Issue nr 395
Wednesday,
July 8th 2026
Past Issues : https://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/
From the Editor
Some readers may have wondered why the long break between issues ? Sorry Guys but my home caring duties have absorbed much of my time in recent weeks but I hoe to get back on course in the coming weeks
As a result I have a large backlog of contributions which In intend working through as soon as I can.
So, this issue is like the old days with a predominance of local operators which I trust you will enjoy.
In this issue
Silverstone F1 served by Go Ahead
Some developments at Go Aheads Oxford group
Grahame Wareham remembers COMS 395
Readers Write
Fleet News & Developments
London news
Shuttle bus services operate between Silverstone and several nearby transport hubs, offering a convenient alternative to driving.
Services are available from: Towcester, Buckingham, Brackley, Northampton, Bicester, Hinton, Oxford Parkway, Milton Keynes, Banbury and Coventry. Journey times range from approx. 15 minutes to 80 minutes depending on traffic.
Note: The Sixfields Park & Ride location is SOLD OUT for the 2026 British Grand Prix.
A return shuttle bus ticket costs £16 per person per day. Tickets must be booked in advance online.
Buses drop passengers close to Gates 1 and 19, just a short walk from the circuit entrance.
from Grahame Wareham at Oxford Parkway
from James Lambeth at Oxford Parkway
Go-Ahead provided a large part of the fleet used on this year's F1 at Silverstone.
Grahame Wareham with
O&CBP Issue 395
H395 OFC395 1949 AEC Regent III 9612A with Weymann H30/26R high-bridge
body. From new H395 was allocated to Oxford depot spending its entire
COMS operational life there. In 1952 H395 was renumbered to H894. H894 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 was withdrawn in April 1973 and sold to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 being exported to the USA at Long Beach PLC as a companion to the
Quenn Mary but being highbridge was more fortunate than its sister OFC393 which
stayed in the UK. H894 survived in California, then Maryville New York right up
until 2015 when it returned to the UK and is now resident at the Oxford
Bus Museum.
395 MJO395H 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. 395 was allocated to Cowley depot for 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 sold to Ensign Bus, Purfleet and exported to Mariemont Inn, Cincinnati, Ohio in May 1983. It later passed to Five Star Limousine, Tallahassee, Florida and was reregistered BXZ
Another fascinating episode from Grahame. Ed.
from Grahame Wareham
Current News
80371-80374 have
been transferred from Pulhams to OBC and are in the process of receiving OBC
City red/maroon livery, I expect they will revert to their as delivered
registration numbers.
80607 has
now received OBC City red/maroon livery also and extensive body refurbishment at
Bartco Cassington, 1 x image attached
I also attach some images of some of the routes that
I have conquered including some lesser known locations. The
X35 route from
Didcot to Wantage and Grove covers the rural locations of Harwell village,
Harwell Campus, Wantage Market Square and Grove via Denchworth Road, Mably Way,
Station Road, Main Road, Mayfield Road and return via Main Road. Volvo B5TL
Gemini 3 80622 is
seen outside the Bell Inn, Main Road stop after leaving on a return journey to
Didcot.
All the Thames Travel X services from Didcot (X24,
X32,X34, X35 & X36) leave for their various destinations from Didcot Parkway
Station but prior to that they serve various other routes within Didcot town
centre, For example the X35 arrives
from Wantage at Didcot Parkway then leaves the station via Haydon Road (starting
point), Broadway, Orchard Centre, Station Road and to Parkway before making its
way through Great Western Park North to Harwell. The timings are quite keen and
some of the road conditions are showing big signs of decay and it is to the
credit of the vehicles on these routes that they withstand the poor road
conditions often encountered en-route. Ex. London General (WSD12) Wright
Streetdeck HEV 80969 is
seen at Haydon Road terminus Didcot and later on at Wantage Market Square on the
return journey. The Streetdeck is a good strong bus and I find them pleasant to
drive coping well with bad road conditions.
