Issue nr 304
Thursday June 13th, 2024
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
Another busy week from contributors with nearly 300 pictures this
week.
More Electric buses arrive in Oxford but
Stagecoach is behind the game
Various interesting articles are here for your
enjoyment.
In this issue
Royal Blue date for your diary
Route 406 Running Day from the LBM
Writings from Grahame Wareham
including 304 reflections
Grovelands pre Electricity
Richard Sharman updates from Oxford
London Fire Brigade Optare Solos
THE NORTH WEST VEHICLE RESTORATION
TRUST
OPEN DAY on June 2ndat Kirby
Julian Walker reports from Devon/Cornwall
Andy Millwood from Walsall
Andrew Webb from
Bath
Gary Seamarks from Bolton
James
Allum from the North East
Gordon Scott in Scotland
Martin Dowling with photos from Antwerp
Readers Write
Fleet News & Developments
ADL EV order for Reading
SCO 9700 DD order to be completed soon
London Operations from Andrew Webb & Gavin Francis
Royal Blue Run - Friday, June 21st.
This years Royal Blue
Run on Friday 21 June,
starts at Oxford Services
(M40) and runs through Oxford, Abingdon and Faringdon, retracing route
taken by the Bristol Greyhound London – Oxford – Swindon – Bristol route
of old. So, anyone interested in seeing the beautifully restored classic
coaches as they cruise through the County, here’s the route and time
details:
Oxford services (M40): 10.30am departure.
Wheatley, Headington, Longwall Street to:
Oxford, St Giles: 11.00am
Abingdon Rd, A4183 to:
Abingdon, Ock Street: 11.30am
A420, Kingston Bagpuize, Faringdon and onto
Swindon.
Further details, including a list of
participating coaches, can be viewed at:
https://www.tvagwot.org.uk/events-1/royal-blue-run
I attach a picture of two of the regular participants in the run (my
picture from 2022 taken in Gloucester).
ROUTE 406 RUNNING DAY
June
9th 2024
Last
Sunday London Bus Museum organized another of their popular Running
Days, this time they chose Country Area Route 406.
It is
a long route operating between Kingston and Redhill with a running time
of about 90mins. Not all journeys operated the full distance with short
workings to Tolworth, Tadworth and Tattenham Corner.
I used
to go to Kingston 40-50 years ago as it was the place where Central Area
RTs met their Country cousins and to add to that RFs were still
operating.
RTs 3137, 3450 and 4767 on the forecourt of Kingston Station,
by the end of the 1970s they had been replaced by RMCs such as RMC 1461,
RMC 1466 and RMC 1479
Of particular
interest was RMC 1486 which was not only operating on the day but was
also running the 406 back in 1974,
50 years ago when in N.B.C. livery. In the
case of this bus the purists will point out it is not the same bus as
RMC 1486 was exported to Germany back in the
1990s. RMC 1500 had its identity changed
to
become RMC 1486.
Making an appearance along the route during the day was RTW 185 although
it did not operate in service.
On display at The Clock Tower at Epsom was RF 19 alongside the museum
sales stall.
Services ran from approximately 09.00 to 18.00 and most were full
throughout the day probably the most popular bus being RM 2 which was
making a rare appearance in service.
RT 2083
2 pictures of RM 2 one taken yesterday at the other 20 years ago at
Acton Museum showing a lot of work to be done!
Grahame Wareham writes
An Electric Interlude in Grovelands
Kidlington
I thought I would send
you these images that I have taken at the Grovelands terminus in
Kidlington, currently the northern extremity of electric bus operation
by both OBC and Stagecoach Oxford. I used to live in the road opposite
which was handy for personal breaks and feeding my cats when I used to
get roped in for some overtime to help keep the 2's running during the
evenings. I often go back there to walk the canal by the railway which
is always nice and peaceful and I miss living there for that memory.
They say never go back to where you once lived
but I wouldn't want to forget my first house when I left home just
because I now live in a better house and it is nearer to the pub!
