Bus Zone - Updates


www.buszone.co.uk
	2017 < Last Year \| Updates Archive \| Next Year > \| Site Last Updated: 17-08-20 \| 25-08-17: Apologies for the long delay since the last update on 19 September 2016. Aldermaston Coaches Fleet List: An new addition in March was Mercedes 0814D SF57 JRU replacing Y475 TSU. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Baileys of Newbury Fleet List: New in March was a Iveco 70C17 / Noone Turas 700 YN17 CEO. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Carousel Buses Fleet List: Wright Streetlite demonstrator SK65 PWV spent some time with the company in March. 873-5 were repainted into Heathrow Link livery in May. 803/6 were withdrawn in June following the completion of the repaint program across the Oxford and Carousel fleets. Courtney Buses Fleet List: A new addition in March was Scania K360 / Irizar i6 YP12 NUO in a red livery branded for the company's new Luton Flyer route 350 from Reading which launched on 1st April 2017. Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 YX65 RLO was acquired in June. YD10 UZN was acquired from Optare in October 2014. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. First Berkshire Fleet List: Heathrow '7 series' liveried 64032/46 were repainted into First urban livery in July with green route 1 branding. 32809/55 are on loan from First Hampshire for the summer, 32855 in the old First corporate livery and 32809 the same without the pink. RML2735 was sold to Sir Peter Hendy and RMC1510 to Martijn Gilbert in February 2017. RMC1510 is now stored at Reading Buses depot. Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown driver trainer transferred from First Hampshire in February. 64001 transferred back to First Hampshire in May. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Horseman Coaches Fleet List: New in May were Volvo B8R / Plaxton Panther 3 YX17 OHE/F/G/H/J, following Mercedes-Benz Atego / Unvi Voyager GT PO17 AUX/Y in April. YX16 NWL was reregistered F16 KLH in March. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Reading Transport Fleet List: Fleet The Scania Irizar i3s for Newbury Vodafone services were allocated fleet numbers 21-26 and were with the Scania dealer in Thatcham in early March ready for delivery. 23/4 were the first in service on 29th March with 25 on 30th March, 26 on 4th April, 21 on 11th April and 22 on 13th April. Consequently 4/5 were out of service by 29th March, 6 by 2nd April, 7 by 9th April and 3/8 by 12th April, although 4 returned to service in Newbury on 24th April on the newly branded Jet Red service along with rebranded 2. 191-4 entered service sometime in week commencing 9th January 2017, allowing 131-3 to transfer to Reading and 134 to join the Kennections fleet to replace 1031 after service on 7th January. 1031 returned to Newbury in February to allow 132 to transfer to Reading, before returning to service in Reading again on around 29th March and being withdrawn by 2nd April. 131 entered service in reading on 27th January, 132 on 7th February and 133 entered on 17th March following an increase to the Greenwave service that with new route 63 introduced. 781/2 entered service on 15 January on rail replacement with temporary Reading Buses fleet names. These were then removed before it moved to Newbury with 781 early the following week to enter service on Vodafone. 804 was sold to Somerbus on 4th January 2017 with 850 returning in its place. Its duties were covered by 1212 in Newbury until 781/2 arrived. 801 transferred to Reading in late January, retaining its wrap for use on a short term Vodafone staff bus duplicate to the Lion X4, pending potential disposal. Following the demise of 203 it was decided to retain 801 and repaint it into the latest Reading Buses generic livery. 701-5 were delivered during January. 