22nd June 2013: Part 5 - Tower Transit and Metroline West

All pictures from Au from 22nd June 2013 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wltmauc/sets/72157634323587787/

 

A logo that is disappearing and soon will be gone from London's streets (except Heathrow).

And finally, for the 22nd June, there is the move of some First London operations to Tower Transit and Metroline West. I'd prefer to start with Tower Transit, and to be honest, I didn't. I started with Metroline West, so I'll go with what I started with and continue:

Metroline West gained Uxbridge (UX), Greenford (G), Hayes (HZ), Alperton (ON), Willesden Junction (WJ) from First London. The routes 18, 83, 92, 95*, 187, 195*, 206, 207*, 223, 224, 226, 228*, 245, 282, 331, 427, 487, 607*, A10, E1, E3*, E5, E7, E9, E10, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U10, N18, N207 are transferred along with existing buses.

This is a First London DN wearing Metroline West legals. This was at 0459hrs, the hand over being "officially" 0500hrs.


Metroline West VW1848 on Route N18, Oxford Circus.
Odd how this bus came out of the garage as a First London bus, and it comes back as a Metroline West bus!


Metroline West SN1952 on Route N207, Oxford Circus


Metroline West VW1891 on Route N18, Oxford Circus


Metroline West SN1935 on Route 207*, White City*


Metroline West DE1657 on Route 228*, White City*


Metroline West DE1654 on Route 228*, White City*


Metroline West Legals - DE1654


Metroline West SN1935 on Route 207*, White City*


Formerly competitors, until one bought out the other
Metroline VP473 (260), Metroline West VW1563 (607*), White City*


Metroline West VW1563 on Route 607*, White City*


Metroline West TE1580 on Route 607*, White City*


Metroline West SN1953, SN1957 on Route 207*, White City*


Metroline West SN1957 on Route 207*, White City*



Metroline West TE1731 on Route E3*, Turnham Green


Metroline West TE1738 on Route E3*, Chiswick Town Hall

Transit Systems of Australia is the parent company of Tower Transit, operating from Westbourne Park (X), Lea Interchange (LI, officially HO) and Atlas Road/Park Royal (AS). The routes 9H, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 58, 70, 236, 266, 295, 308, 328, 339, RV1, W14, W15, N26, N28, N31 are transferred along with existing buses.

Tower Transit VN36127 on Route 25 N, Oxford Circus


Tower Transit VN36156 on Route 25, Oxford Circus/Regent Street


Tower Transit DNH39115 on Route 23, Trafalgar Square


Tower Transit DN33783 on Route 23, Trafalgar Square


Tower Transit DNH39126 on Route 23, Charing Cross


Tower Transit DNH39129 on Route 23, Charing Cross


Tower Transit DML44281 on Route W15, Blackhorse Road Station


Tower Transit DML44281 on Route W15, Walthamstow


Tower Transit VN37854 on Route 58, Walthamstow Central


Tower Transit DML44280 on Route W15, Walthamstow Central


Tower Transit DML44172 on Route W15, Walthamstow Central


Tower Transit DML44291 on Route W15, Walthamstow Central


Tower Transit DML44289 on Route W15, Walthamstow Central


Tower Transit VN36149 on Route 25, Manor Park


Tower Transit VN36146 on Route 25, Manor Park


Tower Transit RM1218 on Route 9H, Trafalgar Square


Tower Transit VNW32375 on Route 31, Camden Town


Tower Transit Westbourne Park Garage


Tower Transit Westbourne Park Garage - note the "First Gold Arrow" sign...


Tower Transit 32496 on Route 31, White City*


Tower Transit VNZ32501 on Route 31, White City*


Tower Transit VNW32372 on Route 31, Shepherd's Bush*

Now First only remain as a TfL operation until September-October. The last route lost will be 179 to Stagecoach.

22nd June 2013: Part 4 - Go-Ahead ex Dagenham

All pictures from Au (wltmauc) on 22nd June: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wltmauc/sets/72157634323587787/

Part 4.
First London hasn't totally left, as I go to their last stronghold. Romford. Yet, they have already lost routes as the routes that they aren't going to lose by October were given to Go-Ahead Blue Triangle. The routes are: 193, 368, 498, 608, 646, 648, 652, 656, 667, 679 and 686. 193 and 498 run in Romford, thus I covered this change there.

Blue Triangle DMN7 on Route 193, Romford Station

New logos, and the old/new fleet numbers. Nice work, Go-Ahead


Blue Triangle DMN17 on Route 193, Romford Station

No rear logos on this one.


You can tell here, hastily in a rush they removed the First website here. Some scratches there...


Blue Triangle PVN8 on Route 498, Romford Station


Two Blue Triangle ex-First buses here, as an ex-First London EN is on the other side, also on Route 498


New white on black blinds


Blue Triangle PVN8 on Route 498, Romford Mercury Gardens

Unfortunately, I didn't spend too long at Romford, mainly for lunch, but partly so I could get to Pimlico by 2pm for covering the 24, again, but with some of the team, and others.

Part 5, the final part, will include the Metroline West and Tower Transit takeover of First London.

22nd June 2013: Part 3 - Route 230

After the Holloway Nag's Head visit, I went to Tottenham Hale, bypassing Seven Sisters and eventually went to Hoe Street (Walthamstow Central).

Arriva DW545 on Route 230, Tottenham Hale


Arriva DW544 on Route 230


DW545 information sticker


230 to Upper Walthamstow.
Just to confirm, is the section Wood Street-Upper Walthamstow still a hail & ride section. If so, is it the only double decker operated hail and ride section?


Arriva DW545 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central


Arriva DW552 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central


Arriva DW545 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central


Arriva DW541 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central

Arriva DW548 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central

Arriva DW535 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central


Arriva DW536 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central


Arriva London DW536 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central/Hoe Street Bus Station



230 to Wood Green


Bus stops still displayed the old timetable


Arriva DW542 on Route 230, Walthamstow Central

Afterwards, I went on the GOBLIN (London Overground Gospel Oak-Barking Line), via Woodgrange Park/Manor Park to the Greater Anglia Shenfield Metro for Romford, to cover the remaining First buses and GAL's Blue Triangle taking some ex-DM routes.

So, Seven Sisters, via Hoe Street to the GOBLIN. Things can only get better! :)