Issue nr 350
Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

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

From the Editor

My apologies for the delay in publishing this issue. Domestic responsibilities again !!

Much of interest for you all with some catching up with contributions.

The last SC Oxford EV 40 has entered service at last.

In this issue

SHOWBUS 2025 details

Taunton Vintage Bus Day 2025

Latest Brigit's Afternoon Tea Bus by Gavin Francis

Grahame Wareham's memories of COMS 350

ony Bungay from The Shard on high

OBM Pictureview on May 21st

London update from May 5th

Various observations from Thomas Walker-Werth

Thames Valley Buses Route 704 by Peter Edgar

Sunsundegui in Liquidation

 

SHOWBUS 2025

Not long to go until SHOWBUS 2025 which is being held on Sunday 13th July 2025 at its new home of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, near Aylesbury.

The choice of date is not the result of the poll undertaken after last year’s display, which was notably in favour of keeping the traditional late September date.  No sooner had we sent out those emails, events intervened. Network Rail announced a plan to reopen the line from Aylesbury, through Quainton north, to Bicester. This is with the intention of running trains from Marylebone through to the new Universal Studios theme park near Bedford.  On August 1st this year the road through to the A41 will be closed to all traffic.  That means all traffic to SHOWBUS would have to come through Quainton village, which is unfair to the residents.

We have plans to partially use Waddesdon Manor with a free shuttle service between the two venues. Work is also being done to the display area to improve hard standing and drainage.  Other plans will make the railway centre itself more available for bus parking on the day.

A special celebration for this year will commemorate the centenary of the first covered top doubledeck bus, with a parade to the Railway Centre from Aylesbury’s Chiltern View Garden Centre, as in 2024.

We hope that you can join us for SHOWBUS 2025, with or without a bus. Those of you who attended last year will know a warm welcome awaits.

To enter this year’s SHOWBUS, please click on the link below and it will take you to an online form to fill in.  If you would like us to send you a hard copy of the entry form, please email us at showbus@bucksrailcentre.org.

The link for the entry form is:

https://forms.office.com/e/CwBpBaGZbV

We have sent invites to everyone that has previously attended a SHOWBUS event.  If you would like us to remove you from our database, please let us know.

If you have already submitted your form, we look forward to welcoming you at the Railway.

Taunton Vintage Bus Day 2025

Sunday, June 1st.by David Gray

https://www.tvagwot.org.uk/events-1/taunton-vintage-bus-day-2025

This really was a superbly organized event even though the organizers had to use The Parade in Taunton as a starting point for the services. 

Apart from a few local services, there were also trips to places such as Monkton Heathfield, Wivelscombe, Churchinford, Wellington, Bishop's Lydeard, Buckland St Mary and Bradford On Tone. The smaller villages are certainly places you wouldn't normally get to!  

I think we should not take these events for granted (I see the Worthing event has been cancelled this year) and remember to purchase a programme to help with costs. 

     
     
 

Latest Brigit's Afternoon Tea Bus
by Gavin Francis

On Friday 23rd May an addition to the Brigits Afternoon Tea Bus service was RML 2579 this time promoting the Monopoly Tea Tour.

Nigel Eadon-Clarke caught up with it on its first day in service.

   
RML 2579 seen on The Embankment, outside Blackfriars Station and at the end of Fleet Street.

 
For the past few years RML 2579 has been a regular performer on Bus Running Days in London.
It is seen at North Finchley on Rte 13 on 19th November 2023 and at the Romford Garage Open Day on 22nd March 2024.

 
It’s last few days in service were spent at Willesden Garage on Rte 6 and 98 and it is pictured here on the Edgware Road on 27th February 2024,
the following month it was withdrawn. Later in the year it appeared at Showbus Duxford on 27th September. 

Grahame Wareham with O&CBP Issue 350 - memory

L350 MWL984  1948 AEC Regent III with NCB L27/26R low-bridge body, renumbered L126 in 1952. Withdrawn May 1961 and sold to Deacon (dealer) Dorchester. L126 was snapped up by Edwards, Joys Green, Lydbrook in October 1961 joining sister buses L122 and L125. It received platform door making it L27/26RD 

 

350 CFC350C 1965 AEC Renown 3B3RA with Park Royal H38/27F low-height forward entrance body. 350 was allocated to Chipping Norton depot from new and later alternated between there and Witney and along with the rest of the batch was converted to OMO ending up at various country depots finally ending up at Cowley Road as a spare Country bus but not used on OMO duties as such. It was withdrawn in August 1976 and sold to Paul Sykes Organisation Wakefield Road Barnsley where it was resold for scrap to A.Barraclough, Carlton and broken up almost immediately.

