Know Your Routes: Route 204

LK07 AZC/ TE727 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station at the end of Hay Lane.
(C) LondonBuses72

Today's Know Your Routes post takes us to a 9 mile route in North West London. It runs between Sudbury Town Station, on the Piccadilly Line, and Edgware Bus Station. If you haven't figured out which route we're talking about, it's the mighty 204.

Route 204 starts at Edgware Bus Station, and leaves, like most Edgware Routes, via St Margaret's Church. It heads down Burnt Oak Broadway to find itself after in Watling Avenue. Here, the route passes Burnt Oak Station. Following routes 186, N5 and 303 after around Grahame Park, Colindale. Routes 186, 204 and 303 split up in Colindale, at Quaker's Course. Right after, 204 passes Colindale Station, where it "ditches" the Northern Line and heads to Edgware Road. For one stop, though, where it then makes the climb over Hay Lane to approach Roe Green shortly after. The 204 then sprints onto Kingsbury Road, leading to (Obviously) Kingsbury Station. The route then goes around the residential streets of Preston Hill, now leading it's way into Preston Road. Speeding down Preston Road, after passing Preston Road Station, and approaches the heart of North West London, known as Wembley Central Station. 204 then makes the short run over to Sudbury Town Station.

The 204 is run from Edgware (EW) which is run by Metroline. The allocation is made up of 15 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's (TE), that are mounted on a Trident Chassis (Euro 4). On Saturday, there is an extra bus, making the PVR 16. There is also the occasional VPL, (Volvo B7TL Presidents 10.6m) that make the occasional appearance once every while. which are hooked to a Voith 3-speed Gearbox. These are Euro 2 just to let you know, too.  But here is, a VPL on 204:

LK51 XGH/ VPL214 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station at Wembley Central.
(C) LondonBuses72

In 2007, the 204 was run with just VPL's. But after the loss of route 24 (Pimlico, Grosvenor Road - Hampstead Heath), it left surplus buses at Holloway (HT). The relatively new 56reg and 07reg were moved from Holloway (HT) to Edgware (EW) for route 186 - Although these buses made common appearances on 204. Shortly after, 07reg TE's were drifted into service, also for bus route 186. 

Few years later, now in early 2012, Metroline had just lost 266, leaving surplus TA's and a few TE's - It was decided to allocate the TA's to routes 643, 32 and 210 whilst the 57reg Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's were moved to Edgware - This time round for route 204 and part of 113. 

LK57 AXM/ TE832 on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

Later that year, in December 2012, it was decided that the 08reg TE's would move to Edgware. These helped oust out most X-reg VPL's, although a few were still living their last days. 

Metroline have decided to order new hybrids in 2013, and in May, TEH1449-1467 start to hit the streets of London. This allowed the 59reg TE's to move to Edgware (EW) to get rid of the last of the X-reg VPL's, most of the Y-reg VPL's and some 51reg VPL's. The last X-reg VPL to run was VPL157, which was on the 1st July 2013.

Here is a photo of TE985 on route 204 below, on it's first days at Edgware (EW):

LK59 DZJ/ TE985 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

Today leaves the odd VPL in service, appearing every once a while on route 204. I have a few more photos I'd like to share with you here below, right after the fleetlist:

Y203 NLK - VPL203

LK51 XGD - VPL205

Y143 NLK - VPL210

LK51 XGG - VPL213

LK51 XGH - VPL214

LK51 XGM - VPL217

LK51 XGN - VPL218

LK51 XGR - VPL221

All these buses are still in service, correct at 21:46 on 21st September 2013.

LK51 XGG/ VPL213 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

And now the Trident Enviro allocation fleetlist, (Note - It's long):

LK56 FHE - TE712 
LK56 FHF - TE713
LK56 FHG - TE714
LK56 FHH - TE715
LK56 FHJ - TE716
LK56 FHM - TE717
LK56 FHN - TE718
LK56 FHO - TE719
LK56 FHP - TE720
LK56 FHR - TE721
LK56 FHS - TE722
LK56 FHT - TE723

LK56 FHE/ TE712 on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

[All buses in the batch above, are now refurbished. See the photos below]

LK07 AYZ - TE724
LK07 AZA - TE725
LK07 AZB - TE726
LK07 AZC - TE727
LK07 AZD - TE728
LK07 AZF - TE729
LK07 AZG - TE730
LK07 AZJ - TE731
LK07 AZL - TE732
LK07 AZN - TE733
LK07 AZO - TE734
LK07 AZP - TE735
LK07 AZR - TE736
LK07 AZT - TE737
LK07 AZU - TE738

LK07 AZF/ TE729 on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

[All buses in the batch above, are now refurbished. See the photos below]

LK57 AXF - TE828*
LK57 AXG - TE829*
LK57 AXH - TE830
LK57 AXJ - TE831*
LK57 AXM - TE832
LK57 AXN - TE833
LK57 AXO - TE834
LK57 AXP - TE835
LK57 AXR - TE836
LK57 AXS - TE837*
LK57 AXT - TE838*
LK57 AXU - TE839*
LK57 AXV - TE840*
LK57 AXW - TE841*
LK57 AXX - TE842
LK57 AXY - TE843
LK57 AXZ - TE844*
LK57 AYA - TE845
LK57 AYB - TE846*
LK57 AYC - TE847

The buses with the * next to the fleetnumber are either in refurbishment or are refurbished.

Information correct at 16:10 on 22/09/2013.

LK57 AYB/ TE846 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

LK08 DXO - TE878

LK08 DXP - TE879

LK08 DXR -  TE880

LK08 DXS - TE881

LK08 DXU - TE882

LK08 DXV- TE883

LK08 DXW - TE884

LK08 DXX - TE885

LK08 DXY - TE886

LK08 DXZ - TE887

LK08 DYA - TE888

LK08 NVD - TE889

LK08 NVE - TE890

LK08 NVF - TE891

[None of these buses have been refurbished.]

LK08 NVE/ TE890 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

LK59 DYY - TE976

LK59 DZA - TE977

LK59 DZB - TE978

LK59 DZC - TE979

LK59 DZD - TE980

LK59 DZE - TE981

LK59 DZF - TE982

LK59 DZG - TE983

LK59 DZH - TE984

LK59 DZJ - TE985

LK59 DZL - TE986

LK59 DZM - TE987

LK59 DZN - TE988

LK59 DZO - TE989

LK59 DZP - TE990

LK59 DZR - TE991

LK59 DZT - TE992

And something new to our "Know Your Routes" posts, we will try to add iBus videos whenever possible. Route E3's page has been updated with this. 

Here's the "204 to Edgware" iBus:

And now for the rest of the "Route 204 Gallery". 

LK56 FHF/ TE713 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

Same day, but earlier. LK56 FHF/ TE713 on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

LK57 AXF/ TE828 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station. Note that this bus is now refurbished.
(C) LondonBuses72

Y201 NLK/ VPL201 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBUses72

LK56 FHE/ TE712 on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

LK56 FHG/ TE714 on route 204 to Sudbury Town Station.
(C) LondonBuses72

LK57 AXW/ TE841 at Sudbury Town Station on route 204 to Edgware.
(C) LondonBuses72

Hope you've enjoyed this post, thanks for reading and please stay safe!