From the Editor

A shorter page this week as some of my regular contributors are away but I hope interesting to my readers.

A number of new vehicles have been delivered recently with more to come.

In this issue

Arriva orders new 9.7 mil fleet for Luton

Bristol Vintage Group display at Stroud

Leamington Spa interlude 19-6-25 with Grahame Wareham

Grahame Wareham reviews Oxford's 353  

Reading's Buses 2010-2019 - A Decade of Colour and Change

Gary Seamarks visits Pulhams and also Cheltenham

Imperial Windsor by Michael Wadman

Nigel Eadon-Clarke in the Black Country and Wythall

Buses in the Landscape

Coach Visitors to Oxford

Fleet News & Developments

London all over ad update

Andy Millwood from the Lake District

Nigel Peach on holiday in Scotland

 

Arriva invests £9.7 million in Luton Busway Volvo MCV fleet

New fleet for Busway services follows recent service improvements and earlier B8RLE MCVs

Arriva has introduced a fleet of 30 new MCV Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLEs for its Luton Busway network.

They represent what the operator says is a transformational upgrade for the corridor, which serves Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Luton and Luton Airport. The buses are the fruits of a £9.7 million investment and they follow improvements made to Busway services on 1 June.

Arrival of the new fleet follows earlier purchases of the B8RLE Evora combination for Arriva’s Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire fleet and other parts of the group’s operations in England and Wales.

Such a level of investment in Luton reflects what Arriva says is its “ongoing commitment to better, more reliable local bus services, with a focus on frequent, accessible transport that connects people and the places they need to travel to.”

It adds that the new buses have been designed to major on passenger experience, with those flying from the airport and travelling for work or study considered.

The vehicles will see round-the-clock usage on some Luton Busway routes, with the recent service changes by Arriva having given some areas direct links to the segregated bus-only road and improved airport links to the airport.

Stroud Vintage Bus Show by David Gray

Bristol Vintage Bus Group – BVBG

Although based at a compact venue, there were a number of buses in services, and others parked separately on display. 

     
     
     
     
     
     
 

Buses operated trips to Nailsworth, Stonehouse, Leonard Stanley, Minchinhampton, Cashes Green and a short service to the town centre. The trip to Leonard Stanley was particularly memorable with a hill climb and superb views of the Golden Valley around Stroud. 

Although a couple of the buses scheduled for service were unavailable, replacement buses were sourced quickly by the organizers. 

A very well organised event with many of the buses full with passengers. 

Leamington Spa interlude 19-6-25 with Grahame Wareham

I had occasion to visit Leamington Spa for a short period last Thursday and despite the blistering sun managed to take a few images of the local bus scene, which may provide interest to readers.  

I don't normally do long trips by service bus but thought I ought to try this out as being on my doorstep. Journey time approx 2 1/4 hours in total to Leamington Spa. It takes about 50 mins by train but would have cost about £10.50 which is still not bad for a day out. Obviously my bus travel was free but it was worth the effort and was something I hadn't got around to doing in the ten years I've been retired! 

A few images from a very sunny and hot! Leamington Spa taken on Thursday 19th June whilst stood at Victoria Terrace, just near the station.

     
     
 
     
   

I travelled there by bus from Kidlington on the morning return X4 to Banbury changing for the 77A  to Leamington there. The return journey wasn't so clever though as the bus ran 12 mins late to Banbury and I missed the connection so had to wait an hour for the next S4. Considering the age of the vehicles on these routes and the heat of the day they coped extremely well and the drivers did their best!

A most interesting record of Grahame's day out in Leamington. Ed. 

Grahame Wareham reviews Oxford's 353 

L353 MWL987  1948 AEC Regent III with NCB L27/26R low-bridge body, renumbered L129 in 1952. Withdrawn May 1961 and sold to PVD (dealer) Dunchuch. It was immediately resold to Theobold of Long Melford where it lasted until July 1967 and was sold to local dealer Bone for scrap. 

 

353 CFC353C  1965 AEC Renown 3B3RA with Park Royal H37/28F low-height forward entrance body. 353 was allocated to Bicester depot from new and was converted to OMO in 1970 along with all other members of this batch. Upon being recertified in 1972 it was mainly used from Bicester on USAF Upper Heyford contract work as a school bus and on transfer to Oxford depot in 1975 and was withdrawn in October 1978 being sold for scrap to Beckett Carlton Barnsley in November 1978. 

 
   

353 R3OXF  2013 Volvo B5LH with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 low-height H45/27F body. The were a new generation of parallel hybrid diesel electric buses which could by run on battery power for operation at very low speed in the City. The ZF I shift gearbox featured a servo unit which automatically changed a manual selector shaft in sequence from the ZF ECU matched to the Volvo engine ECU. The small Volvo 5.2 litre engine was derived of that fitted to their small truck range. Delivered in City two tone red 353 operated on City2 & 5 routes initially before being re-liveried as a City13 route bus in 2023 and later City 35 along with 351 & 352. It was withdrawn in 2024 and cascaded to Go North West as part of the Transport for Greater Manchester initiative but actually got transferred to Stagecoach Manchester under the TFGM re-allocation of operating centres and received Stagecoach Manchester fleet number 13175 still retaining its OBC ultramarine blue livery. It was reregistered OE62ZRD prior to departure from Oxford Bus.

     

Another fascinating memory. Ed. 

Reading's Buses 2010-2019 - Amberley Publishing

Julian Walker

My new book: Reading's Buses 2010-2019

Amberley Publishing, titled: "Reading's Buses 2010-2019 - A Decade of Colour and Change". It is a mostly photographic record of a decade which saw plenty of changes in Reading's routes, vehicles and liveries as the network evolved and changed, against a background of continual growth in passenger numbers which bucked the national trend. Other operators in Reading are also featured. It is my first published book and all the photos featured are my own.

Editor's review

Well up the standard we have come expect from Amberley. The wie spread of photos remid many of us how times have changed and operators Profiles also. It is nice to be reminded of the striking Thames Travel livery back in 2010 and the reader is helped by the year shown in the page heading. Five years later we are reminded of the Stagecoach presence in Reading. The wide variety of operations are well covered in this comprehensive volume in the 10 years covered. 

 

Gary Seamarks visits the operator and also Cheltenham

Did above Mon 9/6.. note all Pulhams shots at Bourton were taken off public road, then quick trip to Cheltenham.

R70PUL was over the fence !