Carousel Buses

Buckinghamshire bus operator

Carousel Buses

Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC in Maidenhead in April 2025

Parent| Go-Ahead Group
Founded| 2000; 25 years ago (2000)
Headquarters| Unit 2, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 5SG
Service area| Buckinghamshire
Hertfordshire
Oxfordshire
Berkshire
Greater London
Surrey
Service type| Bus services
Routes| 67 (not including private contracts)
Stations| High Wycombe Bus Station (adjoining the Eden Centre)
High Wycombe Coachway
Slough Bus Station
Fleet| 115 (Apr 25)
Managing Director| Luke Marion[1]
Website| Carousel Buses

Carousel Buses Limited,[2] trading as Carousel Buses, is a bus company based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. Originally an independent company, it is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group's Oxford Bus Company operation alongside Pearces Coaches of Oxfordshire, Thames Travel, also of Oxfordshire and Pulham's Coaches of Gloucestershire having been purchased as the 50-vehicle independent operator in February 2012.[3]

## History

[edit]

Northern Counties Palatine bodied Leyland Olympian in High Wycombe in July 2009 Mercedes-Benz Citaro in the original livery for route A40 in High Wycombe in July 2009

Carousel Buses was formed in 2000 by Steve Burns and John Robinson. It initially expanded by winning Buckinghamshire County Council contracts.[4]

In August 2003 route A40 High Wycombe to Heathrow Airport commenced, initially using second-hand Leyland Olympian double-deckers.[5] By April 2004 these had been replaced by new low-floor Mercedes-Benz Citaro single-deck buses, in a dedicated silver and red livery.[6] The route, which ran in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council and Heathrow Airport Holdings, was formally introduced in January 2004.[7]

The company launched a new commercial route in June 2004, replacing services withdrawn by Arriva The Shires between High Wycombe and Lane End.[8]

In March 2008 Carousel introduced routes 35 and 36, branded as Purple Route, to replace a withdrawn Arriva Shires & Essex service to Flackwell Heath.[9] The 35 was temporarily withdrawn in January 2010 because of road conditions, but was later restored. Arriva Shires & Essex currently run a combined 35 service with Carousel, with Carousel operating all daytime services, and Arriva operating evening and Sunday journeys.[10] In October 2008 the majority of services to Winchmore Hill were withdrawn, leaving the village with just one bus a day.[11]

In August 2009 route 336, which had previously run between Watford and Amersham, was extended to High Wycombe reinstating a through link for the first time in 30 years. The network of routes linking Chesham and Amersham, numbered 373, 374 and 375, were rationalised into two routes, the 71 and 73, running hourly between the two locations. These routes have since changed to Red Rose Travel, linking Whelpley Hill and Ley Hill to Hilltop, Chesham Broadway, Chesham Bois, Amersham Station, Quill Hall Estate, Little Chalfont, Penn Street, Coleshill and Winchmore Hill, where Carousel no longer serves.[12]

In September 2009 two new routes were introduced, route 740 supplemented the A40 between High Wycombe and Uxbridge, increasing the overall frequency to every 30 minutes and incorporating Beaconsfield, and route 730 from Chesham to Heathrow Airport.[13]

A further change saw the existing route to Lane End replaced by new circular routes 2A and 2C in April 2010. These are no longer Carousel services[14]

In March 2012 Carousel Buses was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group. Carousel retains its identity, with its management passing to the group's Oxford Bus Company operation.[15] Go-Ahead had previously operated services in the High Wycombe area under the Wycombe Bus name, but sold this operation to Arriva in December 2000.[16][17]

On 3 June 2018, their 'Link' network became the 'Chiltern Hundreds'. (102 runs from High Wycombe to Uxbridge/Heathrow Airport, 103 runs from High Wycombe to Windsor, 104 runs from High Wycombe to Uxbridge via Seer Green,the Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross, Tatling End and Denham. and 106/107 runs from Amersham to Slough via The Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross, Fulmer (107), Windsor Road (106), Hollybush Hill (both), 106 Wexham Street, 107 Stoke Poges, Wexham Park Hospital, Knolton Way, Slough

As of 25 July 2022 Carousel Buses have cut the Watford part of the 103 and cut the 103 back to Wycombe and Chesham with the reason being low passenger usage and in September is set to be extended to Slough with Chesham being cut. The Watford part has been replaced by Arriva's 336 Watford to Amersham and 335 Watford to Chorleywood.

Carousel also cut 105 Chesham to Uxbridge by extending 106/7 to Amersham with the reason being the same as 103. Route 40 also passed to Red Rose Travel with the same reason as 105 and 103.

As of September 2022, Carousels routes 35 and 36 have transferred to Arriva. With school route 39A being fully terminated due to lack of use. While carousel takes over the Route 1/1A/1B entirely. Carousel have also started a "PickMeUp" service, operating similar to Uber and funded in part by Buckinghamshire County Council.

