 A pride of lions. Below YX73 PHK and above KX59 GNV (ex Portsmouth University) showing the contrasting ‘Lion’ livery. Both are departing on service 4 to Reading.  As hoped for, the day got off to a roaring start: the bus
that arrived was one of the new Alexander Dennis E40D MMC ‘s in the revised
‘Lion’ livery. We settled into smart leather seats (top deck front of course):
checked out the contactless phone charging pad, peered through the full-length
sun roof and admired the ambient lighting and set off at a sedate pace (X for
express?) to a cacophony of squeaks and rattles along the very straight A329. A
visit to Wokingham Railway Station before pulling into the town centre for a
short layover and then onto the epitome of 1960’s pre-cast concrete, Bracknell.
On route enjoyed a tour around one of the industrial parks and the derelict dry
ski slope, although the alpine chalet hotel at the summit remains open. Around
the ring road, passing the railway station and the site where the First depot
once stood, we arrive at the all too familiar bus station. The one constant on the Bracknell bus scene is the bus
station. Whilst numerous operators have come and gone, Thames Valley, Beeline,
First, and Courtney to name a few, the bus station has changed little. The
greasy spoon café is as rough and cheap as ever; the toilets are indescribable
with the mural no longer a diversion; the former information shop now a focal
point for staff to loiter, and the remaining retail outlet long closed.
However, the one major redeeming feature is the buses. Today, the majority are
under Reading Buses management and trade as Thames Valley, with White Bus
coming in on a couple of irregular services. Reading has invested heavily in
new buses in an assortment of liveries, whilst still retaining a few of the
former Courtney fleet. Visiting on a dull Monday in February, passenger loading
looked light on the town services but slightly better on services out-of-town.
One negative observation was that the buses could do with a good clean as the
exterior on many buses showed signs of several days’ road dirt. With so much redevelopment in the centre of Bracknell, it is encouraging that the bus station survives especially as it is conveniently adjacent to both the shopping precinct and railway station. The level of bus provision also belies Bracknell’s status as a new town built around a road network designed for the car.
 Former Courtney YY67 HDO about to depart on half-hourly service 194 to Camberley. The service extends four time a day to Farnborough.  Above: Reading Buses FL73 WND departing on service 703
for Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 via Slough and Windsor. The 18 daily departures
have an erratic headway from Bracknell but become a 30-minute headway when
combined with short workings from Slough. Below: how things were when
First operated the route.   Above: Two AD E20D’s in a rather drab Thames Valley livery. Front YX68 ULZ and behind YX65 RKK, both ex Courtney although RKK was originally an Alexander Dennis demonstrator. Below: YX73 PGZ arrives into the bus station on service 171, an every 30 minute circular around the town via Hanworth. The livery displays a variation of the bird motif used originally by Courtney.
 Two variations on a colour
theme: Above: SN69 ZMZ laying over and below YX22 OJG about to depart on
service 194 to Camberley.   Two ex-Courtney buses still
in service with Thames Valley. Above: KX64 AEJ returning to the bus
station on service 150, a 27 minute circular via Binfield. Below: YX67
UYP about to depart on service 156, a 25 minute circular around the town.  In the past.    Left, First Bus, right two examples of Courtneys operation.    Left, Beeline operating the 192. Centre the mural in the bus station toilet and a Mercedes laying over. |