     

Tony Bungay caught Buses from the Shard

     
     
     
     

A MOST INTERESTING SELECTION OF PHOTOS FROM TONY PROVIDING A DIFFERENT VIEW OF London's BUSES. Ed. 

May 21st 2025

Pictures from Nigel Eadon-Clarke

https://www.oxfordbusmuseum.org/

The Oxford Bus Museum has its origins in the Oxford Bus Preservation Syndicate, which was set up in 1967 by a group of bus enthusiasts. They had the foresight to see that buses and coaches of significance to previous generations should be saved and preserved for future generations to enjoy before they were lost for all time. Beginning with just one vehicle (pictured underneath) - which can still be seen and ridden on today, the number of preserved and restored vehicles has grown, and the museum now contains around 40 vintages buses and coaches, including a number of unique vehicles, the earliest dating from 1913.

     
     
     
     

London Update 5th May 2025 (Part 1)

 

Today’s day in London started at Ruislip Station where I picked up the Piccadilly Line a few stops along to South Harrow Station.

   
Metroline have recently introduced a fleet of Volvo BZL/MCV Electric buses as shown by
  VMS 2828 and VMS 2809.

   
Several other electric routes also pass through here, BME 27021 on Rte 398, BCE 47100 on Rte SL9 and BME 27014 on Rte H9.
Also one of the New Routemaster look a likes VHR 45205 appeared on Rte H12.

Then it was back on the Piccadilly Line just a few stops east to Alperton. Years ago once you stepped out of the station the bus garage was next door but that was vacated In 2021

 
I was last there on 22nd December 2022 when the site was just a flooded swamp but now there are 4 enormous tower blocks of flats.

 
The garage has moved a couple of streets away to Athlon Road. It looks like some industrial units with the buses parked on the forecourt. I could not see any signage outside.

   
 
Next door to the Metroline Garage is the Golden Tours Garage. This is very impressive with lots of undercover storage,
fuel tank, bus wash, and outside parking area. Presumably inside are the maintenance areas.
Outside are open top BD16YEX, Harry Potter BD16YFK, RML 2539 and RML 2454,
2 of The Afternoon Tea fleet and BD16YEE again from the open top fleet. BU14EHS is shown on its way into London.

 
 V154MEV started life with Stagecoach London but when withdrawn it became part of the open top fleet
of a new Sightseeing Company Golden Tours. It is seen at Marble Arch on 29th May 2012.

   
   
By 2019 London Tours with food supplied were becoming popular and Golden Tours decided Pizza was the way to go
so they had V154MEV reroofed with a glass roof, large sliding windows fitted and the interior fitted out with tables and a kitchen.

   
The pandemic put a halt to this operation and also the end of the Bella Vista Pizza bus but in 2023 V154MEV re-emerged
but this time as an Afternoon Tea Bus which it still is service as this today.
The final picture shows it passing Sainsbury’s on its way into London.

   
A number of routes terminate or pass by Sainsburys including Rte 224. This is due to pass from London United (First) to Metroline on 11th October 2025.
This makes sense as the terminus and garage are literally yards apart whereas LU buses have to come from Park Royal.

   
Other routes passing through here are Rte 83 (VW 1278), Rte 297 (VMH 2578) and 245 (VWH 2298).

 I then jumped on a Rte 297 to Ealing Broadway. (To be continued in Part 2)

MK and other observations by Thomas Walker-Werth

Here are a few items of interest from the last week of May, first from a stop in Wantage on the evening of Saturday 24th and then from a trip into London on Sunday 25th, including the unusual appearance of First Leicester Streetdecks in Milton Keynes on Silverstone shuttles. Readers can see my whole May 2025 bus (and other non-rail/air transport) gallery here:

https://mktom.smugmug.com/2025/May-2025/UK-Bus-Other-Transport-May-2025

London

 

Wantage

     

Interesting variety. Ed. 

 


by Peter Edgar

Thames Valley Buses Route 704. 

Today June 2nd 2025 Thames Vally Buses introduced a new hourly service from Maidenhead to Heathrow Airport T5. The service only runs Monday to Saturday which seems a little strange considering Heathrow is very much a 24/7 operation today, maybe Sunday operation will be a future enhancement to the service. 

Attached are photographs of two of the vehicles operating today, unfortunately neither are as glamorous as the publicity material that is being used to promote the service or that used on and in the timetable booklet.

