Editorial

Issue nr 281
Thursday December 21st, 2023

Abingdon Centre on December 12th by Jack Cooper

From the Editor

So, the last issue for 2023 as we enter the 26th year of OCBP from September 1998.

Charlton Services end local bus services after almost 100 years, the coach business continues

London Bus Events in December 2023 by Gavin Francis and Nigel-Eadon-Clarke

The story of the Southend Fleetlines which came to Oxford (City 0f Oxford Motor Services)

Binders Yard with Gavin Francis

A REALLY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS BUS SERVICE! in Reading

Readers Write with much of interest

Buses in the Landscape from Jack Cooper

Coach Visitors to Oxford by David Beynon

Fleet News & Developments including more on Oxford Bus's fleet of Electroliners

Pulhams get some Oxford Bus Wrights HEV's

Stagecoach updates

London with Andrew Webb and Gavin Francis

Jack Cooper visits Bournemouth, Poole and Swanage

The next issue will be on January 4th 2024 and I look forward to your news and pictures.

Have a great Christmas and a happy New Year.

by Andrew Dyer

Charlton-on-Otmoor Services. End of an era.

I am told by local sources in the village that last Friday 15th December was the last day of operation of the local bus service by Charlton-on-Otmoor Services. Whilst the Oxford end of the route was discontinued some while ago, the Friday only shopping service to Bicester continued until last Friday.

That marks almost 100 years of local bus services being run from the village. I understand that the first operator was a Charles Knight in the late 1920. It is said that he called the business 'Forget-me-Not Coaches' which is the origin of the dual blue livery which survives to this day. The business was transferred to Thomas Honour in the late 1930s and then on to the Holder family, who are the current owners, in 1955.

Attached a picture of EPT 696 (photographer unknown) which is the first vehicle that Gordon Holder bought in April 1955 after he had taken over the business.

Charlton-Services EPT696 and FKO223 at Gloucester Green via Andrew Dyer
EPT696 came from Sunderland District and was a 1940 Leyland TD7 with Roe Bodywork.

London Bus Events – December 2023

There were two events held in the past two weeks to round off events in London for 2023. On December 9^th it was 19 years to the day since the last regular Routemaster route finished, the 159 latterly running from Marble Arch to Streatham Hill.

Each year there is a gathering of Routemasters at The Ace Café on The North Circular followed by a run to Thornton Heath and return.

Nigel Eadon-Clarke was at The Ace Café to record some of the buses.

Routemasters at Ace Café pictures.

Pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke.

Then on 17^th December another annual event was the Route 227 Running Day with RFs operating from Bromley North Station to Crystal Palace. In addition there were two Routemasters and an RT running on Route 94 between Bromley and Petts Wood.

Again Nigel was on hand to record some of the buses taking part.

Route 227 & 94 pictures.

Pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke.

Those Southend Fleetlines with COMS

Paul Bateson

From Paul Bateson, Toronto, Canada. As an employee of Southend Transport from 1963 to 1969 I was interested to see the pictures of the 2 ex-Southend buses in your last page. My pictures show 368 and 380 at the Central Bus Station on 12^th November 1983 and then 380 after transfer to Oxford at Showbus Woburn Abbey on 1^st September 1985.

With Southend in the early '80s.

380 with COMS in 1985.

Grahame Wareham

I thought I would drop you a line as in last week's page Paul Dudfield indicated that I would be able to provide some comment relating to the ex. Southend Daimler Fleetlines which came to Oxford in 1984 and 1985...........almost forty years ago!!

"I was tasked with finding suitable replacement vehicles for the non P&R ex. LT DMS buses 991,992 and 994 which had been withdrawn due to impending expensive mechanical and body issues. A chance conversation with Chris Hilditch at the Southend Bus Rally mentioned that he had for disposal a dual door 80 seater Fleetline. Chris was keep do do a swap with a suitable single deck service bus so fortunately we were able to provide Bristol RE 679 which had come to us from PMT in 1981. With approval from NBC HQ a vehicle swap was authorised and I drove 679 up to Southend returning with 368 in November 1984. 679 went on to become Southend 303 and later on in 1988 Cynon Valley 84.