Grovelands became the terminus for 2 and 2A
services in 1981 when the estate was eventually completed in its first
phase. It later extended northwards into Lyne Road and encompassed most
of the new build housing in north west Kidlington. It had one of the
most intense bus services during its building in the late 1970's with
buses almost every fifteen minutes into the City during the peak hours.
Nowadays the service is almost every 12 minutes with the 2 making a
clockwise circuit and the 2A anticlockwise from the junction of
Bicester Road where the old route via Evans Lane and High Street meet
back up with the Banbury Road to for a northern entrance to Lyne Road
and back through Grovelands estate and then using Yarnton Road for
access back to the City. The 2's and 2A's are now exclusively run by
Stagecoach Oxford since January 2022 with OBC now concentrating their
efforts on the southern end of the city with exclusive service on the
Iffley Road serving Rose Hill and Oxford Science Park, a scheme devised
by OCC. OBC now run the 700 Park & Ride JR, Churchill & Nuffield
hospital service from Grovelands Kidlington in the north via Banbury
Road, Oxford Parkway, Summertown, then Marston Ferry Road and Headley
Way to JR Hospital then to Brookes University in Gipsy Lane through
Roosevelt Drive to Chucrhill Hospital and back into Headington via Old
Road and Windmill Road for the Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital and then up
to the Thornhill P &R. The route originated in a much shorter format
with RH Buses and then Stagecoach with OBC taking over the route from
July 2023. It now covers 7 days a week and runs half hourly during the
week.
I attach images of OBC 721 in its new livery
taken on Monday and today with OBC 744, 753 and today newly into service
770, together with Stagecoach 80004 on a 2A working, all within the
space of one hour.
Kidlington is also served by services S4
Banbury, S5 Bicester & S7 Woodstock & Witney by Stagecoach as well as 24
to Bicester via Hampton Poyle, Bletchingdon and Kirtlington, Weston on
the Green served by Grayline. Kidlington also boasts a new railway
station, Oxford Parkway, which opened in 2016 with a half hourly service
to London Marylebone taking just over an hour so yes Kidlington is a
place that appeals to me very much having lived there on and off since
1955.
Stagecoach 80005 passing outside my house on a 2 just now, plus 15991
running a bit late previously!
and his Weekly related to issue 304
The first COMS bus to receive fleet number 304 was a 1946 AEC Regent II with
Park Royal H30/26R body registered KFC142. Like others of this batch it was
built to wartime utility specification through lack of materials but
nevertheless lasted in service at Oxford until May 1957 when it was sold to
local dealer Deacon, Dorchester ( situated behind where the Bikers Cafe is now
on the Henley road at the start of the Dorchester By-Pass). Prior to this it had
been renumbered H838 in 1953 to keep 'high-bridge' double decker's in a separate
series. H838 was sold along with sister vehicle H837 to a Birmingham operator,
Hemingway's but ended up with Superb of Birmingham and finally Don Everall of
Wolverhampton who in a dealer capacity scrapped the bus along with H837...
H304 KFC142 at Gloucester Green copyright. RHG
Simpson
City of Oxford's next 304 was the penultimate one of a batch of five Dennis
Loline II's ordered in haste because of AEC's inability to supply new
Bridgemaster's on time. The Lolines did feature an AEC engine though and as
these were the only examples of the Loline YF7 designation built, they were not
without their problems with continual instances of cracked front engine bearers
and vibration problems causing fractures in the cooling system pipework. 304 was
registered 304KFC and had an East Lancs 63 seat forward entrance body built to
low-height specification giving an overall height of 13ft 6in. 304 was withdrawn
in 8/71 after only ten years of Oxford service and was sold with the rest of the
batch of five to Transport Passenger Equipment (TPE) of Macclesfield and being
quickly resold to Peter Sheffield of Cleethorpes, along with sister bus 305, and
both of these lasted for another seven years on local contract work to the local
steelworks in the area. In 1978 304 was sold for preservation to the Oxford Bus
Preservation Syndicate and later becoming Oxford Bus Museum. The bus has
received extensive restoration but along with 305 as a parts donor has a
reasonably secure future.