703 was exhibited on Broad Street on 15th January and entered service on 16th, followed by 701 on 19th, 702 & 704 on 20th and finally 705 on 3rd February. Dennis Trident V524 ESC open topper was acquired from Lothian in February for tree lopping and promotional activities in February. Repainted into generic silver with Roof Top bus lettering, and allocated fleet number 520, it entered service at the annual open day on 2nd July before operating peak workings on route 17 on sunny days over the summer. A new addition in July was Mercedes Benz City45 BG63 VVA which has been given fleet number 381 to cover route 63 over the summer pending activation of 184. After a long period in storage, 185 was refurbished and painted into generic silver, entering service on 2nd August. 194 was used in Reading for a few days from 24th July to provide cover on amended routes 9/19 pending 185 being ready. 182 is to follow in Greenwave livery for route 63, and then 184 in generic silver. 181 is to be stripped for spares and is unlikely to enter service. 357 was licensed as a passenger carrying vehicle in August, previously only being used as an ancillary vehicle. 223 went away for trial conversion from electric-hybrid to diesel in January, returning to service in May with the majority of it's electric hybrid branding removed. 220 was treated likewise in June and 219 in July. 524-6 went on loan to Courtney Buses from 24th July for the summer. 205 returned to service on 24th July following its Magtec conversion. Livery 131/4 had their Vodafone branding removed in January, followed by 132 in February, and 133 in March, 131-2 gaining 'nineteens' lettering on plain white livery, 133 Greenwave on plain white and 134 Kennections on plain white. 134 allowed 165 to go away for repaint into Kennections livery in January. 134 lost Kennections fleetnames in mid March 2017 following the repaint of 164 into Kennections livery, initially going into plain white before gaining 'nineteens' lettering. 165 was repainted into Kennections livery, returning by 5th February. It was followed by 166 returning to service in Newbury by 24th February. These allowed 110/112 to be returned to Dawson Rentals. 164 followed suit in March, displacing 134 to Reading which operated in plain white for a few weeks before gaining 'nineteens' lettering on plain white between 4th and 8th April. 4 lost its Vodafone branding by early April. 4 and Kennections lettered 2 gained new Jet Red branding for routes 101/102, launched on 24th April. 651 lost its festive branding sometime between 1 and 4 January. 775-7 lost their Royal Blue branding in January following 701-5 entering service, and instead acted as additional generic fleet vehicles until returning off loan. 801 lost its Vodafone branding by 24th May, returning to service in the previous silver and cream generic livery pending repaint into the current silver and grey generic livery in June. 1101 was repainted white following accident repairs in late 2016 and given a full wrap on 12th February promoting the Reading Buses app before returning to service on 19th The branding on 1208 was amended from Reading Buses to Newbury Buses in July 2017 to celebrate 25 years of operations in Newbury. 1203/7 gained updated Jet Black branding by 14th April with 1201/2/5/6 also treated by the end of the month. 1212 was repainted into purple Vamooz livery, launched on 26th July for crowd-sourced excursions over the summer holiday in partnership with Transdev Blazefield. 413/4 went away for repaint into Leopard livery during August following changes to the 9/19 from 24th July Disposals Loan 114 proved to be temperamental so was returned to Dawson Rentals a few days after arriving in November. 850 was sold to Wealdon PSV on 27th January. Loan 110 was withdrawn by 19th February ahead of return to Dawson Rentals. Loan 112 was withdrawn by 26th February ahead of return to Dawson Rentals. Loan 776 was with Ipswich Buses by 21st February. Similar 775 remained in service until 19th March and 777 until 17th March, returning to Scania around 22nd March and passing directly to Borders Buses where they were joined by 776. 1031 was sold to Midland Classic on 9th April. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 passed to Scania (dealer) during April for resale through their dealership arm. 8 was sold to Ashall's Coaches, Gorton. 