Taking you through the years: 2015
We've done 2013, we've done 2014. It's now time for 2015. To give you all something to read during lockdown today's post focuses on how the bus scene looked like in 2015 and what notable changes took place.
January
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| A 139 and 137 on Oxford Street © EastLondoner |
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| SD57 seen on route S3 © London Bus Breh |
Cuts, a word we would get used to over the next few years. This month saw its fair share of temporary cut backs due to roadworks. Although the biggest causalty here was route 3, which was temporarily cut back to Regent Street from Oxford Circus due to roadworks. The route has never returned to serving Oxford Circus since, shortly being cut afterwards back to Piccadilly Circus, then Trafalgar Square and now only runs as far as Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade.
However more positive news saw a major change this month. Abellio introduced London's first batch of Enviro400 MMC buses, although on a win nobody expected at the time - route 109 which up until then had been one of the jewels in Arriva's crown. This change attracted its fair share of attention, so much so that another change which happened on the same day was pretty much ignored, route 125 was taken over by Metroline from Arriva. It certainly was not a good day for Arriva that day but Abellio and Metroline had a good time. Route 109 has since been renewed for another 5 years with Abellio London from January 2020.
February
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| © EastLondoner |
Tower Transit this introduced their own interior to buses, this happened with the buses on the newly won contract to route 488. This was technically their first win in London too, the 425 in 2013 was their first takeover however was a First bid, and First did order the buses. The 488 bid was submitted by Tower Transit, also was Tower Transit's first order of buses in London.
March
Route 15 became the latest New Routemaster conversion this month, its existing E40H buses were moved onto route 56 for the new contract on that route which had started a month prior. This month also was the first where we had two New Routemaster conversions, route 12 also converted to the type at the end of the month to release its buses for another win in the Go Ahead empire. More wins saw Tower Transit take on routes 212 and 444 from CT Plus and Arriva respectively. Both these routes have since moved on to Go Ahead operation at Northumberland Park.
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| TE1727 at Heathrow © EastLondoner |
April
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| TEH2081 at Brondesbury. © EastLondoner |
Something else that happened in April was the introduction of Enviro400H MMCs on route 332, they were the first and since then only batch ordered from Metroline and have gained themselves quite a negative reputation over the past couple of years. These buses are still found on route 332 today, although during the Coronavirus pandemic they have temporarily found a new home on route 112.
May
This month saw more tendering success for Go Ahead London, route 322 made the switch from Abellio London to Go Ahead operating out of Stockwell (SW). Route 135 was more success for the company, yet another huge blow for Arriva when it transferred from Arriva to Go Ahead. The new buses which were ordered for the route were running late so Enviro400 buses were temporarily drafted in route route 436 in South London. Route 436 in turn got some B5LH buses released from the conversion of route 12 to New Routemaster in March.
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| E215 at Crossharbour Asda © EastLondoner |
June
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| EHV10 seen at Crossharbour on its first day in service © EastLondoner |
Alexander Dennis didn't take all the glory this month though, the RATP group introduced their first Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5LHs on a double deck conversion of route 285. These would become the first of many conversions. Since then a tender of route 285 resulted in RATP losing the contract and the route will be taken over by Abellio London in a few months.
This month also saw Stagecoach take over routes 498 and 499 from Go Ahead and Arriva respectively. Their buses were running late so route 499 borrowed buses from a temporarily double decker converted 296 and route 498 used some spare Tridents that were available through the company.
July
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| 36601 seen at Gallows Corner © EastLondoner |
The 285 went double decker last month, its Enviro200s were made free and they were put to use on route 326 which was taken over from Metroline this month. However a more interesting change in the Barnet area was the 383 being taken over by Uno, their first route in the London market also taken over from Metroline. The buses allocated to route 383 have since been given route branding. Uno have also won routes 692 and 699 to start operation under them later this year.
August
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| WHV67 at Croydon © LondonBuses72 |
The next New Routemaster conversion took place in the form of route 88 between Clapham Common and Camden Town. Its Enviro400 Hybrids moved onto route 87, which they were initially ordered for. Since then the 88 has reverted back to operating with standard buses and uses the same Enviro400 Hybrids, with the New Routemasters going the other way to route 87 instead.
This month also saw London receiving its first batch of redesigned Gemini 3 buses, not known colloquially as "frog face" buses. They were due for Go Ahead at Croydon (C) for routes 202 and 119. However since then route 202 has been lost on tender to Arriva at Norwood and will be moving there towards the end of summer 2020.
September
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| MEC64 seen at Crystal Palace © London Bus Breh |
The next New Routemaster conversion came in the form of route 16 between Cricklewood bus garage and Victoria.
October
This months saw route 331 gain an allocation of brand new Enviro200 buses. While route 149 became another New Routemaster conversion. More changes with Arriva saw route 173 converting to double decker buses which were made free from route 78 which was restocked with some brand new E40H City buses, a first for London. However since then route 173 has been lost on tender to Stagecoach London and will be moving to the company in October 2020 with brand new electric buses.
Route 295 this month made a switch from Westbourne Park (X) to Metroline at Willesden Junction. This route saw Metroline's first new style Gemini 3 buses starting service however a few late delivery meant some old style VWH buses were put to use temporarily alongside some existing Gemini 2 buses. There were also numerous changes in New Addington, routes T31, T32 and T33 were all withdrawn along with a few other changes.
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| VWH2099 and VWH2130 at Hammersmith © EastLondoner |
November
The quietest month of the year. The only notable change this month was Sullivan buses taking over routes 692 and 699, these routes have since been lost on tender and will be moving over to Uno in November 2020.
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| LT638 seen at Oxford St © EastLondoner |
Arriva didn't have themselves a great yet, there were a few retains but among them but mostly losses. It started with the loss of route 109 this year until route 159, a route which had a long history with Arriva converted to New Routemaster operation...but also transferred to Abellio operation. On the same day route 307 was taken over by Metroline. from Arriva London
We hope that this has given all of you a nice reflection on 2015, and how the bus scene roughly looked like back then. We'll be back soon with the look back on 2016! But for now remember to stay home, save lives and protect the NHS!
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