The third 304 emulated from a renumbered Wycombe Bus Company Leyland Lynx
LX112L10ZR1S B49F that started life with Berks & Bucks Bus Co. (The Bee Line) as
their 1404 in 1988 registered F559NJM. Renumbered 404 by Oxford Bus Company on
acquisition in 11/90 it was renumbered to 304 in 1996 and again in 2000 as
Arriva 3809 when Wycombe Bus passed to Arriva. However it was only to last
eighteen months with its new operator passing to Carousel as LX559 in 8/02.
Taken in 1999 and 2000 by Malcolm
Crowe.
The last 304 was part of a batch of 'new technology' diesel electric Hybrid ADL
E400H H47/31F double deck buses which eventually numbered eighteen in the Oxford
Bus Fleet Initially the seventeen dedicated Park & Ride buses were used on the
300, 400 & 500 services but in 2016 were relegated to other City dedicated
routes as newer Wright StreetDecks were being delivered for Park & Ride
services.304 was registered HD11OXF and was repainted into a dark blue/purple
livery for City 4 services to Abingdon. On the evening of 16th December 2018
whist returning to Cowley depot 304 unfortunately suffered a 'thermal incident'
along the southern by-pass and had to be dealt with by the fire service, this
ended 304's service life as the resulting damage rendered it a write off. It was
gradually stripped for spares and scrapped by Ripley, Carlton, Barnsley during
December 2019. It consequently never received the East Yorkshire diesel engine
and gearbox conversion.
Taken in 2011 and 2014 by Gavin Francis.
December 16th 2018 GW
Richard Sharman with an update from Oxford
Stagecoach's soft
launch of its Enviro400EV's continues with full days of service here and
there, with most recent trips in service mainly being on the 1, taken in
2011, and 10.
The 5th of June saw 80004 working Kilo's,
where it is seen on an evening trip travelling through Garden City.
An observation from a photographer's point of
view is that the Enviro400EV is not the easiest to photograph
(obviously, apart from the fact they are not out everyday!). The dark
blue around the front of the vehicle adds to the vast amount of glass
used right from the top of the roofline of the vehicle to the bottom of
the deep windscreen, a filter is certainly required to take off the
glare and reflections off the windscreen, but even then the angle still
makes it difficult for moving shots- the rear of the vehicle is also
quite dark. Of course, none of this affects the passengers' experience!.
The highest numbered Oxford BUs Company Electroliner, 770, entered
revenue earning service on route 700 at 1100hrs on the 5th of June.
It is pictured in Grovelands, Kidlington on its 6th trip in service.
775 entered service on June 11th working a late trip.
Wrightbus Electroliner 724 is seen in Garden City, Kidlington operating
an evening 700 service toward's the John Radcliffe.
766 is seen operating the 300 service at the Pear Tree end of the route
on its first day in revenue earning service, the 11th of June 2024.
Wrightbus Electroliner 768 made its debut in revenue earning service on
the 11th of June 24 on the 700 service, it is seen passing through
Garden City.
I must thank
Richard for these excellent pictures. Ed.
Not buses as such but of interest nevertheless. Ed.
Optare Solos serve the London Fire
Brigade by Paul Hawkins
London Fire Brigade Optare Solos
One of the second batch to enter service seen
on June 9th.
THE NORTH WEST VEHICLE RESTORATION TRUST
OPEN DAY on June 2ndat Kirbynwvrt.com
The North West Vehicle Restoration Trust holds a very successful Open day in
June each year for displaying our vehicle collection. You can ride on &
photograph them to your heart's content. Plus we have visiting vehicles and
sales stands on the day too !
Pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke
The pictures below show the variety on display. Many provide a return to
my younger days and the Ribble PD3 was a favourite drive for me in the
1960s.
This was from the time of change over towards the Atlantean.
The presentation of those attending was exemplary.
Julian Walker reports from Devon/Cornwall
I hope you are keeping well, thank you again for all
the work you do on the Oxford Chilterns Bus Page.
Last month I visited the Devon coastal village of
Wembury for the first time. Wembury lies on the beautiful South Hams coastline
and is a few miles south of Plymouth.
Devon County Council route 48 between Plymouth City
Centre and Wembury has been operated by Plymouth CityBus since September 2018.
By agreement with Plymouth City Council the route also operates via the
waterfront areas of Coxside and Cattedown, which would not otherwise have a bus
service. The journey takes a little over half-an-hour but the route is
interworked with another service, allowing an hourly frequency to be maintained
at most times.
The attached photo shows Plymouth CityBus Enviro400
no. 508 at the Wembury Terminus in Southland Park Road. 508 was wrapped in the
blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag during the Spring of 2022 to show
support and raise funds for the people of Ukraine people. It can be seen all
over the City and into Cornwall as it operates on most routes.
I have also included a photo of Wembury Bay to show your readers just how
beautiful the South Hams coastline can be, with the beach, Wembury Point and The
Mew Stone in the distance. The church in the foreground is dedicated to St
Werburgh and now stands alone; the modern-day village is on higher ground about
half-a-mile inland.
The four HW63 - reg vehicles seem to have migrated to Cornwall, although I did
spot one in Plymouth on route 12 (Plymouth-Launceston-Bude) last week. I wasn't
able to photograph it on that occasion but again, I will keep an eye out.
Memories from Grahame Wareham
Grovelands pre Electricity
Happy memories. Ed
Thomas W. W. Knowles.
There is nothing like
nostalgia and seeing Sims of Chipping Norton mentioned, I thought that a couple
of photographs that I took in 1960 might rekindle some memories.
DKY485 was an ex
Bradford Daimler CWA6 photographed at Cowley.
Bedford OB KKE944 was
photographed in Wantage.
Those were the days!!
Andy Millwood from Walsall
Chaserider
bus
Carolean bus
Walsall park and ride
Chaserider bus
Selection of buses seen in Walsall West Midlands
Andrew Webb from
Bath
RATP's Bath Bus Company operates one conventional bus
route alongside its portfolio of open top sightseeing routes around Bath.
The A4, marketed as 'Air Decker' links the city with Bristol Airport using its
eponymous main road for much of the route through Saltford and Keynsham.
It has recently invested in this Enviro 400MMC to operate along other double
deckers on the hourly service which operates virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week.
On 9 June it is seen in Bath ready for another trip to the airport.
This is probably RATP's only commercial bus service in the UK, all other
operations being either sightseeing tours or London tendered routes.
The company's sightseeing routes operate all year
round, with the summer being the busiest season for visitors to one of the UK's
tourist hotspots.
Optare Visonnaire bodied Volvo B9TL PN10FNR was new to
the fleet in 2010, whilst WX15OFU joined in 2015.
The Volvo B5TL chassis
carries a rare UK example of Unvi double deck bodywork, somewhat surprisingly
having two staircases which must reduce the seating capacity on the lucrative
upper deck. Both are seen passing Bath bus station on 9 June en route to
collect their first tourists of the day.
Chippenham based Faresaver is anther independent operator to take the MCV Evora
on Volvo B8RLE chassis, a far cry from the second hand Transit and Sherpa
minibuses that served when the company traded as Fosseway in the 1980s and
1990s. As First has retrenched from large parts of Wiltshire Faresaver has
filled the gaps with a mixture of commercial and tendered routes. The link
between Bath and Chippenham is one such route relinquished by First and now run
by Faresaver.
BV73MJK is seen arriving at Bath bus station with an early
evening journey on route 231 from Chippenham.
