Re-Arriva

Three routes have returned to Arriva London: Routes 19, N19 and 249. Although it happened on the 1st of April, it certainly was no April Fool.

Arriva London HV223 on Route N19, Piccadilly Circus (© Aubrey)

New Volvo B5LH/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3s arrived for these three routes. The first to move to these buses was Route N19, as per usual with the night service changing operator on the Friday night-Saturday morning.


Arriva London HV277 on Route N19, Piccadilly Circus (© Aubrey)

Not all buses had their blinds working on the first night. However, the first night of the N19 did not have many notable issues throughout the first night of 1st April. B5LHs are the mainstay of the N19, but on occasion, the VDL DB300 does stray.


But this isn't the N19. Some drivers on the first day of the 19 did, in error, blind their buses for the N19 (© Aubrey)

Due to a lack of new Volvos on the first few days, the DB300 took the rest of the slack on the 19. These buses were already at Tottenham Garage for other routes so they covered for the lack of Volvos.


Arriva London DW450 on Route 19, Green Park (© Aubrey)

Nowadays, the Volvo hybrids reign supreme on the 19:

Arriva London HV264 on Route 19, Islington Angel (© Aubrey)

Unlike the previous service on the 19, the route is run from Arriva London North's Tottenham Garage, as Brixton is now full as a garage. As the 19 is one of the very few cross-Central London bus routes, this route has had its share of northern and southern garages operate the route. The last time an Arriva London North garage ran the route was Tottenham back in 2000. Under Go-Ahead London, it ran at Stockwell and Northumberland Park.


Arriva London HV264 on Route 19, Piccadilly Circus (© Aubrey)

The 19 and N19, after 5 years of Go-Ahead London (covered on 31st March 2012 here) is back. But Arriva also won another route from that same tender, the 249.


Arriva London HV281 on Route 249, Balham Station (© Aubrey)

Route 249 has moved back to Norwood Garage, with these new hybrids. This is part of a shared allocation with the 2 (again) and other routes at Norwood.


Arriva London HV317 on Route 249, Balham (© Aubrey)

This is only some of a very, very large batch for Arriva London, which includes the contracts for the 2/N2, 19/N19, 242/242N, 249, 259. Out of those, 19/N19, 249 and 259 are gains, all from London General (Go-Ahead London). All of those gains are also of routes that Arriva London have had history running before.


Arriva London HV282 on Route 249, Clapham Common

These hybrids are decent for their service, and are just like the many other Volvo B5LH/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3s. Very angular. But they will do well in service for the future, with a good air cooling system on the upper deck. That cooling effect will unfortunately wear off by the end of the contract renewals. But overall, Arriva should do well on these notable gains.