delayed until Sunday, June 14th
Editorial
Well, at long last, things seem to be moving forward at a brighter pace. The lockdown is much eased and we can hug our grandchildren, if you are from my generation! Travel on buses is being made easier and even coach services may start again in early July. At the time of going to press no official decision had been advised except for National Express, where one can book from July 1st. I hear that some other operators may restart coach services during July!
I must apologise for the delay in publishing but there are a number of bang up to date items and pictures which will interest readers.
Thanks to you all for supporting this page.
Face Coverings become legal requirement in England on buses and coaches from Monday, June 15th
All passengers on coaches and buses in England
will be required to wear a face covering from Monday 15 June.
The development was announced by Secretary of State for Transport Grant
Shapps when he led the government’s daily press briefing on coronavirus
COVID-19. Mr Shapps says the change will be made due to an expected increase
in passenger numbers when movement restrictions are eased further.
He adds that face coverings that can be made at home are suitable.
Exceptions will apply to very young children, disabled people and those with
breathing difficulties.##An amendment will shortly be made to the Public
Service Vehicle Regulations to reflect the requirement. The Confederation of
Passenger Transport (CPT) has confirmed that it will apply to coach
passengers in England, as well as those using buses.
Mandatory use of a face covering will be enforced by operators. Travel can
be refused in the case of non-compliance. Mr Shapps additionally reinforced
the note in previously issued guidance that
it may not always be possible to observe social distancing guidelines when
vehicles are busy.
CPT has responded positively to the announcement. CEO Graham Vidler says
mandatory use of a face covering will give more passengers the confidence to
travel on buses. CPT will work with the government on how the requirement is
implemented, including how capacity is increased and how buses’ value is
maximised in safely restarting the economy and daily life.
Drivers will also “need” to wear face coverings, says Mr Shapps. It has been
reported that a requirement for passengers to use face coverings on public
transport in Scotland is being considered.
Coach tourism needs £65m a month as it faces fight for its future with 18 month winter warns CPT
Current developments in Oxford by Jim Wright
Notices are appearing on buses, wearing of facemasks compulsory from Mon
15-6-20.
Exemptions are for children, certain disabled people or passengers with
breathing difficulties.
Stagecoach is producing exemption cards for people with these problems,
to show driver or nosey passengers.
The covering panel stickers will need replacing after changes in
legislation!
Drivers don't need to wear masks if they drive with cab screen closed. Only putting one on to help wheelchair passengers lowering ramp.
The
buses are now having circular stickers on windows, advising passengers
where to sit.
Many thanks to Jim for the latest update.
Travel by train by Phil Rumsby
I’ve been catching the train since the Tube service was
suspended. Loadings during April and May have been even less that the coach in
it’s final week – on one occasion I had a six coach train all to myself! The
driver even popped in to the first carriage where I was sitting to say hello!
Passenger numbers on the ‘peak’ services are picking up slightly but still rare
to have anyone sharing your carriage.
Chiltern Train on April 11th - not too busy!!
Many thanks to Phil for some interesting pictures, he is a long time user of the coach services to London - going way back to the 1980s. He is also a very loyal customer of the Oxford tube.
An interesting collection of pictures from the past for this week's issue which I hope readers will enjoy.
Here’s another photo from Keith Newton for your historical section.
Bennetts of Chieveley’s
Leyland Tiger/Duple TJI 6308
in Newbury on
service 134 circa 1996
This coach was previously City of Oxford MS no 109 (EBW 109Y).
Mike Penn
Langston & Tasker
I know a little bit about this operator.
Firstly it is registered as Langston & Fenner (Mrs J Langston and Mrs M A
Fenner) but up until January
I have fleet lists going back to 1967 so it has been around a long time.
Mostly the fleet lists consist of coaches although they had two AEC
Regent double deckers in 1971 (OCY 674 and WJO 947) and one double deck Dennis
Loline in 1974 (LXG 248) - these presumably used on school services.
They ran the 50 service (Milton Keynes to Winslow) between 2004 and 2014 and they still run a couple of services in Buckingham as far as I know.
Martin Sutton asks
I attach a photograph of an ex-National Travel NE
coach which Is the subject of a question by a colleague at the Bus Archive.
He asks:
“I am trying to trace a firm "A-tax Travel"
which ran an ex National Travel North East Bedford YMT JKU 456P. Does anyone
know where this firm was located please? Photo below.”
To which another colleague adds:
“Looking at the coach next to it there is an
advert for Coach hire asking customers to call Freeland and then a number.
Freeland is near Witney in Oxon.”
Does A-tax Travel ring any bells with anyone?
I seem to have a distant recollection of this company but personally no more.
Heritage Trams honoured with the Queen's
Award for Voluntary Services
https://www.visitfyldecoast.info/recreation-entertainment/things-to-do/blackpool-heritage-tram-tours/
https://www.blackpooltransport.com/heritage-tram-tours
Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours,
part of Blackpool Transport Services, have been honoured with the Queen’s
Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive
in the UK.
The volunteers who operate Blackpool
Heritage Tram Tours enable the protection, conservation and operation of a
unique fleet of vintage tramcars on the tramway for which they were built
(one of only two tramways in the world to operate double-deck trams),
thereby widening public access to a rich part of the nation’s heritage. In
doing so they are developing a wide variety of skills, creating a major
contribution to the welfare of their local community and fulfilling the
purposes of wellbeing, learning and education.
Blackpool Heritage Trams are one of 230
charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the
prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on
year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative
ideas to make life better for those around them.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to
recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local
communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of the
Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They
include volunteer groups from across the UK, including a community shop in
Cornwall, an environmental group in Swansea, a group working with refugees
and vulnerable people in Stirling and a thriving community arts centre in
County Down.
Representatives of Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours
will receive the award later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers from
Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours will attend a garden party at Buckingham
Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Head of Heritage, Bryan Lindop
says: “Having worked with this remarkable and talented group of
volunteers now for over 5 years, it fills me with great pride to see them
achieve this pinnacle of national recognition. It takes a lot of dedication,
commitment, sheer grit and determination to maintain the high standard of
excellence that they have become renowned for. The volunteers, the community
that they serve and indeed the nation's heritage adoring public who come to
Blackpool to benefit from the sheer feel-good factor that the heritage tram
tours create are inspiring new generations to cherish and appreciate their
heritage; to participate in something culturally unique and life-affirming,
and by doing so, ensuring that future generations will be able to continue
to enjoy this inspiring public amenity.”
With many thanks to our friend and contributor, Geoff Cunliffe, for drawing my attention to this event. Well done to all at Blackpool Heritage. At this time we await details of when the trams will operate again so check the links above.
Paul Bateson in Canada
This week we have a picture taken by Paul back in 1975. It is of an ex Thames Valley Bristol KSW6B/ECW L27/28R double deck new in July 1952 and withdrawn in March 1970. It spent most of its life at Maidenhead maybe working to High Wycombe on occasion. When in the U.K. this bus was registered HBL 53 being one of a batch of 20. 652 was allocated to High Wycombe.
Check this link for a picture when in service with Thames Valley.
Paul's picture shows 651 on October 19th 1976 in Rockton, Hamilton, Ontario - Canada, looking somewhat the wore for wear but still all in one piece.
Gavin Francis has sent a link which shows this bus to have been in the USA in 2017.
http://www.bristolsu.co.uk/k/operatordetails/thamesvalley/hbl53.htm
North of the Border with Gordon Scott - our man in Drum Brae!
A quiet week with nothing out of the ordinary to report.
However these pictures below show the return to use by Stagecoach of some coaches which have been fitted with driver screens.
Tri-axles 54506 and 54508 seen working the X55 in Edinburgh on June 9th by
Gordon Scott.
New coaches announced are shown below:
BV20GOP | Vo B11RT 200961 | Co F203043009 | C55FLt | /2020 | Park,Hamilton |
BV20GOU | Vo B11RT 200964 | Co F203043010 | C55FLt | /2020 | Park,Hamilton |
BV20GOX | Vo B11RT 200967 | Co F203043011 | C55FLt | /2020 | Park,Hamilton |
BV20GPE | Vo B11RT 200981 | Co F203043012 | C55FLt | /2020 | Park,Hamilton |
Fleet news and developments
I am advised by Arriva that leased coaches 7005, 7006 and 7007 have returned to the Lessor as with reduced services they are no longer required.
It is also suggested that nine of the Volvo Decker’s at Milton Keynes are being returned to Wigston with an assortment of their own Single decks, three loans from Hinckley and two from Cannock. Full details not known at this time.
A large number of pictures have been contributed this week and I am sure readers will enjoy seeing current happenings in High Wycombe and area.