203 was written off following an engine fire on 14th May, and taken away in late June. Van 316 has left the fleet, probably in May. Demonstrators Mercedes Sprinter / Mellor Strata demonstrator DF66 AEC arrived on 24th January for two weeks evaluation, and saw service off peak on route 28. Mercedes Sprinter City 45 demonstrator BT66 TZL was inspected on 24th January 233 returned to Alexander Dennis on 23rd January, moving on to Cardiff Bus where it was in service on 24th. Reading Transport Vehicle Types: Page updated from 144 vehicles (109 Reading, 12 Newbury, 14 Contracts, 9 reserve) in March 2014 to 193 vehicles (157 Reading, 9 Newbury, 15 Contracts) Reading Transport ColourBuses: 1114 gained a new ColourBus livery for Red Balloon Learner Centres launched on 26th January. 1209 gained a ColourBus livery for Reading Football Club in March. Reading Transport MegaRears: 758 gained a new rear for the Reading Buses App in February. 208 lost its rear for Festival Place in February. 227 gained a new rear for Haslams in February. 231 lost its rear for The Oracle in February. 1207 lost its rear for University of West London on repaint in April. 219 and 223 gained a new MegaRear for Great Western Railway in June, losing them again in August. 415, 421, 423, 654, 1108, 1109, 1110, 1111 gained new rears for Carabao in June, 415 with losing its rear for Swansea University at that time. 1107 gained a new MegaRear for The Lexicon in August. Thanks to James Cusworth for this. Reading Transport Irizar i3s: NEW PAGE! with photo of 25 Reading & Wokingham Coaches Fleet List: A new addition in January was Neoplan Tourliner MT61 HVG, followed by Mercedes Benz 413CDI YX54 BHE in March. MT61 HVG was reregistered WH04 OXO in February. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Stewarts Coaches Fleet List: New in April was Irizar i6 YT17 FAA. YN13 BWV was sold to Irizar (dealer) in July. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Thames Travel Fleet List: Vans 983/993/996 had left the fleet by February. Weavaway Travel Fleet List: New in January were Enviro 200 YY66 PFF/G for Newbury & District Kennet Bus. Enviro 200s YX63 ZVJ/K/M/N/O were sold in January. Thanks to David Wilder for this. A new addition in May was Volvo B8R / Caetano Levante BK15 AJX. YJ13 HJO was sold to Jones, Penycae in December 2016. YJ13 HMO was sold to Plaxton (dealer) in January, and YX63 ZVL has also gone by January. C19 TCL was reregistered back to S272 CCD in February and sold to Hunters Coaches, Daventry. C4 OXF was reregistered back to R172 VPU in May and sold. FJ57 CYY was sold to Silvergray, Slough in October 2016. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. YX63 ZVS was sold to Faresaver, Chippenham in June. White Bus Service Fleet List: A new addition in February was Volvo B7R / Plaxton Profile YM57 UAH. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Oxford Bus Company Fleet List: New Vehicles A further 10 Wright Streetdecks 682-91 entered service at the start of July in yellow City 3 (682-5) and orange City 8&9 (686-91) livery. Transfers 7 Mercedes Citaros from GoAhead London 877-83 started to arrive in January, with 877-81 intended for Carousel and 882/3 for Oxford. 879 was in service in Oxford by 25th January but subsequently transferred to Carousel. 877 entered service with Thames Travel in February with Oxford City branding before transferring to Carousel, and 883 was in service in Oxford by 16 February. 876/81 arrived at Carousel in February and 878 in March. Wright Streetdeck demonstrator 940 joined 932 on loan in January pending delivery of the new vehicles, and departed in March. VanHool TX demonstrator YJ66 FGD also arrived in January and was allocated fleet number 20. New staff ferry vehicles RE66 VOB/C arrived in January. Demonstrators 19 and 20 departed sometime in April. 807 transferred from Carousel as 963 in the training fleet. 315 was destroyed by a fire returning from repaint on 14th April, and 64 in a serious accident also in April. 8 was badly damaged in a fire on 29th April. 829-38 were withdrawn in July following delivery of the Streetdecks, and stored at Thamesdown, Swindon. 869-70 transferred to Thames Travel in July. 964/5 were sold to Ensignbus (dealer) in April. Livery 301 was repainted into Purple City 4 livery in January, returning to service on 1st February. It was followed by 303 also in February and 302 in March. 