Issue nr. 186
Monday, January 10th 2022

Editorial

An interesting issue with items held over from the last one plus the current contributions means a good read for everyone. The changes in Oxford have provided some interesting workings and use of vehicles.

I have included further pictures and comments  from last week as a continuation of what's been happening. See comments under Readers Write below!

 

2 road follow up

Grahame Wareham

I have attached two more seasonal Citaro shots if you wish to use them at some time...............taken from my bedroom window back in 2007.

 
Pictures of 2 road Citaros when new in 2007.


COMS 954 in 1961 heading for Barton in the days when the 2 went from Kidlington to Barton.

3 road and other Florence Park services follow up

Graham Low

The end of Thames Transits' years on the Rose Hill 3 are shown in pictures of a minibus in 1987 at Queens lane, a new Dart at the Brighton Coach Rally, and an ADL E400 last Saturday at Rose Hill Oval. I also attach views of Stagecoach 16 route buses in Florence Park last Saturday, and finally an Oxford Bus hybrid on the revised 20, also in Florence Park.

  
Thames Transit days in 1987 and 1994.


10433 seen at Rose Hill on December 30th. 

 
Known by crews as "Misery Farm" Stagecoach ran the 16 for a number of years. The two E200s seen on December 29th.


OBC Hybrid 310 working route 20 on January 4th 2022.

More to be found under Readers Write further down the page.

Ciaran Bird


Caledonian Travel Temsa Safari YJ17CXT on the A34 southbound passing Water Eaton on January 4th.
One would assume it's destination is the Isle of Wight, judging by the destination card!

Aylesbury update from Paul Coley

Paul Coley

A couple of photos taken this afternoon when out for my walk - Arriva Solo with a single passenger, followed 4 minutes later with a Red Rose Enviro with no one on board!

 

Red Rose seem to be losing so many passengers that they had gained over the last year, simply because their frequency is so poor during the week v Arriva (20 minutes v 10 minutes). I wonder how long they will keep it up for, before going back to a 15 minute frequency on the shorter route again…. 

May I thank all the contributors and hope your support continues.


Well nothing new except for the continuing Omicron variant and infections.


Fleet news and developments

As expected Paul Swann has provided the first allocation list for 2022.

Paul Swann

Arriva fleet lists/SR Enthusiast Fleet 6 Jan 22.xlsx

Five Citaros from Guilford into HW 3020,3021,3023,3024,3025 have replaced 2990,2992 2509 all gone to Southern Counties 3700 and 2748 Delicenced 

OmniLink 3508 into Aylesbury (3509,3510,3511,3512 to follow)  

This will mean some more changes at High Wycombe  

Several 36xx Scania’s from Luton Delicenced all under Head Office.

Nigel Peach

I note that there are now 35 Citaros at Wycombe out of the total allocation of 48!

I visited Cressex on January 2nd and was surprised to see no fewer than three buses new to Wycombe! Apologies for sending this so close to your Monday deadline (possibly even too late) but today was really the first chance I've had to visit the depot.

At least three Citaros displaced when Arriva Southern Counties closed their Guildford depot have appeared at High Wycombe. They have been renumbered into the Midlands/Shires numbering sequence. I think the same person with wobbly hands as reported by another of your correspondents has applied the new numbers!! The details are: 

New number 3020 BD12 DHL previously ASC 3910

New number 3021 BD12 DHP previously ASC 3907

New number 3024 BD12 DHM previously ASC 3904 

(I notice that fleet number 3022 is already in use - a Tamworth bus, but not 3023, so maybe there is also a bus bearing this number. There were five BD12 registered buses at Guildford.) 

I had noticed on bustimes.org that some buses have disappeared from the listings: ill-fated Citaro 3926, also 3039 (with 06 plate, one of the oldest) and DAF 3700. These last two were parked one behind the other at the depot. Interesting if 3039 is withdrawn as its sister 3038 had a big refurbishment during 2021. 

   
3021 and 3024 and also 3700 possibly now withdrawn, shown with 3015 which has gained a rear ad for Henley College.


