Issue nr 393
Sunday,
June 14th 2026
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
A limited issue this week due continuing domestic issues.
In this issue
School buses in Lane End
Grahame Wareham remembers COMS 393
David Bell with Oxford memories
Andrew Webb visits Ireland part 1
Fleet News & Developments
Buses in the West Midlands by Andy Millwood
Paul Hawkins in Lancashire
Gavin Francis found the school bus workings of interest in Lane End.
A different one on the 625 this morning. June 12th.
Grahame Wareham with his weekly COMS 393
H393 OFC393 1949 AEC Regent III 9612A with Weymann H30/26R high-bridge
body.
From new H393 was allocated to Oxford depot spending its entire
COMS operational life there. In 1952 H393 was
renumbered to H892. H892 was sold to Fleet Car Sales (dealer), Dunchurch in
December1961 passing to AWRE Aldermarston in April 1962. was withdrawn in
April 1973 and sold to Anderson (dealer), Iver, Bucks. It was resold to Omnibus
Promotions, London EC4 in June 1974 with a view to being exported to the USA but
being highbridge it did not find favour with some of the resort USA Sates so it
sat at Omnibus Promotions premises at Earls Colne until August 1984 when a deal
was struck with the Oxford Bus Museum in exchange for some vehicle storage to
acquire H892 for preservation. (I remember
going to collect it, filling it up with diesel, topping up the water, fitting
charged batteries and driving it back to Long Hanborough aided by a long piece
of string in which I could pull the partially seized throttle pedal back up to
aid the battle of dealing with the 'crash gearbox'.........especially in
Braintree when a much bemused policeman on point duty just waved me through
after hearing the commotion with changing gear!)
However it
made the journey home OK. Restoration has only recently started.
393 MJO393H 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. 393 was
allocated to Cowley depot ifor the whole of its COMS life. Because of window
supply problems there were two types of window fitted, some with slider units,
as in the 1968 batch, and some with full length hoppers. the vehicles were
delivered as follows: Slider windows 382,385,387-389,395,396. Hopper
windows: 383,384,386,390,391-394. Also 383,385,387,389,393-396 had a
ventilator in the front dome as per the previous batch, but the remaining
vehicles were not fitted.383-385,388,389,391,393-395 all received the simplified
two colour red and green livery from 1971 onwards, the first being treated 394
in 8/71. The remainder were repainted into NBC corporate poppy red which
eventually covered the whole batch during overhaul in 1976/7. The overhaul of
this batch was completed at Midland Red Carlyle Works and the vehicles had their
rear engine shrouds removed at the same time.393 lasted in the COMS fleet until
September 1982 when it was to Ensign Bus (dealer), Purfleet and sold on to
Gastonia Coaches, Cranleigh in March 1983. It later passed to Green Bus Great
Wyrley in March 1987 lasting there until July 1987 when it was sold to Hoyle,
Wombwell Diesels (dealer) for scrap.
David Bell with a few local Oxford memories
I drove these when wookking for OBC, they were delightful. Ed.
Those were the days, now but a memory. rather sluggish. Ed.
I came across some black and white photos I took of City of Oxford vehicles and
have scanned and attached them to this email. Please feel free to use any of
them in the Oxford and Chiltern Bus Page. Unfortunately I
dont have dates of
when they were taken but I think they were mostly taken in the 1990s with some
in the 2000s. You will probably recognise most of the locations - Magdalen
Bridge, High Street, St Aldates etc More photos to follow
I look forward to reading the Bus Page and always find something of interest.
Andrew Webb visits Ireland part 1
Ireland's bus industry has some familiar sights to
British enthusiasts, with many vehicles suppliers treating the UK and Republic
as 1 market. Unlike the UK where deregulation has been the norm outside
London for most of the last 40 years, Ireland has retained a large element of
state organised routes with National Transport Authority (NTA) guiding overall
national policy whilst local Transport for Ireland (TFI) offices contract
routes under the 'Local Link' brand. Many of these are operated by
independent bus companies as a visit to Wexford on 23 May illustrates.
With a population of 21000 and a large rural hinterland in it eponymous county,
it has a selection of town and country routes.
The MCV Evora on Volvo B8RLE chassis is a popular choice with independent operators
including Wexford Bus who operate several examples.
Despite being very popular in the UK the Enviro
200MMC is less common in the Republic. Wexford bus run this example.
For lower capacity routes low floor minibuses are
used. Wexford Bus have this Rosero Connect bodied Iveco Daily.
Wexford Bus also operates a network of express services from the town in this
bold livery
as seen on a Volvo 9700 waiting its next task outside the company
office in Wexford town centre.
To many in the UK a 'Boris bus' is a nickname given to the New Routemaster after
it was dreamt up by Boris Johnson whilst Mayor of London.
