Issue nr 314
Thursday August 22nd, 2024

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

From the Editor

An interesting issue this week with a new livery revealed for Redline X20 buses and a different livery for Stagecoach.

A large number of pictures relating to Carousel in Wycombe with a number of livery variations and a significant upcoming change to the allocation.

The electric buses for Oxford are now being used for weekday 280 journeys.

In this issue

ImberbuS report in pictures

Grahame Wareham relates to 314

Redline reveals a new livery for the X20

Recent update on Aylesbury by Tony Bungay

Readers Write with questions and comment

Coach Visitors to Oxford

Fleet News and Developments

Revised National Express branding from Andrew Webb

Reading Bus changes in September

Redline increases the double deck fleet

Adrian Small in the south east

Paul Hawkins goes to Yorkshire

 


2024

by Gavin Francis

On Saturday 17th August the annual Imberbus Event was held based at Warminster Station. I went with my good friend Dave Allen and we were both slightly concerned of how the day would go due to the crowd congestion last year resulting in long queues to board the buses. We were assured by a friend that there would be many more buses this year and that turned out to be the case.

We arrived at Warminster Station at 11.00 and could immediately see there were lots of buses and only a short queue waiting to board. Our first ride was on Transport UK Electric 3080 wrapped as an advert for The London Transport Museum which took us to Imber Village.

We took a lunch break there and it was to be the place where I saw a bus I thought had disappeared many years ago.

Back in 1973 I used to travel from my home to Wycombe Station every morning by RML which was the standard double-decker at HE at the time. Suddenly in the opposite direction came an RMC on Rte 326 not only a class not seen at HE before but it was wrapped for London and Manchester assurance possibly the first wrap I had seen in Wycombe. Turned out to be RMC 1490  and I just hoped it would be around for a few days so I could get some pictures.

   
RMC 1490 on Rte 326 at Micklefield Road in 1973 and then at Totteridge on Rte 363 in 1975 and then at Imber Village last Saturday. 

From memory it stayed for about 3 months and then it moved onto another garage.

Then in 1975 it reappeared again but although the same advertiser the design had been changed. The fleet number stayed in my mind to this date and until Saturday I had not seen it for 49 years and assumed it was no longer with us.

We then moved on with further rides to Gore Cross, Chitterne Church and The Lavingtons before returning to Warminster.

Overall a very well organized event which hopefully made a large sum of Money for charity.

Below are some of the other buses either on display or used during the day.

     
     
     
      

     

     

     

     

 

Dave Allen

Imberbus (not least from Gavin) but here’s a few  took might interest you. video at Brazen Bottom when bus met tractor on the hill!!

     

Take care and keep up the good work

Jack Cooper

Here are my photos from yesterdays Imberbus


     

Grahame Wareham with 314

Herewith the images relating to 314 HP11OXF that Gavin has provided, with the final one from me.

H314 LWL309  was a 1946 AEC Regent II with Park Royal H30/26R  semi-utility body. In the 1952 renumbering H314 became H848 Withdrawn and sold to Deacon (dealer), Dorchester in April 1958 passing to Edwards Lydbrook in May 1958  H848 stayed with Edwards for three years brfore being sold to Contract Bus Services Tredegar in March 1961, being  withdrawn in February 1962.

314 314MFC  was a 1961 AEC Bridgemaster 2B3RA  with Park Royal H43/29F low height bodywork. It was originally allocated from new to Witney depot and stayed there being used mostly on the 53/54 Oxford services until transferred to Cowley Road Garage in 1968 for City services. In 1970 314 was COF overhauled and received the red/green dual tone livery, one of the five that received this, In October 1973 314 was withdrawn and sold to TPE (dealer) Macclesfield but going direct to Richards, Moylegrove, Cardigan lasting there until August 1978 when it was dispatched to Barraclough (dealer) Carlton for scrap. This bus initially provided a few spares to aid the restoration of 312MFC in the early days.