3039 parked next to 3015 and in front of 3700. 


3915 without a front fleet number, nor a Mercedes badge. It looks shabby - please repaint this bus!

Chris Toms

Saw these out at Oxford Street in Wycombe the on the 21st of December. Sorry they're not the best pictures I saw them why on my bus home so took a shot to get them.  

I believe there’s three of them as I did see a 3024 but didn't get a photo. All three of these seem to be using the SP_HI ticket machine so it doesn’t track well. 

I believe 3024 is either BD12DHM or BD12DHN as I saw the plate but couldn't quite tell which one it was.

 
3020 and 3021.

Hazel Richardson


A high up shot of Arriva 3812 YJ58FFA showing the old livery still on the roof seen on the 500 (5/1/22). 


3508 YN08HZV also made an appearance on the 500 (7/1/22)

Both buses have recently transferred to the Aylesbury garage. 

Gavin Francis

Gavin has provided a picture of one of the Citaros when new in use at the 2012 Olympics.


Arriva 3909 at the NORTHERN STAGING AREA - Heathrow on August 26th 2012. This is now 3023.
 

Malcolm Crowe

   
1/ 3917, 3013 and 3038 - 2/ 6000, 4819 and Citaros - 3/ 2740

Thomas Walker

Taken in Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes. The 19-year-old Dart was working Leighton Buzzard town route 34 and the Gemini's at Milton Keynes are normally on 3s but this one's escaped onto 6s. 


Wrights 4210 is seen at Milton Keynes on January 8th with a service 6.


Still in service this Dart 2211 seen in Leighton Buzzard on January 7th. Not many left in this livery now !


Working the 150, 3812 still in white is seen on January 8th.

If you want to download and post any of my photos from the New Year's Day running day in Chester as well, see them at this link: 

https://mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2022/January-2022/UK-Bus-Other-Transport-January-2022

Tony Bungay

Bit late now, Buckinghamshire Council Bus changes website shows that Arriva X30 being withdrawn, no surprise really, passengers between Princes Risborough and High Wycombe via Saunderton cannot have been that plentiful to sustain at least 5 buses per hour! 

Catteralls Coaches - Southam

Thomas Walker

 
Milton Keynes Central with some rail replacements, including a surprise Lothian Gemini now with Catteralls of Southam. 

More photos here: https://mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2021/December-2021/UK-Bus-Other-Transport-December-2021/i-bbQwgQL

Richard Sharman

Service 250 will be extended to Bicester Village Station and a new Sunday service is being introduced from 10 January.

Diamond timetable for service 250 - pdf 

Gavin Francis


BV69LPJ a Ridleys Mercedes Tourismo seen with an 021 in Bulleid Way on January 4th.

Nick Ross


Grant Palmer's Enviro 200 YX09FMJ (209) parked up at Leighton Buzzard station between local service 36 duties on January 6th 2022. 


Malcolm Crowe


Sprinters 975 and 977 with StreetLite 401 pose in the morning sunlight on January 9th at the depot.

It appears that Sprinter 980 made a few trips yesterday evening, January 9th to Thame and back working the 40. 

Ciaran Bird


Hybrid 309 HJ11OXF working a city2 in Kidlington on December 16th.


219 is seen in the City with a 6 road service on January 2nd.

 
847 in use working  2 road on January 1st with a suitable display.


Citaro 863 seen in St Aldates with a 15 road service whilst loaned to OBC on December 13th.

Gavin Francis

 
Oxford 220 followed by 302 both in Westgate on December 28th on December 28th.

   
Hybrid 306 working 13 road on January 6th with ex Hybrid 317 working the 11X and 356 with the 5A on January 3rd all in St Aldates.


357 is seen with an 11X in High Street on January 3rd.


362 seen working 3 road, its new home, in St Aldates on January 4th.


364 is seen in Magdalen Street West on December 28th working the 300.

 
MMC's 603 working 15 road and 604 working 5A road both on January 4th.


607 is seen working 3 road on January 3rd in High Street.


