Issue nr 302
Thursday May 30th, 2024

Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/ 

From the Editor

Much variety in this issue with interesting developments and an update on Oxford Bus Electroliners !

As always we reach far and wide and the South Coast is covered by Adrian Small.

Grahame Wareham has put a lot into his weekly review of the corresponding fleet number/issue number.

Andrew Dyer opened flood gates on past operators in Oxfordshire.

In issue 303, next week, there will be a visit to Milton Keynes from Gavin Francis.

In this issue

Memories of fleet number 302 from Grahame Wareham

The AEC Society Road Run and Rally 2024

Rail Replacement in Beaconsfield by Derek Taylor

Rail Replacement at Staines by Andrew Webb

Allan James and operators who have ceased trading in the Oxford area

Buses in the Landscape

Fleet News & Developments

Latest delivery list of Oxford Electroliners

London Operations

South Coast operators from Adrian Small

Memories of fleet number 302 from Grahame Wareham
with additional pictures from Gavin Francis and Malcolm Crowe.

My thoughts on the number 302.


(copyright RHG Simpson) H836 at Cowley Road Garage in 1955. 

H302 was a 1946 AEC Regent II/Park Royal H30/26/R body registered KFC140 seen here in its post 1953 renumbered form as H836 at Cowley Road Garage Oxford, before the G section extension had been built. It was withdrawn from COMS service in May 1957 and sold to Warners of Tewksbury, via Deacon, (dealer) of Dorchester. It lasted until 1966 with Warners and was sold for scrap in 1967.

   
The second COMS 302 was a 1961 Dennis Loline II with East Lancs forward entrance H35/28F low-height body, registered 302KFC.
The images show 302 at Carfax in the City centre on service 2 to Cutteslowe,
302 at City Church High Street Oxford on a 2 working to Sandhills Estate
and one of 302 at Gloucester Green after arriving on a 20B service from Abingdon.

302 was withdrawn in September 1971 and sold along with previously mentioned 301 to Stoniers of Goldenhill, Stoke on Trent in October 1971, via TPE (dealer) Macclesfield. These two seemed to stay as a pair and 301 was sold on to Cobholm, Great Yarmouth in June 1974, lasting there until 1977


OFC902H was the second of the Bristol VRT2/ECW H39/31F double decker's diverted from Southern Vectis delivered in May 1970. .

     
     
Herewith the separate images of OFC902H which of course was COMS 302 for a period in its service career.|
(2 x COMS 902 OFC902H at Brighton in 1970)
(1x COMS 902 OFC902H in St. Aldates Oxford in June 1970)
((1 COMS 902 OFC902H at Dinton Turn awaiting recovery after accident in October1970)
(1 x COMS 902 OFC902H in Gloucester Green after accident repair by ECW in December 1971)
(1 x COMS 902 OFC902H in Hythe Bridge Street Oxford in NBC livery June 1973)
(1 x COMS 302 OFC902H in Witney March 1981)
(1 x OFC902H with Merediths Malpas July 94)
(1 x OFC902H after return to Oxford July 94)
(1 x OFC901H & OFC902H together awaiting transfer of parts July 94) 

In October of that year 902 was involved in an accident with a HGV at the Dinton turn on the A418 whist operating an 82 service from Aylesbury to Oxford. Fortunately nobody was seriously injured but the bus was severely damaged necessitating a return to ECW for repair.902 was transferred to Bicester during 1975 and was renumbered 303 in September 1979 after Oxford Station Bridge was heightened allowing 13ft 8in double decker's a safe passage underneath. In July 1984 303 was transferred to the South Midland business and renumbered CON3 for part of their contract fleet. In June 1986 it was further renumbered 803 as part of the Transit Holdings fleet but was then sold to Martins of Middlewich (dealer) in November 1986. It was sold to Meredith's of Malpas in January 1987 and 10 years later passed to Cherwell Bus Preservation Group for complete restoration which is still ongoing. As part of the restoration process it received the mechanical units from sister vehicle OFC901H which was about to be sold for scrap. As a final gesture when driving 902 back to Oxford from its last operator the windscreen shattered on me about five miles into my hundred and twenty mile journey! 

