HFF: Red Eagle Buses 50122 (YX08 MFO) in Marlow - 15 Apr 2024 (P1170861)

Monday 15 April 2024 (1013) – Sometimes after patiently waiting to photograph a bus when it does appear something else gets in the way. At least it wasn't a big vehicle this time!

Red Eagle Buses 50122 (YX08 MFO) seen turning from Pound Lane to High Street in Marlow when working the 1010 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom-High Wycombe service 160 which is one of a set of local services providing links from small communities into Marlow and High Wycombe.

The background is dominated by All Saints Church and Marlow Bridge The bridge crosses the River Thames, the boundary between Buckinghamshire to Berkshire, and has a width and weight limit which precludes buses from crossing. In the early years when buses were smaller and lighter (1920s/1930s) services did cross the bridge. By the late 1950s Thames Valley Traction operated lightweight Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol SC4LK buses across the bridge. The weight limit on the bridge at that time was 5 tons and those buses had an unladen weight of just under 4 tons so passengers so had to cross the bridge empty. Passengers had to alight and walk over the bridge re-joining the bus on the other side.

The bus is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart new to London United (SDE1) new in July 2008.

This service is one of a set of local services worked by a single bus which provides links from various small communities into Marlow (5 days a week), High Wycombe (4 days a week) and Maidenhead (1 day a week).

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays the working diagram is:

0745 Chinnor Hill-High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School) 0820 (654)
0900 Lane End-Marlow (Court Garden) 0925 (156)
0926 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1005 (160)
1010 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom-High Wycombe 1045 (158)
1125 High Wycombe- Marlow (Court Garden) 1143 (158)
1145 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1223 (160)
1225 Marlow (Court Garden)-Lane End 1249 (156)
1315 High Wycombe-Marlow Bottom- Marlow (Court Garden) 1349 (158)
1400 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1438 (160)
1555 High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School)-Chinnor Hill 1630 (654)

On Wednesdays a different route pattern operates with two trips running to Maidenhead rather than those to High Wycombe on service 158.