The 360 SEe's a great future

SEe63 (LJ67DKF) at the start of the route on Newington Causeway, Elephant & Castle

Maybe, though I'm the type of guy that prefers diesels mostly over anything. SEe's are one exception, which I would have over say... a centre-staircase DAF DB250 as they're uselessly underpowered in my opinion, bit harsh but the truth can't be denied, they were slow.

On the other hand, this batch of BYD Enviro200EV's, SEe52-65, they provide more than just speed.

Just like the humongous batch (SEe1-51) before it, they both have overhead batteries, similar chassis make and the same body to go with.

However...

What you don't see in SEe1-51
Interior facing rear

What you have in SEe1-51
Interior facing rear

Get it?

If you don't then no worries as I'm here to explain. The Red Arrow routes, well, what's left of the series (507/521) are routes which spawn a swarm of workers from the hubs that are London Bridge, Victoria and Waterloo. Thus they require as much capacity as possible, however these routes are not only short but the worker's may only need a few stops. Thus makes double deckers inconvenient. These routes did have articulated single deckers though, of course.....every route was ripped off them.

The main focus isn't SEe1-65 as a whole, more just the 360 and it's new batch of all-electric BYD D9UR Enviro200 MMCs.

The answer to the difference in photos reflects on the difference between SEe1-51 and SEe52-65.
There's only standing room and few seats on the former batch for majority of the bus due to, as I mentioned, cram in as many workers as possible.
However the 360 isn't for that purpose so needs more seats than standing room, as it's your regular commuter service.

SEe57 (LJ67DJU) at Vauxhall Bus Station

These are of 10.8m length, 3.38m height and 2.47m width. They contain 31 seats with the ability to hold 49 standing people, though I feel the space doesn't match that number, in my opinion anyways.
Whereas the Red Arrow's equivalents only have 21 seats and can have up to 70 standees.

Interior facing front

 I'd prefer to stop with these comparisons but I can't refrain from doing so. Why? Just like SEe1-51, SEe52-65 also contain USB ports. So get chargers if you intend on doing them, as I forgot, even then my phone was at 64% anyway so no big deal.

The last row of seats, the left one.

So, how are they in terms of ride?
I can reply with "possibly better than the Red Arrow's batch". For a number of reasons.
- 507/521 are short routes and are worker routes so less convenient, especially in peak hour runs
- Surplus seats on 360's lots, 10 more seats but still
- More "refined" than the previous batch

Allow me to elaborate on what I mean. If you've boarded a Red Arrow one then you'll know that they get to speed fast enough, am I wrong? However these can reach the same speeds faster, not only that but they don't feel speed limited to 20mph unlike the Red Arrow's batch. The sound of it, to my ear at least, is that it's slightly rougher than the previous batch which is more high-pitch.

All in all, wonderful set of electric buses both batches are, but I'd prefer the Wright StreetAir do get some shine of it's own, having only two demonstrators, one with Go-Ahead as trialled on the 360.

WHY3 (LX55EAE) departing from the stands for 156/452, to start service

Where would I put these in comparison to the Wright Electrocity hybrid, WHY1-13?
Whilst those hybrids were certainly unique and the only batch to survive, they're outmatched by the superior SEe52-65 in my opinion. Not only are the WHYs shorter (at 10.2m), or carry less, but don't manage the same feat an SEe would. Which is the sudden burst of speed which makes you think the bus would jerk if it had gears.

Rear of WHY13 (LX11DVH), in Vauxhall Bus Station, towards Elephant

The 360 went from being a diesel route which started in February 2003 as Congestion Charge new bus route, to being a hybrid testing-ground to the third route to have All-Electric buses as it's full allocation, covering it's Peak Vehicle Requirement and spares. Whilst the 360 does have a history it's mainly route changes in South Kensington and the introduction of hybrids, more hybrids (full allocation), now full allocation of electrics.

Hope you enjoyed this relatively short post and, stay safe!

Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr.

