Issue nr 307
Thursday July 4th, 2024

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

From the Editor

A different issue this week as some of my local contributors have been away. However I think we still have an interesting page. 

I make no apologies for using so many of pictures of the new 280 service. The livery is one of the nicest ones I have seen.

The electric buses for Stagecoach are still awaited and just five are currently in use for training with two per day on local routes in Oxford.

In this issue

Cheltenham Classic Coaches run

The launch of route 280 from Oxford Bus

Grahame Wareham with his input for this issue - 307

Glastonbury by Adam Harber 

New and acquired vehicle for local operators

Readers Write

Various follow  up on Matthew Bullocks piece on private operators

A readers comments on happenings in High Wycombe

Andrew Dyer is in the U.K.

Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford sees bus services due a diversion by Matthew Searle

Fleet News and Developments

Andrew Webb reports from London Pride 2024

Andy Millwood from the Midlands

Gary Seamarks from Norfolk and Edinburgh

George Candelin visited Exeter


SUNDAY, JULY 7th 2024.
27 classic coaches; 5 buses and an Austin van - all with a historic connection to Associated Motorways or Cheltenham Coach Station on display and operating at this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Cheltenham Town Football Club, Whaddon Road, from 10am to 4pm, when there will be a mass departure of coaches - just as Associated Motorways used to do it at Cheltenham Coach Station.

Anniversaries we're celebrating:

90-years since Associated Motorways was formed (1934); 

60-years since Bristol RELH/ECW coaches entered service (1964);

50-years since Associated Motorways were branded NATIONAL (1974);

40-years since the last mass departure from Cheltenham Coach Station, (January 1984). 

  280 - Thame to Oxford City Centre | Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel 

It seems that history is repeating itslef with the introduction of a 280 to Thame by Oxford Bus. Four StreetDecks have been repainted into a new blue livery for the route which launched on July 1st. A number of contributors have pro/vided pictur,es and video of the event.

I make no apologies for so many pictures but it seemed a significant time for services in Oxford. Ed.

Peter Edgar

     

Photographs taken in Thame from the first day of route 280 being operated by the Oxford Bus Company. It was unfortunate that the first journey from Oxford operated by 651 suffered a failure in the Waterstock area and was replaced by one of the Park& Ride vehicles, nr 675.

I was a little surprised to see that Thame was missing from the between deck branding especially as the route number 280 is there and this is where the route ends, I realise it is on listing below the lower deck windows. 

With Arriva still operating ( until the end of July ) to Oxford along with Redline and now OBC this must be a bit of an overkill particularly between Thame and Wheatley where from my experience patronage is fairly low.

pignbob

   
   
The four buses on day 1 and day 2.

Richard Sharman


An encouraging sign that passengers are already making use of the new 280 service.


A sight that wont be seen for much longer on the High Street.

   
652, 653 and 654 caught by the camera on July 2nd.

James Lambeth


653 passing 5463 at the top of High Street on July 1st. "As it was and as it is to be".

     
653 on day 1.

James Freeman

for those who enjoy some video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3OTtMIpz4Q

Grahame Wareham with his input for this issue - 307

H307 was part of a batch of twenty-five AEC Regent II's with Park Royal H30/26R semi utility bodies that were part of the first post WW2 AEC buses delivered in 1946. In 1953 H306 became H841 in the renumbering scheme. Withdrawn from Oxford service in 1958 and sold to Deacon, Dorchester(dealer) in April 1958 being quickly resold to Warner, Tewksbury  the same month and converted to H30/26RD. It was withdrawn by Warner's in March 1967 in use as store by September 1967. It then was disposed of to a  scrapyard at Staverton in April 1969.