305, 308 and 309 were repainted into Deep Purple City 35 livery in March 310/11 were repainted into generic Red City livery in March and 313-17 in April and 312 in May. Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Fleet List: 36769/70 transferred from Oxford to Banbury in January with 36449/50 transferring to Stagecoach East Midlands. 10067 transferred from Oxford to Witney in April to cover Gold repaints, followed by 15838 in June. 12008 and 50272 went into reserve during June. 31-12-16 (posted 25-08-17): Aldermaston Coaches Fleet List: New in June was Mercedes Benz / Plaxton Y475 TSU. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Baileys of Newbury Fleet List: New in September was Irizar i4 YN66 VYH and in November Irizar i6 YN66 VYJ. YT65 BYD is an i4 rather than an i6. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Carousel Buses Fleet List: WVL26 transferred from Go-Ahead London Central in November to replace 101 which has been damaged by fire. 101/118/417 were sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap in December. 113 was donated to the Oxford Bus Museum, being converted back to dual door using parts form 114. 102/3/4/11/12/16/19 have been sold to Ensignbus (dealer) for likely scrap. 504 transferred to Thames Travel during 2016. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this. Courtney Buses Fleet List: New additions in July were Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400 KV02 URS/USM. Volvo B7RLE BD14 KXZ had joined the fleet by July 2016. Optare Versa YJ64 DZL/M were sold to Optare (dealer) in January 2016. S853 DGX was sold by January, YJ57 XXE went in May, YJ62 FLD has been returned to Dawson Rentals by August and YJ08 PJU/V/Y returned to Dawson Rentals in September. KV02 URS returned to Dawson Rentals in August and KV02 USM / LR52 KVZ in September, apparently being short term loans for the summer. RO03 JVA left by April 2014, YJ55 BLV was returned to Dawson Rentals in August 2014, KX64 AED in approx January 2015, KP63 RHE in March 2015 and YJ08 PJO sometime in 2015. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. KV02 CCS appears to have been KV02 URS mis-reported. First Berkshire Fleet List: 44527/9 arrived at Slough from First Hampshire ahead of service changes from 24th September, and 44528, 64001/2 in November. 47405-8 also transferred to Slough from First Hampshire in December following success tendering for Surrey CC route 555 Heathrow � Hersham from 31st December. 68562 returned off loan from First Hampshire in February 2016. 66176 arrived from Hampshire in September for driver training duties, returning around 24th October. 23015 returned from overhaul by 24th November, allowing 20550 to be withdrawn by 27th November. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. 37275 transferred to Eastern Counties on 27 November 2015. Thanks to Richard Fuller for this. Reading Transport Fleet List: New vehicles: 901-6 are registered SK66 HRR/RU/RW/RX/RZ/SA. 901-3 were delivered in September, with 904 arriving by 9th October. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. 901 entered service on 28th September. Thanks to James Cusworth for this. 902/3 entered service on 28th September also, 905 on 30th. Thanks to Martin for this. 904 was in service on 14th October. Thanks to Ray Smith for this. 906 entered service on 5th November following display at the NEC from 1-3 November. 12 vehicles have been ordered to replace the Newbury Vodafone fleet, comprising of 2x ADL Enviro 400 MMCs, 4x Optare Solo SRs and 6x Scania Irizar i3 single deckers. The Scania order was announced at the Bus & Coach Live show at the NEC on 1st November. The new Optare Solo SRs for Vodafone are to carry fleet numbers 191-4 and are registered YJ66 AEX/Y/Z. 191 arrived on 15 December, followed by the others by the end of the month. The new Enviro 400s for Vodafone are to be 781/2 and registered SN66WRC/D. 782 had arrived by 24 December. 701-5 were delivered to Scania (dealer), Thatcham during December and stored there, apart from 704 which came to Reading (still untaxed) for driver training. Acquisitions: 181 was delivered by low loader in original condition on 7th August, and parked in reserve with the original 184. 