Golden Anniversary of Oxford Bus Preservation

This month the members of the Bus Museum are celebrating 50 years of Bus Preservation.

In 1967 ten friends bought NJO 703, an AEC Regal III. This 9.6 litre diesel engine 32 seater single decker had been bought new in 1949 by City of Oxford as one of ten single deck with bodywork by Willowbrook finished to coach standard complete with a speedflash. Several of the original members are active volunteers at the museum today.

All ten coaches original had an ivory and maroon livery but later five were repainted in standard bus livery and demoted to bus duties. The company’s fleet comprised mainly double decker buses but single deck buses were needed for lightly used country services from Oxford to places like Reading. It was also used for private hire and excursions.

703 was withdrawn in 1958 and sold to Austin Hoy of Saunderton near High Wycombe along with its sister buses 701 and 705. 703 was acquired for preservation in 1967 and stored around Oxford or at High Wycombe until in 1982 the Museum’s present premises were acquired next to Hanborough Railway Station.

Membership of the museum costs £20 for adults (£30 for two adults at the same address) and gives unlimited free entry to the museum for the year and a magazine four times a year.


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About Oxford Bus Museum

The museum is located at the Rail Station Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire OX29 8LA and contains 35 vintages buses and coaches, the earliest dating from 1913, a collection of Morris cars dating from 1925 to 1977, a horse drawn tram and a collection of 40 mainly nineteenth century bicycles. The museum is open between 10.30am and 4.30pm on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the year, on Saturdays in July & August, most Bank Holidays and New Year's Day but is closed from 19 to 31 December 2019 inclusive. There is a cafe and shop. The museum is run entirely by volunteers. Entrance is only £5 for adults, £3 for children 5-15, under 5s free and family ticket £13