www.buszone.co.uk
October 2013
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Kings Road Closure
20-10-13
After a couple of false starts on the previous weekends, Kings Road was closed this weekend between Jackson's Corner and Huntley & Palmers to allow crane access to Kennet House, leading to diversions on a number of routes to East Reading. From the Town Centre buses on routes 9, 13, 14, 17, 19, 500 and Thames Travel route 144 diverted from the Market Place via Duke Street and Queens Road to Huntley & Palmers.
221 loading at a temporary bus stop outside the former Travel Shop in Duke Street on 19th.
836 being followed by Thames Travel 707 on diversion over Duke Street on 19th.
412 also on Duke Street on 19th.
853 about to turn into Queens Road on 19th.
On return only routes 17 and 500 were affected, with route 17 running via Forbury Road, Blagrave Street, Friar Street and West Street and route 500 via Queen's Road and the IDR to Castle Street. First route 190 appeared to follow this as well, but left Town via Forbury Road rather than Queens Road. Sewer repair works have also been taking place in Friar Street, which made the traffic flow particularly problematic at times due to the reduced space and increased number of vehicles. A temporary bus stop was located outside McDonalds to replace stop FP which was closed due to the works, and also for route 17 in place of the usual stop in Minster Street.
228 running along Friar Street on 19th with the sewer works behind.
229 turning from West Street onto Broad Street / Oxford Road on 19th.
Nottingham OmniCity
13-10-13
Four OmniCity single deckers that were originally purchased for Vodafone services in Newbury have passed to Nottingham City Transport for use on campus shuttle bus services at Nottingham University which started on 30th September. Nottingham already runs a large fleet of very similar vehicles, along with an even larger number of Scania OmniDekkas. In addition to the OmniCity single deckers an Alexander Dennis Enviro 350H demonstrator and two exLondon Scania OmniCity double deckers are on loan pending the arrival of five Dennis Trident / East Lancs Myllenium Lolynes acquired from the Isle of Mann.
Former 12, now Nottingham 543, on Cut Through Lane at Nottingham University on 10th.
The contract for these services is coordinated by the University's Environment Team, based within the Estates Office, and is being provided as a partnership between Nottingham City Transport and Trent Barton with the vehicles provided by NCT from their Gotham depot, the drivers provided by Notts+Derby and the publicity by Trent Barton (Notts+Derby and Trent Barton being owned by the same parent company). The contract was previously operated by Your Bus following the collapse of Premiere Travel in January.
Former 9, now Nottingham 538, on layover on Library Road at Nottingham University on 10th.
All of the Reading/Newbury vehicles are running in as acquired livery, with the addition of Hooper Bus vinyls on the sides and rears. 9 therefore retains it's Vodafone Freebees overall advert, but has larger Hooper Bus vinyls applied as a consequence. The vehicles are expected to be repainted once the Tridents enter service.
BTS Tour of Reading
07-10-13
Saturday 5th saw the British Trolleybus Society tour the former Trolleybus routes of Reading with commentary about some of the history of the areas through which they passed. Reading Buses provided the most recent addition to the fleet - 420 - for the afternoon. The group travelled to London Road, Wokingham Road, Northumberland Avenue, Tilehurst, Kentwood Hill and Caversham Road.
420 about to turn at The Three Tuns.
Trolleybus traction poles were noted to still be in existence for street lighting on Northumberland Avenue, Whitley Wood Lane and parts of Kentwood Hill. They are notable by not only the junction boxes a quarter of the way up, but also by the fact that they are slightly slanted away from the road by design rather than accident!
420 at the Kentwood Hill turning circle with the display set appropriately.
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