In 2023 the two major bus operators in the
beautiful historic city of Oxford, Go Ahead’s Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach
West, introduced a large number of battery-electric buses. The Oxford Bus Company placed in service 91
Wright StreetDeck Electroliner double-deckers and 5 Wright GB Kite
single-deckers with ‘electricity’ fleetnames whilst Stagecoach
West choice of vehicle was 55 ADL Enviro400EV double-deckers with ‘electro’ fleetnames. The Oxford Bus Company buses are painted
bright green with a dark and mid blue ‘O’ logo on the rear third sides of the
vehicle and Stagecoach use similar colours but incorporating their ‘beach ball’
logo in a similar position to the Oxford Bus Company buses.
The independent
transport videos cameras were in Oxford during 2024 and 2025 on very
similar sunny days to film the new electric buses. Our cameraman covered similar locations on
both visits, which shows the changes from diesel to electric traction. These locations, mostly in Oxford city
centre, include High Street, Magdalen Bridge, The Plain, St Aldate’s, Queen
Street, Castle Street, the approach to Oxford railway station, Park End Street,
Broad Street, Magdalen Street, George Street and St Giles’. We also see buses in Thames Travel and
Connector liveries and buses from the Carousel Buses fleet as well as those
from Aylesbury independent, Redline. In
2024 we film Arriva buses but by 2025 Arriva no longer serve Oxford. Another change to be noted is that the Oxford
Bus Company has renumbered all of it’s buses with five digit fleet numbers
beginning ‘80’. Our 2024 filming begins
with a ride from Peartree Park & Ride on board 735 (BJ73 WXY), an Oxford
Bus Company Wright StreetDeck Electroliner to the city centre to begin our
filming. At the end of the day we return
to Peartree Park & Ride on similar bus 739 (BJ73 WYC). Our 2025 filming starts with a ride from Redbridge
Park & Ride, this time on board 80780 (BN24 ZYB), again a similar Oxford
Bus Company Wright StreetDeck Electroliner to the city centre for filming to
commence. Whilst at the railway station we take the opportunity to take a ride
on one of the new Stagecoach Enviro ADL400EV buses, 80040 (SK74 BCE), an 11.1
metre seventy-seat double-decker for the short ride on route 1 towards
Blackbird Lays alighting at Castle Street.
We return to Redbridge Park & Ride on board Oxford Bus Company’s
80727 (BJ73 WXP), a Wright StreetDeck Electroliner which completes our filming
of buses in Oxford going electric! To
finish this programme we present some early video shot by transport enthusiast
Neil Cunningham of buses in Oxford during the 1990’s. Here we see buses from the City of Oxford
Motor Services Ltd. (Oxford Bus Company) fleet in the shape of ECW-bodied
Bristol VRTs and Leyland Olympians together with former London Transport
Leyland Titans of which 25 were bought in 1993 to replace some of the older
Bristol VRTs. Enjoy the nostalgia!