 

 

Sunsundegui now in Liquidation

Spanish coachbuilder Sunsundegui has now entered liquidation. As a result, 341 jobs are lost. 

B&CB originally announced the company’s woes in September 2024, when the manufacturer filed for administration so it could buy time to negotiate with its creditors.

The company was burdened by €48.8m debt and has been under insolvency proceedings since November 2024. It held an order book for 530 vehicles for this year, but it was unable to meet these production demands profitably.

The company, best known in the UK for producing coaches on Volvo chassis, claimed that the core of the problem stems from the aborted plan to build Volvo’s 9700 and 9900 flagship coaches, after the closure of the modern Volvo coachbuilding factory in Poland.

David Beynon

Coach and Bus Weekly reports that the Spanish busbuilder Sunsundegui has ceased trading, while they have never been a large scale supplier to UK firms there have been a few sprinkled about over the years

     
     
Both Pearces and Worth's currently have one in their fleets but I don't have pictures of those. 

  Coach Visitors to Oxford 

David Beynon


 This coach was noted in Peartree Services on the morning of May 29th.

 

James Freeman

old and new Neoplans at Wheatley services

     

     Fleet News and developments   

 

Gavin Francis

Whilst in Wycombe yesterday I saw a bright yellow Wright/Volvo. It had no branding but the registration was HY09AOR and I am therefore assuming it is First 69392. 

     

I first came across this bus on 19th June 2009 in Commercial Road, Portsmouth in the original First livery. Later it was allocated to Slough Depot with a revised livery and I saw it in Staines Bus Station on 13th April 2022 and again on Bath Road in Slough on 7th February 2024. 

i assume it has now passed into the training fleet ? 



Gavin Francis


PMU continues - May 30th.

 
80441 has returned from repaint and entered service minus branding on June 2nd.

Grahame Wareham

 
80441  Here it is at Bartco now finished awaiting vinyl fitment. Photo by Dave Clements

 Jack Cooper was in Wycombe on May 12th

     
   
     
   
   

Grahame Wareham

OBC 80844 is now on loan and transferred to Thames Travel, now a grand old lady of the fleet it is still doing front line work, amongst some other photos I took at Didcot yesterday. The Thames operation fascinates me as everything seems to converge on Didcot at the right time for people to make a connection.  

     

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Reading

Fares are changing on Reading Buses

 

Reading Buses have announced that their fares are changing from 2 June, citing increased costs and changes to Government policies.  

Local bus company Reading Buses have announced a suite of fares changes from Monday 2 June – but have said most customers should only see a small impact, especially if they switch to period or carnet type tickets.  

The company say that many of the changes are due to continued increasing costs, including changes in government policy after the National Insurance contributions were increased in April.  

Robert Williams, Reading Buses’ Chief Executive Officer summarised the changes; “Whilst we would love to freeze our fares for as long as possible, like all industries, we are seeing increased costs and this year the National Insurance increase by the Government has forced our hand to act earlier than normal. However, we have tried to mitigate any increases where possible.” 

“The good news is that in Reading, whilst our single fares increase by 10p, they are still less than the £3 Government fare cap. And on that subject, the £3 fare cap remains on our longer distance journeys.” 

Continue Robert; “Unfortunately, the government funding that supported the reduced price of the Reading All-Bus day ticket came to an end in March, which brings about changes to our day tickets. We are reintroducing our simplyReading day and group tickets, for travel on all Reading Buses and Thames Valley Buses services, which will be cheaper than an All-Bus ticket.” 

The simplyReading day ticket will cost £4.50 when bought on our mobile app or by using tap on, tap off. It will be £5 when bought from the driver or £4 for young people. 

The simplyReading group day ticket allows any combination of up to 4 people to travel together all day for £8 off peak (after 9.30am Monday to Fridays, anytime at weekends or bank holidays), and £10 during peak times (Monday to Fridays before 9.30am). The group day ticket can be bought on both our app and from the driver. 

The Reading All-Bus day ticket will still be available if you want the flexibility to travel on any Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses, Carousel Buses and Thames Travel service, but the price will be slightly higher than the simplyReading price. 

A new evening ticket will be introduced for travel after 7pm in either the simplyReading or simplyReading & Wokingham zones; these tickets will offer unlimited travel for the remainder of the day in the zone they are purchased in. 

In the simplyReading zone, this ticket will be priced at just £4 and in the simplyReading & Wokingham zone it will be £5. 

An adult easysaver10 (10 single journeys), daysaver5 (5 day tickets), or a 7 day weekly ticket will cost £18.50 from the Reading Buses app for the simplyReading zone, representing the best value at £1.85 or less per trip. 