     
   

104  NUD 104L was a 1973 Bristol VRTSL2  with ECW CH41/27F ultra low height body with dual purpose high back seating initially for use on London services. When new this batch of buses also shared the Outer Circle routes 10 and 20 Thereafter 104 was allocated to Witney depot operating into the City Centre and being renumbered 314 in September 1982 to make way for the new forthcoming batch of Leyland Tigers 101-110 delivered in March 1983. 314 became a South Midland vehicle in  June 1984 and was later renumbered 604 June 1986. In late 1986 314 was sold to Martins Bus & Coach, Middlewich in April 1987 and was resold to North Wales Weekly News being kept at Crosville Llandudno Junction depot. It was later donated to Anglesey Playbus Association at Holyhead  ending up with Greater Manchester Play Resources Unit for as a playbus. .It was scrapped in January 1995 

   

314 HP11OXF  is a 2011 ADL Enviro E40H Hybrid double deck  with Alexander H47/21F. This was part of a batch of seventeen diesel electric BAE systems for use on Oxford three main Park & Ride routes painted in a dual metallic green livery. In 2016 314 received red generic City livery being replaced on P&R duties by newer buses. In 2018 a decision was made to convert all the ADL Hybrids to normal diesel mechanical configuration owing to the increasing high cost of replacing the battery packs for a mid life vehicle  In 2024 after thirteen years in the City 314 was transferred to Go South West/Plymouth City Bus as their 5038 but being  reregistered. OE11YNH prior to departure.

     
       

You have probably received a few different images of the OBC Streedeck Electroliner 720 in its new Oxford Hospitals NHS Trust livery, although I haven't actually seen it myself yet.

I thought I would send you some images of an old friend, 201, which still exists in my care, in a very similar scheme !

 
I believe that these adverts were hand painted in house. Ed.

 are delighted to announce a special  livery for the X20 service

.....  this will be applied to the recently delivered fleet of Volvo eVoRa buses in the coming weeks as advised by Taj Khan for the Red Group

Recent update on Aylesbury by Tony Bungay


Z and S Ex South Wales Transport Enviro 200, heads out of Aylesbury Town Centre on return journey of Service 112.
This Service whose destination is Waddesdon Crossroads roughly 6 miles distant,
is timetabled to take 1 hour 40 minutes! And runs 1 return journey Wednesday and Friday.

The route in part is I think the only stage carriage service to serve the section of road featured on the Arriva X7 rail diversion photos in last week's news page.

Anybody tempted to do the whole journey will be taken through some picturesque but very sparsely served places along the way, indeed the start/finish point of the route is half a mile or so from the village. 


Red Rose, former Redline Optare Solo at Thame Town Hall, working a Service 121 Journey to Haddenham
 


In Haddenham is Red Rose Mercedes Minibus, again working a Service 121 from Thame.


As already mentioned in last weeks news page, former Aylesbury Enviro 400 5462 appears to be a regular performer on the X5.
The last vehicle to be repainted when Aylesbury was still an Arriva base, it effectively links pre and post July 27th.
 


East Lancs Olympus 4105 Milton Keynes bound on the X6; these vehicles seem to appear less on the X6 then the X4. 

Alexander about Brookes - a question ?

When Stagecoach operated the U1 service why did busses sometimes show Brookes University as the destination?

Brian Butler

Village Connect, Aylesbury

At long last this scheme has commenced. The link below gives details;_

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/bus-passes-and-travel/book-an-on-demand-minibus-journey-village-connect-aylesbury/

Gary Hall regarding a trial Stagecoach livery and Aylesbury

I was in Tamworth this week and spotted a former 300 branded Citaro BK58 URN in service, didn’t take them long! Also saw one of the recently former Aylesbury 15 plate Enviro 400’s in Aylesbury working the Hemel based X5, talk about rubbing salt in former employees wounds…

      Coach visitors to Oxford     

Jim Wright

A few local photos 


Bakers of Moreton in Marsh TB73MTB at Chipping Norton school,9-8-24.


Birmingham International YD73FOT at Stow on the Wold 10-8-24. 

     Fleet News and developments   

Jim Wright with a memory


Arriva the Shires 5461 at Oxford Rail stn.20-7-24.

Gavin Francis with the X74 in Wycombe on August 19th ....

 
63300 and 63374 



Whilst not as yet confirmed, it is suggested that the ex West Midlands E400's presently at Carousel are expected to move Thames Travel. This is due to the fact that they are full height and already a few more Scania E400's are now at Carousel, these being 208, 209 and 226.

Gavin Francis


80955 works a 30 in the Eden Bus station on August 19th.


DOE15 seen in the Eden bus station today, August 22nd possibly for staff transport as it is not listed as allocated to Wycombe.