H841 at Aylesbury Market Place c. RHG Simpson 

307 307MFC was the second of the 1961 AEC Bridgemaster's with Park Royal H43/29F forward entrance bodies delivered in 1961. 307 carried an illuminated offside advertisement for Ward's furniture store in Park End Street for all of its service life in Oxford based at Cowley Road Garage and was actually the first Bridgemaster to be withdrawn in 1972. It was sold directly by COMS to P. Jansen, Melbourne, Australia on behalf of Tolley Scott Tolley (Tolley Wines), Port Melbourne, Australia 2/73. exported and used as wine tasting hospitality vehicle and rereg. YHC032. Mostly seen around Adelaide on promotional work and latterly race meetings.

   
307 in Queen Street, High Street & St. Aldates Oxford by c. GW


307 with Tollana Wines c. unknown


307 on low loader from image supplied to GW unknown photographer.

The last incumbent 307 was an H47/31F ADL E400H registered HG11OXF delivered in 2011 as part of a batch of seventeen new vehicles devoted to Oxford's Park & Ride routes. With the Park & Ride service being extended to include Oxford Parkway a new batch of buses (662-681) were introduced to P&R and subsequently 307 became relegated to 35 route service and was repainted into a burgundy red livery in March 2017. On 25th October 2018 307 unfortunately had a 'thermal incident' whist on 35 service to Abingdon in Manor Road Kennington with extensive rear end fire damage causing it to be withdrawn. In December 2018 307 was towed to H & D Trim where its roof was removed and other parts used to repair Go South Coast 1610 HF65AYO which had received serious roof damage caused by a falling tree in the recent gales.

     
307 in service supplied by G. Francis.
   
GSC More Bus 1610 c. Dorset Police, 307 unknown photographer GW collection. 

Glastonbury from Adam Harber

I’ve attached a link to photos I took at Glastonbury yesterday. Not as many as I would have liked, but I was only there for one day (Monday 1st July) in a supervisory capacity, and unsurprisingly I was very busy.  

Stagecoach operations this year were as follows… 

Stagecoach West running the GF3 service to Bristol City Centre plus a Shuttle service to Castle Cary. They used their own double-deck vehicles (Euro 6 for Bristol CAZ) form all depots (except Banbury), with their own staff (from all depots) plus drivers on loan from Stagecoach South Wales. Stagecoach South West (Devon) were also there running shuttle services to the collection/drop off car park. They were using their own staff that camped on site all week and ran with a mixture of their own buses and four from Stagecoach West. The Devon operation also provided 24/7 engineering coverage. 

I ended up covering two journeys on the GF3 to Bristol using Gloucester’s Scania 15364 and I enjoyed every minute of it! 

Link to photos…  https://adobe.ly/4eKO3sB

An interesting report with some excellent photos. Ed. 

New and acquired vehicles for local coach operators
 with thanks to the June issue of Trident

Angel, Cryers Hill

            ET24 AET           Scania K320NB4 / Mobi C74DL

           GT24 AET          Yutong T122HDH GT-12 C53FT

Cheney Coaches, Banbury

            CT73 NEY          Volvo B8R 12.5m / Sunsundegui SB3 C70FL

            YD24 BUK          Yutong GT-12 T122HDH C53FL

Countrywide Coaches, Princes Risborough

           OU24 ZTC          Neoplan Tourliner N2216 C55FLT

Red Eagle, Aylesbury

           YX61 GBF          Alexander Dennis Enviro 200

              Acquired from Kevs, Bromsgrove

Walters, Oxford

           OU24 ZSV          Neoplan Tourliner N2216 C61FLT

          OU24 ZSW         Neoplan Tourliner N2216 C61FLT

 

Allan James with follow up to Matthew Bullock's contribution

Many thanks for putting my request in issue 305 and for Matthew Bullock's prompt reply in issue 306.  

As before his short histories were very informative.

Going back to the pictures which accompanied his contribution in issue 303 there was one of Surman's of Chinnor DUD 44 which I have attached to help.  The other vehicle in this picture is very interesting. It is JTM 975 which, according to BusListsontheWeb, is an AEC Regent rebuild from an LTE STL Chassis number 0661/LTE/113 with a Burlingham body. Was this also a Surman's coach at the time of this photograph as the livery looks very similar?