Occasionally you get a double decker on the
H2 Witney to
Thornhill Park & Ride via Eynsham, Summertown, JR Hospital, Churchill and
Nuffield Hospitals and Headington. so here is
80688 parked
opposite Stagecoach Witney depot on layover due to diversion of buses laying
over in Witney Market Place, yet another Streetdeck adding a splash of colour!
Yesterday I had 80922 as
seen parked in the same place on layover looking extremely smart for its
sixteen years and three owners, which was a very nice bus albeit very hot cab
owing to being vandal screen fitted! The H2 normally has six single deck buses
allocated these being ADL E200 MMC's 80593 &
80594 and ex. Pulhams Volvo B8R EvoRa's
80807-80810,
so use of double decks
during the week is occasional.
The Thames Travel routes offer some good out of town running in the countryside with some spectacular views of Oxfordshire/Berkshire and surrounding area. The bus fleet is fully utilized and well cared for and together with an excellent team of people the job gets done!
Latest
I promised I would come back to you after communicating with Luke Marion
regarding specific fleet in formation and he has replied to my questions. There
is a lot going on within the OBC group at the moment and coupled with the fact
that this is now Silverstone GP weekend where OBC hosts the operation of Go
Ahead's contract to provide shuttle logistics, then thins are rather
busy...............and that's why I have been covering extra driving duties this
week so that other drivers can be used on Silverstone work. (
I have no wish to go to Silverstone......been there, done that, too busy and
noisy and you can view the GP far better in the b pub with a pint or two!)
Then to answer some of your questions
80631-80634 are new buses and are currently operating
X1/X3, are these permanent for this route as I see electrics appear quite
frequently as well? Yes these will remain on these routes, while EVs are used on
these services from time to time they struggle to last the full duty due to
higher energy consumption when operating on faster sections of road.
There are a number of OBC Branded Streetdecks used at Carousel, presumably replacing Scania E400's, are these going to stay at Carousel? Yes, they will stay at Carousel. We are working through the repaint process, painting these vehicles into a new "Riversider" brand for the 850 route along with an internal refurb. The first two of these are due back later this week. The Scania's are gradually being withdrawn with 80213/4/23/28/31 already disposed of. attached of unbranded 'Riversider' livery on 80672
There appears to be a lull in StreetDecks arriving
from London (I know there are at least five operating still on the 44 out of
Stockwell) are these still planned to arrive soon? Yes the last 6 are still with
GAL at the moment and not due to be released to us until the autumn.
When is the new branding going to appear on the
Thames Travel ex. London Streetdecks (as they look quite bare without anything
as most of them are at the minute) ? These have been ordered and are expected to
be deployed over the summer
I have noticed yesterday some yellow TFGM Enviro 400's parked at Unipart. Are
these for the fleet or temporary cover for Silverstone weekend. They look pretty
tidy! ? Yes we will be using these to support Silverstone weekend, once done we
will assess whether they stay in the fleet to replace other older vehicles and
if so, where they best sit.(Images
of 53111-53115) attached. They carry Thames Travel legals and have been used on
normal TT routes this week. They are refurbished ex. London General buses
formerly operated in Manchester by Go North West under contract to The Bee
Network.) Six are currently in the OBC fleet 53111-53116 and were originally
London General E174-E177, E187-E188. Reg numbers are
53111 SN61BHE,
53112 SN61BHF,
53113 SN61BHJ,
53114
SN61BHK, 53115 SN61BJE,
53116 SN61BJF
The refurbished ex. GAL Mercedes Citaro 0295s.
MEC52-53.55,57-59,61-69 which are now OBC/Carousel's
80831-80845 are
now gradually being sent to High Wycombe.
Short and sweet Malcolm but hope to keep more vehicle news in the spotlight when
things hopefully calm down next week!
