THE M & D AND EAST KENT BUS CLUB

The Thames Valley Explorer - 18th June 2005

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Tour report by Lee Crust. (first published in Invicta 637 August '05)

As has become routine for a club tour, the day was bright, sunny and rather hot as 38 club members set off for the Thames Valley.

First call was Reading where, in addition to the vehicles of Reading Transport and its Goldline and Newbury Buses subsidiaries, vehicles from First, Arriva, Thames Travel, Motts and Countywide were in evidence.  Members had the chance to see buses in Reading ’s new route-dedicated liveries including some new Scania/Wright saloons and Scania/East Lancs double deckers as well as D-registered Olympians in the old livery.  Frequent arrivals and departures of Fast Track Park ‘n’ Ride vehicles of First Group and Goldline added to the variety.

Next it was on to Weavaway of Newbury where attention was drawn to its newly-delivered tri-axle Volvo B9TL/East Lancs Millennium Nordic double decks – unique in the UK .  Further interest was provided in the ex-Hong Kong Dennis Condors and lone Metrobus in the yellow livery of the Noah Vale subsidiary.  A number of Weavaway’s Volvo/Plaxton coaches were in evidence as well as two Optare single decks carrying the Newbury & District fleetname

From there it was onwards to the Oxford Bus Museum where many vehicles of local interest were on display.  Highlight here was a short ride on an exposed radiator AEC Regent V previously in the City of Oxford fleet which was duly posed for photographs at Oxford Airport .

Local member Ralph Adams cycled to the Museum to distribute some literature of current activity in the Oxford area and this was much appreciated by those present.

Our final stop was in central Oxford where vehicles from Oxford Bus Company, Arriva, Thames Travel and Stagecoach were all vying for their stops.  The sight of coaches running under the banners of Oxford Tube, Oxford Express, Oxford Airline and National Express Airport all leaving the city virtually in convoy about every ten minutes was quite a sight.  It was also possible to spot the occasional bus in the Brookes Bus branding for the university plus Atlanteans and ex-Dublin Olympians of City Sightseeing and numerous Mercedes Citaros in various route branded liveries.

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