The annual three-day Royal Blue & Associated Motorways coach run, this year Oxford-Salisbury-Bournemouth-Southampton-Eastbourne-Horsham-Basingstoke-Newbury, concluded on Sunday 23 June.
For highlights look here.
Issue nr 306
Thursday June 27th, 2024
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
Much taking place this week with arrival of new buses, second hand buses and rebranding taking place with Oxford Bus. Indeed Carousel are gaining a significant number of buses to replace the Arriva operation in High Wycombe.
Nice news is that Oxford Bus will introduce a new blue livery for its revised 280 service to Thame = Oxford Bus Company – response to closure of Arriva High Wycombe and Aylesbury - Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel
In this issue
Matthew Bullock adds more about local operators of yesteryear
Grahame Wareham about 306
A visit to Luton Interchange, adjacent to the railway station by Kevin Fuller
Gary Seamarks reports on his past week
Oxford Bus Museum running day
Ryan Butler - a trip through Oxford, Didcot, Newbury and Basingstoke
The A34 and Didcot with Derek Dawson
ROYAL BLUE RUN 2024
Oxford Bus and new 280 service from July 1st
Readers Write - hints how to capture the new destination blinds
Buses in the Landscape
Fleet News & Developments
Oxford Bus group re-allocations and more buses
London Operations with Andrew Webb
New First group livery from Peter Edgar
Ex Oxford's in Plymouth
Matthew Bullock adds more about local operators of yesteryear
I missed the list from Andrew Dyer in issue 300.
Here's a few notes on some the operators he mentions. Would like to know more of
the history of all if anyone can help, but especially the Marston, Frostways and
Regency companies.
Dring’s of Headington
Crapper’s of Oxford
Alfred Edward Dring was a haulier who set up in business
from premises in Windmill Road in 1908. He began a passenger service, the Rocket
Horse Bus, from Windmill Road to Oxford in 1910. Horses were stabled at the
bottom of Headington Hill as well as at the top due to the steepness of the
hill. Alfred’s sons Alfred Charles and Walter Edward joined the business by 1935
by which time they were listed as motor coach operators. The two sons carried on
after their father’s death in May 1947. The company finally ceased in
January1965 when five coaches were sold to Crapper of Oxford.
H Crapper & Sons were a haulage company operating from
Cowley Road in Oxford, run by Harold Crapper and his three sons, Charlie, Sidney
and Harold. The acquired their first bus in August 1922. The business became a
limited company in 1935, and developed a fleet of smart, modern coaches. They
expanded further with the takeover of Dring, Headington, in January 1965 which
added five coaches to the seven vehicle fleet.
The business, at the time eleven vehicle strong, was
sold to Percival, Oxford, in January 1979; Percival acquired seven of the
Crapper fleet. The garage premises themselves were sold in 1981 to Clive Smith,
a car dealer who had rented a portion of the site from 1972; it is now a wine
warehouse and motorcycle dealership.
Percival’s of Oxford
Percival
Skinner started his coach business at the age of 20 in 1928 in partnership with
his father, who had previously owned a garage, the Kings Arms Garage, adjacent
to the Kings Arms pub in Holywell Street, Oxford. The business in Oxford started
with a 14-seat Morris.
A subsidiary firm, Percivals Motors (Cambridge) Limited
was opened in 1940, and in 1965 an express service was started between Cambridge
and Oxford via Aylesbury Tring and Luton to replace the old rail service
withdrawn in that year, which was worked jointly by the two fleets.
A limited company, Percivals
Motors (Oxford) Limited, was established in 1966, and in 1970, Percy’s son Peter
joined the business. In January 1979, Percival’s took over the business of
Crapper of Oxford, and in October 1984 the business gained outright control of
Abingdon Coaches, whose vehicles were incorporated into the Percival fleet and
moved to Lamarsh Road in December 1984. These vehicles carried a white and green
version of fleet livery with Abingdon Coaches names.
The Cambridge operation passed to Premier Travel in
1983, but the express service continued to be operated jointly with Premier
Travel until 27 October 1984; the following day it was combined with National
Express service 747 between Bristol and Cambridge, operated by South Midland.
