Year of the Bus News: September and October 2014

I know we missed an issue last month. But Bus News is back!

The reason being is because many orders were delayed, so there wasn't much to report. However, we've got updates, and so it's time to bring a new chapter to the book.

Abellio London:
- The new buses for route 49 have all entered service on the 6th September 2014. The buses were numbered 2467-2486.

- The refurbishment for the Enviro 400s, the SN59 Axx buses, has commenced for the new route 414 contract.

- As part of the New Addington bus proposals TfL have made, route T33 is to stay the same, although will be re-numbered (pointlessly) to 433.

- In the 112 post published a while ago, I wrote that 8041 'mysteriously' transferred to Fulwell (TF) for unknown reasons. Thanks to Joshua Perrett for pointing out that 8041, the U9 spare vehicle, transferred to TF for a frequency increase on route K1. This means U9 is now subject to a more common appearance of longer vehicles on the route.

- Route 201 was taken over last month on the 4th, with route 152 and 407 partially double-decked to release their Enviro 200s for use on route 201. 

- Route S4, between Roundshaw and St Helier Hospital is to be commenced with Abellio operation from Beddington Cross (BC) on the 15th November. The buses for route S4 are also late, and therefore buses may be loaned from Quality Line/ transferred from other garages in the Abellio fleet.

Arriva London:
- The two Electric Optare Metrocities (EMC1-2) for route 312 from South Croydon garage have been delivered and should be in service relatively soon. These buses are registered LK64 DWG/H.

- Whilst on the topic of South Croydon garage, TfL are proposing a huge change of buses around the New Addington and Addington Village area. One proposal is that they want route T31, between Forestdale Bears Wood and New Addington Milne Park. The route currently uses Enviro 200s. 

- Route 135, from Barking (DX) has been lost to Go-Ahead London. The route, which runs between Crosshabour Isle of Dogs ASDA and Old Street Station is operated with Enviro 400s (T12-26). That makes it another sad loss for Arriva, however, there is good news that route 253 has been retained with new(er) vehicles, more details on what they are will come later.

- A reminder that routes 34 and 192 are to move to Metroline and Go-Ahead respectively. Both routes will move on the 8th November. However, route 192's buses are not to arrive until the New Year, therefore vehicles may be loaned from Arriva and/or transferred from other Go-Ahead garages. It is confirmed Wright Streetlites have been ordered.

- Route 137, between Streatham Hill, Telford Avenue and Oxford Circus station is to convert to Borismaster operation during this month. The new vehicles will replace the DWs and are to oust the last Euro 2 vehicles out of London. This route will have customer assistants on board.

Arriva Shires & Essex:
- 6122 (LJ05 BKV) from Dartford [DT] has transferred over to Garston (GR) to help out with the shortages of double deck vehicles. This bus is usually found on routes 258 and 340.

- 4009 (GN08 CHG) from Grays [GY] has transferred over to Garston (GR) to help out with the shortages of single deck vehicles. This bus is usually found on routes H18 and H19.

- 6207 (W433 WGJ) was on route 288 last weekend, which is a very unusual working.

Arriva Tellings-Golden Miller:
- TGM's bus operations have been reduced to just 15 vehicles, 9 of which are for route E10. However this batch of vehicles 3425-3433 are probably some of the most unreliable Enviro 200s that have arrived into London, and they aren't even half a year old! This has caused Dartford (DT) to send over Wright Cadets from route B13 with paper-in-the-window to Heathrow (HE) as day loans on 3 occasions.

Arriva Southern Counties:
- And if you thought the Cadet on the E10 was already a crazy working, today (1st November) sees a Enviro 200 from E10, in the form of 3426 (YX14 RYP) transfer to Dartford (DT) and work on route B13!

Go-Ahead London/ Metrobus:
- Yesterday morning, SE53 (YX60 EOL) was involved in a road traffic collision on the Chelsea Embankment whilst serving route 170. Nobody was suffering life-threatning injuries, but SE53 is now being examined on whether it should continue service, or be written off.

- Waterside Way (PL) own a Marshall Capital in the form of 143 (LT02 ZDS). This bus is allocated to route 424, and has been at the garage for a few months, but this week it has strayed onto route 39, and today (1/11/14) on route G1.

- Route 135 has been gained by Go-Ahead Docklands buses from their Silvertown (SI) base. The route is confirmed to be getting hybrid vehicles for next year, most likely in the form of Wrights.

- Route 453 has been slowly converting itself to Borismaster operation with buses LT273-311. The Enviro 400s are being released to move themselves to Camberwell (Q) garage. One of the Es has already been spotted on the 12.

- The vehicles for route 100 should be arriving relatively soon, towards the end of this month. When they do, the vehicles hired from Abellio will start to go back to the company.