183 entered service on 18th October wearing it's original mark before being reregistered to RG05 BUS in November. 184 is now used sporadically on driver training duties still in Stagecoach livery, and was first noted as such on 30th September. 186 briefly carried number 181 prior to entering service, was reregistered RG55 BUS in September, and was seen on driver training duties on 29th September and in service on 30th. 182/5 are in store. 1212 was in service by 7th October. Loans: Optare Versa 114 arrived from Dawson Rental to replace 111 shortly before 20 November. Disposals: 521 was withdrawn by 9th October and 523 by 20th November, both departing soon after withdrawal. 850 went on loan to Somerbus on 3rd October until 804 was available for sale. It returned by 24 December. 851 was still in use on 9 November and was sold by 27 November. 852/3 were sold to Midland Classic on 2nd October. 854/5 were sold to PC Coaches of Lincoln, departing on 9th November - 855 still being in service on 5th. 856-9 have been sold to Wheelers, Southampton. 856/7 departing in late October, and 858/9 on 10th November. Repaints & Reregistrations: 162 was repainted into Kennections livery during October, transferring to Newbury by 23rd October. 205 returned in September 2016 with a 750cc gas powered range extended fitted, but remained out of service into January 412 was repainted into Leopard livery from Scarlet in September 2016. 422 was being prepared for repaint at the end of October. It returned to service by 5th November in a Gold livery celebrating Chris Mears Olympic gold medal. 435 was reregistered BU52 GAS in September 2016, and was in service by 18th October. 651 carried Park & Sleigh Ride branding from 2nd December. Demonstrators: Wright Streetdeck demonstrator SK65 PWV was returned on approx 5th August 2016. Wright Streetdeck demonstrator SN64 CTU was in use at Newbury from August using fleet number 107. It moved to Reading by 27 November and had left by around 30 November. Wright Streetdeck demonstrator 106 (SL15 ZGP) departed around 18th October. Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President W473 WGH was on loan from Ensignbus (dealer) from August 2016 to follow a bus in service on route 17 to gauge performance of its Vantage Power hybrid drive system. Alexander Dennis Enviro 400H City demonstrator 101 (SN65 OHP) arrived on around 7th October, and operated on route 17 with a fixed vinyl blind from 11th until 27th. Alexander Dennis Enviro 400H demonstrator 233 (SN63 VTX) arrived on extended loan on approx 21st October to provide additional warranty cover. Three Scania ND280 / Alexander Dennis Envrio400 MMC stock vehicles 775-7 arrived on loan from Scania in October pending delayed delivery of 701-5. The first arrived on 18th October, followed by the other two by 23rd. All three entered service on 24th October with Royal Blue logos on dealer white livery. Ensign Enterprise demonstrator LX66 GXE arrived on 20th November and departed on 1st December, and operated on route 17 from 21st November. Reading Transport ADL Enviro 400s: 759 gained a colour bar in December 2015, followed by 758 in July 2016. Repainted 756/7 gained USB charging points upon repaint into route 33 livery, as did generic 758 at the same time. 203 had lost its name "Joan Taylor" by August 2015 following the front panel being replaced. 216 gained white LED destination displays in November. Reading Transport ADL Enviro 400 CBGs: NEW PAGE! with photo of 701 Reading Transport Optare Spectras: Former 726 passed from Stagecoach Norfolk Green to Bus of Hope, Newbury in March 2016, and was in use as a mobile resource centre by August 2016. Former 725/7 passed from Stagecoach Norfolk Green to Brecks Coaches via Southdown PSV in June 2016. Former 728 passed to Sergeants, entering service there on 30th December. Reading Transport Scania OmniCity Double Decks: 1106 and 1112 lost their colour destination displays in favour of plain orange in November. Thanks to James Cusworth for this. Reading Transport Wright Streetdecks: NEW PAGE! with photo of 901 Reading Transport ColourBuses: 1114 has gained a new livery for this years Charity CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably in January. Reading Transport MegaRears: 208 gained a MegaRear for Festival Place, Basingstoke in November, replacing its rear for Pack Send. 231 gained a rear for the Oracle in December 2016 replacing its rear for Ebay. Thanks to James Cusworth for this. The rear on 1211 was in place by December 2015, rather than January 2016. 