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www.buszone.co.uk

December 2005

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| Site Last Updated: 01-01-06 |

28-12-05:

  • First in Berkshire Fleet List: New at Bracknell for Surrey County Council's Pegasus school bus project are Dennis Dart SLF / East Lancs 43911-8 registered LK55 ACY/ACX/ADU/ADV/ADX/ADZ/AEA/ACV. Thanks to Mat Wooll for this.
  • First in Berkshire Former Fleet List: Exact withdrawal dates for 21121/2 are 17-11-05 and 02-12-05 at which point they were transferred to Rainham
  • General: All pages (except News and Updates archives) updated with automatic menu system to allow future changes to me made much more easily. Visitors will hopefully not notice any difference.

27-12-05:

23-12-05:

  • News Page: Merry Christmas in Reading, with photo of this year's Christmas advert modelled by 463
  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 629 had returned to Reading from Newbury by 20th. Thanks to Steve Wickens for this. 519 and 627 remain on loan. Thanks to Jon Nutt for this. 471-4 have new MegaRears for Chicken Little, 471-3 loosing their rears for Directline.com
  • Reading Transport MegaRears: New photos of rears on 471, 472, 473, and 474 added
  • Thames Travel Fleet List: 973 has a MegaRear for Initial Catering Services, it previously having one for Peregrine Conservatories although it may have lost this some time ago

22-12-05:

18-12-05:

  • News Page: Merry Christmas! with photo of Stagecoach in Warwickshire's 16615 underneath the Christmas lights in  Leamington Spa

15-12-05:

  • UK Operators: Stagecoach have acquired the UK's sixth largest operator - Traction Group. Based in Yorkshire the group included Yorkshire Traction, Barnsley & District, Yorkshire Terrier, Lincolnshire RoadCar and Strathtay Scottish and approximately 960 vehicles. Stagecoach's fleet in the UK rises from approximately 7,200 vehicles to approximately 8,100.
  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 515 appears to be another vehicle on loan to Newbury. Thanks to Michael Todd for this.

14-12-05:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: Contrary to the previous report, 624 was not withdrawn upon it's arrival at Reading for MoT but returned to Newbury on 9th, presumably after passing. It returned to service soon after. Reading 519, 627/9 still remain on loan to Newbury. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire Fleet List: 40162 lost it's MegaRear for Achille some time ago. Oxford 40653 has been converted to B16F configuration for dedicated use on staff transportation duties. Consequently it has received Staff Transport vinyls over the front destination screen. A second example is to be converted shortly as spare.

13-12-05:

  • First in Berkshire Fleet List: Loaned 41792 was returned from Slough to Rainham on 6th. Thanks to Mat Wooll for this. 60295 entered service on 5th and will primarily operate schools route 202 and therefore will not be repainted out of yellow. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.

12-12-05:

  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire Fleet List: 13625 has been transferred from Leamington to Chesterfield, whilst 50142 has followed 50141 to Bluebird. 52618/9 and 52621 have transferred from Peterborough to Rugby as expected, along with 52490 instead 52617. 52622 has transferred from Preston to Rugby. All five vehicles are for the Megabus service between Birmingham, Coventry and London. Loaned 13630 and 50040 also appear to have departed from Leamington. Oxford 22053 was repainted into fleet livery a couple of weeks ago, formerly being in BMW livery.

11-12-05:

  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire Fleet List: Witney 32613/4 were transferred to Stagecoach South on 10th. They were collected from Banbury depot where Stagecoach South 20629 was left temporarily on it's way to Merseyside. The Darts are replaced by 20542/3 which had been covering for the two Varios loaned to Banbury pending their Optare Solos. 20543 returned to Witney from loan to Banbury a few weeks ago. Following contract losses in Oxford, three Varios from Oxford are expected to transfer to Witney very shortly to replace the three 709Ds.

09-12-05:

  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: YN55 PYX was delivered on 8th and YN55 PYZ today completing the current Scania order. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.

07-12-05:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 818 is confirmed as having entered service on 1st December. The delay entering service was whilst it was being retrofitted with Reading's new standard style seating, which, being of a different weight meant that the bus had to be re-certified. CCTV and real time equipment also had to be fitted, whilst evidently the handrails were not altered from those fitted originally. 739 has been sent to North West Bus & Coach Refurbishment at Blackburn for repair and will return in generic livery. 624 was withdrawn from Newbury and transferred to Reading sometime last week for MoT and possible disposal. 627/9 went on loan to Newbury from 5th, and have been followed by 519 on 6th. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • Reading Transport Former Vehicle Fleet List: The official dates that Optare Tempo demonstrator YJ05 JWZ stayed between were 7th and 9th November. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.
  • First Berkshire Fleet List: 60295 was in service by 6th December. 42656/9, 65602 have been repainted into the current version of First livery, previously being in First low floor (Barbie 1) livery. Thanks to Brian Coney for this.

06-12-05:

  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 627 and 629 are reported as being on loan to Newbury
  • First Berkshire Fleet List: 40721 has received magenta Overgound branding for route 58 between Britwell and Uxbridge. Thanks to Stephen Le-Bras for this. Bracknell 46924 was transferred to Slough on 2nd, whilst 60295 has now entered service replacing accident damaged 64813 which has been withdrawn. Bracknell 21121/2 have also been withdrawn and are thought to have both departed. Thanks to Mat Wooll for this.
  • Weavaway Travel Fleet List: V79 JKG was purchased from Scania (dealer) on 18th November by Lainton Coaches Ltd, Salford, Manchester and is now painted all-over red. Thanks to Lee Walker for this.

05-12-05:

03-12-05:

  • News Page: Latest New Delivery Enters Service, with photos of 818
  • Reading Transport Fleet List: 464 has CCTV whilst 466 was still without in mid November
  • Reading Transport Vehicle Types: Updated with the arrival of 818 and departure of 941, new totals 197 vehicles (131 Reading, 37 Newbury, 29 Goldline), plus: 16 on order
  • Reading Scania OmniDekkas: Updated with information about 818
  • Reading Area Bus Routes: There are to be timetable changes on routes 87 and H1 from 20-12-05, Burghfield Minicoaches will no longer operate Newbury schools route 113 from 02-01-06 and Reading route 19 will be altered from 09-01-06
  • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire Fleet List: 13630 from Manchester and 50040 from Bluebird have recently been on loan to Leamington for Megabus work. From 5th December the Birmingham Megabus operation will be increased and will transfer to Rugby depot where it will be operated using B10M coaches. Meanwhile Neoplan 50141 appears to have been transferred to Stagecoach Bluebird, whilst 13625 and 50142 look set to transfer away soon too.

02-12-05:

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