News from Oxford
High Wycombe & the surrounding areas

update Saturday 28th August 1999 by Malcolm Crowe

Please note that any comments made in this news page are those of the Editors' and in no way constitute 
any official points of view from the bus companies mentioned,  or indeed any other official body. 
As a news page we reserve the right to make valid comments as seen from an editorial point of view.

Saturday was again a real scorcher with lots of sun and very little wind. Your correspondent was treated to his first sight of a brand new Oxford Citylink coach on delivery. More below. News has also reached us of substantial transfer of Stagecoach buses out of Oxford following the recent service changes. Another new operator arrives in Oxford, as Thames Travel take over the X39. All in all an interesting Saturday.

News from Oxford Bus sees the arrival of the five new Volvo B10M-Plaxton Excalibur coaches for the Citylink services. They will replace the five Volvos ex Shearings 59-63. Confirmation, if it is needed after seeing the above pictures , is that they will go on to Airport work. This will release 5 of the 50-55 batch for X90 service. 16 is the first to arrive and it is hoped to have the full batch in service by the end of next week. There are small differences, such as the rocker switches on the dash panel, updated seats and a changed layout to the instrument binnacle for the driver. The driver's seat is also of the suspension variety, providing better working conditions for the crews. 16 is seen on delivery on Saturday morning in our first picture and we see the same coach later from the rear. Only fleet number need to be applied.

The year 2000 vehicle order details have also been released. 6 more Volvo B10BLE saloons with Wright Renown body work have been ordered and should be 816-820. 7 additional Trident/Alexander deckers will join the current 20 as 121-127 and finally a further 4 Volvo/Plaxton Excaliburs will arrive as 19-22. These coaches are required to provide additional capacity when the X80 becomes hourly from next Summer. 

The extension of the X3 to the Rail Station is recorded here with 615 providing service. The PVR for this route is presently 4 buses, which means at least one bus will not be branded at this time. 

Traffic frustrations in Oxford continue, with private cars now blatantly ignoring the bus/taxi only areas. At the new bus only area outside the Rail Station cars even make a double line to exit the area which is TWO WAY for buses only. It seems only a matter of time before there is a serious accident ! Here we see the new area, at the time of the photo, without cars !

Thames Travel took over the X39 last weekend and operate a regular frequency between Henley and Oxford via Wallingford. They use Mercedes Varios with Plaxton Beaver II bodywork. 

Guide Friday have had a new bus join the "team". JPE236V, an Atlantean, was with Arriva//Chiltern Bus until recently and has been much spruced up for its tour work in Oxford.

Another service revision to include the Rail Station, is that of Stagecoach X5 service, which operates between Oxford and Cambridge, via Bedford. A competitor to the Cambridge Coach 75 service via High Wycombe.

Stagecoach Oxford advise that the following buses have been withdrawn and transferred.

Olympians 527-530 transferred to Midland Red South.
Mercedes 300and 308 withdrawn
Atlantean 500 sold
Olympian 514 transferred from Witney to Oxford in exchange for Volvo 912.
Dart/Wright 715,716,746 transferred to Fife
Dart/Wright 747-750 transferred to Bluebird.
Dual door Darts 771/2/4/5 transferred to Stagecoach South
Further news is that 324 and 356 have received SC corporate livery and 840 has been repainted.

You can still view the Tube launch report and the Oxford Bus P&R Trident launch - Dateline Tuesday June 1st 1999 here.

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THE OXFORD BUS MUSEUM