So, as this is typed in advance on New Year's day 2021. What has changed? How has the sphere evolved? The changes we've been expected has happened but how did it pan out? I type this with the future me finishing this post with the final touches. Last year I dived straight into it from laziness but now I've decided I should try and up the ante. For now this is just filling in space to perhaps add a photo to the side and make it align better. This and that, covid happened and was still a thing but a vaccine has been made. The 481 I damn envy a lot.
It doesn't take much to realise a lot happens in a year, with transfers and rare workings as well as other news happening from time to time. So I direct you to UK Bus News for more in depth month roundups.
Let's roll.
December Postscript: Original title Ampere-2021 but I changed my mind literally last minute.
October Postscript: Initially typing the above I was bored to type more but less said the better.
April Postscript: lol Ampere Next.
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Whereby a name is stated and no © is present, the photo is Some Rights Reserved and may be used in accordance to the license.
January
First 'rare' on LVF was LT62 on N87. The same LT that had the horrible accident on route 11.
Another thing I decided to note was 246's influx of double decks, with 36365/6's not-upgraded emissions being a problem due to 256's delayed double deck conversion.
2nd: Retains: 649/650/651. They already saw their allocated WHVs as [V]extras in September following loss of 202.
11th: First tenders of the year:
313 Contract retained by Arriva. PVR 8. Existing New Routemaster buses.
313 Contract retained by Arriva. PVR 8. Existing New Routemaster buses.
645* Contract retained by Arriva. PVR 2 TBC. Existing diesel double deck.
606 Contract awarded to Sullivan from Metroline. PVR 2. Existing diesel double deck.
606 Contract awarded to Sullivan from Metroline. PVR 2. Existing diesel double deck.
* - 405D (Purley-West Croydon) renumbered to 645 as per consultation, extended to Waddon via 407.
23rd:
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| Aubrey 4002 [ENL82] (GN08CGV), Bexleyheath |
Ever since, the ENLs have been withdrawn as they weren't Euro 6 compliant and was easier to involve 313's already-upgraded ENXs following it's LT conversion from last year.
As you can tell it's a repeat of 469's story though the twist is it, involving B12. Abellio going electric with C10 meant the 16-reg Enviro200 MMCs would go off-lease... most of them would leave the company and GAL would sweep them with 469 taking the lion's share whilst B12 makes do with top-ups from ex-284 13-reg lost by 246 also coincidentally in September. The new SENs enjoyed their stays at Croydon (C) for 355 and River Road (RR) for 300/376 for sure, with some already in Bexleyheath (BX) for B11/B16, indirectly and directly.
One thing that changed is the cancellation of the reroute to link Abbey Wood with 99's beloved Woolwich Road, a last minute change. Whilst not kind on New Road to have it's hands full with 301 alongside B11, it'd have been a nice round-the-corner link.
Another thing is the update of iBus on both routes. 469 from Queen Elizabeth Hospital back to the blind displays of old: Woolwich Common, Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Whereas on the B12 there was a slight terminal change in Joydens Wood which resulted in the morning clockwise direction displaying 'Bexley Village' where the anticlockwise afternoon direction stayed the same as 'Joydens Wood'.
Last 469: ENL92 at 01:03, along with ENR7
Last B12: ENX24 at 00:48
First 469: SEN57 at 04:59
First B12: SEN46 at 04:36, first YX13 750 at 07:20. First stray SE68 14:13
Last B12: ENX24 at 00:48
First 469: SEN57 at 04:59
First B12: SEN46 at 04:36, first YX13 750 at 07:20. First stray SE68 14:13
As an aside, 469 sees a new timetable, mentioning the supposed Crossrail consultation reroute via New Road and Picardy Road instead of direct on Abbey Road.
Meanwhile, a few weeks before TfL announced a 4% mileage cut on the bus network in Central London over the following 3 years, where possible a 2 buses per hour decrease from 8 bph. The 49 and 344 both dropping from every 7-8 and every 8 respectively upon tender award. The D3 joins permanently on this date from every 10 to every 12.
The 456 was meant to happen but instead it's direct right-hand turn towards Enfield in the Carterhatch area has happened under the W10 number, since previously there was an island blocking it, where it had to double run to a roundabout. Street furniture removed for the 456 birth. Ish.
Part of route 263 transferred from Holloway (HT) to Potters Bar (PB) as the latter sees staff shortages to the obvious C.
Retains: 229/492.
26th: 19717 Fire Damaged on 165... toasty.
30th: The 46 gets cut from Lancaster Gate to Paddington Station, standing with 332. No change to PVR of 19.
February
6th:
The 184 and 616 of the North. Go-Ahead wins one and loses one. Arriva in total loss of a 19-strong PVR whilst HCT rejoice with a loaned B9TL ex-25 and the BYD/ADL E400EV demo whilst the two ordered E400EVs against 616's contract for 20 arrive sometime sooner or later. The protagonist of the month is no doubt Northumberland Park (NP) using their advantage to it's advantage. A massive stock of SEe's they have and are wired up whilst Wood Green (WN) who have the home advantage proved to not have the cheap advantage.
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| Martin Addison ENL36 LJ09KPZ, Betstyle Circus |
The 184 and 616 of the North. Go-Ahead wins one and loses one. Arriva in total loss of a 19-strong PVR whilst HCT rejoice with a loaned B9TL ex-25 and the BYD/ADL E400EV demo whilst the two ordered E400EVs against 616's contract for 20 arrive sometime sooner or later. The protagonist of the month is no doubt Northumberland Park (NP) using their advantage to it's advantage. A massive stock of SEe's they have and are wired up whilst Wood Green (WN) who have the home advantage proved to not have the cheap advantage.
Last bus: ENL39 at 01:07
First bus: SEe125 at 05:25. First stray SEe81 at 11:41.
First bus: SEe125 at 05:25. First stray SEe81 at 11:41.
20th: Retains: 200. Electrics would not present until 21 June... meaning 80 wouldn't receive it's double decker conversion with ex-202 now ex-200 WHVs meaning 413 can't have it's Citaros released back to RATP come July. Jumping the gun quite a bit there.
22nd: Long talks of RATP strikes happening due to pay have... happened. With the exceptions of Stamford Brook (V) and Hounslow Heath (HH), every garage striked. Routes like 65, 70, 71, 72, 94 saw no service during the day but skeleton services at best on 18, 33, 111, 148, 220, H37 and more routes I didn't check. Most interestingly was the choice of converting 33 to Scania OmniCitys no doubt lying around due to lack of 65 or 71. The same happened with the one bus on 371 and the 203 no doubt.
27th: Accordingly the S3 moved from Epsom (EB) to Tolworth (TV) following the transfers of 411 and 406/418/465 out of their Quality Line livelihoods but the first of this year, preceded by the full transfers out of the depot to either join Tolworth (TV) or to Go-Ahead in an E10 fashion (413/463/S1).
Retains: 283
March
1st:
Barking (BK)'s 141xx coded BYD D8URDD Enviro400EVs enter service on 173 with some ADEs returning back to RATP.
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| EDDIE 14127 LF70YWC, Dagenham Leisure Park |
Barking (BK)'s 141xx coded BYD D8URDD Enviro400EVs enter service on 173 with some ADEs returning back to RATP.
2nd: Spicing up the dead days was single deck DM967 on double deck route E8.
6th: LT986/LT994 make their appearance on 285.
9th: Since I'm bored, Croydon (TC)'s first E40H stray was HT20 on 627, followed the next day by HT22 also on 627 just before HT18 on 60's extra from Coulsdon to Croydon.
8th: School extras return after a holiday, routes like V57, V119, V152, V228, V280, V355, VX26 being covered by Abellio along with Arriva's school routes in the south plus 663 and 684. Ensign covering the extras on River Road (RR)'s school routes as well as VB11/VB16. Arriva on the other hand covering V444
13th: The 456's new date since... so long. Can't be bothered, did it happen? If it has I didn't strikethrough this paragraph. It did and it went swimmingly with only one bus appearing on iBus lasting only a few hours.
17th: Another strike day but only for London United, this time route 33 (and 371) see B5LH strays for their limited service whilst 216 gets a more bolstered service compared to the previous strikes with two double deck SPs last in formal service when an accident sadly occurred in Sunbury. Not much else to note other than it being repetitive at this stage.
19th: New Routemasters perform V293 extras.
20th:
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| 8333 YX11AHE, Lewisham Shopping Centre |
The only change of the month and the only day of the month with contractual changes. The 484 joins Go-Ahead's streak of their ever-growing electric empire, forging revenge over the loss of P5 and the loss in 2011. The 484 perhaps could've seen a Caetano e.City Gold allocation, it can take 10.9m vehicles though it is hard even with the current 9.3m's should Brockley's thorny side roads prove to be an issue with... parked cars. That said, the allocation of E200s which are mostly bad would be a welcome upgrade from the electric and newer E200EVs which are far more powerful, 100hp more if the older models are to compare with the diesel 11-reg. Plenty to not be embarrassing leaving Ladywell.
They're the first 21-reg batch in service in London, with Stagecoach's late registered 14129 entering service just the day before off iBus making that the first.
Meanwhile as a result of 484's loss, 8330-8342 didn't stand down but instead replace P13's allocation of 8321-28 which was retained not long before.
Last bus: 8330 at 01:30
First bus: SEe147 at 04:50
First bus: SEe147 at 04:50
Retains: 162, 367
In other news, DLR closure between Stratford and Canary Wharf resulted in 108U extras (Stratford City to North Greenwich).
24th: RATP strikes cancelled. Meanwhile, HCT Group loaned WSD1 (coded 2603) for London use having bought HW100 for outside-London purposes in Yorkshire, it's gone amiss by me on the 12th of March that SED1 has also joined HCT Group having covered for 184 at Go-Ahead between the 8th and 22nd February.
26th: Single decker on 427 again but first time this year, 8889 doing the honours whilst in South London the 60 sees it's first hybrid working outside the Old Coulsdon-West Croydon school extras, although initially it was turned at Streatham Vale.
And lastly, HCT's Enviro400 Cities materialise as LG21-reg, not having LEDs but standard smartblinds.
31st: RATP strike again, this time VHs appeared on 216, with it only having one DE from the morning substituted before noon. The 65/71 has had some semblance of a morning service for one strike but that's about what I've noted.
April
At the end of last month, we saw 200's Optare Metrodeckers form with YJ21 registrations whilst some Tower Transit OEs also receive later 21-reg plates, Go-Ahead's Metrodeckers aren't OMe but Me. You too? Later towards the end it's also been discovered they have unusual shrouds over the wipers reaching up to the camera mirrors, apparently being there for the wipers.
1st: April Fools Day, 411 sees double decks again since Quality Line had it. Okay it's not a joke, VHs have, with more planned strikes the 7th and 14th.
2nd: Closure of tracks for works in central Croydon and Addiscombe leading to only Wimbledon to Reeves Corner having a tram service whilst buses take over. Arriva, Stagecoach and Go-Ahead teaming up for TR2 (Croydon Reeves Corner - Elmers End - Beckenham Junction) whilst Abellio take TR3 (Croydon Reeves Corner - New Addington). Truthfully they were terminating and picking up at Church Street tram stops' bus stops belonging to other routes but it was a quick set of works ending on the 7th allowing for Tramlink to be one again.