     
     
   
     
     

Jack Cooper's visit on August 15th

   
     
     
     
   
     
     
   
     

Bob Chalmers comments about the upcoming X1 changes

So details have been released about changes/expansion of this service. The X1  will continue to be half hourly between Oxford/Abingdon and Marcham/Frilford but will then 'change' - X1's going on hourly to Wantage but the alternating half hourly buses will actually be X15's from Oxford and then on to Witney (from Frilford) via Southmoor, Standlake, Ducklington etc - replacing the Pulhams 15 service. This will give an improved service between Witney and Abingdon - but not 'so good' between Marcham and Wantage. The 43 service will transfer to Thames Travel, allowing the X1/X15 to offer a more regular service between Marcham and Oxford. Also good to see the last X1 towards Oxford will be after midnight using Wootton/Dunmore Roads rather than Oxford Road. Also the Oxford X3's will no longer continue to Wantage at night - they will terminate in Abingdon as before and X1's will again run through to Wantage in the late evenings. Not sure why OBC changed this in the previous timetable as it seemed to cause much confusion.There are several other changes to other 'South Oxfordshire' services from the same date too. Exciting times ahead.

Jim Wright

A few local photos


Oxford Bus 67 at Worcester st.Oxford.20-7-24.


Oxford Bus 672 at Oxford Rail Stn.

Peter Edgar


Oxford Bus Company 721 in Thame High Street on August 21st.

Sanjay Baker

   
The 280 has seen the use of Electroliners in the past week.

Charles Powell 

 
One of two ex West Midlands E400s now with Pulhams and in fleet livery, BX09PGV, on August 21st. 

James Freeman


Pulhams UK73PUL at Wheatley services on August 20th.

David England

 
Firstly, service 44 awaiting time in Wootton heading towards Oxford's Osney Island. 
 


Secondly, service 33 awaiting time in Wallingford before heading on its last trip to Didcot Parkway.

Sanjay Baker

 
Now no longer route branded, 665 and 666 are with Thames TRansit by August 17th.

Andrew Webb

National Express have updated their livery to coincide with a new media campaign to encourage more passengers on board.  The 'lines' at the rear have been abandoned in favour of 'if you know, you go national express'.

The two versions are illustrated here in views taken at Heathrow on 16 August. 


Despite gaining an apt cherished registration, this Levante operated by Bennetts retains the old livery.
 


The new image is carried by this Levante from the Edwards fleet

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Martin Dowling with an update

There are quite a lot of changes in Reading and more to come from September. 

Two Enviro 200 have been purchased from Lyloyds Coaches in Machynlleth, north Wales.  These are 648 YX18KUH and 649 YX18KYE which are to be used to strengthen the fleet for service improvements and to eventually end up with Thames Valley.  Three more Enviro 200s are being rented from Dawsons for use on the 500 Park and Ride from Winnersh which now runs six days a week.  Until last week it was Saturdays only.  London Road from Suttons Seeds to Cemetery Junction has a new bus lane inbound which should greatly help this and the Woodley routes avoid congestion.  648 and 649 are already here - I'm not sure about the Dawson buses and what fleet numbers they will have. 

From 2nd September there will be more frequent services on several routes, notably 3 to Shinfield, 21 to the University and Lower Earley and 25 to Sonning Common and Peppard Common. 

Thames Travel 143 will be replaced by Reading's 43 on the same day. 

On Mondays to Saturdays four services per day to Henley will run as 28A via Binfield Heath and Dunsden Green following the old 800 route.

Gavin Francis


YX08MFO with the 158 in Wycombe on August 19th.

 

Gavin Francis in Wycombe on August 19th

   
BF62UYN newly arrived with Redline seen in Wycombe.

   
and when new with Golden Tours in 2013, 2015 and 2016. 

Gavin Francis

   
A nice change for the 40 today, August 22nd, was this E200 normally usEd in Croxley Park.

 
Two of the older Darts with Red Rose in Aylesbury on August 18th.

Paul Hawkins saw this E400 in a new livery in Yorkshire.


10661 in Barnsley on August 18th - what do readers think?

Jim Wright

A few local photos from recent weeks.

 
Stagecoach 80001 at Horspath depot 1-8-24

 
Stagecoach 10676 at Besselsleigh School 13-8-24.

Nick Ross 


Stagecoach Oxford Enviro 200 OU62 BYT fleet no 36768 crosses the canal at Banbury with a B9 local service on August 16th 2024.

Dave & Deric

Stagecoach West Fleet Card for Period 4 dated 16/08/2024. There is only one change on the Card and it concerns Oxford depot. 

Oxford depot have received 54208 (SF62 CTU), a Volvo B11R/Plaxton Elite Interdeck in Megabus livery, from Stagecoach South Wales. Apparently, it’s for use as a driver trainer, not PSV use.