368 retained its Southend fleet number whist with Oxford and was mainly used on Park & Ride services where its 80 seat capacity, power assisted steering and automatic gear control made it popular with the operations department. In 1985 another two later identically specified Fleetlines were sourced from Southend, these being 378 and 380 and were provisionally swapped with Oxford DP Bristol RE's 82 and 88. These again retained Southend's fleet numbers and were again put to use on Park & Ride services, often being used on the 595 Thornhill to Seacourt route which made these vehicles popular due to their low height and ablity to pass under Oxford Station Bridge. 82 was returned to Oxford by Southend Transport but 88 was sold on to Dean, Leatherhead in December 1985 ending its days with Carter, Colchester from October1990 later passing to PVS Carlton for scrap in August 1991.

368 lasted in service in Oxford until September 1988 when it was sold for onward preservation to a member of the Canvey Island Bus Museum. Subsequently in May 1989 it passed to S&M (Castlepoint Bus Company) of Benfleet, lasting there until May 1994 when it was exported to Auckland, New Zealand to become a tour bus.

378 was sold to Kimes Coaches of Folkingham, Lincolnshire in August 1989 where it operated for a further six years.

380 was sold locally to Worth's, Enstone in May 1989 and later in 1993 passed to South Notts, Gotham where it became fleet number 187 in their fleet. It later passed to Delta, Derby as a contract hire bus and then finished its days with a dance troupe (Breadshill Hilltoppers, Derby).

My attached images do verify that all three vehicles kept their dual-doored status whist with Oxford which was the main requirement for acquiring them"

In Oxford service from 1985.

368 in its various lives to April 1990

378 with Kimes in August 1990

380 after COMS.

Neil Gow

Regarding Paul Dudfield’s question about the ex Southend Fleetlines with City of Oxford, there was third one – 378 (GHJ 378L). They retained their centre doors while at Oxford, as can be seen in these nearside pictures of 368 and 378 taken in June 1987.

368 in June 1986.

378 in the same year.

My thanks to all for your research and pictures. Ed.

Binders Yard with Gavin Francis

including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

A REALLY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS BUS SERVICE!

A special bus service will be provided by Reading Buses on Boxing Day to keep communities connected during the annual railway shutdown. The London Line 702 will run from Reading to Slough every hour and connect with the normal route into Central London, all for a bargain fare of £2 on the bus.

Whilst buses will not be running in Reading on Christmas Day, giving staff a well-earned rest, a really special Christmas Day service has been organised for Flightline 703 between Slough and Heathrow Terminal 5 between 4am and 11pm to help Heathrow workers, and the holidaymakers and visitors who have to work and travel on that day, reach their destinations. This service will be staffed by drivers who have volunteered to work on that day.

For all routes over the Christmas period, the company say full details, including timetables for special days such as Boxing Day, are on their website.

On Christmas Eve, Reading Buses say that most buses are on normal Sunday timetables, but have an early finish around 7.00-8.00 pm. This is except emerald 5 and 6, purple 17, claret 21 and yellow 26 which will continue their Sunday service until around 11.00 pm.

On Boxing Day most buses will be running to a curtailed Sunday timetable with services running from around 9.00am until around 6.00pm.

Between Wednesday December 27 and Saturday December 30 most services will run to Saturday timetables. The hospital park & ride 300 and route 9 will run as a weekday service on the Wednesday to Friday, and buses will call into business parks as per the weekday timetable.

On Sunday December 31 most services will run to their Sunday timetables with extra late-night buses on purple 17 to help people get to and from their celebrations.

New Year’s Day see most services running to their Sunday timetables and buses return to normal from Tuesday January 2. Customers are, however, advised to check each day for their own service to ensure that they know what level of service to expect.

Said Robert Williams, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer: “I would like to take this opportunity to wish our customers and employees an enjoyable Christmas. We will be there for our customers when needed.

“We are delighted to be able to offer a special service on Christmas Day on Flightline 703 to help get people to and from Heathrow Airport.”

Full details of Christmas services can be found at www.reading-buses.co.uk

Adam Harber updates information regarding the new Enviro 400 EV fleet due in 2024

To reply to a comment on your page… “ADL E400EV at the depot this week and is fitted with cameras and has two wheelchair spaces on its lower deck and the first to front seats that were opposite the driver have been replaced with a new luggage space.”