3rd: April Fools day two days late with the 633 going over from Quality Line to Go-Ahead with not-yet-confirmed double decks but the day 463D was separated from 463 was a day I thought could come the moment it got renumbered. Fun fact: the 633 has a journey in both directions in both peaks. Another fun fact for me to fill this paragraph is that I had a 633 fantasy which (if you know 433 you know) suddenly had it's number used for a random renumber for an existing route. At least the 463D was different enough to it's day counterpart to warrant, albeit very late, and not a random purge of a prefix letter. T.
Retain: 463.
In any event, the London wide 4% cuts as a whole boils down to 16% mileage and 11% of routes being cut in Central London whilst there's a +1% uplift in Outer London. Meanwhile rubber gromits installed on buses' windows to make it impossible to close.
EB2 sees itself to be a display in Brooklands Museum.
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| EB2 LC63CXY |
7th: Another RATP strike. Meanwhile, 148 whose tender was earmarked for release in December 2020 was still not announced not until after this date, but it's delay was due to considerations of shortening the route to Victoria from Camberwell. Instead bids resubmitted incorporating frequency reduction.
9th: Blackwall Tunnel closure northbound due to car going on fire
10th: Following on from the disaster of the day before, some good news... The 286 was cleared for double deckers in the Queen Mary's Hospital loop where deckers would usually avoid, a little bit of lost mileage not serving the inside of the hospital but now it's just a wait to see if it can convert soon...
13th: More strikes for RATP's London United planned; Friday 23rd; Monday 26th; Friday 7th May; Saturday 8th. This time including previously absent Hounslow Heath (HH) and Stamford Brook (V). In other news, HCT Group's electric Enviro400EV 2550 makes itself known on 388 very briefly.
14th:
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| DaniThePancake SDE20285 YX14RYY, Kingston |
Following the above, it seems 470 and K5 decided to do a bit of allocation swapping, with half of K5's allocation consisting of three dual door YY67-reg DDEs from 470 whilst 470 took a YX14-reg SDE from K5. Bearing in mind both routes are at separate depots as of the time, Epsom (EB) and Tolworth (TV) respectively. It's as if a trial was going on...
15th: Dun dun dun, another strike bites the dust...
17th: The 263 fully moves back to Potters Bar (PB) as working conditions settle and doubling as making space two weeks in advance to move 168 from Cricklewood (W) in, to Holloway (HT) of course, which of course makes it easy for a certain route that Metroline obtain in May.
18th: Return of schools sees a surprise, DE20191 on 183.
20th: Following the 183 fiasco, DE20173 appeared on 94, seemingly going Shepherd's Bush to Acton Green back to Shepherd's Bush being substituted for a BCE before logging on 148 briefly. Odd.
23rd: HV238's appearance to Dartford (DT) as the first Gemini 3 aside (and DW455 present in DT as a burnt carcass aside), it seems Beddington Cross (BC) have received more E200s ex-Walworth (WL) of the 66-reg variety which started life at BC, now seemingly allocated to S4 whilst more of S4's own 64-reg venture West. Speaking of West, 285 sees another LT but not as an extra whilst one of 285's own MMCs ends up on 482 and a classic E400H, 2413 sent to 285. Crazy strike day eh, RATP?
24th: Night routes N20/N91's Potters Bar (PB) allocations (3 and 5 respectively) move to Holloway (HT) making both routes fully HT. Not a thing.
30th: First dual door on 456, WS65, transferred from Morden Wharf (MG).
May
1st:
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| My last sight at Go-Ahead on 315 |
My bias will come first before the doomsday that is Tower Transit's loss. My 315, the one that traverses from West Norwood via side roads and Streatham and quickly terminating at Balham returns to Beddington Cross (BC) after the 15 years it's spent at Stockwell (SW) with 10 of them being in harmony with the good 06-reg Darts that I truly loved. The next 5 years in agony over the mostly terrible 09-reg E200s with only SEN43 being good, that turned into a roaring 'hoover' even in the coldest days 2020 and 2021 had. SEN39 however was a secret agent in being decent, I'll give it that. I've even given SEN42 a good run for it being one of the worst Enviro200s ever as far back as 2016 when they were bought by GAL with the intention of being used on 485 after an unsuccessful 424/485 reroute consultation. Not helped it was preceded by another unsuccessful, particularly for me, consultation to reroute 315 via Robson Road, Park Hall Road, Croxted Road, the A205 into Peabody Estate. Providing a(n extra) link to Streatham, directly via West Norwood. Doubling as the direct West Norwood link to West Dulwich that would be handy as a round-the-corner link that would be useful, and one of the reasons stated in the proposal itself, the community centre on Robson Road being very welcome with it. As a side effect it would've relieved the lazy (myself included) people that get off right there, and perhaps be more appealing to the business centre just opposite.
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| 8324 YX10EBF, West Norwood Station |
Over the years it's garnered more difficulty in reliability with casual 40 min+ gaps in no small part due to traffic on Valley Road and Streatham, with it's only contracual turn being Streatham St. Leonard's Church, from West Norwood only nonetheless. On the vehicle side as a local, the only types I've failed to get were the ex-Metrobus Dart 277 and ex-RATP SEN38 which was a lab rat for when 322's E200s were imminent. Now it's taken a turn at Abellio back from Beddington Cross (BC) since Connex and succeeding Travel London last had it, it's... somewhat off but getting there to Go-Ahead standards with an average extra 3 minutes to the schedule.
Doomsday for Tower Transit.
The 28/31/328 trio got separated with 31 not having an extension and X doing really well on the route though losing it to Metroline who have done decent until it's heavy frequency reduction in TfL's tough times which proved 31 truly unreliable and crowded since. The 328 joins one of it's parents but from a different location other than Perivale West (PA)... Cricklewood (W) earmarked with 7's VWHs once that goes hydrogen after a million attempts and news of it actually being present, as a sort of reminder. I type this well in advance as the start made you aware, I probably still had doubts but there was a photo of one... it's real. But they have not entered service at all so news a week before the holy day sees Metroline hire TT's B5LHs, reminiscent of 7 needing First's hires which ended up on 297 eh?
In East London, the 69, nice, becomes the sexy addition to electrics. It's Go-Ahead. There you go. Though a new Silvertown (DS) depot [Henley Road, North Woolwich] didn't go so smoothly with council being a roadblock soNorthumberland Park (NP) was used temporarily as the current Silvertown (SI) has it's double deck allocation maxed out with the single decker allocation on the upper deck of the garage with a bit of space but of no use to a double deck route like 69, whereas the new garage has a bit of a paper battle back and forth such as 'only electric buses allowed' and a few other more, how do I put it, 'stingy' requests.
Another change as if this date wasn't special enough already, was 148's daytime service returning to White City since it's cutback to Shepherd's Bush in 2015 due to roadworks, it's overnight service still serving White City and in fairness one can easily access Westfield from Shepherd's Bush anyway so RATP utilising Shepherd's Bush (S) as a stand for 148 comes to an end. Supposedly delayed until the 8th and again supposedly until the 15th. May 29th. It returned in August...
June
1st: 635/696/697 transfer to Hounslow Heath (HH) from Hounslow (AV) whilst 698 goes from Hounslow Heath (HH) to Canons Park (CP).
July
August
September
Also under Paris is the 117 also leaving Abellio to pastures anew, not going to lie I'm starting to get bored of regurgitating new BYD Enviros. There, you have it.
As for me, I'll keep it short. The 690 which spent more than 20 years at Norwood (N) makes it's first leave whilst it's parent 689 already made two leaves. One to London Country, and extended from Tulse Hill to West Norwood then to it's death. Makes me feel old remembering the remaining DLAs being allocated to it and 415, before the same happening with VLA56/57 once 176 left and 2 gained new HVs. I was wary of a loss to Abellio though the only track record of having school routes is school extras on the Arriva routes in south with 690 being one of them. Alas a happy 5 year term to Plough Lane (PL), gaining refurbished hybrids WHV156/157 to join the few commercial Es they have for commercial services nearby. It's contract start date listed as Saturday the 4th but TfL listed the change as 28th August, so it makes sense Go-Ahead operated it instead of Arriva on the 3rd, as schools returned for the area.
Speaking of which, back to the French. X140. One of the most anticipated losses of 2020 if not the highest. Some anticipated a loss of 140, didn't happen. Loss of 182? Didn't happen. Loss of 183? Didn't happen. Loss of X140? Didn't happen. It merely gained dignity under French citizenship.
October
The 180 since coming under the banner of TfL directly as East Thames Buses was more of an outsider route per se, standing out until Go-Ahead acquired it. Even then it was separate enough from the 177 it parallels but now it joins it side by side until it no longer becomes paralleled with the oncoming Elizabeth Line introduction in the year 3056. Actually it's been 18th December which is the opening date for the Elizabeth Line's core section, if it happens.
November
December
Losing 55 buses worth of work, 18 of them from Lea Interchange (LI) again joining the death toll of 25 212 425 444 and others whilst making Westbourne Park (X) more barren of it's proud 250-space ground. Not making matters worse is the only gain being the C3, which they've done well with, and have 414 to look to... if that lives another few years is an uncertainty following it's chop from Maida Hill to Marble Arch reroute to Lancaster Gate as it's superfluous with the 6.
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| Julian Walker It now joins the other First-eater 8 years later VNW32403 greets ex-VN37776 |
The 28/31/328 trio got separated with 31 not having an extension and X doing really well on the route though losing it to Metroline who have done decent until it's heavy frequency reduction in TfL's tough times which proved 31 truly unreliable and crowded since. The 328 joins one of it's parents but from a different location other than Perivale West (PA)... Cricklewood (W) earmarked with 7's VWHs once that goes hydrogen after a million attempts and news of it actually being present, as a sort of reminder. I type this well in advance as the start made you aware, I probably still had doubts but there was a photo of one... it's real. But they have not entered service at all so news a week before the holy day sees Metroline hire TT's B5LHs, reminiscent of 7 needing First's hires which ended up on 297 eh?
Ending off the 68/468/X68 style drama is the 28 fanatic, running from Wandsworth (old WD, new code JE) with it's London Sovereign award though it's not out of the realm of possibility to run from Edgware (BT), the old 13 had done it. One thing for certain is it taking the 139's once-beautiful B5LHs which have stooped to the level of bad. Apparently refurb fixed them so hey ho. Variety of 28 being minimal going from mainly B9TL/Gemini 2's supported by a handful of integral DB300/Gemini 2's to solid B5LH/Gemini 2s. Diesel to hybrid transition.
In the end , the 28 and 328 whose temporary frequencies of every 11 would be brought back to every 10 at the expense of reliability and punctuality whilst the N28 loses it's coordination with N31.
Moreover with 328's loss, N97 whom was allocated VHs would be reallocated to DNHs, of which DNH39114 snuck on it after half past midnight for one trip starting from the whereabouts of X.