     
F557NJM was 302 at Wycombe Bus renumbered from 402 in 1996.
It lasted there until Arriva bought the Wycombe Bus operation in 2000,
and thereafter for another year then sold to to Merseypride, Liverpool in November 2001
Picturers by Malcolm Crowe in 1999.

   
   
HB11OXF was the current OBC 302 until this month when it made the trip down to Plymouth Citybus/ Go-South West.
It was new in 2011 and was part of a batch of 17 ADL/E400H Hybrid H47/31F double decker's for Park & Ride services.
It was withdrawn in April 2024 and reregistered OE11YMY prior to going to Plymouth.
( 4 images supplied by GW showing 302 at The Plain and Water Eaton P&R as HB11OXF and 302 as OE11YMY in St.Giles Oxford in April 2024)
(2 images supplied by Gavin Francis showing 302 new in St.Frideswides Square and branded City 4 in High Street)

Another excellent contribution by Grahame. Ed. 


The AEC Society Road Run and Rally 2024
with pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke
Rallies at The AEC Society

The Annual AEC Society Road Run and Rally, which attracts a turnout of over 300 historic vehicles, has now become established as a major vehicle rally in the commercial and passenger vehicle rally calendar.

It is a two day event held on the last weekend in May at the Newark Showground.

     
     
     
     
   

Much variety on show. Ed. 

Rail Replacement as Beaconsfield by Derek Taylor

Some of the buses on RR to Beaconsfield last weekend, May 25th.

     
 

and the day after ........


RML 2440 was operating a shuttle service from the station car park to the Railex model railway exhibition locally.
Seen on May 26th.

Rail Replacement at Staines by Andrew Webb

Andrew Webb

Railway engineering work at Staines on May 26th saw bus replacement services linking Hounslow with Virginia Water, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Woking.  A variety of operators sent a range of vehicles to operate the services. 


Smallest was this anonymous looking Unvi bodied Sprinter from Sprinters Travel at High Wycombe,
seen leaving Hounslow station bound for Woking.
 

At the opposite end of the spectrum were these two tri axle MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B8L from Imperial Coaches and Aldermaston Coach Lines, both seen at Hounslow. 

 

The Aldermaston Coach Lines vehicle claims a capacity of '100 passengers'  on the side, although in reality two of these would be standing as each has only 98 seats! 

Xelabus of Eastleigh turned out this brand new Enviro 400MMC which has an impressive seats on the two axle E40D chassis.


 It is seen at Hounslow preparing for another trip. 

Allan James operators who have ceased trading in the Oxford area

Following on from the list of operators who have ceased trading in the Oxford area, I have a few names, some of which may not be familiar to some of your readers. Even this is not an exhaustive list. Living away from the area now I cannot be certain that all the names on the list have ceased, but they have not been mentioned for a number of years!

Abingdon Coaches (Pabst)

Blunsdon, Bladon

Byles, Kidlington

Carpenter, Leafield

Carterton Coaches

Chandler, Wantage

Charlbury Travel

Chown, Banbury

Eagle, Faringdon

Florey, Witney

Hall, Deddington

Hicks, Chalgrove

Hughes, Bampton

Leavy, Botley

Matthews, Brailes

Reliable (Bryan) , Didcot

Shurey, Nettlebed

Sims, Chipping Norton

Spiers, Henley (previously Butler)

Sumner, Hornton

Surman, Chinnor (passed to Wingrove)

Andrew Dyer in response

That’s really interesting. Some great names there that I had forgotten. I must admit that I thought Blunsdon's were still going, but I may well be wrong. 

I know I’m old, but even I have never heard of Hall’s of Deddington and Shurey’s of Nettlebed ….it just shows that you never stop learning! 

