Farewell First London (except some of DM)

On the 22nd June, most of First London will be gone. So farewell to them, as being the second large group to leave London (Stagecoach being the first, but they came back only a few years later!).
Tower Transit of Transit Systems Australia will get Lea Interchange (LI/HO), Westbourne Park (X), Atlas Road (AS).
Metroline West of Metroline will get Greenford* (G), Uxbridge (UX), Willesden Junction (WJ), Hayes (HS/HZ).
Go-Ahead will get the remaining, non Stagecoach transferring routes from Dagenham (DM).

First Berkshire will not be sold, but moved to Hampshire & Dorset management instead:(http://omnibuses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/back-to-future.html)

So here are some pictures of First London, all sectors.

Anyhow, firstly (yes, I know...), First Centrewest (including Gold Arrow, Uxbridge/Ealing Buses and Challenger):

First (Ealing Buses) DN33768 on Route E3*, Chiswick Town Hall, 18/06/13
This bus and route will move to Metroline West, a new division of Metroline. This bus was originally ordered for the 92, and is mainly used there.


London United ADH29 (27), First DN33586 (E3*), 20/06/13
Route 27 used to be operated by First Centrewest from X, but was won by London United in 2006.
Route E3 has been at First since the start of tendering.


First DN33587* on Route E3*, Acton* Market Place*, 18/04/11
Do I need to say more about this bus?
It was ordered by First to replace TNs at Greenford for the E1/E3. 92 later got DNs too, and 282 are stuffed with TNs.


First TN33280 on Route E3*, Chiswick High Road
These are the TNs that were replaced. The 03 reg buses stayed for the 282.


DN33587* on Rail Replacement, 10/02/13
Another thing we won't see is the First logo on a blind.


First DML44131 on Route 195, 22/09/11
This shot was the inspiror of the famous background shot.
Route 195 was lost to ECT in 2003, and was oddly regained by First in an emergency, after being extended to Brentford.


First DML44133 on Route 195, Ealing Hospital, 21/12/12
Here was the southern terminus before it was extended to Brentford. This is on a short working, and is turning around.


Why not?
First EA11052 on Route 207*, Hanwell Broadway*, 22/09/11
Route 207 is one of the few routes that suit the bendy bus, the others are 507 and 521. It was soon converted to Scania Omnicities (where opinion on this blog differs)


First SN36054 (207*) and DML44180 (95*), Shepherd's Bush*, 21/12/12
95 was operated by Dennis Dart/Marshalls, and both used to terminate at Caxton Road. Now 207 became bendy, then went back to double deckers and runs to White City, whilst 95 now terminates at the overcrowded green.

First SN36067 on Route 207, Acton* Town Hall*, 08/03/13
This is a Scania Omnicity. Moving on...


First TN33334 on Route 607*, White City*, 18/01/13
Tridents are becoming rarer in the First fleet, as the are cascaded whilst new buses replace them. Or in the 607's case, existing buses from the 150 and 23.


First TNL33138 on Route 607*, Hanwell Broadway*, 30/04/11
This was the previous allocation - TNL ex-207.


First DN33517 on Route 607*, Shepherd's Bush*, 15/12/12
DNs on the 607 are ex-23

First London VN37959 on Route 295, Shepherd's Bush, 05/01/13

These are run from Westbourne Park, a shrinking garage due to Crossrail works

First London DML44072 on Route 228*, White City*, 05/01/13
This route was one of the last routes to be new to First London. Note the blind to Maida Hill!

Metroline DE994 (609), First VN37969 (266), Hammersmith, 18/06/13
First will be ousted, mainly by Metroline, who is a rival in the West London scene.

First London DNH39129 on Route 23, Marble Arch/Oxford Street, 02/01/13
These were one of the most recent buses that First ordered - Enviro 400/H for the 23 at Westbourne Park.


First DML44108 on Route A10, Heathrow Central, 16/02/13
Uxbridge was a mainstray of First London, and one of the routes included A10. It was known as a Stockley Fast, and was recieved after London Bus Lines were bought by First, getting a now disused Southall garage!

Now, it's First Capital:

First DN33639 (30), DNH39130 (23), Oxford Street, 02/01/13
First Capital and First Centrewest together at once. Both Enviro 400. 30 is operated by Capital from Lea Interchange, a replacement for Hackney Garage. The official code of it is HO - Hackney Olympic.

First VN36147 on Route 30, Baker Street, 17/03/13
Sometimes some buses off the 25 run on the 30 and buses off the 26/30 run on the 25. Here is a VN on the 30, now not even coded under Tower Transit!


First DN33636 on Route 25, City Thameslink Station, 22/02/13
The reverse is shown. 25 is a route which is under supplied, yet has the highest PVR in the whole of the First Capital fleet - 59. Suggestions want it to be of a PVR of 80-ish!


First DMV44230 on Route RV1, London Bridge, 08/12/12
RV1 is a route fully in Central London, where the oddity of hydrogen buses normally ply the route. However, there may/will be cases where instead, other buses are used, such as this DMV.

First DN33555 on Route 498, Romford Station, 20/10/12
Blue Triangle takes the few remaining pieces, including the 498, the only TfL link to Brentwood, increased in capacity, but not in frequency...

First DMS41481 on Route 193, Romford Station, 23/02/13
Another route transferring is the small 193 route, linking Romford Queen's Hospital and Hornchurch's County Park Estate. It is the last reserve of the Marshall bodied Dennis Dart in regular London service, apart from the W10. They were refurbished fairly recently, which may be a reason why they were retained.


First London TNL33085 on Route 252, Romford Station, 23/02/13
First still have a small hold of Romford, where they operate a few routes that will be lost to Stagecoach.

So, farewell to First London, and hello to Tower Transit. The 22nd June proved to be a long, tiring yet fruitful day full of surprises. Which is in many parts. Firstly with NBAD.