- TfL have a number of proposals for the Addington Village interchange routes, as mentioned above in the Abellio and Arriva segments. A number of which include Metrobus routes 353, 359, T32, 64, 464 and 130:

1. Route 353 is extended over T31 to Forestdale Bears Wood. 
2. Route 359 is extended to Purley Station from Selsdon, Library and becomes a half-hourly route. At the same time, the route will be operated from 0700-1945, instead of the current 1000-1500 interwork with route T32. The route will gain a Sunday service.
3. Route T32 is to be withdrawn.
4. Route 64 extended to New Addington Vulcan Way and is converted to a 24-hour service, with N64 withdrawn. Route 130 is also re-routed to terminate at Vulcan Way as well.
5. Route 464 to be re-routed in New Addington, but to still terminate at the New Addington tram stop.

Metroline Travel:

- Route 34 is to be taken over next Saturday from Potters Bar (PB) garage. New VWHs have arrived, numbered 2024-2045. The vehicles may be spotted on the 82 in the following week to iron out any teething issues. TEs may also be in use on route 34 as well from the 8th November. VWH2015 is at Potters Bar (PB) for engineer and driver training. This partially explains the frequent VW workings on route 7.

- VWH2010 and VWH2020 were both spotted on Perivale West (PA) route 105 on Thursday, this working being the first non-VW working in over 3 years!

- The new DELs for 112 entered service last Thursday and more and more have been hitting the road since. DEL2062-DEL2071 are their numbers, with the first two vehicles of the batch equipped with stop-start technology.

- Metroline have 16 MMC hybrids on order for Cricklewood (W) route 332 between Brent Park, Tesco and Paddington Station. These vehicles should be in for late January. The buses will have TEH codes.

Metroline West:

- Route 245, between Alperton Sainsbury's and Golders Green Station has (as a frequent user of the service, I'll insert the word 'unfortunately') been retained by Metroline West from their Alperton (ON) garage. The route, since has seen several single-decker workings since the retention of the route.

London United RATP Group:

- Route 72's 'enhanced frequency allocation' from Park Royal (PK) has come to a halt, with all the buses now being run from Shepherd's Bush (S) garage. However, this enhanced frequency has been kept since, now with Dennis Darts being used for the PVR increase. There are extra timetabled journeys between Roehampton and Shepherd's Bush Green.

- The Optare Versas (OV) originally used on the enhanced frequency on route 72 have stayed at Park Royal (PK) for the time being, as refurbishment covers on route 440 whilst the Enviro 200s allocated to the route are refurbished. So don't be alarmed if you see a whole allocation of Optare Versas on route 440!

- At long last OC1 (YD63 UZL), the Optare Metrocity diesel demonstrator finally entered service on route H98, which will run alongside the electric versions of the same model. A driver has said the bus is an alright bus, although has proved to be unreliable and the interior does make the bus look a bit dull. Although OC1 has said to prove decent rides at times. 

- Since the loss of route 49, SLE44 has transferred to Edgware (BT), VE1-6 have transferred to Edgware (BT) for route 114, SP29-35 have moved to Hounslow (AV) to replace TAs and SP36 and SP37 have moved to Stamford Brook (V) for route E3. The PVR of route E3 has since risen from 26 to 28. 

London Sovereign RATP Group:

- DLE26 (LK64 CZZ) entered service about a week after our last Year of the Bus post, on route H14 before a working on route H11. The bus has stayed mainly on allocated route H13, and is rarely seen on other routes or at the weekends for that matter.

- VE1-6 from route 49 have come to replace SLE1-6 on route 114. The 114 is no longer allocated Scania OmniDekkas, and workings of these vehicles have become far and few between.

Quality Line RATP Group:

- Route S4 is to be lost to Abellio London on the 15th November. 

- Route S1's Esteems have been withdrawn and are now on sale at Ensignbus. If you have a few spare grands, then you can buy one too!

Stagecoach London (And Scotland):

- LT312 and 313 have been delivered to Scotland's operations of Stagecoach for them to trial out these vehicles in a similar manner to First Yorkshire, who have LT2 (LT61 BHT) on trial on some of their routes around the Halifax area. LT2 is in a green, special livery. LT314, 315 and 316 will be coming to Stagecoach London as top-ups. The London based vehicles have arrived with white logos.

- More Enviro 400 hybrids have been arriving in London for Plumstead (PD) routes 122 and 472. This batch of vehicles does include special bus 12345 (SN64 OGU). MMC variants shall be coming to route 177 as well, which was retained recently. 

- Four new 8.9m Enviro 200s have arrived at Catford (TL) garage. Three vehicles have arrived for a frequency increase on route 124, and the fourth one as a top up on route 354. The registration plates are YY64 GRK/GRU/GRX/GRZ with bonnet numbers 36584-7.

Tower Transit:

- Tower Transit are to lease a small number of ex-route 8 Stagecoach Tridents whilst roadworks take place on routes 28 and 328. The specific details haven't been released yet, but when more information arrives buses, we will keep you up to date.

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Thanks for reading - if there is anything significant that has been missed, please comment below. We hope you enjoyed the post. Please stay safe! Last updated: 15:00 on the 1st November.