Completed in full on June 25th.
This week the briefing is one day earlier than planned to relate to the start of the new PICKMEUP service which starts tomorrow on June 25th. It will be most interesting to follow the progress of this innovative service, in the City of Oxford, in the coming weeks.
There are a number of additions to this page made on June 25th plus all the usual fleet news etc.
973, a Mercedes Sprinter City seating 17 with four tip up seats - the others are
listed below.
Fleet number and registrations are as follows
971 BU18 YRN
972 BU18YRO
973 BU18 YRP
974 BU18 YRR
975 BU18 YRS
976 BU18 YRT
Grahame Wareham just sent an interesting report on an event on Saturday, June 23rd which I am sure readers will find of interest.
The Cherwell Bus Preservation Group were invited to take a vehicle along to the launch of their new PICKMEUP service at Barton Community Centre yesterday. I attended with Bristol VR/ECW DP 105, owned by Dave Clements, and took some pictures on my phone of the two Mercedes Sprinters present, 971 and 973.
The service starts tomorrow and they seem to be well geared up for it.I wonder who will be the first to send me pictures on day one? Also if someone uses the service let us have you report and pictures please.
So, what else is in the news this week.
Reading’s Brand Manager wins
Nikki Ball, Reading Buses Marketing and Brand
Manager, has been named
winner of the Marketing & PR category of the Santander
Venus Thames Valley Awards 2018.
Nikki said: “I’m
so proud to have been recognised at these prestigious awards for my
determination and fun approach to marketing.
Our company’s marketing and PR has seen huge changes over the past 10 years
culminating in this win that marks a great team effort on the part of our
wonderful marketing team and our drivers as the face of the brand.”
One must admit that Reading has a state of the art approach to its marketing strategy and reports suggest that buses which are route branded encourage customers to feel that it is their route and their buses. Even when the company has to use unbranded buses - generic - these employ a, thought to be, unique way to explain to customers where their own bus is!
The generic livery and explanation for use of the bus on a route.
Oxford Station’s problems
The upcoming closure of the train station for improvements seem not to answer
critics.
Secretary of Railfuture's regional branch, Andrew McCallum said the station was
no longer fit for purpose and urged local councils and Network Rail to take
action.
He said:
"It really could do with being completely rebuilt. It was recently named one of
the worst stations in the country in a survey of regular train users - and I'm
not in the least bit surprised.
It's no longer fit for purpose for a city of the global status of Oxford and the
number of both visitors and regular commuters using the station."
However it is difficult to imagine the problems which might arise if this was to
happen.
Whilst the coach journey to London is often fraught with traffic problems, at least coaches can divert to avoid the worst delays and frequency certainly outshines that of the railway!
One wonders if all the bus services will continue to serve the station with
little or no train service?
Mike Walker responded and I am publishing his letter in full for the record.
Malcolm,
I note your comments on
Oxford station in this week’s OCBP and feel I should respond.
The rail industry, both Network
Rail and the Train Operating Companies are only too aware of the shortcomings in
the present station and a number of proposals have been put forward over the
years, the most radical of which was to relocate the station to a new site south
of Botley Road however the biggest stumbling block has been the attitudes and
procrastination of Oxford City Council which has opposed every proposal, however
minor, put forward by the industry – it even opposed for some time the
replacement of the train crew amenity building which delayed the arrival of
Chiltern into the city station by over a year. It has indicated it will oppose
any plan by the industry to relocate the station despite having already made the
same proposal itself! Presumably it wants to follow the DfT line that civil
servants know better what the railways need than the train operators which has
resulted in us being lumbered with the Super
Hitachi
Intercity
Trains
for the next 26 years! It was also its opposition to “unsightly” overhead
electrification that led to the “pausing” of the works north of Didcot. Martin
Sutton ruefully mused they have form on that front which is why Oxford Tramways
went straight from horse trams to motor buses!
The works this summer will
see considerable alteration to the track layout between the station and
Wolvercote Junction which becomes a four track railway and the completion of the
double track Chiltern route into the city station. The whole area from Appleford
through to Charlbury and Heyford will be resignalled with control transferred
away from Oxford PSB to the TVSC at Didcot. Whilst there will no additional
platforms, both the existing through platforms will become bi-directionally
signalled increasing the operational flexibility of the layout. Additionally,
passive provision will be provided in the works of platform 5 which is proposed
to be created by converting the present down platform (4) into an island. This
however will require the provision of an additional span over Botley Road on the
west side which OCC is currently opposed to. It will be required for capacity
reasons once East-West Rail opens to Bletchley and, possibly, beyond. The
current works are something of a stop-gap. Network Rail delayed them as long as
possible but with OCC seemingly unable to decide what to do, it is undertaking
what is in many ways a minimal scheme. Understandably, it was reluctant to spend
huge sums on a scheme which might be ripped out in just a few years.
The coach service to London
may be more frequent but is it any more reliable? One understands that loadings
on the coach services have been considerably reducing over the past year or so
which may be attributed to a combination of the increasing congestion on the
M40/A40 with its consequent effect on coach time keeping and the arrival of
Chiltern Railways at Oxford Parkway despite their Achilles Heel of poor onward
connectivity from Marylebone.