Follow up on local private operators by Grahame Wareham

Just a few additions which may be helpful information regarding past operators which Allan James and Matt Bullock have commented on. 

Firstly Goldline of Woodstock seems to have been omitted. The founder and proprietor Graham Parry originally worked for City of Oxford (COMS) as a fitter, that's where I first met him as a work colleague, and I believe Goldline was started up in the late seventies/early eighties. The registered office was in Woodstock but I believe he shared a yard with Mervyn Blunsden in Bladon. Goldline only had the one coach but always immaculately presented but I think his first coach was an AEC Reliance, followed by a Leyland Leopard and at some point a DAF. I used to help him out with spares whilst I was at COMS, as I did with many local operators, but I now think Graham is retired. 

Another operator that Matt mentions he would like more information on is Frostways of Kennington. All I can add to this is that the former proprietor of Frostways was Cyril Warmington who eventually went to work for COMS as did his sons Gary and Paul . I remember them all fondly, and many of the jokes and stories Cyril furnished me with! 

Clair Williams, nee Jarvis, daughter of Jarvis married Brian Slatter. Ironically we have the last two coaches operated by Jarvis (YWL134K) and Slatter's (AUD310J) in storage awaiting restoration at the Cherwell Bus Preservation Group. Both of these vehicles were acquired from their original operators by Heyfordian Travel of Upper Heyford and latterly Murdock Road Bicester when both former businesses were taken over and the same two coaches were sold to Pegasus Coaches of Perth (Duncan Graham) from where we collected them back in 1997. Heyfordian had reregistered AUD310J to Fil7661 and Ywl134K to FIL7663. Clair has been very helpful, along with her daughter Susan, in providing me with historical information and photographs of both Jarvis and Slatter's businesses. I attach some picture of both vehicles in original and subsequent liveries. AUD310J was actually the Oxford United Football Club ream coach from new until being sold to Heyfordian.

 

     
     

Andie Broom from High Wycombe with comments on the upcoming changes

As ever I look forward to reading your weekly updates.

 

As a Wycombe resident I have welcomed Arriva’s exit from the area. We’ve been suffering from a poor service and lack of investment in area for many years.

 

Nice to see Carousel/Go ahead have stepped up to meet customer needs.

 

Although from your previous issue, Carousel will be getting ex NA West Midlands off lease cast off’s.

 

Just like Arriva, Go ahead seem to dump cast off’s in Wycombe which seems disappointing.

 

Any way enough of my rants , Carousel have now registered Arriva’s Lincoln Road garage for a total of 40 vehicles. The total license is 90 vehicles, 40 for Lincoln road and 50 for Hughenden Avenue.

 

Wonder how the buses are going allocated across the two sites?

 

Maybe the current Arriva routes will remain at Lincoln Road until things settle down?

Maybe Carousel are being cautious with the additional buses as cost is always to the forefront of any company planning. Does any readers have further comments? Ed.

Andrew Dyer comments on his visit to the U.K.

This month is 54 years since is started working at Charlton-on-Otmoor Services as a school holiday job. To celebrate, I drove a school run for them this afternoon.


My allocated vehicle was MUI 7828. A 26 year old Volvo B10M with manual gearbox….
lt has only been in the fleet since March and has not yet been painted.  

 
Attached a few photos of the yard at Charlton yesterday afternoon.

What a lovely was to spend a holiday. Ed. 

Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford sees bus services due a diversion by Matthew Searle

Diversions in week beginning 1 July around Frideswide Square near Oxford railway station returned buses to Hythe Bridge Street for the first time in years. The photo shows Oxford Bus Co. StreetDeck 768 with other buses in the street on 3 July. The modern block behind includes offices used by Wrightbus and associated companies.