Chris Huntingford on Summer Travels
"With the common approaches to operation between the Oxford Bus
Company/Thames Travel (OBC/TT) and Carousel Buses, I’ve often wondered
if day trips could be made easier from Buckinghamshire to come over and
explore the Oxfordshire network. However, the only physical link between
the two networks is currently the infrequent 275. That changes when
Carousel start to operate the 800/850, as a direct change is possible in
Henley in to the 33 to Wallingford and Abingdon.
How about the OBC/TT CityZone and CountryZone day rover ticket is
extended to include Carousel buses, and a leaflet made setting out the
possibilities of changing in Henley?
And if people do have a great day out in Oxfordshire but miss the last
Henley bus, although a trek, getting home via the X40 to Reading and
then on the 800/850 is available."
Do readers have any thoughts ? Ed.
Gary Seamarks from Bolton
Photo's from day out in Bolton/Manchester on
Thursday 6th.
Again making use of railcard and good advance fares,
trains were 07.15 CMK to Crewe (London Northwestern), 09.46 to Manchester Piccadilly
arrive10.40 (Northern Rail) return was 19.15 to CMK (Avanti) arrive 21.00. The
fare on the train to Crewe was £5.45, then £3.30 to Manchester, against a direct
train at nearly £65, but over an hour quicker, the return trip was £13.85. Then
went out by rail to Bolton at lunchtime.
Ex Oxford Vehicles running in Manchester.
and a few coaches, was hoping for a new Mega Volvo, but
nothing showed while I was there.
3352, 3463 are also in Bolton, rest Manchester.
Its of note that the free city circle routes are at
present run by the Scania Omni's, Nothing First was seen all trip, and only a handful of
Arriva in Manchester.
While the Bee Livery looks neat and tidy its very
insipid looking, also how will it look after a few washes and when the sun has
had a go at it, yellow paint (along with red) were always the worst at fading
and matching when I worked in the DIY trade, time will tell.
Until all repaints are complete must admit it looks like
deregulation has hit again,,
James Allum
from the North East
A recent Ad campaign that Go North East have brought out up here called "get
your bum on board"!
interesting choice of words I must admit.
Anyway two buses have received this wrap, with 6363 NK70 BYN being one, captured
in Durham Bus Station this past week.
I’ve attached some shots from todays visit to Durham
Middlesbrough this past week.
The lack of a National fleet numbering is sometimes frustrating
for the Enthusiast. Ed.
Gordon Scott
Taken today at Alexander
Dennis factory in Falkirk new
ADL Enviro 400 EV 80033 SK24CYV for Stagecoach Oxford
leaving Falkirk on its delivery run.
ADL Enviro 400 EV Demonstrator taken at ADL
Larbert Factory.
Antwerp.
Martin Dowling with photos from Antwerp
Regular buses and trams are run by the transport company
De Lijn. The buses are mostly by Van Hool with some MAN and VDL vehicles
too. The trams are mainly modern articulated vehicles, but they still use
some older vehicles towing trailers.
There are also some more
unusual vehicles. Halilovic are a coach company from Bosnia and
Herzogovena who operate a Van Hool coach. I think it's a regular service
to Antwerp rather than a tour as it was parked outside the station.
De Lijn does a good job keeping their vehicles clean and free of
graffiti.
The school buses also parked
there look to be built on Mercedes lorry chassis.
Belgian railways, SNCB, don't seem to bother ...
There is also a photo of a
strange green electric sightseeing vehicle which has doors all along each side
and bench seats across. I think it counts as a bus!
It
seems another world ! Ed.
Andrew Webb
May I offer a small correction to Gavin's article about the Carousel ex London
'MEC' Citaros? They were indeed delivered as part of Boris Johnson's purge
of the bendybuses, but worked Red Arrow routes only until 2016. The
network was then taken over by electric BYD Enviros 'SEe' class in the Go Ahead
London numbering system. It was these that were made surplus when the
final Red Arrow routes were withdrawn in April 2023. Some of these surplus
buses are, after refurbishment and up seating, destined for route 108
between Stratford and Lewisham which is currently the preserve of the MECs.
