Issue nr. 197
Tuesday, March 29th 2022

Editorial

Your support has been very good during the past week and I apologise for the 18 hour delay in publishing this issue. Yesterday I found myself watching The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Memorial service on BBC which was most interesting. So that I am only putting the page together at 1400hrs on March 29th, this will require several hours to complete, now at 1400hrs today, March 30th.

Apart from a large number of local pictures contributors have also provided pictures from Milton Keynes, London's Route 101 celebration, Wycombe Bus Nationals, Cardiff, South Wales and The Highlands.

I am always impressed with the variety of liveries now used by so many operators and others who try to retain a more conservative approach to fleet livery. 

Readers can also enjoy ex Oxford tube 50212 now with Jeakins belying its 13 years of age. 


Jack Cooper has also provided some pictures from Oxford Bus Museum's twilight event.

... and a new delivery to a fairly local operator.

HC22HEN MB Tourismo WEB41054523001928 MB C53FLt 3/2022 Henshaw, Moreton-in-Marsh

Mike Penn

It is always nice to catch and unusual working as Mike has done for this issue.


Tourismo 37 seen at Luton Rail Interchange on March 24th, we wonder why ? 

Jack Cooper

The Oxford Bus Museum had ran a Twilight running around Oxford on the 26th, starting / finishing in Broad Street. It was nice to see the buses in Oxford, although unfortunately there weren't very many people around. On the buses though passers by stopped to marvel the vintage buses going around Oxford.  


The Morris Motors Band Bus

     
COMS 371 and 956 also in Broad Street. 

Thomas Walker-Werth

I went for a ride on the new Britannia Bus service 440 in Milton Keynes today. It started running this week and restores service to the south end of Furzton and Emerson Valley, as well as the Shenley Wood retirement home, with an hourly off-peak weekday service. The Council-funded services to these areas ended in April 2021. 

Next week I aim to do their other new service, the once-daily 450 from Woburn Sands to CMK.

http://www.britanniabus.co.uk/en-gb/
The web site includes routes and real time tracking.

Britannia Bus Ltd
Horsley Road
Northampton
NN2 6LJ

  
The bus has an interesting history having worked in Manchester with First and then Go North West!
The First origins are seen in the interior picture of MX06VPT !

More photos here: 

https://mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2022/March-2022/UK-Bus-Other-Transport-March-2022/i-J9TPhHB


    https://www.countrywide-coaches.co.uk/


There is another new addition to our fleet - LRZ9933 is a 53 seater Euro 6 low emissions Neoplan Tourliner.

Kevin Fuller in Slough & Windsor

I've had a couple of trips out in the Slough / Windsor area this week, and attach some photos for the next newsletter. The bright sun sun certainly enhances the many liveries that are around now! 


Thames Valley 795, SN66WLK, ADL Enviro 400 City in Green Line livery pauses for passengers at Windsor Parish Church
 on its 702 journey from London to Legoland, on 21st March. 


The metallic livery really shines on First 63313, SM65LNH, the Wright Streetlite Max,
decorated in special livery to mark the Queen's platinum jubilee,
seen appropriately in Windsor on 21st March, working route 8 (Slough to Heathrow T5 via Staines) 


Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 44565, YX63LLE nears the end of its journey to Slough from Burnham on route 12,
as it turns onto Stoke Road, on 22nd March.
This is one of relatively few vehicles in the local fleet in 'standard' First livery, with no route branding.


First 69928, BV13ZCX , a Volvo 7900 Hybrid departs from Slough bus station with an X74 service to High Wycombe.
The grey livery is unique to this vehicle. 


Stewarts Coaches of Mortimer run the Bath Road shuttle (Slough station - trading estate via the A4),
using five Mercedes Citaro's, including 7019, BF68ZFB, seen near Slough railway station 


Not the best photograph, as it is 'against' the sun, but here is one of First's training buses,
66903, MX55FFP, a Volvo  Wright Eclipse is seen at Slough depot.

Graham Kiddle

Please see attached link to my picture's from Milton Keynes this week. 

https://grahamkiddle.smugmug.com/Milton-Keynes-24322

Some of these pictures are included under the Operators heading below.