The Oxford – Paddington
timetable will be revamped from December 2019 when Crossrail opens and the
larger GWR main line and Thames Valley timetables will be completely rewritten.
The service would have been even better if OCC had not been so obstinate.
Therefore direct any
complaints to the City Council not the rail industry!
Regards,
Mike
Many thanks to Mike Walker for his comments.
Go-Ahead buys EYMS from the Shipp family
Hull-headquartered East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS), including Scarborough and District Motor Services, has been bought by Go North East, part of the international transport organisation Go-Ahead Group Plc, for an undisclosed sum.
Established in 1926 and owned and operated for the last three decades by the Shipp family, EYMS transports over 17 million passengers annually, has a workforce of 700 staff and runs over 300 buses and coaches throughout Hull, East Riding and the North Yorkshire Coast.
For over 100 years, Go North East has run bus services connecting the region's towns and villages with the cities of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland. Currently operating across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and into Tees Valley, it is one of 10 regional subsidiary bus companies within the Go-Ahead Group.
“We are excited to welcome the EYMS team into the Go-Ahead family,” says David Brown, Group Chief Executive of Go-Ahead. “Like Go North East, the company is well established in the local communities it serves and shares the same values of excellent customer service and strong employee engagement"
“Bringing companies like EYMS into the Group draws us ever-closer to our vision of a world where every journey is taken care of, while meeting our strategic objective of building a sustainable business that meets the needs of our customers and communities.”
Andrew Webb writes "East Yorkshire
operate National Express contracts as illustrated by this Levante calling at
Stamford on Saturday evening, June 23rd.
Latest Northcord model release
This is a really nice model of Stagecoach in
Oxfordshire's MMC 10684 on route 3 to Rose Hill. Detail is significant.
Check with your dealer to find out when you can get this model.
Published on Monday, June 25th.
From Nigel Peach
Southern
Counties
Obviously readers will be aware from the earlier notes that East Yorkshire has been taken over by Go North East and Andrew Tyldsley has sent a few pictures, taken recently, of EYMS buses.
One of the oldest EYMS buses to pass into Go Ahead
ownership is Volvo B7TL 658. Parked up in Beverley Sow Hill Bus Station, it was
EYMS first low floor double deck, originally registered W658WKH.
EYMS Enviro 200 503 (MX12CFG) was new to Ace, Aintree
and carries branding for the Flemingate Centre, Beverley
The Volvo B8RLE hasn't sold in big numbers, but EYMS
have a few - 394 BU16OYG is seen leaving Beverley Bus Station
The next pictures were all taken in Hull.
EYMS 773 YX59FGZ is one of a large number of Wright
Gemini bodied Volvo double decks, in this case a B9TL
EYMS is one of the few provincial operators to take the
MCV EVoSeti body on Volvo B5TL chassis, 811 was one of a dozen new in 2017 that
were the last new buses purchased under the Shipp family ownership
EYMS Enviro 400 909 started life as a hybrid, but is now
converted to normal diesel power.
Many thanks to Andrew for those pictures. My memories of East Yorkshire was during a holiday in Scarborough in the early '50s and seeing Beverley Bar Leyland PD2 double deck semi-coaches in blue and cream.
Also received were some pictures from Mike Penn.
Here are some East Yorkshire photos taken at the beginning of this month. Mostly in Scarborough but with a couple (the Lodekka and the trainer) taken in Bridlington at the end of the East Coast Run.
The livery reminds me of those PD2's - East Yorkshire
645 80EYC ex 866NHT (from Bristol I think Ed.)
East Yorkshire 361 YX58CWA on the 64 service.
East Yorkshire 390 SN65ZGL works the 8 with the
Scarborough Harbour in the background.
East Yorkshire's 881 A10EYD ex X579EGK and 883 897EYX
ex X591EGK both with Scarborough & district for seafront services.
Readers may remember the TV programmes featuring East Yorkshire's buses sometime ago. I much appreciate the contribution from Mike which bring back happy memories of childhood holidays.
From Nigel Peach
551 (C1 WYC), MCV bodied Alexander Dennis has reverted to its original registration number AJ58PZS. Likewise 553 has reverted to AE59AWM. I guess 552 will also have lost its cherished plate?
I wonder which buses will take over the C1-3WYC plates.
Mercedes 873 working the 104 and showing rear branding - June 21st by Nigel
Peach.
Again good news for photographers.
I am advised by the company the following information regarding fleet movements.
Go Ahead Dublin operations have taken ten Citaros from Oxford. These are:
826, 827, 829-836
If any reader has pictures of these buses in Dublin these would be much appreciated. Ed.
Pictures from Gavin Francis on June 25th.
Scania coach 44 with an X90 London service in the High Street on June 25th.
661 works 5 road in Frideswide Square on June 25th.
663 with a 500 service but oddly the blind now has the 500 on the off side! I
wonder why?
