Chipping Norton railbus withdrawn (again)

[whole diary]

[Richard Fairhurst]

The X8 railbus from Kingham Station to Chipping Norton has had a bit of a chequered history over recent years. It used to run throughout the day; was withdrawn in 2017 after Oxfordshire County Council dropped all bus subsidies; and returned a couple of years later as a peak-time only service with central Government funding.

Unfortunately, from 1st April, it will be withdrawn once more:

https://twitter.com/PulhamsCoaches/status/1500803636246503425

"Please be advised that the X8 service will cease operation on Friday 1st April 2022."

(Previous discussion: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/info/13423_Bus_Link_Kingham_to_Chipping_Norton.html)

[Richard Fairhurst]

Chippy is getting a bus-rail connection again - but this time via Moreton-in-Marsh, not Kingham.

It was reported at an Oxfordshire "Active Travel Round Table" yesterday that Pulhams would be running a new Chippy–Moreton service, and I see it's now on the Oxford Clarion Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/OxfordClarion/status/1764954623243067794

[bobm]

With Pulhams now part of the Go Ahead group the £2 fare cap will apply too I assume.

[ChrisB]

The X9 still runs from Chippy to Charlbury

[Richard Fairhurst]

It does indeed - I used it on Saturday! But it can't get to Charlbury station, because there's a weight limit on the river bridge (though the occasional RRB^▸ (Rail Replacement Bus) does chance it), and it's a 700m walk from the nearest bus stop. The 801 calls at the Moreton station bus stops.

[TonyN]

This will also give access to the National Trust Chastleton House and the Rollright Stones from the Cotswold line.