In 2023 the two major bus operators in the beautiful historic city of Oxford, Go Ahead’s Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach West, introduced a large number of battery-electric buses. The Oxford Bus Company placed in service 91 Wright StreetDeck Electroliner double-deckers and 5 Wright GB Kite single-deckers with ‘electricity’ fleetnames whilst Stagecoach West choice of vehicle was 55 ADL Enviro400EV double-deckers with ‘electro’ fleetnames. The Oxford Bus Company buses are painted bright green with a dark and mid blue ‘O’ logo on the rear third sides of the vehicle and Stagecoach use similar colours but incorporating their ‘beach ball’ logo in a similar position to the Oxford Bus Company buses.
The independent transport videos cameras were in Oxford during 2024 and 2025 on very similar sunny days to film the new electric buses. Our cameraman covered similar locations on both visits, which shows the changes from diesel to electric traction. These locations, mostly in Oxford city centre, include High Street, Magdalen Bridge, The Plain, St Aldate’s, Queen Street, Castle Street, the approach to Oxford railway station, Park End Street, Broad Street, Magdalen Street, George Street and St Giles’. We also see buses in Thames Travel and Connector liveries and buses from the Carousel Buses fleet as well as those from Aylesbury independent, Redline. In 2024 we film Arriva buses but by 2025 Arriva no longer serve Oxford. Another change to be noted is that the Oxford Bus Company has renumbered all of it’s buses with five digit fleet numbers beginning ‘80’. Our 2024 filming begins with a ride from Peartree Park & Ride on board 735 (BJ73 WXY), an Oxford Bus Company Wright StreetDeck Electroliner to the city centre to begin our filming. At the end of the day we return to Peartree Park & Ride on similar bus 739 (BJ73 WYC). Our 2025 filming starts with a ride from Redbridge Park & Ride, this time on board 80780 (BN24 ZYB), again a similar Oxford Bus Company Wright StreetDeck Electroliner to the city centre for filming to commence. Whilst at the railway station we take the opportunity to take a ride on one of the new Stagecoach Enviro ADL400EV buses, 80040 (SK74 BCE), an 11.1 metre seventy-seat double-decker for the short ride on route 1 towards Blackbird Lays alighting at Castle Street.We return to Redbridge Park & Ride on board Oxford Bus Company’s 80727 (BJ73 WXP), a Wright StreetDeck Electroliner which completes our filming of buses in Oxford going electric!
To finish this programme we present some early video shot by transport enthusiast Neil Cunningham of buses in Oxford during the 1990’s. Here we see buses from the City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd. (Oxford Bus Company) fleet in the shape of ECW-bodied Bristol VRTs and Leyland Olympians together with former London Transport Leyland Titans of which 25 were bought in 1993 to replace some of the older Bristol VRTs. Enjoy the nostalgia!
Produced by - Independent Transport Videos
Duration - 74 minutes
Region - 0 (worldwide) PAL
Aspect Ratio - 16:9 Widescreen
DVD only
Released - June 2025
