From the Editor

A difficult week as my wife  has been in hospital, so the  latest issue is smaller than usual.

Maybe a big surprise is the appearance of 80961 at Oxford working the X3.

There have been a number of running days which are included herein.

My thanks as always to my contributors, well done!

In this issue

Chesham Running Day report

Chesham Rail Replacement by Gavin Francis

Grahame Wareham's weekly memories of 319 in Oxford

History in Marlow by Martin Dowling

Midland Red remembered at Wythall by Tony Bungay

SC Oxford EV update with a delay reported

More from SHOWBUS 2024

Readers Write with some comments and answers

Fleet News & Developments

George Candelin visits London

Some interesting visits to the Midlands with Andy Millwood

from Gavin Francis

     
     
     
     
     

On Sunday 6^th October The Amersham & District Motorbus Society held its 35^th Running Day based around the Chesham and Amersham areas.

15 services were operated throughout the day including feeder services from Aylesbury, Epping, Croydon and Dorking. The day was centred around Chesham Broadway with the first departure at 09.35 with 100 departures throughout the day through to the final one at 17.24. Destinations reached included Tring, Berkhamsted, Great Missenden, High Wycombe and Gerrards Cross.

There was a good variety of buses many of them now well over 70 years old (RTs, RFs and a GS), even SNB 312 is 46 years old.

The weather was good for the morning but by early afternoon the rain came along with some mist to spoil what was otherwise a very enjoyable day.

Chesham Rail Replacement by Gavin Francis

Also to add interest there was a Rail Replacement Service operating from Chesham Underground Station and this was operated by Transport UK using mainly LT class New Routemaster buses.

       

Grahame Wareham

H319 LWL314 1946 AEC Regent II with Park Royal H30/26R semi-utility body. Renumbered H853 in 1952. Withdrawn in May 1957 and sold to Edwards, Lydbrook, lasting until February 1962. 

319  319NJO 1962 AEC Bridgemaster 2B3RA with Park Royal H40/25F forward entrance body, allocated to Bicester depot from new and then Cowley Road garage from 1968. Withdrawn in May 1972 319 was sold to TPE Macclesfield but got snapped up by Premier Travel in Cambridge.  Repainted by COMS for Premier Travel as their 227 in May 1972. Withdrawn November 1974 and sold to Smith Thriplow for scrap. 

     
     

109 NUD109L 1973 Bristol VRTSL2 ECW CH41/27F semi-coach body. Renumbered 319 in September 1982,To South Midland Witney in June 1984 and in September 1986 renumbered 609 in that fleet. Withdrawn in 1987 and sold to Martins Bus & Coach Middlewich and resold to Eagles & Crawford, Mold Cheshire, later to Ashall, Levenshulme .Gtr, Manchester.

     

As always, fascinating details. Ed.

Midland Red day at Wythall on October 6th by Tony Bungay

We certainly seem to be having a wet time of it lately, as I type this it is pouring of rain!  

Not certain whether you will get any other contributions in regards to this event, which was held the same day as the Amersham and District running day at Chesham.

For any viewers uncertain of where Wythall Transport Museum is, it is located a few miles north of junction 3 of the M42, in a somewhat semi-rural location. 

The Museum is as one would expect given its location mainly Midland orientated with a mixture of mainly Midland Red and former WMPTE and successor vehicles. 

The special event on this occasion was Midland Red 120 and the museum provided along with visiting vehicles an impressive number of Midland Red vehicles which gave enthusiasts and the general public visiting many choices on which to travel. A number of routes were operated, the more frequent being nearer the Museum to Maypole, while others a bit further away to Longbridge, Hollywood and further along the Alcester road to Birmingham. On these routes ordinary people used to seeing Diamond Bus Wright Street Deckers on the 50 or National Express West Midlands vehicles, were treated to seeing a couple of Midland Red vehicles dating from the 1950s or 60s in between.

The day was overcast and at times drizzly but did nothing to spoil the event, other than in my case and possibly more likely to be other camera users of trying to keep moisture off the lens. 

One vehicle which seemed to attract a large queue possibly hoping to get a trip as it was near its departure time was the unique D10 Double Decker, this vehicle is probably the equivalent for Midland Red to London Transports FRM 1, both derived somewhat from rear platform vehicles, In Midland Reds case the D9 and London Transport the AEC Routemaster. Equally neither vehicle progressed beyond the prototype stage, other than 2 D10 vehicles were built.

There are a number of photos Malcolm from which you can choose obviously, but equally enjoy!

     
     
     
     
     
     
       

An interesting selection with some memories for me, the X96 and the Leyland PD2 "tin front" from my time at RAF Bridgenorth in 1958.Ed.

Oxford EV update

Adam Harber -  STOP PRESS

Unfortunately, there are more problems with the charging infrastructure and the 14^th October launch date has been put back by another week. Apologies to anyone who had planned to visit Oxford on the first day to see them in service.

I didn’t make it home in time to meet your deadline, but attached is a photo I took at Network Oxford today (Thursday 3^rd October) in anticipation of the site going live tomorrow. I really hope I haven’t jumped the gun with this! 

 

Andy Churchill

Latest news from Stagecoach Oxford is that two EVs have been collected from cheltenham depot today 02/10/24 and a further few will be collected from stagecoach East Midlands Chesterfield depot on Sunday 06/10/24 the plan for these is still to allocate them to route 10 and another thing is that wheel trims are now being fitted to all the EVs which will enhance their appearance no doubt that the EVs will now oust the last two remaining E400H Hybrids 12002/12008 , it seems that things are beginning to come together.

Adam Harber

As reported on your page tonight, buses are now coming out of storage with 3 from Cheltenham arriving yesterday (80007, 41 and 48) and 2 from Swindon today (80051 and 54). Around ten (depending on driver availability) will be collected from Chesterfield on Sunday.