Issue nr. 210
Wednesday, July 6th 2022

Editorial

A busy week with a number of interesting contributions for readers. The time is now upon us when there are, at last, a number of gatherings each weekend.

Also the two white E20D MMCs recently arrived with Oxford Bus have now received, in one case City livery and in the second case appropriate temporary branding. I am told that the branding on 515 is applied using vinyl since there was no time to have it painted and then branded. I must say it does look very good.


This picture shows the livery now carried giving an excellent impression. Picture from Jack Cooper.

A significant loan is in progress with Oxford Bus who have a Wrights Electroliner in Belfast livery for trials.


The bus seen in George Street operating the 300 service with further details to be found under the Go Ahead heading below.
Picture by Gavin Francis.

Rallies have taken place in Bournemouth and Gaydon for which we have an excellent number of contributions with more to come in the next issue. Several readers have contributed and their pictures can be found further down the page.

It was the Silverstone F1 event last weekend and we have some pictures from that event. Also recorded are a n upcoming event at The Oxford Bus Museum on July 10th.

In this issue there are 216 photographs and fo those who may wish to know more about any picture I recommend referring the registration to Google

Finally I am sad to report the passing of a well known member of The Oxford Bus Museum and preservation in general - Martin Shaw. r.i.p.


https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/formula-1-british-grand-prix

A few reports from readers.

Brent Ricketts

My bus for the day was an ex Gloucester Stagecoach West decker which was very nice to drive even though it was 10 years old and a bit bruised but nevertheless she did the job very well.  

   

At Silverstone itself I saw buses from Cambridge, Portsmouth, Surrey and Gloucestershire and we also carried over 40,000 people over the three days .  

 

James Allum

..... at Sixfields and got this picture of Stagecoach Barnsley MMC on the shuttles   https://www.ntfc.co.uk/

SIXFIELDS USED AS PARK & RIDE VENUE FOR BRITISH GRAND PRIX THIS WEEKEND

A busy weekend in store as Sixfields supports neighbours Silverstone host the British Grand Prix


SC Yorkshire 11125 in Platinum Jubilee livery at Sixfields on July 1st. Nice to see a cherished registration ! Ed.


https://cbwmagazine.com/current-issue/

Richard Sharman

   
CBW is certainly a very useful publication  and worth a subscription.


https://www.wythall.org.uk/busfest.asp

WYTHALL BUSFEST @ GAYDON
INCORPORATING 50 YEARS OF THE LEYLAND NATIONAL
SATURDAY, JULY 2nd 2022

Jack Cooper

On Saturday 2nd July was the Transport Museum Wythall's Busfest, held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon.


This was attended by 221 from Oxford, as well as Stagecoach Banbury's 36765, for a while we were parked next to each other!

  


More under Tony Bungay's contributions.

    Leyland National 50th Anniversary 

     

Other attendees

     
   
     
     
   
     
 

Tony Bungay

Today I was able to attend the Wythall Bus Museum event at Gaydon. An event that despite being a Saturday, had a fair selection of vehicles, centered on the 50th anniversaries of the Leyland National, and launch of National Express.

     

    Leyland National 50th Anniversary 

   

As you will know or can see. The event was unfortunate to be caught in a slow moving wet front.

     

Final selection Malcolm, rain at times made photography difficult, simply a moist drop on the lens can appear on the image, as one or two photos show.

   
The Birmingham AEC has only recently been restored and looks magnificent.

How frustrating it is when all is planned for a fine day and the rain comes ! Ed.

Stevenage update

James Allum

A visit to the old bus station after work today and here’s the latest pictures. At this rate it will be gone by next week. 

   
     

Also attached a picture of the new Stevenage Interchange on July 1st.


An interesting development as new bus stations these days are few and far between. Ed.

Michael Penn

I see that you have published some photos of the last day of the old bus station at Stevenage so here are some from day 3 of the new bus station on June 30th.

Stevenage Interchange

     

 

The most surprising thing is how bright the new concrete area appears, one wonders how long it will last like this ? Ed.

An Obituary - Martin Shaw


Martin Dudley Shaw 1940-2022

from Grahame Wareham

Firstly some sad news via Nick Taylor. Martin Shaw, who was one of the founder members of the Oxford Bus Preservation Syndicate and Oxford Bus Museum Trust, passed away a couple of days ago.
He had unfortunately been suffering with dementia and my last contact with him by telephone had been just over two years ago. He was living in Normandy, France and was being cared for by his sister Jane and her husband Walter.