Gary Seamarks

Next weekend HOPEFULLY, Northampton or A.N>OTHER on Friday and Detling Rally on Saturday, with at present 135 vehicles entered.

Of interest coming up are some high profile closures of West Coast Main line over 4 days at Easter and three at May Day, south of MK, buses in use to Stanmore and also across to Bedford from what I was told, another RR between Rugby and Kettering for London connections, assume would be direct along A14 so perhaps just coaches. Same dates Coventry to International is closed so more RR there. Between these dates Bedford- Luton has another closure weekend with buses.  


Coach visitors to Oxford & Abingdon

David Beynon

The coach was taken in Redbridge.


Johnsons YN16UAJ on March 26th.
 

Jack Cooper


white bus YN10ABK in Abingdon on March 23rd. - https://www.whitebus.co.uk/


Fleet news and developments

Graham Kiddle

................. from Milton Keynes on March  24th


E20D 3127 is seen with a route 5 to Wolverton.


StreetLite 3305 is seen working the 1 in CMK.


3872 is working the X60 back to Aylesbury.

 
3956 with an F77 and 3962 with an F70.


A touch of the 71 plate with 3971 seen working the F77.


Not so many older deckers still at work with Arriva but here is 4212 with local service 3. 

Gary Seamarks in Oxford on March 22nd


Seen working the X8 FAST by The Queen's College in The High. Has the driver forgotten to change his destination I wonder?


E400 5466 has been off the road for many weeks but is now back in service and seen above in St Aldates with a 280 service.

 

Nigel Peach


Photo taken at Cressex back on March 19th of 5466 awaiting MOT. 

At Wycombe depot, Aylesbury's 5466 (presumably there for MOT) and DAF 2783 which has been out of service for so long, it has dropped off www.bustimes.org  

David Beynon


One of the smart fleet of railair coaches working between Reading and Heathrow, 23609 with the RA1 on March 26th. 

Harlequin Travel - Booker

Malcolm Crowe


The fleet parked at Booker Airfield on March 5th,


Now identified as Harlequin Travel, LX06DZY is seen at Stokenchurch on February 14th 2022.


Jack Cooper

669 has returned from repaint, and has entered service on 6 road, this meaning there is now a trio of black + green StreetDecks on 6 road! 669 is branded 'Fast Frequent Great Value'. 

LATE NEWS : 431 is back in service at Wycombe.

Malcolm Crowe with some pictures from recent weeks ...

   
Three views show the ever changing view of the overflow yard at Carousel, with 886 seen on March 4th
but by March 18th and 23rd it had gone !


However two blue Citaros were in the depot on March 25th, though neither was as far as I could see 886.
I wonder why they are there?


A rear view of 244 at the depot on March 4th.


Sprinter 980 at the depot on March 4th. This does not appear in service very often looking at www.bustimes.org


Again on March 4th StreetLite 409 is seen with Sprinter 979.


March 18th saw this gathering of 876, 405 and 409.


On March 23rd 245, 876 and 979 were outside the depot in High Wycombe. 

Gary Seamarks in Oxford on March 22nd


351 is seen in New Road working its branded service 13 with Nuffield College as the back drop.


608 seen in The High working a 15 road service in spite of the Brookesbus branding.
However the 15 does go past the back of Brookes.


Again passing The Queen's College this 8/9 branded bus, 687, shows a different hue in the spring lighting.

Jack Cooper


Hybrid 312 is seen working 35 road on the evening of March 26th.


Seen emerging from the Botley Road bridge, which dictates the use of low height buses,
613 is heading for Wheatley Campus with a U1 on March 21st.


city5 branded 654 is seen in Frideswide Square with a 5 road service on March 21st.


661 is seen in Abingdon working the X3 on March 25th.

 
The last of the three is back in 6 road branding when seen in Oxford on March 26th.


Tourismo 30 seen leaving Gloucester Green for Heathrow on March 21st.


Tourismo 32 having arrived at Gloucester Green on March 26th.