Here is the remainder of what I was going to send
you yesterday! There will be two more images of
80511 to
follow............the bus I was unusually allocated for the second half of my
duty on X32, which in fact ended up as a 'godsend' as I had to divert off the
A34 into Abingdon, Drayton to get to Milton village for Milton Park as an HGV
had overturned at Milton Interchange.........ending up late but hoping to catch
up on the next trip, but no!, a three car RTC on the northbound at Abingdon
North increased the delay. Thankfully a quick turnround at the JR and a spirited
run back to Didcot Parkway without diversion more or less put me back on time!
Here are the rest of the pictures I have managed to
take of the buses acquired from Go North West, which may ultimately replace long
serving stalwarts 80921-80929,
which are great buses to
drive and seem to just plod on regardless, I for one will miss them,..........
typical Volvo ruggedness!
Images show
53113; 53114; 53115, 80607, 80833, 80836, 80839 at
Unipart 53113 at
Didcot Parkway and 80919 in
Corn Street Witney on an H2 working 1-7-26 (my birthday treat!).
To follow on from my last post here are the images
of 80665 and
80511 which
were my allocated buses during last week.
The
X32 service
operated by Thames Travel is a fast frequent semi-express service serving the
Southern environs of Didcot Cockcroft (terminus), via Great Western Park South,
Wantage Road, Broadway, Orchard Centre, Didcot Parkway, Milton Park then direct
to Oxford Redbridge P&R, Abingdon Road, High Street, St.Clements and to
J.R.Hospital via Osler Road, and runs for most of the day at 20 minute
intervals. As you can imagine, this involves a considerable number of vehicles
with 80662-80666, 80690-80692, 80901-80903,
80907 being regulars and carrying
specific Milton Park branding being assisted by anything else that is available
when needed. Most journeys are timed at around 45 minutes between Didcot Parkway
and J.R. Hospital which gives you an idea of the intensity and the importance of
the A34 as a quick thoroughfare...............although we all know that the A34
is a bit over-subscribed! The access and egress to and from J.R. Hospital is via
Osler Road, Headington through a barrier controlled private roadway and provided
a quick pathway back to Headington Road to the City Centre. The
X32 is
one of the busiest routes operated by Thames Travel with a step-on step-off
unrivalled journey time.
3 images sent showing
80665 &
80511 at
Cockcroft Road Didcot terminus and 80511 at
JR Hospital.
Pictures from Grahame
80372 and 80607 -
2 x image attached of
80372 receiving
re-livery at Bartco, Cassington
%203111%20SN61BHE%20Unipart%20Car%20Park%20Cowley%20Oxford%2024-6-26%20GW.jpg)
%203112%20SN61BHF%20Unipart%20Car%20Park%20Cowley%20Oxford%2024-06-26%20GW.jpg)
%203113%20SN61BHJ%20Unipart%20Car%20Park%20Cowley%20Oxford%2026-6-26%20GW.jpg)
%203114%20SN61BHK%20Unipart%20Car%20Park%20Cowley%20Oxford%2024-6-26%20GW.jpg)
%203115%20SN61BJE%20Unpart%20Car%20Park%20Cowley%20Oxford%2026-6-26%20GW.jpg)
TfGM 3111/2/3/4/5 now with Thames
Travel
80672, 80833, 80836 and 80839.
Nigel Peach reply to Catherine Taverner'
In answer to your correspondent Catherine Taverner (I knew a Gary Taverner who
lived in Downley at that time - could this be her husband?!) the 35 did indeed
go to Downley, via Plomer Hill. And, certainly during the 1960s journeys started
from HW Railway Station, as did most other routes serving the west of the town.
As a schoolboy, I often caught the 35 home from the railway station to my home
in West Wycombe Road! It was always a single decker. When the Newlands Bus
Station opened (in 1970?), journeys started there, though I think that buses had
stopped using the railway station a year or two before that.
At some point (early 1970s?) a new route 30 was introduced.That also ran from the bus station to Downley, but via Hughenden Avenue and I think double deckers were used on this route. (All the route numbers were replaced by three digit numbers in the 1970s when Chiltern Link was introduced.)
Newman Morgan reply to Catherine Taverner
In reference to Catherine Taverner's inquiry over the
Downley 35 bus going to High Wycombe railway station.which was operated by
Thames Valley.
