Society news

This page gives up-to-date major news items to supplement our monthly newsletter, •The London Bus• (TLB). Items noted here will be incorporated in the next issue of TLB in greater detail. Reports more than a month old and already reported in TLB are deleted. Each issue of TLB is typically 40 pages containing references to around 300 routes and 1000 vehicles, together with the business and political news, the publicity output of the companies, forthcoming exhibitions and rallies, and much more. To get the full picture, why not join now? Go to the Membership Page for details.

If you need to contact us with anything to do with membership, subscriptions to TLB or LBM and queries over postal sales, email lotsmemsec@gmail.com and it will be passed to the correct person. Reports for TLB/LBM or queries to other society officers can go via the TLB Editor lotstlbeditor@gmail.com and it will be passed to the correct person.

For queries about Postal Sales, please email lotspostalsales@gmail.com. This E mail address may also be used for ordering from Postal Sales if wishing to pay by direct debit bank transfer - for details see Page 1 of the Sales Bulletin.

Meetings

We meet at The Gallery at Alan Baxter, 77 Cowcross Street, Farringdon. A three minute walk from Farringdon Station (Met/Circle/H&C lines, Elizabeth line and Thameslink). Exit from Farringdon station (Met side), turn east and go up Cowcross Street until you reach the Leon restaurant. Opposite there is a passageway, cross the cobbled courtyard to the far right corner and go down the stairs to the basement meeting room known as 'The Gallery'. We would advise that you do not drive to the venue, parking space is rare and charges apply for 24 hours. There are several coffee shops and a Wetherspoons on Farringdon Road.

Doors open at 6pm, meetings start at 6.30pm and finish at 8pm, then Q&As and sales stand but all out by 9pm when the venue is locked.

Next meetings:
11 May: Deregulation in London Country by Jeff Tucker.
15 June LOTS AGM.

The London Bus (TLB)

New and recent LOTS publications

For queries about Postal Sales, please email lotspostalsales@gmail.com. This email address may also be used for ordering from Postal Sales if wishing to pay by direct debit bank transfer - for details see Page 1 of the Sales list.

Please address your orders to LOTS Postal Sales, Lombard Business Park, 8 Lombard Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 3TZ. Orders are processed weekly. Make sure that the 'Postal Sales' name is included prominently, so we can give your order our best attention. You can use the Sales List printed off from this website this list to order, or a letter is perfectly acceptable. In either case, please don’t staple cheques to the form.

NEW London Bus Review 2024 – Greater London & Beyond (£18.50).
This title has been confirmed as being delivered from the printers and is now available for purchase.

London Bus Magazine No 213, Autumn 2025)  (£6.00).
Including articles on London Transport Blind Design and Merlins in Ulster.

SUP-45C London Bus Garages Allocation and Routes (£6.50).
List of all London bus garages with route and bus allocations as at 1 September 2025. 60 pages with 8 colour photos.

SUP-46A London Transport Trolleybuses - Allocations and Disposals 1948-1962 (free digital download). Allocation histories and disposals for all LT trolleybuses. 102 pages.

SUP-47A London’s Advert Buses 1969-2024 (£8.00).
All known all-over advert buses in the London area (not London Country). Over 1000 buses and over 4000 adverts listed, with dates. 76 pages, 18 colour photos.
View sample pages.

SUP-48A Country Area Bus Route Directory - Part 1: North and East (£7.50).
SUP-49A Country Area Bus Route Directory - Part 2: South and West (£7.50).
SUPs 48A and 49A together list all bus routes in our 'country' area, showing the main points served, the operator/s, days/times of operation and basic frequencies. There is also an overview of each of the operators covered. Correct to 1st September. A5, 52 pages (part 1) or 60 pages (part 2), each 8 colour photos.

See the Publications page for details of LOTS publications or the Sales Bulletin on the Sales page for our current stocklist.

Vacancies

LOTS requires a new sub-editor (or perhaps two) to cover the Current Vehicle News section in TLB. Please e-mail lotstlbeditor@gmail.com if you think you may be interested in helping out.

Non-members may wish to look at a sample issue of TLB.
Hopefully this will whet your appetite for joining LOTS!

