The Notting Hill Carnival has always brought upon diversions and additions to bus services in the area and in more recent times, provided some great workings. The London Bus Breh caught up with all the big and new service changes.

The Notting Hill Carnival notably introduces four express routes to locals, attenders and commuters: routes 2X, 36X, 205X and 436X, operating only in the direction of the carnival during morning and early afternoon service, vice versa during the late afternoon and evening service.

Route 2X runs from Norwood Bus Garage to Notting Hill Gate. Similar in operation to its normal service, route 2, the extra service parallels the 2 to the top of Park Lane at Marble Arch before venturing towards Bayswater Road taking the route straight to Notting Hill Gate as route 2 continues to Marylebone. The 2X uses Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL (VLA) buses shared from the allocation of the 2, including a few Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (T) buses from route 133 that route 2 commonly uses for its evening service.

Route 36X runs from Peckham Bus Station to Harrow Road (Elgin Avenue). It uses Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (E) buses shared with the normal 36 and has detailed displays to state the extra service runs 'To and From Notting Hill Carnival'. However, a shortage of allocated buses on the 36 means a rarity of Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL (WVL) buses and the odd Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid (EH) bus added to the 36. But some WVLs follow the same curtailed service that makes the 36X, despite displaying 36.

Route 436X runs from Peckham Bus Station to Notting Hill Gate. Route 436 stays a double-deck service with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (E) and Enviro400 hybrid (EH) buses whilst its extra service goes single-decker, reintroducing the same bus type the 436 started service with. Just as the 436 was introduced with Mercedes-Benz bendy-buses to assist the high demand of the 36, route 436X does similar except with rigid versions of the Citaro (MEC) bus type, borrowed from former Red Arrow routes 507 and 521.

Route 205X runs from Aldgate Bus Station to Harrow Road (Elgin Avenue). The last couple of years have seen route 205X primarily use Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid buses from route 15. This year had the possibility of introducing 'New Routemaster' hybrid (LT) buses from route 8 to the extra service, displays having 205X however allegedly not 205, thus creating speculation. However, this was not the case and it was the new batch of hybrid buses at Bow (BW) that ran the 205X.

Worth paying attention to is route 52 in Edgware Road, double-decker operation on the 316 and more recently what lucky Atlas Road (AS ousted route(s) gets an odd-working.

Route 52 runs from Victoria Station to Willesden Bus Garage. The 52 uses Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 buses, both Volvo B9TL (VW) and B5L hybrid (VWH). Towards Willesden, route 52 takes Park Lane instead of Knightsbridge unless curtailed to Notting Hill Gate in which case routeing is unchanged. The diverted routeing then goes around Marble Arch and onto Edgware Road until Paddington Green where it parallels route 18 to Kilburn Lane to resume its normal routeing. The routeing is conversely completed towards Victoria.

Route 316 runs from Cricklewood Bus Garage to White City Bus Station. One of the most notable service changes of the Notting Hill Carnival, the 316 is an infamously very busy single-decker route that is prohibited from deserved double-deck operation due to low trees in North Kensington. Diverted from the area during the carnival, it has been quite a few years now where the 316 is instantly converted to double-deck operation, more recently using Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (TE) buses and a few lucky Enviro400 hybrid (TEH) buses.

Route 28 runs from Notting Hill Gate to Wandsworth's Southside Shopping Centre. A curtailed service northbound from the usual Kensal Rise terminus, route 28 uses its allocated Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL (VNW/VNZ) buses. Last year, we were stunned upon hearing an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (DN) made it onto the route, so high hopes were for the route this year. Instead of Enviro400s, however, this year the route added a few Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL (VN) buses to cover some duties.

Route 31 runs from White City Bus Station to Camden Town Station. It is allocated with VNWs, but with an increased frequency for the carnival, the route normally takes most of the Volvo B7TL fleet whilst routes 28 and 328 are forced a few extra buses. This year, all three routes had their fair share of allocated and unallocated buses, but route 31 in particular took us by surprise when not only did a few VNs go on the route, but the 31 had a duty covered by an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid (DNH) from route 23 for the first time!