The vehicles that make up the Oxford order will have one wheelchair bay on the nearside and one buggy bay on the offside. The space above the front wheels is now home to batteries, one on the nearside where seats are normally fitted and two on the offside under the stairs. These are the white boxes that can be seen in the first of the factory tour photos. The height of the battery prevents seats being fitted over the wheel and also means there will be no locker or storage space under the stairs. There are also batteries in the rear engine compartment, and under the floor that can be seen in the other photos.

The Oxford buses will also only have four seats on the rear row, not five as shown on the prototype, and the rear centre seat on both decks will be removed on safety grounds. Not fitted to the prototype, but will be on the Oxford buses, is a large “Next Stop” announcement display screen on each deck. On the top deck this will be in the centre of the windscreen where the “Bus Stopping” sign is fitted on the prototype, and on the bottom deck it will be at the bottom of the stairs near the buggy bay. Also, the stairs will not have windows as shown on the prototype. Interior trim will be the current Stagecoach favourite, much the same as the buses that have just entered service at Witney depot.

Bob Chalmers asks questions about the OBC bus fleet

Just wondered if OBC could give us some updates on their fleets etc (new 'Electroliners' - liveries/phased introductions/existing older vehicle redeployment etc) - imagine the older 2xx & 3xx vehicles will be the first to move on and presumably others might go to replace older buses in the TT fleet?

Also be interesting to hear about buses from the existing fleet that have been out of service for sometime. 210, 220, 227, 300, 303, 313, 651, 662, 674, 840 etc. Perhaps they could give you a regular monthly update on these type of questions which could be published as news is received.

Some interesting information has been provided by Go Ahead's Oxford Managing Director under that company heading below. Ed.

Gavin Francis writes about a Solo MA07BUS

I see Star Travel have sold MA07BUs to Derbyshire Community Travel. (picture attached)

Attached picture when it was with Motts, Route 108 is what OBC now use for the route isn't it?

Chris Huntingford

"Readers who fancy a trip out between Christmas and New Year may enjoying trying the new electric 400 buses between Oxford and Wheatley. Just used one that was full and standing and it got up Headington Hill without any problem at all. But the really exciting bit is joining the A40, with almost sports car acceleration up to 55 mph. A possibility is to then return on route 46, winding through all the villages down to Cowley and onwards back in to Oxford."

Jack Cooper

1706 is seen by the sea front at Swanage on December 11th.
It makes me feel chilly. Ed.

Coach visitors to Oxfordshire

David Beynon

David's selection for this issue.

A couple of Irizar's on December 14th, one in Littlemore (!) and one in St. Giles.

Today’s visitors at the Kassam for the visit of Burton Albion, an ex Solus Van Hool and what is/was the Liverpool FC team coach.

The Blakes, D.J. Thomas and Hearns are from December 17th, the Astons and the OMC Global were taken this morning.

I have also included a picture of the OMC Neoplan in it’s earlier life.

Fleet News and developments

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on December 18th.

2956, 2982, 3730 and 3920 in the Eden Bus Station

5457, 5460 and 6149 in the Eden Bus Station

5468 in High Street, Oxford with a 280 on December 19th.

Kevin Fuller

First Streetlite 47691 passes Burnham Park on route 12 to Slough, on 7th December.
This bus was transferred from Southampton earlier this year, and still carries route branding for route 7.

Similar vehicle 47695 shows a contrast in livery - it is the first one to be repainted in Beeline orange/purple out of its Southampton Cityred colours.
Seen working on route 12 at Burnham High Street on 15th December.

From Luke Marion
Managing Director
Oxford Bus Company | Thames Travel | Carousel Buses | Pulhams Coaches | City Sightseeing Oxford

On the Electroliners, we now have the following buses in service, all of which are in Brookes livery:

BJ73 WWE	701
BJ73 WWF	702
BJ73 WWG	703
BJ73 WWH	704
BJ73 WWK	705
BJ73 WWL	706

BJ73 WWP

710

BJ73 WWR

711

We have PDId the following further Brookes vehicles this week also

BJ73 WWN

708

BJ73 WWS	712
BJ73 WWT	713
BJ73 WWU	714

The other Brookes vehicles of the 701-721 batch are expected to be with us by the end of the year, as there are currently a number of buses in transit to us.

We are currently preparing fleet numbers 251-254 for transfer to Go South West.

Following this we are expecting to see fleet numbers 300-317 and 351-369 to cascade to other group companies, we haven't got confirmation yet which order these will go in however these will start leaving the fleet as we get into the new year.

