Picture Archive Post 42

Metroline DLD138 on Route 70, Acton Market Place, 08/06/12

DLD138 new to Metroline was ordered for the C2 in 2000. In 2002, this bus moved to Edgware for the 251, 288, 303 and 305, where it stayed until 2008. This bus then had a few spells at Metroline garages at Wembley (NW) and Perivale (PA/PV) with a spell at 2010 at Cricklewood. In January 2012, this bus moved with the closure of PA from PA to PV, where it is seen on Route 70 in this photo. A few days after the photo was taken, this bus was put into store at PV. In October 2012, the bus was sold to Ensignbus, where it was temporarily used as its 809 on Central Line replacement. The bus was bought by Imperial Buses in 2013, before it was sold back to Ensign in 2014 and bought by Flagfinders Coaches where it is today.

Route 70 was made as a part replacement of a short section of Route 7 (Acton Horn Lane-East Acton) running with MA (Mercedes 811D vans with Alexander bodywork) running Monday-Saturday, intially running between Acton Horn Lane and Kensington. It was extended to South Kensington in 1993, where larger Dennis Dart/Wright Handybus buses were introduced. In 2000, Thorpes won the contract for the 70, initially from Wembley with a Sunday service being introduced. In 2003, the route moved to PA (Perivale) where it stayed when Metroline took over Thorpes. Metroline took the actual contract of the 70 in January 2007 along with the other contracts of Armchair and Thorpes. In December 2010, the route moved from PA to PV (Perivale East to West). In June 2012, Route 70 moved to First Centrewest from Westbourne Park (X), back where it used to run under Centrewest with new Enviro 200s (see post). In June 2013, the route moved to Tower Transit under the sale of First Centrewest, where it is today.

The route is supposed to be extended to Chiswick Business Park via Acton Town and Bollo Lane, but this extension seems to be indefinitely on hold. Even with the new bus stop on Bollo Lane in place.

Yep, that (© Aubrey).
Please get the extension running. Please.