There is a certain irony that members of the class sent to enjoy quieter
provincial operations have been outlived by those working intensive duties in
the capital.
Gary Seamarks
One question been meaning to ask, what has/will happen
to the plates taken off the B5LH and E400 of OBC, I had assumed they would go on
the electric fleet, or are they looking at fitting to the AIR fleet ? (any ideas
?)
LOCAL NEWS,
Sees Stagecoach East (Bedford) has registered an LAX,
between Luton Interchange (Town) and Airport from late June, not sure on
frequency/hours/days yet. Arriva have registered an X1 Luton Interchange- Milton
Keynes Limited Stop, again full details unknown, but whispers of using coaches
on it.
The Biggleswade routes that were withdrawn late May are
now covered, in part by Grant Palmer extending the 72. 73 routes, they have also
opened an outstation at the old Stagecoach East, Langford Road site, for about 4
or 5 buses.
Neil Gow with information on Chiltern Bus S90CBC
The Chiltern Bus Volvo B9TL/East Lancs Olympus (it dates
from before the Optare takeover) S90 CBC is ex Stagecoach Bluebird Buses 16948,
new to Highland Country Buses (Rapsons) for the Inverness Airport service. Its
former Stagecoach fleetnumber is still visible in the cab area and
freecarcheck.co.uk
confirms its previous registration SY07CUX.
Blackpool developments reported by Paul Swann
The new engineering workshops have been complex and
they are about to move in so the next stage of the electric bus programme
can start.
The trams start to run to the new North
Station terminus on 16 June, it will be 88 years since trams last ran in
service up Talbot Road and 61 years since they last served North Station.
As you will see from the attached photos, taken at
Fleetwood Ferry on June 5th, we currently have an ADL E400EV on loan, it has been
confirmed that ADL will supply the forthcoming electric buses with around 50
DD and 45 SD( mixed length short and long wheelbase)
Significant numbers of EVs working and on order now for UK
operators. Ed.
Fleet
News and
developments
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
Arriva certainly still has a strong presence in Watford as the
pictures above show.
Tony Bungay
As has been mentioned the East Lancs Olympus vehicles at Milton Keynes, have
now appeared on Services X4/X6.
4105 on X6 and 4104 on the X4, all in Aylesbury.
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
Service RA3 runs from Watford to Heathrow as seen
above.
Jack Cooper in Reading on June 6th
railair RA1 arriving from Heathrow on June 6th.
Another coach company to/ be acquired by Go Ahead is Procters now in
the East Yorkshire group.
Richard Sharman
Procters OYJ437 rear Oxford bypass
120624 R Sharman
Gavin Francis
514 is seen with the 275 evening service in New Rd STOKENCHURCH on June 7th.
An interesting and attractive colour scheme covering 892 seen in the depot
on May 31st.
401 has been out of service for many months now.
The latest Electroliners at publication time. Other new entries into
service are pictured below.
BN24ZYA |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000507 |
Wt
AV243 |
H44/26F |
6/2024 |
City of Oxford |
779 |
BN24ZYB |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000508 |
Wt
AV244 |
H44/26F |
5/2024 |
City of Oxford |
780 |
BN24ZYC |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000509 |
Wt
AV245 |
H44/26F |
5/2024 |
City of Oxford |
781 |
BN24ZYD |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000510 |
Wt
AV246 |
H44/26F |
5/2024 |
City of Oxford |
782 |
BN24ZYE |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000511 |
Wt
AV247 |
H44/26F |
6/2024 |
City of Oxford |
783 |
BN24ZYF |
Wt
StDk Elr SC5DDREXU23000512 |
Wt
AV248 |
H44/26F |
6/2024 |
City of Oxford |
784 |
Allan Hollis
781 was the latest Electroliners passing through Grayson's on June 7th.
