News from Oxford
High Wycombe & the surrounding areas

update Sunday, June 6th 1999 by Malcolm Crowe

OTS has arrived and with it a lot of traffic problems. Apart from car drivers not being aware of perhaps not looking at road signs, bus passengers have not found it easy to get to grips with the new stops. Both main operating companies provided literature to help passengers and Oxford Bus must be complemented on the quality and scope of its productions. The various maps were also displayed on the buses and drivers were instructed to help passengers wherever possible. It must be said that implementation was not helped by the fact that the new road system was just not ready and a lot of work still remains unfinished. This has meant more delays for buses serving the city. The roads are full of traffic cones and pedestrians are finding it difficult to come to terms with traffic coming from the opposite direction in some streets. It is hoped that in the fullness of time things will settle down and we feel sure that everyone will get used to the new order.

On the Oxford Bus front none of the new Park and Ride Tridents has entered service and 101 is still on driving familiarisation duties. Various unusual workings have seen new SLF Darts from the 401-410 batch at work on 2, 4 and 15 roads, with ex London Volvo 646 on 52 road. 

On the Stagecoach further single door conversion Olympians from London have arrived and they now have 527-530 with registration numbers C114, 112, 115 and 116 CHM observed. More Tube deckers have arrived in the shape of 44, 50 and 53. joining 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51 and 52 already in service. 44 entered service without chrome wheel trims and certainly looked different. Finally 920 and 941 were on the 30 group of routes on Saturday making an unusual site as far away as Didcot. 

Please click here to see P&R Trident launch - Dateline Tuesday June 1st 1999

You can still view the Tube launch report here.

IMPORTANT NOTE RE THE PHOTOGRAPHS

THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME PROBLEM WITH THE SERVER WHICH I AM TRYING
TO RECTIFY. THE RESULT IS THAT THE PICTURE DOES NOT LOAD.
I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE RESOLVED IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING

RIGHT CLICK YOUR MOUSE BUTTON AND CLICK ON "SHOW PICTURE" ON THE MENU

THIS WILL THEN LOAD THE PICTURE.
(YOU WILL NEED TO REPEAT THIS FOR EACH PICTURE WHICH HAS NOT LOADED)
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO REPEAT MORE THAN ONCE
GOOD LUCK !

NOTE: SINCE THE QUALITY HAS BEEN IMPROVED DOWNLOAD TIMES ARE INCREASED
A PENALITY FOR QUALITY !!!  SORRY.

Oxford High Street showing the area where the "gate" will be placed to restrict traffic entering Oxford.

Cornmarket on the first Tuesday of pedestrianisation. Quite a carnival atmosphere was created.

Old and new at Redbridge. New 101 seen with 217 and 970 last Tuesday.
The new buses are most distinctive.

Jon Radley, Marketing Manager of Oxford Bus was "very pleased" with the new Tridents
He is seen here at last Tuesday's launch.

"Last bus to Cumnor from Cornmarket" !!
634 waits departure at 2240hrs on 31st May 1999 - the last time a 4B left Cornmarket before OTS.

The new Olympus Camedia 2000 shows its paces in capturing this view of 634 at Cumnor
on an earlier journey to the city on 31/5/99

The 35A service of Oxford Bus reaches Didcot on an hourly basis during the day.
Here 204 is seen having arrived on the 5pm service from Oxford. The Power Station can
be seen in the background. 35 road is due to receive Volvo saloons shortly seeing
the end of the Olympians in Oxford. Saturday 5th June 1999.

Both Oxford Bus and Stagecoach compete in Didcot and here we see 204
in the company of Stagecoach 941 - a dedicated Blackbird Flyer M A N -
both carrying rear end adverts for shopping centres in the Oxford area.

The 35A runs through some nice countryside and 204 is seen in Steventon on its
way back to Oxford. The late afternoon sun catches the side after a period of very
heavy rain, hence the interior lights were on.

Another shot of 941 at Didcot, the blackbird has flown a long way today !!!!
Saturday 5th June 1999

Back in Oxford 217 is seen turning out of Queen Street into St Aldates, it new route
whilst Cornmarket is quiet on this Saturday morning shot of Carfax.

382 has returned from the east of Oxford on service 103 and is seen here setting
down at the top of High Street where a number of new stops have been introduced.

656 is seen here at the new 4 road stop on Castle Street. Boarding for may services
is now at both ends of Queen Street. It is intended that Queen Street will also be closed
to traffic in the future.

Stagecoach Blackbird Flyer now runs via Castle Street and here 938 is seen
turning into Queen Street on Saturday morning 5/6/99.

Coming up from Gloucester Green, 970 is seen entering Queen Street on 300 road.

New Tube nr 44 is seen passing Carfax en route to London. Note the absence
of chrome wheel trims !!   5/6/99

As a change we bring you a picture of a Leyland Tiger of Charlton Services.
This Tiger was immaculately turned out with polished wheel trims in true
Leyland fashion, it really did look grand !

Another visitor to Oxford was this Neoplan from Gutersloh. Many ex RAF types
will doubtless remember this as a RAF Station in Germany.
The coach was seemingly carrying a German football team.

And finally , from the back, Stagecoach 784 shows off its "rear end" advert for
a local product. Seen here on route 3 to Rose Hill. 5/6/99