Issue nr 326
Sunday December 1st, 2024
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
A short version this week as I have had a number commitments away from our hobby.
The electric buses for Oxford (SCO) are currently delayed due to certain rectification work.
BREAKING NEWS: Go-Ahead has acquired coach operator Swanbrook Transport which will become part of its Pulham's Coaches business unit. Look out for more in our next issue
In this issue
Oxford tube - from December 2024 - High Wycombe stop discontinued
History in Oxford from Grahame Wareham
plus RECENT PICTURES OF SNOW AND FLOODS
Model Railway Exhibition at the N.E.C.
From December 2024 - High Wycombe stop discontinued
Oxford Tube service changes from Monday 2nd December 2024
We are making changes to routes and timetables from Monday, 2nd December 2024, to enhance our overall Oxford Tube service. These adjustments are based on customer demand and analysis of traffic patterns and passenger movements.
With consistently low passenger demand to and from High Wycombe over the 12 months since it was added to the Oxford Tube network, we have chosen to redeploy our resources to deliver a quicker, more direct service into London. This change will benefit the overwhelming majority of our passengers, who regularly travel on the Oxford Tube.
Gavin Francis took the opportunity to pictures coaches in High Wycombe on November 28th.
50443 heading to Oxford.
50452 heading 5o London via Baker Street.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our many customers who have shown patience and empathy towards our drivers, whilst dealing with the numerous roadworks which have disrupted the Oxford Tube service during 2024. We are pleased that the HS2 works at Hanger Lane, which began in May 2024, have now been completed. Additionally, the West Cross Route roadworks (A3220) in London which took place over the summer, lasting until mid-November, are also finished.
We are making changes to routes and timetables from Monday, 2nd December 2024, to enhance our overall Oxford Tube service. These adjustments, based on customer demand and analysis of traffic patterns and passenger movements, aim to improve punctuality and travel time. By scheduling more journeys during peak times and fewer trips during periods of lower usage, we can deliver a more efficient service. With coaches running up to every 10 minutes between Oxford and London 24 hours a day, we are confident these changes will benefit the majority of our passengers.
The updated Oxford Tube timetable from 2nd December includes:
- Additional journeys from Oxford into London on Friday afternoons, and extra evening return trips to Oxford
- Retaining the existing weekday trips from Carterton and Witney at 05:25 and 08:05, and the return journeys from London at 16:45 and 18:40
- A new off-peak connection from London to Bicester Village in partnership with Value Retail Management (Bicester Village) Ltd
Visit the Oxford Tube amended timetable.
We are also reviewing our fares and have taken the opportunity to launch a new DayRider ticket. The DayRider will allow passengers to travel on Stagecoach West local buses as well as Oxford Tube services, all for the same price as a return (valid between 0400 and 0359).
We have frozen the prices for our regular passengers who purchase 7-day, 12-trip or longer-term tickets, but there will be a small increase to our single and return tickets. Ticket prices remain better value when purchase via the Oxford Tube app.
On-app fare prices from Monday 2nd December 2024:
|
Purchased on-app |
Adult |
Senior/ YP/ Student |
Child |
Group |
|
Single |
£15.00 |
£14.00 |
£6.50 |
N/A |
|
Return |
£22.50 |
£20.50 |
£10.50 |
£55.00 |
|
DayRider |
£22.50 |
£20.50 |
£10.50 |
N/A |
On-board fare prices (cash or contactless payment) from Monday 2nd December 2024:
|
Purchased on-board |
Adult |
Senior/ YP/ Student |
Child |
Group |
|
Single |
£16.50 |
£15.50 |
£7.00 |
N/A |
|
Return |
£24.00 |
£22.00 |
£12.00 |
£60.00 |
|
DayRider |
£24.00 |
£22.00 |
£12.00 |
N/A |
The following fares have been frozen:
7-day ticket: £67.50
12-trip ticket: £110 (Adult), £100 (Senior/YP/Student), £50 (Child)
28-day ticket: £243.00
MegaRider Xtra (automatic monthly payment): £224.00
Annual ticket: £1645.00
Roadworks and traffic have a lot to answer for. Ed.
Grahame Wareham
For
issue 326
H326 MWL960 was a 1948 AEC Regent II with Weymann H30/26R body, the first of a
batch of twenty Weymann unfrozen body design.
H326 was renumbered to H860 in
1952 and was withdrawn in January 1960 when it passed to PVD (Passenger Vehicle
Disposals), Dunchurch near Rugby, later passing nearby to Lloyds in Nuneaton.
Lloyds operated 860 until August 1963 when it was sold.
326 326NJO 1962 AEC Bridgemaster 2B3RA with Park Royal H0/25F forward entrance
body.
326 was allocated to Cowley Road garage for its entire life as a City bus
used mainly on 1 road series of routes. It carried an offside illuminated advert
for Starlings of St.Ebbes, an Oxford furniture store for its entire life in
Oxford and this advert was transferred to bus 310 for its final few months until
1973. Withdrawn in May 1972 326 passed to Premier Travel Cambridge in June 1972
as their 224 after being repainted in Oxford. Presmably scrapped at the end of
its tenure with Premier.
RECENT PICTURES OF SNOW AND FLOODS
by Grahame Wareham
Thought I would send you some picture of
Stagecoach 2's on diversion in Kidlington due to the usual flooding in Mill End,
Mill Street Kidlington, just along the road from me. Bert is to blame apparently
but it always floods here after a heavy storm, especially when Banbury open
their flood gates and send it down the Cherwell to us. There are a row of shops
just out of view on the left hand side which are now under about a foot of water
so consequently the 2's have been missing out Mill Street but using The Moors
served in both directions..............supposedly 2's northbound and 2A's
southbound .............but not always in that order! Consequently there has
been some late running but with all the other road issues in Oxford the drivers
have my sympathy. I don't think Oxford will ever solve its traffic problem due
to the fact that the ring road is a series of major through trunk roads all
joined together and local traffic including buses has to now force a path
through the congested roundabouts which are now mostly traffic light controlled.
I'm grateful for not having to commute any more!
I have also included a picture of Stagecoach
West's newly acquired 15992 from Oxford which I travelled on yesterday on an S3
working to Charlbury, apparently on loan to Oxford! It was at least nice and
warm and got us to the Rose & Crown on time!
Some interesting pictures for the record. Ed.
Model
Railway Exhibition at the N.E.C.
Last Sunday
Dave Allen paid a visit to the annual Model Railway Show held at The N.E.C. in
Birmingham.
Whilst there
he came across
two RMLs earning their keep as catering buses.
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Closed top RML 2745 is seen selling Fish and Chips,
and on route 18
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Behind RML 2745 was RML 2350. This bus started life as a green bus in the
country area at Godstone in 1965. In 1979 it was sold to London Transport where
it stayed until 2005. In 2002 it was
wrapped in gold as part of The Queens Jubilee celebrations and is shown in
Oxford Street. It lasted with London Transport until 2004 on Rte 73. Much
earlier in its life it is seen running a 704 Greenline relief outside Windsor
Garage in 1973. In 2008 it lost its roof and in 2015 became a catering bus.
In case you were wondering
what happened to RML 2745 and
2350.
That’s no way to treat a bus. 😂. Mind you at least they’re earning their keep!
Thomas Walker-Werth
I attach an entry for "buses in the
landscape" from my recent visit to Bratislava if you want it.
Fleet News and developments
Thomas Walker-Werth
Your readers may be interested to know that Milton Keynes Arriva depot is currently borrowing one of the Green Line Mercedes Tourismo coaches normally used on Luton-London route 757. It's covering an accident-damaged Temsa Safari on MK-Luton route X1. Attached are a couple of photos.
As always, your readers can see more photos on my website here:
:
https://mktom.smugmug.com/2024/November-2024/UK-Bus-Other-Transport-November-2024/i-nL3K4gT
Always interesting contributions from Thomas. Ed.
Gavin Francis
Ashwood AT64AWT seen in High Wycombe on November
21st.
Editor's note
Various Carousel buses have been seen on loan to Oxford during the past week, including 882, 885 and newly repainted 80474.
Gavin Francis
894 although dirty shows off the route one branding on November 28th.
984 seen at the PMU stop in The Eden Bus Stop on November 28th.
80955 in The Eden Bus Stop on November 28th.
Keaton White
520 woth a 275 in Oxford on November 28th.
Graham Low
I attach a snap of Thames Travel 926 on the X3, having
recently been transferred to the City fleet. Similarly, 927 has transferred. The
mixing of buses between these fleets is interesting to enthusiasts, but it seems
odd to transfer buses in fully lettered green Thames Travel livery to Oxford
while Thames Travel have quite a number of buses which are unlettered and
which were formerly in the City fleet.
I have just seen COMS Streetdeck 376 on the X3. It
was listed as with Pulhams, and is now unbranded as far as I could see.
Another odd transfer!
Jack Cooper
82 seen in Gloucester Green on November 29th.
882 is currently on loan
to Oxford Bus, as well as 885 & 80474.
885 is seen working the 35 on November 29th
80574 first working the 11 on November 28th and then the 11X on November
29th.
Charles Powell
YX74OFN back from the paint shop this morning
The latest double deck for Pulhaams now sports the full livery for the operator - 80616 on November 25th.
George Candelin
4827 BX09 PHJ ADL E40D Enviro400 H45/32F Pulham & Sons
stands in Witney Market Square on a route 19 to Carterton on November 25th.
874 is seen working the X40 on November 27th
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/were-top-shire-operator
Reading Buses
were toasting their success at the UK Bus Awards on Tuesday. The awards,
held at Troxy, near Canary Wharf in London, saw the company named the UK’s
Top Shire Operator.
The UK Bus Awards are the most
prestigious and coveted awards in the bus company calendar and Reading Buses
success is a great indication of how they have gone from strength to
strength in recent years.
The company won Top Shire
Operator for providing the best overall service to their customers, showing
investment in people and a commitment to make bus travel the transport mode
of choice in the town and beyond. It reflects the effort that the company
has put in over the last year to grow routes, improve services and get
people back on board.
The award recognised the amazing work that the
company, and its people, have done in building themselves back up since
Covid. The company have managed to get back to a level where they can invest
in their people, their routes and their vehicles. Over the last year,
Reading Buses have bought a significant amount of new buses to the town and
local area, and have been reinvesting to increase frequencies on their
routes to match climbing demand.
Along with owner Reading
Borough Council, the company has worked to secure government funding to
improve bus priority in the town and to introduce a lower-priced day ticket
for Reading – under-cutting their own, great value, tickets. The
introduction of tap on, tap off, has also helped both new and existing
customers save money and time, and has led to an increase in customer
numbers. The judges were also impressed with their approach to recruitment –
creating a virtuous circle of increasing frequencies leading to more
customers, leading to more services.
Said Robert Williams,
Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer; “We were humbled to win Top Shire
Operator at the UK Bus Awards! We were in an extremely competitive category
– with operators such as last year’s winner Go South Coast, Brighton & Hove
and Warrington’s Own Buses.”
“We feel this reflects the amazing work that all of
our employees have done in providing a service for the people of Reading and
beyond. We have been able to recruit and train more people at a time when
other operators are struggling to run services, allowing us to continue to
drive growth by increasing frequencies and expanding routes.”
“I’d like to thank all of
our employees, whether drivers, engineers, cleaners, supervisors, or admin
staff, and everyone else in between – this really has been a team effort and
we cannot wait to see what the next 12 months brings. We plan to defend our
title next year!”
After winning Top Shire Operator, the company were
in the running for overall operator of the year but ultimately were pipped
by fellow municipal bus company, Nottingham City Transport.
Reading Buses also won a
bronze award in the Partnership for Excellence category for their
partnership with Heathrow which has led to growth on their Flightline 703
service as well as the introduction of Flightline 730/731 between
Basingstoke and Heathrow Airport, and were a finalist in the Recruitment and
Retention category for their work enhancing the Reading Buses Academy
Reading Buses employees L-R: Jake Osman, Simon
Gold, Caroline Anscombe, Paul Visser, Robert Williams (Chief Executive
Officer), Dan Moss and Richard Moxom.
Martin Dowling
Attached are two photos
of the festive scene in Broad Street, Reading. The decorations this
year have circular panels reminding us of things that are or were in
Reading, such as Simonds Brewery with its hop leaf symbol and this one for
the number 17 bus. This is a route with its origins as a tram route,
subsequently extended with trolleybuses and more recently diesel,
methanol and hybrid buses. Next year it will be electrified again when
the new buses are delivered. You will see that the correct purple
colour has been used.
In other news Reading has won the Top Shire
Operator at the UK Bus Awards. The trophy cabinet at Great Knollys
Street must be vast as they are regular winners of awards. Details
here
https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/were-top-shire-operator
RB recently announced that they are to continue
using CitySwift after trialling it on certain routes which had shown
increased reliability and punctuality as a result. I'm not entirely
sure whatCitySwift is - I assume that it assists in allocating vehicles and
drivers when there is congestion or other delays. Perhaps someone more
knowledgeable can explain. Here's an article I imagine based on a
press release.
Editor's note
A third ex Wolverhamton University decker has arrived, fully repainted into Redline livery. It is BF67GJO. All thye Volvo eVoRas have now received full X20 branding.
Gavin Francis in Wycombe
YX12AGV and YX12AEW both seen in the Eden Bus Station on November 28th.
Adam Harber
11747-749 have moved from Witney to Cheltenham
depot. 11747 and 748 transferred on the 29th
November, and 11749 followed on the next day. These will be fitted with
Ticketer machines and will enter service on the Arle Court Park and Ride
Service 100 on Monday 2nd
December, as part of a 7+3 year contract with Gloucestershire County
Council. Because they will be fitted with non-standard ticket machines they
will not be used on any other route, and at some time in the New Year all
three will receive overall wraps for the new GCC livery.
To replace them at Witney, 11246 and 247 returned
to their original depot from Oxford after the end of services on 29th
November, and 11245 is expected to join them by Monday. With Service 100
being converted to double-deck, two ADL E200MMC that are currently used on
the route (fleet numbers 37628 and 37629) will be moved to Bristol depot.
Gloucestershire County Council have released an image of the new livery that will be fitted by vinyl wrap to 11747-11749, and it’s on their website at::
https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/arlecourt/improved-service-100-park-and-ride
Editor's note
Some ev's
that were previously in service at Oxford have either been recalled by ADL
or are VOR at Oxford waiting attention on site.
The start date for
New Service 600 is 23rd February 2025, and that will be run by
Oxford depot with PVR 6. Witney depot will lose Service H2 (PVR 2) to
Pulhams from the same date, and that will be run by them at a 30-minute
frequency with PVR
4.
Graham Low
I saw 80038 today in Oxford - the highest number so
far. The card with K10 in the windscreen area is something new to me.
Editor's note
50449 was in service using an ev ticket machine in recent days from 80026.
Jack Cooper
50449 was on the road today, November 29th, in
Oxford Tube colours but no branding. I think that today was it's first day
in service after a repaint?
London operations
Andrew Webb
A fourth version of the Asos campaign is 'Night
Shift' on Arriva's LT974, seen here passing Chancery Lane station on 22
November.
Boss Watches also have variations between vehicles
carrying a new campaign.
Transport UK's LT705 has a large image of a watch
over the staircase as it arrives at Victoria on 22 November
with the blind
already reset for a return to Crystal Palace.
Later the same day Arriva's LT497 catches some
autumnal sunshine at Marble Arch, showing off a woman proudly wearing a Boss
watch.
The final variation features a man, seen here on Go Ahead LT869 at Highbury and
Islington on 23 November.
Brothers Ryan and Reece Broadhurst founded clothing
brand Arne in 2018. This Enviro 400 from the RATP fleet promotes the
brand at Marble Arch on 22 November.
A longer established venture is Carolina Herrera,
founded by the Venezuelan American fashion designer in 1980.
Go Ahead's
LT863 is the first to promote the brand, seen here at London Bridge on 22
November.
Those of a certain age will remember scouring the Argos catalogue for Christmas presents each year, but in January 2021 publication ceased after 48 years, leaving customers to use the website.
This is promoted on Stagecoach's LT313 seen in Walthamstow on 23 November.
Closure of the town's bus station for modifications means that route 215 is
starting from outside Selborne Walk shopping centre.
Tootbus' VXE725 carries this wrap for M&Ms, seen at Victoria on 22 November.
Over two years after making its British debut at the NEC, the Irizar IE Tram has finally entered service on route 358.
IE8
illustrates the striking nature of the design as it picks up passengers outside
Bromley South on 23 November.
Route 146 links Bromley with Downe, a village just inside Greater London. Gas works until 20 December means the route is curtailed at Keston church with shuttle service 546 negotiating a diversionary route via some narrow lanes to maintain the link with Downe.
Ensignbus are operating this using an EVM
bodied Sprinter seen here at Downe on 23 November.
This started life with Airporter in Londonderry, passing into First group ownership when Airporter was
acquired by Aircoach in 2022. It reached mainland UK to operate a short
lived Aircoach service linking Leicester with Birmingham Airport.
Londoner Buses have launched service
T2, a thrice daily service offering a tour of the Christmas lights in the West
End. Departure is from Embankment at 16:30, 18:30 and 20:30.
An eye catching member of the fleet is RM871 which
has been turned out in this striking Union Jack livery,
seen awaiting departure
from Embankment on 22 November.
Also in use on the same date was open top RM371 and RM644, the former also seen
at Embankment.
Woke up yesterday morning to see some white frozen stuff outside, so braved the
cold to get these lovely shots of Arriva's running through our village of
Bowburn.
Carlisle and last one in Kendal
and in Kendal an old friend new to Oxford.
These buses taken in Ramsbottom and Bury, two are Bee Line buses and middle one
is Transdev bus and for the train buffs dmus on a heritage weekend a Bury
