Issue nr 345
Sunday, April 27th 2025
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
Quite a variety in this issue but one which I personally found very interesting.
There much to read and some items are held over to the next issue.
In this issue
A day in London with Gavin Francis
345 memories by Grahame Wareham
New Maidenhead to Heathrow Airport bus route consultation
Rail Replacement on Chiltern Railways
In the South West with Andrew Webb
Readers Write - Paul Dudfield
Buses in the Landscape
Coach visitors to Oxford
Fleet News & Developments
Gordo Scott and Jack Cooper from Scotland
London operations
London
update Saturday 19th April
2025
Started today at Victoria Station and caught a Southern train for the
short trip to Clapham Junction. I wanted to get pictures of 2 routes,
the 337 and the G1. Over the next few weeks both these routes pass from
Go-Ahead New Cross Garage to Transport UK Battersea Garage.
The 337 was worked solely by Enviro 400 buses as shown by E147, E156 and
E 157
As
with the 337 the G1 was only worked by one class of bus in this case the
E200 as shown by SE 257, SE 253 and SE 248.
Another change in the area was the conversion of Rte 219 from
Streetlites to electric BYD SEe class buses made available by the loss
of Rte 153.
They have been repainted and electronic blinds fitted. There was however
just one Streetlite still in service in the form of WS 15.
As it gets close to change of operator day then a bus is often seen of
the incoming operator full of drivers on route learning in this case
Transport UK 8159.
Then it was back on the train to Victoria.
Following the buyout of RATP by First Bus the buses are starting to
receive First Bus branding as shown by LT 78 and VMH 45346 in Terminus
Place.
Also in Terminus Place this time on Rte 11 was Go-Ahead LT 172. This bus
has somehow moved from Arriva
where it was new as one of the silver LTs. I think from memory this
signified they were fitted with Euro 6 engines when new.
As always there were some new wraps, Metroline LT 795 for H & M and
Transport UK LT 618 for Play Station Fatal Fury
both outside Victoria Station and in terminus Place First Bus LT 73 for
Dyson.
This electric Yutong coach is owned by Air-Sym and is used on Evan Evans
Sightseeing Tours.
Outside in Grosvenor Gardens was TootBus YXY792 wrapped for Egypt Air.
Oxford Tube 50452 wrapped for The British Legion leaves the Victoria
Station stop.
Then it was a Rte 2 back to Marylebone Station and RML 2702 was parked
in Gloucester Place
no doubt waiting to pick up guests from Marylebone Registry Office just
around the corner.
Finally a picture of Transport UK LT 463 on The Marylebone Road wrapped
for Cos.
Took the Met Line back to Amersham and collected my car and decided to
drop to drop into Binders Yard as I passed.
Cliffs
Coaches LK04HYL former Tower Transit VNW 32430 has had some serious
front upper deck front windscreen protection applied.
It is shown in London service in Camden Town on 18th April
2018.
Many thanks for an interesting article from Gavin. Ed.
Grahame Wareham for
Issue 345
H345 MWL979
1948 AEC Regent II with Weymann H30/26R body, renumbered H879
in 1952. Withdrawn 2/60 and sold to PVD (dealer) Dunchurch. Resold to
Kearsey Cheltenham as their 18A in September 1960 lasting until May 1965
when it was withdrawn and laid at the back of the depot until May1966
when almost derelict it was scrapped at Gloucester in September 1968.
As always an interesting contribution from Grahame. Ed.
New bid for direct bus route from Maidenhead to Heathrow Airport - Windsor Express
An interesting piece from the:
Rail Replacement on Chiltern Railways
Tony Bungay
Aldermarston Coaches on Chiltern Railways Rail
Replacement work at Aylesbury Rail Station. The line is shut due to HS2
Viaduct work the other side of Wendover. Seen but not in a position to get a
photograph was a fully lettered MegaBus vehicle also operating this duty.
From the South West with Andrew Webb
Seaton is a small
seaside town in east Devon offering a variety of buses as seen on 7 April.
The main operator is Axe Valley Mini Travel who operate from a garage in the
town using a range of second hand vehicles.
Route 899 links the town with Newton Poppleford. Streetlite WF
MX62GVZ
has just arrived in Marine Place. The bus started life with Dunn Line
in Nottingham.
A network of three town services are operated by a solitary
Solo from Hatch Green Coaches, based over 25 miles away near Taunton. Delivered new to the company, this Slimline Solo is seen in Marine Place
Stagecoach Devon route 9A offers an hourly
service from Seaton to Exeter, sharing the section beyond Sidmouth with
route 9 from Honiton to offer a combined half hourly frequency across the
common section.
