This post should have the title of the 'London Bus Route Series' of mine, as the route just had a service change, I'd like to give the title a little more of a kick to it.
As we all know today, this route is won to Abellio London from Beddington Cross (BC) with Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart buses until the Enviro200s with flywheel fitted arrive, which is to be expected early 2015. Go-Ahead London (London General) were operating the route beforehand from their Merton (AL) base using Volvo Merit Wright Cadet 9.2m buses ex-East Thames Buses.
Abellio's 8525 (YX59BYT) as BC #210 arriving West Dulwich Station
The route first started in 17th March 1995, between Tulse Hill Station and Mitcham Cricketers, funnily enough, it replaced the 200 between Tulse Hill and Mitcham although the 201 was a new route! 201's Plaxton Pointer Darts were late, the 200 was temporarily extended until the Darts arrived. Contract was awarded to London General, operating from Merton (AL) with a rather small PVR of 6 during Mondays to Saturdays and 4 on Sundays with running numbers AL241+
The routeing was Tulse Hill - Upper Tulse Hill - Streatham Hill - Streatham St Leonard's Church - Mitcham Lane - Streatham Road - Mitcham Fair Green -Mitcham Cricketers
Not much has changed to the route in almost 20 years except for extensions on both sides (from Tulse Hill to Herne Hill and Mitcham to Morden).
Five years has passed, and on the first of December 2001, London General lost the 201 to Mitcham Belle, a new operator from those years which later had some of it's operations taken over by Connex. There was an increase in PVR from 8 (M-F), 7 (Saturdays) and 6 (Sundays). If I happen to be correct, long Plaxton Pointer II Darts (10.2m) were used.
Eventually, Centra London purchased Mitcham Belle's London Bus operations by the end of August 2004,
By May 2006, East Thames London (which happened to be Transport for London's own bus company by the time) took over the 201, they ordered Volvo Merit Wright Cadets, 10.8m if I'm correct. Running numbers started from MA121+
The 201 pretty much bumped into randomn defunct bus operators, like Mitcham Belle, which was taken over by Centra London, which then eventually got defunct itself, and then to East Thames Buses.