Tourismo 38 seen leaving Gloucester Green for Heathrow on March 23rd.


Tourismo 39 with Ashmolean wrap in Gloucester Green on March 23rd. How immaculate it looks!


Scania 201 is seen leaving Oxford train Station for a tour of the City and University Colleges on March 21st. 

Bob  Chalmers


942 in Ock Street on the 41 Abingdon town service on Friday, March 25th.

Gary Seamarks in Oxford on March 22nd


connector
Scania 208 is seen heading along New Road for Didcot with an X2 on a nice fine day.


Ready for departure to Harwell Campus, Milton Park branded 621 is seen at Didcot Parkway with the 98.


connector
buses predominate at Didcot Parkway with 904 working the X2.


How a moment in time can change the colours with 936 and 912 at Didcot on the same day and same location !

Jack Cooper


Citaro 868 is seen in Abingdon working the X1 on March 23rd.


909 at Oxford train station working the X2 on the evening of March 26th.

Malcolm Crowe


909 makes a visit to Carousel for engineering purposes on March 18th.


621 working the X2 on March 16th seen in Didcot. 

Jack Cooper


Oxford Bus  Levante III 58 is seen in Worcester Street on March 23rd.


Sister 59 leaving Gloucester Green for Stansted via Luton on March 21st. 

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Jack Cooper

Newbury & District have been operating journeys on the NX 210, however from 1st April their share of the journeys will transfer to another operator. I am unsure who will operate these journeys. Newbury use Scania Levante's 1415-1417 on the service, these being used originally on the 925 (Woking - Heathrow), with purple rear branding for Heathrow.


Newbury & District operated 1415 leaving Gloucester Green  on March 23rd.

Graham Kiddle

................. from Milton Keynes on March  24th


E200 E2RRT with local service 21 at CMK.

Gary Seamarks in Oxford on March 22nd


E200 YX10BGY is seen passing The Queen's College with a 275 service to High Wycombe. 

Jack Cooper


A comparison in stlyes with West's 15343 off route with an S6 and East's 10877 with the X5 in Gloucester Green on March 21st.
One of course is a Scania and the other an ADL.


In all its branded glory for the 55, 15343 is somewhat off route with an S6 in Gloucester Green on March 21st.

Jack Cooper


10431, usually working route 1 is seen under Botley Road Bridge with an S9 on March 21st.


MMC 10674 is seen leaving Gloucester Green for Chipping Norton with an S3 on March 21st.


An unusual display, this MMC - 10679 - is seen working the 1 to Cowley Centre on March 26th. 

Gary Seamarks

Few from a sunny Tuesday March 22nd to Oxford on the 05.50 X5 from MK, then onto Didcot by train for two and a half hours, back to Oxford for 17.20 X5 back to MK.

Just a note on X5, the downward run had loads of recovery time before Buckingham Town, but from there onwards was tight, same in reverse on return, can see issues in the future with the state of the road between on the A422 between MK North and Buckingham and again from Pear Tree to the Randolph pot hole littered and the suspension working overtime in both directions.

Graham Kiddle

................. from Milton Keynes on March  24th

 
Route 99 wass at first a Virgin airport connector but now sees buses such as 10877 and 10880 heading for Luton.


MMC 11280 is seen boarding passengers for its run to Oxford.

Graham Kiddle

................. from Milton Keynes on March  24th


E300 27685 is seen with an X6 working to Northampton from MK. 

Gary Seamarks in Oxford on March 22nd


Astromega 50274 is seen in St Aldates on March 22nd and what is surprising is that this coach has never appeared on www.bustimes.org
I wonder why ????


Again in St Aldates this time Panorama 50442 is seen arriving from London. It looks immaculate.

Jack Cooper


50423 is seen in Gloucester Green looking great with clean wheels and body shine on March 21st!


Last of the batch, 50444 is seen leaving Gloucester Green for London on March 23rd. 

Jack Cooper


Bussy the Vampire Slayer leaves Gloucester Green with an M34 working on March 21st. 

