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April 2010

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| Site Last Updated: 09-05-10 |

25-04-10:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 727 is now with Norfolk Green, departing on around 6th. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • Reading Transport Optare Excels: Former 961/3 were sold North West Bus Sales. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • Reading Transport ADL Enviro 400Hs: Demonstrator SN59 AWW returned to Reading briefly on 15th to coincide with the press release regarding the new order
  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: MAC 96P is to be reregistered W40 OOW, OO02 TEN to W30 OOW and W11 WAY to W60 OOW. The additional Skyliners are SF56 TYC, SF07 YDB and SF07 YDC which will become W50/70/90 OOW. KX08 OLO was scheduled to depart on 23rd. SF07 PZV and SF07 TKD will be reregistered 327 RFC and MAC 96P. The new Cheetah is expected this week and is to be registered SF10 EBH and YX58 FPP will depart in part exchange to Blytheswood, Glasgow. YN56 EZW has gone to Plaxton (dealer) in part exchange for the new Irisbus / Plaxtons, and WA05 DFJ may follow. Bovas originally WA03 UDY/Z have briefly worn registrations RG03 BVV/U before becoming X70/90 OXF (note X90 OXF rather than X80 OXF previously quoted). Renault X90 OXF will be reregistered RY54 GHB. Thanks to Derek Bradfield for this.
  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Fleet List: The final ex-Witney Tridents 18132 and 18393 were expected to depart Oxford for Devon this weekend. Training vehicle 26035 has returned to Lincoln after the last of the new ticket machines were installed on 11th.
  • Stagecoach in Warwickshire Fleet List: 16619 lost its MegaRear for Unirider last autumn. Thanks to Keith Wood for this.

24-04-10:

  • Thames Travel Fleet List: 501 was withdrawn for disposal on 31 March and is to depart shortly. 8 new Optare Solos are on order for the new Bracknell sub-depot which will have fuelling and washing facilities, whilst maintenance will be carried out in Wallingford. Three Enviro 200s are also expected during May which will see use on routes 101 and 105. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this.
  • Courtney Coaches Fleet List: YJ54 UXA was sold to Bakers Dolphin in March. Thanks to Derek Bradfield for this.
  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: Mew arrivals are Volvo B12M / Jonkheere SF07 PZV/TKD from Allander, whilst the new Irisbus / Plaxton Paragons due shortly will be registered YN10 ACU/V, ADU/V. Also due shortly are three additional Neoplan Skyliners ex Trathens which will be rereigstered W50/70/90 OOW and a new Mercedes-Benz / Plaxton Cheetah is on order. C3-5 OXF have been reregistered back to YJ03 GXM/N/P and sold to Allander. YN56 EZW, KX58 OLO and YX58 FPP are also due to depart shortly, and one of the Volvo B12B / Plaxton Panthers has been advertised for sale. C7/8 OXF have been reregistered X70/80 OXF, AE57 FBA/B to C7-8 OXF, RX58 KHF/G/H to C4-6 OXF and YJ59 GHN/O/U to C1-3 OXF. Neoplan Skyliners MAC 96P and two others are expected to be reregistered W30/40/60 OOW, and SF07 PZV/TKD to 327 RFC and MAC 96P. Thanks to Derek Bradfield for this. Former Reg of MAC 96P corrected from LSK 508 to LSK 808.

19-04-10:

  • Courtney Coaches Fleet List: The new Optare Olympus has Scania rather than ADL chassis. Thanks to Derek Bradfield for this.
  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: AE57 FBA has been repainted into silver Newbury & District livery from electric blue. Thanks to Carl Jones for this.