Industry and general news

Major news items to supplement our monthly newsletter:

Sunday 1 March

1. Arriva London has taken delivery of many more EZ-class Volvo BZLs, although it looks as though they will have a mixture of 75 and 26-registrations, as 26 of the buses had not been licensed before the end of February. Just nine of the class have so far entered service (at Tottenham), of which EZ4 made a first and last appearance (see below) on route 123 on 25th February.

2. Route 123 passed from Arriva London to Go-Ahead London on 28th February, using hybrid double-deckers from Northumberland Park Garage. Several MHVs have transferred in from Putney (released by new DEL electrics going on to route 22), but EHVs and WHVs have also been used, along with some WVL and WVN diesels moved on from their temporary use on route SL11.

3. The ED-class BYDs at Arriva Croydon have been spreading their wings and have now appeared on all four routes due to get the type (60, 405, 412 and 466) although they are currently focused on the 405 and 466.

4. The Wright Kite single-deckers ordered by Transport UK for route 493 (taken over from Go-Ahead London on 28th March) are now coming across the Irish Sea. The full batch will be numbered 1773-1792.

5. Deliveries to Stagecoach London have included more StreetDecks from the batches ordered for Barking and Rainham (82228-82274), with examples in store at Plumstead and West Ham. Note that 82214-82227, also for Rainham, have yet to appear.

6. Several more buses have had accidents in the past week, including Go-Ahead LT273 hitting a tree and LT879 a lorry. EBD148 has also had a bump during its 'holiday' in Plymouth.

7. Route H32 passes from Transport UK to Metroline on 7th March, but will most likely continue with the existing LT-class New Routemasters.

Sunday 8 March

1. Metroline took over route H32 from Transport UK on Saturday 7th March and has initially been using LT-class New Routemasters from its own fleet. To enable this, a few additional WDE-class StreetDeck Electroliners have transferred into Cricklewood for use on route 16. The LTs latterly used on the H32 by Transport UK (143-153 and 638) are likely to return once re-lettered, with LT153 being the first to do so.

2. Delivery of Wrightbus StreetDeck (DEL) and GB Kite (SEL) Electroliners for Go-Ahead London routes at Bexleyheath (486, B11, B12 and B15) has started. DELs already delivered are now starting to go to New Cross for use on route 172.

3. Arriva London started putting its EYX-class electrics to work on route 312 on 2nd March. These are the first of the new all-BYD single-deck model to enter TfL service.

4. Transport UK has placed orders for a total of 163 new buses for use on routes 109, 119, 156, 267, 344, 433, 490 and P13. Details (types, fleetnumbers, allocations) will be in the March TLB.

5. Stagecoach East London withdrew the last of its BYD/ADL electric double-deckers in February, following the entry into service of more Wrightbus StreetDecks at Barking and Rainham. Stagecoach Selkent continues to use the BYD/ADL type on routes 160 and 180.

6. First Bus London has withdrawn its small VDW-class of seven Volvo B9TLs, latterly used as part of the allocation on route 452.

7. The five TfL-owned Routemasters put up for auction this week were all sold, achieving some impressively high prices.

Sunday 1 March

1. Arriva London has taken delivery of many more EZ-class Volvo BZLs, although it looks as though they will have a mixture of 75 and 26-registrations, as 26 of the buses had not been licensed before the end of February. Just nine of the class have so far entered service (at Tottenham), of which EZ4 made a first and last appearance (see below) on route 123 on 25th February.

2. Route 123 passed from Arriva London to Go-Ahead London on 28th February, using hybrid double-deckers from Northumberland Park Garage. Several MHVs have transferred in from Putney (released by new DEL electrics going on to route 22), but EHVs and WHVs have also been used, along with some WVL and WVN diesels moved on from their temporary use on route SL11.

3. The ED-class BYDs at Arriva Croydon have been spreading their wings and have now appeared on all four routes due to get the type (60, 405, 412 and 466) although they are currently focused on the 405 and 466.

4. The Wright Kite single-deckers ordered by Transport UK for route 493 (taken over from Go-Ahead London on 28th March) are now coming across the Irish Sea. The full batch will be numbered 1773-1792.