Enviro 400
15254 was delivered new to the company to Stagecoach Gold standard. Whilst internally it retains the standard the Gold livery has been replaced by the bright yellow livery favoured for inter urban routes.
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site of
stunning scenery stretching from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset,
named for the rich source of dinosaur fossils found in the rocks.
First operate the Jurassic Coaster along a large
part of the coast from Axminster, offering a frequent service on two routes
which split at Bridport. The X51 heads for Dorset's county town of
Dorchester, whilst the X53 heads for the county's largest town of Weymouth
(Bournemouth Poole are now part of a unitary authority with Christchurch).
An attractive livery is used to promote the
service and bus stops along the route, although this is due to be phased
out.
Whilst operated commercially this division of
First rarely receives new buses, relying on cascading from other parts of
the group.
When First withdrew from operating the Greenline route from Bracknell to London Victoria the high spec double deckers used on the route found a home on the Jurassic Coaster, the high backed seats being comfortable for some of the lengthy journeys possible. Wright Gemini Eclipse Volvo B9TL 37276 dates from 2008 and is seen arriving at Bridport's bus station on 8 April. Adjacent to the bus station is a small depot which acts as an outstation of Weymouth.
Another cascade from Greenline work is
37999, another
Volvo B9TL with the later Gemini Eclipse 2 body. It is seen heading
through the village of Swyre on 7 April.
Enviro 400s are also used on the route. 33707 was one of a large batch delivered for Olympic duties in the capital during London 2012 before finding a home in the north west around Manchester. After a spell on loan to Diamond when franchising took effect, it is now in Dorset and seen in Bridport town centre on 8 April.
The newer Enviro 400 MMC also features,
including
33965
which started life in Bristol. Bridport on 8 April is the setting as
it prepares to head to Weymouth.
Vehicles in other liveries also see use on the Jurassic Coaster services. Enviro 400 33742 has a similar history to 33707 and carries the Wessex livery used when First was keen on local branding. It is seen passing Swyre on 8 April, having taken over from a defective bus at Bridport.
First currently favour this new national corporate image and Enviro 400 MMC 33967 has recently shed the Jurassic Coaster livery in favour of this purple scheme. Another bus which started life in Bristol, it is seen arriving in Weymouth on 9 April.
Vehicles in other liveries are also likely to appear on the Jurassic Coaster as two of the route branded Volvos are required to operate the Lyme Regis park and ride service on selected dates during the year. Volvo B9TL
37998 is another exile from Greenline work and is seen at the Charminster Road car park (aka a farmer's field) on the edge of Lyme Regis on 8 April. These vehicles are used as they have a ferry lift which allows access to the site without grounding.
Whilst dinosaurs are well known along the Jurassic Coast, Bridport, Lyme Regis and West Bay are currently home to elephants. These are part of 'Stampede by the Sea' raising awareness and funds for Weldmar Hospice care based in Dorchester. The elephants are either decorated by local school children or sponsored by local business. First is supporting the campaign and has outshopped this elephant in the latest corporate image. It can be found taking the sea air in Lyme Regis until June after which it will, along with many of the others, be auctioned to raise money for the charity.
Weymouth is a long established seaside town with
a large bay edged with a sandy beach. Bus services radiate from the
King's Statue on the promenade, giving easy access to the beach. First
are the primary operator, with the main garage located just a short distance
from the town centre opposite the railway station. A visit on 9 April
found a variety of buses around the King's Statue.
Whilst First have withdrawn open top services in Cornwall they persevere with route 501 linking the town with Portland Bill. Over the Easter holidays just one bus is operating, offering a journey every couple of hours. Wright Volvo B9TL started life with Go Ahead in London as WVL371 before being converted to open top by London City Tours. After passing to First it found use in Portsmouth on a service along Southsea sea front before eventually arriving in Weymouth.
After being stored over the winter the engineers
are keen to ensure the open top vehicles are ready for the peak summer
season. Taking advantage of the glorious sunshine Wright Volvo B9TL
was given a run out on route 4 to the nearby village of Preston. The
bus started life in West Yorkshire.
Enviro 400MMC
33971
adds colour to the sea front as the company's designated Pride bus.
Streetlite DF
63190
wears the previous First corporate livery.
Wright Volvo B7RLE originates from Manchester
and is now used to train new drivers
First operate an intensive service 10 linking Weymouth with Dorchester. Those with time to spare can use Damory's service 5 which meanders around intermediate villages 4 times a day using single deckers such as this
Enviro 200 which started life with fellow Go Ahead subsidiary Thamesdown.
Much to interest the visitor as shown in this articlle by Andrew Webb. Ed.
Paul Dudfield
As you may recall, in OCBP 332 you kindly
published a request from me for information about the proposed Oxford Guided
Transit Expressway (GTE). This was to help me build a model of the bus
featured in the artists impressions of the completed project. It produced a
very helpful response from Matt Cooper which enabled me to finish the model
and a couple of photos are enclosed.
My model is of an articulated Optare Delta which is the bus featured in the artists impressions and which looked suitably modern at the time. So far as I am aware, Optare never actually produced an articulated Delta so there is no saying the such buses would have been used if the GTE had been built, especially as Volvo later became involved in the project. However, my model is of something which could have happened and is not a complete flight of fantasy.
It is most pleasing when the OCBP can provide help to its readers. Ed.
red eagle in Tring by Edward Bishop
Coach visitors to Oxfordshire
James Freeman
Two unregistered Yutong coach near Redbridge Park & Ride on April
22nd.
Fleet News and developments
Nick Ross
Arriva Enviro 200 3155 arrives in Leighton Buzzard High St with an L3 local on April 25th 2025. Unfortunately the popular early to late L series local services with Enviros 3153-3157 have only a month or so to go with Arriva , the council apparently deciding Centrebus will be the new operator from June 1st.....
Michael Penn
Seen on the road in Luton this morning was one of the new batch of MCV
bodied Volvo B8RLEs for Arriva The Shires. This was 3206 (BU 25 ZBC).
Tony Bungay
Arriva Enviro400 4434 working the X4 to Milton Keynes on April 23rd.
The renumbering of the fleet is complete on paper by April 25th but many actual vehicles are waiting to be done. Ed.
Charles Powell
80208 at the Wrightbus facility in Bicester this
morning April 26th.
Gavin Francis
~80971 was on loan to Wycombe for a Hospital shuttle at Amersham on
April 24th.
220 replacing an MMC working the 102 on April 26th.
228 looking un-Carousel working a 104 on April 26th.
405 working a 1S in Amersham on April 24th.
442 has acquired a super ear for Roald Dahl on April 26th.
80871 aand 80893 in Amersham on April 24th.
80441 works a 36 in Oxford Street on April 26th.
80473 with the 643 in Stokenchurch on April 25th.
80597 with the 643 in Stokenchurch on April 28th.
80595 with the 73S in Gore Hill on April 24th.
A surprise on April 28th was of two Sprinters following each other working the 33.
81978 and 980 at Totteridge. by Gavin Francis.
Gavin Francis
57 seen at Lewknor working The Airline services on April 23rd.
80036 also seen at Lewknor on April 23rd.
701 working the 400 seen in Thame on April 22nd.
Demonstrator 80499 works the 500 in Westgate on April 23rd.
Its lasr recorded day in service was April 24th.
CSS 80291 and 80292 seen in Oxford on April 25th.
Lewis Anthony
Unrenumbered 601 working the ST1 at Harwell Campus on April 23rd,
Gavin Francis
YN07LFB working a school service
in Stokenchurch on April 25th.
New to
Reading
in 2007 it later operated for uno.
Edward Bishop
Recent arrival with red eagle is W17ADL working a
500 in Tring on April 26th.
red eagle YX72ONK in the latest livery working
the 354 on April 26th.
Tony Bungay
red eagle has commenced it's Service 500 to Hemel
Hempstead using a variety of Enviro 200 and 200mmc vehicles. The service is
speeded up as it avoids serving Aston Clinton. This unliveried Enviro 200mmc
sports the noteworthy W17 ADL as it's registration.
Gavin Francis
BF67GJU seen in Thame with an X20 on April 22nd.
as is YX12AEW.
Peter Edgar
Redline BF67GJX with a 130 in New Road,
Princes Risborough on April 23rd.
Gavin Francis
YX12GGP seen in Thame with the 40 on Ap/ril 22nd
and in Stokenchurch on April 25th.
Tony Gaze
More 'Slate blue' in
Gloucester this morning
Only 80052 of the new EVs is still awaiting entry into service.
Elsewhere in this Issue Jack Cooper has a picture of 50450 still in service in ~Scotlanld. This an 50451 were expected to join their sisters at Oxford.
Gordon Scott
Another new coach for Park,s Of Hamilton, one of eight
Jack Cooper visits Scotland
During my time in Scotland, I visited Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The main part of the trip was to complete the Cross Country trains Aberdeen to Penzance service. This service will be cut back to Plymouth as part of the May timetable changes, with the last run being Friday 16th May.
Edinburgh
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Aberdeen