Route 328 runs from Chelsea World's End to Golders Green. It is, like the 31, allocated with VNWs but also don't forget the Wright Gemini 2 bodied VDL DB300s (WN35001-35004). Route 328 had hybrid DB300 prototypes years ago, so you would think any rare working would grace it, VNs not being as rare as they are on the 31. So when an Enviro400 (DN) made its first appearance on the 328, it could be argued the latter was that bit better because it had a hybrid. Still, it was special see excellent new buses on routes I grew up with!

Meanwhile, route 7 quietly returned to its Russell Square terminus this weekend before the Notting Hill brought back diversions to the 7, the route going down Harrow Road. Also, route 18 was said to have finally broken its record allocation loyalty spell with a 62-reg Volvo B9TL (VW) from route 245 as route 295 also had a few hybrids on the route, a rare working off occasion.

This year was set to disappoint, most service changes being either expected or a less exciting version of what we anticipated. However, compensating was the rainy latter half of the strong persevering carnival vibes and enthusiasm to give us arguably the best workings yet.

Yup, it was that time of the year again: the Notting Hill Carnival, where many transport networks were disrupted and diverted to make way for top quality excitement and joy on the streets of Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill and Westbourne Park.

It is not unusual to see buses allocated to unallocated routes during the Notting Hill Carnival and this always deems to be an exciting prospect with speculations rising as to what bus model would make its first appearance on which unfamiliar route. And this year did not disappoint.

VLA69 (LJ04 YWY), an Alexander ALX400 with Volvo B7TL chassis
allocated to route 2. It served route 2X on both days of the Notting Hill Carnival.
©Mark Collins

T115 (LJ59 LXR), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 allocated
to route 133. A small number of Enviro400 buses were allocated
to route 2X on both days of the Notting Hill Carnival.
Marylebone Station, ©London Bus Breh.

Arriva London route 2 is allocated with the Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL (VLA) model. Its evening service from 20:00 to 00:00 includes a maximum of five Alexander Dennis Enviro400s to serve the route. During the Notting Hill Carnival, route 2 is given an extra service which is also allocated to VLAs, and a couple Enviro400s. So it was not much of a surprise to see Enviro400s serve the route this year, although they are always a pleasant sight.

DN33787 (SN12 EHC), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 allocated
to route 23. It served route 28 on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Kensington Church Street, Kensington, ©Aubrey Morandarte.

Route 28, a successful First London route, was involved in the selling of First London to new operator Tower Transit from the Australian transportation company Transit Systems. For a decade, it has been allocated with the Wright Eclipse Gemini model on the Volvo B7TL chassis (VNW and VNZ), with Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident 2 (TNs) making many appearances during this time and a couple recent Wright Gemini 2 DL (WN) odd-workings.

So, to many enthusiasts and photographers' astonishment, 12-reg Alexander Dennis Enviro400s (DN) from route 23 started making appearances on route 28 during the Notting Hill Carnival, leaving one to question how many Volvo B7TLs were being used for route 31 (route 328 also operating with a few extreme odd-workings - more later) for Enviro400s to fill in the missing slots on route 28.



E266 (SN62 DGF), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 alloacted
to route 36. It served route 36X on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Wilton Street, Hyde Park Corner, ©Aubrey Morandarte

Route 36 is operated by Go-Ahead London subsidiary London Central. It was, until last year, allocated with Plaxton Presidents on the Volvo B7TL chassis (PVL). Now, 12- and 62-reg buses of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 serve the route, with unallocated debendifying hybrids of route 436 becoming a regular working as well. During the Notting Hill Carnival, a 36X route is in service to and from Notting Hill Carnival (Harrow Road Elgin Avenue / Prince of Wales) and Peckham Bus Station.

WVL150 (LX53 BJO), a Wright Eclipse Gemini with Volvo B7TL chassis
allocated to route 11. It served route 36 during Notting Hill Carnival Sunday.
Chippenham, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.

This year saw the 36X service using 62-reg Enviro400s whilst Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs (WVLs) were used to fill the missing slots made by the Enviro400s on the 36X service. This WVL service on the 36X route is quite common during the Notting Hill Carnival - not on the 36, however.



12148 (LX61 DCO), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid allocated
to route 15. It served route 205X on both days of the Notting Hill Carnival.
Harrow Road W2, ©London Bus Breh.

