HOME - NEWS - ABOUT PADBUS - CURRENT FLEET - FLEET HISTORY - GALLERY - TIMETABLES - LINKS |
NEWS ARCHIVE |
2008,
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2012
2011 1 November 2011 Fleet News The fleet's 10th Scania Omnidekka is 619 (OH11 LAU). It has entered service on route 15 (Oxford-Woodstock-Charlbury-Witney) displacing tri-axle Olympian 285 to the spares fleet. This latest arrival means that the whole peak vehicle requirement can nominally be met by low floor or wheelchair equipped vehicles. However, a number of step entrance vehicles remain as operational spares. Tri-axle Volvo B12/T Plaxton Excalibur 188 has moved to Grey Green at Winchcombe where it replaces B10M Plaxton Premier 184 on general coach work. Website Changes The Archive Gallery has been completed by the addition of five photographs of low height double deckers. These include a rare Foden. The Fleetlist and Fleet History pages have been updated to include the changes mentioned above. The Links page has been updated to include a link to model fleet operator southwestbus. The picture on the Home page has been changed to Van Hool Acron 198. 28 October 2011 Website Changes The Archive Gallery has been updated to include 10 pictures of early Padbus single deckers. The Fleet History page now includes links to the picture galleries. 8 October 2011 Website Changes The Gallery page has been updated to include pictures of the recent new deliveries described in the news items dated 7 August 2011 and 30 September 2011. 30 September 2011 Fleet News September 1 saw the entry into service of 101 (OG61 CAA) Scania K340EB/Caetano Levante C51FLt. This was followed on 4th September by similar 102 (OG61 CAB). Both these coaches are for MetroShuttle service X10 where they replace Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon 190 and Volvo B12M/Van Hool 191 in the main MetroShuttle fleet. 190 and 191 have moved to the MetroShuttle spares fleet displacing Volvo B12T/Plaxton Excalibur 188 and Bova Futura 189 to the reserve fleet. The latest arrival is 599 (SO10 ULT) Optare Solo Ultra AB57D. This unique vehicle is another special from Padbus Engineering Services Technical Solutions. It is expected to enter service in early October for a six month trial on service 3 (Oxford - Witney via Long Hanborough), hence its temporary, out of sequence fleet number. 7 August 2011 Fleet News New arrivals are 198 (OE11 CEB) Van Hool T917 Acron C63FL and 199 (OF11 CEC) Scania K340EB/Van Hool T9 Alizee C49FLt. Coach 199 has a widened doorway incorporating a wheelchair lift in a style pioneered by Eldorado Motors. Following recent new deliveries, various changes have been made to the existing coach fleet. Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere 180 and Volvo B10M/Van Hool T8 Alizee 181 have been withdrawn. Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere 183 has been upseated to C70F and has been transferred from Padbus to Grey Green as a dedicated school bus. Similar coach 184 has also been transferred to Grey Green but remains C49F. Bova Futura 185 and Volvo B10MA/Plaxton Premiere 186 are currently held in reserve. Website Changes The Fleetlist and Fleet History pages have been updated to reflect the fleet changes described above. 1 June 2011 Fleet News Further arrivals are 197 (OE11 CEA) Volvo B7R / Plaxton Profile C49FL and 554 (SE56 LRT) Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse Urban B43F. Coach 197 is in MetroShuttle livery. Bus 554 was acquired from L.R. Travel and has entered service in its previous owner's colours which are similar to the Padbus livery. It has been allocated to Chipping Norton for service 25 (Chipping Norton - Banbury). Plaxton Premiere 184 and SLF Pointer Dart 530 are now operational spare vehicles. Website Changes The Fleetlist, Fleet History and Gallery pages have all been updated to reflect the fleet changes described above. 7 April 2011 Website Changes The Archive Pictures page has been updated to include pictures of former members of the minibus fleet. 23 April 2011 Fleet News New arrivals are 212 (OE11 HAM) Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 for services 13, 14 & 15 and 213 (OE11 HAN) Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 for Oxford MetroShuttle service X10. Plaxton Premiere 183 and tri-axle Olympian 286 move to the reserve fleet pending decisions on their futures. Website Changes The Fleetlist, Fleet History and Gallery pages have all been updated to reflect the fleet changes described above. 17 April 2011 Website Changes Links page checked and updated where necessary. 20 March 2011 Website Changes Pictures of most of the open top double deckers that have operated for Padbus in the past have been added to the Archive Pictures page. 14 March 2011 Website Changes Pictures of most of the full height double deckers that have operated for Padbus in the past have been added to the Archive Pictures page. 28 February 2011 Website Changes The gallery of archive pictures has been given a page of its own. It can accessed via the existing Gallery page which now just has pictures of the current fleet. The Archive Gallery now includes past members of the coach fleet. 24 February 2011 Website Changes The Gallery has been updated to include archive pictures of the service fleet. 23 February 2011 Website Changes The News for 2010 has been moved to the News Archive page. The Gallery has been revised to split pictures of the current fleet from the historic archive pictures. No new pictures have been added at this stage. The Links page has been updated to include new model fleet operator Feline Buses. 2010
2009 11 October 2009 Fleet News Further additions to the fleet are 207 (OY06 HAG) Alexander Dennis Trident / Alexander Dennis ALX400 for Padbus services X2,X4,X6 and 546 (OY56SBX) Optare Tempo for Grey Green service 11. Volvo B10M/Van Hool 182 moves to the Padbus reserve fleet. Volvo B10M/Plaxton 180 remains with Grey Green for the time being as an operational spare. Website Changes The Fleet History page has been revised to include a little more detail of the early fleet. 4 October 2009 Fleet News The latest innovative vehicle to enter service with Padbus is a special low entry version of the Plaxton Panther coach on a Volvo B12BLE(T) chassis. This coach, numbered 194 in the Padbus fleet, was delivered during August and has been undergoing proving trials. After being exhibited at a bus show in Stafford on 3 October 2009 it entered revenue earning service on 4 October. 28 September 2009 Corporate Announcement With effect from 1 October 2009 Padbus will take over the business of Grey Green of Winchcombe. This small coach company operates 9 routes in an area immediately to the west of the existing Padbus operating area and so is a good strategic addition to the business. The business will continue to trade under the Grey Green name and Padbus considers there is scope for some expansion both in terms of bus services and coach operations. Service Update The services acquired with Grey Green will continue unchanged for the time being. Most of the services are infrequent with the only daily services being those along Cheltenham-Broadway and Evesham-Broadway corridors. See the Grey Green Routes list for more information. Fleet News No vehicle have been acquired from Grey Green so the following Padbus vehicles are being transferred to Winchcombe: 180 Volvo B10M/Plaxton, 181 Volvo B10M/Van Hool, 519 Dennis Dart/Plaxton, 521 Optare Delta and 608 all Leyland Olympian. All these vehicles carry Grey Green fleetnames on their existing Padbus livery. In addition a mid-life coach has been purchased in the form of 195, a Neoplan Cityliner. This is in the new Grey Green livery of pale metallic green with thin green stripes. Vehicles will be numbered in the Padbus national fleetnumbering system. A fleet change unconnected with the Grey Green takeover is the withdrawal of Scania Lodekka 316. Website Changes The website has been updated to include the Grey Green fleet (with pictures) and routes. 11 August 2009 Fleet News The next vehicle in this year's intake for the OXFORDMetroShuttle fleet has entered service in the form of 193, a 15m tri-axle Volvo B12B(T) with Plaxton Panther C69FL bodywork. Metsec bodied Trident 281 has moved from the main MetroShuttle fleet to the MetroShuttle spare fleet and Olympian/Alexander 279 has moved from MetroShuttle spare to the reserve fleet. At the same time, a new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 numbered 206 has entered service on routes X2,X4,X6 in place of Volvo B10M/Plaxton 180 which moves to the reserve fleet. 9 August 2009 Fleet News Optare Solo 411 has been refurbished and repainted. All Solos are now in the latest livery. 21 July 2009 Fleet News In August 2008 Volgren bodied MAN double decker 287 was found to be suffering severe metal fatigue in its upper deck and had to replaced on Park & Ride duties by Trident 295. It has now been rebuilt as an open topper and, renumbered 315, has entered service on the Sights of Oxford Circular Tour. Open top Metrobus 308 has been withdrawn. It has been found possible to repair the damage to the chassis of Olympian 608 and it has returned to service as an operational spare. 