Andy Millwood from Kidderminster

   
Diamond are running these ex-Preston buses, the first couple of photos are 20181,
a Wright Streetlite and 30895, a Volvo B7/wright Eclipse taken at Kidderminster Bus station.

 

Nick Ross

Very sad news about the Arriva Aylesbury and Wycombe garages, unbelievable in some ways. Attached is a photo of preserved Bristol VR EAP984V at Quorn after working a Loughborough shuttle at the Quorn bus rally on 18th May.


 The VR's Gardner engine sounded very throaty! 

Thomas Walker-Werth

I thought you might enjoy this shot of National Express route 737 coming out of Milton Keynes en route to Oxford today (May 24). This is an interesting route as it's the only National Express service that runs through the urban area of MK rather than just serving the Coachway. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop in the city centre, nor does it serve Buckingham or Bicester, neither of which enjoys any long-distance coach service since the downgrading of the X5. I've always thought other coach operators (Megabus or Flixbus perhaps) could easy gain a competitive edge against National Express by serving CMK instead of the Coachway. 

 

     Fleet News and developments   

In issue 303, next week, there will be a visit to Milton Keynes from Gavin Francis.

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on May 25th

     
The Eden Bus Station with 2325, 4211and 6139 from two angles.

 
Desboro' Road with 2952 an 3920.

Jack Cooper


3021 with an X7 in  St Aldates on May 20th.

Neil Gow

Alerted by the continued appearances of buses tracking on route “5A” on Bustimes, I found and downloaded a new Wycombe 5-5A timetable.

1 Term Time Only
High Wycombe Bus Stn - High Wycombe London Road Lidl - Wycombe Marsh General Havelock
Wooburn Green The Red Lion PH - Bourne End Academy -Bourne End Railway Station
7A1
0735
0747
0755
0808
0820
0825

1 Term Time Only
Bourne End Academy - Bourne End Railway Station - Wooburn Green The Red Lion PH
Wycombe Marsh General Havelock - High Wycombe London Road Lidl - High Wycombe Bus Stn
7A1
1525
1530
1537
1549
1557
1610
5/5A High Wycombe to Bourne End
through Wycombe Marsh and Wooburn Green - buses run every 20 minutes between High Wycombe and Bourne End with routes 5/6/7
 - Valid from Sunday, May 19, 2024 to Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Does regional management even check the twaddle that the subsidiaries are putting out? This must win a prize for the most amount of misinformation you can cram into such a small document.

Exactly – and although the malaise seems to be mainly in the south, I think the whole company will eventually go down unless the new owners do something very rapidly. 

I was out on them today (hence checking the timetables yesterday) and badly messed up getting a decent picture of 6139 at Penn pond by shooting at only 1/200th second – too slow for a mainly side-on picture. The irony is that the screen is still defective so I could have shot at any speed I liked. Later photos shot at 1/250th almost all have the screen cleared anyway, and later on in Wing the sun came out at exactly the wrong time – sometimes you seem to get days like that. I’ll see if there’s anything worth sending a bit later. 

Nigel Peach

Attached are five pictures I took at Cressex today, 24th May. 


2982 and 6144 outside the workshop. 


4212 and 3014. 4212 has been out of service for almost three months now. The note in the windscreen warns that the MOT has expired! 


2326, which used to be called Peter, named after local busman Peter Cartwright. 

 
Two pictures of 5457.

The second picture shows the message on the side of the bus which says "Your usual bus is in for a service today, so this is our spare...". I am surprised that this and 5458 still carry this notice, so long after they were transferred to Wycombe. 

I was very interested to read Luke Marian's message in issue 301 saying that Go Ahead are looking to take over Arriva's facility at Cressex when Arriva pull out. It seems a logical move. I wonder what additional buses Carousel will receive and if there may be any plans to acquire some of the displaced Arriva stock. Interesting times ahead. 

