Red Rover
Local Bus Services and Express Coaches in 'OO' Scale
Last Updated 03/03/10
March 2010
Fleet News
Not previously mentioned, but acquired during September 2009, is a further Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE. Numbered 270, it carries registration MX06 VNV. Unlike the othe Eclipses operated, this has standard bus seats.
An updated Red Rover Buses Fleet List is available by clicking here
February 2010
Fleet News
Daimler Fleetline KON 371P (503) has been withdrawn and sold for preservation.
New vehicle orders have been announced and comprise two further Dennis Enviro 200's, these being due for delivery during April. In the current economic climate, these new buses will be supplemented by quality second hand ones, rather than with further new vehicles.
To that end, two recent arrivals are G285 OGE, an H78F Alexander RV bodied Volvo Citybus, from LR Travel. It has been repainted in to fleet livery from white and is for school services from Aylesbury and carries fleet number 520. Also now in service is Red Rover Buses' first Scania Omnidekka, YN53 PAO, which came from a dealer, has H69F seating and is allocated fleet number 680. As it is used as a spare bus for services X15 and 323, it doesn't carry any specific route branding. Pictures of both these buses are on the Photographs page
December 2009
Service Update
Red Rover is please to announce that from 4th January 2010, we will be joining the 
express coach network. Both our express coach services X1 and X4 will be incorporated in to the existing Countrywide route numbering system, with X1 becoming Countrywide FlightLink 701 and X4 becoming Countrywide 404. In addition, new Flightlink 701 will have an enhanced timetable with coaches operating every two hours every day, with earlier and later departures from both Heathrow and Luton airports. There will be no changes to new service 404. Countrywide operates coach services across the UK and our passengers will have access to a wide range of joining services and through ticketing to a huge range of destinations. A link to the Countrywide website is available on the links page. Red Rover has purchased 6 refurbished DAF coaches to operate the new services, with leather seating and onboard video/TV. Timetables will appear on our website in the next couple of days.
Fleet News
The six coaches above are all DAF SB4000XF/Van hool C48F T9's and are registered YJ05 PWF-H/K-M (taking fleet numbers 701-6). All wear Countrywide livery and have been repainted and refurbished in our own workshops. Further used vehicles are Optare Solos W317 DWX and KX51 CSZ (273/4) in Shuttle livery at Chesham and Dart SLF Mini Pointers MX04 AXN and VE52 HEC (243/4) at Aylesbury in standard livery. Withdrawn and sold are Volvo B10 BLE/Wright Renown N106 GVS (206), Volvo Ailsa/Alexander JOV 743P (520), Neoplan Skyliners Y23-5 OHC (710-12) and the only Olympian in the fleet, Alexander-bodied Royale N125 YRW (704).
Also new to Red Rover this month is a DAF 105/Boniface M8 Recovery lorry. This is allocated to Aylesbury.
Pictures of all the new vehicles are on the photos page
November 2009
Service Update
Plenty of news this month with improved and revised services.
Services 301 and 302 between Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead are being improved from Monday 23rd November and will become Premier Line 301. This is the third ‘Premier’ service operated, alongside Premier Line 323 which operates between Aylesbury and High Wycombe and Premier Express X15 to Milton Keynes. All journeys will operate via Northchurch through to Berkhamsted High Street, with the diversion to Berkhamsted Station known as service 302 being withdrawn. Alternative journeys from Berkhamsted to the station are offered by service 353. Premier Line 301 has the full ‘Premier’ treatment, with dedicated drivers, the interior of the vehicles are swept at the end of each return trip and each bus has a full interior and exterior clean each day. ‘Premier 10’ tickets are available offering 10 single journeys for the equivalent price of 8, along with weekly and monthly season tickets. To operate the service, four new Scania Omnicity buses will be used. They are fitted with leather faced seating, two-way radios, security cameras and passenger information systems. They will also feature the new Red Rover logo, the first buses to carry it. A new timetable is available by clicking here
Also, starting on 23rd November, our Chesham and Amersham town services are being rebranded as Red Rover ‘Shuttle’ and country services Red Rover 'Chilternlink'. Both straplines are being launched to differentiate these services from competitors, with more local and meaningful sounding names. The Optare Solos used on the Shuttle services will be receiving a brand new livery as part of the rebranding - pictures will be available shortly. On the same date, most Chesham and Amersham services are being revised in order to more closely match passenger usage and expectations. Details as follows:-
Service 336
The 1710 journey from Chesham to Rickmansworth on Mondays to Fridays and the 1800 return journey to Chesham are both withdrawn.
Service 348
On Saturdays, he following journeys are wothdrawn: The 1424 and 1524 from Chesham to Chartridge; The 1406 and 1506 from Chesham to Poles Hill; The 1445 from Chesham to Great Hivings; The 1433 and 1533 from Chartridge to Chesham; The 1414 and 1514 from Poles Hill to Chesham; The1455 from Great Hivings to Chesham.
Services 349/394
On Saturdays, the 1437 journey from Chesham Moor will operate only as far as Chesham Nashleigh Arms (it will not continue to Bellingdon and Tring). As a consequence, the return journey from Tring at 1525 will also no longer operate on Saturdays.
Service 353
Timings on this service are being completely revised. Buses will generally depart Slough 9 minutes earlier than at present, with journeys operating 9 minutes earlier throughout. The 1754 journey from Slough on Saturday is withdrawn. Buses will also no longer operate to/from Springfield Road in Berkhamsted, with all buses terminating/starting from Berkhamsted Station. Departures from Berkhamsted Station will generally be 5 minutes earlier than at present, with the service then operating 5 minutes earlier throughout. The final bus from Berkhamsted on Saturdays will be at 1620 (roughly an hour earlier than at present), with this journey terminating at Chesham Broadway.
Service 373/375
Service 375 will no longer operate via Annes Corner in Chesham Bois, operating direct via Chesham Road instead. An alternative service is offered by service 353. On Saturdays, the 1558 journey from Leyhill will operate only as far as Chesham Broadway; the 1708 departure from Leyhill and the 1632 departure from Amersham are both withdrawn on Saturdays.
Please click here for details of the revised services.
Fleet News
As mentioned above, the four Scania Omnicity buses previously on order will be used on the new Premier Line 301. Carrying specific Line 301 branding, they have registrations OJ59 SCA-D (283-6) and are the CN270UB version with the more powerful 270hp Euro IV engine. They are fitted with leather faced seating, two-way radios, security cameras and passenger information systems. As a consequence of the changes, Leyland National 2’s PEX 614-6W (200-2) will be placed in to storage, along with the only Wright Renown in the fleet, N106 GVS (206).
Additionally, a new and completely updated fleet list is also now online in a revised format - click here to view or download a copy