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| ©EastLondoner Ee56 LG21JGZ, Walthamstow Central |
In East London, the 69, nice, becomes the sexy addition to electrics. It's Go-Ahead. There you go. Though a new Silvertown (DS) depot [Henley Road, North Woolwich] didn't go so smoothly with council being a roadblock so
...Is not what happened. You see, as a result of Henley Road (DS) being delayed by papers and stuff, by the time it was immediately put into action there's only been about half of the garage with chargers ready whilst the other half laid barren and being worked on. Garages over the Go-Ahead empire stored some of 69's Ee's such as Putney (AF) and Camberwell (Q) to name but a few.
At least 69's DHs are in good hands as they leave Lea Interchange (LI), with their blindsets of West Ham (WH) as a remnant of it being intended to start life there to... firstly decommissioned, with nothing known after.
For some reason (N)69's iBus display was changed from "Walthamstow Central" to just "Walthamstow". In any case, RATP will loan the three DB300 WNs and two DNs from Tower Transit as well as 5 E200s (8321-23 recoded DDE20321-3, 8520) from Abellio for school extra use, the 10-reg 832x making strays on K5.
Continuing on for the holy day, turns seen under the tenure of Tower Transit to the end are far and few between seemingly for the new operators, with Metroline opting to number the loaned VWHs not under the free 14xx block for loans/demos but as if they were new, so 2728-2743. That said some of the VHs chosen were ones allocated to 452, obvious from them being glued to 452 prior to May 1st, a strange yet unique touch to Tower's allocations.
Last buses:
69: DN33637 at 01:24
315: SEN42 finished 5 minutes late at Balham at 0022, with SE236 at 00:17 climbed it's way from a potential last bus to second-to-last, SEN42's ETA ending at Stanthorpe Road towards Balham at 00:09 before resurfacing for a finish t 00:20
28: VN37955 at 01:24
328: MV38225 at 01:18
N28: VNs 37957/37962 at 05:30 on 30 April.
First buses:
69: Ee62 the first N69 at 01:10, Ee58 first normal 69 at 04:27. First non-electric Q's MHV75 on 04/06/21.
315: 8125 at 05:50. First stray 8207 20/05, first MMC 8173 (subbed by 8216) 24/05
28: VH45116 at 04:50, first stray VH45189 at 05:02
328: VWH2738(VH38127) at 04:55, first stray VWH2039 at 05:20
N28: First supposed one axed, thereby making ...well, iBus tracking issues the first at the dawn of time. VH45117 first logged on after iBus' brief pause between 02:30 and 04:00, at 04:00.
Retains: 687
The day also marks the second time two garages opened to service on the same day in the 21st century, in this case Go-Ahead's Henley Road (DS) and RATP's Wandsworth (JE) whilst in 2017 there was Go-Ahead's Morden Wharf (MG) and Abellio's Southall (AB). There are other examples in the years prior to the new millennium.
6th: It was on this date DW455 was withdrawn.
8th:
The f**king 481. I usually don't swear in posts and the like to upkeep professionalism but I'll make a grand exception here. You're telling me it takes having spare existing hybrid double decks to avoid having new electric single decks to just double deck a route? Need I say more I covered my reasoning through numbers on how it's more efficient to just deck every route you can, if not upgrading them through other sizes.
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| Aubrey 8106 LJ56VSY, Kingston |
The f**king 481. I usually don't swear in posts and the like to upkeep professionalism but I'll make a grand exception here. You're telling me it takes having spare existing hybrid double decks to avoid having new electric single decks to just double deck a route? Need I say more I covered my reasoning through numbers on how it's more efficient to just deck every route you can, if not upgrading them through other sizes.
I'll add this though, the 481 joins the 291 and C3 in rapidly converting. Whilst 291 had 9.3m single-door Darts, the C3 had 8.5m Optare Solos. The former in the name of Crossrail and the latter saw crowds as well as existing released from 196's loss so saw the jump. What about the C1 which also had Solos and can take deckers? What about the 152? The 80 is promised but in the same consultation you had 164 which was decker for decades!
-end rant-
RATP cancelled a strike that could've ended in first day disaster as opposed to first day syndromes. Also an addendum after almost forgetting an increase in PVR is an extra journey in both peaks adding insult to the double deck conversion injury, even if it's for the relocation of Turing House School.
Meanwhile 698's crosslink from 216 is removed bringing PVR from a technical 5 to a permanent 5.
Meanwhile, 463 moves to Go-Ahead on this date ahead of 413/S1 bunch in July.
In RATP land, to make space for 481, the 216 moved back to Hounslow Heath (HH) along with the 411 whom gets it's peak frequency increased from every 15 overall (but every 12 mornings to Kingston) to every 14 standardised along with a PVR decrease from 6 to 5 with the caveat being 411 gets crosslinks from 216.
Last 481: 8569 at 20:42
First 481: VH45132 and VH45158 at 06:55
Last RATP 463: SDE20302 at 00:48 at Pollards Hill a minute after DE20031 finished at Coulsdon South
First GAL 463: WS39 at 05:31, first stray?
10th: W15's tender release, loss from Tower Transit to Go-Ahead, no W17 plans and W15 to stay as is. For context the split would've been W15 (Higham Hill, Cogan Avenue - Leyton, Downsell Road) at 6bph and W17 (Whipps Cross - Hackney Town Hall) at 4bph. It's also been explored to swap Coppermill Lane for W19 with either cutting W12 at Walthamstow Central (extend 20 or 215 to Argall Avenue) or reroute W12 to Argall Avenue though very large frequency discrepancy from every 8 to every 30. With business case for an onward extension past Lea Bridge Road Station to Leyton Mills for whichever route takes the Argall Avenue stretch, courtesy of the Waltham Forest bus review.
12th: WHD2725 becomes the first hydrogen in service in 2021, on the 7.
15th: The 148 duly returns to White City officially though scuppered by a diversion due to a burst water main, thus buses showing on iBus as terminating at Shepherd's Bush as usual prior to this date.
17th: Covid restriction stickers removed over the week leading to the day and the restrictions abolished as the UK heads to a June freedom, meaning no more 'school only bus', 'non-school bus' but there will still be school extra buses on selected routes. Freedom at last?
21st: Tenders: 148, 415 retained and U5 also retained with new electrics in a new 56-capacity depot in Hayes Dawley Road whilst Hayes (WS) would be closed by September December 31st even (with routes to transfer out to other garages until April when the new base should be ready) and follows restrictions no less painful than Henley Road (DS), 432 won by Arriva with ex-319 HVs and 549 won by Sullivan Buses. Definitely not bias coming from a 432 local, the first route with fixed 7 year contracts, starting in April 2022.
22nd: Post-tender fright with logins of LT307 on 171 and E193 on EL3.
25th: It was on the 11th that a strike was confirmed, also on 7-9th of June for Metroline, this comes following the stoppage of strikes on the RATP side of things and no agreement seemingly coming to fruition with the remote sign on that Metroline were using for a short while, whilst Go-Ahead can enjoy their years of experience on the other hand. I say that but there has been a strong possibility the strike spreads to Go-Ahead for that very reason. Called off a couple days earlier.
In other news, the assumed-German-destined BHs off RV1/444 headed to join the only other hydrogens at Perivale for V226 (Park Royal - Golders Green) avoiding the tight roads that wouldn't make a permanent 10.8m allocation sweet west of it to Ealing, they were coded VHS2748/9 towards the end of June. They would not turn out to ever touch route 226 in service however.
Furthermore, LT22 and LT174 become stripped for spare parts having been off road since April/June 2020 respectively, doesn't mean they're scrapped (unfortunately) but out of commission as they have been, the likes of Metroline's LT114 had the same fate some time before.
28th: Shepherd's Flush, Waterloo Roll, Seven Cisterns temporary 24 hour renames to do with constipation treatment promo.
29th:
Ealing's 1 and 9, glorious wins in 2014 and 2016 respectively, disperse. The former to a new ops in the postcode, known as RP. RATP. You get the jist. The latter returns to Metroline the bus definition of a new man, a double deck route. Abellio as a result with spare 14-reg E40Hs to be reused at Battersea (QB) for 156/345 ridding 09-reg E400s later on but for the moment 414's SN59's have been stood down whilst E9's spare 09-reg E400s do whatever they'll do, given 156's contractual and 345's mid-contract upgrades immediately underway.
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| Aubrey 2445 (SK14CUA), Ealing Broadway 7 years ago when the animal wasn't gone |
Ealing's 1 and 9, glorious wins in 2014 and 2016 respectively, disperse. The former to a new ops in the postcode, known as RP. RATP. You get the jist. The latter returns to Metroline the bus definition of a new man, a double deck route. Abellio as a result with spare 14-reg E40Hs to be reused at Battersea (QB) for 156/345 ridding 09-reg E400s later on but for the moment 414's SN59's have been stood down whilst E9's spare 09-reg E400s do whatever they'll do, given 156's contractual and 345's mid-contract upgrades immediately underway.
Whilst E1 has hybrids older than under Abellio, the E9 gets an assortment of vehicle types, TE/VMH to it's name, three of the latter whilst the rest is Enviros.
N105 moved from Hounslow Heath (HH) to Hounslow (AV) using E1's hybrids as it's allocation.
As suspected from it's retain going from London United to London Sovereign, the 698 has indeed mvoed on this date, from Hounslow Heath (HH) to Canons Park (CP) outstation, with more moves the following month...
Unfortunately E1 hasn't been extended due to Elizabeth Line not existing and Night Tube kind of not existing either to be honest so, failure? Even though it's been a failure for 112 which went North Finchley instead, imagine a North Finchley to Osterley 112, chaos.
Last E1: 2450 at 01:37
First E1: ADH45031 at 04:30. First stray: SP40165 at 13:25
Last E9: 9428 at 01:05
First E9: VMH2566 at 04:30, TE1447 at 05:16
In other news, Northern Line replacement route 733 (Moorgate - Kennington) was placed into a tender in a tranche of it's own covering the tube tunnel closure from this October to January 2022, whilst the 15's iBus was silently changed to "Charing Cross Station, Trafalgar Square"
Meanwhile, night route cuts on weekends: N214 from every 10 to every 12, N63 from every 20 to every 30, N199 from every 20 to every 30.
Followed by on June 6th: N26 from every 20 to 30, N137 from every 15 to 30.
30th: Having transferred as a meal bus, ENX28 enters service at Barking (DX) on 325 as the first non-ENL single deck and first 10.8m bus on 325 for several years.
June
1st: 635/696/697 transfer to Hounslow Heath (HH) from Hounslow (AV) whilst 698 goes from Hounslow Heath (HH) to Canons Park (CP).
In other news, talks of 358's delay for new electrics (contract started in September 2020) materialised with Irizar's "ie tram" which as the name suggests takes it's design aspects from the non-bus rail vehicle, it'll have pantographs installed at Crystal Palace bus station and Orpington Station as part of a trial.
5th: 639/670 surprisingly lost by Go-Ahead to London United... Tolworth (TV) is down the road from Putney Heath, using the A3. See 85.
