My Picture Archive Post 29

First London TNL32907 on Route 607, Ealing Broadway, 21/07/11

This batch of TNLs, the W9xx VLN batch, was initially delivered for the 207 in 2000 to convert the route to low-floor. These buses have since moved to Glasgow for use in First Bus operations there.

Then in 2001, the articulated bus trials happened, where 6 Volvo articulated buses from First provincial areas were loaned to Greenford Garage and ran a limited Hayes By-Pass to Shepherd's Bush Green service. The trials succeeded, paving for the 207 to be converted to articulated bus operation. Other than the obvious problem of having the route permanently split into two (207 and 427) and the location of where the articulated buses would be based after a North Acton base had planning permission rejected. Eventually, the Hayes site was built and the 207 got its articulated buses. 427 and 607 got its old buses, hence converting the 607 to low-floor, one of the last routes in TfL that were converted from Olympian to low-floor operation.

The post on the W9xx VLN TNLs on Route 427 (Picture Archive 13)

Route 607 is not too old, running between Shepherd's Bush and Uxbridge limited stop since July 1990. It is one of too few limited stop TfL services. The distinctive blue and white blinds signify the 607 service, and separate it from other bus routes. The number dates from the trolleybus service, which was called 607 until it was converted to Routemasters in November 1960 and thus renumbered 207. 607 was converted from Metrobus operation to single deck Leyland National MkII in 1991, before the double decker return in 1996 with Olympians and low-floor conversion in 2005. Those buses have since been replaced by Volvo B7TLs ex-Route 150 and Enviro 400s ex-Route 23 in 2012, which both ply the route today. Other than the White City extension in 2008, no changes to the routing has occurred.