Gavin Francis
StreetLite 2326 with a 37 service, Citaro 3008 working the 32, 3919 thanking
key workers all at The Eden Bus Station on June 9th.
Loaned E200 4082 and Versa 4230 are seen with 300 services in The Eden Bus
Station and going back 4230 in Harlow on July 21st 2015.
Wrights' 6047 with a 300 service in The Eden Bus Station.
Dart 2297 - a real old timer now - leave The Eden with a service 48 on June
11th.
A trio of Citaros in Reading during Gavin's visit on June 9th. 3016, 3308
and 3916.
Ciaran Bird
A nice catch, 5465 heads for Aylesbury as 5462 heads for the train station
at Carfax in Oxford on June 8th by Ciaran Bird.
Centrebus Solo 259 at Stevenage on June 3rd by
Gavin Francis.
At this time there are no major changes but of double decks with Thames Travel continues.
Gavin Francis
Scania 210 is seen in The Eden Bus Station with a 104 service on June 10th.
And 214 is seen leaving The Eden Bus Station with a 101 service on June
11th.
This bus according to www.bustimes.org
has not seen service anywhere since 2019, so it must be a ticket machine
problem?
StreetLite 404 is seen with a 39 service in Bridge Street on June 11th.
Citaros 884 with a 36 and 886 also with a 39 service leaving in The Eden Bus
Station on June 9th.
Carousel 404 working route 40 through Stokenchurch on June 13th.
Frank Brown
Connector branded 208 leaves High Wycombe with a 104 on June 10th.
As of June 13th 208 appears to have returned to Didcot and Thames Travel!!
209 in Beaconsfield with a 104 with 212 working a 105 in Chesham on June
10th.
217 also with a 105 service in Hemel Hempstead on June 10th.
Citaro 856 is seen in Chesham with a 1A service on June 10th.
Frank points out that Hazlemere is spelt incorrectly on
this and Arriva branded buses.
Jack Cooper
Carousel's 76 is seen in Oxford depot on June 12th.
Staff Bus and contract vehicle 980 is in in The Eden Bus Station with a nice
destination scroll on June 11th.
Nigel Peach
StreetLite 405 is seen working a 36 in Flackwell Heath on June 12th. Nigel
says this type is most unusual on the 36!
Phil Southall
We also currently have an unregistered Go North East StreetDeck at Oxford
for inspection. We may get some diverted to us from the GNE order of 31.
With thanks to Phil Southall, Managing Director
of Oxford Bus.
Carol Bridges
By the time Carol took this pictures the bus had been registered.
NK20EKT on evaluation trials at Oxford Train Station on
June 8th. Don't you love the BAMFORD BUS COMPANY display?
I see it has a seating layout similar to Oxford's Park & Ride StreetDecks.
It is to be 6344 for Go North East.
Oxford Bus has of course introduced more workings and several contributors have provided some excellent pictures.
Ciaran Bird
Pictures taken on June 8th.
One of everything and two of some as we see four different liveries on buses
of the same type.
Some improvement in branded buses on their correct route, two StreetDecks,
655 and 658 at Carfax.
Red StreetDeck 660 is seen at Carfax on a U1 working.
Park & Ride 681 turns Carfax Corner with a Dean Court 4C service.
Yellow 3 branded StreetDecks 682 on a 3A, 683 on a 6 and 684 with a 3 to
Rose Hill - two out of three is good!
Orange StreetDeck 686 with a 6 road service and 687 correctly working 8 road
at Carfax.
Green 6 road branded 840 is seen with a 250 service to Bicester.
Jack Cooper
Ex Demonstrator Hybrid 300 with a 4 road service at Carfax on June 8th.
Three different liveries for the same types in St Giles on June 5th,
By this time 658 is seen with a 2B in Magdalen Street East looking battle
scarred on June 10th.
Park & Ride StreetLites on and off branded routes, all black 662 and 680
with 300 road services whilst 681 is working the 4C.
Citaro 839 is seen with a staff shuttle at Carfax with 869 is seen in
Bicester with a 250 service.
Andy Morrison - OBC
Andy has kindly provided some pictures of the black StreetLite 662 now branded for the Bicester Village service. It looks very smart!
These pictures were taken upon completion of the branding on June 12th.
Jack Cooper
Tourismo 37 is seen at Wycombe Coachway heading for Heathrow on June 11th.
This is the first picture I have of these workings.