Last GAL buses: EH98 (639) EH109 (670). First RATP buses: VH45105 (670) VH45115 (639).
6th: The BYD E400EV demo enters Abellio depot again, Southall (GW) this time ahead of U5's retain.
12th: The 116 moved to Hounslow Heath (HH) back from Hounslow (AV) with the 419 taking 116's slot as it transfers from Fulwell (FW) with that slot taken by former-Tolworth (TV) route 85. The N5 meanwhile Edgware (BT) to Harrow (SO), .
Oh and Metroline have HDE5 the Enviro200H.
13th: Ee64 becomes the first electric (on 115 and) stray of DS, onto River Road (RR)'s 115. Meanwhile 264 got it's first HT strays, three of them, which became the night provision meaning it's first hybrids also became it's night allocation for the night...
15th: Two E200s on 183, DE20047 and DE20190
17th: Oxford Street has sparked up again with it's closure confirmed out of the blue.
Route 22 cut to Conduit Street. Route 94 cut to Marble Arch. Route 113 cut to Portman Square (starts at Selfridges though, similar to 25 ending at City Thameslink but starting at Holborn Circus). Route 159 cut to Oxford Circus (unfortunate), whilst new stands get made for 55/73, the 98/390 being the only routes to utilise Oxford Street and no mention of 7/N7.
Though in the end it's announced in September that Westminster council's plans are delayed so the street can't be pedestrianised in time for Christmas.
18th: Tenders see retains of 55/56, 350 (with single decks still), 397, 433 (with electrics), and W16 whilst 667 and 677 swap operators. The most interesting outcome was my local route 322 going back to the pass the parcel game of Go-Ahead and Abellio (and predecessors) switching terms, this time as 322 is the actual first route with a permanent 7 year contract as opposed to rumoured counterpart 432, meanwhile 55 is also a fixed 7 year but 56 (a hybrid route) a fixed 5 year... hmm, pro-electric movement for the win? Either way both 55 and 56 get PVR cuts of 5 and 3 respectively.
19th Retain: 7/N7.
The route promised with hydrogen StreetDecks since what, the 306 was won? Now even 328 has 'to be confirmed', with 7's VWHs being the scapegoat but at least one has appeared as late as December, lacking the 'WH' in the WHD code, lack of stickers they say but hey.
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| Sludge G WHD2714 LK70AZD, Olympic Park |
The route promised with hydrogen StreetDecks since what, the 306 was won? Now even 328 has 'to be confirmed', with 7's VWHs being the scapegoat but at least one has appeared as late as December, lacking the 'WH' in the WHD code, lack of stickers they say but hey.
Tolworth (TV) receives routes 293 404 467 470 along with their vehicles.
The December extension of 110 to Hammersmith which killed the seemingly pointless in it's short form 391 had the luxury of going over Chertsey Road without bus stops meaning... non-stop section... temporarily until stops were built in January... supposed to be, but now quite a while later and lockdowns later it's happened on 19th June with the 969 which also goes over the section also serving those stops.
Moves from RATP: H17 moves back to Park Royal (RP), N5 moves from Edgware (BT) to Harrow (SO) oddly and H18/H19 H11 move from Harrow (SO) to Canons Park (CP) does joining 698 which moved the month before.
21st: The 71 sees LTs for the first time in the form of 69/70 . Meanwhile rumours of 214 supplying the W15 with it's SEe's were contradicted with 444 as expected but 360 in tandem receiving larger Red Arrow SEe's to release SEe's to W15. Once again contradicted come October with W15 receiving a mix of new and existing, the 413 taking some electrics in some form. The 153 to then move to freed up Waterloo (RA) confirmed for 28 August.
Route 200 finally sees Metrodeckers in service, 6 of them on this date allowing more WHVs to Sutton (A) to send some of 80's E200s the other way to prepare for 413.
24th: Meanwhile, the Beddington Farm outstation used for VLAs/ENLs as storage has been put up for sale, the property.
26th: Retain: 418
Meanwhile, 413's Citaro Ks to be recoded a second time to MCM to differentiate between 203's older but longer Citaros. Speaking of Citaro C2s, MEC51 also scrapped alongside Orpington fire damaged ones.
29th: The 245 sees hydrogen strays, as promised of 7/245 being zero emission despite having exactly enough to fit 7's PVR.
The 111 confirmed to take on LTs spare from Metroline, Stagecoach and RATP themselves, this is in order to keep emissions under control at Heathrow, odd despite it only being a few months though these LTs are in excess surplus with cuts made to several LT routes. Later revealed to be a ULEZ level restriction at Heathrow's demands.
Potters Bar PB1 finally sees the Metrocity it was promised, turning out to be a new 8.7m short vehicle.
Otherwise, iinsider words of an all-electric double decker developed by Wright has finally been made public knowledge with the 'StreetDeck Electroliner' capable of 200 miles of range with it's French-made battery pack delivering 454kWh of capacity. The diesel StreetDeck dubbed 'Ultroliner.'
July
3rd:
The King of Fulwell (FW) from Kingston (or Chessington at night) to Ealing. The Shining Knight from Tolworth to Hounslow, the Bishop underdog from Kingston to Richmond promised with new electric BYD Enviros, being of the first announced in tender along with, conveniently, other RATP routes to have certain journeys operated by hybrids/diesels, for deckers/singles respectively. It did spark that the 371 is getting new E400EVs as part of it's partial double deck allocation.
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| DaniThePancake SLE40635 YN55NLD, Ealing Broadway |
The King of Fulwell (FW) from Kingston (or Chessington at night) to Ealing. The Shining Knight from Tolworth to Hounslow, the Bishop underdog from Kingston to Richmond promised with new electric BYD Enviros, being of the first announced in tender along with, conveniently, other RATP routes to have certain journeys operated by hybrids/diesels, for deckers/singles respectively. It did spark that the 371 is getting new E400EVs as part of it's partial double deck allocation.
The total double deck order of RATP's electrics total 107 as of typing in February, for 49, 65/281/371, 183 and X140.
Meanwhile the 71 takes on hybrids to reject it's polluting diesel, surprisingly some LTs part of that joining route 111. Except for a short while as LTs transferred making their way to route 111.
In another part of west, the 533 goes non-stop between Mortlake Cemetery and Hammersmith Bridge Road, as well as diverted from Upper Bus Station to Lower Bus Station.
Metrobus who retained the 413 with contract starting in December take on operation from RATP on this date, but what of routes 463 and S1? Okay the former happened in May so yes the latter happened in July. Also going Croydon (C). Except that Merton (AL) don't take dibs on 413 loaning the 'MCLs MCMs' already on 413 meant for 117 later, instead RATP donate some Enviro200s (DE20022 to name one, accidentally appeared as OM1 under Go-Ahead) due to some Metrocities being off-road.
Last 413: MCM30086 at Sutton at 01:48
Last S1: DE20120 at Lavender Fields and DE20092 at Banstead both at 00:30
First 413: SEN31 at 05:30 with 152's SE148 next at 05:39
First S1: OM4 (ex-20227) at 05:00 with first stray going to ex-SW transfer SE93
Retains: K5
Meanwhile, a Southall bus study has surfaced. detailing a change in plan for H32's Southall Green Quater extensions replaced by new 495 (Hayes ASDA - Southall, Toplocks Estate) with E5 curtailed at Southall. The 427's curtailment at Southall Station and 95's reroute in Dormer's Wells going ahead with Crossrail's introduction to existence.
4th: A Beulas made bus spotted...
5th: The 13 and 204 were retained both seven year contracts (all contracts past 2nd April would be 7 years), the former with a PVR cut from 31 to 22 and the latter unchanged in PVR but with new electrics not confirmed what order it is until December, Metroline also had several routes receive contract extensions.
Meanwhile, 633 consultation, extending it from Beddington Church to Pollards Hill via 463 (except for the Beddington ASDA double run).
Enviro200 36554 took the honours of doing route 261 towards Princess Royal Hospital from 23:30 finishing at the hospital at 00:05 00:00.
7th: Arriva's EMC6 and relatively new Tower Transit OE36 received LEDs! Followed by EMC8 this time in August.
8th: Type training LTs start for 111 whilst this time next month H32 and H98 were tested for LTs... Meanwhile, an ominous tender programme update reveals future tender tranches for 168 and 638 have been split off from their original tranche (149/349 and 664/684 respectively). The 349 would later be suspected to convert to LTs from 253/254's frequency cuts in August.
11th: Long before England's fated match with Italy kicking off at 20:00, loads of supporters doing their thing, leading to people on top of buses which led to said buses getting curtailments... and a dozen is an understatement especially for Central routes.
12th: Go-Ahead's 575 withdrawn and lost school route 804 in the Chigwell area, Trustybus meanwhile lost 418 to Stephensons joining 804 there. Speaking of Trustybus, EN3 joins the ex-184 ENLs there.
14th: A TfL committee report mentions the refurbishment of 100 LTs along with retrofit of 3000 buses with Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA), which caps the vehicle at the road's speed limit with the power of GPS and the Future Bus trial regarding 63, unchanged.
Meanwhile, BCE47012 popped up at Edgware (BT) whilst it's been a while for new BCE47030 appeared at it's home of Fulwell (FW) ahead of other new ones.
Speaking of electrics, Go-Ahead say they'll be fully zero emission by 2035.
Stagecoach's 12283 goes up in flames on the 53 joining 12394 which also went aflames on the 53 in December last year.
15th: Barking (BK) sees 15073 return together with 15024 visiting for the first time. Meanwhile, a BDE visits Edgware (EW)...
16th: The 378 gets cut from Mortlake to Barnes Pond, making it only 6 stops as it trundles to Putney Bridge, whether temporary, diversion or permanent...?
Also also, R7 getting shortened in Chelsfield Village consultation. Ended up on BBC London with residents having strong wordings mid August.
17th:
Unlike Go-Ahead's usual successes, this time it was undermined. River Road (RR) losing nearer half the 300ish-bus space meant they had to sought out more space which as I explained in 69's paragraph, didn't go so smoothly overnight. No big boi RR and super SI but instead a mess. With that out of the way, 15/101/104/115 and 649/650/651 join the SI routes by heart but not physicality at er, Silvertown. Which Silvertown? The Silvertown. On the 17th the 69 was novated from Docklands Buses to Blue Triangle, however Silvertown (DS) was already Blue Triangle garage ahead of the transfers from River Road (RR). It just meant 69 was operated from Silvertown (SI) but it's buses were parked and charged at DS. Hey ho no longer the 28th at least.
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| LT398 LTZ1398, Poplar |
Unlike Go-Ahead's usual successes, this time it was undermined. River Road (RR) losing nearer half the 300ish-bus space meant they had to sought out more space which as I explained in 69's paragraph, didn't go so smoothly overnight. No big boi RR and super SI but instead a mess. With that out of the way, 15/
At least West Ham (WH) chill with at most half of their space taken by an ice cream van company, to obviously lower cost overheads.
