gemini Volvo B5LH Euro 6 hybrid double-deckers
• 40 ADL Enviro
400 Trident Euro 6 hybrid double-deckers
• 1 ADL Enviro 400 Trident Conventional Euro 6
NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR APPOINTED AT STAGECOACH WEST
Stagecoach
Group today (Friday 14 March 2014) announced that it has appointed a new
Managing Director at its bus operations in the west of England.
Current
Stagecoach West Managing Director Ian Manning will retire on 31 May 2014. He
will be replaced by Rupert Cox, currently Acting Operations Director,
Stagecoach West who will become Managing Director of the business on 1 June
2014.
Rupert Cox is a
product of the industry-leading Stagecoach Graduate Development Programme
which has so far produced nine directors and dozens of managers across the
Group’s UK Bus division.
Stagecoach UK
Bus Managing Director Robert Montgomery said: “I would like to congratulate
Rupert on his appointment. He has worked hard and risen through the ranks at
Stagecoach over the past 13 years and thoroughly deserves this new role. All
of our regional bus companies are managed and run locally and we have a
track record of delivering continued investment and low fares. We have a
dynamic crop of young managers and directors across the UK who are helping
to deliver better bus travel to attract even more people on to our greener,
smarter services.
“I would also
like to pay tribute to Ian Manning for the service he has given Stagecoach
over many years. Ian is a passionate and knowledgeable busman who has shown
great commitment to improving public transport in the west of England over
the past 11 years. His experience, both in the UK and overseas, throughout
his career has been invaluable to us and we wish him every success in his
retirement.”
Rupert Cox
began his career in the bus industry while at University, working in the
schedules office at Wilts & Dorset Buses in Poole. He joined Stagecoach on
the company’s Graduate Development Programme in 2001 and took on his first
managerial role two years later as Commercial Manager for Stagecoach West.
In 2007, he moved to Stagecoach Yorkshire as Commercial Director where he
stayed until 2013 when he returned to Stagecoach West as Acting Operations
Director.
Rupert Cox
said: “It’s an honour to be appointed as Managing Director of Stagecoach
West, where I took on my first managerial role just over 10 years ago. It is
a great company, in a fantastic location and I am excited about working with
our team to build on the success that has already been achieved here.
“The delivery
of high quality bus services is a shared responsibility between bus
operators and local authorities and I look forward to working with our
partners locally to further improve bus services for our customers in the
region.”
Following a
brief spell in the steel industry, Ian Manning joined the bus industry in
1976 in the planning department at Lothian Region Transport in Edinburgh.
Three years later he joined Scottish Bus Group subsidiary W. Alexander &
Sons (Northern) as Assistant Planner and was appointed as SBG Group
Commercial Officer in 1981. He later moved to another Scottish Bus Group
subsidiary, Clydeside Scottish before landing the role of Operations Manager
at Southdown Motor Services in Chichester in 1989. Shortly afterwards the
company was sold to Stagecoach and Ian Manning was made redundant, quickly
moving on to become Deputy County Passenger Transport Officer at
Buckinghamshire County Council.
With a known
interest in the Portuguese bus industry, about which he has now written four
books, in 1996 Ian Manning was invited back to become the Managing Director
of Stagecoach Portugal and ran the company for almost five years. He then
moved to Arriva’s Portuguese operations in 2001 but returned to Stagecoach
in 2004 as Managing Director of Stagecoach West. When he retires on 31 May
2014, it will be 11 years to the day since he took on that role and, during
that time, the company has increased in fleet size by 15%. To mark the
occasion, a Running Day – offering a network of vintage bus services - is
being held in Cheltenham which will also celebrate the 85th
anniversary of the Cheltenham District Traction Co. Ltd and will feature
more than 20 classic buses from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Ian Manning
said: “My career has taken lots of twists and turns and I have actually had
three incarnations at Stagecoach. The bus industry is something that has
always interested me and it has been a privilege to have been able to
contribute to the industry and to do a job I genuinely love.