South Midland based five coaches at Lamarsh Road to operate this service. Work
on National Express services ceased in February 1987 and with it Percival’s
operation into Cambridge.
When South Midland shared the Lamarsh Road premises
with Percival’s, a joint touring venture was established under the name of
Tourex.
Percival’s went into voluntary liquidation in November
1987. One third of its contracts was taken over by Heyfordian, Upper Heyford,
and the remainder by Jeffs of Brackley. The vehicles that passed to Jeffs were
based at Lamarsh Road from January 1988 in Jeffs livery with Percival’s
fleet names.
A number of vehicles was retained by the Skinner family,
and these passed to a dormant company that was reactivated at this time, Tourex
of Oxford Limited, who continued the Percival name and its fleet numbering
system. Tourex built up a fleet of school buses, eventually adopting a yellow
livery and “The School Bus Company” fleet name.
A limited company was set up in August 2005 and the
fleet was transferred to this new company, run by Peter Skinner and his son
Piers.
Piers Skinner now trades as PS Motor Services from
Clanfield.
Peter Skinner has written a
more detailed history of the companies which he kindly shared with me.
Clack’s of Cumnor
The partnership between SC
Busby and HJ Clack started in 1950 and ceased in December 1951. HJ Clack
continued operations alone from Cumnor. He took a tenency of the White House Pub
on Abingdon Road, Oxford, in November 1968 but continued to run coaches from his
Cumnor home. The pub tenancy ceased in December 1970 and the coach operations
continued until 1972.
Parsler’s of Garsington
Don’t know much, except that AE Parsler commenced in
around 1953; operations ceased around November 1967 when Bedford HBU 899 was
sold to Hughes, Bampton.
Back’s of Witney
Oliver Back started the business in 1922. A limited
company was set up in 1946 to run to operations.
They took over the fleet of Oliver, Long Hanborough
after they ceased trading on 31 December 1966.
The company’s owners RD, P
and J Hamblin were later to become The Hamblin Group, based in Rushton,
Northamptonshire. An office was opened in Corby in 1982 operating express
services to Glasgow and Aberdeen as “Goldline Express” carrying on the rear
“Back of Rushden”. These operations quickly ceased.
Rumours circulated in 1983
that the company was about to cease operations. Vehicles at this time were
painted into a blue and yellow livery heightening rumours that the fleet was to
be sold. Reportedly went into liquidation at the end of May 1983.
From 1 June 1983 Queen City
(Burford Travel) took over works and school buses and day trips. The Finstock to
Oxford and Asthall to Witney services also passed to Burford Travel. Backs
continued to run continental holiday work and private hire. The business ceased
trading suddenly in June 1984 after 33 years; Queen City Travel (Burford Travel)
of Witney took over much of Back’s work after the closure.
Hambridge’s of Kidlington
Jack Hambridge was a POW in
WW2. When he came home he bought a lorry and began delivering coal, later
branching out into operating coaches on local school and works contracts.
Following the death of Mr Hambridge on 5 February 1974, the business was
acquired by Smith, Upper Heyford (Heyfordian) in May 1974.
Slatter’s of Long Hanborough
Owen Slatter started a
bicycle repair business in 1921. He had a car hire business, and in 1924 began a
bus service to Oxford using a 14-seat Chevrolet Superior B. Works services were
also operated for the Witney blanket factories. The business was sold to
Heyfordian, Upper Heyford, in January 1976 with seven vehicles.
Oliver’s of Long Hanborough
Ernest Henry Albert Oliver
(Harry) started a garage business in Long Hanborough in 1919, using one Model T
Ford from a barn next to the Three Horseshoes pub. In 1920 he moved to new
premises at 75 Main Road, on land now occupied by houses. Harry Oliver had
served his apprenticeship at Warners Garage in Charlbury, and in 1920 he built
his first coach on a Ford Model T chassis. The business was listed as Oliver and
Wastie in 1923. Land opposite the garage was acquired for petrol sales and
workshops, and in 1952 the business moved to this site, at which time the fleet
was 11 strong and operated daily services to Oxford, and school services to
Witney, Charlbury and Kidlington. John Oliver, Harry’s son, took over the
business in 1962 and ran it until the close, when it was sold to Back, Witney in
December 1966. John Oliver died in 2011. The garage premises continued to
operate as a car sales business run by Harry’s grandson, Peter Oliver.
