Cambridge - 22 Apr 2024

Monday 22 April 2024 (1042) – The Southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway links Cambridge Railway Station with the Trumpington Park & Ride site with a spur to serve the growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following two unrelated off bus fatalities on the southern Busway in 2022, one involving a male cyclist and one involving a female pedestrian, the northbound track (running towards the city centre) was closed in early 2022 and remined so for two years whilst the County Council and the Health & Safety Executive decided a course of action (that is perhaps to say faffed about). Temporary safety fencing was put in place to separate the track from the adjacent footpath/cycle path/maintenance track. Instead of positioning the fencing on the latter it was decided to use the northbound Busway track hence why it was closed. During the period of closure buses and their frustrated passengers had to face long delays each morning on the way to the city using already busy roads. Permanent fencing was duly erected and the northbound track re-opened at Easter 2024. The new fencing features yellow opening gates for use in the event of evacuation/emergencies. Also part of the fencing are small openings to allow animals the same option. In this view taken from Hills Road bridge Stagecoach East 21306 (BF65 WKV), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2015, was working towards the Trumpington Park & Ride site.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1026) – The Southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway links Cambridge Railway Station with the Trumpington Park & Ride site with a spur to serve the growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following two unrelated off bus fatalities on the southern Busway in 2022, one involving a male cyclist and one involving a female pedestrian, the northbound track (running towards the city centre) was closed in early 2022 and remined so for two years whilst the County Council and the Health & Safety Executive decided a course of action (that is perhaps to say faffed about). Temporary safety fencing was put in place to separate the track from the adjacent footpath/cycle path/maintenance track. Instead of positioning the fencing on the latter it was decided to use the northbound Busway track hence why it was closed. During the period of closure buses and their frustrated passengers had to face long delays each morning on the way to the city using already busy roads. Permanent fencing was duly erected and the northbound track re-opened at Easter 2024. The new fencing features yellow opening gates for use in the event of evacuation/emergencies. Also part of the fencing are small openings to allow animals the same option. In this view taken from Hills Road bridge Stagecoach East 21309 (BF65 WKY), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2015, was working towards the Trumpington Park & Ride site.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1028) – The Southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway links Cambridge Railway Station with the Trumpington Park & Ride site with a spur to serve the growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following two unrelated off bus fatalities on the southern Busway in 2022, one involving a male cyclist and one involving a female pedestrian, the northbound track (running towards the city centre) was closed in early 2022 and remined so for two years whilst the County Council and the Health & Safety Executive decided a course of action (that is perhaps to say faffed about). Temporary safety fencing was put in place to separate the track from the adjacent footpath/cycle path/maintenance track. Instead of positioning the fencing on the latter it was decided to use the northbound Busway track hence why it was closed. During the period of closure buses and their frustrated passengers had to face long delays each morning on the way to the city using already busy roads. Permanent fencing was duly erected and the northbound track re-opened at Easter 2024. The new fencing features yellow opening gates for use in the event of evacuation/emergencies. Also part of the fencing are small openings to allow animals the same option. In this view taken from Hills Road bridge in Cambridge Stagecoach East 21310 (BF65 WKZ), a Wright Eclipse Urban 3 bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2015, was seen as it worked service A from Trumpington Park & Ride to St. Ives.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1049) – Whippet Coaches WG107 (BT66 MVH) seen crossing Hills Road bridge in Cambridge when working the 1023 service X3 from Addenbrooke’s Hospital to Huntingdon. It is a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in December 2016 originally employed on the cross city Universal services U1/U2 which use the southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1049) – Whippet Coaches WG107 (BT66 MVH) seen crossing Hills Road bridge in Cambridge when working the 1023 service X3 from Addenbrooke’s Hospital to Huntingdon. It is a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in December 2016 originally employed on the cross city Universal services U1/U2 which use the southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. Three Stagecoach East buses are in the background.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1056) – Hills Road, Cambridge near the junction with Brooklands Avenue. Left: Whippet Coaches WD452 (YT10 UWD), a Scania N230UD OmniCity new to London United (SP167) in April 2010. Still in London red the ghost lettering of its former owner is visible on the rear panel. It was working the 0935 service X2 from Huntingdon to Cambridge Railway Station (due 1051). Right: Stagecoach East operates the City Sightseeing franchise in Cambridge using six partially open top Wrightbus Gemini III bodied Volvo B5TLs new in May 2018 numbered 13808-13813. This one was 13813 (BV18 YAA).

