An end of an era, for three routes at least. Since their introductions, E10, E1 and E3 have all been with Centrewest (and their successors of First Centrewest and Metroline West) since privatisation, but expectedly, Metroline West had lost these three routes, decimating Greenford Garage greatly with a loss of a PVR of 40. At least it gives Metroline West a lot of spare buses!
First London DMS44420 on Route E10, Greenford (24/03/13)
Route E10 contributed a PVR of 7 to Greenford Garage. It was created in 1997 to replace the Smith's Farm spur of Route E9, and part of Route E4. The old route is now mainly the route E11, after it was chopped and changed to its present extent of Northolt, Islip Manor to Ealing Broadway, via a more direct route between Ealing and Greenford. This route is quite busy, and the only reason why it has such short buses is due to the Islip Manor terminus in Northolt, where the turning circle is only small enough for a 8.9m bus, which is a problem for such a busy route. Plans were/are afoot for the route to be extended via Gunnersbury Avenue (A406/Ringway 2), Gunnersbury Lane and Bollo Lane to Chiswick Business Park. This extension is pending on the petty problem of trying to turn right from Gunnersbury Lane to Gunnersbury Avenue - the different parties cannot decide how to implement a 'bus only turn' at that busy intersection, seeming as they do not want to use Gunnersbury Drive, used each summer for Route 65X anyway!
Thanks to long delays, Route 70 instead might be extended via the E3 and Bollo Lane instead to Chiswick Business Park.
The route will pass on to Arriva/Tellings Golden-Miller (controlled by Arriva Southern Counties) on the 31st May 2014 with a base at Hatton Cross (Heathrow).
Metroline West TE1727* (SN09 CEX) on Route E1, Hanwell (23/08/13)
Route E1 contributed a PVR of 7 to Greenford Garage. It was one of the original 'Ealing Flat Fare' routes, and a victim of needless minibus conversion (not as bad as the 28/31!). It replaced the 211 between Greenford and Ealing, and the 83 between Brentford and Ealing, which meant it practically backed up on itself at Hanwell due to the double run of Ealing either side of the Great Western Mainline. From 1990, there was sense to split the route into the E1 and the E8, leaving it the current route it is today. It was also converted to minibus operation (apart from peak hour journeys, logically), before it being restored to double decker operation in 1997.
The route will pass on to Abellio London West on the 31st May 2014 with hybrid E40H from Hayes Garage.
Metroline West TE1729 on Route E3, Acton (24/06/13)
Yeah, that route...
Route E3 is the largest loss out of Greenford Garage, taking a PVR of 26 away. The route has evolved to become a mammoth of an operation, even though the route has become more simplified from introduction due to the sheer demand for the route. It started off as Route 55, before in 1968, it was split into the E3 and the 274. It was one of the original 'Ealing Flat Fare' routes, and a victim of needless minibus conversion, which was done in 1990, before being converted to low-floor single deckers in 1997, and double deckers in 2002. It runs the same route that it ran in 1968, between Chiswick Swimming Pools (Edensor Road) and Greenford Red Lion (now a pile of rubble). It also had runs to Chiswick, Grove Park, before that was replaced by Route E4 (then H40, 272).
Metroline West TE1738 on Route E3, Gunnersbury Park (24/10/13)
For regular peak users, the route is also well known for curtailing at virtually any point. The reliability problems caused by a large demand for the route means it is almost impossible to not have a peak curtailment of a crowded bus! Buses are subject to curtailment to nearly anywhere other than the official curtailments! Commonly they curtail at Gunnersbury Avenue before running dead via Bollo Lane to line of route at Chiswick, dumping usually a large crowd at a small stop. Another curtailment is Turnham Green Station, where the bus runs dead via Chiswick High Road and Stamford Brook to get back on route at Turnham Green Station. On one journey to Chiswick from Northfields (another unofficial curtailment point), three buses were needed due to two curtailments at the aforementioned points.