24th: Retains; 606
26th: With floodings in London making a quick resurgence after a storm, today's the first day in years the East London Transit has seen conventional vehicles that aren't New Routemasters since the days of B9TL/Gemini 2s, seeing standard diesel Enviro400s and hybrid B5LHs across EL1 and EL3 whilst EL2 sampled only E166.
27th:
In spite of preparations of turning 111 into an LT route, it's award has dropped and Abellio have won it with a full allocation of new electrics with a notable PVR increase of +2. Quit the big storm in RATP HQ for sure.
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| Jam LT146 LTZ1146, Heathrow Airport |
In spite of preparations of turning 111 into an LT route, it's award has dropped and Abellio have won it with a full allocation of new electrics with a notable PVR increase of +2. Quit the big storm in RATP HQ for sure.
In a different part of the world, Metroline's 7 has been put on diversion as it's 10.9m WHDs have found difficulty navigating a turn after 2 months of peace on the route, turned out to be roadworks at Westbourne Grove/Chepstow Road/Chepstow Place/Pembridge Villa junction. That said only up to ten could be seen at any one time as drivers don't particularly like them compared to the VWHs which have nearly 4 fold the amount of power at their disposal. Within Metroline the U3 is finally earmarked for permanent double decker conversion. Metroline also received the hydrogen H2.City Gold at Holloway (HT) for whatever testing.
29th: After a long while of school extras, the rest of C10's MMCs at Abellio along with 481's short MMCs 8138-8141 go off-lease.
31st: Retains; 112
August
1st: VH45163 becomes the first double decker on 110 since it's Hammersmith extension and first ever hybrid, working as an extra whilst the District Line was closed though only between 00:51 and 01:18 between Turnham Green and Richmond.
3rd: The first of a few Tube strikes, from noon to the next noon, likewise noon on the 5th to noon on the 6th, then 24th to 25th so on so forth 26th to 27th.
4th: From Stagecoach Cambridgeshire are B5TL Gemini 3s 13808 and 13812 for the tour operations here in London
5th: Tenders! Tower Transit huge victory! First school route 678 from eternal Arriva-Stagecoach endless cycles and grabbing 135 from Go-Ahead, not to mention temporary route 733 (Moorgate-Kennington) during Northern Line's closure! Both using ex-328 VHs on loan to Metroline. Oh and 70, 217/617/629 retained.
6th: Lots of routes received contract extensions, the one route that couldn't was 142 which was combined with the 642 in a similar vein to 160/660 being one contract upon award to Stagecoach. Whilst 439/S2 were moved from Tranche 779 scheduled award of May 2021 to 819A in 2022/2023 programme.
Meanwhile 108D returned to service.
8th:
A BYD City arrived at Brixton (BN) together with the demo LF69UXJ, which I've already spotted a few days prior running around in Brixton thinking it's on the 20. Chargers that could send electricity back to the grid like in Northumberland Park (NP)'s are being installed at the garage and tram shed. Unlike those Ees but like 132's Ees, they have pantographs, thus can charge from the roof. Albeit no pantograph chargers in the tram shed, just ground chargers.
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| ©Alex Peak EA6 LG71DJY, Clapham Junction |
A BYD City arrived at Brixton (BN) together with the demo LF69UXJ, which I've already spotted a few days prior running around in Brixton thinking it's on the 20. Chargers that could send electricity back to the grid like in Northumberland Park (NP)'s are being installed at the garage and tram shed. Unlike those Ees but like 132's Ees, they have pantographs, thus can charge from the roof. Albeit no pantograph chargers in the tram shed, just ground chargers.
9th: LT89 becomes the first New Routemaster on 111 joined by LT147/148, 111 phasing into New Routemasters for Heathrow's emission reduction plan ahead of the cuts on the 28th. With rumours of the 65 converting to full SPs using 111's LTs to throw 65's VHs to X140 and 49 going ADH/VH from day dot.
10th: The Wright Electroliner demonstrator has been spotted at Holloway (HT). Meanwhile, two SEe's crashed on 507, SEe49 going into SEe36 which unfortunately resulted in the loss of a life. In Whetstone HV256 had a nosedive whilst on 34.
13th: ex-Abellio 8856, 8857 and 8861 acquired by Sullivan Buses as AE17-19 ahead of 549's award which for now would cover repaints of other vehicles in the fleet. Later on E58/9 along with WVL2-4 would move t the commercial fleet.
Meanwhile National Express moving into Lea Interchange (LI) partially.
14th: SFS whom have taken over Epsom Buses' H1 between Epsom General Hospital and St. Helier Hospital gets 3 new 9.7m Enviro200 MMCs in white.
Silently 137's 14-15 split of BN-N became a 9-20 split as electrification works take place in BRixton's tram shed meaning space need to be made.
18th: LT461 defects again from Stagecoach having already left Metroline, back to RATP on 111.
21st: Retains: 146/336 and 344.
With a few days left to go, some 13 licensed BCEs for Fulwell (FW) have had 7 diverted to Shepherd's Bush (S) to 148 whom releases LTs to Hounslow (AV) for not the 111 but H32... whose SPs go to 65/116/423 and 65/116/423 lose VHs to the 49/X140. According to Keikaku. Translators note: Keikaku means plan.
Speaking of RATP, SP1 preserved by RATP.
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| yo dawg I heard you liked speed lines Read full post: Vendetta Against Short Workings |
Whilst 344 did have a partial allocation of 61-reg released from 3, 2414-2421. They'd be replaced by fact of a simple matter of 344 having a frequency decrease from it's every 7 to every 10, PVR dropping accordingly from 25 to 21. Only requiring 5 extras on top of the 18 16-reg as opposed to 8, conveniently released from loss of the 49.
The 49/344 were the first martyrs upon tender of TfL's plan to reduce the quantity of buses in Central London and certainly won't be the last.
22nd: Aldwych goes two-way.
24th: Fastrack in Kent gets a new 24/7 route in the form of Amazon AZ (Dartford-Gravesend) with ex-414 E400s recently sold which, if not obvious from mentioning Amazon, is primarily for Amazon's distribution centre in Dartford but is also allowed for general public use too, which is neat for it's night service which brings use to those that lost NX1 and Arriva's failed trial of 480's night service.
26th: New BCEs enter in service at Shepherd's Bush (S) on 148, these are to allow VHs from 65 and 116 to go to 49 and X140. The routes getting LTs freed from 148 would be 111 and H32 (getting 7) who release SPs to 65, 116 (7 of them) and 423 whom release their VHs. Very roundabout I know. By this stage a bunch of SPs transferred from Hounslow (AV) to Fulwell (FW). In total AV should have about 35 LTs. As an addendum, overflow chargers were installed at Stamford Brook (V) should the need arise.
HCT Group acquired some ex-83 VWs for commercial use on loan. And speaking of commercial, Liverpool's hydrogen Enviro400FCEV are on the way to becoming a reality.
28th: Multiple routes get frequency cuts. Today's also the day 111 (formally) and 349 converts to LT on-paper (in reality it was September), H32 joining 111. The former using LTs from 9/148, LTs 91-94/152-154 from 27/159 and LT461-3 ex-55. Speaking or RATP, BCE47037 crashes into a scaffolding in Orpheus Street, Camberwell.
In other news, Metroline's BDEs from 43's frequency cut surprisingly goes to the 17 which immediately saw them on this day, along with some LTs released which on this day it has not yet seen for a while later.
The 153 moves from Northumberland Park (NP) into the only Central depot, whilst 223's Hail & Ride section on Windermere Avenue at Gresmere Avenue becomes fixed stop randomly to go with the bus stop at South Kenton Station.
Otherwise, Arriva's EAs have been registered with LG71 plates and EA6 along with a few others has been at Grays (GY), similar to how HT18 was at Thornton Heath (TH) for an engineering look up so to speak. Except in Grays' case, it's storage.
Route 324 extension finally happens! It's consultation closed in July after a delay, a change meant to coincide with 112 and 384's extensions last year.
Accidents left right and centre, the BCE described in the first paragraph, joined by DW221 on 66, E61 on 118 onto a lamppost and 12437 on 161 into railings at North Greenwich, EN47 at Eltham.
29th: 148 silently returned to White City, having displaying it on iBus but in reality terminating at Shepherd's Bush as reflected by blind displays too.
September
1st: The day before as T117 on 2 to my surprise as I had not noticed it, substituted at Vauxhall, but today another surprise but it isn't a ULEZ breach... 12m SEe18 on 153!
Tower Transit VHs inside Catford (TL) ready for the takeover of the 160/660.
Meanwhile LT11 was seen in an airfield Norwich, whilst Metroline see an influx of non-LTs on 91 and 332 as usual part LT operated... with more ex-24 LTs from Holloway (HT) entering service on grandparent route 16 as well as 332 itself, Cricklewood (W) receiving LK14 VWHs from them too.
VMH2452 appeared on 168 during the hour before and after midnight, as the first conventional since 2017.
3rd: Stagecoach 19857 crashes on 238 in East Ham following the accident of a 238 in Stratford not long before. The 690 starts today with WHV156/157, more on that next paragraphs...
Former Abellio 8138 at Vectare with stickers in place of blinds for their 13 (Waltham Cross-Epping).
4th:
The 49 is lost. It regresses back in time, almost. Except Shepherd's Bush (S) has changed it's front into a mostly electric depot. Long gone are the days of the B7TLs and Scania N230UDs. Speaking of N230UDs, it was suspected those would be on the route as BCEs wouldn't fit. Though much like the 224 works have been made by the council of afflicted area so BCEs do fit (albeit works started FROM March 2022 so, not much luck), much like DLEs were forced onto 224 even though K2's DEs were temporarily used.. Forever now are the solid allocation of BYD E400EVs mixed only with 94's selection with gold advert frames. Just like with 344 the 49 also had a reduction in frequency, from every 7-8 PVR of 20 to every 10 PVR of 15. Clean 5 bus saving, yikes. Speculated with the amount of BCEs ordered that the 94 would definitely get a cut to Oxford Street as TfL have been planning and already consulted on but not done the deal, with arrangement for a stand proving to be the halting barrier. Lancaster Gate has been released from 46 taking a stand in Paddington. This has not actually happened however.
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| lees bus pics TA238 LG02FBC, Shepherd's Bush |
The 49 is lost. It regresses back in time, almost. Except Shepherd's Bush (S) has changed it's front into a mostly electric depot. Long gone are the days of the B7TLs and Scania N230UDs. Speaking of N230UDs, it was suspected those would be on the route as BCEs wouldn't fit. Though much like the 224 works have been made by the council of afflicted area so BCEs do fit (albeit works started FROM March 2022 so, not much luck), much like DLEs were forced onto 224 even though K2's DEs were temporarily used.. Forever now are the solid allocation of BYD E400EVs mixed only with 94's selection with gold advert frames. Just like with 344 the 49 also had a reduction in frequency, from every 7-8 PVR of 20 to every 10 PVR of 15. Clean 5 bus saving, yikes. Speculated with the amount of BCEs ordered that the 94 would definitely get a cut to Oxford Street as TfL have been planning and already consulted on but not done the deal, with arrangement for a stand proving to be the halting barrier. Lancaster Gate has been released from 46 taking a stand in Paddington. This has not actually happened however.
