From the Editor

An interesting issue with much of local interest.

Publications has been delayed due to ongoing domestic issues.

In this issue

60th celebration of RML in HW

First Bus express Slough & High Wycombe

Oxford tube service changes

Grahame Wareham remembers COMS 382

Epping & Ongar event

Metropolitan line rail replacement 19-22 February 2026

Dartford rail replacement

25 years of Carousel Buses

Readers Write

Coach Visitors in Windsor

Fleet News & Developments

London operations

 

60th anniversary of the RML class entering service at London Transports Country Area Garage, High Wycombe ( HE ) 

Four contributors provided report and pictures. Ed

Gavin Francis

 

On Saturday 21^st February it was 60 years to the day since the first green RML entered service from High Wycombe Garage and to mark the occasion 2 RMLS, 2412 and 2440 recreated 3 of the routes they operated on.

 

There were 2 journeys during the day operating the short trip to West Wycombe and RML 2440 arrives operating the first trip

RML 2440 at the turning point in West Wycombe with The Hellfire Caves and the church with the golden ball in the background. 

The Swan in West Wycombe has been the recognised last stop in the village ever since motor buses started running there and RML passes it on the way back to Wycombe. 

RML 2440 makes the long 1^st gear climb of Totteridge Hill.

 
RML 2412 which spent its entire green life at High Wycombe Garage at the Totteridge terminus. 

 
RML 2412 at Penn Pond. I tried to recreate a picture of the same bus which I took on 15th August 1972.
at the same time Carousel bus 80472 passed through showing an interesting gap of 60 years of buses on the route. This was not the first time RML 2412 had returned to operate Rte 363 as in 1997
when it had moved onto become a red London bus with London General it came back for a day to operate local services. 

   
The Northern terminus of the 326 is at Woodside Road North, Micklefield and it has been there for at least 50 years. 
Again in 1997 this bus was used on the 326 and I have tried to recreate the location of the bus.
Whilst the bus was on the stop the service bus arrived which happened to be
Oxford Bus Company 80678 still in Park and Ride livery currently on loan to Carousel which made an interesting comparison.

 
Back to Penn Pond again and this time with RML 2440. Again I have tried to recreate the same bus at the same spot on 21^st May 1977.

 

Nigel Peach

I was pleased to read the message from Peter Cartwright in issue 361 saying that two green Routemasters would be recreating routes 363 and 326 on Saturday (21st), being the 60th anniversary to the day of RMLs entering service at High Wycombe depot. I remember that time well! As a 12 year old, during the months of Jan and Feb 1966 four school friends and I walked down Amersham Hill and often extended our journeys by going to the LT garage to see whether any more RMLs had arrived. Seven buses entered service then - exciting times for bus spotters! 60 years on I spent a happy time on Saturday reliving old memories as I travelled on RML2440 on old routes 363 and 326. 

   
Three pictures of the bus at Penn Pond, one showing the pond, one with Carousel's 80824 on route 31,
which covers much of the old 363 route, and one showing Peter Cartwright,  owner of the bus, about to reboard. 

The bus travelled back to Wycombe Railway Station, and here the blinds are being changed to a 326.
Carousel's 80216 is behind on route 1A (which follows a lot of old LT route 362).

Woodside Road Micklefield, the terminus of the 326, and also its modern day replacement the 32, with Carousel's 80474 in the background. 

 
Because I travelled on 2440, I missed RML2412, which was doing the other journeys. 2412 was one of the first batch of seven in Wycombe in 1966. 

Peter Cartwright

Just 60 years to the day, London Transport introduced Green Routemasters into service from its High Wycombe garage (HE). Closed since October 1977 , the main building is still extant at the junction of Queen Alexandra Road and Marlow Hill and 60 years to the day - Saturday 21 February 1966 RML 2412 departs there at 11.39 on 21 February 2026 on route 363 to Totteridge. Come on board!

Peter Edgar

60th anniversary of the RML class entering service at London Transports Country Area Garage, High Wycombe ( HE ) 

Saturday February 21st 1966 saw the introduction of the RML class vehicle to London Transports High Wycombe Garage. Saturday February 21st 2026 saw two RML vehicles operate over three route in and around High Wycombe. 

RML 2440 and RML 2412 operated of routes 305, 326 and 363 throughout the day recreating that special day 60 years ago. 

Special thanks must go to Peter Cartwright and Martin James for organising and providing their RML’s for the day.