I was speaking to someone the other day who uses the bus from Bourne End to Flackwell Heath each day - a route that Carousel operated until about 18 months ago, when Arriva took it over. She told me that she is looking forward to the return of Carousel, as since Arriva took over, the service has been very unreliable.

My thanks to Nigel for an informative report. Ed.

Tony Bungay

Managed to get a couple of photos of newly repainted Enviro 400 5461 in Aylesbury today. This vehicle arrived back at Aylesbury midday Wednesday, I know as I saw it being towed through Waddesdon just before midday that day!

 

I think this is probably the first of the Sapphire liveried vehicles at Aylesbury to be repainted, whether any others will be done in time before the proposed garage closure remains to be seen. Incidentally it still wears Arriva Midlands legal lettering, a clue may be to it’s next home.

On a different note I understand Redline is covering the X7 route through Haddenham by diverting the X20, and Redline is also covering the Princes Risborough – High Wycombe via Naphill part of the X9. You probably have already heard this, plus more details possibly.



Gavin Francis in Wycombe on May 25th

     
534, 877 and 891 all seen in The Eden Bus Station.

 
407 and 408 both working route 4 in Bridge Street.

Jack Cooper


514 working its now regular 275 in St Aldates on May 20th.

Neil Gow

It is suggested that Carousel are expecting some of 30 Alexander Dennis Enviro400s with 09 registrations that Go-Ahead is buying from National Express West Midlands in June. 

In the last issue I quoted that new Electroliners were almost complete, however on checking back I note that 791 will be the last of the new deckers.  Below is the current list provided by www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk Ed.

752 BN24ZWW Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000480 Wt AV216 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
753 BN24ZWX Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000481 Wt AV217 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
754 BN24ZWY Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000482 Wt AV218 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
755 BN24ZWZ Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000483 Wt AV219 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
756 BN24ZXA Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000484 Wt AV220 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
757 BN24ZXB Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000485 Wt AV221 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
758 BN24ZXC Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000486 Wt AV222 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
759 BN24ZXD Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000487 Wt AV223 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
760 BN24ZXE Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000488 Wt AV224 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
761 BN24ZXF Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000489 Wt AV225 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
762 BN24ZXG Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000490 Wt AV226 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
763 BN24ZXH Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000491 Wt AV227 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
764 BN24ZXJ Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000492 Wt AV228 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
765 BN24ZXK Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000493 Wt AV229 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
766 BN24ZXL Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000494 Wt AV230 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
767 BN24ZXM Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000495 Wt AV231 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
768 BN24ZXO Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000496 Wt AV232 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
769 BN24ZXP Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000497 Wt AV233 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
770 BN24ZXR Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000498 Wt AV234 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
771 BN24ZXS Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000499 Wt AV235 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
772 BN24ZXT Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000500 Wt AV236 H44/26F /2024 City of Oxford
773 BN24ZXU Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000501 Wt AV237 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
774 BN24ZXV Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000502 Wt AV238 H44/26F /2024 City of Oxford
775 BN24ZXW Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000503 Wt AV239 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford
776 BN24ZXX Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000504 Wt AV240 H44/26F /2024 City of Oxford
777 BN24ZXY Wt StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000505 Wt AV241 H44/26F 5/2024 City of Oxford

Note: 753 entered service on May 30th.

Allan Hollis provides pictures of new Electroliners passing through Grayson's Birmingham in the few days.

     
758, 764, 766 and 770 at Grayson's.

Jack Cooper

 
26 and 29 in St Aldates on May 20th.

     
676, 681, 685 and 687 in St Aldates on May 20th.

 
713 and 718 in St Aldates on May 20th.

 
749 in St Aldates on May 20th.

 
 842 working 35 and 844 8 road in St Aldates on May 20th.

 
971 in St Aldates on May 20th.

pignbob

   
608, presently under conversion for Carousel Green Line 102, seen on February5th 2023.

Charles Powell


     
615 has now returned from repaint into fleet livery as seen on May 27th.

