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Latest update: 3 September 2010 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. Society news Forthcoming Conway Hall meetings Meetings are held monthly (except 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 20th September: "60
years of travelling on London's buses". John Parkin uses a digital
presentation to show how bus travel and photography has been involved
in the
first sixty years of his life. For example, he says that it might show
buses
that were around from the time he started work in Epsom, then in
Potters
Bar and elsewhere. Lived in places in outer south London, went out a
lot on Red
and Green Rovers, did last RT nights and so on. Conway Hall
is located at Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. The London Bus (TLB) TLB 552 was
posted on 17 August. The closing date for reports
for TLB 553 is 3 September and it is due for posting on 14 September. New sales items from LOTS We
are currently holding back
a number of Postal Sales orders for certain of John Hambley's books,
notably
the RT Part 5. Sadly, John Hambley died recently and there is a
delay in
procuring further supplies. Orders will be fulfilled a.s.a.p.
Three other new items on the Sales List include two hardback all-colour albums from Capital Transport : The Bluebell Railway (£16.95) covers scenes from its years of existence. The Colours of the South Downs book (£19.95) covers the 1960/70s period of Southdown buses with plenty of Brighton, Eastbourne and Portsmouth Corporations as well. And as a contrast, we have the 2010 edition of the Southdown Enthusiasts' Club Fleetbook, covering Stagecoach SE, Brighton & Hove, First Hampshire & Dorset (£6.50). 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. Forthcoming events follow Latest News. Advertisements Non-members may wish to look at a sample
issue of TLB. Latest news Sunday 29 August
There
are no significant news events to report this week.
1)
Tiger Line's competitive route T5
Amersham- Hemel- St Albans- Hatfield duly began last Monday 9th, using
ex Ulsterbus
Leyland Tiger buses. This Monday 16th Harlow will see yet more
competition when SM Coaches increase their 18 to Bishop's Stortford and
continue with their frequent 19/20 to Epping and Ongar, each
against
Arriva. Olympus add the M2 to Staple Tye to
their M4 to Latton Bush,
also against Arriva. Roadrunner begin R3 from Harlow to Hoddesdon and
Waltham
Cross against Centrebus. Arriva in Harlow are now using
several Darts and Scanias from Excel, emphasizing their link
between
Arriva/ Excel/ T-GM. 2)
The new network in NW Surrey from
28th August has now been settled and a full detailed listing takes four
pages
in TLB552, due for posting in the coming week. Notable is the amount of
commercial operation from Abellio, Arriva, Countryliner and First which
will
have helped Surrey CC's finances and allowed retention of
some threatened
service cuts and introduction of several new Sunday services.
Arriva's
single former Pegasus Dart for the 436 is now back at
Guildford from
repaint, and the others with Safeguard (x3), Southdown (x4) and Abellio
(x14)
are in the process of preparation and/or repaint. 3)
London's 28th August programme is
on course with the main changes to the 15/159 and 208/320 and several
tender
renewals in the Croydon area. The latter should see entry into service
of at
least some of the 27 Enviro400s (T 118-144) currently
being delivered to
Arriva to upgrade part of the allocations on routes 50, 198 and 250.
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.
Saturday
11th
September:
NLTS
event at Theydon Bois. Bazaar in village hall open
11am-3.30pm entry £2 (accompanied under 16s free). About 40 sales
stands,
display of buses and classic cars nearby, plus local free bus rides
over parts
of former routes 20A,167A,175A,250. A combined programme for 4th and
11th
September is £3.00 (or £3.50 by post from NLTS, 8 The
Rowans, London N13 5AD).
Sunday
26
September:
Sunday
3
October
:
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