Old Kent Invasion

The expansion of Metroline continues, with the secondary effect (or cause) of the 16's conversion to the political weapon (Borismaster).

Metroline TEH1233 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (© Aubrey)

The 168 moved to Metroline under a guessing game of what garage would it be based from. In the end, it was Cricklewood.


Metroline TEH1457 on Route 168, Waterloo (© Aubrey)

There was also some speculation as to the type of buses used by the 168. It turns out it is using the buses displaced from the 16 - ADL Enviro 400Hs.


Metroline TEH1462 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (© Jacek)

The service is an average service, with a few gaps, which isn't surprising considering it is cross-Central London. Also, due to the traffic prone areas it serves, the service provided is decent. Well done Metroline.


Metroline TEH1459 on Route 168, Waterloo Bridge (© Aubrey)

Notably, this does mean that the 68 group (68/168/468/X68) has finally left Arriva completely, as the 68/468/X68 had been with Arriva as well as the 168, before the 68/468/X68 moved to London Central in 2006.


Metroline TEH1227 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (CC Aubrey)

Overall, not a bad changeover, even though the turnaround of these buses was quite quick between the LT conversion and the TEHs moving to the 168. The 32 had to have TPs temporarily whilst buses were re-blinded, but this is receding as TAs take over along with more TEs.

Corridors of Platinum

More West Midlands stuff, National Express West Midlands has expanded their "premium" range of buses to more 9xx series routes, including more services to Walsall.

Routes 934, 935 and 936 are/were the services with a corridor to Kingstanding from Birmingham, before they go off in their merry ways to either Walsall or Brownhills. (CC Aubrey)

This group of bus routes are every 30 minutes individually, but collectively every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6740 on Route 934, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route 934 is in the lightest green, running between Birmingham and Walsall via Kingstanding, Pheasey and Barr Beacon. It isn't the fastest bus route to Walsall, by any means (the X51 is).


NX West Midlands 6749 on Route 935, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

The 935 is the route between Birmingham and Walsall via Kingstanding, Streetly and Barr Beacon. Some buses are numbered 935A at certain times, running to Brownhills instead of Walsall. These journeys will be renumbered to 937A once the 937 is introduced.


NX West Midlands 6753 on Route 935, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

There are obviously many more Platinum routes from Walsall other than the 934/5/6 (i.e. the 997 and X51), so there are a few "generic" Platinum buses for all routes. There are 10 generic buses at Walsall.


NX West Midlands 6743 on Route 936, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route 936 will have a very short time being Platinum, with the route being practically replaced by new Route 937 (which replaces Diamond's 56). The 937 becomes the main service into Brownhills.

NX West Midlands 6746 on Route 936, Moor Street
(© Anthony Gumm/'King of Transport' - used with permission)

The route is to become a surrogate of Route 934/937, being the peak hours service on Route 934 (in the peak direction) before going to Brownhills via the 937. The 937 meanwhile runs on the old Diamond route 56, which is via Kingstanding, Streetly and Aldridge.
This also makes the branding one of the most short-lived route branding I've seen, as they have to change it to show the 937 as well (that is Platinum from new)! 


NX West Midlands 6750 on Route 936 & 6755 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

This shows the difference between the branded and unbranded buses of the Platinum service, and also brings us nicely to the two other Platinum services at Walsall Garage:


The 997 and X51, with jointly route branded buses.
NX West Midlands 6729 on Route 997 and 6735 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route X51 is the most frequent of the two, running every ten minutes direct between Walsall and Birmingham. The 997 is more indirect (especially at the northern end) and runs every 30 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6732 on Route 997E, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

However, the route runs every ten minutes between Birmingham and Pheasey. This means that most journeys run as 997E. In peak hours, however, the 997 runs through every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6758 on Route 934 and 6728 on Route X51, Walsall (© Aubrey)

Route X51 takes 35 minutes (timetabled, off-peak) between Walsall and Birmingham and is every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6755 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Other than that they are based at Walsall Depot, it's the same treatment of high backed seating, next stop information and wi-fi as the other Platinum buses. Albeit some of them with their partly obsolete branding. Nice!