James Freeman
First glimpse of 721 on June 5th.
Peter Edgar
Oxford Bus Company shows Pride livery on StreetDeck Electroliner
Oxford Bus Company
has debuted what is thought to be the first provincial zero-emission bus to
carry a Pride livery in a member of its Wrightbus
StreetDeck Electroliner fleet.
The Go-Ahead subsidiary is among a growing number of operators to show its
support for the LGBTQ+ community by suitably adorning a bus. The StreetDeck
Electroliner was launched to coincide with Oxford Pride on Saturday 8 June,
and it took part in that event.
Oxford Bus Company was one of the founding businesses in the city to support
Oxford Pride in 2018, and that partnership “has gone from strength to
strength” since then, the operator notes. The latest livery includes colours
from the Progress Pride Flag and Citypride branding.
In addition to external branding, the bus has internal artwork displaying
the history of LGBTQ+ in the city. The operator further backed Oxford Pride
by continuing its partnership via the sponsorship of stewards’ hi-vis
jackets.
Speaking about the ongoing support, Oxford Bus Company Managing
Director Luke Marion says: “The bus looks fantastic, and we are
proud to once again back Oxford Pride this year.
“One of our core values is embracing diversity, and it is an important
belief system that guides our business and inspires us to support
organisations like Oxford Pride. It has been great to have supported Oxford
Pride for some time, and to see it develop and support our community.”
In addition to carrying Pride livery, the StreetDeck Electroliner is also
the first example of Oxford Bus Company’s growing zero-emission fleet to be
branded in community-based colours. Another will receive a suitable scheme
to support the Oxford Hospitals Charity, which won the operator’s Brand the
Bus Competition for 2024.
721. These were taken today 11/06/2023 in the St Aldate’s area of Oxford.
pignbob
New into service 24 hours ago, 765, 771. 772 and 775 on June 12th.
Noit the normal fodder for the X1, 512 put in an journey on June 10th
being replaced later by 687.
StreetDecks in many colours in St Aldates on June 10th.
Richard Sharman
Recent entry into service 766, 768 and
770 in Kidlington on June 11th and 5th.
Charles Powell
The latest member of the Pulhams fleet after delivery on June 6th.
.
UK73PUL working a private hire from Gatwick to
Cirencester on June 9th.
Jack Cooper in Reading on June 6th
923 with an X40 bound for Oxford.
Pig & Bob
679. 680 and 681 have transferred to Thames
Travel losing much of their branding in the process.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
ADL EV order for Reading
Reading Buses will receive 24
latest-generation Enviro400EV battery-electric double-deckers as
part of a 53-vehicle order placed with Alexander Dennis.
The Enviro400EV
fleet and its associated infrastructure are part-funded by a
successful bid by Reading Borough Council to the second round of the
Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas fund. It
was allocated £4.7 million.
The operator will upgrade its Great Knollys Street depot with 13
fast chargers that can each handle two buses at once as part of the
work.
When the Enviro400EVs are in service from
June 2025, they will displace some of the operator’s existing
biogas-fuelled vehicles to enable the retirement of older diesel
buses. The battery-electrics will be deployed onto the Purple 17 and
Claret 21 routes, with the latter serving the University of Reading.
CEO Robert Williams says
that the Enviro400EV was chosen after “extensive testing of
demonstrators from a number of suppliers.” Passenger and driver
experience were prioritised in the decision. The model “has the best
layout for customers” and drivers like it, Mr Williams adds.
In addition to the battery-electrics, 29
diesel buses will also be procured from Alexander Dennis. 21
Enviro400 double-deckers are to be complemented by eight Enviro200
single-deckers.
The diesel
double-deckers will arrive between October and December and will be
utilised on longer-distance duties including the Jet Black route
between Reading and Newbury and the London Line 702 and Flightline
703 services. Glazed staircases, skylights and tables form part of
their high specification level
in the same vein as
others already in the fleet.