Monday 22 April 2024 (1100) – Whippet Coaches vehicles at Cambridge Railway Station. Left: WD452 (YT10 UWD), a Scania N230UD OmniCity new to London United (SP167) in April 2010, had recently arrived working the 0935 service X2 from Huntingdon to Cambridge Railway Station (due 1051). Right: Whippet Coaches WG116 (MX73 GBZ) seen turning to Hills Road from Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge when working the 1024 Universal service U1 from Eddington to the Biomedical Campus/Addenbrooke’s. Having originally commenced in July 2016 the Universal services were upgraded in September 2023 after Whippet Coaches took delivery of nine Mellor Sigma 12 electric buses. This bus initially carried registration MX23 LRU.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1100) – Whippet Coaches WD452 (YT10 UWD), a Scania N230UD OmniCity new to London United (SP167) in April 2010, had recently arrived at Cambridge Railway Station working the 0935 service X2 from Huntingdon to Cambridge Railway Station (due 1051).

Monday 22 April 2024 (1100) – Whippet Coaches WD452 (YT10 UWD), a Scania N230UD OmniCity new to London United (SP167) in April 2010, had recently arrived at Cambridge Railway Station working the 0935 service X2 from Huntingdon to Cambridge Railway Station (due 1051).

Monday 22 April 2024 (1136) – Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, seen arriving at Trumpington Park & Ride, Cambridge working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024). The timetable is as follows although it was 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule when seen here: Amsterdam 2250 Utrecht 2330-2335 Antwerp 0115-0120 C4T 0345-0355 Calais Eurotunnel 0410-0620 Folkestone Eurotunnel 0655-0700 London, North Greenwich 0835-0840 London, Stratford 0905-0915 Cambridge, Trumpington 1015-1025 Leicester, Fosse Park 1210-1215 Nottingham, Cinderhill 1255-1300 Sheffield, Meadowhall 1350-1355 Leeds 1325

Monday 22 April 2024 (1137) – The Trumpington Park & Ride site close to the M11 Motorway on the south-western side of Cambridge is served by dedicated Park & Ride services to the City Centre, Busway services via Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the city centre through to St. Ives and express coach services of National Express and Flixbus. The green single decker is Stagecoach East 21311 (BV18 YCA), a Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B8RLE new in March 2018 operating Busway service A to St. Ives. Stagecoach East 86003 (BV23 NRF) and 86023 (BV23 NTE), both MCV bodied Volvo BZL electric double deckers are working Park & Ride service PR3 to the City Centre. 86003 was new in April and 86023 was new in May 2023. Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, was working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024) and was due here at 1015, 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule. I travelled on 21311 from here. Some of the other passengers had arrived on the Flixbus service.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1138) – Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, had just arrived at Trumpington Park & Ride, Cambridge when working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024). The timetable is as follows although it was 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule when it arrived here: Amsterdam 2250 Utrecht 2330-2335 Antwerp 0115-0120 C4T 0345-0355 Calais Eurotunnel 0410-0620 Folkestone Eurotunnel 0655-0700 London, North Greenwich 0835-0840 London, Stratford 0905-0915 Cambridge, Trumpington 1015-1025 Leicester, Fosse Park 1210-1215 Nottingham, Cinderhill 1255-1300 Sheffield, Meadowhall 1350-1355 Leeds 1325

Monday 22 April 2024 (1139) – Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, had just arrived at Trumpington Park & Ride, Cambridge when working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024). The timetable is as follows although it was 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule when it arrived here: Amsterdam 2250 Utrecht 2330-2335 Antwerp 0115-0120 C4T 0345-0355 Calais Eurotunnel 0410-0620 Folkestone Eurotunnel 0655-0700 London, North Greenwich 0835-0840 London, Stratford 0905-0915 Cambridge, Trumpington 1015-1025 Leicester, Fosse Park 1210-1215 Nottingham, Cinderhill 1255-1300 Sheffield, Meadowhall 1350-1355 Leeds 1325