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| Jam MCM30089 BV66GYD |
Also under Paris is the 117 also leaving Abellio to pastures anew, not going to lie I'm starting to get bored of regurgitating new BYD Enviros. There, you have it.
No I made a boomer mistake on purpose but that was a little surprising that Metroline didn't lose it to Abellio, the former whom promised new but used existing instead, to the person who's supposedly the cheaper foe... RATP.
Last 49: 2483 at 01:05 at Clapham Junction, with 2465 at 01:04 at White City.
First 49: VH45142 from Clapham Junction
Last 117: DE1000
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| HV319 LK17AJU, West Norwood Station |
As for me, I'll keep it short. The 690 which spent more than 20 years at Norwood (N) makes it's first leave whilst it's parent 689 already made two leaves. One to London Country, and extended from Tulse Hill to West Norwood then to it's death. Makes me feel old remembering the remaining DLAs being allocated to it and 415, before the same happening with VLA56/57 once 176 left and 2 gained new HVs. I was wary of a loss to Abellio though the only track record of having school routes is school extras on the Arriva routes in south with 690 being one of them. Alas a happy 5 year term to Plough Lane (PL), gaining refurbished hybrids WHV156/157 to join the few commercial Es they have for commercial services nearby. It's contract start date listed as Saturday the 4th but TfL listed the change as 28th August, so it makes sense Go-Ahead operated it instead of Arriva on the 3rd, as schools returned for the area.
The H11 makes it's move from Harrow (SO) to Canons Park (CP) outstation giving plenty of room for X140.
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| Jam ADH45292 YX68UOM, Heathrow Airport |
Speaking of which, back to the French. X140. One of the most anticipated losses of 2020 if not the highest. Some anticipated a loss of 140, didn't happen. Loss of 182? Didn't happen. Loss of 183? Didn't happen. Loss of X140? Didn't happen. It merely gained dignity under French citizenship.
With Metroline branding most of VWH2234-2243 for the X140, with blue blinds to join the 607. It instead gets neither of those 'luxuries' it once had. It's lost blue blinds for sure as the LEDs on the new BCEs can't have blue backgrounds so why have blue blinds on other vehicles. As for said other vehicles, VHs was on the rumour mill and duly correct due to late infrastructure fitting. The hybrid journeys was VHRs from 698 as previously mentioned refurbed... though the schedule includes duties fro Edgware (BT). In any case, under Metroline it had dead runs southbound which ran in service this time becoming dead runs not in service under RATP. Perhaps the cost saving measure to win the route?
Last X140: VWH2243 at 00:16
Metroline have transfers given the loss of X140, Harrow Weald (HD) has 292 take X140's place whilst 292's place in Edgware (EW) is slotted by the return of 204. Meanwhile 83/483/N83 leave to Perivale (PV).
Abellio have also transferred the 415 from Walworth (WL) to Battersea (QB) officially again, ahead of 63's coming in. It's not unusual for LTs to be used between the depots but now it's a QB route again.
Retains: 140, 182, 183 (with new electric BYD E400EVs), 398 (with new 10.2m E200EVs 'BMEs'), 467, 608, 652, 656, 679, 686, 697/698 (transfer from United to Soveriegn), H9/H10 (new BMEs).
The retain of 698 with ex-183 VHRs entailed a refurb from the New Routemaster seating to standard RATP moquette with gold poles turned turquoise along with USB ports making them the second after X26's WVLs to be refurbished with the 'new' tech. Though it wouldn't be until August when their windows would be retrofitted to have opening windows just like the LTs that have been done years prior.
The 253/254 get their cuts on this day instead of August 28th, from 9.2 bph each to 7.5 bph each.
The 648 is officially withdrawn.
5th: LOTS reveals the 360/444 upgrades to 12m SEe's from 507/521's heavy frequency cuts, in addition to 413 also gaining electrics, with a vague statement regarding whether it receives the Red Arrow SEe's but in time it's revealed it was exactly as mentioned on the tin. As much as it created healthy discourse detailing whether 413 can take 12m sized vehicles. Now confirmed from Sutton consultation's report that it won't be rerouted. HereEast also has some Red Arrow SEe's allocated now too.
6th: New consultation, for 497. Extending the route from Gooshays Drive to Dagnam Park Drive, serving stops it already passes out of service since it has no stands on either end of the route so it stands with 174 at... Dagnam Park Drive.
Another consultation, but 410's oduble runs being removed, the four stops replaced by two new stops on Davidson Road, eliminating time spent double running twice as well as an extra stop a 410 would stop at, whether for good or bad, I lean to the latter side.
7th: BCE47037 hits a tree this time, again on 148 on Bayswater Road eastbound.
9th: Stagecoach's hires from Tower Transit also receive 80xxx numbers just like the RATP Enviro400s, and also tie in with the fleetnumbers from the loans, so VH38115 is 80115. Why not read this article from Highway News about bus priority in the meantime which interested me?
10th: EA2 and EA5 are the first BYDs to enter service at Brixton (BN), on route 319 unlike other hybrids entering service on rail duties (in the case of HAs, on 2Us for Victoria Line's strike). EA5 is also London's first 71reg in service.
11th: Retains; 156
Alperton (ON) on Ealing Road Alperton closed the day before with an opening day on this date. A few days prior the 83 received VWHs indirectly from 43's frequency decrease giving 17 a partial BDE allocation, now this gets weirder with 332 using more LTs as an actual part allocation shifting it's TEHs to 139 whom gives it's 14/64reg VWHs to 328, the 328 releasing it's 17reg VWHs to 83. Meanwhile 483 gets an influx ofnative Metroline B9TLs in the form of 12/62reg shared with the 83.
TPL264 made a visit having been preserved since, and VLA170 made a guest appearance alongside other preserved vehicles.
12th: Stagecoach 36324 and 36583 move to Carlisle, whilst Go-Ahead withdrew WVL311/312.
13th: A bunch of Tower B5LHs enter service on 199, returning Gemini 3s to Stagecoach London since 53's batch were sold, seen on 34/102 in the north now.
Also a first is a New Routemaster on H98 in the form of LT140.
15th: Spirit of London is taken up by 11377, continuing the mantle from first Enviro400 19000.
18th:
First off, it's the first time 160/660 have been tendered as one contract as they've been separate. Fair enough the 660 can be crosslinked from 160 but has been with 492 but regardless scheduling can be made different to each their own but I couldn't find an example of a separate school route combined with a normal daily route to compare with, not the 405/405D thing that existed for time. Stuff like 281/281S have split ways (281/681) but anyways.
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| Julian Walker 6461 GN61JRZ, Catford Town Centre |
First off, it's the first time 160/660 have been tendered as one contract as they've been separate. Fair enough the 660 can be crosslinked from 160 but has been with 492 but regardless scheduling can be made different to each their own but I couldn't find an example of a separate school route combined with a normal daily route to compare with, not the 405/405D thing that existed for time. Stuff like 281/281S have split ways (281/681) but anyways.
Stagecoach reclaim their 160 which terminated besides the foreigner 171 at Bellingham, Catford Bus Garage with Tillings Lewisham as it's garage code.
There have been doubts whether 160 can take the 10.9m models, baring in mind this is before the mid-Feburary announcement of the shorter 10.3m model made possible with improvement of battery weight distribution. So Optare Metrodeckers would've been an interesting sight for a once holder of Optare Tempos for the 380 after the 276 left the orange and blue balls, no, East London Bus Group to it's current incumbent yellow and blue Go-Ahead.
The 99 moved back to Dartford (DT) with the loss of 160/660, allowing the outstation of Manor Road (MR) in Erith to return to not having buses. On the plus side it won't get violated by campers like with the emptied Beddington.
Last 160: T312 at 01:10 at Sidcup. Last 660: T306 at 16:30
First 160: 80130 at 05:00. 1st stray 11001 at 05:30. First 660: 80126 at 07:44
In other news, D7's frequency cut kills off Scania in East London once and for all. In theory, as the Scania lived further, 973 reaching until 4 November.
20th: Northern Line extension from Kennington to Battersea Power Station opens! After a bit of delay following Covid understandably but is finally a thing. Though the day before they were running out of service but hey ho, first train at 05:28 on Monday. Sleaford Street bus stop on 156/344/436 renamed to coincide with the new terminus station, Battersea Power Station. On Wandsworth Road "Wilcox Road" became "Nine Elms Station" for 77/87/196/452.
21st: Stagecoach and National Express merger becomes a true discussions matter, after rumours of NatEx buying the former spawned. Though it would be a 25-75 split with NatEx using Stagecoach garages for coach maintenance. The deadline for discussions was mid-November but extended to mid-December.
22nd: April 1st didn't come soon enough but RATP have acquired the sold Westbourne Park (X) from Tower Transit, the subsidiary becoming "London Transit" an odd fusion between the French's base company and the Aussie company name. Though this seemed to be a joint-venture RATP Dev London Transit Ltd, but with a 87%-12% stake, it's simply a subsidiary. Furthermore Lea Interchange (LI) in reality would still be Tower Transit, but Tower Transit themselves have essentially merged with RATP. Come December.
25th: Absolute chaos with fuel panic buying, resulting in massive delays throughout London at petrol stations and queued traffic to get there, bad enough for buses to run out of diesel too and thus break down in service. This day saw Park Royal (RP)'s ADE40431 on 94 running from Shepherds Bush to Marble Arch and back, together with Metroline whom also operated extras on the 94. These extras would be due to the Central Line's closure.
In other news, SEe3/13/23 all refurbished and upseated.
26th: Not known until October but DW469 went aflame inside Tottenham (AR) whilst about to be sent onto 123.
27th: Volvo event!
Volvo BZL announced in both single deck 10.8m/12m (dual motor) and double deck 10.6m (single motor) both with over 500hp of motor power. Options for up to 9m and 13m for the single decker though not confirmed official until December. What is official is it's use of a Volvo body, just like the integral 7900s that already exist in hybrid and electric forms.
29th: South Newham consultation results announced with everything going ahead, with 262 changed from a Beckton cut to a Gallions Reach cut, now not leaving 366 alone at the Shopping Park. As a note, 376 having it's frequency increased subject to funding.
30th: First BCE to enter service at Fulwell (FW) is BCE47031.
October
1st: DEL2166 works U4, as one of he rarest workings of 2021.
2nd: The 132 gets retained with Ee70-86 EP1-17 which don't enter service until next year, replacing it's motley allocation of B9TL/Gemini 2's and Enviro400s whilst the 180 which too was a victim of 21/63 losing their massive batches of B9TL/Gemini 2's once again returns to Plumstead (PD), this time with majority electric and part hybrid allocation sourced from PVR decreases releasing 4 E40Hs, went off lease but returned back. Abellio and 2401-13 all over again pretty much. Apparently it was being extended from the Shopping Centre into the Bus Garage which was untrue, the only thing that changed was it's iBus turning from "Bexleyheath, Shopping Centre" into "Bexleyheath, Town Centre." An odd and unhelpful change from a good display that causes confusion with unchanged routes.
