Picture Archive Post 56

London United DPS651 on Route 265, DPS661 on Route K3, Roehampton Vale Asda, 15/11/2011
(© Aubrey)

Two buses, two routes!
Both buses are Transbus Dart/Plaxton Pointers II.

DPS651 was ordered for Route 265, 418 from Tolworth Garage, delivered in June 2002. The bus by this time was still at Tolworth allocated for Route 265. It stayed at Tolworth until the 1st July 2016, when the bus moved for a short 4 day loan to Fulwell, from 5th-8th July. From 18th July 2016, the bus moved from London United to London Sovereign at Harrow Garage, only until the morning of 27th September 2016. By the afternoon, it was back at London United, this time, at Shepherd's Bush for the 72, where it is still at this moment.

DPS661 was ordered for Route 391, being based at Stamford Brook from July 2002. In November 2005, the bus moved to Metroline on loan at North Wembley Garage. In January 2006, it moved to King's Cross Garage, before returning a month later to Stamford Brook. It later moved to Hounslow Heath, more temporary loan between May-September 2006 (for 493) at Brentford Garage, Metroline. Then it juggled to Hounslow, Park Royal, Hounslow Heath, Tolworth and Fulwell garages before going into store in August 2013 at NC (Twickenham). It lasted only two months in store before going back out to Tolworth, Park Royal, Fulwell, PK (again), TV (again), Shepherd's Bush, PK (again), before finding itself as it is now at Hounslow (AV), again, moving on 28th May 2016 for the 110.

Route 265 started out as a Putney-Roehampton circular in 1984, based at Putney Garage (AF). In 1985, the route was changed to terminate at Roehampton, Bessborough Road. From 1991, the 265 was extended from Bessborough Road to Tolworth (New Malden evenings), and converted to midibuses (MAs - Mercedes Benz van-derived buses). A Sunday service was also added at this time. Under sectorisation, the 265 was under London General. The late evening service was extended to Tolworth in September 1997, and eventually, larger Dennis Darts were introduced onto the route. Low floor conversion was partially achieved in 1999 with Dart SLF/Marshall Capital buses. In 2002, the 265 was moved to London United from Tolworth Garage, where it has been ever since. 2016 tenders saw the Darts be replaced with stop-start Enviro 200MMCs.

Route K3 started out as Route 215 with it being renumbered as part of Kingston localisation of routes in June 1987, with MCW Metroriders based at Kingston Garage (K) operating a Monday-Saturday service between Kingston and Esher (Lower Green in peaks). Longer MRLs were introduced in 1988. Under sectorisation, the route passed onto Westlink. From August 1993, the Lower Green journeys were withdrawn except for school journeys. Also, the route was extended to Kingston Hospital. In June 1996, those journeys were cut to Esher, Trinity School. Westlink was later bought out by London United, thus the K3 became a London United route. A Sunday service between Kingston Hospital and Byfleet was provided by London BusLines from July 1997. The Sunday service was standardised to run Kingston Hospital-Esher with London United in April 1999. Also, the MCW Metroriders were replaced with Dennis Darts (step entrance DRLs) around this time. From May 2001, the K3 was extended to Roehampton Vale Asda, compensating for the 485 withdrawal from Ham and Kingston.  November 2001 saw the route move to Tolworth Garage (TV) as Kingston closed, with a low-floor conversion also occurring with Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointers. This lasted until 29th June 2013, when the route moved to Abellio London from Fulwell (TF), where it still is today with its Enviro 200s.