Monday 22 April 2024 (1139) – The Trumpington Park & Ride site close to the M11 Motorway on the south-western side of Cambridge is served by dedicated Park & Ride services to the City Centre, Busway services via Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the city centre through to St. Ives and express coach services of National Express and Flixbus. Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, was working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024) and was due here at 1015, 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule. Stagecoach East 86023 (BV23 NTE) and 86003 (BV23 NRF), both MCV bodied Volvo BZL electric double deckers are working Park & Ride service PR3 to the City Centre. 86003 was new in April and 86023 was new in May 2023. The green single decker is Stagecoach East 21311 (BV18 YCA), a Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B8RLE new in March 2018 operating Busway service A to St. Ives. I travelled on this bus from here. Some of the other passengers had arrived on the Flixbus service.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1139) – Whippet Coaches Limited FX41 (OY23 CYP), a Neoplan N2216 Tourliner new in July 2023, had just arrived at Trumpington Park & Ride, Cambridge when working Flixbus service N601 from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Leeds (UK). It had departed Amsterdam at 2250 the previous evening (Sunday 21 April 2024). The timetable is as follows although it was 1 hour 21 minutes behind schedule when it arrived here: Amsterdam 2250 Utrecht 2330-2335 Antwerp 0115-0120 C4T 0345-0355 Calais Eurotunnel 0410-0620 Folkestone Eurotunnel 0655-0700 London, North Greenwich 0835-0840 London, Stratford 0905-0915 Cambridge, Trumpington 1015-1025 Leicester, Fosse Park 1210-1215 Nottingham, Cinderhill 1255-1300 Sheffield, Meadowhall 1350-1355 Leeds 1325

Monday 22 April 2024 (1121) – A visit to Cambridge today where I travelled on six different buses all listed below. In this photograph I was on board Stagecoach East 21303 (BF65 WKS) (my bus 4) five minutes and only 220 yards/200 metres after departing the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Outpatients bus stop. We were following Whippet Coaches WG116 (MX73 GBZ) (my bus 3) as they attempted to continue on their respective journeys. Queues created by cars waiting to enter the multi-storey car park quite some distance ahead brought traffic to a standstill. It took quite some time to get properly moving. The tracker on the Bus Times website showed that 21303 had departed more or less on time from St. Ives (Edison Road) working the 0945 Busway service A but was already 6 minutes late when it joined the Busway itself at St. Ives Park & Ride and 14 minutes late when leaving the Busway at Orchard Park, Kings Hedges. This had slid to 16 minutes late leaving the Addenbrooke’s Outpatients bus stop but such was the delay here that it would be 27 minutes late reaching the Trumpington Park & Ride site. The six buses travelled on during my outing were: Bus 1: Stagecoach East 86005 (BV23 NRK), an MCV bodied Volvo BZL electric double decker new in April 2023. (Journey: 0953 service PR4 from Babraham Road Park & Ride site to Addenbrooke’s Hospital Bus Station) Bus 2: Whippet Coaches WG112 (UN14 BUS), a Mellor Sigma 12 electric single decker new in Sept 2023 (initially registered MX23 LCU). (Journey: 1008 service U1 from Addenbrooke’s Hospital to Cambridge Railway Station) Bus 3: Whippet Coaches WG116 (MX73 GBZ), a Mellor Sigma 12 electric single decker new in Sept 2023 (initially registered MX23 LRU) (Journey: 1108 service U1 from Cambridge Railway Station to Addenbrooke’s Hospital) Bus 4: Stagecoach East 21303 (BF65 WKS), a Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2015 (Journey: Addenbrooke’s Hospital to Trumpington Park & Ride site departed 1115) Bus 5: Stagecoach East 21311 (BV18 YCA), a Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B8RLE new in March 2018 (Journey: Trumpington Park & Ride site to Addenbrooke’s Hospital departed 1139) Bus 6: Stagecoach East 86019 (BV23 NSU), an MCV bodied Volvo BZL electric double decker new in May 2023 (Journey: 1220 Addenbrooke’s Hospital Bus Station to Babraham Road Park & Ride site)

Monday 22 April 2024 (1022) – Stagecoach East (Cambus) 36310 (LX58 BZY), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new to Stagecoach Selkent in September 2008 and now a training bus, seen about to cross Hills Road bridge in Cambridge.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1034) – Stagecoach East 19568 (AE10 BWD) seen crossing Hills Road bridge in Cambridge when working cross city service 1 from Fulbourn/Cherry Hinton to Arbury/Kings Hedges. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Trident new in April 2010.