Oxford buses

[ValleyLines142]

I went to Oxford for the first time yesterday, making use of the Redbridge Park and Ride. I have to say, I was very impressed with the frequencies of buses and the pop of colour they provide to the wonderful city of spires, especially OBC's 5 route with their PINK Streetdecks! However I noticed that many of OBC's buses all had personalised registrations on them, such as UK 14 OXF or HD 11 OXF. Surely these must be very expensive, and also somewhat time consuming from removing the original plates off them!

 

[90019]

However I noticed that many of OBC's buses all had personalised registrations on them, such as UK 14 OXF or HD 11 OXF. Surely these must be very expensive, and also somewhat time consuming from removing the original plates off them!

I wouldn't have thought so - those don't look to be expensive plates (possibly even in the £250 bracket) and putting them on the bus is a fairly trivial matter with only a little bit of paperwork involved.

 

[overthewater]

Main point in doing so, is to hide the age of the bus.

 

[90019]

Main point in doing so, is to hide the age of the bus.

Not with plates like that.
You need an ageless one to hide the age of a vehicle, so either a pre-1962 or an NI plate, ones with year identifiers can only be used on vehicles of that year or older.

 

[duncombec]

Oxford vehicles generally have nothing to do with hiding the age - they are usually new enough already.

They are better described as personalised plates, and they quite often run through a series of letters (E.g. AF11OXF, BF11OXF, CF11OXF...) to get the set for however many they need.

 

[CatfordCat]

You can register a vehicle from new with a personalised registration, either a number you have already got 'on retention' or one you request / buy from DVLA at the time.

TfL, for example, have made arrangements for the 'Boris Buses' to have LTZ registrations from new. Delaine Buses have used ADxx DBL for many of their new vehicles in recent years.

For that matter, London Transport used to reserve batches of registrations for new buses (e.g. Routemasters carrying VLT then WLT registrations)

There is no need, either administratively or physically, to change the registration number of a new vehicle in that situation.

I don't know enough about the market for these things to know how much it would cost to purchase an ABxx OXF registration. I would not have thought a huge amount (there won't be many individuals with the initials OXF) - and when a new bus is well in to six figures to buy, not really that big a deal.

 

[the101]

The decision not to continue with the OXF plates was taken by the current MD when he took up the post. I struggle to remember the exact reason, but I think it may have been something to do with a fares increase and he judged it not politically wise to continue to register new buses with personalised plates when fares were going up, which is logical. It seems that people in Oxford do notice these things.

 

[higthomas]

On the general subject of Oxford buses, I am constantly impressed by them. Very frequent along major corridors, integrated ticketing, new buses etc. Also, the night bus provison is outstanding. One can get to London, Aylesbury, Wallingford, Carteton, Bicester and Wantage all after 2:30 am!! (As well as most suburbs) Although I don't know why the people of Didcot and Woodstock don't seem to be felt worthy of such provision.

 

[Wolvercoter]

I've always been a fan of Oxford buses... I recall riding OBC's Olympians and VRs in my youth and, in later years, their Marshall Darts to work. OBC's fleet has always been interesting and well presented. Also liked Thames Transit's branding e.g. Kidlington Cavalier, Park and Ride with Gloria Glide!

Although I don't know why the people of Didcot and Woodstock don't seem to be felt worthy of such provision.

Didcot used to have late buses. I lived there in 2001/2 and around that time, the 32/A (via Abingdon) and X35 (avoid Abingdon) ran into the wee smalls!