Martin can be remembered as a bus historian who kept an up to date record of the City of Oxford fleet history, which I carried on from him since 1994, and also a comprehensive photographic record of the COMS fleet and the numerous independent operators in the local area. Martin also got involved with bus preservation in the late nineteen sixties when AEC Regal/Willowbrook single deck NJO703 was purchased by the embryonic Mid Oxon Bus Enthusiasts Club with a view of complete renovation which he tackled formidably and very thoroughly, setting a high standard benchmark for all future restorations that he was involved with, including his own ex. COMS Regent III, TWL928 and his two Bedford PCV vans, ex. COMS MJO187 and ex. Thames Valley/South Midland RWL71.

He also owned ex. Chiltern Queens Reliance EUD265K and ex. South Midland AEC Regal III/Duple coach OFC205, all of which were bequeathed to the Oxford Bus Museum.

Martin did not suffer fools easily and it took time for a 'newbie' like me to be accepted by him as a fellow enthusiast/restorer when I joined the group in 1970.

I suppose my mechanical ability and future employment with COMS helped and we ended up quite close preservation 'comrades' over the next thirty years until he moved to France, although we stayed in touch.
Martin originally worked for Halls Oxford & West Brewery, as a property surveyor and when Halls (Ind Coope) moved everything to Burton on Trent and then found further employment with Oxfordshire County Council as a Local Public Transport officer, compiling the Oxfordshire Bus Times publications and amendments. He also undertook some part time bus and coach driving for Black & White at Cheltenham, Worth's of Enstone and eventually Guide Friday where he ended up after he retired from Oxfordshire CC. When I first knew him he lived in Iffley Road and well remember some of the late evenings in his basement looking through numerous photographs. He later moved to Farmoor where he also looked after his father for a number of years. He was well known in the official bus circles such as the Omnibus Society and The PSV Circle.

My best memory of Martin was when I accompanied him to Ben Jordans, Coltishall near Norwich one day to purchase a Bristol K type chassis for spares for his ex. Thames Valley 616, Bristol L GJB254, which he also owned for a short period. Martin was supposed to be guiding the farm tractor driver out of the gate way and I was trying to steer the K type chassis and follow the tractor. After I had been towed completely though a hedge we discovered that the chassis was devoid of a nearside front road spring that made any form of guidance impossible, but Martin still allowed the farmer to drive-on despite my vociferous protests.
A ripped shirt and numerous cuts from the thorns was the outcome for me but that was about the only time I saw Martin laugh so much that he could barely drive his car ............in fact the low loader and K type chassis arrived back in Oxford before us!

That's the kind of memory that I wish to remember Martin with !


https://www.oxfordbusmuseum.org/

Jack Cooper

On Sunday, July 10th the Oxford Bus Museum will be holding a city bus day at the Museum. 

As the weather forecast is good I look forward to your pictures from this event. Ed.

Office of the Traffic Commissioner

Notices and Proceedings (East of England)

Publication Number: 2539 Publication Date: 06/07/2022

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1088445/np_2539_06_July_2022.pdf

Here you will find the changes for much of our area. Ed. 


      Coach visitors to Oxfordshire     

David Beynon

A trio of Clarkes in Keble Road on June 29th and two June 30th in Broad Street.

   

Noted in St. Giles on July 3rd.


A nice livery compared to the last one from this company.


Beaumont Street n July 4th.

Gavin Francis


A nice Tourismo in St Giles on July 2nd. 


This Routemaster was pictured by Gavin in Wheatley on July 5th.


     Fleet News and developments   

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.

     
     
There are now many buses bearing the latest livery. Ed. 

Gavin Francis

 
Both these coaches are now working from air-sym and are seen in London on July 5th. 

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.

Gavin Francis

 
Recent sightings in London. 


Luke Marion - Interim Managing Director

StreetDeck Electroliner 3575 The registration sequence for the Electroliners will change after 3574, with 3575-80 being YUI 1545-50.

This is the demonstrator we have on loan from Wrights. It replaced the blue Electroliner demonstrator that was briefly seen on the 20, as that one was not really representative of the vehicles we might be looking to order. Translink have kindly made this one available to us to trial, which mechanically is closer to what we would be looking at, and today was the first day it has been used, following some issues with the mobile chargers.

(this corrects the original comments in this issue - Electroliner not Hydroliner. Ed.)

We have a number of pictures of this bus from Gavin Francis

 
It is working 300 road at present as it maybe too high to be used for the 400. 

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.

 


Gavin travelled to Wycombe using the link40 and was surprised by the cove advert on June 29th. 