655 is seen by Oxford Castle in New Road with a 5 road service on December 28th.


665 seen working 13 road on New Year's Day in High Street.

   
The new order for 667-669 is 6 road as seen above in early January.


However 669 was still working the 300 on January 3rd.


674 is seen working the 300 on January 4th.


684 was working 3 road on December 28th.

 
By the first days of January 682 and 684 could be seen working 15 road, their new home.


The 8 & 9 remain unchanged as the orange route as seen above.


844 is seen in St Aldates working the 11 on January 6th, now the home for the blue Citaros.

Jack Cooper


Heavy rain covers 356 with a 5A service at Minchery Farm on January 6th.


Blue 361 with a 3 road working in St Aldates on January 7th.


367 seen in Westgate with a 3A service to Cowley on January 7th.


MMC 613 seen with a U5 service in St Aldates on January 7th.


A nice grouping of buses in St Aldates, Oxford on January 7th.


684 rounds the corner at Carfax with a 15 road working on January 8th.


Heading for Wood Farm with a 15 road service, 685 is seen in St Aldates on January 7th.


Unusually 844 was working 13 road in St Aldates on January 6th.


Whereas sister 846 was Watlington bound with an 11 on January 7th.


903 runs in the rain with an X3 to Barton in St Aldates on January 4th. 


204 is seen in New Road with a lightly loaded service on December 29th.

Ciaran Bird


Scania 207 in Wantage with an X32 service on January 2nd.


454 is seen passing Alfred in Wantage with an X36 on January 2nd. Is that what is meant by "and beyond" !


Citaro 850 is seen with a 67 working in Wantage in the same day.


905 with an X36 seen in Wantage on January 2nd.


939 still carrying Carousel names is seen with a 38 also in Wantage.

Gavin Francis


Connector branded 224 is seen at Carfax with an X1 service bound for Headington on January 3rd.


225 has charge of an X2 service in St Aldates on January 4th.


The X2 mostly sees the later 20 plate StreetDecks like 906 also seen in St Aldates on January 3rd.

Jack Cooper


210 with an X1 to Headington seen in St Aldates on January 7th.


865 is ready for its run to Wantage with the X32 on January 7th.


I've driven this Citaro working the X40 Carousel to Heathrow in 2004. Here it is seen in heavy rain with Thames Travel
with the ex Stagecoach route 34 to Harwell in Abingdon on January 4th. 

Ciaran Bird


Reading's 1417 BV19XPS is seen passing St Giles on January 2nd with a 210 service.

Gavin Francis

 
Oxford Airline 67 loaned and in use with Edwards working the 040 in Elizabeth Bridge on January 6th.


A King Ferry Tourismo BU18KTY working the 007 seen in Bulleid Way on January 6th.

Gavin Francis

 
The company appears to have to unrecorded coaches added, SJ16ZZU and BU16OZP seen in Oxford with a Private Hire on January 6th.

 

Gavin Francis


LJ09KPZ seen with an X20 in Oxford on December 28th.

 

Tony Bungay

The enclosed may be of interest, seen parked up near Aylesbury Rail station on 7/1/22, I think this vehicle has already featured on the news page, being used in overall white.


Nicely painted PA04CYC is seen in Aylesbury on January 7th.

Red Rose 60 also shown, as some journeys withdrawn and certain journeys numbered 60A now operating via Great Horwood, 

Gavin Francis

 
West Gold 15345 branded for the 55 seen in Gloucester Green working the S6 on January 3rd.

Tony Gaze

Latest Gloucester repaints attached :

 
15859 taken on 29/12/21 - 15763 taken on 07/01/22

15764 is now in the Bristol paintshop, I am sure this will be the last Gloucester allocated Gold bus. 

On January the 16th, Banbury depot will be running a farewell tour using one of the remaining Dennis Darts, the longest serving Stagecoach Oxfordshire vehicles, before they are withdrawn. For those interested, we will be leaving Banbury Bus Station at 10am and will run on routes 59A, X4, 32, X30 and 59B. We haven’t set out any fares, but all proceeds will be donated to local charity Katharine House Hospice. Any questions please ask!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/stagecoachuk/permalink/2037999103029951/

Theo Freeman

Also 34471 is now at Witney out station and 36930/2 are at Banbury. It is rumoured that 34481/2 will either be reserve or sent to Stroud.

 

As for the 16th we now have a route set out. We will leave Banbury Bus station at 10am and run 59A to Oxford, X4 to Abingdon, 32 to Wantage, X30 back to Oxford and 59B to Banbury. We will be picking up in Oxford at either Magdalen Street or St Aldates around 11:30. We will be collecting for Katharine House Hospice and there are no set fares but we encourage people to dig deep!

 

         

Ciaran Bird


15762 on an S3 passing Wootton Turn (10/12).


MMC 10684 with an S5 in Magdalen Street East on January 2nd.


Gold 10786 with an S9 for Oxford seen in Wantage on January 2nd, this service no longer sees a morning peak using an Oxford tube.


Ex Gold 15757 in Gosford with an S5 on January 1st 2022.


Gold 15830 seen in Chipping Norton with a service 7 on January 1st.


Gold 10781 on diversion along the A44 while road works were taking place on Cassington Road in Yarnton on December 9th.

Gavin Francis


Working the 3 route, 10678 is seen in St Aldates on December 28th.


Gold 10779 is seen with a 7 to Woodstock on January 4th.


Stagecoach rules, 10788 with a 2A from the City on January 4th.


An evening picture of 11252 with an S1 in George Street on January 3rd.

 
27701 (not yet recorded in service by bustimes.org) seen with an S4 on January 6th
and 28745 nearing the end of its time as a Gold S4 on January 4th.
The replacement of these Gold buses seems slow as only two have so far moved to WEST.


Normally a haunt of the Hybrids, E200 36931 is seen in St Aldates on January 6th. 

Jack Cooper


Looking very very scruffy indeed Gold Scania 28744 is seen heading round to load for its trip to Banbury on January 7th.

Peter Leyman

15757 finally returned back onto the S5 route since being returned to Oxford in her new livery. This is the first time the bus has been back on its original route as it has spent most its time on other routes and mainly spent time running out of Chipping Norton outstation. 

15756 has been back running out of Bicester as well, 15758 should be due back soon as well from having the new livery applied. 

Photos were taken in Magdalen street 1/1/22 


15756 & 15757 parked together 


15757 on its own ready to do the first run back to Bicester 

Gavin Francis

 
MMC's 10872 and 10879 seen in Gloucester Green with X5 services on January 3rd.

Thomas Walker


Milton Keynes Central on December 27th to get my first X5 in the full new Stagecoach long distance livery, complete with gold logo at the rear.
Presumably these will get some kind of X5/99 branding at some point too?

 

Brent Ricketts

I have a couple of pictures which I took today of one of our B10M single deck Volvos in the process of being restored into the original stagecoach aqua fresh livery at our Nuneaton garage. 

 

It’s in preservation and also used for driver training. Before it was based at Northampton in service but now they’ve moved it to Northampton and am I right Oxford used to have some as I remember as a kid riding these between Yarnton and Oxford on the 20a/b and c ? 

Theo Freeman

I paid a visit to Leamington at the end of December and below are my pictures.

 

Pictured are 39890 at the station, 11221 and 18323 at the Parish Church, Johnson’s YX67 VGL with the breakdown van, 11217 and 34471/2

     
   
As mentioned above in that order.

The Astromegas 50233, 50235 and 50250 have not been used since December and 50272 and 50274 sent south to replace them have not so far entered service.

Jack Cooper


50428 heads up St Aldates London bound on January 7th.


"nis" 50438 in the rain on January 6th.

Ciaran Bird

 
AirSym (Symphony Chauffeurs) YX21NPG, a Volvo B8R/Plaxton Panther Demonstrator seen on a Megabus M34 to Newcastle in Oxford.
Note the rear destination blind fitted for PSVAR compliance. Picture from January 2nd.