Jarvis’ of Middle Barton
Robert Jarvis started a
service running between Middle Barton and Oxford in 1922. In 1925 he ran his
first long-distance excursion to the Wembley Exhibition.
In 1957, the business of
Hall, Deddington, was acquired with 4 vehicles. Mr Jarvis' sons joined the
business in 1957 and 1958, and they took control on the retirement of their
father.
The company was sold in
January 1973 to JT and KV Smith (Heyfordian) of Upper Heyford; YWL 134K was
transferred to the Upper Heyford fleet and Transit PTM 136J was acquired by Mrs
Jarvis for her new operation in Middle Barton. Smith retained the Middle Barton
business and identity, and traded as R Jarvis and Sons, The Garage, Middle
Barton. Middle Barton Garage remains today as a car repair garage.
Canning’s of King’s Sutton
Have no early history, but
the fleet sold out to Heyfordian in June 1976.
Maybury’s of Souldern
Maybury started operations at
Westbury in Buckinghamshire, moving to Souldern in January 1965. The business
was acquired by Rowson of Hayes, Middlesex, in 1975, who set up a branch of
their business in Banbury with some of the Maybury vehicles. Their garage,
Souldern Gate Filling Station, was later used by a solid fuel supplier and is
now a reclamation yard.
Taylor’s of Bicester
The business dates from the
1930s when RH Taylor began operations, which were later taken over by his son
Alfred. One of his former employees, Alexander Gray, took over the premises and
all but two of Alfred's vehicles on 13 May 1963, together with six of his
licences. Taylor’s London Road premises were used jointly with Gray; the Taylor
business fell into the hands of his executors after his death in 1970, and
continued trading until 1971. The London Road site was taken on by Gray until
being advertised for sale in early 1977 and sold in March that year.
Morris’ of Marsh Gibbon
I know very little about this
operator, except that ownership was originally HA Morris and later WH Morris.
The earlies vehicle recorded was Morris TX WL 8792, new to a HA Morris in March
1930 and the last I have recorded was a Bedford OB CRD 649 sold in 1969 by WH
Morris. Were these the same operator or two different ones?
House’s of Watlington
The House family of
Watlington began bus operations in 1912, run by brothers JRA (Dick) and J (Joe)
House who moved there that year from Woburn Common. Services were suspended
during the First World War, when the House brothers were serving overseas. The
company resumed trading in 1918, J House later leaving the partnership leaving
JR House in sole charge until his death, when it passed to his wife, Mrs W
House, and his son, AJ (Arthur) House. Mrs House died in 1970 and the business
was continued by Arthur J House. Arthur House sought to sell the business
in October 1986 so that he and his wife could retire, but no buyers were
forthcoming. In the end, the business ceased trading on 30 August 1987 without
anybody to take over operations.
Happy Wanderer of Didcot
A.E.R.E, Harwell
In 1945 John Cockcroft was
asked to set up a research laboratory to further the use of nuclear fission for
both military purposes and generating energy. The criteria for selection
involved finding somewhere remote with a good water supply, but within reach of
good transport links and a university with a nuclear physics laboratory. This
more or less limited the choice to Oxford or Cambridge. It had been decided that
an RAF airfield would be chosen, the aircraft hangars being ideal to house the
large atomic piles that would need to be built. Although Cambridge University
had the better nuclear physics facility, the RAF did not want to abandon any of
its eastern airfields (because of the new threat of the Cold War), therefore
Harwell was chosen when the RAF made the airfield available. On 1 January 1946
the Atomic Energy Research Establishment was formed, coming under the Ministry
of Supply. The scientists mostly took over both accommodations and work
buildings from the departing RAF.
In 1954 AERE was incorporated
into the newly formed United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Harwell
and other laboratories were to assume responsibility for atomic energy research
and development.
