New Solo stock arrives

Wednesday 19th September saw Metroline’s new slimline Optare Solo SRs enter service on the Hampstead Garden Suburb routes, H2 & H3. They have also become the company’s first “68” registered vehicles. Originally ordered for the contract which began in June, having been won from Arriva London (at Garston), the delivery date for the new vehicles slipped later and later.

 

In June Metroline had to hire the existing Arriva buses on loan and run a temporary schedule on the 631, the new vehicles on having a lower capacity requires an extra 631 trip to meet the existing.

 

The six Solos, OS2499-2504, are also unique in having LED destination screens as opposed to the standard roller blind system. Being the slimline version, the vehicles are too small to fit the smartblind units in, with LEDs being the only option. They also feature moquette fitted headrests, a luxury on the standard London bus!

Having arrived over the weekend of the 8-9th September, one Solo, OS2500, was readied to be taken to Metroline's Holloway Open Day on Saturday 15th as a special guest showing off the latest addition to the fleet. A suitable LED display was also drawn up for the occasion!

All six are now in service, however on Mondays to Fridays they are restricted to the H2. The Monday to Friday H3 has crosslinked trips in the morning and afternoon with the 631 school route. The new Solos have a slightly reduced capacity than the Arriva model, and such the "new" 631 requires additional trips to maintain the capacity. The "new" schedule is due to begin after the October half term when the last of the loaned Arriva Solos will be stood down, and the H2, H3 & 631 will be 100% converted to the new Solos fleet.

OS2502, OS2500, OS2499 & OS2501 lined up inside Cricklewood Garage, having had their LEDs updated.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/30723173428/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

OS2500 was one of the surprise guests at the Holloway Open Day, and even had an LED screen for it to match!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/43060554290/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

OS2502 & OS2504 at Golders Green on their first day in passenger service, on the H2 & H3.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44780548041/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

OS2504 in Golders Green on the H3.
An Arriva Solo is still being used on this route due to the crosslinks with the 631, and school loading capacity concerns.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/30927474098/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

OS2501 in Golders Green on the H2.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44772367092/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

OS2502 in the Garden Suburb on the H2 towards Golders Green.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44882666781/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

 

OS2504 in the Garden Suburb on the H2 towards Golders Green.
Despite the concentration of housing, the area still retains a very village-like feeling.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/29945826197/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

 

 

Post by Tommy Cooling

Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission

Picture Archive Post 75

London General 8306 on Route 100, St Paul's, 20/09/2014
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

8306 was originally Travel London's DP306, ordered for Route 100 in September 2004 from their then newest base of Walworth (WL). It stayed with the 100, even with the contract moving to London General (Go-Ahead London). As their Enviro 200s were not delivered for the start of the 100 contract, they leased the existing buses from Abellio London. Based at Mandela Way (MW), this arrangement lasted until the new buses entered service. Once this had taken place, it was withdrawn from Abellio London service in May 2015. It is now found in the West Midlands, operating for Thandi.

This bus is seen at a place that it no longer serves, as the 100 was truncated to Barbican, London Wall/Museum of London.
This however, is still longer than the original route, having run only between Liverpool Street and Shadwell upon introduction in June 1989. Under sectorisation, it moved from Clapton (CT) to Bow (BW) in 1990, thus falling under East London (and eventually Stagecoach East London). 1992 saw the route move to Stratford (SD), and 1998 saw new Dennis Dart SLFs for the route. 18th September 1999 saw the route be extended to its longest extent, Elephant & Castle to Shadwell. Travel London, then reentering the London tendering market for the second time, gained the 100 off Stagecoach in September 2004, with the Darts as seen above. New Enviro 200s arrived in 2010 in order to supplement the Darts. After the loss of the 100 to Go-Ahead on September 2014, the allocation temporarily moved to cover the lack of new Enviro 200s. Once those new buses entered service, the ex-Abellio buses returned to their owner. The 100 was truncated to Barbican on 8th April 2017, replaced by the 388 being extended to Elephant & Castle.

Ironically, under the future TfL Central London cuts, the 388 will be truncated to Finsbury Circus, thus the 100 will return to St Paul's. Considering the 100 was cut back in 2017, it seems that planners are messing heavily with financial implications for the 100 contract, as well as the general public. Although, extending the 100 may not require more than 1 extra bus, as it is a very short distance between Barbican and St Paul's.

Post by Aubrey.

All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2018

Metroline Swaps

Saturday 1st September also saw three Metroline routes reallocated garages, two of them returning to their former homes.

With the H12 disappearing back to London Sovereign, it was decided that the 186 should move back into Harrow Weald to take the space and drivers of the H12. The Edgware allocation of the N5 needed to move with it so Harrow Weald does not exceed capacity at night times.
To then avoid leaving a hole in work at Edgware, the 32 was moved five miles up to A5 from Cricklewood. The hole at Cricklewood gets filled by the 168 in October, which will be a convenient move to give Holloway more room to begin works for the 43 electric charging points, and latterly the contract win of the 393.

32 TA657 in Cricklewood.
TAs and LTs will sadly no longer form any part of the 32s allocation.
© Tommy Cooling

32 TE1100 at Edgware Bus Station.
The allocation now comprises mainly of TEHs at Edgware from the 113, and the occasional TE.
© Tommy Cooling



186 TEH1228 in Harrow.
The 186 ADL era is now over and a Wrightbus chapter is now born.
© Tommy Cooling

186 VW1468 in Harrow Town Centre.
20 VWs were transferred into Harrow Weald for the 186 and 640.
© Tommy Cooling

186 VWH2216 in Harrow Town Centre.
 Some of the hybrid HD fleet have been treated to new blinds for 186 flexibility, and the N5 which must be hybrid.
© Tommy Cooling

N5 TEH1110 at Trafalgar Square.
The N5 will now use VWHs from Harrow Weald.
© Tommy Cooling



113 VMH2437 at Edgware Bus Station.
In order to release TEHs for the 32, the VMH class is progressively being introduced onto the 113.
© Tommy Cooling

Post by Tommy Cooling
Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission

Tempo-rary Quality

OT30210 seen at Lower Morden on the first day of RATP service enroute to Epsom.
(© Alisha Juszczyk)

After an absence of nearly 10 years, Quality Line has returned to running Route 293. However the formerly independent Quality Line operation is now part of the RATP Group, and integrated into the RATP London operations. As before, the route is run from their sole base in Epsom, with the award including one hybrid Enviro 400 for the school journey.


ADH45006 approaching the end of the school journey at Morden.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The hybrid Enviro 400 comes from Route 94, made free after the 94 was reduced in frequency. This will be the oddball in the Epsom fleet at the moment, being the sole hybrid bus there. At time of writing, the bus was one of the few that were transferred to Stamford Brook for the 27, then moved in August 2018 to Epsom in preparation for the 293. As this is the only double decker with 293 blinds, this bus has been the rigid allocation for the school journeys.


OT30234 shows its London United pedigree with its logos, at the end of the route at Morden.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Currrently, the 293 is borrowing Optare Tempos from Route H37, with Scania Omnicities replacing the Citaros on the 203, allowing the H37 to have Enviro 200s, Citaros and the remaining Optare Tempos. All these buses have had their legals changed, and their logos are mostly changed.


OT30212 starts a journey to Epsom General Hospital at Morden.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

New 11.3m Enviro 200MMCs are currently delayed for the route, and will be introduced once prepared for service. They will replace these Optare Tempos. This delay is part of a larger delay of Alexander-Dennis buses for RATP's new gains (including 288, 303, H18, H19).

Hopefully, Quality Line will run a quality service on their 293, even if their buses may not be to the highest quality.

Post by Aubrey Morandarte
Photos by Alisha Juszczyk and Aubrey Morandarte

All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2018
Please do not reproduce any images without permission