45, 176, 188

It was nonetheless expected the 176 would be lost, it was questionable if Go-Ahead would gain the 188 off of Abellio at Walworth (WL), though they existed it wasn't highly expected I'd say, at least from me, that they'd gain the 45. Out of these three Arriva have been booted out of Camberwell area until March when they reappear with the 468. 197's existence making up for the lack of Arriva in Dulwich.

Europe Expedition

Technically take two in my career, or in my life up to roughly 6 six times, mostly Norway and Italy.

I needed another change of atmosphere so back to the colder temperature, though slightly different, I even ventured to across the border to Göteborg (Sweden's second most populated city with less than half that of Stockholm), visiting my uncle there. I was reunited with articulated single deckers, this time not Mercedes Benz's Citaro Gs or MAN's Lion City Gs....a type I didn't get a chance to analyse...the Solaris Urbino 18.

Keolis 2738 (WTE 248) at it's stop in Angered centrum though with engine off, which automatically turns off LEDs.
Serving 76 to Rannebergen, prior to departure.

Wandering, part 2

Continuing from my previous Wandering, part 1 post, I started off the next day...

28th September:
Unlike the previous day which I had most stuff planned out prior and practically on the spot, covering many things in a day as humanly possible without getting drenched into evening rush hour.
Thus, I decided to only focus on one route.

Wandering, part 1

I have returned from my stay in Oslo for the duration of 4 weeks and in Göteborg (though for a few days), I had nothing to do on the 27th or 28th and I happened to wake up in the morning, and with no internet to procrastinate so I decided to waste time by doing stuff I haven't and stuff that will go. So on this post I'll express the trips I've made on the 27th and 28th, not to diary format of course as clearly I'm the best when it comes to that...

27th September:
I have returned from my stay in Oslo for the duration of 4 weeks and in Göteborg (though for a few days), I had nothing to do on the 27th and I happened to wake up in the morning, and with no internet to procrastinate so I decided to waste time by doing stuff I haven't and stuff that will go.

A transitless 266...

I'll be honest, I noticed my last post was at the end of April and was not quite happy that I didn't make more posts (well, I don't have a quota, self-employed pay-less job), so I decided to rush something in rather than nothing in. I have an upcoming post and possibly another, just that I need to gather more time to execute it efficiently into a reasonable, readable post that's not that much of a bore.

VN37975 (BG61SXK) at it's stop in the Lower Bus Station of Hammersmith.

Easter Break

This post was supposed to be published a week back but due to complications I couldn't find the time to do so, but I've finally compiled, finished and proofread my post and here it is, it also explains my two week absence. Hope you enjoy reading this post, and stay tuned for possibly more!

Nobina 2056 (BD91713) ?

I took the chance to finally escape London which I wanted to escape for such a long time, but specifically to Europe, such as Rome which I've been before twice and got used to it's atmosphere, but this time instead of Rome or other places in Europe which I haven't visited except for the one I shall mention, I visited my aunt and my cousins up in Oslo (Norway).

Fools of April

On the 1st of April, the day of April Fools, we've had service changes on lots of route, mainly relating to their contracts and routings, let's first start of numerically.

Route 2/N2:

HV306 (LK17AHD) in Marble Arch

To be former look
VLA44 (LJ53BCX) at the start of route

The daytime route had a contract renewal retaining the same PVR of 24 with frequency reduced to every 7-8 minutes in peak hours from every 6-7 towards Marylebone AM and 7 otherwise. The daytime and nighttime variants both were retained with brand new Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 3's, also joint bid with 249 meaning both routes got the same time, however 2/N2 being a central route had it's ones, HV295-323, with gold ad frames. Nighttime N2 was rerouted at Victoria via daytime N2 to Marylebone Station as part of the central London consultation schemes.

Finchley Road quake

RATP VH20 BT13YWS on the previous 13

These quake of changes won't go unnoticed by passengers, however the first consultation did become an earthquake TfL didn't expect just by withdrawing 13. Quite desperately they decided to withdraw 13 again but make it look like the 82 is being withdrawn instead. Though of course people still use it and the Finchley Road corridor as a whole can be busy, TfL want to cut costs as they see the Finchley Road corridor as one which wastes too much money. In my opinion things could've been twisted a bit here and there, say frequency cuts outside of peak hours. That would still require a lot of buses in the peak hours but saves money on the off peak hours, but the ratio would look a bit wonky so it's better to cut the PVR in one go.