Similar Blinds, DIFFERENT ROUTE

Yeah...

Metroline LT559 on Route 16, Victoria (© Aubrey)

The first LT route to be converted to solely OPO LTs, the 16 was another one of those conversions that was "already on the blinds". The blinds are to what seems to be the new standard for LTs.


Metroline LT555 on Route 16, Victoria (© Aubrey)

Otherwise, it just seems to be a normal conversion, with the buses gradually being introduced, albeit faster than usual due to the 168 change using its old buses.


Metroline LT559 on Route 16, Victoria (CC Aubrey)

This conversion led to the 168 getting hybrid Enviro 400s off the 16, and consequently, the 32 for a short time had a few Trident/Presidents. Ironically, this conversion finished before the 88 conversion finished!


Metroline LT545 on Route 16, Victoria (CC Aubrey)

The 16 is just a route that makes a beeline to Marble Arch on the Edgware Road, then just follows Park Lane and eventually ends up at Victoria. So not many turns north of Central London for these LTs to be caught on. Overall, prime candidate for the LT. Short post, too.

Paper Fonts

London's least frequent timetable. (© Jacek)

London's most infrequent route, the 2 hourly 347, has had its second operator change since its creation passing from Blue Triangle at Rainham to Arriva Southern Counties at Grays.

The contract specified a new single decker bus, which there was no sign of in the weeks leading to the operator change, not even a hint. On the day, this turned up:

Arriva Southern Counties 4010, Gallows Corner (© Omar Diab/Lilnetworker, used with permission)

It's an existing ex-Dartford E200, with new (seemingly temporary) blinds in the same font as 1632 on the E10, complete with a spelling mistake where it should read Ockendon but has an E in it! The rear blind is the same font, while there is no side blind.

Arriva TGM 1632, Ealing Broadway (© Aubrey)

Internally the bus is refurbished with standard Arriva seats and yellow poles. It does make the odd grinding sound or two which is typical of GY E200s. Odd workings haven't really happened on the route under Arriva as of writing this post (only 4010 has worked this route since Arriva took over as of writing).

Arriva Southern Counties 4010, Romford Station (© Jacek)

Meanwhile the old bus GAL were using (that's newer than 4010), MDL1, hasn't been seen since the 16th and nobody really knows where it'll turn up. Ironically the bus was new to Arriva Southern Counties, albeit from Dartford as a trial on the 233.

Blue Triangle MDL1, Romford (© Aubrey)

Much better presentation, from the company colloquially termed as "Bandit Triangle", ironically!

Expect quite a few posts to be late (this one definitely isn't) due to the complications with the London-Coventry stuff.

Picture Archive Post 40

Really, 40 Picture Archive Posts already?!

Metrobus 143 on Route R4, Orpington Station (23/02/13) (© Aubrey)

Route R4 is one of the Orpington Roundabout routes, being introduced in August 1986 between Locksbottom and Pauls Cray Hill. It started initially with the usual minibuses (RHs) on a Monday-Saturday basis. In 1993, the minibuses were replaced (by FMs) and in 1995, practically the whole Roundabout network passed to Centrewest. Centrewest was later bought by First, and gained new low floor buses in 1999. The route was diverted via Ramsden Estate in 2001, and was extended to the Princess Royal Hospital in 2004 from Locksbottom. The route has since had its Marshall Capital bodied Darts replaced by various other short buses in their fleet.

Initially a 51 reg bus, LT02 ZDS was new to First Centrewest (Orpington Buses). It unceremoniously stayed at Orpington (Y) until August 2004 when it transferred temporarily for 3 months to Hackney Wick Garage (H). It was renumbered into the First national scheme thus from DMS463 to DMS41463. Metrobus took over the operations of Orpington Garage in December 2007, and took on these buses, thus this bus was renumbered to 143. It transferred to Rainham (Blue Triangle BE) in January 2014 before moving to Putney temporarily for the 424 split due to Putney Bridge being shut:


London General 143 on Route 424 S, Putney High Street (15/07/14) (CC Aubrey)

It moved to Northumberland Park in December 2014, and lasted there running mainly on the W4 until August 2015.

