A Metrobus arrives !
News
from Oxford, High Wycombe
& the surrounding areas
last updated Thursday, October 29th 1998 - 1700hrs
Editorial
What a dreadful weekend for weather, it certainly made photography difficult and so we have a limited selection this week. What we do have is however most interesting.
The M A N'
s of Stagecoach Oxford continue to enter service and more have been delivered during the
past week. 920 and 923 have entered service serving route 7A. They have a BLUE roof
and have received route branding in red KIDLINGTON-CITY CENTRE-HEADINGTON-BARTON. We
include photos of 923 in service at Barton. Further deliveries and being prepared for
service are 922, 925 and 926. All have a blue roof. So far the Devon bound SLF Darts
have yet to depart. These will be 806-11 and the first to go.
A surprise arrival is a VOLVO B10BLE demonstrator, R460VOP with Wrights Renown bodywork.
This is in service on route 1 and we include pictures of same.
Another surprise is the arrival at Wycombe Bus of a London General Metrobus, M357. This was brought in to cope with increased demand on school services and is here on loan for a limited period.
A lucky find on Sunday was L213GJO, an ex Oxford Tube coach, visiting from its new home in the North West.
Finally during a visit to Manchester I tracked down on of the recently imported ex Stagecoach Kenya Bus Dragons and have included pictures with this report. The ex Stagecoach Oxford Olympians are hard at work on the 50 route to East Didsbury and still look good. Most carry full rear adverts. They have of course been joined by a further batch of similar but new Olympians including some "S" reg buses.
We hope you continue to like this short section, which will give us the opportunity to comment on the local scene in an informal way. Please Email Malcolm Crowe with any comments.
A Metrobus arrives !
Sunday 25th October 1998 sees M357, GYE 357 W operating in High Wycombe.
This is to cover short term capacity shortages on school services.
A rear view of 302 shows the changed position of the number plate.
This followed a body overhaul at Oxford.
923 seen at Barton last Saturday displaying the application of route
branding for the 7A.
(October 24th 1998).
923 at Barton last Saturday operating on route 7A.
The colour route branding is also applied to the rear as seen in this view.
Demonstrator R460VOP in use on route 1 for the next few weeks.
It is a Volvo B10BLE with Wright Renown bodywork.
The interior of the Volvo/Wright Renown is bright and cheery !
A further delivery to Stagecoach Oxford is 382, one the Mercedes Varios.
The new and the not so old ! 916 next to 816 in Horspath Garage.
816 will shortly be leaving for another group company.
(25th October 1998)
The Electrobus has still not entered service on any specific route in
Oxford.
On the 25th October it was in use for staff transfers.
Arriva Mercedes Vario with PLAXTON bodywork operates the 300 service to
Oxford.
Seen at Stokenchurch on 24th October 1998.
Visiting coaches to Oxford.
When new this Volvo operated for Oxford Tube but
was seen here on Sunday 25th October
operating for Travellers who are based in the North West of England.
The rear of L213GJO in its new guise.
MANCHESTER INTERLUDE
Recently returned from Nairobi, Kenya, 20
of these 88 seat Dennis Dragons with Duple Metsec bodies
are now entering service with Stagecoach Manchester. At least 680-685 are now in
service
bringing much needed additional capacity to the 142/143 group routes which operate
past
the Manchester University Campus and as such enjoy very high loadings.
The driver of this bus said that he had taken a full load (88 plus 17 standing) on
the 1300 departure that day.
The only problem was it took 15 minutes to load up and take the fares !!
Seen above is the first bus, 680 - M680TDB.
A rear view of 680, emphasises the size of these Dragons.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT BRANDED ROUTES.
In a manner similar to the Heathrow initiative, Manchester
Airport has recently supported branded
services from the surrounding areas. Pictured below are Arriva and Stagecoach
examples.
Dart SLF with Alexander ALX200 bodywork passes through Manchester
Airport Cargo Area.
The SKYLINE branding can be seen and the bus is en route to Altrincham.
Stagecoach Manchester has also applied SKYLINE branding to the
Mercedes Varios
used on the 196 which serves Piccadilly. A clever use of corporate branding retains
the strength of the Stagecoach image !
546, P546PNE is based at Stockport Charles Street,
the old home of North Western Road Car.
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!
THE OXFORD BUS MUSEUM
An interesting report appears in
latest issue of Preserved Bus
about the recent recreation of Route 75 Oxford-High Wycombe.
Here are some photos of the day in question.
191 & 956, ex COMS, pause at Stokenchurch en route to High Wycombe.
Sunday 13th September 1998
....and at High Wycombe Station for the 10 am departure.
.... back at Stokenchurch en route to Oxford.
.....in Morrel Avenue on 6 road bound for Elms Rise.
but for the double yellow lines this could be 1958 again !
Why not take time out to visit us ?
A VR meet was held on the 22nd March 1998 - and you can see photos
of each VR that attended.
Visitors to this News page since 17th March 1998.
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