All In Place: Sapphire Citaros for 321!
A month or so ago I published a post about one of the latest Sapphire launches which was route 321 running between Luton and Watford via St Albans and Harpenden. However, there was a tiny error.
I foolishly wrote that the Citaros had returned for service on the 321, fooling both yourselves and myself as until very recently they've been at Eastleigh undergoing heavy-duty refurbishment work.
Here I will correct myself and clarify any omissions!
The whole plan for the conversion of route 321 has fluctuated rather heavily during the course of its creation, with plans for all refurbished buses or all new buses, but a rather unusual option was adopted specifying 10 new Streetlites (numbered 3651-3660, see last post for fleet list) and refurbishing 3 existing Citaros, which are as follows:
The other Citaros displaced from the 321 have ended up at various places including Aylesbury and Maidstone, to displace older stock in the Shires and Southern Counties fleets.
The three Citaros spent a few months at Hants & Dorset Trim from June as their refurbishment was very extensive including whole interior and exterior respraying, new seats, repainted handrails, new destination equipment along with various other measures to show off Arriva's new premium brand, SAPPHIRE.
You could follow Hants & Dorset Trim's own Twitter feed for exclusive updates on the Sapphire buses (along with any other vehicles they refurbish - it's quite interesting to look through their history). Here are some examples which I looked at during the course of the Citaros' refurbishment:
I would recommend hitting the 'Follow' button if you have a Twitter!
I have also been allowed to use pictures of the buses during their refurbishment at H&D courtesy of Mike (EHBusman1958). His visits to H&D (and various other locations) always prove to be interesting, so why not check out his Flickr here?
And finally, here are some of the buses now in service!
Due to the fact that the refurbishment of the Citaros carried on after the promotion of route 321 to premium SAPPHIRE standard, three Streetlites were on loan from Arriva Southern Counties prior to their taking up service on routes 480 and 490 from October 12th.
I think the refurbished Citaros look wonderful, and I'd much rather one of these over a Streetlite any day.
Many thanks for reading this post, and if you have any further queries (or if I've made any errors, which I don't think I have), please comment below!
Credit to the photographers who have allowed me to use their pictures in this post; please do not reproduce without their prior permission.
I foolishly wrote that the Citaros had returned for service on the 321, fooling both yourselves and myself as until very recently they've been at Eastleigh undergoing heavy-duty refurbishment work.
Here I will correct myself and clarify any omissions!
The whole plan for the conversion of route 321 has fluctuated rather heavily during the course of its creation, with plans for all refurbished buses or all new buses, but a rather unusual option was adopted specifying 10 new Streetlites (numbered 3651-3660, see last post for fleet list) and refurbishing 3 existing Citaros, which are as follows:
3911 - BV58 MLE
3912 - BV58 MLF
3913 - BV58 MLJ
The other Citaros displaced from the 321 have ended up at various places including Aylesbury and Maidstone, to displace older stock in the Shires and Southern Counties fleets.
 |
| Arriva Southern Counties 3910 (ex-ASE 3933), BD12DHL This one's now based at Maidstone. © Gavin Hughes |
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| Arriva the Shires 3914, BV58MLN Now in service at Aylesbury. © Luke Braham |
 |
| Arriva the Shires 3916, BV58MLL Now in service at Aylesbury © Luke Braham |
You could follow Hants & Dorset Trim's own Twitter feed for exclusive updates on the Sapphire buses (along with any other vehicles they refurbish - it's quite interesting to look through their history). Here are some examples which I looked at during the course of the Citaros' refurbishment:
First Citaro Sapphire interior repaint completed @HDTrim pic.twitter.com/EHNgQ6N1NJ
— HD Trim Ltd (@HDTrim) June 30, 2014
Complete new lino floor down in the 1st Citaro Sapphire refurb @HDTrim pic.twitter.com/M3WTpT4n2J
— HD Trim Ltd (@HDTrim) July 9, 2014
Seat engineering @HDTrim - Sapphire seats in a Citaro...not easy but we will do it! pic.twitter.com/engv2RvUJS
— HD Trim Ltd (@HDTrim) July 24, 2014
Sapphire buses @HDTrim - exterior sneak peek!!! pic.twitter.com/i31ucGeNbc
— HD Trim Ltd (@HDTrim) September 5, 2014
3911 ready to return to Arriva Watford - the very first Citaro Sapphire refurb in the UK completed @HDTrim pic.twitter.com/88OaKVV0Q6
— HD Trim Ltd (@HDTrim) September 29, 2014
I would recommend hitting the 'Follow' button if you have a Twitter!
I have also been allowed to use pictures of the buses during their refurbishment at H&D courtesy of Mike (EHBusman1958). His visits to H&D (and various other locations) always prove to be interesting, so why not check out his Flickr here?
 |
| 3912 following an interior repaint © EHBusman1958 |
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| 3913 at H&D prior to refurbishment work starting © EHBusman1958 |
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| 3911 with panels missing! © EHBusman1958 |
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| 3913 with the new Sapphire white-LED display © EHBusman1958 |
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| 3913 in full Sapphire livery just prior to being sent back to GR © EHBusman1958 |
And finally, here are some of the buses now in service!
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| Rather annoyingly, when I went up to Watford all three Citaros were on routes other than the 321! Here is 3912 on route 10. |
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| And here is 3911 on route 8 |
Due to the fact that the refurbishment of the Citaros carried on after the promotion of route 321 to premium SAPPHIRE standard, three Streetlites were on loan from Arriva Southern Counties prior to their taking up service on routes 480 and 490 from October 12th.
I think the refurbished Citaros look wonderful, and I'd much rather one of these over a Streetlite any day.
Many thanks for reading this post, and if you have any further queries (or if I've made any errors, which I don't think I have), please comment below!
Credit to the photographers who have allowed me to use their pictures in this post; please do not reproduce without their prior permission.
Best buses in South East England
ReplyDeletethese buses looks so very good. your service also very good
ReplyDelete