The bus fleet was established
for staff transport and a network of services was run around the Didcot area.
Most vehicles were sold by 1991; Leyland National WBW 736X was retained for
internal use at Harwell. All operations ceased in June 1995 and the vehicles and
contract were transferred to Procord, Harwell.
Heyfordian, Upper Heyford
Chiltern Queens of Woodcote
These companies have well
documented histories so I will be brief!
The transport roots of the Smith family go back to 1890
when a branch of the family were the village carriers in Upper Heyford from
where the name Heyfordian originates. Haulage was the mainstay of the family in
the 20th century with mechanised trucks introduced after the First World War.
Haulage continued after the Second World War when the founder of Heyfordian
identified a need for passenger transport. The firm was founded with two 14
seaters in 1947 by Mr James T Smith and Miss JE Smith trading from Orchard
Garage, Upper Heyford.
Initial work was provided by
the nearby RAF bases. From 1952, the trading name “Heyfordian Services” was
used. Takeovers included Jarvis of Middle Barton in January 1973, Chown of
Banbury in May 1973, Cannings of Kings Sutton in January 1974, and Hambridge of
Kidlington in July of the same year.
Moved to Bicester in 2000 and
ceased in August 2023.
Chiltern Queens Limited was formed in May 1955 by EM and
ECE Barrett, and JG Woodrow, and took over the operations of Kemp’s of Woodcote
the following month. Kemp's had operated stage services around Reading and
Woodcote, and these passed to the new company..
The business was sold on 13
April 2002 to Horseman, Reading; the bus operations were sold on to Thames
Travel in August 2002 and licence for the Chiltern Queens business was revoked
at the end of September 2002.
Marston Coaches of Marcham
Marston Coaches of
Oxford gained 16 contracts in 1950 at Bicester Ordnance Depot. Bought
out by Higgins of Marcham in around 1961, moved the business from Oxford to
share Higgins' garage at Marcham.
Regency of Littlemore
, Frostways of Kennington and Marston of Marcham were merged into a single
company, Regency-Frostways, which was sold to Heyfordian and ceased trading on
31 December 1985. I would like to know more about these companies if anybody
knows the details.
I have no history of Rainbow Coaches of Westbury, Jeff’s
of Helmdon or Shurrock’s of Brill as they are outside of Oxfordshire.
Grahame Wareham about 306
My input for Issue 306
H306 was a 1946 AEC Regent II with Park Royal
H30/26R bodywork built to semi-utility specification and registered LWL301. This
was basically a standard bodyshell which was a 'one specification suits all' as
immediate post war materials were in very short supply as this country was
getting itself back on its feet after the hostilities. This was part of the
first batch of 25 AEC Regent II's and featured the direct injection version of
the tried and tested AEC 7.7 litre A173 engine which had been built from the mid
1930's and previously fitted to some of the preceding batches of AEC Regent I's
in indirect injection form, some being later modified. Being built to a more
basic menu meant that this batch of twenty five buses were destined for a
slightly shorter operating life with City of Oxford and consequently they were
withdrawn in 1957-58.
LWL301 was renumbered L840 in the 1953 renumbering
programme and was finally withdrawn in April 1958 and sold along with others of
the batch to Deacon, Dorchester and resold to Smith, March the following month.
It ran with Smith until March 1962 when it was finally sold to PVD, Dunchurch
(dealer) where it was then sold on for scrap.
%20LWL301%20Gloucester%20Green%20Oxford%20c.1955%20(c.RHGS).jpg)
H306 at Gloucester Green Oxford in 1950 c. RHG Simpson.