James Lambeth
... has provided an excellent selection of pictures from Didcot showing Thames Travel's fleet hard at work. It is interesting to compare these pictures with those of Carousel above!!
They were taken on June 4th.
Scanias 222, 223 and 226 showing off varying liveries on their work at
Didcot.
MMC 601 is also at work in Didcot seen here working a 98A to Great Western
Park.
Brookes branded 604 and 607 busy at Didcot with local services.
Citaro 868 leaves Didcot with an X2 service to Wallingford.
Ex London WVLs 933 of Thames Travel and 942 of Carousel (on loan) with X2
services.
Ciaran Bird
... in Oxford.
220 and 221 passing Carfax working the X38 and X32 services on June
8th.
Jack Cooper
... various pictures taken in the last week in Didcot and Oxford.
Connector branded 207 with an X32 at Didcot Station.
221 gives us a good view of the GWR livery on this bus working the X32.
MMC 452 is seen in Broad Street by The Oxford Camera with an ST1 service to
Harwell Campus.
StreetDeck 621 shows the Thank you NHS display which is most appropriate.
Similar 622 is seen at Carfax with the X32 service.
The final one of the StreetDeck trio, 623 with a 33 service is seen passing
loaned 941 on theX2 in Didcot.
Ex London 937 is seen on the 33 passing 206 with a 94 to Blewbury at Didcot
Station.
935 is out and about with a 33 service to Wantage at Didcot Station.
Loan 939 is also seen at Didcot Station with an X2 service to Wallingford.
941 is seen at Carfax on the X2.
Loan 941 is also seen at Didcot Station with an X2 service. This bus still
retains full Go London livery and is without fleet number or branding!
Gavin Francis
.... in Reading on June 9th.
E400 251 (intended for Southern Vectis), is working the X38 to Henley and
then Oxford.
Citaros 871 (ex Carousel and Oxford Bicycle bus) with 881 is seen in Vapey
Street working special NHS services.
Scania 914 with the X40 service to Oxford via Wallingford.
Covid-19 has certainly provided some interesting loans and workings as can be seen in the Go Ahead section above!
Nick Ross
Dart 203 seen in Leighton Buzzard on June 9th.
Graham Mildenhall
Sunday, June 7th came across this Heyfordian King
Long parked up near the old entrance to RAF Upper Heyford.
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/live-service-updates
Temporary Route Map from July 1st 2020
http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/bus/bus-network-map.aspx
Gavin Francis visited Reading on June 9th and took a significant number of pictures showing how this operator is emerging from lockdown. A number of services have been combined to operate a reduced pattern for the time being and so an example is for the Bronze 11 to work with the 29 and in other examples a Bronze bus is being used on an NHS service H1.
All taken in central Reading on Tuesday, June 9th by Gavin Francis.
The Citaro that Gavin travelled on from High Wycombe to Reading - 3918
branded for The ONE!
The berry route 23 with
222 in Friar Street.
The skyblue route 16 with
226 and route 15 with 228 in Friar Street.
Little berries 679 and "no mirrors" 680
work the 29 in Friar Street. They will have come in on Bronze 11 from Coley
Park.
Lime 433 branded for the
2 is seen at The Nameless Circle.
Pink 417 with a 25 to
Peppard Common in Friar Street.
Bronze 418 is seen in
Friar Street with the NHS H1. This bus is usually on the 11.
Leopard 414 with a
service 9 to Spencer's Wood in St Mary's Butts. and
Leopard 427 with a 3 to
Aborfield Green in Market Place.
Reading 420, a
Scania K270UB / Alexander Dennis Enviro 300SG working the 7 in Market Place.
Common branded 421 is seen at The Nameless Circle working a 2A service.
652 and 654 with 19 services in central Reading.
Purple 17 branded buses
working various other services but linked to the 17.
Purple 17's seen in
various parts of Reading with service 17 workings.
Emerald buses working
the 5 and 6 routes, these buses have been pictured working the 702 Green
Line route in London!
Common branded Scanias seen in central Reading.
Common branded Scanias working the X4 route to Bracknell.
Wrap WE ARE READING 1209 is seen in central Reading.
Many thanks to Gavin for some interesting and colourful pictures.
E200 E8RRT is seen leaving The Eden Bus Station
for Oxford on June 4th by Gavin Francis.
A number of coach services have already started or are about to do so. Cab screens are being fitted as can be seen in Gordon Scott's pictures earlier on this page.