18-04-10:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: Six Alexander Dennis Enviro400Hs (diesel / electric hybrids) were ordered on 14th for delivery in November/December. If successful a further 14 will be ordered for route 17 in March 2011 for delivery at the beginning of 2012. It has yet to be decided where the first six will be used, but they will replace low floor Spectras. All will be to a special length of 11.4m to give more space on the lower deck for buggies and wheelchairs (similar to 801-14 which are 12m whilst most normal buses are 10.5m), and are funded by the company's recent successful application to the Government's Green Bus Fund.
  • Reading Transport ADL Enviro 400Hs: New Page!
  • Reading Transport MCW Metrobuses: Former 144 passed from Glew's, Colchester to Mortons, Basingstoke on 7th. It was present at the Cobham rally (photo by David Smith) on 11th with a notice to say that it will be used as a schools backup and rail replacement vehicle, and that it will shortly be refurbished and repainted into Goldline maroon and cream. Thanks to David Smith for this.
  • Reading Transport Optare Excels: New photo of former 928 with JPT, Middleton added. Thanks to Shaun C for this. 928 passed from New Adventure Travel to JPT on 15th March whilst 927 was sold by New Adventure Travel to an unknown buyer on 23rd February.
  • Courtney Coaches Fleet List: The two new Optare Tempos have arrived registered YJ10 EXS/T, along with the new ADL Enviro 400 / Optare Olympus registered PN10 FNO. PN10 FNO wears Milton Park livery, whilst the two Tempos are in plain silver. Thanks to Ian Mihell for this.
  • First Berkshire Fleet List: 65621 has lost its branding for routes 158/9. Thanks to James Cusworth for this.
  • Thames Travel Fleet List: A number of new Optare Solos are reportedly on order for newly won tendered services in the Bracknell area (currently operated by First) which appear to require up to 10 vehicles to operate. Services will be operated from a new sub depot in Bracknell.
  • Oxford Bus Company Fleet List: Two vehicles have arrived on loan to cover warranty work on the Mercedes Citaro and Brookesbus Scania fleets. They are 800, a Plaxton Centro registered YJ58 FFM in plain white with Oxford Bus Company White Knight logos and 900, an Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 registered SN59 AWV in plain red with Brookesbus logos. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this.

10-04-10:

  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Fleet List: 16509-20 entered service on or just after 28th March as planned. 18131-7 and 18394-7 were withdrawn the evening before, with 18393 lingering on in service until 30th. All were decommissioned at Oxford pending transfer to Devon, with some of the last leaving this weekend. Two new Optare Solo Slimlines have been ordered for new contracts in Oxford that commence on 6th June. 47315/6 may deputise pending their arrival. 22057 has lost its route 1 branding and MegaRear (Historic Oxford) following repaint during March. BMW 335d DC07 DKK was replaced with a new BMW 335d registered WLT 501 in March. Not previously noted was that fleet number for the old BMW appears to have been 90130, but the new number is to be confirmed.
  • Stagecoach in Warwickshire Fleet List: Leamington 14023 has been withdrawn for disposal, whilst reserve 20223 has also been withdrawn for disposal. Stratford 16085 has gone into reserve with 16768 having taken its place.

07-04-10:

06-04-10:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 722 had returned from Newbury to Reading by 4th. 726 has been sold to Norfolk Green, and is thought to have been collected on 1st and was confirmed there by 3rd. 727 is expected to follow, noted at Great Knollys Street with Reading fleet names removed on 4th.
  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: MAC 96P and R9 BRD have Rockbird Bandwagon fleetnames. Thanks to Steve Annells for this. LSK 821 received the registration R9 BRD rather than 327 RFC as previously reported, and has been repainted black. Thanks to Bus Fare magazine for this.

03-04-10:

  • News Page: Simplified Ticketing for Reading and Newbury with photos of 815, 847 and 1110.
  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 1105 had been converted to diesel by 2nd. 599/1114 were still in operation with Ethanol fuel today suggesting that 1112 will be the next conversion.
  • Reading Transport Optare Spectras: 721 and 731 returned from The Green Bus on 19th. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • Reading Transport Optare Excels: Former 916 was sold from Southdown PSV (dealer) to South Wales Transport in March. Former 926/30 passed from Vale Travel to Southdown PSV in October 2009, and then to South Wales Transport in March 2010. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.

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