5. Deliveries to Stagecoach London have included more StreetDecks from the batches ordered for Barking and Rainham (82228-82274), with examples in store at Plumstead and West Ham. Note that 82214-82227, also for Rainham, have yet to appear.

6. Several more buses have had accidents in the past week, including Go-Ahead LT273 hitting a tree and LT879 a lorry. EBD148 has also had a bump during its 'holiday' in Plymouth.

7. Route H32 passes from Transport UK to Metroline on 7th March, but will most likely continue with the existing LT-class New Routemasters.

Sunday 22 February

1. As well as lots of older buses, Go-Ahead London has now sent several brand new buses to south west England. 20 out of the 25 EBD-class double-deckers ordered for route 88 have been dispatched to Plymouth Citybus, with the first entering service this weekend. All of these moves are to allow for the expansion of Go-Ahead operations in Cornwall to cover for the withdrawal by First.

2. The first of the Volvo BZL/MCV single-deckers ordered by Go-Ahead London are now arriving, two being seen heading up from Southampton Docks in the past week. A total of 25 buses classified as SVMs are due for routes 299, R2 and R11.

3. The first of a previously unreported order for Enviro400EV double-deckers for Go-Ahead London has been completed by ADL and posed for photos at the factory. It was lettered as DEF1 and is believed to be part of a large batch for south east London routes (51, 178, 244, 291 and SL11). Also being shown off was SEO35, from the forthcoming batch of Enviro100EVs for routes 162 and 322, and which has slightly revised styling.

4. Four buses were damaged in three accidents in two days last week. Go-Ahead London EBD136 ran into MHV74 near Elephant & Castle, Arriva T284 hit the underpass wall in Croydon, and First Bus London WKE37102 bumped into a building at North Acton.

5. The five TfL-owned Routemasters that have been in store at West Ham garage for over five years (since the heritage routes last ran) are due to be sold at auction on 4th March.

Friday 20 February

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

New electric vehicles may enter service after the contract start date, dependent on infrastructure and/ or vehicle delivery timescales.

The hybrid vehicles detailed above will meet Euro VI emissions standards.

The start and end dates for the above contracts are detailed in the following table:

Tuesday 10 February

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

* Sunday service will be operated by existing electric single deck vehicles.

New electric vehicles may enter service after the contract start date, dependent on infrastructure and/or vehicle delivery timescales. The diesel and hybrid vehicles detailed above will meet Euro VI emissions standards.

The start and end dates for the above contracts are detailed in the following table:

Coming events (LSS - LOTS sales stand attending)

We are happy to publicise transport related events such as running days. These must be available to all passengers and contact details for further information must be provided.

14 March
Route 38 running day (Victoria to Clapton Pond) by The London Bus Museum.

14 March
Ewell Transport & Toy Enthusiasts Bazaar at Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF. 10:30 to 15:00. £3 entry.

16 March
LHRG meeting at The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, Westminster at 18.00 for 18.30. Leon Daniels will describe the Capital CityBus era.

22 March
North Finchley Vintage Bus Running Day for Red Nose Day Charity. Buses to operate on parts of local bus routes including 13, 221, 251 and 263. Map and feeder bus times. Enquiries: lqfishburn@gmail.com.

29 March
Classic buses in the Watford area, including 60 years of route 724, by the Amersham & District Motor Bus Society.

29 March
Theydon Bois Transport Bazaar at Theydon Bois Village Hall CM16 7ER. 10:00 to 14:30. £3 entry.

9-12 April
Icons of London open days at the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton Town.

11 April
South East Bus Festival The Kent Showground, Detling. 10:00 to 16:00. (LOTS Sales Stand will now NOT be attending).

19 April
Spring Gathering at the London Bus Museum, Brooklands. (LSS).

26 April
East Grinstead Country Bus Running Day. Information on Facebook.

13 June
Route 213 Heritage Day London Bus Museum.

28 June
Summer Festival at the London Bus Museum.

12 July
Low-ish Floor Running Day, Godstone Green. Information on Facebook.

15 August
Imberbus, Warminster Website.

16 August
Roundabout 40 and Vintage & Classic Bus & Car Show, West Kingsdown and Swanley. Initial details here.

A national event list can be found here.