RML 2440 at Totteridge Road / Bowerdean Road ( area once known as the Happy Wanderer, after the pub that once stood on the corner ) 

RML 2440 passing under the Chiltern Line in Micklefield Road.

RML 2440 ascending Totteridge Road Hill ( supposedly the steepest hill on any LT route )

RML 2412 standing opposite the old LT Garage in Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe.

RML 2412 in Crendon Street at the bottom of Amersham Hill, High Wycombe.

RML 2412 at Penn Pond.

RML 2412 arriving at West Wycombe Village terminus on the very infrequent 305 route.

 
RML 2412 in West Wycombe Village.

My thanks to these fo,ur gentlemen for memories of a nice day. Ed.

First Bus confirms express services in Slough and Wycombe | Bucks Free Press

from Graham Low

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/25889405.first-bus-confirms-express-services-slough-wycombe/

 

A few first day pictures by Gavin Francis

       
Certainly a variety of livery a the interworking of the M40 and X74. 

Adam Harber advises upcoming service changes

Oxford Tube starting on 9^th March 2026. Details are on the Stagecoach website (link below) which also includes a link to the new timetable. Headline changes are the introduction of weekend working on the West Oxfordshire route, simplification of the core route between Oxford and London (most Baker Street variations and Bicester Village journey removed), a new stop to provide mainline rail links at North Acton, and cheaper fares if you buy using the app. 

https://www.oxfordtube.com/offers-events/offers/oxford-tube-upcoming-changes 

The reason for the change is that the commuter market never recovered after Covid, but we have seen improvements in the leisure market. The new timetable and fare structure has been simplified and tailored to that change in demographic.

NEW BOOK - '25 YEARS OF CAROUSEL BUSES'  a fully illustrated A5 laminated cover glossy 64 page history of  Carousel compiled by Frank Brown.

Contains a comprehensive history and appendixes on both routes and all vehicles owned and operated, correct to January 2026. 

Available from F.M. Brown, 24 Beaumont Way, Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP15 7BE for £10 including P&P (cheques payable to F.M. Brown).  

Review by your Editor, Malcolm Crowe.

Having watched this company grow from day 1 and having driven a  couple of shifts when the Citaros were new, I was looking forward to seeing this book in print.

It is a comprehensive work lavishly illustrated with excellent couloir photographs throughout.  

The fleet was always interesting and my memory of a shift on the 336 with aMetrobus will remain with me in times to come.

The pictures of the  short liived use of Volvo/Elite I Panoramas working the 102 was a highlight.

It is an excellent publication for a  modest price. 5 stars ! 

Grahame Wareham remember COMS 382

   

H382  OFC382 1949 AEC Regent III 9612A with Weymann H30/26R high-bridge body.  In 1952 H382 was renumbered to H881. H881 was sold to Passenger Vehicle Disposal (PVD) dealer, Dunchurch near Rugby in August 1960 passing to Taylors of Bicester the following month, along with sister bus H883 OFC384. It was withdrawn in August 1966 finally being scrapped in January 1967. 

     
   

382 MJO382H 1969 Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX  with Northern Counties H41/28D low-height body. Part of an initial batch of  fifteen these were used on newly converted OMO operated duties, mainly 2 road for the first few months of their lives and then spread out to most City routes with some migrating to Witney and Wantage to operate into the City on cross City services. 382 represented the first of a new era of dual-doored buses to ease the time taken in loading and unloading passengers in the City. It was a big learning curve however as drivers required to be more vigilant in avoiding trapping passengers in the rear doors.........been there done that!  However the concept was to be a standard feature on all new deliveries specified by COMS and even continued on single-deck intakes right up until 2005. With the advent of low-floor easy access buses it was realized that the centre exit eliminated too much seating capacity within the floor design and all new buses delivered after 2005 reverted to single front entrance/exit where the driver had more control in communicating with passengers. The chassis for 382-396 batch were especially modified by Daimler to incorporate an extra low nearside centre chassis member to enable the low-height body to incorporate a centre exit. These  were the first modified in this way with similar chassis ending up with Teeside and Southend Transport during the same period. 382 never received the 1970 revised two-tone livery going into poppy red corporate scheme in 1973 and lasted in the COMS fleet until July 1982 when it was transferred to Midland Red and was stripped for spares at its Carlyle Works in Edgbaston. 