In terms of the city livery which will apply to 722-791 and to single decks 492-495, this will be revealed at a launch event on 15^th January along with a similar reveal from Stagecoach. I am aware that some photos have already circulated online however this does not show the final version of the livery.

The open tops will be fleet numbers 190-197

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on December 18th.

245 seen operating a 41 service from the Eden Bus Station

Sprinters busy in and around Wycombe.

and in Oxford

533 in High Street with a 275 working.

Kevin Fuller

At Windsor parish church, Carousel Wright Gemini 940 waits departure time for its return to High Wycombe working route 103 on December 13th.

Electronliners

As of today, 701-5/8/10-4 are in service.

Pictures by James Freeman can be seen in the link below.

oxford bus company electric buses | Flickr

Gavin Francis

Pictures of Whites YX68ULV now with Oxford Bus as 599 on loan.

...... and in Oxford on December 19th.

Current variety working various routes in the High Street.

Loaned 599 putting in time working the 46.

the Eden Bus Station not working the branded routes, 683 and 686 in St Aldates.

Loaned Olympus deckers in Oxford.

DOE 3, 13 and 15.

Graham Low on December 12th

I attach a view of Wright StreetDeck 907 in Abingdon today with Christmas greetings in the destination display.

Also I attach a view of Pick Me Up-liveried 972 on new route 108 at its High Street terminus.

Graham Mildenhall

Another oddity for you, COMS 667 branded for 6 road working an X1 to Wantage! - December 16th.

..... and 688 with a 300 road service in George Street on the same day.

Jack Cooper

198 and 202 hoping for custom on December 19th.

Loaned DOE 3 and 15 in Westgate on December 13th.

Current double deck variation in Oxford.

pignbob

First day in service for 710 and 711 on December 18th.

Brookes HEVs 371 and 372 have moved here.

George Candelin

Had a quick look through the gates at Pulhams Witney depot Sunday, 17th, and took a photo, vehicles present listed below although I couldn't identify the Eclipse Gemini or one of the coaches but here is a list.

FRZ 5490	Volvo B12M / Plaxton Paragon
GL16 PUL	Volvo B12M / Jonckheere JHV
GL65 PUL	Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard
PUI 8147	Volvo B12M / Jonckheere JHV
PUI 9430	Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus
R70 PUL	Volvo B12M / Plaxton Panther
SL60 PUL	Volvo B8R / Plaxton Panther 3
VO03 MWW	Volvo B7R / Plaxton Profile (Note the registration change)
XDG 614	Volvo B11R / Plaxton Panther 3
	Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

Jack Cooper

Pulhams-UK22PUL in Gloucester Green on December 14th.

Gavin Francis

206 is seen with an X40 in High Street on December 19th.

863 and 874 is seen with X40's on December 19th.

908 takes full advantage of large blind display seen with an X40 in High Street on December 19th.

908 and 921 in St Aldates on December 19th.

Jack Cooper

209 wishes everyone a Merry Christmas on December 13th with 213 on December 15th in Westgate.

Unusually 850 is working the X2 on December 11th in Westgate.

Gavin Francis

..... a few pictures taken in London on December 16th.

There is variety even in the National Express fleet.

A rather small Acklams coach for the 540 from Manchester.

including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Gavin Francis

766 working a 702 in Victoria on December 16th.

Kevin Fuller

Enviro 200 MMC 678 is seen passing Lent Green while working a route 53 service from Wexham to Bracknell on 7th December.

Heading in the opposite direction, Solo 129 ascends the hill on Lent Rise Road, also on 7th December.

Enviro 200 660 waits time in Windsor before returning to Maidenhead with a 16 working on 13th December.

Gavin Francis

Heading for Marlow on December 18th.

All four Volvo MCV's have now return ed to service painted red. Ed.

Gavin Francis

MTE in Oxford on December 19th.

Gavin Francis

Not one of our regulars for the 40, YX10BGK at Stokenchurch on December 21st.

Ciaran Bird

Last Saturday (09/12/23) I was asked to help out at Swindon depot during a shortage of drivers. I was tasked with the 13:55 S6 to Oxford and back, then the 18:05 after a break in the bus station. My buses for the day were 10996 (SN18 KVE) and 15968 (YP14 GYX). It was nice to have the variety of the two, especially being from a different depot. Coincidentally whilst leaving Swindon bus station in 10996 I was spotted by Joel Forey, who's photos I note as appearing in edition no. 280 of the page.