Malcolm Crowe


Seen parked along the A40 at Stokenchurch on March 24th was this Irizar IRZ818

London operators

Andrew Webb with some more wraps

The first, of what will undoubtedly be more, all over adverts for Marks & Spencer hit the capital's streets this week. 


LT506 passes under the watchful gaze of Admiral Nelson as it skirts Trafalgar Square bound for Liverpool Street on route 11. 

As part of TfL's 'Lets do London' campaign several Wright bodied buses have appeared in this overall wrap. 


Arriva's HV350 is seen arriving at Waterloo, terminus of the 243 from Wood Green. 

The campaign also features a TV advert and aims to encourage passengers back on board after the Pandemic.

And now with Route 101

Route 101 is a long established route plotting a north south course through east London, giving passengers a transect through the diverse communities of London.  Starting in suburban Wanstead it passes through the gritty multi-culturalism of inner city East Ham before terminating at Gallions Reach Shopping Park, a retail park in the heart of the regenerated London Docklands.  The route can trace its origins back to 1914 when London General introduced the route between North Woolwich and Wanstead, with a northern extension to Lambourne End running between 1935 and 1954.  The current route structure dates from 2005 when the section between Cyprus and North Woolwich was withdrawn. 

The route today offers passengers a service every 12 minutes, a far cry from its heyday when frequencies of every minute were offered at certain times to accommodate dock workers. 

On March 26th 2022 the London Bus Museum operated a running day over the route with journeys reaching as far north as Lambourne End and the river bank at North Woolwich.  The most intensive operation was between Cyprus and Manor Park.  With over 30 buses scheduled it provided a great spectacle and a opportunity to see the development of the London Bus in operation. 

Star of the event, and the oldest vehicle operating, was Guy G351, a Park Royal Arab in the care of the London Bus Museum. 


It is seen at Manor Park ready to depart for North Woolwich

The ubiquitous RT reigned supreme on the route between 1954 and 1971. 


The running day offered passengers the chance to ride on many examples of the class, including RT4188
and it is seen approaching Manor Park with a trip from Wanstead to North Woolwich.

At first glance this is 'just another' preserved RT, but closer examination of the adverts and fleet names shows this to be one of a batch exported to Prince Edward Island in Canada for use on sightseeing work.  When this work stopped the London Bus Company repatriated them and have slowly been returning them to service on British roads.  On what is believed to be its first day in service since returning to this country.

The RT design was replaced by the Routemaster, many considering this to be the pinnacle of the front engined, rear loading double decker bus.  The class enjoyed a relatively short tenure on the route, running between 1971 and 1978. 


RML 2760

Now preserved at the London Bus Museum it is seen at Manor Park after arriving from the south.  After a quick break it will retrace its steps back to Royal Albert Dock. 


Whilst waiting it is passed by Go Ahead's WVL473, an example of the current allocation to the route.


RMC1461 is an example of the Routemaster coach built for Green Line duties. 

In the 1990s a batch were refurbished for express route X15, linking the West End with the Docklands.  Recently repainted into the livery it gained for this service, it is seen approaching Manor Park headed for Woolwich Free Ferry.

London's successor to the Routemaster was meant to be DMS class Fleetlines, initially dubbed 'The Londoner'.  History records that the class did not enjoy long term success in the capital, with the Routemaster outlasting both the DMS class and two further generations of London Buses! 


Doyen of the class, DMS1, ventured away from the London Bus Museum for the day and is seen setting out from Wanstead with a healthy load. 


Later deliveries had a revised front with the headlights set further apart.  DM1052, now operated by the London Bus Company, is seen approaching Manor Park.

In 1994 the route was converted to operation by low floor Wright Scania single deckers, on of four pioneering routes in London to offer wheelchair access without the need for a lift.  Few (if any) of these vehicles survive


But preserved Stagecoach Dart  recalls the low floor single deck era of SLD359 as it arrives at Manor Park. 

Similar examples almost certainly operated the route when substituting for the Scanias.

 
This double decker Van Hool is former Stagecoach Oxford Tube OU09FNF 50212, now working for Jeakins. 

It has a plastic pate on the dashboard showing the original fleet and registration numbers despite having gained a dateless cherished plate. 