Andrew Dyer

No doubt Grahame Wareham will include the history of OFC 384 in his excellent summary of former COMS vehicles, but I'd like to add a personal recollection if I may. Charlton-on-Otmoor Services purchased OFC from Taylor's of Bicester in 1967 and it did five years' service with the business before being withdrawn at the end of 1972. It was sold to the Oxford Bus Preservation Syndicate in early 1973 and as I had a school holiday job at Charlton. I was lucky enough to travel on it on its final journey from the village.  

Being too young to hold a PSV licence I got OFC going and drove it up to the front of the yard in Charlton, then rode passenger to Chipping Norton where it was to be temporarily stored at the rear of the COMS depot. The preservation group guys then kindly let me drive it through to the back of the depot. I think that at the time funds for the Group were very stretched and they decided to focus on restoration of PWL 413. OFC was sold on again and I think sadly ended up as a mobile home in France! 

The picture (credit Grahame Wareham) is taken when we took a breather at Yarnton on the way to Chippy and my late friend Alastair's Austin A40 (my transport home) can be seen behind the bus. It's scary to think that all that is over 50 years ago!

Epping & Ongar 15^th February 2026

 

 

On Sunday 15^th February The London Bus Company and Epping and Ongar Railway held their Winter Running Day. It was a very rainy day but a good selection of buses were on show many of them not seen very often.

 

     
     
     
     
     

 

Those on show included Hedingham L 148, First 218, RF 13, LS 444, RLH 69 and RLH 71,

Blue Triangle DN 181, RCL 2219, RM 1650, BS 5, GS 60, DM 1052, RT 2799, V1 and V3,

SM 1 and SM 88, BL 88, and RF 136.

 

Many thanks to Nigel Eadon-Clarke for supplying the pictures 

Andrew Webb reports

Metropolitan line rail replacement 19-22 February 2026.

   

Testing and commissioning of the new signalling system resulted in the closure of the Metropolitan line from Harrow on the Hill to Watford, Amersham and Chesham between 19 and 22 February.  To move displaced passengers a network of rail replacement services operated, including ML2 which linked Harrow on the Hill with Watford via Rickmansworth.  Controlled by Stagecoach, an off peak visit to Harrow on the Hill on 20 February found the service operated by vehicles from a range of sub contractors. 

      

Carousel sent 4 vehicles, including 2 in all over adverts.  80208 advertises the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, whilst 80221 promotes rival railway company GWR which it carried in service in Oxford.  What adventures would Julian, Dick, Annie, George and Timothy find 'Five go on a Rail Replacement Bus?'  Easily mistaken to the untrained eye as a London bus, 80220 is an anonymous transfer from Oxford.

The final Carousel vehicle started life with Go Ahead London as E284 when it was delivered new to the operator's private hire fleet. 

     

Go Ahead London's private hire fleet also found employment on the service, using buses cascaded from TfL operations.  E256 carries the charcoal skirt livery, whilst EN3 is in this attractive maroon and cream livery.  Reminiscent of the East Yorkshire livery, the bus started life with First London as DN33529.

     

Dartford rail replacement

A 9 day possession to replace the complex junction at Dartford took place between 14 and 22 February with buses replacing trains from Gravesend to Dartford before splitting into 3 routes to serve Barnehurst, Crayford and Slade Green.  A visit to Dartford on 2 February found Go Ahead, Abbey Travel, 1^st Bus Stop and Travelmasters operating the services.

Abbey Travel operate a fleet of coaches including this Tourismo in a white livery.   

The company also run a selection of former London double deckers which have had the front and rear repainted purple, seemingly as a promotion for North Kent College. 

This Wright Volvo started life with First London as VN36148. 

Another former First bus is this Enviro 400 in the Go Ahead London fleet which was new as DN33536.

Travelmasters operate a varied selection of pre owned double deckers gathered from a range of operators. 

GD09JHX is in the company's attractive yellow and blue livery which is very similar to that carried by Dublin Bus.  This vehicle started life on the Isle of Man. 

Some deckers operate in white, including BJ11DVC which was new to First as VN36118. 

Enviro 400MMC YX67UYK was new to Imperial Coaches at Colnbrook and retains their base livery.

1^st Bus Stop is a small independent operator in Dartford which until recently concentrated on school contracts and rail replacement.  Most of their fleet is sourced from London operators and carries this white and maroon livery.  Several have been reregistered with cherished plates including BU02TOP which was TE981 when new to Metroline. 

 

Also new to Metroline was MT51MMG which carried fleet number TE988.  It wears the company's older red livery. 

This Wright Volvo started life with First as VN37867