Editorial

Issue nr 370
Wednesday, November 5th 2025

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

From the Editor

A busy issue for your Editor but an issue full of interest.

Of significance is the new Thames Valley Maidenhead-High Wycombe service.

Notable is the repainting of the three Carousel Citaros ex Pulhams

In this issue

Thames Valley Maidenhead-High Wycombe service.

Keith Briant's Midland Interlude

Grahame Wareham remembers COMS 370 variety

Kevin Fuller was in the Thames Valley last week

Western Scottish Bus in Central Florida

Gary Seamarks visited Dubai/Perth/Sydney/Bangkok and Phuket

Readers Write

Buses in the Landscape

Fleet News & Developments

Readers visits outside our area

Adrian Small in Suffolk & Essex

Gordon Scott from north of the border

adrian Small in Suffolk & Essex

Thames Valley Buses announced a brand-new route connecting Maidenhead and High Wycombe.

20 - Maidenhead - High Wycombe via Bourne End | Thames Valley Buses

The new route will run every hour all day Monday to Saturday starting from 3rd November. Service 20 will run past St Mark's Hospital, before going through Furze Platt, Cookham, Bourne End Station, Flackwell Heath before passing Marlow Hill Schools and heading into Wycombe via Desborough Avenue to High Wycombe Bus Station using stand 11.

The route will be operated using brand new, state-of-the-art single deck buses, featuring next stop audio and visual announcements, free WiFi and wireless and USB charging points at all seats. The luxury interiors also boast coffee-shop style wood effect flooring, comfortable high back seats with the exterior featuring distinctive purple route branding to assist customers navigating their journeys.

Said Simon Fisher, Thames Valley Buses’ General Manager; “We are delighted to introduce this new route for customers giving them a great option to get between Maidenhead and High Wycombe. We are operating brand-new buses on this route so customers will get the most comfortable journey possible and all the mod-cons too!”

To help launch the route, Thames Valley Buses will be offering free ‘bus breakfasts’ to all customers on the first day of service.

Simon explained; “We thought it would be nice to reward customers trying the new service so they can pick up a bus breakfast on boardwhich will feature things such as croissants, cereal bars and juice.”

The company is also extending the simplyMaidenhead ticket zone to Bourne End so regular travellers can purchase a weekly ticket from as little as £19, and day tickets are just £5.50. For customers north of Maidenhead, there will be a new Wycombe zone, extending from High Wycombe to Bourne End, with a day ticket price of £4.70 and weekly tickets for £18 all when bought on the Thames Valley Buses app.

Said Simon; “we have some great value fares that customers can take advantage of – including the group simplyNetwork ticket for up to 4 people travelling together – just £21 for up to four people before 9.30am Monday to Friday or £15.50 at all other times.”

Full details including fares, timetable and map can all be found on the Thames Valley Buses website. Customer can also use the Thames Valley app to buy tickets, plan their journey and track their buses live on an interactive map.

We’re excited to launch Service 20, connecting Maidenhead to High Wycombe starting Monday, 3rd November!

THAMES VALLEY 446 @ BEACONSFIELD SERVICES ON SEPTEMBER 27TH 2020 ON A MEMORY RUN.
Gavin says "This is how I remember the 20 between High Wycombe and Maidenhead."

Simon Povey writes I just wished to respond regarding the competition between go ahead and Reading transport. I agree with Martin Dowling that bus wars never really benefit the passenger but I personally don’t think this is RT picking the fight- rather they are fighting back. Go ahead have been poking at Reading buses/ Thames valley quite a bit. Thames travel 33 extended to lower Shiplake running just ahead of Reading’s 28 a few weeks ago. There have been the gains in Maidenhead against Thames valley and extending into other parts of their operating area. I suspect Reading transport has had enough and is fighting back a little to protect themselves. The management of Reading buses have always said they don’t feel competition is helpful so it looks like they feel they have no choice."

Further to Martin Dowling's comments about the new Reading Bus service to Twyford. Thames Valley's new service 20 (Maidenhead to Wycombe) also started on 3/11, competing with Carousel's 37 - although the routes are not identical.

So the competition is gradually increasing with both operators having services between:

As Martin says there may be a short term benefit for passengers but is it the best use of resources in the long term?

The use of the number 20 for the new service to Wycombe is interesting - it was used by the original Thames Valley Traction company for their Wycombe - Maidenhead route almost 100 years ago!

