Latest Update: 21 June 2017

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. News updates will usually be weekly, by Sunday evening, but if major stories arise we will attempt to announce them sooner. Reports more than a month old and already reported in TLB are deleted. Reports for the TLB Editors and communications to Society Officers can be sent by e-mail to "lotsed@tesco.net". TLB covers the operations and vehicles of around 120 companies working local bus services in Greater London and the Home Counties in the region roughly bounded by the old London Transport country-bus operating area. Each issue 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.

Forthcoming Conway Hall meetings

Doors  open  from 6pm. sales stand from 6.30pm, event begins at 7.30 and is finished by 10pm. There is no charge.  Visitors are welcome, especially from other societies or if you buy something or join as a new member. Meetings are held monthly (except January, July & August) 

Conway Hall is located at Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Nearest Underground station: Holborn (Central and Piccadilly Lines) Buses: 1, 8, 19, 25, 38, 55, 59, 68, 91, 168, 171, 188, 242, 243 & 521 stop nearby.

LOTS Meetings and Events

The next meeting is on Monday 3 July which is the AGM, followed by 24 July (bus rides), then a break until 25 September, 23 October, 20 November and 18 December.

The London Bus (TLB)

TLB 634 was posted on Tuesday 13 June. The closing date for reports for TLB 635 is 7 July and it is due for posting on 18 July.

New and Recent LOTS publications:

LOTS LBM180 London Bus Magazine  Summer 2017:  **NEW*   (£5.00) (available from, 12th June) Principal features are ‘Three Stormy Years ‘(1956/7/8) by M.E.Papes about the lead-in to the Bus Strike; also ‘From north (and west) of Watford Gap by Tony Wilson, about the 1987-89 period of second-hand buses, mainly at HD and PB – so plenty of Ailsas!

TLB Extra – Vehicle news of 1948:  **NEW**  (£6.50) (available from 12th June)  An 80-page illustrated book covering the vehicle events of LT in that very busy year!  We had previously dealt with Years 1957 to 1984, many of which are still available (see Sales List) but we are now commencing a new group of years covering the period that featured the mass replacement of pre-war and wartime buses. New information on some allocations has recently came to light and is included in ‘TEX48’. 
 
London Bus & Tram Fleetbook 2017:  (£6.50)  To the usual A6 pocket size, 128 pages listing 12,800 vehicles, all major operators in London and Home Counties plus most smaller bus operators and sightseeing tour companies.
 
LOTS London Bus Review 2016 (Greater London and Beyond)   (£11.00)   The original London Bus Review, with all the news from last year in London and the Home Counties, with the routes, vehicles, events, adverts, politics, fully illustrated, all in one A4 size book.
 
Other recent issues from other publishers
 
Routemaster Handbook (new 2017 edition) (Capital Transport), all 1,200 Routemasters worldwide are listed, 144 pages, 156 pictures (£16.50) ** new**
 
London Transport Buses in East London and Essex, 1960s and 1970s (David Christie, Amberley Publishing) an A5 picture album, 96 pages (£14.99)  ** new**
 
The Green Line Routemasters (Dryhurst & Bowden), an A5 picture album (£8.00)
Single Deck Bus Garage Allocations 1951-1981 (Country RF/Merlin/Swift types – (£25.00).
The companion = SD Allocations 1952-1981 (Central  RF/Merlin/Swift types still available – (£25.00).
First Group Fleetbook 2017 (all UK) from Andrew Woolhouse  (£18.00).
The companion = Stagecoach Group Fleetbook 2017 (all UK) is still available  (£18.00).

Orders can be sent to LOTS Postal Sales at Unit N305 Vox Studios, 1-45 Durham Street, Vauxhall, London SE11 5JH.

See the Sales Page for full list of sales items.

Adverts

Latest news 

 
Wednesday 21 June

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
 
Route        Current Operator                   New Operator               PVR     Vehicles         
138            Metrobus                                 Metrobus                        3          2013 Euro V diesel single deck
161            Metrobus                                 Stagecoach Selkent      17         New Euro VI hybrid double deck
181            Metrobus                                 Stagecoach Selkent      13         New Euro VI diesel single deck
284            Metrobus                                 Stagecoach Selkent      12         New Euro VI diesel single deck
 
All the above contracts will commence on 17th March 2018.

Sunday 18 June

1) At Arriva Harlow the twelve new E20D(MMC)s – 4076-87 – are now in process of delivery. . They are being branded for routes 508/509/510 (Harlow & Stansted) and should go into service shortly. 

2) Next Saturday 24th June will see London United’s new E20D(MMC)s  - DLE30049-69 – take over route 70 from Tower Transit.  Some of Metroline’s new Volvo B5LHs – VWH 2266-84 – take over route 120 from London United.  Other.new VWHs are due for route 7 to replace older VWHs which move to Holloway,  and  others (batch 2306+) have already started  to replace  VPs  at Willesden.
 

Wednesday 14 June

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
 
Route        Current Operator                 New Operator               PVR     Vehicles         
46              Metroline                              Metroline                          19         To be confirmed
153            CT Plus                                London General               11         To be confirmed
214 (24h)   Metroline                              London General              19         To be confirmed
274            Metroline                              Metroline                         17         New Euro VI hybrid double deck
 
Contracts will commence on the following dates:
 
3rd February 2018: Route 153.
23rd June 2018: Routes 46 & 274.
17th August 2019: Route 214.

Sunday 11 June
 
1) There are still only about half of the new StreetLites in actual service on Tower Transit route 236, although there has been a surge in the past week.  The first handful of new LTs (954+) are now running on the 137 and transfer of older LTs to Ash Grove has started, but in a very small way so far.  Huge quantities of new VWHs have arrived with Metroline but just about three have started in service, at present on route 90 prior to a batch taking over route 120 on 24th June.

For earlier reports refer to TLB or join LOTS!

Forthcoming events

These events are provided as a service to readers, LOTS has no involvement nor responsibility for any event noted below: