Issue nr. 189
Monday, January 31st 2022
Editorial
The weather has been kinder in our neck of the woods but I am relieved not to be living in the north of the U.K. My sympathies to all those affected.
We have a nice selection of pictures and items this week with notice of an upcoming event and a further report from the recent farewell Dart tour from Banbury.
Jack Cooper has provided a wide selection of pictures from the past week including this one of 6377, now thought to have returned to the north east.
Seen outside Queens College in The High heading to turn round for its next
journey to Reading on January 27th.
Its last working with OBC was on January 28th with an X40 service.
Contributions continue very strong and as ever I am most grateful to my supporters. Thank you all !
Imberbus 2022 from
Sir Peter Hendy CBE
I’m delighted to say we have agreed with the military
a date for 2022 which is SATURDAY, AUGUST 20th
2022. It will again be a car free day, which
made it so much easier in 2021.
Regulator investigates £1.9bn National Express-Stagecoach merger
Stagecoach believes that a planned sale of parts of its inter-city coach businesses would satisfy any competition concerns but the CMA's action currently prevents that deal from going through.
The National Express takeover of Stagecoach is facing an investigation by the competition regulator, it has been announced.
OXFORDSHIRE BUS ENTHUSIASTS SOCIETY
After a break we are glad to tell you that we have
arranged for three meetings this Spring, as shown below. They will be at
The Tree Hotel, Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, OX4 4EY. Meals
are available at the bar before the meetings.
Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings.
Tuesday
15 February at 7 p.m.
“Lucky Dip” with Paul
Statham as he delves into his vast collection of pictures
Tuesday 15 March at 7
p.m.
Victoria Coach Station – a
spotter’s paradise in the 1960s to 1980s by Graham Low
Tuesday 19 April at 7
p.m.
A mystery location solved
Anthony Spencer
I'm trying to identify the location of these two stills
from a film made in 1960.
If my research is correct the bus in the first one is a
Thames Valley Traction Bristol L6B.
Gordon Jackson (pic #3) in the lead role. Kenneth
Griffith as the bus conductor (pic #1).
The film is Snowball produced by Independent Artists.
Is this actually a bus garage, and if so, where?
It looks too rural, but the built environment has changed
immeasurably from 60 years ago.
Many thanks for the info about Stokenchurch which
explains everything including the non-urban look.
I wasn't aware that TVT had a garage there. This pic from
your pages is the conclusive evidence I've been looking for.
The fence on the right (left in
pic #3), the bush, and the telegraph pole clinch it.
Remarkably there is still a pole in situ 60 years on!
The information and screen shots
came from this site - https://www.reelstreets.com/about-us/
Any credit belongs to them.
Replies to the puzzle
Having studied those two b&w
photos closely I’m drawn to the conclusion (would you believe?) it’s
Stokenchurch dormy shed!
The clues are: the 41 was the Ibstone service so the L would be appropriate and Paul Lacey states the open toppers were stored there during the winter months. Also the style of the wall on the left matches that in a photo I took years ago (attached). The open topper nearest the camera is 770, CAP206, which is the one used by South Midland for tours of Oxford and trips out to Blenheim – it can be identified by the maroon panel on the side which bore the SM fleetname, the other 3 TV ones had the fleetname directly on the cream bodyside.
My suggestion for the mystery photos is Stokenchurch dormy shed of Thames
Valley, the first shot showing a Bristol L on route 41
Wycombe-Stokenchurch-Ibstone, and the second shot showing two of the TV open
toppers in South Midland livery that were stored there during the winter period
when the Thames side route did not operate.
I’m afraid that I’m no
expert on Thames Valley, but I understand that service 41 (which the Bristol L
in the first photo appears to be operating) was High Wycombe –
Ibstone, so I wonder whether it’s Wycombe Marsh?
Unfortunately the area opposite the garage has been totally redeveloped so I
can’t match the building across the road.
If
indeed it is a Thames Valley garage then the ‘deckers in the second photo might
be two of the open-toppers for the Riverside Express, at least two of which had
flared skirt panels like the rear vehicle. From what I can find out they were
stored in September at the end of the 1959 season and sold in July 1960. If the
film was indeed made in 1960 then they would be in store, but unfortunately I
haven’t been able to find out where they were stored.
The location is
Stokenchurch Dormy Shed and the film was Snowball,
Next week's issue will include some pictures of the location in 2022. Ed.
A morning in Henley
I had a morning in Henley on Thames on Thursday, and took a few pictures for the
newsletter:
All pictures taken on January
1) This Heyfordian MAN / Plaxton coach was parked up next to Henley railway
station.
2) Arriva Mercedes Citaro 3024 picks up passengers at the Hart Street stop
whilst working a High Wycombe - Reading journey on route 850.
This route runs hourly via Wargrave and Twyford.
This bus recently arrived from Southern Counties.
Ed
3) Another Arriva Citaro, fleet number 3015 works service 800 in the opposite
direction, and is seen at the main town centre bus stop in Bell Street.
4) TK Travel of Reading operate the Henley town service which consists of 3
circular routes each hour, beginning and ending in the town centre.
This Mellor Strata bodied Mercedes minibus was the rostered vehicle, seen
awaiting departure time in Henley Market Place.
5) Thames Travel 850, a Mercedes Citaro, is seen in Henley town centre, whilst
working the hourly X38 shuttle between Henley and Wallingford.
Thanks to Kevin for an interesting selection. Ed.
Still the variance in mask wearing continues with various transport operations and supermarkets still requiring the use thereof.
Fleet news and developments
Gavin Francis
3030 at Oxford Train Station working the 280 on January 25th.
Jack Cooper
This week I have seen an
Arriva bus with Oxford branding on, 5460 was the fleet number.
I wonder how long it has been branded like this, as I had only really seen it
around Oxford in December onwards?
3030 this time seen on January 26th in Speedwell
Street again with a 280 service.
As a regular reader of your
blog Oxford/children bus page, I would like you and your readers to know (all
though you probably know already) that Arriva will be joining the Oxford
smartzone ticket scheme from 30th January.
Link to Arriva press
release;
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/oxford-smartzone-now-accepted-on-arriva-buses
Tony Bungay
Arriva Citaro 3030 obviously had an inoperative destination display as evidenced
by the paper sticker, on January 20th.
Another Citaro was also seen, but unfortunately in the dark which prevented photography on service 9, but sporting High Wycombe – Chesham Pond Park route branding!
The two new ADL E20D s mentioned a few issues ago are listed below.
YX71OJF | AD E20D SFD9L1ERAMGY18191 | AD | B30F | 1/2022 | Grant Palmer, Flitwick |
YX71OJG | AD E20D SFD9L1ERAMGY18192 | AD | B30F | 1/2022 | Grant Palmer, Flitwick |
Jack Cooper
City Sightseeing electric buses 199 and 200 have spent
most of this week in service, with the Scania E400s spending most of this week
off.
A cross section of the current fleet. 241 has been off
the road for several days now.
There is very specific interworking of routes connected with the link40 which means that we have at least three different buses each day. January 30th saw 401, 860 and 870.
The interworking also includes the 36, 39 and even The ONE !
Citaros 886 and 887 although "off fleet" were still
in the overflow yard at Wycombe on January 27th, sad and maybe no one wants them
now ?
LATE NEWS : January 31st 902 appeared working route 8 today !!
Gavin Francis
317 appeared working the 5A in St Aldates on January 24th.
254 has been off the road for many weeks but with 251 has now returned to
service out of Cowley House,
seen above with an X39 service in High Street on January 27th.
Whilst one of the 66* were off the road 300 filled in working 6 road on and
around January 27th.
Note quite 13 road, 352 takes a turn working 4 road on January 25th.
This was rather unusual when instead of the usual fodder for the X3, Brookes 608
was seen on January 27th.
661 was seen with a 5A service in High Street on January 27th.
The blue Citaros turn up working a variety of routes as seen below.
January 27th saw 845 inn High Street with a 13 road service whilst 847 was
working 35 road in St Aldates.
Graham Low
As Phil Southall foreshadowed in your last Page, de-hybridised 316 has now made a fair number of trips on the X39/X40. This is a view of it entering Henley Avenue from Rose Hill onn January 29th.
Jack Cooper
254 is seen looking clean and tidy with an X39 on January 25th.
Ex Hybrid 316 is seen with a 4 road service on January 26th.
Another surprise working the X3 on January 25th was 357 with Carfax Tower in the
background.
362 was working the 3 on January 27th heading for Rose Hill from the City.
Still impressive buses the Brookes StreetDeck Micro Hybrids, seen here is 372,
hold sway working the U1 on January 26th.
Anice clear shot of 5 road 658 turning out from New Road on January 26th.
668 now working its designated route, 6 road, on January 27th.
684 with road dirt showing where City 3 can be seen, now rostered to 15 road in
High Street on January 27th.
Orange 690 is in High Street with an 8 road working from Barton on January 26th.
Citaro 846 is seen with an 11 road service in High Street on January 27th.
Loaned 6377 with an X39 in The High on January 27th.
671, 677 and 681 working the two remaining Park & Ride routes in the City in
Janaury.
Jack Cooper
Tourismo 34 is seen with a Heathrow service at
Queens Lane on January 27th.
Seemingly due to the absence of at least three Tourismos the older Interdecks are being used in service almost every day. 71 appears the most popular !
68 was seen working the Heathrow service on January
26th.
71 is seen in Gloucester Green from the rear with
another Heathrow service on January 24th.
Graham Low
Some views at Didcot station of two Scania N230UDs which have joined Thames Travel in recent times and which are finished in their current livery:
247 with East Lancs body, ex Brighton and Hove
9944 with Scania (Poland) body, ex Metrobus.
Scania 207 is seen in Oxford with an X2 on January 26th.
224 was caught at Didcot Parkway with the same service on January 27th.
441 is seen at Didcot Parkway in the darkening evening light working the 98 on
January 28th.
Also at Didcot Parkway, now a regular for the X36, 454 is seen on January 27th.
Working the X2 Milton Park branded 621 is seen in Abingdon on January 26th.
Citaro variety, 849 with a 98, 854 with the 34 and 862 working the X32 in late
January.
905 is seen in Abingdon with an X2 on January 24th.
Milton Park branded 907 working X36 by Didcot Parkway on January 27th.
908 is also working the X36 at Didcot Parkway on January 28th.
Thames Travel originals 912-914 seen at work in late January looking very trim
and tidy.
937 is seen in Wallingford waiting departure to RAF Benson with teh 136 on
January 27th.
two of several faces of 944, looking nice and clean with a service 41 on January
26th in Abingdon.
Gavin Francis
Bruce have this new 71 plate coach for NEx working
seen in VCS on January 25th.
The national flag of Scotland adorns the rear
of this coach.
Another fairly new coach is BF21CYK working the A6 to
Stansted on January 25th.
This is 306 in the West Midlands allocation.
Stagecoach provide very limited operations for NEx at
this time, as seen with 54408 in VCS with the 564 to Halifax on January 25th.
Tony Bungay
A selection of photos which may be of use, taken in
Aylesbury over the past fortnight, as a number of your contributors have
commented in the current news page, the bright sun has either made photography a
bit difficult, or the road dirt has made vehicles grubby.
Redline's ex TfL E400 LK55KKL now in full livery works a service 50 in Aylesbury
on January 20th.
Two of the Ensign fleet buses to join Redline have gained company livery -
PO58NPJ and NPP on January 20th.
Tony Bungay
I believe ex Bournemouth HJ02HFF looks
rather grubby in the sunlight of January 20th with a 50 working.
Nothing specific to report except that only two of the ADL Transbus Enviro 300 have been exchanged with Banbury for the Scania Golds.
15966 is still at Bristol working the Amazon contract for which it was transferred.
Gavin Francis
E200 36933 is seen at Oxford Train Station working the 14A on January 25th.
Jack Cooper
S stands for Superior (i.e Gold) but with the demise of this brand anything
goes.
10431 is seen heading for Wantage with a service to Wantage on January 26th.
Now in service 15758 has returned from repaint into the new local livery showing
the white down to street level is not the best colour scheme!!!!
Working the 8 to Barton the bus is seen on January 27th in central Oxford.
Another example of the unsuitability of white is seen with an unusual working of
36730 with an S4 into Oxford on January 23rd.
This bus is normally rostered to the 505 Bicester Village service.
Theo Freeman
36768 is in Blackburn for repaint,
which is quite a way to go! 34481 was to be sent to Witney
outstation on Friday but was still in service yesterday.
Farewell to 34472
The pictures are of 34472 outside the depot, Deddington, Wantage, St Giles and Bletchingdon. 72 performed flawlessly throughout despite getting a little hot before the end. We raised £150 in total and I thank all who came along for the day.
A very nice record of the tour and its locations.
Gavin Francis
235, 237 and 250 now all off fleet just leaving 233 of
the Megabuses.
Jack Cooper
50274 rather proves my point ! Here seen on January 24th with a London
working from Gloucester Green.
Panorama 50435 is seen out of service in the City on January 26th.
Similar 50436 is seen heading for London on January 26th by Westgate.
Gavin Francis
megabus Astromega 50287 is seen in Bulleid Way after a journey down from
Scotland on January 25th.
Nearly 400 miles and it still looks presentable.
This week we look at a couple of coach operators who ran
bus services into Swindon, and I’m afraid that this now concludes my
photographic survey of independents in the OCBP area, at least for the time
being – you never know what might emerge from the backlog of films awaiting
printing or what Keith may send me in the future.
Athelstan Coaches of Malmesbury had some long-standing bus services in the Malmesbury area including a route into Swindon. Bedford VAM70 / Plaxton UJU7H, new to Chapel End Coaches of Nuneaton.
Laying over in the old Swindon bus station in 1981 plus CJB590J mentioned below.
This service was later designated route 19 by Wiltshire
County Council, and Keith Newton caught CJB 590J, a former Thames Valley Bristol
RELH6G / Plaxton, leaving the new bus station circa 1987. Around this time the
company rebranded as “Overland and County”. An attempt to run an express service
to London in 1990 was unsuccessful and they ceased trading in August that year.
Ellison’s Coaches of Ashton Keynes had no history of bus operation, apart from a few infrequent tendered services in the late ‘eighties. During November and December in 1997 to 1999 they ran a Saturday Park + Ride service in Swindon, and two coaches are seen on 22nd November 1997 at the parking site on Groundwell Industrial Estate.
B205 FMW was a Duple-bodied
Leyland Tiger, and WAM 519T a Bedford YMT, also with Duple body. Both coaches
were new to the operator.
It was something of a surprise when in November 1998 when Ellison’s won the Gloucestershire tender for a new service E35, a delightfully scenic 85-minute rural trundle from Lechlade to Cirencester.
Dennis Dart / Plaxton P212 RWR, new
to Jaraonda Travel of Cawood, is seen in Cirencester on 30th June
2001, and en route near Eastleach on 25th February 1999.
Days gone is always a great read from Michael.
Steven Knight SKM
I was doing some pic research and came across the following image, which as
taken twenty years ago on February 22nd 2002.
It is of one of three Volvo B10M/Berkhof coaches which were new in April 1996
(as N43MJO) and operated on the Oxford Tube It was later re-registered 3063VC.
This was one of a number of cherished registration plates that included 'VC" -
commonly thought to represent 'Virgin Coach' but which were in use on vehicles
operated by Vanguard Coaches of Bedworth, Warwickshire when it was taken over by
Western Travel in the pre-Stagecoach era.
It Moved to Stagecoach Midland Red South in May 1999 for use on the Virgin
Trains Rail Link between Coventry and Stratford.
3063VC was then transferred to Stagecoach East (United Counties) at Bedford in
October 2000 and continued in use on the Virgin Rail links operation being used
on the Milton Keynes-Luton Airport operation.
During 2002, Virgin Trains was launching its Voyager train fleet whilst also
previewing its plans for West Coast Pendolino operations. This included numerous
high-profile train launches and train naming events. To convey guests between
station venues and hotels where press conferences were held I arranged to
'borrow' Virgin-branded coaches from Bedford and Nuneaton depots.
We certainly took a Bedford coach to Cardiff, Swansea, Bournemouth, Penzance,
Exeter and Oxford and Derby. After using a coach in Manchester a circuitous
route back to Bedford was via Stoke, Derby, Leicester and Peterborough!
The attached photograph was taken outside a hotel in Exeter on 22nd February
2002!
Steve's contribution is very much appreciated.
By the Clyde
Nick Ross
A
grey Glasgow on January 26th 2022 as a very new McGill Yutong E12 electric bus
crosses the Clyde bridge,
heading South out of the city
James Freeman
My flickr album of the oxford united v Sheffield
Wednesday