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Latest Update: 16 May 2022
|
Route |
Current Operator |
New Operator |
PVR |
Vehicles |
307 (24h)* |
Metroline |
Arriva London North |
14 |
New electric double deck |
* Weekends
only.
The new
electric vehicles may enter service after the contract
start date dependent on infrastructure and/ or vehicle
delivery timescales.
Start and end
dates for the above contract will be as follows:
Route |
Contract
Start Date |
Contract
End Date |
307 |
10th
December 2022 |
7th
December 2029 |
Sunday 1 May
1)
The changes of 30th April in
London were complicated as on the three routes involved,
none of the new buses for the contracts had arrived.
At Abellio, the 111 was taken on, using a
mix of LTs taken from both London United and from its
own devices (partly due to PVR reductions on other
routes). The 322 (also Abellio) had to be with
8.9m E20Ds from its own fleet (with one-for-one
transfers to allow that) as none of the new Optare
MetroCitys were ready for service. The 204 stayed
with its existing buses, the E400EVs not due until June.
2)
The StreetDeck Electroliner demonstrator EL 1 has
gone into service on route 119 (Croydon- Bromley)
and it should be out on Mon-Fri for a
period. The first batch of Electroliners due for
London is for the 111 but are a few months away
yet. Electric power supply remains
awaited at RATP Edgware and Hounslow Heath as well as at
Go-Ahead Bexleyheath, for buses already delivered
for routes 125, 235, 132 respectively.
Friday 22 April
1) Over the Easter weekend Arriva’s
country buses switched a lot of vehicles about.
Mostly as a result of the service reductions at Watford
and Hemel, E400s moved from Herts to Kent, Volvo B7RLEs
from Hemel to Luton and StreetLites from Kent to
Hemel.
2)
The first of Abellio’s BYD/ADL E400EVs (batch 3430-41)
for route U5 have started delivery. Route 322 is
due to pass from Go Ahead to Abellio next Saturday 30th but to
begin with it will be covered by existing fleet 8.9m
E200Darts until the MetroCity electrics on order arrive.
3)
A late-notified Running Day is at East Grinstead on this
Sunday 24 April. About 30 buses involved, ex-
LT/LCBS, Southdown, M&D, Metrobus, re-creating old
local routes.
4) Centrebus deregistered trunk route 34 (Dunstable & St Albans) after 7th May. However, a few days ago Red Eagle agreed to replace it commercially from Monday 9th May.
5)
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the
following routes with the operators listed below:
Route |
Current
Operator |
New Operator |
PVR |
Vehicles |
47* |
Stagecoach Selkent |
Stagecoach Selkent |
TBC |
Existing hybrid double deck |
353 |
Metrobus |
Metrobus |
7 |
New electric double deck |
359 |
Metrobus |
Metrobus |
2 |
Electric single deck |
B13 |
Arriva London North |
London Central |
TBC |
New electric single deck |
H32* |
London United |
Abellio West London |
10 |
Existing New Routemaster |
H91 |
London United |
Metroline |
14 |
Existing New Routemaster |
*
24 hour routes (H32 at weekends only).
All
the hybrid vehicles detailed above will meet Euro VI
emissions standards. New electric vehicles may enter
service after the contract start date dependent on
infrastructure and/ or vehicle delivery timescales.
Start
and end dates for the above contracts will be as
follows:
Route |
Contract Start Date |
Contract End Date |
47 |
21st January 2023 |
18th January 2030 |
353 |
22nd October 2022 |
19th October 2029 |
359 |
22nd October 2022 |
19th October 2029 |
B13 |
21st January 2023 |
18th January 2030 |
H32 |
4th March 2023 |
3rd March 2028 |
H91 |
4th March 2023 |
3rd March 2028 |
Sunday 17 April
There
are no significant news items to report this week.
Saturday 9
April
1)
A start has been made to convert Go-Ahead route 5
(Canning Town & Romford) partially to LT operation,
using LTs released from PVR reductions from route 12 at
Camberwell. As at this weekend they are not in
general daytime use although for some time LTs have been
scheduled anyway in early mornings as a run-on from the
N15 allocation.
2)
The two buses at RATP planned for Platinum Jubilee
livery are not now expected to be ‘wrapped’ until
mid-May. LT 70 will be one, the other is planned
to be BCE 47070.
3)
The delays in getting electric power supplies roll
on, with RATP Edgware and Hounslow Heath hoped for
by the end of May, but that at Go-Ahead Bexleyheath not
now till July.
4)
Ensignbus resumed Southend sea front service 68 from
April 2nd to 18th, thence basically weekends, half
terms and bank holidays to mid- July, then daily
in school holidays.
Sunday 3 April
1)
The LOTS 2022 Fleetbook and Mike Harris’ bus maps are
now in stock and orders can be accepted now. If
you intend to go to Brooklands on 10 April our sales
stand is there.
2)
Route news is that Arriva takes over route 432 on 2
April and HV 132-144 have transferred into Norwood
Garage. Also on 2 April route 84 passes from
Metroline to Sullivan Buses although hopes of getting a
full green-bus output on the first few days has been
thwarted by delays at the painter’s.
3)
Abellio’s new garage at Dawley Road Hayes opened on 2
April with some buses transferred in and the rest to
follow in May.
4)
In Kent the Sunday route awards from 3 April mean that
433 and 489 are retained by Arriva while the 401
Westerham- Sevenoaks- Tonbridge (every two hours)
passes to Ham’s of Flimwell.
5) The Mercedes-Benz Citaro artics in Brighton, all former London vehicles, will be withdrawn later this year and replaced by ‘mid-life double-decks’ from London. So if you want to re-acquaint yourself with London General’s MAL 98-119, for now they are on the 25 in Brighton.
For earlier news read LOTS TLB
(LSS) = LOTS Sales Stand booked to attend
These are publicised as a service to the readership;
LOTS has neither any involvement nor responsibility for
any event noted. Many events have admission fees, I have
included them where they have advised, you should check
with organisers or websites before attending if costs
worry you. We usually confine this listing to events
with an expected London bus interest or within easy
reach of London. Full national event lists can be found
in the April issue each year of ‘Buses’ magazine and
at http://www.classicbuses.co.uk/events.html
Our website is regularly updated with other events.
All
events are subject to any Covid-19 restrictions at
the time. Please check before travelling.
Sunday 26 June: Open day at Reading Buses' depot in Great
Knollys Street.
Saturday 2nd July: 50th
anniversary of the Leyland National at Gaydon
Airfield, Warwickshire.
You must check on the event websites or on the full national event list at http://www.classicbuses.co.uk/events.html
Our website is regularly updated with other events.