News from Oxford, High Wycombe
& the surrounding areas

last updated Thursday, September 17th 1998 - 1030hrs

The news of the week relates to the first "Friends of the Oxford Bus Museum Annual Run 1998". This is to be an annual event for members of the friends and this year proved to be a first class event, much enjoyed by all who took part. ExCOMS 191, an AEC Regent III with Weymann lowbridge bodywork plus 956, an AEC Regent V with Park Royal highbridge bodywork were the buses used and a number of City of Oxford routes were covered. The major event was the recreation of route 75 between Oxford and High Wycombe. More than a dozen people enjoyed the journey leaving Oxford at 0830, to the 1958 timetable and with various photographic stops, we reached High Wycombe at 0959, or 4 minutes late. The fact that the town centre in Wycxombe was closed did not help. We left High Wycombe railway station (the original terminus for these services)  at around 1015 and to gain authenticity, one of number adjusted his watch to 1000, enabling us to once again follow the '58 timings. Oxford was reached some 3 minutes early, in spite of a busy City centre. 

After an excellent cold lunch at Oxford Bus, we were given a tour of Cowley Road garage and works before setting of to run on 1 road to Blackbird Leys, just using 956. Thereafter we ran on route 6 to the City centre and then took up the 93 to Kidlington. (This is now 2 road !). A few pictures of the event appear below and we shall shortly provide a gallery record of the days event under the Oxford Bus Museum.

Stagecoach Oxford have received further Mercedes Vario 0-814's and 375, 376, 377 and  380 are being prepared for service. A near side shot of 372 is included in the report further down. The Bicester Town service will receive an example in the next few weeks with suitable vinyl's.

Oxford Bus works was host to Wycombe Olympian 235 which is receiving a major body overhaul. 509 is still in the paint shop and a surprise during Sunday's visit was 205 which had received a RED front end in lieu of its Park & ride liveried front. A picture appears below.   

The updated "Front Page" with a new graphic,  which we hope you will like, includes Oxford Bus 11 and 401 with Stagecoach Oxford 12 and 825 in a "bursting with buses" montage !

Unusual workings have featured to a greater extent than normal over the past week, and an Olympian on Stagecoach's route 1 is pictured below as an example. Even more unusual was the appearance of Dennis Lance/Plaxton Verde 903, normally confined to the Woodstock and Chipping Norton services, on the Blackbird Leys service on 16th September. Unfortunately, despite efforts by both editors, we were unable to obtain a photograph! Volvo/Paladin 908 was also on the 1 the same day.

Not to be outdone, Oxford Bus had Dart SLF 409 on the 15 Wood Farm route the following day, Thursday 17th September; this is the first time David has seen this happen. Also on the 15 was one of the Marshall-bodied Darts, formerly the mainstay of the route but now ousted by Volvos. The Dart/Marshalls have been making quite a few appearances on unusual routes recently, examples being noted on 52, 2A and 4A as well as both Park&Ride routes.

Finally, a welcome sight on Arriva's 300 service was Mercedes Vario 2197, which was in Oxford both 16th and 17th September.

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 me, Malcolm Crowe, with any comments.