“Bus operators
have a hard job to do but over the years we have become better at delivering
the kind of service our customers rightly expect. The industry can still
improve further of course and, provided it has support from local and
central Government, I believe bus travel will continue to go from strength
to strength in the years to come.
“I have
thoroughly enjoyed my time at Stagecoach and I wish everyone all the best
for the future.”
Stagecoach West
carries more than 23 million customers a year. The company has around 665
employees and operates a fleet of more than 230 vehicles. Stagecoach West
also manages the dedicated transport operation for the famous Cheltenham
Festival.
Woods of Leicester
is sold
Long-established coach
operator, Woods Coaches of Leicester, has been bought by Stewarts Coaches,
based in Reading, for an undisclosed sum.
The deal will see the
existing Woods management team retained, along with the Woods name, which
will operate as part of the Stewarts Group.
Run by Andy Cotton,
award-winning Stewarts Coaches runs more than 40 coaches, mini-coaches and
buses from its Woodley base, specialising in high-quality coaching and
corporate work.
Woods Coaches, founded
in 1950 and now the city’s leading coach operator, is also an award-winner.
With an O-Licence for 25 vehicles, it runs an extensive holiday and day trip
programme.
Blackpool update from Geoff Cunliffe
I am able to let you know a couple of significant
happenings relating to Blackpool Transport.
First, the General Manager, Trevor Roberts, is to
leave. The newspaper announcement is slightly vague and suggests he may not
be remaining within the transport industry. He has not really been seen as a
man with an eye to the undertaking’s heritage, particularly with regard to
the trams, having stated that they are not a tourist attraction and his job
is to run a modern tramway. The heritage fleet gets in the way of this. We
will have to wait and see if his successor has a different view.
Secondly, Blackpool Council has taken the
controversial decision to restrict the use of ENTCS permits on the trams to
Blackpool residents only with effect from 1st. April this year. The
carefully worded item on the Blackpool Transport web site, which may be
viewed in full at
makes the valid point, which fellow enthusiasts
will know, that technically the scheme applies to BUS travel only and any
extension to cover trams is at the discretion of the funding authority.
Apparently Blackpool Council is quite prepared to fund anybody’s bus fare
(well, the same proportion of it) on the parallel bus Route 1 which operates
for the full length of the tramway so it will be interesting to see how much
they save.
I understand that whilst local residents may be
able to use their passes on various tram systems around the UK, only those
trams in Sheffield, operated by Stagecoach, accept anybody’s ENTCS passes.
It will be interesting to see how this decision
affects the very infrequent operation of Blackpool’s Heritage fleet where
excellent value all-day tickets were available with ENTCS passes.
The only other item I think I have for you at the
moment is that Pantograph car 167 is to return to Blackpool this season.
Whilst owned by Crich, it is currently on loan to Beamish, after which it
will make the journey back home. In exchange, “fat” balloon 711, i.e. one of
the traditional Blackpool double deckers which now has a widened central
loading platform and plug-type doors, is to go to Crich.
It is now known when 167 will operate as there are
rumours that the Heritage fleet will NOT be out on Bank Holiday Mondays this
season. If that means they will only be used during the illuminations
period, it hardly seems worth the transport costs.
Attached are photographs of 167 on a previous visit
back home, and 711 at Talbot Square in its last guise when used on the “old”
system. It now has the modified doors and is in corporate burgundy and white
livery. Both pictures are mine.
Changes to bus service 353
On the 31st March, Arriva are withdrawing their 353
bus which serves Slough, Stoke Poges, Gerrards Cross, The Chalfonts,
Amersham, Chesham and Hemel Hempstead. The route will be partially replaced
by a commercial service the 730 operated by Carousel Buses which will run
between Uxbridge, Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Chesham and Hemel Hempstead. The
other section of route between Slough and Gerrards Cross will be replaced by
amended 335 and 353 routes. These will operated under contract to Transport
for Buckinghamshire.