And Carousel's 37 can be related back to TV's route 17 which in Alder Valley days had 300 added (like many of the Wycombe area services). Subsequently Arriva decided to remove the middle digit - which is why there are so many 3X services around High Wycombe. For some reason Arriva also decided to use 800 and 850 for their Wycombe - Reading service, but today's Reading Bus service from Henley has reverted back to the old 28 number!

Neil Gow writes "There does seem to be a bus war developing between Carousel and Reading Buses Group, which may have its roots in Carousel’s incursion into Maidenhead.

A more substantial new route also starting on 3^rd November is Thames Valley (part of RBG) service 20 between Maidenhead and Wycombe. Yes, there really is a company called Thames Valley running a service numbered 20 between Wycombe and Maidenhead again, after a gap of around 50 years! The service runs hourly Monday-Saturday, operating in Maidenhead via St Marks Hospital and between Bourne End and Wycombe via Flackwell Heath and down Desborough Avenue rather than Marlow Hill.

Following on from my item last week on the smaller operators around my patch, here is part 2.

Coachleasing of Nuneaton operate an always immaculately presented fleet. Formed in 1996 and concentrating on private hire and contract work, they are also accident and refurbishment specialists with a large workshop and state of the art paintshop. YJ54 XVD, a Volvo B7TL/Wright and new to First West Yorkshire shows no sign of its age. Similar BX55 XMR new to Travel London with dual doors is just as immaculate, but demonstrates that the livery doesn't always photograph well in dull conditions. It's seen at speed along the A444 between Nuneaton and Coventry operating a Coventry City Football Club supporters contract and was caught after I overtook it along the dual carriageway.

The Coachleasing coach fleet largely consists of Mercedes-Benz Tourismos, some obtained after the liquidation of Shearings. BT15 KMY, seen on the M6 passing Corley Services shows the high gloss livery well. It was new to the operator. Former Shearings example BJ16 KXU is one of several to retain Shearings Grand Tourer livery. These coaches arrived in excellent condition and Coachleasing have used the branding in their promotions.

Nuneaton based Rowe Coaches has a small, older, but also immaculate fleet used on private hire and schools work. Until the changes to rules requiring PSVAR vehicles on rail replacement contracts, they could also be seen performing such work.

E20 OWE is a Volvo B10M-62 with Van-Hool coachwork was new to Rambler Coaches of Hastings as T222 TDY in 1999. The standard of this 26 year old coach is a credit to owners Dave and Emma Rowe. Another member of the fleet is E20 WEX, a Caetano bodied Volvo B10M.

Chapel End Coaches, also Nuneaton based, has reduced is fleet size in recent years. Still owned is B4 CEC is a Volvo B12M with Jonckheere coachwork. Several of this operator's personalised CEC registrations have now crossed the town and been applied to coaches owned by Coachleasing.

A&M Travel, trading as Flexibus, operate Warwickshire Country Council contracted services that centre around shopping and healthcare needs, the Bedworth town service, two Rugby town and three Stratford town services. Optare Solo YJ59 NMO, a slimline version new to Abbott of Leeming and ADL200 MMC SK24 CWG, new to Bristol Airport are both seen in Nuneaton. Until the introduction of the regular service 84 between Nuneaton and Rugby operated under contract by Stagecoach Midlands and funded by the BSIP, service 241 seen here, was the only direct link by bus between the two towns. It provides a return trip on Wednesdays only from Rugby to Nuneaton serving villages off the A5 Watling Street. Wednesday is Nuneaton's midweek market day.

Also seen in Nuneaton is a similar bus owned by Carolean of Willenhall, YX74 OGD. Carolean operate a small number of routes in the Walsall and West Bromwich area This bus was seen in Nuneaton during a very interesting summer of rail replacement.

Warwickshire Travel based in Princethrope provide private hire, schools and contract services with all the fleet carrying x10 WTC or x100 WTC registrations. Buses carry a blue and white livery, seen here on F10 WTC, a Dennis Trident with Alexander bodywork. Formerly registered LX03 BTU, it was new to Stagecoach East London. E10 WTC has now departed, but this Wright bodied Volvo B7TL came from Ensign of Purfleet and retained their livery. Illustrating the current coach livery is Yunong
Y10 WTC with the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in the background.

A-Line Coaches of Coventry are based almost within sight of the Warwickshire border and have 11 Bova Futuras which make up the majority of the fleet along with some smaller vehicles. YJ11 AOK (new to Birmingham International) and BT08 LCT (new to Leons of Stafford) were photographed on a day trip to Skegness.

Coventry Minibuses operate eight infrequent tendered services in Warwickshire and Solihull. One is the 735 which runs from Ansley to Coventry. WR70 HHK, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Mellor bodywork is seen at journeys end. This service has had frequent changes of operator, with West Midlands Travel running Leyland Nationals on it immediately after deregulation and at one time being the responsibility of long gone Vanguard of Bedworth who were purchased by Midland Red South.

Finally, not one that receives much enthusiast attention, but nevertheless provides an essential community service, is Warwickshire County Council's home to school bus fleet. The latest deliveries were a batch of Mellor bodied Fiat Ducatos with 13 seats and wheelchair spaces, illustrated here by SF21 FYR. These replaced some of the previously purchased Optare Solo fleet, more unusual for a local authority. Many, including these examples, still remain in use. YJ59 NNU is seen here ahead of YJ07 EGY and the following photo shows YJ08 PKD. They are of the rarer M810SL type with 16 seats and wheelchair spaces. They are not fitted with destination equipment and "Private Charter" is a vinyl.

L370 NWL718 1949 AEC Regent III 9612A with NCB L27/26R lowbridge body. L370 was renumbered to L144 in the 1952 renumbering scheme . Allocated mainly to Cowley Road depot for most of its life L144 operated mainly west of the City along the Botley Road corridor and having spells at Faringdon, Wantage and Witney depots. L144 was withdrawn from Oxford service in March 1963 and was sold to Transport (Passenger Equipment) Ltd., Macclesfield (dlr) the same month. There was no record of an onward sale and not traced but believed sold to Hoyle, (Wombwell Diesels), Wombwell(dlr) for scrap. Lowbridge double decker's were more difficult to sell because of the unsociable seating arrangement upstairs so many met the scrapyard with plenty of life left in them.

370 FWL370E 1967 AEC Renown 3B3RA with Northern Counties (NCME) H38/27F low-height forward entrance body. 370 was part of a batch of four NCME boied Renown's, the last built on this chassis. 370 was allocated to Cowley Road as a City route bus spending much of its early life on 1 road plying up and down Cowley Road. 370 had a brief spell allocated to Chipping Norton returning to City routes in 1971 when it was repainted into the two-colour red and duck-egg green scheme. 370 was overhaled in 1974 and was back at Cowley Road ending up shared between 1 and 2 road with the rest of the batch and it received corporate NBC poppy red livery. 370 was finally retired in 1978 and sold to Ensign Bus (dealer), Grays passing immediately to P.Blatchley (Contractus) Stevenage along with 368 & 369 in January 1979. It ran with Contractus until April 1982 when it was sold to L.D.West of Biggleswade for export to Germany. Nord Rhein Westfalia as a restaurant hospitality bus with FWL368E's registration plates.

I had a trip out on Thursday 30th October, covering a few locations in our area, so thought I would send you some pictures:

Thames Valley 694 lays over at Wexham Park Hospital after its trip from Bracknell on route 53.

Similar bus 690 is in Windsor, working the 1 service to Ascot, via Windsor Great Park.

Also in Windsor, London Line branded 735 is heading to Legoland with a 702 service from Victoria.

At Heatherwood Hospital, Enviro 400 City 736 pauses on its 703 journey from Heathrow to Bracknell.

Enviro 200 MMC 682 is seen in Bracknell bus station working a 194 service to Camberley.

Also in Bracknell bus station, Enviro 200 661 waits departure time for its 108 journey to Jennetts Park.

Also on duty on the 194 route, Enviro 400 MMC 794 loads in Bracknell bus station.

Similar (but shorter) vehicle 666 lays over in Bracknell bus station whilst working service 108.

First 47426, still branded for Solent services when based in Portsmouth, is seen on Wellington Street, Slough working a 12 service to Burnham.

In Windsor, First Streetlite 47686 looks smart in Beeline livery, departing with an 8 service to Heathrow vis Staines.

White Bus 76 Volvo/MCV Evolution is at Heatherwood Hospital before working the X94 service to Frimley Park Hospital vis Bracknell.

In Slough High Street, Metroline VMH2444 collects passengers to commence its 81 journey to Hounslow.

Carousel 'Country' branded Streetlite 441 is seen in Windsor at the end of its route 103 trip from High Wycombe.

At Bracknell bus station, Reading Buses Enviro 400 City 248, works Lion route 4A.

