News
from Oxford, High Wycombe
& the surrounding areas
update Sunday, April 25th 1999 - 2200hrs
Friday of last week saw the first appearance of a new Oxford Tube decker for general public view. A few lucky souls were even taken for a short ride around the City, when some official pictures were taken. Nr 35, now registered and fully certified - only the evening before - made a bright addition to an otherwise gloomy rain laden day. Full entry into service seems now imminent.
I am pleased to have now received the final missing name of the Web Masters on the photo below. For the records sake I am including Phil Wilson who maintains the RMOOA pages and who is also a member of the RM8 Group.
Left to right, standing:
Mike Dawes - TMR Bus Preservation Kevin
McGowan - London Bus Preservation Trust
Nick Abbott - Ipswich Transport Museum Dick Gilbert - Classic
Buses
Steve Annells - The Bus Station Matt
Wharmby - The London Bus Page
Phil Wilson - RMOOA Pages Ian Smith -
Ian's Bus Stop
Ian Armstrong - London Transport Bus Routes John Hammond - First
Bus Page
Richard Haughey - Cambridge Buses
Left to right, kneeling:
Malcolm Crowe and David Root, Oxford Bus Page. Gareth Perkins - Ipswich Bus Page
Oxford Bus
Titan 970 is now YAZ 8773 (formerly KYN 308X) with 966 (formerly KYV381X) taking YAZ8774.
A picture is included below. This action is presumably prior to their sale later this
year. Saturday saw some unusual Olympian workings with 201 on 15 road and 202 on 4
road. Both roads normally see Volvo B10Bs.
601 is in the paintshop and one of the ex London VNs is in for repair damage after being struck in the rear end by Stagecoach 839, the ex Demonstrator in an incident in Queen Street. Recent repaints include:
505, 512, 623, 626, 627 and 628 in CityLine red. 616, 617 and 618 have as mentioned before gained route branding for the X3 road to Abingdon.
201 and 966 have been with the driving school but it seems that 201 has now returned to revenue service. q.v.
Brian Marsden has emailed me to advise that 902 has been working the 27 which is unusual. The three Dennis Lances are normally confined to the 20 route to Chipping Norton. (By the way 901,902 and 903 are all now in corporate livery. 901 was outshopped on Friday last.) A big thank you to Brian for his input, it would be great if more of you emailed with your sightings. (malcolmhc@aol.com)
Further Stagecoach news is the arrival of further ex-London Darts, of all three types. Previously mentioned was 716 (NDZ 3016) which joins sister 715; this has been followed by another "small shed", 749 (NDZ 3149) joining 746-8. Finally, two more Alexander Dash bodied examples have arrived, 711/4 (N611/4 LGC) joining 709/10/12/13 of this type. All the new arrivals are in full corporate livery and have been noted on various city and country services.
Another two Tube coaches have now been reregistered, one of which was mentioned in our Stop Press last week. Firstly nr 14, which was N43 MJO is now 3063 VC, this registration donated by coach nr 3. A few days later nr 19 (N45 MJO) received registration 9258 VC from nr 6. The two former Wallace Arnold Volvo/Plaxton Paramounts which acted as donors have reverted to their original registrations G543/544 LWU. These coaches were transferred to the Tube fleet by Stagecoach last year, joining four similar ex-WA coaches from the H-UWR batch. These latter vehicles were formerly used on the 390 route (now the X39).
In local terms mention must be made of a significant piece of news concerning the Oxford Bus Museum, who have been granted a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant of nearly £200,000. Work will commence almost immediately on developing the site in accordance with the Grant, which will include work on the existing Museum building, the provision of a new workshop and the erection of the old Morris motors building to house 20 vehicles. Block paving will be introduced and finally all the collection will be under cover. A fuller report will shortly appear in the Museum pages.
Finally one of your Editors spent a grand day out ! at Portsmouth on Sunday and makes no excuse for including a few interesting photos. You have to agree surely that Southdown really was a lovely livery !!
The older version of the Dennis "small bus" - a 1927 30cwt with Shorts bodywork.
As mentioned above Tube 35 appeared briefly on Friday and we can include a couple of shots.
35, T35DFC, is seen leaving George Street, on a short tour of the City.
An interesting comparison of rear ends and the use of corporate livery with a difference !
STOP PRESS |
|
Olympian 201 appeared on 15 road on Saturday last.
As mentioned above 202 was also on 4 road and is seen here in the early
evening at the Cumnor Terminus, prior to running through to Rose Hill.
The High Street, Oxford - shortly to be closed to all traffic except
Buses and Taxis
is host to 612, en route to Wood Farm via Morrell Avenue. Queens College is
seen in the background.
Stagecoach Oxford's 902, a Dennis Lance with Plaxton Verde bodywork.
Pearces of Oxford have this delightful little Plaxton bodied Dennis now
in service.
T403BFC is seen leaving Oxford last Saturday.
Portsmouth interlude.
Surprise visitor the Portsmouth CPPT Running Day this Sunday was this
ex Southdown Leyland TD1 with Shorts bodywork seating 51.
It has a petrol engine and open rear staircase.
Oxford was always home to many Southall products but for those who went
on holiday to Eastbourne, the colours were different even if the sound wasn't.
Here we see AEC Regent 42 alongside ex an Southdown VR last seen at
The Oxford Bus museum VR Gathering.
An interesting visitor was this Jonckheere bodied Volvo B10M from Devon
where is can be seen plying between Exeter and Plymouth or Torquay.
Why not visit us ?
Our next Open days are The Gala Weekend - May 15th and 16th 1999.
A VR meet was held on the 22nd March 1998 - and you can see photos
of each VR that attended.
The 1999 Photo Report is now included on this site where you will find a
full report.
PHOTOS
ON THIS PAGE WERE TAKEN |
Photo Miscellany
contains updated photos which are added from time to time.
New photos were added on 16/4/98.
Take a look at our picture report from Manchester,
featuring ex-Oxford buses!
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