So London United (and the London Sovereign division) jumped in on the Volvo B7TL (10m/10.6m) glory... though on an unconventional body (by East Lancs, their Mylennium Vyking) no one other than Go-Ahead bought for only one depot, Sutton (A) for a large group of routes... This time for a number of depots, what will be German Transdev and soon back to it's French identity of Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens. RATP. Will see many parts of the empire.
If for some reason you want your photo on this page, don't hesitate to ask.
Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr. Whereby a name is stated and no © is present, the photo is Some Rights Reserved and may be used in accordance to the license.
Sources: Flickr. The Bus Forum (TBF). Ensignbus. London Vehicle Finder (LVF). Sullivan Buses website.
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VE1-10
Registered June/July 2004. H45/19D spec. Esteban Civic V2 seating. 10.2m long body. Manual blinds. Euro 3 emissions, Volvo D7C (250hp) engine coupled to a Voith DIWA851.3E 4-speed gearbox.
New as part of the existing/new double decking retender of single deck route 49 which saw a relocation from Stamford Brook (V) to Shepherd's Bush (S), the existing were VAs ex-337 lost to Arriva but anyways. These were different from the rest of the East Lancs Mylennium Vyking in that they were short-wheelbase but not different from the rest of London United/Sovereign's B7TLs since those were all 10m anyway, ignoring 292's VLPs. The
L being
Long. That said they did have all the bodies, as if collecting Pokémon. The Gemini, President, ALX400, now Vyking.
These stayed on for another ten years diligently working the beautiful and posh 49 from Clapham Junction to White City, serving the sights of Battersea Bridge, Chelsea, Kensington Palace and of course Shepherd's Bush for Westfield. And the fact it goes White City also for Westfield. Still, straying on to routes like the 94 and 148 and 220 until the fateful September days in 2014...
Enter September 2014. Loss of 49 to Abellio from Battersea (QB) with brand new E40Hs, newer versions to those on the 94. Obviously making these vehicles free, thus these Shepherd's Bush (S) born-and-bred VEs transferred to:
VE1-6 to Edgware (BT) joining the longer versions on the 114 as you'll read below.
VE7-10 to Tolworth (TV) topping up longer versions transferred from 9 (read below) to Tolworth (TV)'s 57 until it was lost to Go-Ahead, then transferred in January 2016 to join VE1-6 at Edgware (BT).
They spent another 2 years in life joining the fun and blissful days of users gambling on their service before ending up withdrawn as Metroline surprisingly win the route from their Uxbridge (UX) base.
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VLE1-26
Registered between July and August 2004, H47/22D spec. Esteban Civic V2 seating. 10.8m long body. Manual blinds. Euro 3 emissions, Volvo D7C (250hp?) engine coupled to a Voith DIWA851.3E 4-speed gearbox.
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VLE13 PG04WHS,
Streatham High Road
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For Stamford Brook (V)'s 9 (Hammersmith - Aldwych). The first long versions for a pious Central route serving affluent Kensington allocated this type (thus far). The extra pairs of seats useful of course. It having nearly-10 year old vehicles was ripe for a conversion to New Routemasters joining other routes in the supposed 200 (then 600, then 1000) vehicles to allocate routes to. In any case, timing well with 57's contract extension in 2014, they were evicted to Tolworth (TV) for 57. The 9's PVR of 23 didn't fit well with 57's PVR of 26 so the shorter VEs 7-10 transferred in too. Of course until the 57 was lost. Once again, an assortment of VLEs transferred, but who and where?
VLE5/8/18/20-24 to Edgware (BT)
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VLE27-39 & VLE40-45
Registered between August (PA04-reg) and September-October (PO54-reg) 2004, H47/22D spec. Esteban Civic V2 seating. 10.8m long body. Manual blinds. Euro 3 emissions, Volvo D7C (250hp?) engine coupled to a Voith DIWA851.3E 4-speed gearbox.
All 19 of VLE27-45 were meant for 114, with SLE1-6 meant for Shepherd's Bush (S)'s 148 for frequency increase. In reality to avoid another new type the SLEs went to Edgware (BT) in place of VLE40-45. Transdev however introduced new Scanias a few years later anyway, speaking of the devil, for 148 (the first SPs indirectly for 605[467's supposed renumber] and 698).
VLE27-39
London Sovereign's taste, from Borehamwood Travel (BT), regards, Edgware.
Okay fair enough these were for the lovely, totally not unreliable, totally not a varied but loveable mess, 114 (Mill Hill Broadway - Ruislip). New replacing short-lived and only 270hp DAF DB250 Presidents which were small in number, large in unreliability, cascaded from the 60 they were again cascaded to elsewhere in favour of a full (ahem) allocation of new for the trunk 114. Seemingly they weren't quite to the reliability but that was only part of the fun with Sovereign on the 114. You hate it or you loved it. I wouldn't hate the VLEs since I loved my ex-9 lot, and the 49's until a certain BT stole those too.
VLE40-45
In fairness to the 148, it already had the SK52 VAs, also coincidentally 19 for a PVR of 17... which became 23 thanks to the long VLEs which are home thanks to the shorter VEs on the 49. However, pious new 148 demanded new vehicles, SO1-7 which had leather seating. Told you they'd get Scanias anyway. Worse part is those Scanias were immediately sent off-lease for standard OmniCitys which were lighter and
didn't have leather seating, neither were capacity limited due to the sheer weight of the Scania chassis, Swedish quality at it's finest. Thus these were allocated to Stamford Brook (V) joining the 9's lot for the 27's frequency increase in 2008. These served well until eventually sold in early 2013.
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VE1 PG04WGN: Acquired by Hamptons.