Jack Cooper

As mentioned in last weeks page, there are changes to Carousel services from July 24th, these can now be found on the Carousel website - 

https://www.carouselbuses.co.uk/service-changes-24th-july-2022 

Gavin Francis

..... in Oxford where brighter sunlight improves the pictures.

       
Sometimes buses appear on differing routes.

     
The two new E20D MMCs 515 and 599 are seen with new branding in Horspath on July 5th.


Green 841 is seen working route 11 on July 2nd.

Jack Cooper

515 has been wrapped into the new red + black city46 livery. 599 has also gained temporary branding for the 46.  

 

 
515 in its new livery at Cowley Centre on July 2nd.

 
Loaned 599 is seen by Westgate on June 30th.
513 has lost ST2 branding, and just has connector branding.

Jack Cooper

July 17th will see an hourly Gatwick service resumed on the Airline, services will still run to Gatwick via Heathrow - 

https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/airline-service-changes-1

Jack Cooper

There has been a timetable change on the River Rapids X39 / X40 from the 3rd July - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/river-rapids-service-changes-3rd-july-2022

Ken Mackenzie

..... noted that 875 back from repaint seen on A34 on June 30th 2022

So both 873 and 875 are now in service, often working the 63 and 874 is now away for repaint. 


   https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/timeline

Congratulations for 50 years of service, very much one of the most recognisable brands in the U.K.

 
including Courtney, Newbury & District & Thames Valley

Robert Williams

Droves of people from the local community turned out for Reading Buses first open day in three years.

 

The bus operator recorded another record amount taken on the day - £7,371.08 through a combination of cash and card payments. 

The company is now calculating costs to work out how much will go to their charity of the Year New Beginnings who were also on site with their charity branded bus. 

“It really did seem like the busiest open day ever,” commented Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer Robert Williams.

 “A big thank you to everyone who supported the event, be it attending, volunteering or working to keep our company running so that others could take part.” 

Visitors could tour the control room and workshop to see behind the scenes and these, along with the BBQ, curry and cake stalls all completely sold out.

Trips through the bus wash, which were going non-stop all day, proved a particular hit. 

Hundreds of children got to sit in the driver’s seat on a Reading Buses rainbow line-up of buses and had their photo taken with their favourite colour bus. 

The event was opened by deputy mayor Cllr Debs Edwards and one of the visiting stallholders said: “The event organisation was excellent and it was good to see so many people.”

Robert added: “I’m so pleased that we were able to go ahead this year after having to cancel them in the last two years. The day really highlights what an important part our company – and the whole team that works within it – plays in the local community.”

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.

 
An improved red eagle livery.

Notices & Proceedings - (East of England)

REDLINE BUSES LTD, INTERNATIONAL HOUSE, 3 GRIFFIN LANE, AYLESBURY, HP19 8BP
Operating between Aylesbury Bus Station and High Wycombe Bus Station given service number 130 / S130, 621 effective from 25 July 2022.
To amend Timetable

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.


The 130 is continuing still providing competition for Arriva on the route.

 
Variety is the spice of life for school services by Redline.

Notices & Proceedings - (East of England)

Waiting for latest publication on July 7th.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notices-and-proceedings-for-the-west-of-england#full-publication-update-history

Dave Harrison

Red Rose Travel are taking over service 40 Thame to High Wycombe and return. There has had to be some reductions to the evening and Sunday services, as these are funded by Oxfordshire County Council and Buckinghamshire Council and the costs have escalated significantly. The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays remains commercial.

The times are changed throughout and the service will no longer operate the odd journeys through Towersey.

Gavin Francis

..... in High Wycombe on June 29th.


Further appearances in Wycombe is on the cards for this company. 

Dave & Deric

Here is the update summary from the latest Stagecoach West Fleet Card. Please note there is a query on the disposal of 34564.

Vehicle on Loan                    54265             North Bristol              to         Loan to Stagecoach East Midlands (Hull)

Out of Reserve                     34786             Reserve                     to         Stroud

For Disposal                         34683             Swindon                    to         Disposal

Sold/Gone                             34564             Disposal                    to         Gone? (This is a query as it has disappeared off the Fleet Card but is still shown as Reserve on the listing!)

Additionally, we’ve picked up the following changes to the Stagecoach Oxford fleet:

Out of Reserve                     36113             Reserve                     to         Banbury (is also shown as Reserve! But it is due to go to Banbury)

                                             50268/69/71   Reserve                     to         Oxford

36113 is to replace 28744 at Banbury, which moved to Gloucester last week. This move will probably be confirmed on the next Fleet Card.

