Know Your Routes: Route 226

YX58 FPE stands at Haven Green whilst on the 226.

If there is a bus route that has experienced several changes over the last few years, it's the mighty 226. The route runs between Golders Green and Ealing Broadway.

The route starts at Golders Green, follows the 102 around Pennine Drive, then goes to Cricklewood Broadway before going to Gladstone Park (With the 226 being the only route going Gladstone), Dollis Hill, Willesden Bus Garage, Roundwood, Harlesden, Park Royal, Hanger Lane, Greystoke and ending at Haven Green/ Ealing Broadway Station.

The route is run from First's Willesden Junction (WJ) depot using Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's and one Wright StreetLite.

The route used to run in the Crcklewood/ Golders Green area before being extended to Park Royal Asda. 

In 2006, the 226 faced quite a long extension from Park Royal to today's terminus, Ealing Broadway replacing former route PR1. The route PR1 was part of the "Park Royal Line Network - Hence the PR". By this time, 226 was using Marshall Capitals on a Dennis Dart SLF chassis.

Although during the extension, after Midnight on all days of the week, the 226 only runs as far as Hanger Lane Station due to the fact that the stretch between Hanger Lane and Ealing Broadway was in Greystoke Estate, a residential area. The buses are quite loud so it would be a nuisance to the residents of Greystoke. If you do take these buses as far as Hanger Lane due to timings, to get to Ealing Broadway, change for the 83 or 112 at Hanger Lane.

In 2008, First Centrewest retained the contract for 226 with newer buses. The new single-decks that have been loved by ALL bus companies was the Enviro 200, the buses that run the route until today. 

The 58reg Enviro 200's have been mixed with the 09reg buses that were bought for 228 when the route first started in 2009. 

Last year (2012), the 226 was chosen to run a trial. The trial for one of Britain's latest single decks, the Wright StreetLite. The StreetLite trials took place to compare the Enviro 200 with the StreetLite in terms of Fuel Consumption and a few other things.  

Weirdly, the StreetLite had come with a Irish Reg Plate instead of a normal British one.

Here's the fleetlist for 226:

YX58 FPA - DML44044
YX58 FPC - DML44045
YX58 FPD - DML44046
YX58 FPE - DML44047
YX58 FPF- DML44048
YX58 FPG - DML44049
YX58 FPJ - DML44050
YX58 FPK - DML44051
YX58 FPL - DML44052
YX58 FPN - DML44053
YX58 FPO - DML44054
YX58 FPT - DML44055
YX58 FPU - DML44056
YX58 FPV - DML44057
YX58 FPY - DML44058
YX58 FOF - DML44059
YX58 FOH - DML44060
YX58 FOJ - DML44061
YX58 FOK - DML44062
YX58 FOM - DML44063
YX58 FON - DML44064
YX58 FOP - DML44065
YX58 FOT - DML44066
YX58 FOU - DML44067
YX58 FOV - DML44068
YX58 FRC - DML44069
YX58 FRD - DML44070

YX09 AEA - DML44083
YX09 AEB - DML44084
YX09 AEC - DML44085
YX09 AED - DML44086
YX09 AEE - DML44087
YX09 AEF - DML44088
YX09 AEG - DML44089
YX09 AEJ - DML44090
YX09 AEK - DML44091
YX09 AEL - DML44092
YX09 AEM - DML44093
YX09 AEN - DML44095
YX09 AEO - DML44096
YX09 AEP - DML44097
YX09 AET - DML44098

YX58 HVB - DML44072

DRZ6181 - WM47400

I hope you've enjoyed this post and remember to stay safe!