Gavin Francis

 
54219 and 54269 seen in Bulleid Way, London December 24th and January 4th 2022.


54287 is seen in Oxford with an M34 northbound service on January 6th.


McLean's NX21MCL is seen with a megabus M20 service on December 24th.


Yellow Bus BK14LFJ seen in Bulleid Way on January 6th.


59222 is seen in Bulleid Way on December 29th.

 
East Yorkshire and Keepings run megabus services with A14EYC working the M45 and YT71GJK ready for an M10 both on December 24th.

   
Citylink 900 50417 away down south to London with an M20 service on January 1st 2022.
The megabus Panoramas are notable by their absence recently as their duties seem to occupy older Astromegas.

James Freeman


Panorama 50414 heading for Glasgow along the M40 (Wheatley) with an M20 on December 30th.

Ciaran Bird


Sunrise over the depot on December 19th. 

Michael Wadman


Swindon & District 14272 G102AAD in Swindon on September 27th 2004.


18447 in Chippenham on February 29th 2008.


Volvo 20683 seen in Faringdon with a 66 on September 27th 2004.


May 8th 2004 sees 20685 working the 51 in Cirencester on May 8th 2004.


Dart 33908 in Swindon working the 8 on November 21st 2003.

Cheltenham & Gloucester no 812 (J412 PRW) Former Midland Red South MB 811D / Wright

This appeared to be a minor mystery. The records say that 812 was transferred to Swindon & District in October 1998 ; to Cheltenham & Gloucester at Cirencester depot in March 2001; delicensed in September 2001 and placed in reserve; and dispatched to Bluebird Buses in Aberdeen in February 2002.  

Which is fine except that I photographed it on 4th July 2001 in Frideswide Square, Oxford, operating service 63 (from Faringdon) which had been a Swindon & District route since October 2000. And it was still carrying Swindon & District legals (for obvious reasons I was unable to check the disc).   

So my thanks to Dave Russell and Deric Pemberton for explaining that whilst Cirencester was technically a Cheltenham & Gloucester depot, at the time it was actually operated as an outstation of Swindon and vehicles allocated to it received maintenance at Swindon depot. 812 and several other vehicles transferred from Swindon & District to Cheltenham & Gloucester but didn’t have their legal lettering changed. They surmise that 812 was probably at Swindon for maintenance and was used on a Swindon duty on that day.  

Comments on last week's article on route 2.

Andrew Dyer

What a splendid article from Grahame Wareham about 2 Road. My memories of the road when I started school in the mid 60s were that the Weymann bodied “Queens” were the mainstay of the route.  As Grahame has said, the Kidlington route 93 was separate in those days.  

I’m also trying to imagine how big the party at South Wales Transport was when COMS sent 980-989 to them. The old Atlanteans that came in the opposite direction were the most appallingly unreliable vehicles as I recall!

Alexander

I also enjoyed reading Grahame Wareham's epitaph to OBC and its predecessors regarding 2 road, it certainly does have an interesting history, some of which I knew and some of which I didn't. I did however notice 3 mistakes I'd like to point out; the 1st one was with regard to what he said about the routes and numbers being simplified in the 1980's - he said that the 22 (City-Risinghurst) went via Banbury Rd - the 2nd one was about the 2D being withdrawn from The Moors in 1999, which actually happened in 2002 and the 3rd one was in relation to the picture of Volvo B10B 604 on the 2D service. He said that it was going back to Oxford Station when it was actually going to Oxford City as indicated on the blind. Also, the 2D wouldn't have been running on 16th April 2005 as there was no 2D between December 2004 and July 2005; in December 2004 it was withdrawn and replaced by Stagecoach's 7D service then in July 2005 the number was used again for A variation of the 2 that ran between Oxford City and Oxford Airport via Exeter Hall. It certainly is A shame that Oxford Bus Company will no longer be operating 2 road but I'm glad that the route had A good send-off, similar to what the X90 had on its last day 2 years ago. It was really good of Grahame Wareham to write such an excellent and comprehensive history and I'd also like to thank him for getting the remaining 2005 Citaros allocated to 2 road on its last day with special destinations. I actually got A picture of 1, which I'm planning on sending to you along with other interesting photos I took of buses. 

Jack Cooper

I thought I would comment on something mentioned by Brian Bell in last weeks issue. 

In last weeks issue, Brian Bell had raised a comment about the Oxford Bus ticketing types, commenting that the only Oxford + South Oxfordshire ticket is available on the app and for a week at a minimum. This is not the case, and there is a ticket on offer called the Go Anywhere. A Go Anywhere ticket is available to purchase as a paper ticket on the bus, or on the app. The paper ticket allows travel on any Oxford Bus Company / Thames Travel services and Stagecoach services within the Oxford SmartZone. The ticket is priced at £8 for an Adult, £5.50 for a Child and £15 for a Family (2 Adults + up to 3 Children). You can find more information on the Go Anywhere ticket here - 

https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/go-anywhere

Thomas Knowles

I was interested to read Grahame Wareham's piece on the Kidlington service. As a result I am attaching two pages from the COMS timetable dated 1st January 1945 when we were still at war. Fares are also shown, but the item of interest to me was the early last bus on account of wartime restrictions. I thought some readers might like to see this.

Timetables from some years ago

Kidlington Timetables 1st Jan 1945.pdf

COMS also operated route 94 to Banbury through Kidlington but that used a fare scale that discouraged short distance passengers. I can supply a copy if it is of sufficient interest.

At the bottom of the scan is the Kidlington service as at 26th February 1940 from which you will note that at least on a Saturday and Sunday there were some later departures. No doubt these were withdrawn as a wartime economy. However, there were two round trips added by 1945 - at 8.10am and 7.30pm ex Gloucester Green.

Stephen Warwick

It has been a long time since we've had any contact although I still follow what's going on the Oxford and Chiltern bus page. 

I am writing to see if any readers can help me, you may recall a long time ago myself and the late Malcolm Hyland had an extensive collection of photos from Alder Valley & The Bee Line from around 1980 to the early 1990s.

These were all photographs , Malcolm and I scanned them all and had them on an external drive, Unfortunately over the years I have lost mine and would love to be able find photos of that era. 

Do you think any of your readers/contacts would have any they would be prepared to sell me or scan and put on a disc?

I'm currently laid up with this wretched Covid and going through all my photos.

Kind Regards, Steve 

Please let me know if you can help Steve.

Michael Wadman

On another subject, I know it’s a bit outside OCBP’s area, but hope readers may be interested in the LBPT’s route 93 running day in south London & Surry in October?

On 9th October the LBPT hosted a Running Day over the traditional London Transport route 93 (Putney – Epsom, plus the extension to Dorking that ran on Summer Sundays from 1939-42 and 1946-60). Unfortunately it wasn’t ideal weather for photography, with morning fog giving way to bright sunshine, and traffic congestion, particularly through Wimbledon and over the Ewell – Epsom road, causing the timetable to rather fall apart by lunchtime. In general the more modern buses stayed on the southern part of the route to avoid the LEZ, leaving the northern end to the vintage vehicles. 

 
Former Connex Bus TA23 (V323 KGW) and former London United DPS689 (SN03 LFE) are in the morning fog at North Cheam.
 

The heritage buses terminated at the Green Man on Putney Heath rather than face the terrors of Putney High Street on a Saturday.

   
W
e see London General’s RM9, RM2208 from Berkshire’s Big Red Bus, a heritage bus operator based in Reading, and preserved RTW467 on layover.


Preserved RM848 at Epsom (Ashley Road). In LT days.
T
he bus wouldn’t have been here, as the 93 was withdrawn from Epsom in 1970 before the current one-way system was instigated.
 

Finally, an example of the usual fare on route 93:


London General DOE12 (LX58CXB), an ADL Trident / Optare Olympus body, at North Cheam (Priory Road) on 19
th February 2009.

Many thanks to Michael for an interesting article.