28 June 2009 Fleet News Optare Solo 410 has now been refurbished (News 17 May 2009) and repainted into the current green livery. It has re-entered service on route 7 (Witney-Woodstock) releasing 411 for refurbishment. 26 June 2009 Fleet News The first part of a major investment in new vehicles for the OXFORDMetroShuttle fleet has entered service in the form of 192, a 12.3m Volvo B12B with Plaxton Panther C49FLt bodywork. Bova Futura 185 has moved from the main MetroShuttle fleet to the MetroShuttle spare fleet and Volvo B10M/Van Hool 181 has moved from MetroShuttle spare to the reserve fleet, losing its MetroShuttle branding in the process. Leyland Olympian 608 has been found to have a twisted chassis and is off the road whilst a decision is made about its future. 19 June 2009 Website Changes The Gallery has been completely rebuilt and now contains 60 pictures illustrating most of the fleet. Links have also been provided from the Current Fleet List. The picture captions include brief details of how the models were built. 15 June 2009 Fleet News The sixth Scania Omnidekka in the Padbus fleet [615 (OX58LAP)] has entered service on route 5 (Oxford - Witney - Carterton). This completes the conversion of service 5 to low floor operation. Leyland Olympian 606 moves to the reserve fleet. Optare Delta 507 has been found to have severe body damage and is considered withdrawn. 22 May 2009 Fleet News Following the success of Leyland Victory 312, a further wheelchair accessible open top double decker has been added to the fleet. The new bus, 316, is a heavily rebuilt Bristol FLF Lodekka. As well as the removal of the roof and the installation of the wheelchair lift, the bus has been equipped with a Scania engine and the bonnet assembly from a Scania truck. It has been finished in a simplified version of the open top livery and will act as a back-up for the rest of the open top fleet. 17 May 2009 Fleet News A further vehicle to enter service is 416 (OX09 MAR), a Euro 5 engined Optare Solo B31F. It has been allocated to service 7 (Woodstock - Witney) to allow earlier Solo 410 to be withdrawn from service pending refurbishment. 11 May 2009 Fleet News An additional vehicle to report is 543 (OV56 SBU), a Mercedes Citaro G AB53D. This has entered service on route 5 (Oxford-Carterton). It replaces Leyland Olympian 608 which becomes an operational spare. 26 April 2009 Website Changes Links page updated (new URL for Quicksilver Coaches). 20 April 2009 Website Changes Registration number of bus 614 corrected in Fleet History 19 January 2009 Website Changes Links page checked and updated. 6 January 2009 Service Update The infrequent and irregular network of routes linking Eynsham, Stanton Harcourt, Standlake and Bampton with Witney and Oxford are being replaced by a simplified set of more frequent, regular headway services from 11 January 2009. Services 22 (Oxford - Witney via Eynsham & Standlake), 23 (Oxford - Eynsham - Standlake circular) and 24 (Oxford - Eynsham - Cassington circular) are being withdrawn and replaced by new hourly service 23 (Oxford - Bampton via Cassington, Eynsham, Stanton Harcourt and Standlake). The section of route between Oxford & Eynsham via Botley continues to be covered by frequent service 5 (Oxford - Witney - Carterton). Service 8 (Witney - Carterton via Bampton) is being increased in frequency from every 2 hours to hourly and extended within Carterton to serve Broadfields Health Centre and Shilton Park. This bus also now serves the Sainsbury store in Witney. The once a day 8A variant via Standlake is being withdrawn. Service 29 (Witney - Abingdon) is being retimed to provide a half hourly service between Witney and Ducklington. Consequently service 7 (Ducklington - Witney - Woodstock) is being withdrawn between Ducklington and Witney (Sainsbury's). Service 21 (Witney - South Leigh - Standlake circular) continues unchanged. Click for maps showing these services before and after the changes. Details of all the services "operated" in miniature form by Padbus may be found here, but remember that Padbus is a purely fictional operation so these routes do not actually operate at all. Back to Top 2008 2 November 2008 Notices warning that Padbus is a purely fictional operation have been added to the timetables section in an attempt to avoid confusing people who are not used to the concept of model bus fleet operation. 8 October 2008 What will probably be the last new vehicle for 2008 has arrived in the form of 545 (OW58 SBW) an M.A.N 14.220 with MCW Evolution B40F bodywork. It has entered service on Water Eaton Park & Ride route 30. Dennis Dart 519 has returned to the reserve fleet. 