 

Jack Cooper

 
 225 and 863 in St Aldates on May 20th.


 

In issue 303, next week, there will be a visit to Milton Keynes from Gavin Francis. 

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on May 25th


YX12AXU in The Eden Bus Station with a 130.
 

In issue 303, next week, there will be a visit to Milton Keynes from Gavin Francis. 

Alfie Guinea


Y358LCK and HJ02HFD seen at Aylesbury Bus Station on May 24th
. Its great to see Y358 LCK back out in service again!

Dave & Deric

We have just received the Stagecoach West Fleet Card for Period 01 dated 24/05/2024. 

Very little to report this month! These are the changes that we have found, the changes affecting Oxford depots being shown in yellow. 

Out of Reserve

36096

Reserve

To

Banbury

 

 

 

 

 

For Disposal

15648

Swindon

To

Disposal

 

34841

Swindon

To

Disposal

 

 

 

 

 

Gone

12006

Disposal

To

Gone

 

47621

Disposal

To

Gone

 

 

 

 

 

 Still no sign of the Oxford EVs on the Fleet Card! Of interest, both 15648 and 34841 are RTA victims. 15648 was in Cirencester College livery and was previously in the Stagecoach West 25th anniversary livery.

 

Andy Churchill

Jack Cooper

   
 Three E400 with three differing liveries in St Aldates on May 20th.

Lewis Anthony

 
668 loaned to TT working the X34 to Newbury on May 25th.

In issue 303, next week, there will be a visit to Milton Keynes from Gavin Francis.

Jack Cooper

 
Looking very clean and tidy, 50435 and 50448 in St Aldates on May 20th.

     London operations    

Andrew Webb

London's drinkers are spoilt for choice this summer with two more adverts joining those for Heineken and Brewdog already plying the capital's streets. 


Transport UK's LT773 is one of several to promote San Miguel,  a Filipino pale lager, seen here rounding Elephant and Castle on 25 May.  
 


Later the same day stablemate Enviro 400MMC 2615 is seen in the same location. 

At first glance it would appear it is carrying route branding, but is actually promoting '-196' from Suntory Soda.  The number refers to the temperature at which fruit is frozen in liquid nitrogen before being pulverized and soaked in alcohol. The final beverage contains the fruit juice, shochu, vodka and soda. 

Northeastern University London is the English branch of the private American research university based in Boston, Massachusetts.  Operating from a campus in St Katharine’s Way E1,  it has recently launched this advertising campaign on London buses. 


Stagecoach's Enviro 400MMC 11352 is seen at Mile End on 25 May, about to pass local rival Queen Mary University of London on route 25. 


The offside is seen the same day on Go Ahead's WHV129 in the heart of London's university district at Bedford Place as it picks up passengers on route 14.

Adrian Small

Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth & Southampton. 


1627 (HF66 CEK) - AD E400MMC repainted in the Purbeck Breezer colours from UNIBUS.


6913 (LX06 EBP) - Vo B7TL/Wright, in the temporary Bluestar livery, but operating in Poole. 


2205 (HF54 HFU) - Vo B7RLE/Wright - nearly 20 years old.


3816 (HW62 CNK) - Optare Solo in the Morebus livery with ROUTE ONE logo.


1783 (HJ24 RBX) - New AD E40D/AD.


1781 (HJ24 KDU) - 
New AD E40D/AD. 


32033 (RKZ 4760) - Vo B7TL/Ar open top in Weymouth, originally First Southampton 803 (W803 EOW)


36100 (LX60 DXB) - Vo B9TL/WT open top in Weymouth, originally Go AHead London WVL371.


63613 (BK73 AOF) - Wright GB Kite Electroliner, seen at Southampton Central.
 


YX24 OWA - AD E40D - Xelabus have 2 new E40D's, this being one on a contract service in Southampton.
 


17 (YX24 OVC) - AD E20D - there are several new E20D's operating a private service in Bournemouth.

An interesting and informative article. Ed.