TEH1454 LK13BGX on the
pre-extended 139.

The most noticeable change without a doubt is the renumbering of 82 into 13, of which 82 has been awarded to Tower Transit with new Volvo B5LH MCV Evosetis, but following the consultation, the contract will commence as number 82. The 13? The current 13 is simply withdrawn. Anything to replace it's stead in London Sovereign? 139 will be novated to them, running under the current 13 contract using existing VHs. Whilst the 139 change (extension to Golders Green) won't be much, the focus is all on 13/82 which will have severe effects on the Finchley Road corridor. Metroline themselves devised a special Routemaster service (with RML900) on the 82 as a way to send off the route they had for so long, in Potters Bar (PB) post-privatisation. Pre-privatisation the route went as far as 1986 from a depot called Finchley (FY).

TE936 LK09EKR turned
to Park Lane (Hilton Hotel)

My main focus will look cynical but it's going to focus more on 82 than any other route (not going to bother with 139).

The 82 as a route is an interesting route which starts off at the lively central London Victoria and goes up through the tree-infested Park Lane up to Marble Arch, from then on it starts to look typical London refurbished buildings which look expensive mind you, that's until we reach roughly Finchley Road O2 Centre where standards drop down a little bit. The roads are still spacious enough to hold capacity and the surrounding average buildings still look pricey as it's near the posh Hampstead.
We move on to Golders Green where we take a turn for the cheaper, there's less routes serving and there's less space on the roads as they become narrower like typical City of London streets.
At times the road has an up incline or a down incline constantly, which gives flavour on top of the existing decent scenery for a North West London route such as 82 (I'm not fond of other areas I've visited of North West and I consider this pretty well-cared).
Passing the A406 the roads become wider, the buildings become more apparently aged, and there's trees to supplement for better scenery as a whole, there's also shops here and there, like Finchley Central where there's the Northern Line again.
Typical North London (not North West) style houses where it looks good on the outside followed by more routes as we go through Finchley Central on our way to North Finchley, of which if you look to your right you will notice a board stating "Welcome to the area of North Finchley" which is a good greeting if you ask me.

An allocated Voith E40D
TE1425 LK62DXY

I always like to mention the route's history somewhere at some point, the 82 commenced service on the 21st June 1986 to replace 2B (the current 2)'s Baker Street to Golders Green section and a certain withdrawn 26's Sunday service (which also was born off one of the 2's, 2 the current 322). Enough about my addiction to my route 2, the 82 started off as Victoria to Golders Green with garage journeys to North Finchley and Barnet Chesterfield Road on Sundays only. As years passed the route found itself having it's Monday-Saturday service extended to North Finchley, but it's Barnet section replaced by the 84A(184). Half a year after that change, the Golders Green shorts was shortened to only weekday evenings and Saturday early mornings/evenings. Later, 49 months on, on the 4th December 1993, the 82 received the Victoria-North Finchley routing as permanent on all hours it operated, plus a transfer to Potters Bar (PB) with the closure of Finchley (FY) which the route resided in and has been given the running number #1+ (in gratitude huh).

Besides low floor conversion (with VPLs, in September 2001) or type changes or even running number sequence changes, nothing has changed until this date. Commiserations to Metroline for losing one of their good central London routes and congratulations to Tower Transit for managing to win the 82. Que the passenger's new reactions on April Fools day...

I may do a post on the new changes tomorrow in general, who knows, for this was a rushed post, but anyways I hope you all a good Foolery! :P

Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr.

Featuring Finsbury Park

To be lost:
WVL494 (LJ61NWG) on stand

Well once again I had some business and once again it was on a Friday and once again it's nothing I intend on spilling.
Nothing interesting in my commute there, as I've taken the Victoria Line which took me 15 mins on my way there but almost 20 the other direction to Brixton. Nevertheless I got where I wanted to and triumphantly got there. However, I'm going to admit that I almost exited without touching out as there weren't barriers on the way to the exit.

I took a few pictures in Finsbury Park Interchange as can be seen below.

Trek to North West!

For personal reasons I've trekked to Burnt Oak, and I decided why not prepare for many pics and write a post when finished, on my way there it was like travelling through the Sahara Desert with nothing interesting, but on my way back it was rather like a Fast & Furious 7 race. I'll elaborate, if you read on that is.

Stagecoach 36338 (LX09ACU) at
Brixton Police Station

I had VLA58 on 2 to Victoria from little snack buying in Brixton, but the real story kicks in when I boarded LT758 on 16, I had a driver whom was keen on driving the LT fast, especially along Hyde Park Corner, all in all decent and reliably fast journey to Kilburn Park, passing Arab-ware Road then to estates along Maida Hill just before a populated Kilburn.

Metroline Travel
TA642 (LK05GFZ) in Kilburn

It was at this moment I knew I shouldn't have done 32...well, I can compare 32 with routes 25 and 86 which pass houses after houses and populated people, but majority houses where they share along Romford Road. 32 on the other hand is car shop after the other....I counted Volkswagen, Ford, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and probably Vauxhall as I'm not sure about the last one I saw. Took me 40 mins to get to Burnt Oak and I wasn't really impressed but hey well. More about 32 excluding for the car shops, it was pretty much houses on a dual carriageway really, with some shops here and there.

RATP London Sovereign DE20157 (YX11GBE) at Burnt Oak Station

After finishing at Burnt Oak I went to pray at Edgware Islamic Centre which I never knew existed...took DE61 on 251 which was rather nippy and healthy and being floored, but the body was about to cripple into pieces. When I left there I walked all the way to Edgware Bus Station because I deeply underestimated the distance there. Took some snaps and surprise surprise, the first refurb at Edgware (EW) was my 113, TE981 (LK59DZE).

Left: TE835 (LK57AXP), towards Northwick Park Hospital
Right: TE888 (LK08DYA), towards Brent Cross

Boy did I enjoy my 50 minutes on 113, well worth having that as my bus and route home, my bus was being literally floored even when school was released (sadly my 20 min recording became shortened to 7 mins due to school children), but having mentioned school, in Mill Hill a crowd of kids boarded for one stop when a 186 was already ahead of us and left the stop before we arrived....and the stop they got off 186 also serves....what was the point?

Arriva London PDL123 (LJ05GPU)
on 303 at Burnt Oak Station

I was enjoying the dual carriageway experience to the point only houses and nature was the things I can take note of, at first greenery then houses, once we came to Hendon Central it was populated (at least) with living beings, then right from there we go straight back to houses. I was surprised a place like Hendon Central has a dual carriageway cut direct in it. Anyways, we head to pass Brent Cross with the Tesco in sight, from now on it's a race to the finishing line: Finchley Road!

Yet again, only greenery. But one thing I can definitely mention is how my bus driver drove the bus like he was Lewis Hamilton in Fast & Furious 7. I was lost for words on the amount of flooring there was....I probably exaggerated that experience as I have a clip....

KICKDOWN+Thrash | Metroline TE981 LK59DZE | ADL Trident E400 | Route 113

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this unexpected spin-off from me and as always, stay safe! And in case you enjoy seeing photos, I've got more (some may be bad quality)!

MM820 (LK57AYP) driver training in Burnt Oak

Arriva London North SW4 (LK16BYD)'s rear, while on 340

Metroline TE720 (LK57FHP) in Edgware on route 204

Arriva London North VLW187 (LJ03MKM) on route 221

Metroline Travel VW1205 (LK61BMU) on route 79 getting to stand

Metroline Travel VW1405 (LK13BHW) on route 302 in Burnt Oak

Metroline West VWH2167 (LK16DFD) on route 114 in Burnt Oak

RATP London Sovereign DE62 (YX11GBY) in Burnt Oak

Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr.