May 2023 Update
Robert Williams
Dear all
Here are the latest updates from the Reading Buses group of companies.
Reading Buses
419 returned from repaint into updated bronze 11 livery on 12 May.
716 went away for seat-back replacement on 18 May, as the start of a campaign to improve the presentation of all 17 of the purple and greenwave E400 Citys with Ethos seating.
788 transferred in from Newbury & District on return from repaint into generic silver on 1 June.
1202 went away for repaint into generic silver on 1 June, to replace it’s “Sport in Mind” 2020 Charity of the Year wrap.
Due to licencing issues with Arriva, who own the trademark for the Green Line name which we use under licence, we have decided to introduce a new name with our new buses for the 702 and 703 in June. The livery will continue to be green to help ensure that nobody is confused if they are looking for a Green Line bus. The 702 will become “The London Line” and the 703 will become “Flight Line 703”. Both will also refer to “Windsor Express” to highlight the common core section of route.
Delivery of the new ADL Enviro400 City double deckers has commenced, with details as follows:
Fleet No Registration Body Number Livery Delivered
731 RG23 BUS N450/1 Reading Buses Generic 01/06/2023
732 GL23 LDN N452/1 The London Line Next week
733 GL23 SLH N434/1 The London Line 01/06/2023
734 GL23 WND N434/2 The London Line Next week
735 GL23 LGO N434/3 The London Line 01/06/2023
736 GL23 BKL N451/1 Flight Line 703 01/06/2023 (to be allocated to Thames Valley Buses)
737 GL23 LHR N451/2 Flight Line 703 Next week (to be allocated to Thames Valley Buses)
Exact entry into service is pending completion of post-delivery tasks and a launch event, so I suspect it will be sometime w/c 19 June at the earliest.
These are the first ever 11.5m diesel E400s constructed with the City bodywork. The seating capacity on all seven is 76, but with two slightly different lower deck layouts, 731-5 having two wheelchair bays, and 736-7 having one wheelchair bay and a luggage rack (for Airport work). The usual row of five seats across the back of both decks is reduced to four, and tables replace the rear facing seats downstairs. There is a table upstairs behind the stairwell. They have been built in a way that will allow up to 86 seats and seat belts to be added if desired in the future.
Features include café style wood effect flooring, comfortable high back seating, USB and wireless charging pods at each seat, a glazed staircase, glazed roof lights and rear roof dome, upper deck air chill, mood lighting, and social seating with tables on both decks. Our next stop announcement system, with repeater in the wheelchair bay is also present, as is a CCTV screen in the stairwell to give customers a view of which seats are free upstairs. These buses also have electronic mirrors, and other mod cons for the driver. The branding will include some links to the locations referenced by the registration plates.
Newbury & District
Four new Volvo B8R / Plaxton Panther 3 53-seat coaches are on order for delivery in the summer and entry into service from 1 September for new services, and will be followed by two Irizar i6S Efficient 57-seat coaches to replace 1401/2 towards the end of the year.
788 transferred to Reading Buses on return from repaint on 1 June. It has been covered by generic vehicles on loan from Reading Buses, which will continue until the summer holidays when 1204 becomes available from Thames Valley Buses.
Thames Valley Buses
677 returned to service from fire damage repairs on 30 May. It retains the previous branding for routes 2/5 which will be replaced with the new branding for route 5 in due course.
Details for the two new ADL Enviro400 City double deckers for route 703 are detailed under Reading Buses above.
Regards,
Robert
