OXTUBElogo.gif (2248 bytes)

M A N - Jonckheere 68 seat Double Deck Coaches.

Service Launch - Saturday 1st May 1999

Saturday 1st May dawned bright and sunny, as indeed should all May Days.

Oxford was buzzing with activity and late night revellers who had been
attending University May Balls were only just going home. Dinner Jackets
did indeed seem the order of the day and David Whitley, 
Stagecoach Oxford's Marketing Manager, having himself also attended
just such a Ball, was on hand with his staff to ensure an excellent
lauch of a Multi million pound investment in 27 Double Deck coaches
for the by now famous Oxford Tube.

The first service was to carry passengers free to celebrate the lauch and
a near full coach departed Oxford's Gloucester Green Coach Station
just shortly after 9am. Coach nr 37, T37BBW, made a fine sight as, with the sun
glinting  on its new paintwork and livery, it set off for London Victoria
with George Fair, the Tube's Manager, at the controls.

Two more new coaches, nrs 35 and 36 followed at 9.24 and 9.36 respectively
the last one with a full load of paying passengers.

38 and 39 were at the Depot awaiting vinyls and 40 was in the process of being decked out.

By next Tuesday all six will be in service releasing the reregistered Berkhof Volvo's
for service as Virgin Rail feeder coaches.

We now present a photo album of the service introduction.
We hope that you enjoy the pictures.

tube37arr1.jpg (37440 bytes)

37 having arrived at Gloucester Green awaits its time to draw on the
stand for the 9am service to London.

tube37back1.jpg (49496 bytes)

The detail of the rear of 37 showing the advertising.

champaigngfair.jpg (37608 bytes)

George Fair, the Tube Manager, opens the first bottle
of Champagne for the lucky free riding passengers on
the Inaugural service with 37.

happypunters2.jpg (44229 bytes)

A queue of passengers wait for the 9am Tube to London

happypunters1stsvce.jpg (42189 bytes)

Before the first service left the happy passengers are seen on the
upper deck of 37.

tube37dep1.jpg (32212 bytes)

37 backs off stand at Oxford at 9am.

tubedep2.jpg (31332 bytes)

37 is about to pass 36 which has arrived to take service on the 9.24.

tube37dep3.jpg (90304 bytes)

37 leaves Oxford bound for London.

OLDnNEW12n36.jpg (38288 bytes)

Volvo nr 12 operated the 9.12 am service to London
followed by nr 36 at 9.24 am.
Small point but 3 x 12 = 36 !!!

12n36backs.jpg (38788 bytes)

The old and the new from the back. 35 and 36 feature white backs
whereas all future coaches will have red backs.

35leaving.jpg (44200 bytes)

35 leaves on the 9.36 am to London with a full load of passengers.

tube40newNeil.jpg (57213 bytes)

After the launch, works continued on preparing nr 40 T40UBE.
This will be the next to enter.

tube38n39new.jpg (35183 bytes)

38, T38BBW and 39, T39DJO await their turn for livery.

sco37exLON1strun.jpg (37688 bytes)

And finally nr 37 is seen here returning from London on the M40
approaching junction 6 at Lewknor, its first stop en route to Oxford.
Saturday 1st May 1999 around 1240 pm.


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DETAILS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.