 
768 BN24ZXO in Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford during diversions on July 3rd. 

     Fleet News and developments   

So, the days are ticking by to the end of Arriva in Aylesbury a nd High Wycombe. There will still be repo/rts from locations such as Hemel Hempstead, Luton and Milton Keynes, thus I ask contributors to ensure we have updates for the company in its continuing areas. Ed.



Luke Marion provides some most interesting news.

The recent arrival of ten Trident-E400s from WMPTE enables ,me to provide some news which will be of much interest readers. We will be moving our fleet numbering to a 5 digit system in the not too distant future as part of the roll out of a new Go-Ahead group engineering system which requires all buses nationwide to have a unique number. Hence the 5 digits used for these will be as follows:.

80951

BX09 PFE

80952

BX09 PFF

80953

BX09 PFG

80954

BX09 PFK

80955

BX09 PFO

80956

BX09 PFV

80957

BX09 PGU

80958

BX09 PHF

80959

BX09 PGV

80960

BX09 PHJ

The first 8 of these are Carousel and the bottom 2 are Pulhams. 

See pictures of 80959 and 80960 under Pulhams below. Ed.

pignbob

   
Maybe a first when an ex London Citaro, 881, was used for th e 275 on July 2nd.

Of note is that 409 has been repainted red whilst other StreetLites have been used for the 275.

Andy Campbell from Manchester


A very fresh 13183 at OM this afternoon, July 2nd.
Hard to remember its time with Oxford Bus.Ed.

pignbob


Recently rostered for an electric bus, 612 worked the 3X on June 28th.

      
Latest additional buses arrive each week and above we see 777, 779, 784 and 786 during the past 6 days..

Richard Sharman


A luckily timed shot of CSS Electroliners turning on evening tours of the city

New vehicles

N          GB24 PUL        Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard C72FL

N          GL24 PUL         Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard C72FL

N          PU24 HAM       Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard C72FL

N          UK24 HAM       Volvo B8R / Plaxton Leopard C72FL

Charles Powell 

   
Ex WMPTE BX09PHJ and PGV at Bourton on June 29th.

 

Bob Chalmers 


A 'naked' 683 on an X2 service to Didcot taken this evening (Thursday, June 27th) at 6pm.

Lewis Anthony


944 with a 44 working at Osney on June 27th.

Richard Sharman


A new arrival on the Oxford bus scene is Grayline's StreetLite WF SN15 ABZ, last with
Airparks and has airport racking fitted to the nearside of the vehicle

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Martin Dowling

Reading Buses have announced plans to introduce a new service between Reading, Caversham, Shiplake and Henley-on-Thames from Monday 29 July. 

The new ‘aqua 28’ route will run every 30 minutes Mondays-Saturdays and up to every hour evenings and Sundays.  

The move follows the announcement from Arriva that they are closing their High Wycombe and Aylesbury operations after 27 July, including the 800/850 bus routes that serve this corridor. 

Said Robert Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Reading Buses “We often receive requests from the public asking us to introduce a more regular and reliable service to Henley. We understand that other operators in High Wycombe and Aylesbury are stepping in to provide replacements for Arriva’s services. Our aim is to supplement those efforts with a fast and high-quality service that we know we can operate reliably as part of our ongoing network development. 

We also feel very deeply for employees affected by the closure, and would be happy to speak with any of Arriva’s employees who live within a commutable distance of Reading about the possibility of joining our award winning team, at what must be a very worrying time for them.” 

The company says that combined ticketing will be introduced to allow travel onto the rest of the Reading Buses network, where currently passengers need to buy separate tickets to make onward journeys to places like the Royal Berkshire Hospital or Reading University. Customers will be able to use Reading Buses’ tap on and tap off system to be assured that they are only charged for the best value ticket for their journeys. 

The new route brand ‘aqua’ is the latest addition to Reading’s brightly coloured routes, and has been inspired by the River Thames that also links the two towns. The buses themselves will run on sustainably sourced bio-methane, keeping the carbon impact very low.

