www.buszone.co.uk
September 2012
< Last Month | News Archive | Next Month >
Metrobuses in the Valleys
23-09-12
Yesterday saw the MCW Metrobus Yahoo Group hire a number of vehicles from Edwards Coaches, Llantwit Fardre for rides, allowing enthusiasts to travel on vehicles that are now very rare on public services. Amongst the Edwards fleet are three ex Reading Mk1 Metrobuses still in use on school contracts, all of which were used during the day. Former 175 ran from Cardiff Central Station to Llantwit Fardre Depot, then 185 ran from the depot to Miskin and back and later 186 ran from the depot to the Treforest Estate and back.
185 on Ffordd Cefn Yr Hendy, Miskin
175 in Cardiff City Centre
186 on Gwaelod-Y-Garth Road, Treforest Estate
Thanks go to both the organisers and Edwards Coaches. Former 179, 187 and 188 which were also at Edwards have gone - 187/8 for scrap in around March 2009.
Newbury Show 2012 & Newbury Catch-up
16-09-12
This weekend saw the annual Royal County of Berkshire Show at Newbury Showground, with Reading Buses providing the usual number 10 shuttle service from Newbury and Thatcham. Through fares were also offered on Jet Black route 1 from Reading, changing at Thatcham. The vehicles allocated on Saturday were 803, the only long unbranded OmniDekka currently without an advertising livery, and short OmniDekka 822.
822 arriving at Thatcham Broadway yesterday.
803 leaving Newbury Bus Station yesterday.
This year the 'N' was finally dropped from the route number shown on the publicity - after a day showing N10 online it was amended to 10 to bring it into line with the rest of the Newbury town network where the N was dropped several years ago. Indeed, the destination blinds on the buses have omitted the N from the N10 for the last couple of years.
Meanwhile, various changes in Newbury have settled down since the departure of Newbury Buses and demise of Steventon Transport Services, with Community Interest operator GoRideBus now running demand responsive services 90/95 between Lambourn and Hungerford, and some occasional services within Newbury including some Sunday services. The former Cango routes are now operated by Stagecoach with Mercedes 709Ds which are becoming increasingly rare in Stagecoach fleets.
GoRideBus Mercedes-Benz KE04 JVH is branded for the 90/95.
GoRideBus Volkswagen SN08 EKD is branded for various local routes in Newbury.
Stagecoach 40975 on route 24 in Newbury Town Centre in an advertising livery for Andover Radio.
Weavaway (Newbury & District) now run the vast majority of the 'ordinary' services in Newbury under contract to West Berkshire Council with Solos and MANs, Stagecoach run the full timetable on "the Link" to Newbury, and of course Reading Buses run Jet Black to Reading with a franchise arrangement with Weavaway.
< Last Month | News Archive | Next Month >