Metroline West TE1750 on Route E3, Chiswick (17/10/13)
Another, less common curtailment is Chiswick, Barrowgate Road, where the bus afterwards goes via the A4, Hogarth Roundabout and A316 to Edensor Road, which takes about the same time as doing the rest of the route in service when there is sufficient traffic! Punctuality over mileage.
The route is also well known for having many secondary schools on/near the route (in order northbound, Chiswick School, Twyford, Acton High, Gunnersbury, Elthone Park, Drayton Manor, Brentside, Cardinal Wiseman). This does lead to abuse of the treatment of the buses, leading to them looking worn out and littered with anything food-related (or even half-eaten post-it notes, but let's gloss over that!), meaning that when Route E3 was awarded, it was rumoured that it didn't get new buses due to the 10 NBfL conversion, and that new buses would be worn out by this vigourous treatment by school children fairly quickly. So it will get refurbished SPs, which will be ruined by next year, presumably from that treatment!:
The future. London United SP150 on route training of E3, Chiswick Town Hall (12/05/14)
The route will pass on to London United on the 31st May 2014 with Scania Omnicities from Stamford Brook Garage. History full circle, as it started with a part V allocation!
First London DMS44420 on Route E10, Greenford (24/03/13)
Route E10 contributed a PVR of 7 to Greenford Garage. It was created in 1997 to replace the Smith's Farm spur of Route E9, and part of Route E4. The old route is now mainly the route E11, after it was chopped and changed to its present extent of Northolt, Islip Manor to Ealing Broadway, via a more direct route between Ealing and Greenford. This route is quite busy, and the only reason why it has such short buses is due to the Islip Manor terminus in Northolt, where the turning circle is only small enough for a 8.9m bus, which is a problem for such a busy route. Plans were/are afoot for the route to be extended via Gunnersbury Avenue (A406/Ringway 2), Gunnersbury Lane and Bollo Lane to Chiswick Business Park. This extension is pending on the petty problem of trying to turn right from Gunnersbury Lane to Gunnersbury Avenue - the different parties cannot decide how to implement a 'bus only turn' at that busy intersection, seeming as they do not want to use Gunnersbury Drive, used each summer for Route 65X anyway!
Thanks to long delays, Route 70 instead might be extended via the E3 and Bollo Lane instead to Chiswick Business Park.
The route will pass on to Arriva/Tellings Golden-Miller (controlled by Arriva Southern Counties) on the 31st May 2014 with a base at Hatton Cross (Heathrow).
Metroline West TE1727* (SN09 CEX) on Route E1, Hanwell (23/08/13)
Route E1 contributed a PVR of 7 to Greenford Garage. It was one of the original 'Ealing Flat Fare' routes, and a victim of needless minibus conversion (not as bad as the 28/31!). It replaced the 211 between Greenford and Ealing, and the 83 between Brentford and Ealing, which meant it practically backed up on itself at Hanwell due to the double run of Ealing either side of the Great Western Mainline. From 1990, there was sense to split the route into the E1 and the E8, leaving it the current route it is today. It was also converted to minibus operation (apart from peak hour journeys, logically), before it being restored to double decker operation in 1997.
The route will pass on to Abellio London West on the 31st May 2014 with hybrid E40H from Hayes Garage.
Metroline West TE1729 on Route E3, Acton (24/06/13)
Yeah, that route...
Route E3 is the largest loss out of Greenford Garage, taking a PVR of 26 away. The route has evolved to become a mammoth of an operation, even though the route has become more simplified from introduction due to the sheer demand for the route. It started off as Route 55, before in 1968, it was split into the E3 and the 274. It was one of the original 'Ealing Flat Fare' routes, and a victim of needless minibus conversion, which was done in 1990, before being converted to low-floor single deckers in 1997, and double deckers in 2002. It runs the same route that it ran in 1968, between Chiswick Swimming Pools (Edensor Road) and Greenford Red Lion (now a pile of rubble). It also had runs to Chiswick, Grove Park, before that was replaced by Route E4 (then H40, 272).