I can confirm that it did start and terminate at the
railway station. The forecourt to the right of the station had bays marked out.
Today's forecourt is a little smaller than it was back in the 1960s and 70s.
The majority of services that went along the West Wycombe Road used to start
from the railway station and the 35 was one of them. It would turn right off the
West Wycombe Road at the Downley turning and then go up the 1 in
7 Plomer Hill
to continue to the Bricklayers Arms where buses would reverse into a side
road and stand until departure back to Wycombe. One 35 an hour didn't go to the
Bricklayers Arms and instead went to Downley Common where it would turn round
close to the Fleur de Lys pub.
I don't recall seeing any double decker buses on the 35
but it is not an impossibility. The double deckers of that era may have
struggled ascending Plomer Hill.
I went to the Royal Grammar School on the Amersham Road
in Wycombe and I would walk down Amersham Hill to the station forecourt to catch
a Thames Valley 36 or 38 to Sands. Those were the days.
As an aside, City of Oxford Motor Services 75 to Oxford
and the 80 to Thame via Stokenchurch, which I think ran on 2 or 3 days a week,
also started from the station forecourt. Both COMS and Thames Valley shared an
outstation in Stokenchurch. If my memory serves me well COMS kept 2 single deck
buses overnight in Stokenchurch and Thames Valley 3 double deck buses for their
39, 40 and 41 which ran from Wycombe station forecourt to Watlington, Radnage
and Ibstone respectively. By Thames Valley I am referring to the Thames Valley
Traction Company which later merged with Aldershot & District Traction Company
to become Alder Valley.
In reference to Catherine Taverner's inquiry over the
Downley 35 bus going to High Wycombe railway station.which was operated by
Thames Valley.
I can confirm that it did start and terminate at the
railway station. The forecourt to the right of the station had bays marked out.
Today's forecourt is a little smaller than it was back in the 1960s and 70s.
The majority of services that went along the West Wycombe Road used to start
from the railway station and the 35 was one of them. It would turn right off the
West Wycombe Road at the Downley turning and then go up the 1 in
7 Plomer Hill
to continue to the Bricklayers Arms where buses would reverse into a side
road and stand until departure back to Wycombe. One 35 an hour didn't go to the
Bricklayers Arms and instead went to Downley Common where it would turn round
close to the Fleur de Lys pub.
I don't recall seeing any double decker buses on the 35
but it is not an impossibility. The double deckers of that era may have
struggled ascending Plomer Hill.
I went to the Royal Grammar School on the Amersham Road
in Wycombe and I would walk down Amersham Hill to the station forecourt to catch
a Thames Valley 36 or 38 to Sands. Those were the days.
As an aside, City of Oxford Motor Services 75 to Oxford
and the 80 to Thame via Stokenchurch, which I think ran on 2 or 3 days a week,
also started from the station forecourt. Both COMS and Thames Valley shared an
outstation in Stokenchurch. If my memory serves me well COMS kept 2 single deck
buses overnight in Stokenchurch and Thames Valley 3 double deck buses for their
39, 40 and 41 which ran from Wycombe station forecourt to Watlington, Radnage
and Ibstone respectively. By Thames Valley I am referring to the Thames Valley
Traction Company which later merged with Aldershot & District Traction Company
to become Alder Valley.
Catherine Taverner
Thank you so much for all the detailed information re
the 35 route plus the historical details, all a very interesting read. My
husband thinks it must have been the 30 which was a double decker and ran
from Newlands Bus Garage, High Wycombe to Downley in the 1960s and 70s.
Then run by Thames Valley and Alder Valley.
My mother-in-law and my husband's memory of the 30 route resulted in a heated discussion recently! Looking at the modern timetable it appears that the 30 only runs south on Tinkers Wood Road. Whilst looking on Google Street view, the northbound bus stop/layby appears still to be in use. Furthermore, there are stops on both sides of the Pastures where the modern route would only need stops on one side. Would anyone know if the route has changed recently or a while ago?