Both buses are seen by me at Osney Island in Oxford during layover between trips.

10788 spotted in Bristol depot this evening, being worked on by engineering. I'm reliably informed that 12004 has left us. Whether that's to return to service, placed in storage for parts or scrapped I don't know but I would assume one of the latter two options

Dave & Deric

Here is our summary of the Stagecoach West Fleet Card Period 8 dated 8^th December 2023.

As usual, changes affecting Stagecoach Oxford/Thames Transit highlighted in yellow.

New Vehicles	11747-57	New	To	Witney

Transfers	10749, 10902	North Bristol	To	Cheltenham
	10986	North Bristol	To	Swindon
	11233-37	Witney	To	North Bristol
	11243-47	Witney	To	Oxford
	28681	Cheltenham	To	Gloucester
	28742	Gloucester	To	Cheltenham
	36984	Oxford	To	Cheltenham

Out of Reserve	47471	Reserve	To	Cheltenham

For Disposal	12004, 12005	Oxford	To	For Disposal
	50272	Oxford Tube	To	For Disposal

We are aware there are a few other changes, but these aren’t reflected in the Fleet Card yet and will no doubt show up next time.

Frazer Peddle

West's 15967 seen here with the 10 at the JR Hospital on December 20th.

Gavin Francis

Not Gold now 15756 and Gold 15759 provide service for the 8 on December 19th.

Jack Cooper

10680 and 10684 at work on December 17th.

11758 and 11759 also on December 17th.

Big surprise working the 8 was 15356 on December 11th.

Adam Harber

Attached is a photo of 50452 taken this morning. It’s not my best photography work as the coach was parked at the back and surrounded by other vehicles. However, it shows the poppy design has now been repaired. As mentioned in a previous email, it was removed by ADL when undertaking work under warranty. This work was to fix an issue where water was finding it’s way into the vehicle via the front nearside wheel arch and causing a few electrical issues. The whole fleet is or has been done, but nobody noticed on the other coaches because they don’t have a vinyl wrap!

Graham Low

I went to London on Sunday afternoon, December 12th, by the tube - packed - and returned during the evening - packed again!! Others were packed. Victoria station was packed as well.

Gavin Francis

Variety in London on December 16th.

50454 in Horspath depot on December 19th.

Jack Cooper

Thought I'd let you know that the missing vinyl from 50454 appears to be replaced. This photo was taken today at the green on the 15th.

London operations

Andrew Webb

Christmas is traditionally the time of year when people start planning next summer's holidays. Kerala has launched a timely campaign to showcase the wide range of attractions that this Indian state has to offer, using five new Routemasters each with a unique design on either side. Three were caught in the limited daylight on 16 December.

Metroline's LT661 is seen at Tottenham Court Road whilst on route 390.

Stagecoach's LT260 is seen at Liverpool Street whilst heading into Tottenham Court Road
and a little later returning through the remodelled junction at Bank.

Abellio's LT684 is seen at Trafalgar Square whilst on route 24.
On the nearside the '4' of the fleet number has been covered by the advert.

'FENTY x PUMA Creeper Phatty' is a new range of trainers, although on this advert on London United's BCE47008 this is not immediately apparent. T
he bus is seen at Shepherds Bush station as it nears journey's end on route 49.

Londoner Buses have decorated RM1650 in this festive livery for use on route T15. It is seen at Tower Hill on 16 December.

Part of the decoration includes multi colour LED lights which are best seen after dark.
The lights are apparent as the bus loads at Trafalgar Square later the same day.

Frank Brown

A couple of London Christmas shots:-

(1) Former Devon General 'Seadog' Atlantean 927 (724 XUW) Sir Martin Frobisher is on loan to Londoner Buses until the end of the year for their evening Christmas Light Tours, viewed in Oxford Street on Friday 15 December.

Part open top former Metroline Enviro400 TE879 deputises in wet weather and duplicates on busy evenings.

(2) RM 1650 (650 DYE) sporting the late Queen's 1977 Silver Jubilee livery as SRM3 (with added Christmas embellishments) seen in The Strand on Londoner Buses operated T15 (Tower Hill - Trafalgar Square) tourist route.