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| WVL313 LX59CZZ |
The 180 since coming under the banner of TfL directly as East Thames Buses was more of an outsider route per se, standing out until Go-Ahead acquired it. Even then it was separate enough from the 177 it parallels but now it joins it side by side until it no longer becomes paralleled with the oncoming Elizabeth Line introduction in the year 3056. Actually it's been 18th December which is the opening date for the Elizabeth Line's core section, if it happens.
What can I say about the 132, it joins the silence of the future that is now zero emission electrics, though unlike other garages with chargers on the ground next to parking spaces these in Bexleyheath (BX) would be installed on the roof as per pantographs, coming full circle for the depot, as it was built for trolleybuses and will now house electric buses once again, though won't rely on overhead whilst on the roads.
Last bus: WVL327 at 01:39
First bus: 12345 (Selkent Ambassador) at 05:00 even though 12347 started at 04:47
Meanwhile in the land of the rising French, 290 from the Dutch is lost with, you guessed it, new BYD electrics which have been delivered but not entered service on change date, instead loaned Abellio 8321-3 for school extras on K5 moved in, whilst Fulwell (FW) serviced the rest of the route with spare DEs/DLEs. It can take double decks but unlike the likes of 481 which didn't deserve new, might as well give the route that takes a holiday into Surrey fresh single deck electrics. Ecept they did't enter service, of which the first electrics to even touch 290 were the double decker BCE variants!
Last bus: 8791 at 00:40
First bus: DLE30330 at 05:31 whilst 8321 at 07:31 and DE20128 at 07:47 First DD is VH45168 on 06/10/21.
Meanwhile, replacement of VLW900-10 has popped up into talks, with freed DW400s freed from 349's conversion going to Tottenham (AR), sending smartblind DWs 580-86 to 158 turning the VLWs off-lease again.
6th: Tulse Hill sees another overheight vehicle strike it's bridge, a 60-reg WVL (most likely 380, or 385, presumably the former) on 432 comes into minor contact leaving minor damage.
8th: DOE8 suffered a fire in Roundshaw whilst on 154 at night.
9th: Retains; 332; P13
LTs 658/663 enter service on the 17 as it's first Borismasters.
11th: LT18 which crashed on the 91 in Crouch End on 18th September has become the third in 23 years to crash in the same place, thus action been taken to have the roundabout changed into a traffic light junction and move 91's terminus. People requested it cut to Hornsey though, a cut would undermine it, whereas an extension to an already full Turnpike Lane bus station has the extra problem of traffic getting there.
13th: Another Southall crash involving LT86 at the rearmost, with DE1159 in front which by momentum rear ended Abellio's 2014 in front of it. This is not long after LT154 was involved in an accident by a different LT again on H32 in Southall with a rather unhappy driver, an intentional incident. Furthermore LT94 crashed into a pole at Heathrow on 111 at the end of August.
Meanwhile tenders after a long month of tender drought seeing a lot of retains (119 with 12 electrics and 3 hybrids) and 264 lost to Metrobus with electrics and a PVR decrease (and possible school holiday schedule) and 671 being Abellio's first school route.
14th: 8569 does U5, the first single deck in two years.
15th: New Routemaster refurbishment tender released today, it's projected value being between £10 million and £25 million, not taking into consideration extra costs upwards of £1 million to £5 million for failin driver seat mechanisms.
Meanwhile Arriva having more engine rebuilds, of T226 with damage, HV92 as well as HV111 having been long term unfit due to issues with it's hybrid driveline.
Furthermore from 168's ominous tender tranche split, reveals it's contract end date extended to 29/09/2023, in addition to 470's contract date extended to end with other routes in Tranche 819.
17th: SP40166 forms the first double deck in years on route 411. The night before saw SP40185 run on N33 having crosslinked from 33 but substituted for a loaned-Abellio DDE.
28th: Tenders! 220 retain, 226 and 295 lost to RATP. Surprisingly the 220 is a 5 year contract with diesels, with 220/295 being due in January 2022 and 226 in December but released early nonetheless. Word of Park Royal (RP) being closed has come up, and Wandsworth (JE) taking up 295. Though in reality the opposite, with Shepherd's Bush (S) taking 295.
30th: 405D retained and extended from West Croydon to Waddon with a renumber (645) to differentiate from the Croydon Town Centre terminating 405 and the to-be-dead 455, whilst also serving as a de facto 407 replacement for the cross-Croydon link it'd lose. It doesn't happen until 4 January 2022.
Today's also the day for Plumstead (PD)'s open day, celebrating 40 years of the garage which replaced Plumstead (AM) and Abbey Wood (AW) garages.
November
6th: Retains; 313
The 485's proposed East Putney diversion and extension to Wandsworth Riverside happen! Have they? Who knows. Mentioned in June 2021 after 3 years of idleness whilst the 283 part of the consultation went through due to increasing concerns over Hammersmith Bridge which as a result pushed 485's double run via Wetlands Centre to replace 283 ahead of consultation finalising 485's Wandsworth portion which presumably would've been one wholesale change.
Over at Abelio the 3 moved over to Battersea (QB) under a temporary basis to allow installation of pantographs at Walworth (WL) for 63's electrics.
7th: DLR extension to Thamesmead is being considered with further extension to Abbey Wood. Article clicky.
8th: Today is the last day of 91 with LTs, performed by LT749.
11th: Enter a new electric double decker bus! To be trialled by Go-Ahead from early 2022. Article clicky linky.
13th:
Go-Ahead is very salty to say the least, and downright internally wishing to do a Cyprus move of arsoning the rival competition to burn not Citaros to the ground but Caetanos and Cities if this wasn't a democracy. Peckham (PM) lose their 54 years of hard work on the 63 through thick and thin, extensions and curtailments, PVR gains and cuts. "It was a guaranteed retain," we all thought, besides the usual wishes and dreams. Those wishes and dreams instead became the reality.
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| ©EastLondoner 3410 LC71KWT, King's Cross |
Go-Ahead is very salty to say the least, and downright internally wishing to do a Cyprus move of arsoning the rival competition to burn not Citaros to the ground but Caetanos and Cities if this wasn't a democracy. Peckham (PM) lose their 54 years of hard work on the 63 through thick and thin, extensions and curtailments, PVR gains and cuts. "It was a guaranteed retain," we all thought, besides the usual wishes and dreams. Those wishes and dreams instead became the reality.
With the previous information of a possible Caetano double deck electric, don't think Caetano haven't done double decks (see Hong Kong), especially for the sake of easier plug accommodations but no. More BYD Enviro400EVs and 29 of them for the PVR of 26 it harbours.
Though this time 63 is part of a trial of improving bus experience 'back to the bus', simply put:
- High back seating
- Wood-effect laminate flooring
- Sunroof (on upper deck)
- No handrails on upper deck
- Priority seats in different colour (Sullivan E400 refurbs had this not long ago)
- USB cargers as standard with all new vehicles
- New large iBus displays as found on C10/P5's Caetanos and TA1
The larger iBus screens show more information (such as departures/interchanges etc) with the screens being near the rear door too, upgraded bus stop design as well as marketing.
Now, this would be well and dandy but the electrics don't enter service until 20 Deccember.
Meanwhile the N63 joins N68 in stealing hybrid double deckers from 45 and 196.
Meant to be taken over on the 20th but moved a week early due to 63's new electrics not being ready on time... Then Abellio lost another route leaving Battersea (QB) more bare following 49 452 C2 C3 with two of them being to Tower Transit's Westbourne Park (X) where 414 started life at and will go back to. Question is, how long? With 414's curtailment from Maida Hill to Marble Arch (consultation report only published in September), a reroute (from Maida Vale on 16's corridor) to relieve the 6 to now the 6/414 combined being deemed superfluous. Obvious option is to remove 414 out of the equation, now a 14 short that goes a 3 extra stops to Marble Arch. It is one instance I've thought that we as a community have asked 414 to be killed, but for now it's slow death is to be observed. Unless it's made better use of. It's been speculated the 414 would get 328's VHs but it's been revealed it would be 23's DNHs of which four have been sold as more Metrodeckers entered service throughout March.
Last 63: MHV31 at 01:05 Last N63: MHV30 at 06:20
First 63: 2538? at 05:46 First N63: 2534 at 00:00
Last 414: 9521 at Putney Bridge 01:23, 2535 at Maida Hill at 01:21
First 414: ??? iBus issues
iBus issues of schedules being uploaded backwards caused issues with routes that thad timetable changes (including routes 3 and 258 and more), as iBus saw buses as reversing which they had not been doing obviously.
As a result, 20 of 63's MHVs have left to Manchester for Go North West, replacing ex-First B9TLs.
Meanwhile in RATP land, the 258 moves over from Harrow (SO) to Park Royal (RP), with it's duties mostly from Harrow (SO) but starting and ending duties carry the buses to Park Royal (RP). Following this transfer the 283 moves over from Park Royal (RP) to Stamford Brook (V).
17th: Mellor comes wth a new bus model: Sigma. Article link.
18th: An article on the Evening Standard reveals TfL are in more hot water than we thought, for the umpteenth time. Long story short, any tube upgrades (stock or line extension) except Piccadilly and DLR are delayed and any funding to Picc/DLR required would put them in review. Many schemes delayed, cycle superhighways schemes whether new/upgrades would not continue. The considered closures of Rotherhithe Tunnel, A40 Westway and A12 Gallows Corner flyover to name but a few. As for buses, 100 bus routes gone to seek the 18% cut envisioned. Oh dear.
Following the withdrawal of T82/T83 and T84-97 earlier in the previous months, Barking (DX)'s Ts are next as ex-Tottenham (AR) DWs transfer to the Dixy depot.
20th: For BBC Children in Need, RML903 ran on 43 between Islington Angel and Muswell Hill Broadway.
22nd: A new consultation involving routes 1/168/188 has come out, with the rumoured axing of route 168 turning out to be a reality. The 1 would go to Hampstead Heath with frequency increase from every 10 to every 7-8 (168's frequency before cut in November 2021), the 188 rerouted to Tottenham Court Road, no change to N1.
Another one! Consultation involving 21/143/263/271, seeing withdrawal of 271!
21: Rerouted at Moorgate via 271 to Holloway Nag's Head
143: Rerouted between Archway and East Finchley via Archway Road instead of Highgate Village
263: Rerouted between Archway and East Finchley via Highgate Village instead of Archway Road
620: New number for 143D which won't change routeing.
N271: Extended from Highgate Village via East Finchley and 263 to North Finchley
Rather interesting, since 21 is known to be rather empty along 141's section but the 271 was attempted to be axed before in 2019 with it's night service but was vehemently opposed, thus rumours of extending it along 210 to Brent Cross emerged. This creates the new unique situation of a day route being lost but it's night route remaining, unlike night routes without daily numbers at all, see N550/551 but N20 was an anomaly as the first prefix night route originally numbered N1.