The next 306 to appear on Oxford's streets was the
first of a batch of ten delayed AEC Bridgemaster's with Park Royal H43/29F
forward entrance bodywork in low-height configuration. The Bridgemaster was
evolved from the successful London Routemaster and was of integral construction
but using a steel framed body to BET collaborative design. These buses featured
air suspension on the rear trailing link subframe which gave a very smooth
constant height ride but nevertheless in service tended to be bouncy on some of
the country roads! They had independent coil spring suspension on the front axle
identical to the Routemaster apart from air braking and of course manual 4 speed
synchromesh gearboxes with a step down transfer final drive to clear the low
centre lower deck gangway. These buses when delivered to Oxford caused some
controversy amongst the operating staff as they were the first 72 seaters and
were the subject of operating ban on City services until resolved in later
years. This meant that this initial batch of ten were allocated to Country
depots or routes from Cowley Road depot up until approx.1968 when new operating
conditions were negotiated for larger capacity buses and subsequent one man
operation.
306 was initially operated from Cowley Road depot
but soon migrated out to Bicester and eventually Chipping Norton depots by 1969.
Once omo had been completed out at the depots the Bridgemaster's were then
drafted back into the City routes where they stayed until withdrawal in 1972,
where they outlived the next batch of thirteen delivered in 1962! 306 was
withdrawn in October 1972 and sold to TPE (dealer), Macclesfield being quickly
resold to Ward, Epping the following month and later being joined by 313. 306
was later sold on to D. Coaches of Morriston, Swansea in June 1975 where it
stayed until June 1980 where it was sold to Beckett (scrap) Carlton, Barnsley
for dismantling.
AEC 306 with pictures from GW and M D
Shaw.
The last 306 to run in Oxford has recently been
transferred to Go South West/Plymouth City Bus where it has been renumbered 50XX
in that fleet. It is an ADL E400H with ADL H47/31F body originally part of a
batch of seventeen specified for Oxford's Park & Ride services in 2011 as part
of the joint Transform Oxford bus scheme. It was repainted into a Burgundy red
livery for City 35 services during 2017 and in 2019 was converted to normal
diesel mode by replacing the AC electric motor with a ZF 5 speed auto gearbox
due to the high cost of replacement battery packs. It lost its 35 branding for a
short period up to withdrawal and was reregistered OE11YMZ just prior to being
transferred to Go South West Plymouth City Bus in May 2024.
.jpg)
Hybrid 306 pictures
when new in 2011 and 2016 then from 2020 to disposal in 2024 by GW and GF of
withdrawn 306 prior to dispatch to Plymouth. It had actually been reregistered
OE11YMZ by this time but had not had the plates affixed.
Also hopefully in the
near future I can find time to send you some illustrated progress reports on our
restorations on buses under the Cherwell Bus Preservation
Group.................and work still to do!
Trying to get as much done whist we are still able!!
Grahame's weekly contribution has been well received by readers. Ed.
A visit to Luton Interchange, adjacent to the railway station by Kevin Fuller
A busy spot with services and vehicles from Arriva, Centrebus, Grant
Palmer, Uno and Stagecoach. Also National Express and Green Line 757
coach services.
A very interesting selection of vehicles for the passing observer. Ed.
Gary Seamarks reports on his past week
Just a quick visit to Oxford on Weds,
couple for you, first time I have seen a Thames Travel Streetlight in
City, and also first time for Trainer, must say how friendly the vast
majority of drivers are, seems to have been on-going since the end of
Covid.
Stayed local on these, all except the
Stagecoach are within 15 minutes of each other at Bedford Bus Station,
KT05 YUS Vo B7TL new as 05-D-10439 to
Dublin Bus as AV439
KYU 77 Vo B7TL new as 05-D-10437 then
KT05YUG (12/19-10/22) new as AV437 to Dublin Bus
Y5 BUS Vo B9TL (T) new as 05-D-70005 then
LW55CCA, new as VT5 to Dublin Bus
Finestyle of Knuston (Wellingborough) SN09 CBU
AD ex First
BU59WAY new to Nottingham as YT61GOU, one of 2
owed, just worked in from a school bus and does the 16.00 42 Service to
Flitwick.
The shot of 37435 is on a 9 at New Cardington,
they are in the process of building about 1000 houses behind the 2
sheds,
many already occupied, just shows the size of these close up, the
R101 its said was a tight fit inside !
June 23rd 2024
Bob Stanger
Bob Stanger has sent the attached pictures when he and a few friends
took T792 to The Oxford Bus Museum on Sunday.