It is seen at Hounslow whilst working South Western Railway replacement services on March 27th

Many thanks to Andrew for this excellent contribution.

Michael Wadman with more Cheltenham & District pictures


Cheltenham & District 553 is seen in Victoria Coach Station working the 412 on April 11th 1998.


Mercedes  710 seen in Cheltenham on May 25th 1996.


Volvo B6-50 846 seen in Cheltenham with a 41 service on June 15th 1999. 

Barry Holman

Thanks to all who responded to my query.


Here's a photo of NRD 147M in its new Maidstone & District livery. It remained with M&D until 1994 when it passed to Bexhill Bus.


This photo is of ex- COMS Leyland Leopard with Willowbrook Warrior body (not Lynx as stated before) RFC 11T with M&D in 1994.

Both photos courtesy of Maidstone & District/NBC Companies Group.

I've followed the Bus Page since I bought my first PC in 2009, and originally from Kent I still follow the bus scene there and the old Maidstone & District, East Kent, and Southdown companies.

Neil Gow

Here is another contribution to the item on the Leyland Nationals that COMS acquired from the Berks Bucks Bus Company Ltd (t/a The Bee Line) and the sale of two to Maidstone & District.


NRD147M as Alder Valley 147 in the Cressex area of High Wycombe, May 1983 - working the Lane End service.


NRD147M as COMS (Wycombe Bus Company) 1310 at Lane End eight years later in September 1991.


NRD147M as Maidstone & District 3503 at Tunbridge Wells in December 1993. 

You will have to take my word for it that it is 147 in the first picture, as it is too grainy to see – but it’s what I wrote down at the time.

So, we have several pictures of NRD147M in these two contributions. It is nice to see that OCBP can produce such responses. Thank you! 

Michael Wadman

Attached are a couple of photos of FSU 837, a Scania K360EB4 with Plaxton body, from Lewis Coaches of Thamesmead. The cherished registration hides that this was a former City of Oxford vehicle, from the 2011 batch of Airline coaches; but there seems to be a question over which one.

 

The PSVC Circle reported that no 11 (LF61 OXF) and no 15 (RF61 OXF) swapped registrations in February 2013 – no reason was given but presumably it was discovered that there’d been a paperwork error when the vehicles were first registered – and throughout the rest of their service with City of Oxford the Circle continued to record them as re-registrations; and indeed also attached is a photo I took on 15th May 2013 of no 15 in Oxford High Street carrying the registration from no 11. 

When the coaches were sold in 2019, LF61 OXF went to Eltham Executive Coaches of Chislehurst, but the vehicle details that the Circle quoted for it were those of no 11 (the original LF61 OXF), not of the re-registered no 15. It was re-registered FSU 837 later that year and passed to Lewis Coaches in 2020, and the Circle continues to record it as the original LF61 OXF. 

 
So here is no 11, or possibly no 15, in Lewisham on Southeastern rail replacement on 3rd January this year.

Can anyone answer Mike's question re the identity of FSU637?

Nick Ross from The Highlands

Three images from a recent trip to the Highlands. 


Preserved Leopard RRS46R parked up at Aviemore station on a sunny March 20th 2022 


With light snow falling and a few lingering snow patches Enviro 19214 leaves Cairngorm Base station with a 37 back down the hill to Aviemore on March 16th 2022 


On depot at Aviemore on March 16th 2022 are Enviro 19217 and Trident 18446

David Beynon in Cardiff

The Yutong's were among quite an assortment I took in Cardiff and I noticed that the later one lacks the raised Yutong badge on the side.

So a wide variety follows from David.


A smart Citaro working route 21.

 
E200s represented by 245 and 267.

 
A 21 plate E20D MMC 273 is seen heading for Barry Island working route 95 with 17 plate 555 following.

       
A selection of the new electric Yutong buses now operating in Cardiff with the last missing a badge on the side.


A Scania adding to the mix of types in Cardiff, 726 from 2008 is seen working the 25.


A Wrights bodied Scania 765 out of service in the Capital City.

One must comment regarding the appearance of this fleet which is very clean and tidy.