Latest update: 29 January 2012

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. 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

Meetings are held monthly (except January, July & August) and usually commence at 19:30. Doors open 18:00 with sales stands available from 18:30. Meetings usually finish by 22:00. There is no charge.

Monday 19th March:  Rev. Nicholas Molony with pictures "Ancient & Modern", themes including 'routes with different types' and 'various operators on the same route (mostly country ones)'.

Later meetings in 2012 on Mondays 23 April, 21 May, then 25 June (AGM plus Bus Rides).  No meetings in July and August, then Mondays 24 September, 22 October, 19 November & 17 December.  

The LOTS ATS will again be at Harrow, but at an earlier date than before, on Saturday 13th October.

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, 98, 168, 171, 188, 242, 243 & 521 stop nearby.

The London Bus (TLB)

TLB 568 was posted on Tuesday 17 January. The closing date for reports for TLB 570 is 3 February and it is due for posting on Tuesday 14 February.

New sales items from LOTS

We have two new Supplements.  Both SUPs are dated for November, both have 48 pages and both are £3.50 each:    SUP-36BB  London's Major Operators Fleet Allocations  and SUP-24E London's Service Vehicles. 

London Bus Magazine 158 Winter 2011/12. Main articles are Route 21 history part 2 by Malcolm E Papes and The 41st and final year of the SMS family in service in Malta by Mick Bruce. £5.

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

See the Sales Page for full list of sales items.

Advertisements

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

Latest news

Sunday 29 January

1)  From recent deliveries to London, those for routes 16/139, 160 and 199 are now all in service, while the batch of Go-Ahead E400s (E229-245) entered service on route 89 on the 28th.  Routes 15, 23 and 188 continue to receive more of the same, type conversions now being just past the halfway mark on all three.  The next new double-deck batches are of the E400Hs for Abellio routes 3/N3 during February and the large batch of 78 E400s for Arriva London North, delivery of which has begun. 

2) On the single deck front, Abellio are expecting six E200s for route 290 within the next week, and they should be followed by a flood of E200s into London during February, 52 of them to First for routes W14, W15, W16 and 308 and another 16 to Arriva for the W11, 397 and 379.    

3) Carousel Buses at High Wycombe has received three new MCV bodied Mercedes-Benz OC500U buses (classified MBA) to upgrade part of the A30/A40/740 routes and they are expected into service in the coming week.  

Sunday 22 January

1) Increasing numbers of new buses into service in the past week on routes 15, 16, 139, 188 (all E400Hs), 160, 199 (E400s) and 23 (B9TLs).  Sullivan's six new E200s are now being delivered ready for take-up of route 298 on 4th February, and all of Go-Ahead's E400s for route 89 are delivered awaiting service imminently.  The first one or two E400s for Arriva London North have appeared on delivery. There will be 78 of these to convert routes 144, 279 and W3 over the next month.

Sunday 15 January

1)  The past week has seen a few more E400Hs on Stagecoach East London route 15 and the first E400H on Abellio 188. Also, around seven E400s so far on Arriva 160 and a few E400s on Selkent 199.   The first half-dozen VNs have also entered service on First's route 23.  It will probably take a few weeks for the full batches to appear, though.  Delivery is now well under way of London Central's E400s for route 89, and entry into service is awaited.   

2) A StreetLite demonstrator (BRZ9662) is currently being trialled at Arriva's Northfleet Garage, normally used on route 408 at Swanley.   Meanwhile, First London's StreetLite WM 47400 which has been in stock since early December, is still awaiting service from Willesden Junction Garage.

See TLB for earlier reports, or join LOTS!

Forthcoming events

Note that all other events are publicised as a service to the readership, on behalf of organisers; LOTS has no involvement or responsibility for any event noted. We usually confine ourselves to those events with an expected London bus interest or within easy access from the London area. All special operations that may be listed below are subject to vehicle availability on the day and passenger carriage may be at the discretion of the vehicle owners and crews.

LT Museum, Acton:   Guided Tours Friday/Saturday 24/25February, Friday/Saturday 23/24March. The next Open weekend is due on 10/11March.  See www.ltmuseum.co.uk

Saturday 25th February:  NLTS Enfield Spring Transport Bazaar at St Stephen's Church Hall, Park Avenue, Bush Hill Park, south of Enfield Town on bus routes 329 and W8. Open 11am-3.30pm, admission £2.00, accompanied under 16s free. 

Saturday 31st March:  A major event by the M&D and East Kent Bus Club on their 60th anniversary, at the Kent Showground at Detling, on the A249 near Maidstone, featuring large numbers of former M&D and East Kent vehicles. See www.arrivabus.co.uk/MDEK60 and www.facebook.com/MDEK60 for any updates and links for stand bookings.

Sunday 15th April: Country Bus Rallies - East Grinstead running day.

Saturday 21st April: NLTS event at Theydon Bois. Transport Bazaar in the Village Hall 11am-3.30pm, admission £2 (accompanied under 16s free).  Bus display nearby and vintage bus rides locally.

Sunday 29th April:   London Bus Museum's (formerly Cobham Bus Museum) Spring Gathering returns to Wisley Airfield.  Admission £10, free parking, 300 buses expected, bus service link from Weybridge Station and very many local 'out and back' trips from Wisley. This year, Wisley is a 'free standing' event, i.e. the admission price does NOT include the Museum at Brooklands (normal £10 entry price). Further details on www.londonbusmuseum.com.

Sunday 29th April:   Commemorative run on former EN 251 Southend (Seaway) to Wood Green. About 20 buses expected, in aid of the BosomPals breast cancer charity - generous donations are hoped for.

Sunday 6th/Bank Holiday Monday 7th May:  'London Trolley Day' at East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft.  A reminder that this marks the 50th anniversary of the end of London trolleys in May 1962.  All available London trolleys and tram 1858 are intended to be in service for rides. Further details on www.eatm.org.uk

Sunday 13 May: Country Bus Rallies - running day at Sevenoaks

Sunday 27th May:  Aldershot & District Centenary event at Farnborough at the 'Air Show Bus Station'.

Sunday 3 June: Country Bus Rallies - running day at Hertford

Sunday 10th June:  AEC Event and Pageant in Walthamstow to celebrate the "Centenary of the builders of London's Buses".   Based at the Pump House Museum, plus a vehicle display nearby.

Saturday 13th October: LOTS ATS at Harrow Leisure Centre.

ATS organiser Colin Brazier is taking bookings by e mail at southmet@hotmail.com.