Shortdecks

Oxford Bus Company ordered Streetdecks, obviously low-height (due to the Oxford Station bridge, obviously) for Route 5.

Oxford Bus Company 651 on Route 5, Blackbird Leys (© Aubrey)

This bus has the new pink branding for Route 5, which is very similar to the Stagecoach counterpart Route 1. It is treated as the same route practically in the Oxford bus partnership, with just the 5 going to the Rail Station and the 1 being run by Stagecoach only to the City Centre.


Rear of Oxford Bus Company 751 on Route 5, Blackbird Leys (CC Aubrey)

As seen here, this bus has full rear displays with destination as seen by most Oxford Bus Company double deckers.


Rear of Oxford Bus Company 652 on Route 5, Blackbird Leys (CC Aubrey)

However, this one and quite a few of the buses have the same standard number only rear display, which is odd for Oxford.


Oxford Bus Company 652 on Route 5, Blackbird Leys (© Aubrey)

Another oddity for Oxford is the lack of personalised registration plates for these buses, with having registrations from Scotland (Edinburgh?) DVLA office.


Oxford Bus Company 654 on Route 5, Oxford Carfax (CC Aubrey)

There are 11 to in this batch, presumably with all of them in this pink livery for city5. These have wi-fi, have a smooth ride and do feel extra short on the upper deck due to them being low-height, obviously. Along with the short windows, it just emphasises the overall fact that they are low-height.


Oxford Bus Company 653 on Route 5, Oxford Carfax (© Aubrey)

These buses overall aren't too bad, although they aren't exactly going to turn heads for good looks! They have provision for next-stop information displays and they will be used in due course (on the day I covered them, they weren't working).

This obviously isn't the first Streetdecks for Go-Ahead Group, indeed the first ones with the new body front as well as the Streetdeck chassis were the Brighton & Hove ones:


Brighton & Hove 935 (Route 12A) & 937 (Route 12X), Bishopstone (© Aubrey)

And they aren't too bad either.