Another usual working includes Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrids from route 15 on the route 205 extra service. Although the 205 is a fully allocated Scania OmniCity route, its extra service is a fully allocated hybrid route running to and from Notting Hill Carnival (Harrow Road Elgin Avenue / Prince of Wales) and Aldgate Station.

 

TE1093 (LK60 AGZ), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 allocated
to route 332. It served route 316 on both days of the Notting Hill Carnival.
Kilburn Park Road, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.

Being used to seeing one or two double-deckers on single-decker Cricklewood (W) allocated Metroline route 316, double-deckers of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 model was to be expected during carnival. However, it was not just one or two double-deckers on route 316 - it was as if route 316 had been fully allocated to Enviro400 service; not a single single-decker had been allocated to its usual 316 service during the carnival.

TE1311 (LK12 AVU), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 allocated
to route 32 (but is commonly seen more on more popular routes such
as the 16, 139, 189 and 332. It served route 316 on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Kilburn Park Road, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.


And that was not just it: due to the fact there are now over fifty hybrids at the Cricklewood Bus Garage all allocated to routes 16, 139 and recently 189 with Enviro400s still being used on all three routes (meaning spare hybrids), I highly anticipated seeing a hybrid service on route 316 - much to the disbelief of other speculative enthusiasts.

TEH1111 (LK60 AJV), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid allocated
to route 139. It served route 316 on Notting Hill Carnival Sunday.
Kilburn Park Road, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.

TEH1453 (LK13 BGV), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid
allocated to route 189. It served route 316 on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Kilburn Park Road, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.

Route 328, a successful First London route, was involved in the selling of First London to new operator Tower Transit from the Australian transportation company Transit Systems. For a decade, it has been allocated with the Wright Eclipse Gemini model on the Volvo B7TL chassis. However, ever since the withdrawal of the route's five 2008 Wright Gemini 2 HEV prototypes and the garage transfer move of route 295 from Westbourne Park (X), the 328 has been given allocation to Wright Gemini 2 DLs - an allocation in which I predicted in October last year when odd appearances were made on the route for testing.

The Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 model on the Volvo B9TL chassis has made a couple of odd-working appearances in the past on separate occasions. During this year's carnival, however, even though the route has no extra service, extra buses must have been used for route 31 for Tower Transit to feel the need to borrow five buses of the model from a different garage for service on the 328, as is the guessed reason for route 28 using Alexander Dennis Enviro400s.

VN37977 (BN61 MYB), a Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 with Volvo B9TL chassis allocated
to route 266. It served route 28 on Notting Hill Carnival Sunday and
route 328 on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Kilburn Park, ©London Bus Breh.



VN37980 (BG61 SXL), a Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 with Volvo B9TL chassis
allocated to route 266. It served route 328 on Notting Hill Carnival Monday.
Kilburn Park Road, Maida Vale, ©London Bus Breh.

It gets better. Go-Ahead London routes 507 and 521 were named the Red Arrow routes when they became London's first ever articulated service in early June 2002, using the controversial Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G. Route 436 became the newest of Go-Ahead London routes in February 2003 and became the operator's third articulated route.

The bendy-buses were withdrawn from the Red Arrow routes in September 2009 and remain the only routes to continue Citaro operation, purchasing fifty rigid versions to the bendy-bus. Route 436 continued articulated operation until November 2011 when it became the antepenultimate debendification, Alexander Dennis Enviro400 diesel and hybrids introduced in their place.

Like its parallel route 36, the 436 has its own extra service. The 436X, running to and from Notting Hill and Peckham Bus Station, had been seen using a rigid Citaro or two during the Notting Hill Carnival last year, but this year saw a whole allocated of rigid Citaros from Red Arrow routes 507 and 521 serve the 436X. Why Go-Ahead London decided to go for this allocation, I don't know - but no complaints can be said by enthusiasts and photographers alike!

MEC34 (BD09 ZVZ), a rigid Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G allocated to the Red Arrow
routes 507 and 521. It served route 436X on Notting Hill Carnival Sunday.
Peckham Bus Station, ©London Bus Breh.

And on that note, that's the end of Unallocated Allocations that the 2013 Notting Hill Carnival had to offer. One wonders if next year's unallocated allocations of Notting Hill Carnival services could be even more as exciting and stunning as this year's!