VE2 PG04WGP: Acquired by UK Coachways, Vision Bus and converted to single door.
VE3 PG04WGU: Acquired by Rossendale Transport coded 127, converted to single door. Recoded 2744 upon Transdev acquisition.
VE4 PG04WGV: Acquired by Rossendale Transport coded 128, converted to single door. Recoded 2745 upon Transdev acquisition. Acquired by Keighley Bus Company.
VE5 PG04WGW: Acquired by Rossendale Transport coded 126, converted to single door. Recoded 2743 upon Transdev acquisition.
VE6 PG04WGX: Renishaw...
VE7 PG04WGY: Acquired by UK Coachways, Vision Bus and converted to single door.
VE8 PG04WGZ: Acquired by Rossendale Transport coded 125, converted to single door. Recoded 2742 upon Transdev acquisition. Acquired by Keighley Bus Company.
VE9 PG04WHA: Acquired by Littles Travel, coded D5, reregistered VIL9335.
VE10 PG04WHB: Loaned to RATP Bath Bus. Hamms Travel, East Sussex? Acquired by Littles Travel, coded D6, reregistered VIL9336. Stripped and scrapped.
VLE1 PG04WHC: Acquired by Marshall Coaches, converted to single door.
VLE2 PG04WHD: Acquired by E&M Horsburgh converted to single door, coded D32 reregistered X777EMH.
VLE3 PG04WHE: Acquired by E&M Horsburgh converted to single door, coded D reregistered T70EMH.
VLE4 PG04WHF: Acquired by Flagfinders, converted to single door.
VLE5 PG04WHH: Acquired by E&M Horsburgh converted to single door, coded D reregistered T90EMH.
VLE6 PG04WHJ: Acquired by A.C. Williams Coaches
VLE7 PG04WHK: Acquired by E&M Horsburgh converted to single door, coded D28 reregistered T80EMH .
VLE8 PG04WHL: Acquired by Thorns Coaches, converted to single door, reregistered P20VHO.
VLE9 PG04WHM: Acquired by Fourways Coaches, converted to single door.
VLE10 PG04WHN: RATP United Transit. Acquired by Go Good Drinks (Go Gold Ltd).
VLE11 PG04WHP: Acquired by Fourways Coaches, converted to single door.
VLE12 PG04WHR: Acquired by Killarney, Ireland, reregistered 04-KY-10259
VLE13 PG04WHS: ?
VLE14 (VLE40514) PG04WHT: RATP's United Motorcoaches fleet. Acquired by A2B travel, Newquay.
VLE15 PG04WHU: Acquired by NIBS Buses, coded 702, converted to single door.
VLE16 (VLE40516) PG04WHV: Sent to RATP's fleet, coded VLE40516. Acquired by A2B travel, Newquay.
VLE17 PG04WHW: Acquired by James Mullally Coaches, Ireland converted to single door.
VLE18 PG04WHX: Acquired by Travelin Group, converted to single door.
VLE19 PG04WHZ: Acquired by James Mullally Coaches, Ireland, converted to single door, reregistered 04-KE-16469.
VLE20 PG04WJA: Acquired by James Mullally Coaches, Ireland converted to single door.
VLE21 PA04CYC: Acquired by Travelin Group, converted to single door. Acquired by Red Rose, Aylesbury.
VLE22 PA04CYE: Acquired by Jans Coaches, Soham, converted to single door.
VLE23 PA04CYF: RATP United Transit? Acquired by Portsmouth City Coaches reregistered M500ELK.
VLE24 PA04CYG: ? Scrapped?
VLE25 PA04CYH: Acquired by Sullivan Buses as ELV5.
VLE26 PA04CYJ: Hired to First West of England 2018. Acquired by Pickled Egg, Chichester.
VLE27 PA04CYK: Acquired by NIBS Buses, coded 701, converted to single door.
VLE28 PA04CYL: Acquired by NIBS Buses. Scrapped?
VLE29 PA04CYP: Dublin Deckers, Ireland, reregistered ?
VLE30 PA04CYS: Acquired by Weber Oulson, turned into some mobile restaruant thing.
VLE31 PA04CYT: Acquired by Travelin Group, converted to single door.
VLE32 PO54ABZ: Acquired by Ashcrofts Travel, converted to single door, reregistered HIG8905.
VLE33 PO54ACF: Acquired by Ashcrofts Travel, converted to single door. Acquired by Berrys Coaches.
VLE34 PO54ACJ: Scrapped?
VLE35 PO54ACU: Scrapped?
VLE36 PO54ACV: Scrapped?
VLE37 PO54ACX: Acquired by NIBS Buses, coded 703, converted to single door.
VLE38 PO54ACY: Acquired by NIBS Buses, coded 704, converted to single door.
VLE39 PO54ACZ: Acquired by Hiltons Travel.
VLE40 PO54ADU: Acquired by Sullivan Buses as ELV7.
VLE41 PO54ADV: Acquired by NIBS Buses coded 154, converted to single door.
VLE42 PO54OOD: Acquired by NIBS Buses coded 254, converted to single door.
VLE43 PO54OOE: Acquired by Sullivan Buses as ELV8.
VLE44 PO54OOF: Acquired by Sullivan Buses as ELV9.
VLE45 PO54OOG: Acquired by Sullivan Buses as ELV10.
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Everything typed is as of 19/10/2020.
If for some reason you want your photo on this page, don't hesitate to ask.
Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr. Whereby a name is stated and no © is present, the photo is Some Rights Reserved and may be used in accordance to the license.
Sources: Flickr. The Bus Forum (TBF). Ensignbus. London Vehicle Finder (LVF). Sullivan Buses website.
Last updated: 31/07/20 at 14:39
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