As of 8 January 2023, the route 41 from Great Missenden railway station to High Wycombe bus station was transferred to Carousel [18] from Arriva Beds & Bucks (operating under Arriva Shires & Essex), the route was later extended to Amersham.[19] In August 2023, the 103 route was extended from Slough to Windsor as well as taking over route 275 between High Wycombe and Oxford from Red Rose.[20]

In May 2024 Arriva proposed the closure of their Aylesbury & High Wycombe depots, with Carousel Buses saying they would take over any withdrawn services.[21]

In April 2025, Carousel took over a number of Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and Buckinghamshire Council contracted services in the Maidenhead/Windsor and Chesham areas, significantly expanding their area of operation. [22][23]

In July 2025, it was announced that new services would be introduced, increasing the number of buses between High Wycombe and Beaconsfield. Two new services would be introduced: 101 (Amersham to Uxbridge) and 105 (High Wycombe to Amersham and Chesham, which restores the link between Amersham and Beaconsfield). In addition, the number of 103 buses will be increased to two per hour and the 104 Sunday service would run hourly between Uxbridge and Beaconsfield.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Richings, James (15 August 2024). "Wycombe Wanderers matchday bus shuttle back for new season". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
2. ^ Companies House extract company no 4062073 Carousel Buses Limited
3. ^ "Go-Ahead buys Carousel Buses". Bus and Coach Professional. Plum Publishing. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
4. ^ Bus service competition Oxford & Chiltern Bus Page February 2006
5. ^ Aldridge, John (November 2003). "In London: A40 begins operation". Buses (584): 13.
6. ^ Millar, Alan (June 2004). "Silver Citaros blush for real". Buses (591): 7.
7. ^ Five new bus services to be launched Bucks Free Press 6 January 2004
8. ^ Commuter criticses village bus service Bucks Free Press 17 June 2004
9. ^ Community spirit restores cancelled bus route Bucks Free Press 18 March 2008
10. ^ "Bus firm pulls service following pothole damage". Bucks Free Press. 22 January 2010.
11. ^ Residents left with one bus a day Bucks Free Press 31 October 2008
12. ^ High Wycombe to Watford bus to return Bucks Free Press 24 August 2009
13. ^ New bus to Heathrow launched This Is Local London 28 September 2009
14. ^ New look bus services for High Wycombe Bucks Free Press 13 April 2010
15. ^ Go-Ahead Acquires Carousel Buses Limited Archived 25 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead Group 20 February 2012
16. ^ Go Ahead buys Carousel and eyes further bolt-on deals Transport Xtra 20 February 2012
17. ^ Go-Ahead annual results 30 June 2001 Archived 23 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead Group plc
18. ^ [1]
19. ^ "Bus route facing closure threat set to continue in new year". 20 December 2022.
20. ^ https://www.carouselbuses.co.uk/service-changes-27th-august-2023
21. ^ "Arriva to close depots and reduce Bucks bus services". BBC News. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
22. ^ "New bus services in Chesham from 6th April". www.carouselbuses.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
23. ^ "New services in Windsor & Maidenhead from 6th April 2025". www.carouselbuses.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2025.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carousel Buses (bus company).

* Company website

* v
* t
* e

Bus operators in South East England

Berkshire|

* Arriva the Shires
* Oxford Bus Company (via Thames Travel & Carousel Buses)
* First Beeline
* Reading Buses
* Thames Valley Buses
* White Bus Services

Buckinghamshire|

* Arriva the Shires
* Arriva Southern Counties
* Oxford Bus Company (via Carousel Buses)
* First Beeline
* Stagecoach East
* Thames Valley Buses

East Sussex|

* The Big Lemon
* Brighton & Hove
* Metrobus
* Stagecoach South East

Hampshire|

* AMK Group
* Bluestar
* Damory
* First Hampshire & Dorset
* Salisbury Reds
* Stagecoach South
* Thames Valley Buses
* Unilink
* Xelabus

Isle of Wight|

* Southern Vectis

Kent|

* Arriva Southern Counties
* Chalkwell Coaches
* Go-Coach
* The Kings Ferry
* Metrobus
* Stagecoach South East

Oxfordshire|

* Arriva the Shires
* Oxford Bus Company
* Carousel Buses
* Pulham's Coaches
* Thames Travel
* Stagecoach West
* Swindon's Bus Company
* Thames Valley Buses

Surrey|

* Arriva London
* London General
* Metrobus
* Safeguard Coaches
* Stagecoach South
* Sullivan Buses
* White Bus Services

West Sussex|

* Arriva Southern Counties
* Metrobus
* Stagecoach South

National|

* FlixBus
* Megabus
* National Express

* v
* t
* e

Go-Ahead Group

Shareholders|

* Kinetic Group (51%)
* Globalvia (49%)

Bus companies|

| UK|

* Brighton & Hove
* Metrobus
* Carousel Buses
* Dartline
* East Yorkshire
* Go-Ahead London
* Blue Triangle
* Docklands Buses
* London Central
* London General
* Go East Anglia
* Hedingham & Chambers
* Konectbus
* Go Cornwall Bus
* Go North East
* Go North West
* Go South Coast
* Bluestar
* Morebus
* Salisbury Reds
* Southern Vectis
* Swindon's Bus Company
* Unilink
* Oxford Bus Company
* Plymouth Citybus
* Thames Travel

|

Overseas|

* Go-Ahead Ireland
* Go-Ahead Singapore
* U-Go Mobility (50%)

Railway companies|

| UK|

* Govia Thameslink Railway (through 65% share in Govia)
* Gatwick Express
* Southern
* GTS Rail Operations

|

European|

* Go-Ahead Nordic

Former operations|

* Anglian Bus
* Aviance UK
* Plane Handling
* East Thames Buses
* Go-Ahead Germany
* Go West Midlands
* London Midland (65% Govia)
* London & South Eastern Railway (65% Govia)
* Meteor Parking
* Southdown PSV
* Thames Trains
* Thameslink (65% Govia)

Future operations|

* Connecting Stockholm

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