It hasn't been seen since, and may be being disposed.

BLINDLY CHANGING

Well, it is time for the 88 to some of the last non-OPO LTs for the OPO 88 conversion. And they do have interesting blinds:

London General LT509 formerly on Route 88, Clapham Common (© Aubrey)

(Yes, I know the N11 has converted partly to LT already).

The return of the block capitals to the blind, albeit in a fairly interesting fashion. Fairly similar to the "Kindle Bus":


Metroline TEH1224 on Route 16, Victoria (CC Aubrey)
That is how e-ink displays are changed, hence the black on white panel.

Thanks, Leon Daniels?

Back to the 88, the LTs are, erm... The normal, usual stuff.


London General LT509 on Route 88, Clapham Common (© Aubrey)

Yep, they are well known for also having a very condensed font for Clapham Common.


London General LT481 on Route 88, Vauxhall (© Aubrey)

Or basically just having very notable fonts for the front destinations.


London General LT481 on Route 88, Clapham Common (© Aubrey)

But the fonts seem to be normal here.

The 88 is the last route to get non-OPO LTs, with the 16 being the first route to be fully converted to OPO LTs. Even so, the 16 had finished converting before the 88 due to the 168 kerfuffle (yes, a 16 and 168 post is due out).


London General LT505, LT481, EH32 on Route 88, Clapham Common Old Town (© Aubrey)

Drivers and passengers alike both prefer the Enviro 400H to the LT. When I spoke to a driver on stand, he preferred driving the Enviro. Coincidentally he had an Enviro, so yeah... Another irony is that the EHs are now appearing on their initial intended route, the 87!

Public opinion has swayed so much against the LT, they are to fit opening windows on them. In order to fit opening windows, the existing windows have to be removed. Right, who gets the job with the hammer smashing LT windows?

Long Citaros for Long Route 358

Route 358 has its 53-reg Scania Omnicity single deckers replaced - the first time this route has actually gotten new buses to replace buses ordered under a TfL contract for this route. Prior to 2003, the route was under either a temporary contract to TfL or a Metrobus commercial service. The route started in 1989 as a commercial route with just two return journeys. It is now a high frequency TfL contracted route.

Metrobus MEC61 on Route 358, Crystal Palace Station (© Aubrey)

The first day of service was with about 4 Citaros, all initially having no destination displays. However, by lunchtime, this had been sorted as seen.


Metrobus MEC58 on Route 358, Elmers End Green (© Aubrey)

The route is now one of two bus routes that use the Citaro due to the Shortlands Station bridge. The other route is the 227, running only between Crystal Palace and Bromley North (which is also served by the 358 too).

The second day of Citaro service on the 358 brought more Citaros.


Metrobus MEC57 on Route 358 and Stagecoach Selkent 23106 on Route 227, Crystal Palace (© Jacek)

Rides on it were actually pretty good. Very quiet as well!


Metrobus MEC61 & MEC57 on Route 358, Orpington Station (© Lewis)

They were phased into service over that initial weekend of the 11th/12th September 2015, all without front logos (which they have since gained).


Metrobus MEC59, Green Street Green (© Lewis)

Some buses were still being delivered to the garage or were out for testing when they started entering service.


Metrobus MEC57 on Route 358, Orpington Station (© Jacek)

They look smart, look the part, and hopefully will do well in intensive service over the next few years, travelling along the joint-longest day stopping bus route (joint with the 111).


Metrobus MEC54 on Route 358, Green Street Green (© Aubrey)

At least some have the front logos applied correctly.


The same bus is then seen returning to Crystal Palace at the same place (© Lewis)

Lewis and I got on that bus, and then suddenly we didn't have a nearside wing mirror.


Metrobus 566 overtakes MEC54 on Route 358, Green Street Green (CC Aubrey)

The bus had somehow smashed the wing mirror against a sign or something else. This was also just after a driver change as well, thus it had that incident before the driver's first stop!
We let the Omnicity to pass so we could get on another Citaro. It ended up being a Citaro bunch race between me/Lewis and Jacek (who got on the Citaro behind from Orpington Station) until Crystal Palace!

Overall, it's a positive opinion towards these buses.