In the later part of the 20^th Century many British Double Deck buses made the trip across The Atlantic to North America. They had a variety of uses mainly as tourist buses but also eye catchers outside restaurants or even as static offices. Probably the most well known ones are the Routemasters which are used in The Maritimes and are still in regular service, They include many which have arrived from Niagara Falls where they were part of Double Decks Tours but that operation has now ceased trading.

I regularly visit the Orlando area as my wife and I have property there. Just along the road from us is The Great British Pub which the owners took over a couple of years ago. Needless to say it has a telephone box and a pillar box outside and inside lots of pictures from the UK including some of buses and also a display of bus models as they are bus enthusiasts and after taking it over always wanted a UK bus outside.

After searching they finally found a Western SMT Leyland PD3/3 with Alexander L35/25RD body new in 1958 as fleet number D1453.

It was located in Fort Myers and was owned by a Law firm and had been fitted out as an office. They had owned it since 2015. Although it was towed to Clermont it did in fact drive into position outside the pub.

The bus is located alongside SR 27 and 1000s of cars pass it every day on their way to Disney.

The interior has been refurbished as an office with some very expensive wood panelling.

The owners tell me they are having the original style front radiator panel fabricated so that in time it will look as it did originally.

I am sure it attracts a lot of attention and is pictured on the outer covers of the latest British Buses Abroad magazine. With a copy shown on the wall of the pub.

Yes long time no reports... its down to one simple reason, we were away for a month on a trip to Dubai/Perth Sydney/Bangkok/ Phuket, and then catching up, we are away again for 2 weeks.

For you Aircraft interests the flights were London - Dubai A380, Dubai - Perth A380, Phuket- Dubai B777 and Dubai- London A380 all with Emarites, Perth- Sydney B737-9 (3 weeks old) Virgin Aus, and Sydney-Bangkok A350, and Bangkok - Phuket A320 both Thai.

Have sent a selection of images, took only about 150 over the 27 days, Dubai was very difficult and only a handful of images, the open-top is a Volvo B7R underneath. Perth/Fremantle is a boring all Volvo fleet, Sydney a mixture with a couple of deckers included, the tall buildings and constant shadows were a pain, luck went to Manly so a few from there. Bangkok was a history lessons with so much old tree stop buses, must admit some looked rough and a few very rough.. Rottnest Island off Perth is car free and a mixed selection, the Solo was a surprise indeed, B100 i believe is an ex Higher demo vehicle and was our tour vehicle, driver said it was 9 years old !, the Party buses were all parked at same place, though one image is in Perth, and came across them on a wine-valley day trip.

Not much to report locally as not been out, but think that Bedford now has 3 E400mmc and 7 E200s in new livery, hearing rumours of an exchange of E200's coming up with the 37430-9 batch going to Peterborough and some more of the 37210 batch coming to Bedford from PBO.

Was reading about the Oxford Congestion charge and related service revisions, and did mean to say before but.....

I came to Oxford during the school summer holidays using the S5 from Bicester, it was a 07.40 departure, and was quite amazed the amount of time we sat in a queue of city bound buses at Summertown shops, then again on other services during the day similar instances happening, Redbridge inbound OBC buses sitting waiting time, a run back from Thornhill every timepoint we sat waiting, it seems a crazy situation where buses heading into the city over a common route with high frequencies are just sitting waiting time and delaying those already on the bus, perhaps it would be common sense where a stop has a bus at say every 5 minutes into the city the timing point is removed, yes totally understand outbound journey's are totally different as the serve various destinations.

I am one of the small team at the PSV Circle producing Fleet Histories and have part 1 of City Of Oxford (to 1994) due out next month.

Whilst I have full vehicle details for Tappins, i would like to include a short narrative history of them. I was hoping Paul Lacey might be able to help, but following his sad death recently I am a bit stumped.

I wonder, therefore, if you can think of anybody who might be able to assist me with a history of Tappins?

In passing can I congratulate you on your bulletins which are helping me with my research and will be profusely acknowledged in the publication.

The Leathern Bottle in Lewknor which is served by Carousel's 117.worked above by 80597 on November 4th. (Excellent Food).

Arriva 's 3214 waits time at West Street in Leighton Buzzard with a Milton Keynes Luton airport service on November 1st 2025.

Pulham's former PC18BUS citaro looking a little different now in the red of Carousel in High Wycombe.
80888 on October 29th.

221 on the WWFC bus today, November 1st and the same bus at the same spot 8 years to the day previous.

I think this may have been the last time we had a wrapped bus in Stokenchurch about 14 years ago.May 29th 2012.

