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In addition to their yellow Beeline local and main road bus network The Berks Bucks Bus Co.
operates express services, each with its own dedicated liveried fleet of vehicles.
Operational requirements quite often place coaches branded for one service on another.
More details of selected express operations may be found in other parts of
Busworld, but, at the risk of repeating myself, here are some sketch notes on the routes, vehicles and histories. |
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Rail Air Link Route X25 |
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It has been practice for many years to refer to this service solely as "Rail Air"
and not quote its X25 route number nor display it on vehicles.
Originaly a railway contract to provide co-ordinated, through ticketed, links to Heathrow
by changing at Reading for rail passengers from the West of England and South Wales,
Rail Air is presently run as a commercial service in its own right. |
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Based in Reading Rail Air has had to adapt to changes in Beeline's operational structure.
When the Reading routes ceded to Reading Buses the Rail Air coaches became out-stationed at Reading Bus Station.
From 1997 when the Bus Station was redeveloped the vehicles had to return to Bracknell each night.
The logistics of this involved Bracknell drivers delivering coaches to Reading as early as 4am,
while the Rail Air men had to return their charges to Bracknell at night and be transported home to Reading.
By 1998 a deal had been struck to house and house-keep the Rail Air vehicle requirement at Reading Buses premises,
rotating them back to Bracknell for engineering and other duties. |
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791 photographed ready to leave the Bracknell yard in February 1999 |
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702 photographed newly delivered the Bracknell yard in early June 1999 |
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The recent vehicle allocation comprised 8 Berkhoff bodied Scanias numbered 791 to 798 in two batches
with matching registrations M791TCF to M794TCF and N795WAN to N798WAN. |
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On 1st August 1999 a new fleet of 7 Plaxton bodied Volvo B12 tri-axle coaches officialy entered service,
releasing the 8 Berkhoff bodied Scanias for sevice on London Link.
A major re-launch and marketing campaign will try to generate custom from the Reading area to suplement the rail lead traffic. |
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London Link Routes X7, X9 & X37 |
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Further details and maps together with my commuter experiences and
some spin off entertainment can be found on the London Link page.
Please visit the gallery of archive photographs bought at bus rallies etc.
covering past London Link and Green Line vehicles . |
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The 7 Berkhoff bodied Scanias numbered 740 to 746 hiding their age behind Irish registrations
were first used for Rail Air and cascaded to London Link when the later Rail Air Scanias were delivered.
Repeating the cycle those Rail Air Scanias joined the London Link fleet when the Plaxton bodied Volvo B12 tri-axle coaches entered service. |
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Extract from a letter by Bev Fowles, Managing Director (f)First Beeline dated 30th July 1999 |
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With the entry into service of the new Rail Air coaches from 1st August 1999,
the existing dark - green Rail Air coaches will be transfered to London Link with immediate effect.
Unfortunately there is no time to have them repainted before they are transferred,
because the old Scanias have to be returned to the dealer under a part - exchange agreement. |
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The Rail Air coaches will be repainted into a revised version of the GreenLine/London Link livery
at the rate of about one per week over the coming 2 - 3 months.
As a temporary measure it is intended to obliterate the Reading Heathrow Rail Air lettering under the front screen
with a vinyl sticker showing GreenLine/London Link.
As each coach is repainted it will be fitted with new destination equipment which will provide a large and clear display at the top of the windscreen. |
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Subject to final agreement by the FirstGroup board the existing GreenLine Volvo coaches will also be replaced with 18 month old Volvo Plaxton coaches within a similar timescale.
These will come equiped with destination equipment identical to that which is being fitted to the Rail Air coaches,
but in order to release the old Volvo coaches they may also enter service without being repainted.
In this event temporary stickers will be fitted in order to make it clear that they are operating on GreenLine/London Link services. |
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End quote |
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Following a total rebuild of its brakes 740 should cease to be infamous for legal stopping distances. |
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It is interesting that within the group of nominaly identical vehicles there are subtle differences,
giving each its own character inspite of all the Engineering Department's efforts. |
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Green Line Routes 700, 701 & 702 |
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Formerly based at Slough and migrated to Bracknell under (f)Beeline's "One Roof" policy for coaching operations.
The cynics among the readership may mutter that good American term "Downsizing", but I couldn't possibly comment.
A snapshot of events on 14th March 1999 is on
GreenLine 702 comes to Bracknell and there are former
Green Line vehicles in the gallery with the London Link photos. |
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Route 700 a limited stop journey used mainly to reposition coaches from commuter runs on London Link. |
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Route 701 the original Slough commuter service numbered 701 was
passed to Armchair Passenger Transport Ltd. on 14th March 1999
and Armchair's Bracknell via Windsor commuter runs C1 & C2 with slight revisions became Green Line 701. |
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Route 702 Green Line's tourist service from Victoria to Windsor Castle and Legoland® |
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As a Slough route 702 served a stand in Hammersmith Bus Station - Volvo Jonckheere 790 photographed in February 1999 |
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The Jonckheere bodied Volvos used for Green Line services were delivered to Alder Valley for use on their London Link
in 1988, qualifying for an F-prefix registration. The original 10 coaches have migrated through the orginization until 5 remain
in the current Beeline fleet with their age concealed behind Irish registrations.
The known career of all 10 is charted on their own page. |
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