At the Museum a nd in Woodstock.
Phil Bayliss
We had a visit by T792. Then photo shoot in Woodstock. It was nice to see the attraction it coursed in Woodstock. I thought your followers might enjoy them. I follow your site ever week. Great to follow what is happening in and around Oxford. Keep up the great work.
At the Museum
and later in Woodstock.
Ryan Butler - a trip through Oxford, Didcot, Newbury and Basingstoke.
Monday (June 24th), I went on a trip through Oxford, Didcot, Newbury and Basingstoke. I've attached some photos of my trip, with highlights including Stagecoach 80005 in Oxford, Reading Buses 1208 in Newbury and Stagecoach 18081 in Basingstoke.
Oxford
Didcot
Newbury
Basingstoke
There are still some pockets of antiquity left in Stagecoach !
Ed.
The A34 and Didcot with Derek Dawson
Firstly a few from the visits to the A34 this
week
Do not seem to see many visitors from Norway
so this Nightliner KJ 62095 was a nice one
Irish Band bus IUI886 operated by Rockstar (Crossland)
TAD (CZ) 7HS-9444
Assume one of the MoD Contractors CU67 FBA in
a nice all over wrap
First AOS GT for me GU73 PLO with Godiva,
Coventry
J&K nice VDL FHD2 JK21 JNK
New Go South Coast on delivery for the X3 1790 HJ24
RCY 2nd one I have picked up here
Across Ambulance l J100STB last time I see this it
was blue & white
First time I have done Ladies day at Ascot since
Covid and after the walk to and from the station and doing all the coach
parks it had me thinking I am getting too old for this, and although the
numbers were down I (logged about 330) there was some nice ones there
although nothing from Scotland or visitors.
ALM Transportation PVL389V ex London General NV145
R345LGH
Las Vegas Travel X309MGM not sure what it is
Go Ahead London E283 YX14 RUA E281 & E282 also
here
New Temsa for Aldermaston Coaches YJ24 AYM looking
good in their new livery but anything was better than the blue & red of
their old livery
Another newby Edwards (CC) Levante 3 BV24 ZFN
in National Express livery although I still prefer the old Discs livery
Four Jems (KT) S19FJC ex BV57 JYL
ROYAL BLUE RUN 2024
Peter Edgar
Photos
from the start of the Royal Blue Road Run but here are a few that I took at
Wheatley M40 services this morning before the start of the run.
James Freeman at Swindon & Cricklade railway +
Basingstoke
Seen by James Freeman.
Oxford Bus and new 280 service from July 1st
We are pleased to announce that we will be stepping in to assist Arriva customers with the launch of a new 280 service between Oxford, Headington, Wheatley and Thame. This service will operate every 30 minutes and will commence operation from 1st July 2024. The timetable for the new service will be posted here as soon as possible.
Luke Marion advises re livery matters
We
will be unveiling a new 280 livery next week when the new service commences,
so watch this space for that.
We are planning as part of the EV related
cascade to update the liveries for the X2 and X3 to make them more congruent
with each other. This is work in progress currently.
On the X1 we won't be making any changes at the moment to the liveried vehicles as we are looking at a few options currently on what the next stage of development of this service should be.
This was in reply to Bob Chalmers question below:
I note,that buses 651/2/3/4 have been put into a new '280' livery - so branding on some 'outer routes still looks like continuing? X1 & X3 for example. Talking of X1's - this route uses 6 buses during the main part of the day, yet only 5 were ever put into the X1 livery. Would this not be a good time to re-livery a further one to match (675 for example)?
Chris Huntingford re Wright bus facility for being electrified in Bicester
https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/24409901.bicester-jobs-created-bus-enterprise-launches/
|
|
More jobs created through 'bold' new bus enterprise
Bus manufacturer Wrightbus last week took the wraps off a bold new
enterprise designed to replace older diesel engines with new
zero-emission… |
Your Editor re clear destination screens
I complimented Eloc regarding the clarity of the destination in his photo belo/w and wonder if his comments will help others?
