E-Preview: The New Chapter - the 3
This route was formerly operated by First Centrewest until they pulled out of London meaning several routes, one of them the E3, which shifted to Metroline on the 22nd June last year. Jacob digs through some of the more finer memories on route E3.
Somewhat a mixed reaction when I heard E3 was lost to London United. The E3 is a fun route, and is definitely one I recommend you to do end to end. Starting from it's original home in Greenford, then being one of three routes, the others E1 (Ealing Broadway - Greenford Broadway) and E11 (Ealing Common, Warwick Dene - Greenford Broadway) to dive straight into Greenford Avenue. Once reaching the end of Greenford Avenue, by now Church Road in Hanwell, the route uses West Ealing Broadway before turning into Northfield Avenue. Now taking residential streets with route E2 to navigate around Northfields and South Ealing before making it onto the central of the route on Pope's Lane. The bus quickly speeds out of Pope's Lane and makes it into Acton Town, before diving back onto the A4020, this part Acton High Street before making 3 tight turns consecutively to come into Bedford Park, Southfield Road and then Turnham Green, before making the final leg to Edensor Road Riverside. This route is rather long, taking about 1 hour and 15 minutes with a total of about 45 stops to run through. As hard as it is to believe, with 45 stops, an entire third of the E3 is actually in Chiswick, 15 of these stops are located in Chiswick as the E3 zigzags from one side of Chiswick to the other.
On the 31st May 2014, route E3 passed to London United RATP Group. The route was given Scania Omncities (SP) numbers 134 to 162, excluding 136. I took a trip down to Greenford Broadway to get in some of the action.
Here is the fleetlist before I give some of the observations:
YT59 PCU - SP134
YT59 PBU - SP135
YP59 ODS - SP136 - This bus is being transferred from AV after it is refurbished.
YP59 ODT - SP137
YP59 ODU - SP138
YP59 ODV - SP139
YP59 ODW - SP140
YP59 ODX - SP141
YP59 OEA - SP142
YP59 OEB - SP143
YP59 OEC - SP144
YP59 OED - SP145
YP59 OEE - SP146
YP59 OEF - SP147
YP59 OEG - SP148
YP59 OEH - SP149
YP59 OEJ - SP150
YP59 OEK - SP151
YP59 OEL - SP152
YP59 OEM - SP153
YP59 OEN - SP154
YP59 OEO - SP155
YP59 OER - SP156
YP59 OES - SP157
YP59 OET - SP158
YP59 OEU - SP159
YP59 OEW - SP160
YP59 OEV - SP161
YP59 OEX - SP162
The next photo up is SP153 (YP59 OEM) on stand on Otter Road in Greenford. The drivers always have a nice chinwag with each other between breaks. The new drivers on route E3 are extremely friendly, but I'm not surprised! It's Stamford Brook garage, London's best garage let alone RATPs. The buses are in top shape, the drivers are friendly, even if it is just 4 routes there now: 9, 10, 27 and E3.
Here I've provided both front and rear shots. YT59 PBU (SP135) is actually a bus that use to run route 148, not route 10 but is also with YT59 PCU (SP134) on route E3. From what I have been told, they were covering YP59 OEA and YP59 OEB, but I know YP59 OEA has re-entered service at the time of writing. YP59 OEB is still either being delivered from or is still at Hants & Dorsets. I have no idea if they will stay, personally I think they should. They look smart, I like these two buses, even if there are 4 spare buses. But then, if the E3 was to ever have a diversion which is usually frequent in Chiswick, whether it's the Bedford Park diversion, the Acton Lane bridge closure or Sutton Court Road, it's always wise to bring out spare buses.
I don't want ADHs to be on the E3 very frequently, I want that working to stay rare as at the moment that IS the only possible odd working on route E3, unless you're telling me an LT can get onto route E3! But knowing Stamford Brook, they will stick to allocations, I mean, even the two batches of LTs are kept to their allocated routes. Below is a rear shot of SP135.
Wait, and a really kind driver on the E3 allowed me to take photos of SP159's interior. Here we start with the photos. The first interior photo is the bottom deck of the typical refurbished interior of the bottom deck. The buses were done at Hants & Dorsets Trim, with the new London United Moquette. The second shot shows a closer up view of the rear of the bus.
The second shot shows a view of the wheelchair area view facing forward.
The third shot shows the lower deck view, but facing the front.
The next few shots show the upper deck of the Scania OmniCity.
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| But to get upstairs, you have to take the stairs........ Here they are on SP159. |
The upper deck of SP159 is seen here, nice and clean. I have a strong liking to these Scania Omnicities and final question, where do drivers drive? In the cab of course. I was allowed into the cab, here's what it looks like.
I spoke to the driver of SP159, he said he liked the Scanias, although the Enviro 400s are better to drive, he is a driver on the 27, as the Enviros are lighter therefore they go faster, however the Scanias are more reliable to his hand as it is a bulky bus. He, just like I, think E3 did better with the Enviros, however I have to agree with him the Omnicities are not bad at all, especially when they have been refurbished like this!
Last thing to say, well done to London United for a good service so far on route E3, even though Metroline/ First did well, I guess changes are for the better. So here's to another 5 years on route E3 with London United!
All photos taken by LondonBuses72, copyright protected. Please do not reproduce them without permission.
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