Arriva are also withdrawing their 354 service from
Chesham - Berkhamstead and Northchurch, this has been re-tendered by
Hertfordshire County Council and will be operated by Vale Travel with no
change to the timetable.
Please see the information sheets and timetables
below.
Related
files
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06/03/2014 |
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19/02/2014 |
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19/02/2014 |
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19/02/2014 |
Stagecoach has threatened legal action in Wales over concessionary travel
reimbursement cuts
It has today (Wednesday
19 March) given the Welsh Government until 1 April to re-think its decision
to set a new rate, or face a potential judicial review.
The new rate would result in a £24 million cut in
the scheme’s budget.
Stagecoach has received legal advice suggesting
failings in the Welsh Government’s process.
MD of Stagecoach in Wales John Gould says: “Legal
action is a last resort.”
Trips
Gavin in Florida
Gavin visited Florida and found the parking up area for the M96 service.
Megabus USA DD064 seen at Rosen Inn International Drive, Florida on March
12th 2014.
This is a 2011 model.
Driver told me he thought the coach was a 2011. It had 739000 miles
on the clock.
Northampton etc by Richard Morgan
I have now managed to burn a disc of all the pix I took on my trip
to Victoria on Saturday 22 February.
This weekend was the closure of Grey Friars BS and the opening of North Gate BS at Northampton.
Some of the new E200s which now work in
Northampton - seen at the new depot.
From Ray Ramsey
Just been
given this link, a web cam installed on Allhallows multi Storey car
park over looking the bus station rebuild..
Nice one
Bedford Borough.
https://timelapse.regenology.co.uk/api/embedded/230/
Cheltenham Gold Cup Race Days 2014
Dave and Deric kindly provided details of the buses used for the above event.
Buses on loan for Cheltenham Races 11th -14th March:
Stagecoach Manchester/Wigan:
19004/55/63/5/9/71/7/8/9/81/90/6
Glenvale: 15467/839
East London: 10110/80, 19758
Selkent: 10194/6
Oxford: 15434/5/6/8
Scania 15438 "on holiday" in Cheltenham on March 14th by Richard Sharman.
Scania 15435 at the Races in Cheltenham 2014 on Marcch 14th seen by Richard
Sharman.
Hampshire Bus: 14951, 16293/588
South West: 17003/705, 18078
Yorkshire: 15690/1/2
North West: 16642
Midlands: 16695/8, 19953
East: 16218/593
In addition, West's own Reserve fleet of
Olympians, are in use.
Non Stagecoach loans are North Somerset G706 TCD
(Olympian) and VDV 134S (VRT). In the evenings, vehicles from Marchants,
Swanbrook and Thamesdown Transport will also be in use.
For information, all the Manchester/Wigan buses
were returned by West drivers to Chesterfield on Saturday 15th March, from
where, we have been told, they will then move to Sheffield for tram
replacement duties.
Running Days
1st Watford Bus Running Day Timebus RM29 - OYM
453A formerly VLT29 - 300314 by Mark Turner.
1st Watford Bus Running Day ENSIGN RMA58
NMY655E and London Transport RML2683 SMK683F 300314 by Mark Turner.
RTL139 at the running day by Mark Turner.
STL2377 at the event by Mark Turner.
RML2440 at the event seen by Mark Turner.
RML2456
RML903
Arriva's 6020 on the normal 142.
Golden Tours new 114 BF63HEJ on ELIZABETH
BRIDGE-VICTORIA - March 5th 2014 by Gavin Francis.
Sun Fun Luxury Travel from Collier, Earith,
Cambridgeshire - N66SUN near Victoria ex Parks NEx and possibly Weavaway.
Taken on March 1st by Malcolm Crowe.
Excalibur King Long BX13CZD at Victoria on March
1st by Malcolm Crowe.
Regal Busways 801 RG09BUS at Oxford Rail Station
on Rail Replacement service on February 16th by Richard Sharman.
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.