Also, just to confirm the picture on this week’s Oxford & Chiltern Bus Page of Gloucester’s 27778. It has received a heritage livery to replicate the Bristol Omnibus “OMO” livery that was used in the late 1960s/early 1970s up until the introduction of NBC livery.

Tony Gaze


27778
 in Gloucester on Service 1 (Gloucester-Matson) on July 1st (another view) 


28745
 in Cheltenham on Service 97 (Cheltenham-Gloucester) on July 2nd.
This bus is ex Gold from Banbury. Ed.

 

Gavin Francis

 
This bus appeared at Stagecoach Oxford on July 5th and is seen on November 28th 2016.
We are unaware of what is happening with this bus? 

Gavin Francis

 
A surprise appearance working the X5 on July 2nd and 3rd was 19579 rather than a distance liveried decker !

Only 50274 from the batch of Astromegas ready to help out in service provision has been in use in recent weeks. 

Gavin Francis

   
This Astromega was working for megabus on July 1st having been photographed in Oxford on August 17th 2019.


It was back again on July 3rd.

 
This started life as a demonstrator for Plaxton and is now in use with Parks as seen above on July 3rd. 

     London operations    

Gavin Francis

 
Wimbledon continues with GAL providing service 739 for attendees.

 
Go Ahead both have NRMs in this wrap as seen on July 4th and 5th.


Highway Coaches Astromega RV65OKX was seen on July 3rd.


Silver Service LJ69YWR Volvo 9700 is seen in Victoria with a Leger Holidays on July 4th. 

Grahame Wareham

COMS first fleet number 210 was RTH638, another of the erstwhile ex. James Bros/South Wales Transport lowbridge Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1's but with a Metro-Cammell Weymann body.

     
 
Numbered 226 and later 1226 whilst in South Wales 210 arrived in Oxford during October 1970
and was immediately painted into the then new dual colour standard scheme.

It was withdrawn in August 1976 and sold for scrap to A. Barraclough, Carlton, Barnsley, along with a large batch of other withdrawn vehicles.


The new era of double decker's in 1982 provided another 210 this time a
Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R with ECW H47/28D body WWL210X delivered in August.

 
I took 210 to Showbus at Woburn Abbey the following month where it was put on display on the Leyland Bus stand
along with United Counties Olympian/ ECW620 ARP620X and a new London Transport Leyland Titan.


The following month I took 210 to the Mersey & Calder Open Day at Burscough airfield at the request of Ribble
(this reciprocated the loan of their JFR12W at the COMS Centenary a year previous)
fuelling up at the Aintree depot and getting home to Oxford in three hours!

 
210 later received unibus advertising for Geoffrey Rhodes Opticians before repaint into the new OBC red, white and black livery.

 
From 1995 210 became a Park & Ride bus lasing until 1999 when it was sold to Jeff's Helmdon along with 209 and 211.

Unfortunately 210 was written off in an accident by the next winter but not before it appeared at the 1999 British Grand Prix with 209 and 211 as a Marshall's circuit pick up bus............ I am told that a bus race may have taken place!

Grahame does provide most interesting history for the fleet numbers concerned. Ed.

Gavin Francis

... has sent pictures of the latter and current 210 still in service !!


OXFORD BROOKES 210 in St. Aldates on April 30th 2011.

 
Still with Oxford but in TT livery 210 in Castle Street on January 29th 2015
and then with Thames Travel working the X40 on June 3rd 2015.


During 2020 this bus spent sometime with Carousel in High Wycombe, seen on June 11th 2020.

Many thanks to Gavin.

Neil Gow


For issue 210 here’s a picture of Leyland Olympian 210 in Park & Ride livery on 21
st November 1998.

While scanning the picture of 210 I came across this that may be of interest. It is one of two DAF SB220 gas (LPG) powered demonstrators that were in use with Oxford Bus Company during winter 1988-9. This one was numbered 399 during its stay.


It is caught on November 21st 1998 in a typically busy Queen Street scene of the time.
The other, numbered 398, was appropriately registered P10LPG.
 

If anyone is running an item on demonstrators with COMS/Oxford Bus Company I captured around 9 of them in the 1987-1995 period.

This is a nice idea from Neil, any takers? Ed. 

 


https://www.bournemouthbusrally.co.uk/event-info  

David Gray

I visited Bournemouth Bus Rally yesterday for an event celebrating 120 years of Yellow Buses (it only seems like yesterday that I attended the 100 years event!)

The weather was fine apart from a brief rain shower in the afternoon which I evaded by getting on one of the shuttle buses.