Three round trips per day (including Sunday) are operated by Wexford Bus,
generally using this route branded MCV Evora. It is seen arriving in the
village with the first trip from Carlow on 25 May.
Earlier the same day this Irmãos Mota Atomic bodied Iveco is seen pausing in the
village
whilst working the village's scheduled bus route, service 881
which
provides 2 round trip per day (Sunday excepted) between Graiguenamanagh and
Kilkenny.
The village is also home to Borris College, a
secondary school for 560 students.
Whilst the UK enjoyed a bank holiday on
25 May, the Irish Republic waits until the 1st Monday
in June,
so it was a normal school day on 25 May, albeit the final week of the
academic year!
Many of the students get to school on school buses operated
by a range of local operators using a varied selection of vehicles which have
already served for many years.
This Irizar Scania started life on Bus Éireann Expressway services in 2008,
the
livery still being carried by its current unidentified operator.
Despite its popularity across the UK, the Solo never found similar success in
the Republic. This 2007 example now works for E Spruhan
The Mercedes Vario has been a trusty workhorse for many operators, with school
services to Borris College making good use of the type.
The Plaxton Beaver bodywork was for many operators a
'go to' bus in the early years of the 21st Century.
This example is 20 years old, working for an unidentified operator.
The Plaxton Cheetah body offered a little more style for coach operators.
Joe O'Neill runs this example.
\
The company also runs this Unvi Riada GT bodied example
Fleet News and developments
Gavin Francis over the past week.
LRZ9931 new in 2016 near their yard in Lane End
on June 12th.
Gavin Francis over the past week.
Certainly a colourful selection from First in High
Wycombe on June 11th.
Grahame WarehamGrahame Wareham
Latest
80501 YY26FVR at OBC awaiting commissioning
80503 YY26FVT at OBC awaiting commissioning
80845 FV65HVM awaiting transfer to Carousel
80688 SK17HHT in Corn Street Witney on H2 on my layover yesterday 10-6-26
Gavin Francis over the past week.
Variety on the 11th June in Wycombe.
The 625 on the 10th was operated by 80541 seen in Stokenchurch.
Jamie Gracie Mckay Wilson
Bit of mix and match of different buses around Oxford City today! Definitely a few highlights for me.
Now seen often working the 6 and 35 roads.
Harwell branded
80651 unusually working the X3 on June 7th.
Peter Edgar
Oxford Bus Company /
City Sightseeing 80292 in Castle Street, Oxford on limited stop service 500, a
somewhat unusual vehicle for this working.
Whilst in Oxford today I noticed that four of the City Sightseeing vehicles were
operating limited stop service 500 Oxford City - Cowley BMW plant. Hopefully a
reader may be able to explain why these vehicles were operating on this route.
Jamie Gracie Mckay Wilson
Bit of mix and match of different buses around Oxford City today! Definitely a few highlights for me.
PULHAMS 80618 with the X52 in Oxford on May
29th.
80593 with the 33 on June
1st.
80980 with an X40 in St Aldates in late May.
including Courtney, Newbury & District
plus
Thames Valley
Gavin Francis over the past week.
TV 692 working route 20 in the Eden Bus station
on June 11th, a route soon to finish.
Gavin Francis over the past week.
Two student route in Wycombe on June 11th.
Marlow Road junction in Stokenchurch is the
setting f0or Redline PL08YMA on June 10th.
I am still lacking details and pictures of recent 26 plate deliveries to this company !
Red Rose have two new Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora in service BU26WTW and BU26WTV - Been in use on route 100 Aylesbury to MK.
Gavin Francis over the past week.
A change from a recent regular was Y21RRT on
June 12th seen in Chinnor.
Stagecoach in Northampton are now starting to use their new electric
buses in service - ADL400EV double deckers and Yutong E12s. The
double deckers have the West Northants Council logo and each carry
individual branding. So far double deckers in service are
80313,314,315,317,318,319,320 and 73195, 196, 197 and 200.
Nick Ross
The last one standing, Stagecoach Northampton's last surviving operational
Trident 18408
in the Drapery prior to working the 15 1135 Northampton - St Giles
on June 10th 2026.
Robert Homan
After a 9 month stay in Devon, Solo 47553 is now back in Cheltenham
and is shown
here on the H service, near Swindon Village.
A couple of new electric buses, E231 Electro liner at King's Heath and Wright E1107 at Wolverhampton.
Also featured is Diamond(Rotala)celebrating 20
years of operation seen at Halesowen and ex-Claribel Volvo VDL 30705 at
Merry Hill
Caught the following Vehicles around Lancaster Bus Station
Taken in Preston outside bus station
These pictures take me back to one winter in the '60s when I drove for Ribble - Preston Garage. Happy memories. Ed.