Outside of Reading we have continued to sell some 7 day tickets on bus. These will now only be available on our app or smartcard.  

Robert finished “We encourage customers to think about their travel habits and buy their tickets accordingly. Regular travellers will always save by buying period tickets such as 7, 30 or 90 days. Occasional travellers have the option of tap on, tap off which caps their journey meaning you never pay more than a day ticket for the zone you travel in, or our daysaver5 and easysaver10 options which give more flexibility whilst still providing big discounts compared to the on-the-day fares.” 

For full details of all the changes to fares, customers are advised to visit the Reading Buses website. 

Gavin Francis


Red Rose YX18KOV an unusal performer with the 40 in Stokenchurch on May 31st.


Adam Harber

 

All seventeen AD Enviro400EV for Cheltenham depot (80229-80245) have now arrived with Stagecoach, and except for 80239 at Cheltenham depot, all are now in storage at Bristol depot waiting for electrification work at Cheltenham depot to be completed. 

Q414/1                80229                   YX25 NWY          14/5/2025 – Arrived at Oxford, moved to Bristol.

Q414/2                80230                   YX25 NWZ          14/5/2025 – Arrived at Oxford, moved to Bristol.

Q414/3                80231                   YX25 NXA           29/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/4                80232                   YX25 NXB           21/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/5                80233                   YX25 NXC           14/5/2025 – Arrived at Oxford, moved to Bristol.

Q414/6                80234                   YX25 NXD           22/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/7                80235                   YX25 NXE           28/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/8                80236                   YX25 NXF           15/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/9                80237                   YX25 NXG          28/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/10             80238                   YX25 NXH          21/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/11             80239                   YX25 NXJ            14/5/2025 – Arrived at Oxford, moved to Cheltenham.

Q414/12             80240                   YX25 NXK           15/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/13             80241                   YX25 NXL            29/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/14             80242                   YX25 NXM          29/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/15             80243                   YX25 NXO          21/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/16             80244                   YX25 NXP           22/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol.

Q414/17             80245                   YX25 NXR           22/5/2025 – Arrived at Bristol. 

Attached is a photo of them parked in Bristol depot,


plus a photo ex-Witney 11235 that went past while I was there. 

Meanwhile, there have been two more cascades from Oxford to other West depots, these are 10782 to Cheltenham and 10785 to Swindon. In service news, from tomorrow (1st June), Service S2 between Oxford and Cheltenham gets a Summer Sunday uplift to 6 return journeys a day (no change Monday to Saturday). The Sunday timetable will return to normal on the first weekend in October.

EV 80052 has entered service this week



  London operations 

Andrew Webb

American retailer Bath and Body Works launched a new store on Oxford Street on 30 May.  5 New Routemasters are wrapped in this bold scheme to promote the new store.  On opening day Stagecoach's LT380 is about to pass the store as it sets off from Oxford Circus on route 55.   

Fellow bus LT242 advertises Aperol Spritz, Italy's favourite cocktail.  It was captured the same day having just left Tottenham Court Road on route 8. 

For 15 years RML2711 has spent the summer on London's South Bank selling Snog frozen yogurt.  This year it is enjoying a change of scenery and has taken up residence at Tottenham Court Road in the shadow of the iconic Centrepoint tower.  It is seen on 30 May preparing to welcome customers for the day. 

 

PG Tips and Evan Evans have combined to start an afternoon tea tour of the capital from 13 June.  The vehicle illustrated in the promotional website (https://london-post.co.uk/step-aboard-the-monkey-bus-sightseeing-afternoon-tea-in-london/) is a former Oxford Tube Van Hool.

STEP ABOARD THE MONKEY BUS: SIGHTSEEING AFTERNOON TEA IN LONDON

Following the iconic Monkey’s return to TV screens, PG Tips announces an unmissable Afternoon Tea experience through the heart of London in partnership with Evan Evans Tours. Journey along the River Thames and take in historic sights like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Tower of London , each telling a unique part of London’s story […]

 

LF25SZD is a new single deck electric bus from BYD, according to buslistsontheweb.co.uk it is a B12E04 model.  Despite the livery it is built to London specification with dual doors. 


 
On 30 May it was seen at Tottenham Court Road, seemingly shadowing Arriva's HV120 as it headed for Wood Green on route 29.

 

Jack Cooper

Here are my pictures for a recent week, taken in Tadworth, Epson (Racecourse), Reigate, Redhill, Crawley, Horsham and Guildford.