Above are two ex Pulhams before and after repaint with 80884 is currently away for repaint. Ed.

Newly repainted ex Pulhams Citaro 80885. It will look better when it has branding applied.

Ex Go Ahead London ADL Enviro 400 MMC 80600 in Flackwell Heath. I'd not seen it on the 36 before.

OX CSS 80297 on a 500 run to Cowley a few moments ago at Westgate on October 31st.

Reading Buses have announced a new service, route 12, running between Twyford and Reading via Shepherd’s Hill and London Road bus lane.

The new route will start on Monday 3 November and is designed to help people in Twyford and Charvil get into Reading for shopping and socialising, supplementing Thames Valley Buses routes 127, 128 and 129. It also supplements Reading Buses orange routes 13/14 along London Road and Shepherd’s Hill.

Route 12 will run every 30 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday. On Monday to Fridays, buses will run between 9am and 2.30pm, and on Saturdays, buses will run between 9am and 5pm. It will take around 25 minutes to get between Twyford and Reading. Thames Valley Buses offer earlier and later journeys for commuters, and normal priced tickets will be interchangeable.

As part of the launch of this new service, special introductory fares will be available just on route 12 for the first two weeks - £1.50 single and £2.30 return.

After this, an adult single ticket will cost £3 and return ticket £4.50 from Twyford to Reading. Boost tickets for under-19s will be £2.40 single and £4 return from Twyford to Reading.

Said Robert Williams, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer; “We are really excited to be able to offer a new service for customers to travel between Twyford and Reading, and to bring two more buses an hour in along the London Road bus lane which gives even more choice to customers in Reading.

This service is designed for people wanting to get in and out of Reading for shopping at quieter times of day and general leisure travel. By combining with services from our sister company, Thames Valley Buses, we can offer an extended timetable which is useful for a wide variety of needs.”

The first picture of Red Eagle bus is ex-Abellio 8581.

Stephensons, Rochford 621 (EU23 BZL), the very last Scania N250UD/AD built for the UK market on service 16 to Newmarket.

Mulleys, Ixworth AP12 BUS Volvo B8RLE/MCV on route 12. This bus was new to Pulhams of Bourton in the Water.

Dans Travel, Stowmarket B23 DCT (YN05 GXX) Scania L94UB/WT parked at Tesco's not in service. This bus came from Sanders, Holt, but was originally Reading 1020.

Konectbus (Hedingham & Chambers) 821 (YN56 FFA) Scania N94UD/EL on route 42 still in Brighton & Hove livery.

Flagfinders, Braintree YN56 FDX Scania N94UD on route 60. This was originally Metrobus 942.

Central Connect 505 (YY74 OBN) AD E40D MMC on route 333 arriving from Stansted Airport.

First Essex 34426 (SN17 MTZ) AD E40D MMC on route 170 from Chelmsford. This bus came from First Eastern Counties 34426, but was originally Bournemouth Yellow Buses 205.

First Essex 35670 (MF22 SXY) Wright Streetdeck on route 300 arriving from Lakeside still in First West of England Badgerline livery

Stephensons, Rochford 904 (YN53 CFX) Scania N94UD/EL in Great Baddow High School colours

First Essex 69520 (BJ11 ECW) Volvo B7RLE/WT on 71 having arrived from Colchester, in the old Thamesway livery.

Ipswich 25 (YT11 LTF) Scania N230UD/EL not in service, originally Nottingham 901.

Ipswich 42 (YR61 RVJ) Scania N230UD/Sca on route 15, this bus came from Metroline SN1954, but was originally Centrewest 36066.

Ipswich 17 (SN75 YVW) AD E40D MMC on route 5. This is one of 4 new E40D's bought recently, their first new double deckers for some time.

Ipswich 93 (YJ12 GWK) Optare Tempo SR on route 9. This was originally Trent 329.

First Eastern Counties 35931 (MF72 WBL) on route 75 arriving from Felixstowe. This bus came from First York.

Ipswich 6 (SN65 OJA) a much travelled E40D MMC on route 2. This bus was originally Johnson, Henley-in-Arden, but came via Bournemouth 4042 and Cardiff 322.

One with new ownership Merlin Travel shot attached and the other with Moffat & Williamson both Fife based Independents.
YY65 VXO Merlin Travel Fife, ex Stagecoach East Scotland 54272 taken at Murrayfield Edinburgh.

Shots listed below of shots sent of various ones of there types still in service.