Fleet News and developments
Gavin Francis from Wycombe on June 24th.
Gavin Francis from Wycombe in recent days. An nice variety of the fleet to be seen around Wycombe
So much variety with more to come. Ed..
James Lambeth
Former Oxford X1/X15 branded Streetdeck 80672 / SK66 HUU has been refurbished
inside and out, looking smart in 2 tone blue
Peter Edgar
Just picked the new timetable up in High Wycombe this morning for Carousel route
850, High Wycombe - Reading which is branded the Riversider 850. I wonder
looking at the cover and the blue liveried vehicle depicted at the top left if
this is an indication to special liveried vehicles for the route, dare I
even think they could be new vehicles !
Bob Chalmers
Now back at Oxford Bus and in its new livery too - still needs branding (as do
80633/34). And Thames Travel now have 3 'new' deckers from Bee Line and the
Manchester area (3111/2/3). Not sure what is going on - we have buses on loan at
Carousel at present and there is a lot of swapping around going on. 80671/2 been
off the road for a month - when is the repainting programme going to start??
Just seems a bit of a mess to be honest - has been for some time.
80372 r X3 Abingdon 300626 R Chalmers
Gavin Francis from Thornhill
.... and at Waterperry Gardens by Gavin
Peter Edgar
Just paid a visit to Waterperry Gardens to photograph the shuttle service WP1
from Thornhill P&R, quite a surprise to see an ex LT bus and coach request stop
there. Strange to see as the area was never served by LT !
80503 r 46 Wheatley 270626 P Edgar
Gavin Francis from Thornhill
80594 and 80808 working the H2.
including Courtney, Newbury & District &
Thames Valley
Martin Dowling
Here is a link to RB's site with details of the changes.
https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/service-revisions-mon-20-july
Two routes will disappear
from July 20th. Neither is much of a surprise.
Route 12 from Reading to
Twyford is one which was introduced to compete with route 850. Hopefully
it's a sign that the Carousel and Reading Buses have declared a truce. Bus
wars like this aren't usually to the benefit of passengers in the long run.
Route 22 to Caversham
Heights has been at risk for many years. A year or two ago Sunday services
were abandoned. It serves an era with high car ownership and the improved
service on X40 covers much of the route and has no doubt hit ridership.
23,24,25,28 will all still serve central Caversham, although 28 will be taking a
different route over Reading Bridge.
There is a well organised campaign to save route 22 with stickers on bus shelters and a petition (image attached). This has a very strange picture at the top - whether this is an AI creation I don't know. The stop looks like Reading Buses, but the traffic is driving on the wrong side of the road! With well over 2000 signatories, one wonders if the route would be threatened at all if they actually used the bus ...
Dave & Deric
We have just received the Stagecoach West Fleet Card for
Period 2 and noted the following changes. Note only one change affecting Oxford
this month, highlighted in yellow. The other loan vehicles at Oxford have not
been recorded so far.
|
Acquired Vehicle |
47553 |
Stagecoach South
West |
To |
Cheltenham |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vehicle on Loan |
80000 |
Alexander Dennis |
To |
Oxford |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transfers |
10749 |
Cheltenham |
To |
Stroud |
|
|
19187 |
Stroud |
To |
Swindon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To Reserve |
27905 |
For Disposal |
To |
Reserve (For Driver
Trainer Conversion) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For Disposal |
15650 |
Swindon |
To |
For Disposal |
|
|
19165 |
Swindon |
To |
For Disposal |
|
|
22741 |
Swindon (driver
Trainer) |
To |
For Disposal |
|
|
27703 |
Gloucester |
To |
For Disposal |
|
|
37322 |
Gloucester |
To |
For Disposal (See
note) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gavin Francis from Thornhill
Memories of happy days driving the Oxford tube . Ed.
A strange one on June 27th was South Wales appearing to be picking up for London at Thornhill ??
London operations
Gavin Francis with a memory
MEC69 (80845) in its prime with London
General in November 2024.