The Buses ‘Scene’ in Oxford 1

I recently spent a couple of hours in the University City of Oxford. A beautiful place that is simply heaving with bus and coach operations of a quality that is superb.

 

The Major Operator is Oxford Bus Company (OBC) which in itself is a subsidiary of the ‘Go-Ahead’ (GA) group.

 

Of the 150 or so buses listed in the current ‘OBC’ fleet list the vast majority are registered with OXF Suffixes.

 

A number of the none OXF suffix registered vehicles are on loan from ‘Southern Vectis’ and will at some stage return there.

 

M1 OXF

A Volvo B5H (a hybrid) with Wright’s Gemini bodywork. An interesting feature are the two smaller windows on the offside upper deck which I believe are to do with the air conditioning unit fitted.

VF10 OXF

A Scania N230UD with Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 400 bodywork.

R12 OXF

Another Hybrid. This time an ‘ADL’ Enviro 400H with Enviro 400 bodywork.

 

HW63 FHB

An ‘ADL’ Enviro400 currently on loan from ‘Southern Vectis’ (SV) part of ‘Go-South Coast’ (GSC). 

 

I understand that these buses have been loaned to ‘OBC’ to cover a gap between the start of Oxford’s Low Emission Zone on 01/01/14 and the delivery to ‘OBC’ of a batch of similar  compliant vehicles.

 

HW63 FGV

Another ‘ADL’ Enviro 400. Another of those on loan from ‘GSC’. Operated by ‘BrookesBus’ (BB) an ‘OBC’ subsidiary.

 

KF09 OXF

A Scania 230UD with ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork. Operated by ‘BrookesBus’.

 

HL11 OXF

Another’ ADL’ Enviro400H with Enviro 400 bodywork. One more ‘OBC bus seen in the local ‘Park & Ride’ (P&R) livery. There are 5 ‘P&R’ locations around the city with this bus going to Pear Tree.

 

OU10 GHF

‘Stagecoach’ are not being left out of the ‘exotic machinery’ stakes and their contribution is this Dennis Trident 2 Alexander Enviro 400 Hybrid. (That is how ‘Stagecoach’s fleet list describes it).

 

 KX08 KZJ

A Scania N230UD with ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork. A straightforward diesel bus almost seems mundane after what has gone before.

 

As elsewhere in the country, ‘Stagecoach’ have introduced their ‘Gold’ brand. 

 

Higher specification vehicles in a livery that seeks to be ‘classy’ but to me seems just to be just a little bit dull.

 

There is no denying that the seats are more comfortable. I had a ride on one in Torbay recently.

 

VX59 JCZ

A Scania N230UD with ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork.

 

OU12 FGC

Another of the same.

 

 

SN58 EOO

A Dennis Trident with ‘ADL‘400 in ‘Arriva’s ‘Sapphire’ livery. This particular bus previously appeared in Arriva’s standard livery and was refurbished and reseated to ‘Sapphire’ standard.

 

Similar in concept to ‘Stagecoach’ Gold. Sapphire offers higher spec. vehicles in a dedicated and in my view a more attractive livery than Gold.

 

Route 280 comes into Oxford from Aylesbury.