2905 V905FEC has transferred to Plymouth Citybus.
Scania 201 is being converted to open top for City Sightseeing and is expected
back in the autumn.
I think Gavin Francis was the first person to secure a picture of one of the new buses in service - at 0720 on Monday morning, June 25th! Well done Gavin. It turned out to be 0723 at Thornhill.
Next pictures are at Oxford Train Station with 972 from many angles including an interior shot all by Gavin Francis on June 25th.
Plaxton
President Dennis Trident T885KLF on a school
run near Oakley - Beds on June 22nd by Gary Seamarks.
The child on the upper deck front seat takes one back to the days when many of
us would have enjoyed those seats as children!!
http://www.herberts-travel.co.uk/
This company is based at Cardington near Bedford and operate a variety of services and, of course, private hires. They have a very good website as noted above.
Gary Seamarks sent a few pictures of their vehicles operating a school service near Oakley taken on June 22nd. The Plaxton coach is interesting since it spent much of its Stagecoach life working the X5 service between Cambridge and Oxford via Bedford.
The vehicles look in excellent condition and I remember including a visit to
their depot in an issue in 2007 -
http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/240207.htm
At that time the company was based near Shefford and since then vehicle
presentation and the company profile has significantly improved.
What is also scary is the fact that your Editor arrived at RAF Cardington in February 1958 to begin his RAF regular service. We even travelled by special train from Cardington to Bridgnorth to be trained in the luxury of square bashing!!!! That February was one of the coldest winters experienced.
An Emerald branded bus 764 is seen with a 702 service in Bulleid Way, Victoria
on June 25th working through to Reading at 1700hrs.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
Jim Wright wrote to me with a picture "An unusual visitor to Horspath on June 20th was trainer 25214 from West in an unusual orange livery."
West's Optare Versa, recently reported in Gloucester, visited Horspath depot on
June 20th as seen by Jim Wright.
Gary Seamarks writes "Sending a few taken at Oakley Beds, today on school 'home' runs.
Midlands 37436 SN16ORGworks school 828, newly repainted, near Oakley - Beds on
June 22nd by Gary Seamarks.
A nice picture of Gold 15349 with a 66 working in Frideswide Square on June
25th.
Picture by Gavin Francis.
Seen at Horspath depot on the evening of June 25th - by Gavin Francis.
Pieces of history from Nigel Lukowski
These are some great views from Nigel which should evoke memories of older readers.
395 - A
rather battered Leyland Leopard / Alexander from the S M Emerton fleet, taken at
the Cranfield depot May 1982. I have this bus as being the former Western B1926.
441 -
May 1980, Southdown 734 (SCD 734N), one of the fine Leyland Atlantean / PRV
taken into several NBC fleets is found on Bramber (West Sussex) on the
Steyning-Brighton service 100. Behind the bus are the remains of Bramber Castle
and the complete and still active St Nicholas Church.
514 -
Oxford in green, former Bristol Omnibus RELL / ECW turns from the High Street
while in use with COMS as its number 680. This was April 1983.
521 -
Hastings in September 1983, with the East Cliff and English Channel in the
back-ground, if you look closely there's a Hastings & District Bristol VR on the
A259, passing the busy coach park.
530 - Reading Bus Station in April 1983.
From left to right, two Alder Valley Bristol VRT's, XMO 541H (AV 914) and GGM
78W (608), next is Alder Valley's Londonlink Leyland Leopard /Plaxton
GGM 69W (AV's 09) and contrasting Southdown Leyland
Leopard / Duple RYJ 883R (Southdown 1283). The Southdown Leopard is about
to work the lengthy 762 to Brighton via Aldershot, Dorking, Guildford,
Crawley/Gatwick... '762 - The Coach for You' as the timetable used to proclaim.
From out of our area
and
former Eastbourne East Lancs bodied Leyland PD2 BJK675D.
Also, ECW bodied Bristol
L6B LFM 753 nicely restored in dual purpose livery.
Two Duple bodied
Bedford OBs – CCF 669 which was new to Chambers of Bures (I last saw this at the
1978 Southend bus rally!).
Also, LTT 913 – new to Sunbeam of Torquay.
Two Foden coaches – KMA 553 with Plaxton body that was new to Bullock of Cheadle (I had a ride on it in 1971 and this is the first time I have seen it since!)
Also, MTU 296 with Metalcraft body that was new to Coppenhall of Sandbach.
Two
former Llandudno UDC buses – Waveney bodied Commer PN3 JC 4557 and Dennis bodied
Dennis Pax V FJC 736F.
Duple bodied Bedford SB DCC 125 new to Williams of Waunfawr.
Harrington
Wayfarer bodied Seddon Mk19 VHO 200, new to Liss and District.
Former St. Helens Corporation East Lancs bodied Leyland PD2 MDJ 555E – the first
time I have seen this in preservation.
What a wonderful selection of vehicles, seemingly now from Times Past !
A weekly contribution from Gordon Scott
Lothian Motor coaches taken in Corstorphine Edinburgh
9004 SN18CVW on June 24th by Gordon Scott.