The shuttle services operated using a variety of preserved and vehicles from the local fleet, were:


Route 10 Talbot Manor Circular via Charminster Winton and Holdenhurst Road

 

 


Route 41 Mallard Road/Yeomans Way via Charminster, East Way and Castlepoint

There were a number of the home fleet on display.

   

     

   

 

     

 

   

The pictures above show the variety and the evident showing of Bournemouth attendees.
Each picture has a description with the photograph title. Ed.


Sister bus FEL 216. This was the first event attended in over 50 years.
(This information was contained within a superb booklet obtained at the event, with a tremendous array of photos and content.
An excellent programme for £5)

Kevin Fuller

I took a trip to Fareham and Gosport on June 29th to see the new vehicles that First Hampshire now have in service for their Eclipse E1 / E2, which utilise the disused Gosport branch line railway trackbed dedicated for bus use for some of the route. They are ten Wright Streetlite DF buses in dedicated 'Eclipse' livery, equipped to high specification, for the high frequency route. 


63407, SV22UZJ pauses in West Street in Fareham near the end of its E1 journey from Gosport. 


63408, SV22UZK is seen on the dedicated bus section of route, at the Wych Lane stop with a Gosport-bound E2 service.
Note the '10th Anniversary' (of the Eclipse services) stickers above the drivers cab front and side. 


Seen departing Gosport bus station for Fareham with another E1 service, 63411 SV22VWP
illustrates a nearside view of these new buses. Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower is seen in the background. 

All pictures taken on Wednesday 29th June.


Gary Seamarks

Some pictures from our Scotland Holiday last week, we stopped about 30 minutes from Loch Lomond, at another Loch and did not venture into any major town or city, except a brief stop at Stirling. 

Locations are : 


65709 Aberfoyle

 
AC61ABY, YW68PDY Lochgoilhead,

outside the cottage we had:

 
L30SBL
, YY18TDU Fort William


LSK506 Inverary

     
MX12DZH
, YJ14BAY, YJ17FWX and YS16LML Oban

     
HSK649, YK18KUO and NH17NFH at Pitlochry.

   
P100WCM
, SJ21NDG, YT15AWF Rest and Be Thankful (A82) -
note that the two WCM on Rest and Be thankful were through the windscreen hence a few midges included.
 

Some very interesting pictures giving a great idea of a holiday location in the U.K. Ed

Gordon Scott from north of the Border

Taken on July  in Edinburgh


Ex Stagecoach East Scotland 50312 -  A2 XXW ex YJ64 AUP Van Hool Astromega
new to Stagecoach West Scotland were fold away beds but were normal day time seats for day use.


Taken in Princess Street for new Superbus.com  Edinburgh new tea and buffet tour lasting 90 mins. 

Ensign Bus

Purfleet in June : 

VEHICLES IN. 

From First Essex : Trident VX54MUA   Volvo B7RLE’s MX05CCN / CFE  

From Mayfair Coaches : Volvo B9TL BJ11EBG. 

From Brighton and Hove : Mercedes Citaro’s BD57WDR / WDS / WDN 

From First Huddersfield : Volvo B7TL YJ51RRY . 

From Tower Transit : E200 YX10BDV 

From Tyrers Coaches : E200s YX60DXY / YX12FPY / ML62OGY  

From Transdev : E200 SN65CFE 

From Metroline : E400s LK08DXY / DXZ / DYA / NVD / NVE    E200s LK58CPX / CTV / LK08DWA / DWE / DWN

VEHICLES OUT : 

E200s YX11AFN / AFK / AFV / AFY / AFZ / AFO / AFU / AGO : First Essex. 

E200 SN65CFE : Brighton and Hove. 

E200s YX60DXY / YX12FPY / ML62OGY / YX12DHM / YX12DHO / KX08HMF / LK08DWA / LK08DWE : Galleon Travel, Stansted. 

Volvo B7TL LJ05BKK : Barway Services , Ely. 

Volvo B7L EU05VBN : Cube London Ltd, Surbiton. 

E400s LJ09CCO / CCN : Delaine Buses, Bourne. 

Volvo B9TLs BN61MXW / MXX / MXT : Maghull Coaches, Liverpool. 

Volvo B9TL SN09CVB : DJ Thomas , Neath, Wales. 

The following all to Shelton Motors for scrap :

Trident VX54MUA   Volvo B7RLE’s MX05CCN / CFE   E200 YX10BDV   Mercedes Citaro’s BD57WDR / WDS / WDN  Scania YN05GWY.

Ensign Fleet.

E200 790 sold to Grant Palmer.