2 September 2008 Current Fleet allocation details updated following entry into service of Enviro 400 number 205 in place of Optare Delta 507. 9 August 2008 Padbus already operates services to four of Oxford's Park & Ride sites: Peartree, Redbridge, Seacourt and Thornhill. Now, at somewhat short notice, it has taken over operation of the service to the fifth site at Water Eaton. Numbered 30, the new service runs every 15 minutes. Dennis Darts 519, 522 and 523 have moved from the reserve fleet to operate this new route but Padbus plans to obtain some newer low-floor buses in due course. New vehicles continue to arrive. Scania Omnidekka 614 (OV08 LAO) completes the conversion of service 5 to double deck operation by replacing Optare Delta 521. Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 205 (OV58 HAE) will enter service on 1st September on services X2, X4, X6 and will replace Optare Delta 507. The Deltas will join the reserve fleet. 1 August 2008 As suggested in the News item for 8 July 2008, more additional buses have started arriving. The first to arrive is Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident 204 (OV54 HAD). It has entered service on routes X2, X4 & X6. Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M 187 has been withdrawn. 8 July 2008 The balance of the initial 2008 new vehicle programme has now entered service. However further deliveries are now expected before the end of the year. This has led to more older vehicles, including the fleet's last Leyland Lynx, being withdrawn. 202 (OT56 HAB) Volvo B9TL/Wrights Eclipse Gemini H43/29F. This new bus is the first double decker for services X2,X4,X6. Replaces 525. 305 (WLT 305) Open top Routemaster. Withdrawn. Replaced as open top spare by 308. 307 (YUD 653V) Open top Bristol VRT. Considered to be beyond economic repair. Withdrawn without replacement. 308 (G276 XFC) Open top Metrobus. Moves from main open top fleet to open top spare. 314 (OT07 OAO) Open top VDL DB250/East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander O47/27F. New bus for service 16. Replaces 308. 523 (P523 CWL) Dennis Dart/Plaxton. Moves from service 3 to reserve fleet. 525 (J525 AJO) Leyland Lynx. Withdrawn. Replaced by 202. 544 (OU56 SBV) Mercedes Citaro B39F. New bus for service 3. Replaces 523. 20 June 2008 More new vehicles have joined the fleet leading to older vehicles being reallocated or withdrawn: 19 (OU08 AAU) Mercedes-Benz Sprinter M11. New bus for crew shuttle work. Replaces 409. 182 (R182 TUD) Volvo B10M/Van Hool. Moves from the MetroShuttle spares fleet to services X2,X4,X6. Replaces 512. 203 (OT08 HAC) Volvo B9TL/Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 DPH53/27D. New bus for the front line MetroShuttle fleet. Replaces 280. 280 (R280 TFC) Volvo Olympian/Alexander. Moves from the front line MetroShuttle fleet to the MetroShuttle spares fleet. Replaces 182. 409 (P409 DUD) Mercedes-Benz 709D/Plaxton Beaver. Withdrawn. Replaced by 19. 512 (H512 RBW) Leyland Lynx. Withdrawn. Replaced by 182. 519 (N519 RUD) Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer. Moves from service 3 to the reserve fleet. 524 (G524 WFC) Leyland Lynx. Withdrawn. Replaced by 528. 528 (V528 CFC) Volvo B10LA/Wright AB56D. Moves from service 12 to Park & Ride spare. Replaces 524. 531 (T531 UWL) Dennis Dart SLF/Marshall. Moves from service 5 to service 3. Replaces 519. 539 (OT56 SBP) Mercedes-Benz Citaro G AB53D. New bus for Park & Ride service 12. Replaces bus 528. 613 (OT08 LAN) Scania Omnidekka H47/28F. New bus for service 5. Replaces 531. 1 June 2008 Further vehicles have entered service. 298 is a rare Volgren bodied Scania in MetroShuttle livery. Its arrival has led to a complicated cascade of vehicles with Olympian 279 moving to the MetroShuttle spares fleet allowing Volvo B10M 180 move from the Metroshuttle spares fleet to services X2, X4, X6 leading to the withdrawal of Leyland Lynx 513. 299 is a Dennis Trident with East Lancs Lolyne body. It has been allocated to services 13,14 and 15 allowing Volvo Citybus to be withdrawn. 542 is a Caetano Slimbus bodied Dart which has replaced Optare StarRider 406 on services 1 & 21. 20 May 2008 The first new vehicle for 2008 has arrived in the form of Cummins engined Optare Solo 415 (OT08 MAP). It is currently unallocated and provides extra cover across the minibus services. Following a reappraisal of minibus requirements, Varios 407 & 408 have been withdrawn. 