 

Gary Seamarks

Few from London on Thursday, August 15th, five Tube departures off Park Lane 


50429 at 17.09


50439 at 17.15


50454 at 17.24


50449 at 17.36


50443 at 17.47 

of note ALL are showing different destination displays, for what in the past was a very 'standard route' ?  

50429's driver seems happy for a photo ! 

     London operations    

Andrew Webb

Kraken black spiced rum uses this intricate design to promote their product on the streets of London.  The 2024 campaign has detail differences to previous campaigns as illustrated by Arriva's LT491 passing through Cavendish Square on 15 August at the start of another journey on route 73. 

Fellow Arriva stablemate LT215 is seen later the same day on London Bridge carrying an advert for Wagamama, a chain of Asian food restaurants. 

Flixbus contractor Whippet are trailing this full electric Yutong GTe14 on the route between Cambridge and London.  Initially completing one round trip per day, this will soon double to twice each day, with the journeys operated clearly shown as 'e-bus' on the booking website.  On 15 August, the second day of the trial, the coach is seen nearing journey's end at Victoria.

Despite generally not accepting adverts for 'junk food' or gambling, vaping seems to be an acceptable product to advertise on London's buses.  Vuse is promoted on this view of Go Ahead LT445 arriving at Waterloo on 19 August.

Adrian Small - Brighton, Crawley and Redhill

Brighton: 


1 - Brighton & Hove 593 - Scania/Alexander Dennis part open top - was 203 in the Oxford/Tappins fleet


2 - Brighton & Hove 741 - AD E40D/ AD E400MMC in the new Fleet livery


3 - Brighton & Hove 946 - Wright Streetdeck in the new livery, ex Coaster


4 - Brighton & Hove 728 - AD E40D/ AD E400MMC in the new Coaster livery


5 - Brighton & Hove 805 - Wright Streetdeck in the Coaster Local livery


6 - Big Lemon BIG 822 - Higer Steed Electric Bus
 

Crawley: 


7 - Metrobus 6056 - Wright GB Kite Hydroliner


8 - Metrobus 6060 - Wright GB Kite Hydroliner


9 - Metrobus 6019 - VolvoB7RLE/Wright in the Metrobus heritage livery
 

Redhill: 


10 - Metrobus 6987 - Scania N230UD/AD E400, ex Southdown PSV 501


11 - Compass Bus 1306 - AD E20D/AD on route 32 to Guildford


12 - Metrobus 6990 - Scania N250UD/AD E400MMC, ex Southdown PSV 504
 

Andover, Salisbury, Devizes, Frome, Bath & Chippenham. 

Photos in order 


1 - Stagecoach South Switch/Optare Solo SR 48138 (YJ24 BAA), new for Andover services


2 - Beeline, Warminster YJ72 OJV, ex Ashford & St Peters, Chertsey, Surrey on route 24 Salisbury-Warminster-Frome, seen in Salisbury


3 - Faresaver BC24 EKZ, one of 6 new Vo B8RLE/MCV, in Devizes


4 - First West of England 67105 (SN16 OSD) on the D2 in Frome, ex First Cymru


5 - Faresaver BF15 KFJ, Vo B5TL/Wt, ex Bournemouth Yellow Buses, seen in Frome on route X34 from Chippenham


6 - Frome Bus KX15 BLF, Optare Solo SR in Frome


7 - Libra Travel JB51 BUS, AD E200/AD also in Frome


8 - First West of England 33486 (YX66 WKJ) AD E40D MMC, on route 172 in Bath, ex First West Yorkshire


9 - First West of England 67091 (YX65 RHY) on the 5 in Bath, ex First Cymru


10 - TootBus 619 (TO07 APP) - Vo B9TL/EL in Bath on the open top tour, originally LJ07 XEW with OLST, London


11 - Bath Bus Company YX23 OWJ - E40D, on route A4 to Bristol Airport in Bath


12 - Faresaver BC24 EHJ, another of the 6 new Vo B8RLE/MCV, this time in Bath on service 231 from Chippenham.


13 - Coachstyle BV24 LNT, also a Vo B8RLE/MCV, seen in Chippenham on service 99 to Malmesbury & Swindon.
 

Paul Hawkins from Yorkshire

Seemingly the first vehicles repainted into the new corporate colours are in the Yorkshire fleet a E400MMC at Barnsley and a E200MMC.The 200 according to bus times has not been out recently but the 400 was operating service 66 at Barnsley along with the new Yutong electrics

 

Leeds incl Diesel Streetdeck in new colours and 4 types of electric vehicles and red bull

     
 

It is always nice to see what is happening in other areas of the UK. Do you like the Stagecoach black livery? Ed.