Metroline West TE1738 on Route E3, Gunnersbury Park (24/10/13)
For regular peak users, the route is also well known for curtailing at virtually any point. The reliability problems caused by a large demand for the route means it is almost impossible to not have a peak curtailment of a crowded bus! Buses are subject to curtailment to nearly anywhere other than the official curtailments! Commonly they curtail at Gunnersbury Avenue before running dead via Bollo Lane to line of route at Chiswick, dumping usually a large crowd at a small stop. Another curtailment is Turnham Green Station, where the bus runs dead via Chiswick High Road and Stamford Brook to get back on route at Turnham Green Station. On one journey to Chiswick from Northfields (another unofficial curtailment point), three buses were needed due to two curtailments at the aforementioned points.
Metroline West TE1750 on Route E3, Chiswick (17/10/13)
Another, less common curtailment is Chiswick, Barrowgate Road, where the bus afterwards goes via the A4, Hogarth Roundabout and A316 to Edensor Road, which takes about the same time as doing the rest of the route in service when there is sufficient traffic! Punctuality over mileage.
The route is also well known for having many secondary schools on/near the route (in order northbound, Chiswick School, Twyford, Acton High, Gunnersbury, Elthone Park, Drayton Manor, Brentside, Cardinal Wiseman). This does lead to abuse of the treatment of the buses, leading to them looking worn out and littered with anything food-related (or even half-eaten post-it notes, but let's gloss over that!), meaning that when Route E3 was awarded, it was rumoured that it didn't get new buses due to the 10 NBfL conversion, and that new buses would be worn out by this vigourous treatment by school children fairly quickly. So it will get refurbished SPs, which will be ruined by next year, presumably from that treatment!:
The future. London United SP150 on route training of E3, Chiswick Town Hall (12/05/14)
The route will pass on to London United on the 31st May 2014 with Scania Omnicities from Stamford Brook Garage. History full circle, as it started with a part V allocation!
Is the E1 getting E400 MMC
ReplyDeleteNope - they are currently in service on the 350 and they are Euro 6 E40H/Enviro 400 not MMC.
DeleteGood Post! I think the E10 would be a better extension than the 70s. But in my opinion both should/could be extended. Can't wait to see the new buses on each of these routes.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see both extended, but unfortunately Chiswick Business Park isn't that big to fit three routes into the terminus
DeleteThe 70 being extended to Chiswick, Business Park is a bit stupid, considering the whole point of the E10 plan was to link Ealing Broadway and Chiswick Business Park.
ReplyDeleteA bit? It makes journeys to Acton kinda faster, which means getting to Ealing is faster by bus. But I agree that E10 should've been extended in any case. The extension will not happen within this contract of the E10 (under Arriva Southern Counties) as it isn't part of the contract apparently, so unfortunately this won't happen. I so wanted it to happen because it would be very useful as a quicker way than the now LU E3!
DeleteCannot wait until London United gain E3, it will be a huge benefit to it (until they lose 49). It will make a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteIt won't - E3 is VERY hard to run. But LU running it might mean more Stamford Brook (Turnham Green/Chardin Road technically) curtailments which are a lot better than Gunnersbury Park ones as they are unofficial and cause a lot of inconvenience! At least there are more alternatives at the Chiswick end!
DeleteLU losing 49 isn't too bad, gaining E3 is good enough (in all BUT operational terms). I don't like Metroline West operating the E3 as it is so poorly run, so going to LU might make things improve. The passengers can't be improved overnight, however!
Enviro 400 diesels where really good in terms of seating and standing space. The Omnicities are good too. Same number of seats on the upper deck (just more spaced out towards the back, could probably fit another row on the right) and more standing space where I rekkon they could have fitted another row in the wheelchair area but still would have had enough room.
Delete