Eloc Semaj
Oxford and Chilterns Bus Page "Thank you very much, I find it easier to do so with a shutter speed of 1/160 which is only really possible when buses are going fairly slow, hence I pick my locations carefully!!
Paul Statham routes around Oxford
A couple of things relevant to recent issues.
1. The 'new' service , I think 42 from Abingdon via Boars Hill to
Oxford is not new at all. It used to be called 44, and I drove on it
for Heyfordian (although the actual operation was by Tappins) and I attch a
photo of the regular bus. The route in those days (probably 2010) was
different to the 'new' service. From Boars Hill it went down to the
A34, then came of at Botley then Botley Rd. to finish at Westgate (old).
The return to Abingdon in the morning was via Abingdon Rd then Boars Hill,
and Sunningwell. In the afternoon the route was reversed, i.e.
start from Oxford Castle, via Botley Rd, North Hinksey, Hinksey Hill, Boars
Hill, then Sunningwell. There were about 5 return trips, roughly
every 2 hours.
2. A visit to Leicester a few weeks back revealed that they too are
'going electric', but this time it is First and Arriva. A local
operator, Roberts runs the Park & Ride also with electrics, photos
attached.
3. Although it visited the Museum, we had an interesting coach a few weeks back.. It was a Volvo 9700, 14 mtr long with a trailer, that normall carries 'bands' in fact after he left us he was going to Ireland to pick up an American singer/songwriter for a tour.
Peter Cartwright on the knotty matter of the Reading - Henley - High Wycombe corridor
Just a comment on the Reading - Henley corridor in this OCBP briefing.
As i understand it, Carousel will operate an hourly 800 daily and an hourly
850 weekdays so with the the proposed route 28 operated by Reading Transport
that is three buses ( not four as intimated) operating via Shiplake and
Caversham between Henley and Reading and an hourly service via Wargrave.
Historically Thames Valley Reading garage operated route 8 every 30 or, at
times, 60 minutes via Caversham AND Shiplake between Reading and Henley and
Wycombe Marsh depot operated route 28 via Wargrave every 60 minutes (30
minutes on Saturdays).
There was, however, a limited 28 service operated by Reading garage which
continued past Henley to terminate in Hambleden Village over the erstwhile
37 route. There was a morning and afternoon journey only Monday to Friday
and just a morning journey on Saturday.
I wonder if any older residents recall the 28 going via Wargrave and it
cause confusion?
Reading Buses have announced they'll be running a
new Aqua 28 service from Henley to Reading, via Shiplake and Caversham,
starting on the 29th July. With this bringing 3 buses an hour between Henley
and Reading via Caversham, and 7 buses an hour between Caversham and
Reading, one must ask the question about where the demand for this level of
service is there, and whether one of Reading or Carousel may have to reduce
frequency on this corridor, or even pull out of it all together.
https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/new-route-between-reading-and-henley
Nick Ross
Liberty bus Optare 1706 at the rural Corbiere terminus of route 12A on a glorius
June 11th 2024.
Despite its rural nature this stop is served as late as 2357 at
night such is Jersey's quality of service
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
Bibby JC16BUS turns into St Aldates.
Fleet News and developments
Variety in the Eden Bus Station.
3023 and 5468 maintain the X7 in Oxford.
5466 in St Aldates with an X7.
It is unusual to see a local operator in
The Eden Bus Station - AT64AWT.
63305 with an X74 on June 12th.
Ryan Butler
A new training vehicle for First seen in High
Wycombe on June 24th.
Charles Powell
This ex First Enviro stop by the Pulham’s yard briefly today, June 26th. Just
collected from paint ready for Carousel.
It will be fleet number 480.
Malcolm Crowe
216 and 228 in the overlow yard, 405 and 513 in the main yard and 935 ready for
collection
on June 22nd.
Stephen Roberts with new allocations to Carousel
221 seen with Carouse; working the 41 on June 22nd.
228 and 229 are now based with Carousel as seen on June 24th.
Service updates - Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel
Luke Marion & Bob Chalmers correspondence on liveries shown above
Airline 33 and 37 heading for the airports.