Full details are currently being finalised, and will be published next month.

Lewis Hawkins

Here are some snaps of Reading Buses Open Day That I'd like to share with you for next issue.

     
     

A most interesting display. Ed.

Still no official word as to the official introduction of the electric buses for this operator. A numer are stored at Chesterfield and more at ADL Falkirk. Ed.

pignbob


Two for the price of one, 80003 and sister 80002 on July 3rd.

Richard Sharman


Enviro400EV 80005 out in service on the 2, sporting a new advertising board.

Jack Cooper


19590 is recovered from Gloucester Green on June 27th.

50452 is now reporting on www.bustimes.com after problems with the ticket machine.


     London operations    

Andrew Webb - London's Pride 2024

London's Pride 2024 festival took to the streets of the capital on 29 June with buses used as floats by some organisations.  Starting at Hyde Park Corner, the procession heads along Piccadilly, Lower Regents Street and Trafalgar Square and onto Whitehall where the walking participants turn left onto Whitehall Place whilst vehicles continue along a traffic free Whitehall allowing these images of the day to be captured.

Coca Cola chose this East Lancs OmniDekka Scania N94UD to promote their Zero Sugar version of the soft drink.  Registered WA54LVN, it started life with South Somerset council as a playbus.  After a period registered W7OOH when used as a beauty salon (https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/General%20observations%20101.html) it has now lost most of its roof for its current role.


TfL contribution to the procession was 3406 from the Transport UK fleet, making its second appearance in the event after debuting in 2023.

Routemasters featured strongly in the parade. 


London Stock Exchange Group used RML2697 from the Expeditional fleet.


Fellow City institution Bank of England had RML891 from the same fleet.


Stonewall Housing, a charity supporting homeless members of the LGBTQ+ community, hired RML2621 from Premium Coaches.


Completing the line up of four Routemasters was RM1087 from the Traditional Travel fleet.<


Looking more like a pantechnicon than a double decker bus in the wrap for Virgin / O2
was this former WMPTE MCW Metrobus Mk2 which is just 6 months shy of its 40th birthday.  

Gavin Francis and Nigel Eadon Clarke


From Nigel Eadon-Clarke taken in Park Lane at the Pride event last Saturday. It is now registered WA54LVN. 


We know this bus as it was often see in Carousel's yard registered W7OOH when wrapped for a cosmetics company.

Andy Millwood from the Midlands


First is new electric bus  E189 at Sutton Coldfield


,Second is a Green Chaserider enviro 581 at Lichfield


Third is a Carolean bus at Walsall, these are being used on route 19 to Bloxwich


Fourth is an electric Diamond Centro bus WET 859 at  Walsall.

Gary Seamarks travels to Norfolk & Edinburgh

End of a busy week, saw a trip to Sheringham for the seaside, hence these are 'only phone images' these were all taken at the Station within 30 minutes.

   
   


SK07CGG was ex Lothian 150.

Tried flying instead of Rail, plan was Train to Luton then 08.10 flight in at 09.30, catch bus into City for about 10.15, return from City 20.00 for 21.45 flight into Luton at 23.05, for train back to Flitwick, at this time of night the trains are every 15 mins, and home by Midnight

 Now actual times, flight was delayed out of Edinburgh to work ours back, we departed Luton at 11.05, arrive Edi 12.15, got to City at 13.10, return was delayed by 45 minutes, slow at getting us off plan on remote stand by bus, got to Station to find next 3 trains cancelled so landed up on 00.49 train home for 01.30, in this case train would have been much quicker !! 

Edinburgh images, of note the shot of TB3 was taken at 7.30 pm !

     
 

 

 

George Candelin visited Exeter

Exeter to have a look at the new bus station. Just had to take a few photos of the various brandings.

Country Bus

     
     
 

Things have certainly changed since my visit in 2008 Ed.