March 2022 Update
Robert Williams
Dear all,
Here are the latest fleet changes from the Reading Buses group.
Reading Buses
536, 537, 1108 and 1109 were withdrawn following service on Sunday 3 April due to service changes from 4 April.
1210 and 1211 transferred back from Thames Valley Buses in the evening of 3 April, with 1204 to follow shortly.
1108/9 have been sold to PC Coaches and are due to be collected in the next couple of weeks. 536/7 will be advertised for sale.
205 returned to service on 2 March following a further overhaul of the Magtec electric system. It remains in old yellow 26 livery for now.
705 returned from Scania on 29 March following the completion of warranty work, and will re-enter service shortly. 702 has gone away for similar work, expected to take 3-4 weeks. 700-4 remain out of use.
185 was collected for scrap on 28 March.
Ancillary vehicle 315 was collected for scrap on 23 March.
Newbury & District
A short term loan from Reading was 1203 from the afternoon of 25 March until the end of 1 April.
Thames Valley Buses
New 682/3 arrived in Reading on 31 March in base two tone red Thames Valley route 194 livery, and will enter service in a week or two once vinyled. 451 and 454 will be withdrawn for return to Dawson Rentals thereafter. 682/3 are identical to 681, being B43F six cylinder variants with USB charging and audio visual next stop announcements. Details are:
682 Registration YX22 OJF, Chassis No SFDDPCBRALGY27981, Body No K263/4
683 Registration YX22 OJG, Chassis No SFDDPCBRALGY28034, Body No K263/5
135 and 138 have been withdrawn and are being prepared for return to Dawson Rentals, with 135 currently being repainted white. They are indirectly replaced by 235 and 666 currently surplus from suspended/reduced business park contracts.
457 has been withdrawn for sale following a reduction in requirement at Chineham Business Park, and moved to Reading for storage.
668 has been returned to service from reserve, with the Foundation Park service resuming from 4 April.
1210 and 1211 transferred to Reading Buses on the evening of 3 April, along with the workings on the Lion service. 1204 is to follow shortly.
1212 and 1214 have been sold to Lynx Bus (replaced by 781/2). 1214 departed on 22 March and 1212 is awaiting collection.
Short-term loans from Reading were 808 on 30/31 March covering the 4/X4, replaced by more appropriate 759 from 1 April to present. 759 is due to return shortly.
782 is still awaiting repaint into Green Line 703 livery, and operating in plain red.
796 is expected to return to service having been repainted into route 194 livery sometime in April.
Regards,
Robert