The additional buses which were returned to service with the increases last week are busy and on occasion carry the Sorry - Bus Full displays as life slowly begins to return to normal.
https://www.stagecoachbus.com/regional-service-updates/oxfordshire/oxfordshire
A number of pictures this week from two contributors:
Ciaran Bird taken on June 8th
MMC 10676 not in service turns at Carfax.
New MMC's 11238 and 11240 with Witney and Carterton services by St Mary
Magdalen's Church in Oxford.
As it is daytime I wonder why one is the NS1?
E200 36981 is seen with a service 9 by Carfax Corner.
Jack Cooper
Gold 15934 is seen working route 26 to Kingsmere from Bicester on June 10th.
The most important news is of the resumption of X5 services to Oxford.
Gary Seamarks reports "the following changes shown for Bedford from June 14th are the return to service of:
27520-3. 27642-7, 27855, 36301/2* 37433-9, not 36301/2 plus some of 37433-9 are already back on the road.
On loan from Fenstanton for 99/X5 are due 21232/5, 21301/3/5/7/10/2, 21363-8, not sure how long loan is for.
Two of the above, taken in Cambridge on February 4th this year. They are
21310 and 21312.
However as of this morning (Sunday June 14th)
Jim Wright reports "the
X5 is back running to Oxford with an hourly departure on the hour using E400
buses, noted today 10055 and 19587, the latter in CITI Livery - thereby
using some Cambridge allocated buses instead of Bedford.
Richard Sharman
The X5 service returned to Oxford today on a 60-minute
frequency.
The Plaxton Elite coaches are currently in reserve due
to not being fitted with driver protection screens.
This has caused some interesting workings on the first
day back, with an all E400 allocation.
According to
bustimes.org this comprised of:10055- SN13 EEB which was new to Norfolk Green
19578- as pictured departing Oxford at 1200hrs courtesy the St. Giles webcam
also 19700
The allocation should increase tomorrow and will
compromise of transferred in Volvo/ Wright and MCV single deckers- see the
Steve Knight Media update. If the MCV's are used on the X5 they will be the
first to operate into Oxfordshire in the new livery.
Thanks to Richard for this update which is also covered by Gary Seamarks and Jim Wright.
Stop Press from Jim Wright
I spoke to an X5 driver this morning on 19578, he said as from June 15th, ex Cambridge Busway liveried Hunstanton Single deck Volvo B7LRE Wrights are going to be used as 11 seaters!
The Elites are having full cabs with screens fitted, some being done in Portsmouth.
I am delighted that Jim Wright has managed to get some pictures of the driver screen fitting taking place on the tube fleet.
As well as the screen a cab door has also been fitted.
No date of a return to service has, as yet, been announced.
Currently no update on resumption of service outside Scotland.
Smaller operators and London developments
Jack Cooper
Elmsbrook's StreetLite SK19EYJ seen in Bicester on June 10th.
Gavin Francis
Part of Trusty Bus YP59OEW is seen in Harlow on June 3rd.
Galleon had just acquired this Solo from First when seen in Harlow on June
3rd.
https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/
When I had occasion to need some photographs recently I was delighted to find just what I needed on The Transport Library Web Site. The collection is significant and if you do use the site please mention the Oxford Chiltern Bus Page.
Robin who runs the site wrote to me:
"I was recently put in touch with a local transport photographic image
company called Kezlan Images. They run two sites – the Transport Library and
The Transport Treasury. Together they provide over 200,000
images to purchase with both Road and Rail transport from the
UK and overseas. I was drawn mainly to the Transport Library as this site
has a larger volume of Bus images. In particular they offer the images from
J S Cockshott, Geoffrey Morant and also several photographers who left their
collection to the Omnibus Society. Started in 2012 the Transport Library
started as a way of marketing Russell Fell’s large collection of London
Country and London Transport Images. This collection alone numbers around
25,000 and contains a great many shots from the local area. From there
though they have picked up other collections plus run a service for
individuals and societies to market images on their behalf in exchange for
royalty payments. The site is well worth a look as there are images from a
wide variety of operators from across the country, so there should be
something for everyone. Kezlan Images also buy transport photographic
collections, and have started to move into publishing through the Transport
Treasury brand. Currently the books they have produced are based on rail
subjects, but they hope to move into road matters in the near future.
I would note that prices are most reasonable for the photographs, especially if one take the Digital images.
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