Metroline's Domino Effect: Part 1, Changes at Alperton (ON)
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| YX09 AFA/ DE1670 on route 245 to Alperton, Sainsbury's. (C) LondonBuses72 |
We all know that Metroline scooped the award for 24 last November back from Go-Ahead London using brand new buses. This consisted of around 27 VW's and 5 VWH's + approx. 5 top up VW's.
Since 24 was converted to LT operation, the nearly-new vehicles were made redundant. The VWH have since been on route 390 mainly and some VW's remain in service at Holloway (HT). It was originally decided that the VW's moved onto route 91 and the VWH onto route 4, but at last minute it was chosen that the VW's and VWH's helped two routes convert to Double-Deck operation: The 245 and E8.
Today we focus on the VW half of the story, where the buses move onto 245.
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| YX58 DWV/ DE1617 on route 245 to Golders Green. (C) LondonBuses72 |
LK62 DKN - VW1365 - In Transfer
LK62 DKV - VW1366 - In Transfer
LK62 DLJ - VW1367 - In Service
LK62 DLO - VW1368 - In Transfer
LK62 DLV - VW1369 - In Transfer
LK62 DLX - VW1370 - In Transfer
LK62 DMV - VW1371 - In Transfer
LK62 DND - VW1372 - In Service
LK62 DNE - VW1373 - In Transfer
LK62 DNU - VW1374 - In Transfer
LK62 DNO - VW1375 - In Transfer
LK62 DNX - VW1376 - In Service
LK62 DOH - VW1377 - In Service
LK62 DPE - VW1378 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DPU - VW1379 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DPY - VW1380 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DRV - VW1381 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DRZ - VW1382 - In Transfer
LK62 DSE - VW1383 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DSU - VW1384 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DSV - VW1385 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DTN - VW1386 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DTU - VW1387 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DTV - VW1388 - Still at Holloway (HT)
LK62 DTZ - VW1389 - In Service
LK62 DUA - VW1390 - In Transfer
LK62 DUH - VW1391 - In Transfer
LK62 DUJ - VW1392 - In Transfer
List correct at 11:19, 29/07/2013
To be honest, I don't actually think all of the buses are going to transfer - 245 has a PVR of 21, and there are approximately 30 buses - So I'm probably guessing VW1378-81 will transfer to ON and VW1383-8 will stay at HT, but I'm not sure, only time can tell......
Anyways, three VW's are in service at Alperton (ON) in the form of VW1372, 1376 and 1377. They have mainly stuck themselves onto the 83 for now although VW1377 has been spotted on the 245. (Correct at 29/07/2013)
The buses have been giving white-on-black blinds as part of the new TfL regulations that buses now have to have white-on-black instead of the traditional dayglow yellow.
I've managed to catch up with VW1376, which was the first bus to enter service at Alperton (ON) at Golders Green. This bus still has it's Holloway (HT) codes on the side.
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| LK62 DNX/ VW1376 on stand at Golders Green Station whilst serving route 83. (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| LK62 DNX/ VW1376 on stand at Golders Green Station whilst serving route 83. (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| The rear of LK62 DNX/ VW1376. (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| LK62 DNX/ VW1376 on stand at Alperton, Sainsbury's whilst serving route 245 awaiting it's next trip to Golders Green. (C) Lewis JN |
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| LK62 DNX/ VW1376 and LK11 CYF/ VW1192 at Alperton, Sainsbury's (C) Lewis JN |
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| LK62 DLJ/ VW1367 on route 83 to Golders Green. (C) Lewis JN |
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| LK62 DLJ/ VW1367 on route 83 to Golders Green whilst on stand at Ealing Hospital. (C) Lewis JN |
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| VW1206 and VW1375 are illustrated standing at Alperton, Sainsbury's whilst serving routes 79 and 245. (C) Lewis JN |
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| LK62 DND/ VW1372 on route 245 to Golders Green. (C) Lewis JN |
So let this be the face of route 245 for the next couple of years. The 245 has been with Metroline before. I remember the route used Plaxton Pointer 1's (?) and I'd always see them running up and down Forty Avenue by Brent Town Hall. Ah, good days.
The route used to be operated by Metroline from their North Wembley (NW) base which is now defunct after losing a massive number of routes. In 2008, First Centrewest won the contract from their Alperton (ON) garage where the route is operated from today. First had opted for the Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 (DML) which were 10.2m long.
Now if I'm correct, I'm pretty sure these buses were late because I recall seeing a number of Marshall Capitals (DML) on the 245 for quite some time.
A while later, a double deck journey off the 83 was introduced to help the overcrowding on the route, although this didn't help that much.
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| LK59 CXM/ VN37944 on route 245 to Alperton, Sainsbury's. (C) LondonBuses72 |
It was announced that 245 was going to be converted to Double-Deck operation - Using VW's from 24. This will allow the Enviro 200's on the 245 to move to Perivale West (PA) to allow Metroline to get rid of some of the MM's and the elderly DLD's which I think is wrong because in all ways MM's are BETTER than DE's. Especially the 245's DE's as they are worn out buses. But we will see how the changes go when they transfer, which is part 2 of this series.
For now, let's say farewell to the DE's/ ex-DML's:
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| YX58 DUA/ DML44022 on route 223 to Wembley Central, Montrose Crescent. (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWF/ DE1608 on route 245 to Alperton, Sainsbury's (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWJ/ DE1610 on route 245 to Golders Green (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWA/ DE1604 on route 245 to Alperton, Sainsbury's (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWG/ DE1609 on route 245 to Alperton, Sainsbury's (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWV/ DE1617 on route 245 to Golders Green (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DUH/ DE1599 on route 223 to Wembley Central, Montrose Crescent (C) LondonBuses72 |
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| YX58 DWZ/ DE1619 on route 223 to Wembley Central, Montrose Crescent (C) LondonBuses72 |
Well, we hope you have enjoyed the post as much as we have. Stay safe all!
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