1102 gained an advert for Just Tiles on 4th December, presumably replacing recently sold 857. Reading & Wokingham Coaches Fleet List: New additions in September were Setra LL57 ZGK which was reregistered J222 RWC, and Volvo B12B / Plaxton Panther SF07 YTR was has been reregistered OVK 902. Citroen LD08 EVF was acquired in August 2015. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Stewarts Coaches Fleet List: New in June was Irizar i8 YT16 FTZ, and in October Irizar i6 YN66 VXU. YN09 HZC was sold to South East Coaches in November. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. Thames Travel Fleet List: 994 is a grey Vauxhall Corsa saloon. Thanks to Alan Brampton for this. 701-8, 720/21 were withdrawn by 3 October with 701-8 transferred to Go North East. 716-19 followed in December 2016. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this. 828/30 appear to have returned off loan to Oxford Bus Company in around October 2015. New additions from Go-Ahead London in November were five Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini numbered 933-7 to replace Tridents 105/6/9/14/20 on schools work. 933-6 were from London Central and 937 from London General. 114 was sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap, and 105/6/9/20 to Engisnbus (dealer) for likely scrap. Weavaway Travel Fleet List: Following West Berkshire tender losses YY64 TYA-C and YX65 RWV/W received a modified Newbury and District bus livery in September featuring a greater red area and Kennet Bus lettering for new commercial services 1A/1C/1D between Newbury and Thatcham. C1/C3/C6 OXF, C16/20 TCL and YUE 338 regained their former registrations in September with the first four sold and the others advertised. Thanks to David Wilder for this. C2 OXF, C17 TCL and RF61 CYJ regained their original registrations in August. S764 SVU was sold to Boorman, Blunham in July, and RF61 CYJ was sold in August. Thanks to Brian Coney for this. YJ13 HMO has been repainted white pending sale and YX63 ZVJ/K have received Thames Valley lettering in place of Newbury & District. Volvo Olympians P730 GND, R511UWL, R740DRJ, S918ANH were sold in November. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this. Oxford Bus Company Fleet List: New for the Park & Ride are Wright Streetdeck 662-681. 663/4/5/71 were in service by 31 December, with the others expected in January. 214-222 were de-branded in December ahead of replacement by cascaded P&R vehicles and transferred to Carousel. 231 and 251-4 transferred to Thames Travel at the end of December. 305, 306, 316 lost their Park & Ride branding in early December ahead of replacement 801 transferred from Carousel in September and renumbered 962 to form part of the training fleet. 828 was withdrawn following fire damage in November 2015, and stripped for spares at Thames Travel. 873-5 transferred to Carousel in December Demonstrator 900 left in around July. Wright Streetdeck Demonstrator 932 SN64 CTU returned in December, previously having been with Reading Buses. Loaned coach 10 returned in November. Loaned Mercedes Tourismo BV66 GVJ is using fleet number 19. Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Fleet List: Exact dates for entry into service of 10675-83 added. Thanks to Ross Hitchcock for this. 10684-7 are SN66 WHC/D/E/G and were in service by 28 September. Thanks to Craig Meppem for this. 36765-7 transferred from Oxford to Banbury in October replacing 34436/7 and 34468. 36452/5 transferred to Stagecoach East Midlands in October. 12017/24 transferred to Stagecoach Manchester in September. Thanks to Ralph Adams for this. New are Stagecoach Gold 10779-80 at Oxford for routes 7, X30 and 31, entering service in December. < Last Year \| Updates Archive \| Next Year >