Picture Archive Post 45

Docklands Buses SOC6 on Route N551, Trafalgar Square, 10/06/12 (© Aubrey)

Route N551 is a relatively recent route, being introduced in August 2008, operated by Docklands Buses. It replaced a slightly older route, the N50, which started in 1995, running between Oxford Circus and Ilford via most of the current N550 and then most of the current N551 up to East Beckton, then Ilford. This was operated by Stagecoach East London from Upton Park (U). In August 1998, the route was revised to run via Bank and Aldgate instead of Tower, and Kier Hardie Estate instead of Newham Way, as well as being curtailed to East Beckton. The route moved to Northumberland Park (NP) with Capital Citybus (later First Capital) at the same time. In March 2001, the route was rerouted via Victoria Embankment instead of Aldwych. In August 2003, the route returned to Stagecoach London and extended in East Beckton from Asda to Tesco. Supermarket sweep? In December 2005, the route was extended to Gallions Reach Shopping Park, and stayed until August 2008 where the route was split. The route itself was curtailed to Canning Town and renumbered N550. The remains was picked up by the new N551, which was awarded to Docklands Buses. This is where it stayed with its various double deckers until August 2013, where relatively new operator Tower Transit took both the N550 and the N551 from Stagecoach and Docklands Buses using the existing buses from the recent gain of 425 for the two routes. Both routes now interwork with each other.

The bus, a Scania Omnicity DD, was bought for the new route 425, which was a part-replacement of Route S2. This bus stayed with Docklands Buses until 2013, when the 425 was lost to Tower Transit. The buses were deemed surplus to requirements as it was different to the rest of the buses on the 425, therefore they were sold. This example ended up with NIBS Buses, serving Essex. Not too far from East London. It is now also a one-doored bus.