Rumour mills say that for Putney the atmosphere would be 14 (Putney bus garage - Piccadilly Circus) at every 5-6, the 74 (Putney Heath - Baker Street) at every 12, 430 (Roehampton - Marble Arch) at every 12 with the 414 withdrawn but contract moved to 74 in the same way as 9/10 during Central London changes.
25th: No tender result announcements until a funding has been secured with TfL, has been said. In addition, further threats in the form of mothballing some tube lines has been mentioned too, the likes of the Bakerloo and Jubilee being hints. The former would most likely be costs given it's existing status of barely running whereas the latter would boil down to logistics of areas served. The other hints were Hammiersmith & City and the Circle lines.
26th: Tube Strike on Central (shuttle services: Liverpool Street - Hainault/Epping and Woodford-Hainault and North Acton-West Ruislip and White City-Ealing Broadway), Jubilee (no service from Stanmore to Wembley Park), Northern, Piccadilly (shuttle service from Arnos Grove to Cockfosters), Victoria and Waterloo & City Lines on this Black Friday causing mayhem.
RATP's 94 had aid from Candy Coaches with buses (one being ex-RATP SP2) performing extras on the route. Ensign aiding the 29 between Finsbury Park and Wood Green. Routes 95 and 483 also had extras.
In other news, Croydon Council to upgrade 158 bus stops to "smart bus stops" in cooperation with a US-based smart city operator. Article link.
Meanwhile, Bishopsford Road sees 118 and 280 along it after 2 years, even if 718 is still running.
27th: Night Tube has returned on the Central at half hourly (Ealing Broadway - Loughton / Hainault via Newbury Park) and Victoria Line at every 12 instead of every 10, this confirmed from mid-October. No instead a tube strike happened, which on all night tube lines means every weekend that it operates until the end of the year.
Abellio's 3410/11 arrived at Battersea (QB), whilst RATP still have BMEs at Harrow (SO) parked up and remaining RATP electrics at Lea Interchange (LI) awaiting electrification of garages to be delivered to. Speaking of electrics, the likes of 173's BYDs and the Caetanos have been getting green registration plates standard on vehicles post-Brexit replacing the European Union plate.
29th: StreetDeck WHs transferred from Lea Interchange (LI) enter service on 452 at Westbourne Park (X), a total of 6 of the type as some borrowed MVs were exchanged back to 308.
30th: BCE47033 enters service at Harrow (SO) on X140, even though it is a Fulwell (FW) vehicle. Either way, Fulwell (FW) have finished wiring up for the electric batches they have awaiting stored at Lea Interchange (LI).
SEe37 gains the HereEast livery whilst SEe1/2 transferred to Camberwell (Q) following upseating with the latter entering service on 360.
December
1st: Catford (TL)'s BYDs enter service and almost fully cover 160 on day dot. Later on, the first BE enters service on 290.
2nd: The first of the upseated 12m SEe's released from Red Arrow frequency cuts enter service at Camberwell (Q) and almost finish converting the route the next day, with SEe52 being of the last of 360's to do the route. Elsewhere, SEe63 transferred to Merton (AL) for the electrification of the 413. Whilst the rest of the SEe's were placed into storage at Peckham (PM).
4th: The 655 joins London United, not to 639/670's Wandsworth (JE, no longer WD). Instead, Tolworth (TV) which is a stone's throw from Raynes Park along the A3. Another route presumed safe under the Go-Ahead umbrella, gone from the garage it passes close to.
Last bus: E108 at 16:10. First bus ADE40306 at 07:37.
5th: DN33637 returns from RATP (as ADE40477) to it's home of Tower Transit at Lea Interchange (LI).
Route 7 at Metroline's Perivlae (PA) switched back to VWH operation as most WHDs take a break for unforeseen reasons.
6th: The last bus on 718 after 2 years is SE269 at 00:31.
7th: Abellio's Enviro200 MMC 8344-8347 went off-lease, with them all going to GoCoach.
On this day Arriva-operated Green Line 758 (Hemel Hempstead-Victoria) was withdrawn along with routes748/768.
10th: BME27005 becomes the first RATP 10.2m BYD to enter service, on route H10. Four more BMEs left Edgware (BT) to Harrow (SO) in preparation for service. Quickly after two weeks the H9/H10 fully convert, joined shortly after by small route 398.
Bexleyheath (BX) has EP1 delivered, the first of the pantograph-charged BYDs.
11th:
RATP Dev Transit London (not London Transit) is a go. The 28 was rumoured to return to Westbourne Park (X) as the depot transitions from Sealink-owned (renamed Kelsian) Tower Transit to London Transit which is just mostly RATP. The 639/670 move to Tolworth (TV) thus Wandsworth (JE) returns to sightseeing only work.
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| Fernando Garcia VN37991 BF62UYE, Kensal Rise |
RATP Dev Transit London (not London Transit) is a go. The 28 was rumoured to return to Westbourne Park (X) as the depot transitions from Sealink-owned (renamed Kelsian) Tower Transit to London Transit which is just mostly RATP. The 639/670 move to Tolworth (TV) thus Wandsworth (JE) returns to sightseeing only work.
What is a given was the change of fleetnumbers from Tower Transit's ex-First numbers to RATP's own fleetnumber scheme. The VNs become VDWs and the WVs become WLSs, MVs to VMHs, OEs to OME with types RATP already have/had (VHs, WHs, ADHs[DNHs] and DEs[DMLs]) also joining suit. Fleetnumber changes onto the vehicles will take time.
This created the interesting situation whereby some of the ex-328 VHs were with four different operators in a single year, beating the 3-operator title of the ADEs that were loaned to Abellio for 285 and Stagecoach for 173.
In addition, the 'VMHs' released by route 13's cut would transfer to another RATP depot.
In other news, Abellio moves routes 278 350 482 U5 U7 U9 to Southall (GW) from Hayes (WS), which closed after 22 years of servicing, with route U7 of the first routes based there.
Go-Ahead meanwhile has Merton (AL) convert the 413 to electrics released from 360's conversion to 12m SEe's.
The talks of TfL bailout deal deadline has been extended to the 17th, pushing the problems with time.
12th: SOE4 goes into storage at Morden Wharf (MG) whilst Abellio have 8323 returned to them from RATP.
13th: Plumstead (PD) has the first of it's electrics enter service, 14167/68/72, although only 14168 remained for longer. Fulwell (FW) sees more BYDs enter service too, this time an intended batch of vehicles.
14th: Seems the 212/357/657 consultation regarding a reroute in Hale Lane has had negative feedback more than positive feedback but will still proceed with the changes in the coming months.
Stagecoach South East returned some Scania OmniCitys back to London, though won't be seeing service in London.
15th: After all this time since July, the order of 204 has finally been confirmed, revealed to be more BDEs, BDE2751-2767 predicted numbers.
TfL announces a £20 hike in council tax and premium fares for Heathrow travellers including a withdrawal of funding for travelcard.
Stagecoach and National Express agree to merge, with National Express having 75% stake in the combined company.
17th: North Shropshire changes from Conservative to Lib Dems in a catastrophic loss for the tories whom kept the constituency since inception nearly two centuries ago.
In bus news, Abellio's order for route 111 is revealed to be Wright Electroliners! The 200 mile range and 2 hour quick charging definitely appealing choices. The first type outside Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile for TfL, the deals has been extended on current terms to 4 February. In addition, the contractor for the redevelopment of Cromwell Road Bus Station was announced to be VolkerFitzpatrick.
Route 286 to temporarily use SOEs released from 413's electrification as WSs receive upgrades.
18th: Tube strike. Abellio providing extras on 94, 220 and H91 as Piccadilly, Victoria, Northern, Jubilee and Central lines are down. Candy Coaches SP2 on 98 along with Go Coach E400s. VP539 on 390. TN33197 on 9.
20th: Abellio BYDs enter service on route 63.
Kings Ferry announced withdrawal of commuter coach services.
21st: Abellio strike talks from the 15th November (article clicky) have propped up but have they been a reality?
23th: Heidi Alexander stepped down from Deputy Mayor of Transport, replaced by Seb Dance.
ADL/BYD 9m E200MMC appears into reality talks say.
VMH45338 is among the first RATP-turned ex-TT vehicles with the new fleetnumbers of ownership.
31st: Rarest working of the year is without doubt 14164 on route 53, just a few days after EA3 on route 133 also another first electric stray. Difference being on the night of the 30th at 11pm the bus stray called forth a mass of bus enthusiasts not seen before in a while to congregate an event that definitely wasn't New Years.
Friday night timetable will run on the night bus network with extra buses provided all night on routes 35, 108, 159, 188, 238, N2, N3, N25, N26, N29, N86, N109, N133, N250 and N279.
Additionally buses will run all night long on routes 40, 45, 118, 123, 132, 154, 158, 161, 174, 183, 236, 248, 274, 319, 333, 355, 388, 407, 415, 422, 432, 486 and W3 with some extra journeys until around 0100 on routes 30, 31, 46 and C11.
Not much until the end of the year has been added as little of importance happened anyway as I succumbed to illness during the last few weeks of the year. Alas, I hope this was a wonderful lookback on the year and to a bright 2022 we set off to! Happy New Year!
I leave with you a final subportion of tis post,
ULEZ Diesel Workings of 2021
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New Year 2021
7/1/21 E66 on 135 from 07:40 to 16:37. Bonus, E137 on 115 10/1/21, from 14:20 to 16:16
22/1/21 ADE40445 on N18 between 01:45 to 02:52
23/3/21 Technically wouldn't count if it was school extras but it was, WVL383 on V155, 16:10-16:58 terminating at Elephant & Castle.
25/3/21 same as above but with E143
6/5/21 ADE40471 on N18 from 00:30 to 04:26 after just finishing a day out on 18. Apparently someone forgot the memo that N18 enters ULEZ on it's way to Trafalgar Square.
7/5/21 ADE4067 on N18 just like above
14/5/21 ADE40462 joins above
20/6/21 19871 on 55, starting from Leyton at 13:30 going to Oxford Circus at 14:47, finishing turned at Leyton at 17:16
4/7/21 10120 on 56, from 20:00 probably at Whipps Cross where it continued from 21:50 through to 00:51 00:30
24/7/21 VN36126 on N97 from 01:30 to 05:23
25/9/21 ADE40431 from Park Royal (RP) on 94 on a day of fuel panic buying but happened to be Central Line's closure; appearing from 14:25 and disappearing off iBus at Marble Arch, returning en-route to Shepherd's Bush completing a rounder then back to Acton Green. Finishing at 19:10. Long story short it doesn't count since it stopped short at Marble Arch but was an interesting note.
17/10/21 TE1104 on 113 from 20:50 to 01:02, it entered Marble Arch a few times.
14/11/21 9504 on 344 from 09:57 onwards substituted northbound at Elephant & Castle at 12:53 , following 63 gain
27/11/21 9523 on 344 from 22:29 to the next day at 01:41
11/12/2021 10156 on 56 from 20:15 to 00:01, substituted at Whipps Cross
17/12/2021 9498 on 344 between 22:12 and 22:37, substituted at Vauxhall
I don't doubt I missed some but these were noted and noteworthy so I hope the list didn't disappoint!
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