The last daytime daily London United TA allocated bus route now no longer has its TAs. After the 131 moved from London United to Go-Ahead London General, there are no "officially" allocated London United bus routes which are allocated Tridents.
WVN41 shows the new order of the 131, with existing Volvo B9TLs from the loss of the 259. And a usual curtailment.
(© Aubrey)
Prior to the introduction of Go-Ahead London to Route 131, London United had operated the route for 15 years with Tridents from Tolworth or Fulwell Garage.
TA40214 shows the oldest of the old order at Tooting Broadway, as part of the initial batch to convert the 131 to low-floor.
(© Patrick)
The route was initially tendered in 1987 to London Country South West, but in 1990, the route was retendered to Westlink. Since London United bought out Westlink, the route had been with London United until 29th September 2017. The order towards the end was a motley collection of Tridents, as well as the newer buses that were also in Tolworth.
TA40320 is a newer Trident, from the last 2003 batch of buses. Most of this batch had never been touched internally, and thus had not had a refurbishment throughout its 14 year career in London.
(© Patrick)
Some of the Tridents that I (Patrick) travelled on were over 15 years old, with out-dated interiors that brought back many childhood memories. Whilst many required an overhaul, London United maintained them fairly well over their lifetime, proving them to be fairly robust nearly two decades on. Some TA’s were altered upon refurbishment with added air vents on the front, while many retained their original shape.
Tridents which did not come from Fulwell initially ended up on the 131 towards the end, with TLA40323 initially from Route 94.
(© Aubrey)
From 2000 to 2003, the order for London United deckers were Tridents, excluding the trial Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Geminis that ended up at Fulwell for the 267. For most of South-West London, the Trident has been the usual bus for double decker routes for London United. It practically ended up like some of the things that seemed to have never changed in the outlook for the childhood of some enthusiasts, including myself (Aubrey). However, times change, and these buses have reached the end of their London lives. It may not be the complete farewell of London United's Tridents just yet, but all other full time day bus routes of London United are allocated other buses on paper at least.
SP40108 on the last night of London United operation, seen at Wimbledon.
(© Aubrey)
Some hybrids from the 85 also ran on the 131 during the last year of London United operation, VH45176 being one at Raynes Park.
(© Aubrey)
From 30th September, the 131 went to Go-Ahead London. Displays were not as ready as the buses, shalt we say...
Well, initially all seems well here. However, hybrid WHV23 at Fairfield, Kingston shows a second paper 131 display in full A3, Calibri font.
(© Aubrey)
Although this was with some of the buses, there were some worse instances captured by other enthusiasts, which they've allowed with their permission to be on the post:
WVN36 displaying 131 to Shannon Corner. Although this seems normal, this is actually a stuck blind, as the 131 is at Tooting Broadway having just come from Kingston, with a yellow paper display confirming the route and destination on the dashboard.
(© Hassaan Chaudhry)
But this was not the worst instance. On the first day, a few of the buses were having similar issues to WVN36. However, the most notable first day sighting is of a WVL with 649 to Campion School, with a 131 blind fitted on top of the number display, with destination on the dashboard. It was however just a few days later, that nothing informative within the blindbox was found on a 131 working:
WVL246, albeit on an unallocated route, shows the full temporary display galore, with two route numbers and a destination. This bus is normally found on 44, 270, 280 and 163.
(© Alisha Juszczyk)
Even though there were some display difficulties, the first day presentation for some buses were decent.
These two buses were ex-First London, bought by Go-Ahead London when they bought out Northumberland Park and Dagenham respectively. What used to be VN37878 and DMV44278 is now WVN45 and SEN37. Both at Merton Garage and having been refurbished after being reassigned from route losses (259 and 368, respectively).
(© Aubrey)
The route has returned to Merton Garage after 30 years, when it was ran out of Merton (AL) partly on Sundays. First weekday allocation at Merton for 37 years. Now back on a garage on line of route, it goes to the same operator as the other Kingston-Tooting bus route, the 57, having transferred in 2016 to Merton. Although through most of its life, the 131 has been based in the western end of the route. It is allocated ex-First WVN Volvo B9TLs, as well as native Volvo B9TLs.
Also allocated are some native Volvo B9TLs, with WVL483 seen here in Kingston Cromwell Road
(© Aubrey)
Freshly transferred from Stockwell was E226, running fully blinded on the 131 on the first day. The only ADL bus out of a sea of Volvo/Wright on the first day.
(© Aubrey)
The first day was full of curtailments, including Raynes Park, Shannon Corner, Wimbledon, New Malden (as seen above), Colliers Wood and Merton Garage. Thus, the whole set of curtailments seen in one day. Gaps of about 0-20 minutes were observed, and bunchings of up to 5 buses in Wimbledon were found on the first day. Notable amounts of traffic did not help the first day.
Finally, out of sheer coincidence, two buses ordered for bendy bus conversion for the 453 (E188) and 436 (E226) are now finding themselves in suburban London in the same place. E188 is now a Sutton bus, whilst E226 is a Merton bus, seen on the 213 and 131 respectively.
(© Aubrey)
Other than the messy start, Go-Ahead London has not seen any major issues in the running of the 131 since then. It has been quite a turn of tenders in the past few years in the South-West, with 57, 131 all going to Go-Ahead, whilst London United regained the 85. The use of existing buses surely helped the bid for GAL for both the 57 and 131 in bus procurement cost.
Text by Aubrey and Patrick
Photos by Aubrey, Patrick, Hassaan Chaudhry and Alisha Juszczyk.
All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2017
WVN41 shows the new order of the 131, with existing Volvo B9TLs from the loss of the 259. And a usual curtailment.
(© Aubrey)
Prior to the introduction of Go-Ahead London to Route 131, London United had operated the route for 15 years with Tridents from Tolworth or Fulwell Garage.
TA40214 shows the oldest of the old order at Tooting Broadway, as part of the initial batch to convert the 131 to low-floor.
(© Patrick)
The route was initially tendered in 1987 to London Country South West, but in 1990, the route was retendered to Westlink. Since London United bought out Westlink, the route had been with London United until 29th September 2017. The order towards the end was a motley collection of Tridents, as well as the newer buses that were also in Tolworth.
TA40320 is a newer Trident, from the last 2003 batch of buses. Most of this batch had never been touched internally, and thus had not had a refurbishment throughout its 14 year career in London.
(© Patrick)
Some of the Tridents that I (Patrick) travelled on were over 15 years old, with out-dated interiors that brought back many childhood memories. Whilst many required an overhaul, London United maintained them fairly well over their lifetime, proving them to be fairly robust nearly two decades on. Some TA’s were altered upon refurbishment with added air vents on the front, while many retained their original shape.
Tridents which did not come from Fulwell initially ended up on the 131 towards the end, with TLA40323 initially from Route 94.
(© Aubrey)
From 2000 to 2003, the order for London United deckers were Tridents, excluding the trial Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Geminis that ended up at Fulwell for the 267. For most of South-West London, the Trident has been the usual bus for double decker routes for London United. It practically ended up like some of the things that seemed to have never changed in the outlook for the childhood of some enthusiasts, including myself (Aubrey). However, times change, and these buses have reached the end of their London lives. It may not be the complete farewell of London United's Tridents just yet, but all other full time day bus routes of London United are allocated other buses on paper at least.
SP40108 on the last night of London United operation, seen at Wimbledon.
(© Aubrey)
Some hybrids from the 85 also ran on the 131 during the last year of London United operation, VH45176 being one at Raynes Park.
(© Aubrey)
From 30th September, the 131 went to Go-Ahead London. Displays were not as ready as the buses, shalt we say...
Well, initially all seems well here. However, hybrid WHV23 at Fairfield, Kingston shows a second paper 131 display in full A3, Calibri font.
(© Aubrey)
Although this was with some of the buses, there were some worse instances captured by other enthusiasts, which they've allowed with their permission to be on the post:
WVN36 displaying 131 to Shannon Corner. Although this seems normal, this is actually a stuck blind, as the 131 is at Tooting Broadway having just come from Kingston, with a yellow paper display confirming the route and destination on the dashboard.
(© Hassaan Chaudhry)
But this was not the worst instance. On the first day, a few of the buses were having similar issues to WVN36. However, the most notable first day sighting is of a WVL with 649 to Campion School, with a 131 blind fitted on top of the number display, with destination on the dashboard. It was however just a few days later, that nothing informative within the blindbox was found on a 131 working:
WVL246, albeit on an unallocated route, shows the full temporary display galore, with two route numbers and a destination. This bus is normally found on 44, 270, 280 and 163.
(© Alisha Juszczyk)
Even though there were some display difficulties, the first day presentation for some buses were decent.
These two buses were ex-First London, bought by Go-Ahead London when they bought out Northumberland Park and Dagenham respectively. What used to be VN37878 and DMV44278 is now WVN45 and SEN37. Both at Merton Garage and having been refurbished after being reassigned from route losses (259 and 368, respectively).
(© Aubrey)
The route has returned to Merton Garage after 30 years, when it was ran out of Merton (AL) partly on Sundays. First weekday allocation at Merton for 37 years. Now back on a garage on line of route, it goes to the same operator as the other Kingston-Tooting bus route, the 57, having transferred in 2016 to Merton. Although through most of its life, the 131 has been based in the western end of the route. It is allocated ex-First WVN Volvo B9TLs, as well as native Volvo B9TLs.
Also allocated are some native Volvo B9TLs, with WVL483 seen here in Kingston Cromwell Road
(© Aubrey)
Freshly transferred from Stockwell was E226, running fully blinded on the 131 on the first day. The only ADL bus out of a sea of Volvo/Wright on the first day.
(© Aubrey)
The first day was full of curtailments, including Raynes Park, Shannon Corner, Wimbledon, New Malden (as seen above), Colliers Wood and Merton Garage. Thus, the whole set of curtailments seen in one day. Gaps of about 0-20 minutes were observed, and bunchings of up to 5 buses in Wimbledon were found on the first day. Notable amounts of traffic did not help the first day.
Finally, out of sheer coincidence, two buses ordered for bendy bus conversion for the 453 (E188) and 436 (E226) are now finding themselves in suburban London in the same place. E188 is now a Sutton bus, whilst E226 is a Merton bus, seen on the 213 and 131 respectively.
(© Aubrey)
Other than the messy start, Go-Ahead London has not seen any major issues in the running of the 131 since then. It has been quite a turn of tenders in the past few years in the South-West, with 57, 131 all going to Go-Ahead, whilst London United regained the 85. The use of existing buses surely helped the bid for GAL for both the 57 and 131 in bus procurement cost.
Text by Aubrey and Patrick
Photos by Aubrey, Patrick, Hassaan Chaudhry and Alisha Juszczyk.
All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2017