493 with a 3X and 599 an 11X.
610 spending its last Oxford days with a 15
road service.
Now 651-654 have been rebranded for the 280
are the days of the remaining 5 road buses numbered.
655 and 658.
Still baring route branding 661, 663, 673 an
688 are busy.
715 and 721.
727, 748, 760, 767, 771 and 775.
Jack Cooper on June 20th.
35 and 37 on June 20th.
662 and 671.
707 and 721
726, 730. 754, 761, 771, 774 and 775
971 and 972 working the 11X in St Aldates.
James Freeman
762 774 and 782.
A few pictures taken at the depot this morning (Thurs 27th). Sorry it's so
close to your deadline and appreciate I may be too late!
Two of the Citaros ready for service.
I note that five of the nine StreetLites are not currently in service,
following the arrival of 219 221 222 228 and 229 from Oxford. I wonder if
they will be freshened up and reappear at the end of July?
755 and 757 seen working the first day in service on June 25th.
Onee presumes it will have a 24 plate ?
192,195 and 196 in Oxford.
Andrew Simmonds
Derek Dawson
Called in to Thames Travel at Didcot to see
the new additions for the Carousel fleet (Sat) - 5 x West Midlands DD, 4 x Explore Dundee livery SD
also 7 x Oxford electric highest was 785
784 BN24 ZYF
Explore Dundee 2424/25/28 SP61CTO/U/Z
West Midlands 4806 BX09 PFE
Jack Cooper
226, 247, 860 and 923 all seen in St Aldates on
June 20th.
684 and 685 now with 15 road removed seen respectively on June 25th and
24th.
BV73MLX and YX63LJE in St Aldates with the
X20.
BV73MLY, MX61BAU and YX10FEF all working the
130.
15349 is seen during layover at Oxford Station with the S6.
Busy with the 10, 10070 and 10431 in The
High.
The 10 certainly enjoys variety, 12002 one of
the last two Hybrids still at work n Oxford,
followed by ex Gold 15758, 15836 working the 1 and 36981 also working
the 10.
Jack Cooper on June 20th.
10070, 10679, 12008 (the other remaining
Hybrid) and ex Gold 15966 in St Aldates.
50432, 50437 and 50442 maintain the
tube service to
Jack Cooper
50439 in St Aldates on June 20th.
London operations
Andrew Webb
No fewer than five new advert campaigns have taken to
the capital's streets in recent days, as this selection taken on 22 June
illustrates.
Metroline's LT765 is seen at the western end of
Oxford Street carrying an advert for rental company Zipcar.
The nearside
is seen on LT964 at Holborn.
Demonstrations in central London means Go Ahead's LT900 has been curtailed at
Waterloo
and is seen awaiting a return to Penge on route 176. It is one of
several to advertise Fulfil protein snack bars.
Maybelline's latest Firework Mascara is advertised in
this vivid pink campaign
as illustrated by London United's LT85 and Arriva's
LT962 at Marble Arch.
Sonos, manufacturer of speakers and soundbars are promoting the new 'Ace' headphones with this advert campaign which features two different characters.
A man is on the side of Arriva's LT518 as it approaches Tottenham Court Road
whilst running dead to start service on route 38.
In the same location is
LT494 from the same company showing off the version featuring a lady.
Golden Tours have wrapped this MCV Volvo to advertise a Princess Diana
photography exhibition
at St Katherine's Dock. It is seen negotiating
traffic at South Kensington station.
Peter Edgar
Attached are photographs I took in Sheffield
yesterday ( 25/06/2024 ) of the new First Group Livery, these being applied
to First South Yorkshire.
Personally I think this is an improvement over the previous livery but it
will be interesting to hear other people’s opinions!
Tim Hall
My first post for ages, I had reason to visit Plymouth last weekend for a wedding
,whilst I was there I snapped these ex Oxford buses that have been transferred
down there to Plymouth citybus
First picture is of 313 was HN11 OXF now OE11 YNJ fleet no 5025 Enviro 400H
second is of 253 which was latterly with Thames travel and originally diverted
from Southern Vectis
Both taken in central Plymouth