Newbury and District will receive the
Enviro200s to completely replace the local fleet there on a mix of
commercial and contracted services.
Mr Williams adds that those buses will suit
rural applications in West Berkshire. “They will be a real step
change for our customers in the area as we bring some more of the
Reading Buses sparkle to Newbury and District,” he concludes.
Jack Cooper in Reading on June 6th
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
LK08FNF and YX12AMK.
Gavin Francis
A school service RL01 in Stokenchurch on June 6th.
BV73MLY in the Eden Bus Station on May 31st.
All Red rose services will introduce the £2
FLAT FARE from July 1st.
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
Red Rose ehave a few services in Watford as seen on June 5th.
Stokenchurch June 9th.
These hired buses for the 328 show changing route
number colours as seen on June 9th.
By the 13th all five were in service on the
328. Ed.
Malcolm Crowe
OKA was a surprise allocation to the 40 on June 9th seen in Stokenchurch.
Order for Volvo 9700 DD to complete in coming
months
Delivery of an order by Stagecoach for 43 Volvo 9700
DD double-deck coaches will be completed over the next few months, the
vehicle supplier has confirmed.
So far seven have been supplied to Cumbernauld depot
for Megabus work on routes between Edinburgh and Glasgow and London. Nine
others are at Cumbernauld and Perth for use on Scottish Citylink services.
Each coach is 14.8m long and carries a Carrus Delta
body on B13R running units. The D13K engine develops 500bhp. Up to 81
passengers can be carried, with space for one wheelchair user. The rear
luggage area has a volume of eight cubic metres and Volvo claims that the
internal racks add a further three cubic metres to that capacity.
Of the outstanding 27 examples, four are for use on
Megabus services by Stagecoach North East from its Walkergate depot in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the remainder will be deployed in Scotland.
Scottish Citylink Managing Director Simone Walsh has
described the order as “a significant investment” in Stagecoach’s coach
fleet.
She adds: “We are operating services covering
thousands of miles across varied terrain and in unpredictable weather
conditions every day; this increased capacity will improve efficiencies
across the business while [also] improving our passenger experience.”
Camera monitoring systems in lieu of rear-view
mirrors are fitted to those 9700 DD coaches already in use with Stagecoach,
along with multiple other safety product from Volvo including a driver alert
system.
Continues Ms Smith: “This order is another testament
to the strong relationship we continue to build with Volvo Buses. It is no
coincidence that we’re seeing improved feedback from drivers and passengers.
Easily being able to communicate with the Volvo Buses team and its
dealerships when required will also be important.”
Are we looking at the future of the Oxford
tube? Ed.
Pig & Bob
Stagecoach West: 25214 seen in Oxford, we it on loan during June 11th.
Today two EVs are working duties. June 13th.
Peter Edgar
Stagecoach Oxfordshire 80005 in Park End Street, Oxford on June 5th.
I am advised that 50452 and 450453 have had tracking problems
but are in daily service. Ed.
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
Service 635 is operated by uno and above are two
of their buses on duty.
London operations
Andrew Webb
As football fans prepare for the feast of football
that is Euro 2024 to kick off in Germany this Friday, key sponsor Ali Express
has had five New Routemasters wrapped in this vivid pink advert for the Chinese
online shopping giant.
Go Ahead's LT852 passes Bank early on 8 June.
The offside version is seen on Arriva's LT524 as it leaves Clapton Garage later
the same day ready for a short working on route 38.
Protests marches in
central London precluded the service reaching its usual terminus at Victoria.
Big Bus are the second of London's sightseeing operators to introduce buses
which have been repowered from diesel with new electric powerpacks.
Anhui Ankai AN335 is one of several which have recently re entered service with a
suitably modified livery to attract green tourists.
It is seen at Victoria
on 8 June.
Gavin Francis in Watford on June 5th.
Metroline serve the area.
as do RATP.