14 April 2008 Major changes have been made to services on the Oxford - Witney - Carterton corridor. Service 5 (Oxford - Eynsham - Witney) is increased in frequency from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes. Alternate journeys are extended beyond Witney to serve Curbridge and Carterton. It had been planned to convert the service to full double deck operation but difficulties in sourcing suitable low-height buses means that two of the eight duties continue to be operated by single deckers. Service 3 (Oxford - Eynsham - North Leigh - Witney) which had interworked with service 5 now runs separately. Timings have been slightly revised to allow more recovery time in Oxford. Services X2 (Oxford - Witney - Carterton - Burford - Cheltenham), X4 (Oxford - Witney - Carterton - Circencester) and X6 (Oxford - Witney - Carterton - Swindon) are rerouted between Witney and Carterton to serve Minster Lovell instead of Curbridge. Curbridge is now served by service 5. All three services have revised timings to improve reliablity. This increases the number of buses required from 7 to 8 with vehicles interworking between the routes. Service 9 (Witney - Minster Lovell - Carterton) is withdrawn having been replaced entirely by the revised X2, X4 and X6. Service X20 (Oxford - Carterton express) is reduced in frequency from every 30 minutes to hourly. Full details of the new services may be found on the Timetables page. These are, of course, fictional and exist purely to give some structure to the Padbus model fleet. They should not be taken as offering any indication of bus services that might actually be found on the roads of Oxfordshire. Following these route changes various changes have been made on the vehicle front. Optare Delta 521, Marshall bodied Dart SLF 531, VDL DB250 609 and Omnidekka 612 have been transferred from the reserve fleet to provide the additional capacity required on service 5. Following the reduced vehicle requirement on service X20 Volvo B10BLE/Wrights 529 has lost its X20 route branding and now provides extra capacity on services X2, X4, and X6. Mercedes Varios 407/8, which had worked service 9, are transferred to the reserve fleet. In addition Dart MPDs 526/7 have lost their Park & Ride 28 route branding. 527 has moved from reserve to service 8 (Witney - Bampton - Carterton) replacing Dartline bodied Dart 511. The latter is now withdrawn. The revised vehicle allocations are on the Fleetlist page. 22 February 2008 Gallery reinstated showing a selection of vehicles from the fleet. 9 February 2008 Model fleet operators section of Links page updated to include Red Rover Buses. 31 January 2008 Full timetable details have now been added to the website. These are, of course, fictional and exist purely to give some structure to the Padbus model fleet. They should not be taken as offering any indication of bus services that might actually be found on the roads of Oxfordshire. 22 January 2008 Various technical problems have prevented the Padbus website being updated since October 2005. It has now been rebuilt and updated with the latest fleet changes, although without a Gallery at present. A Fleet History has been included to show how the fleet has evolved since 1989 (the earlier history not having been recorded). Since the last update, the fleet has changed quite a bit. The following vehicles have been withdrawn: Scammell Tow Truck 18; Coaches 169, 173, 177,179; Double Deckers 271, 272, 275, 602; Open Topper 302; Minibuses 403-5 and Single Decker 514. There has been considerable investment in new buses with the following having been added: Coaches 190/1; Double Deckers 293-7, 610-2; Open Toppers 311-3; Minibuses 413/4 and Single Deckers 533-8, 540/1. Details of all these vehicle can be found on the Fleet History page. On the route front, Service X10 (Burford - Witney - Oxford - London) has been recast to run Oxford - London only at a high frequency 24 hours a day and is now branded as OXFORDMetroShuttle. The internet based Padbus Lite operation has been withdrawn. The Oxford - Burford section of service X10 has been replaced by additional short workings on service X2 (Oxford - Witney - Burford - Cheltenham). Service 12, the Oxford east-west Park & Ride has been converted to full low-floor operation using Volvo, Scania and Mercedes articulated buses. Following a review of tendered operations, services 26 (Chipping Norton - Middle Barton - Oxford), 27/27A (Oxford City Centre - John Radcliffe Hospital) and 28 (John Radcliffe Hospital Park & Ride) have been withdrawn. One new sevice has been started: 29 Witney - Kingston Bagpuize - Abingdon. A number of vehicles are held in reserve pending further service changes. Back to Top |
HOME - NEWS - ABOUT PADBUS - CURRENT FLEET - FLEET HISTORY - GALLERY - TIMETABLES - LINKS |