Picture Archive Post 78 & Happy New Year!

First London WM47400 on Route 228, White City, 01/12/12
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Route 228 is one of the newest bus routes in London, starting in January 2009 with Enviro 200s from Willesden Junction (WJ). Operated by First Centrewest until June 2013, it moved to Metroline West thereafter. It was introduced to increase connectivity with the new Westfield Shopping Centre. It is the only bus service which travels through the shopping complex, and serves the Old Oak Common rail depots, providing a then new link between East Acton and Willesden Junction. This area soon will be developed as part of the Old Oak Common regeneration scheme.
From 19th January 2019, this scene will be the allocation, as new Streetlites will be the allocation for Route 228, as Tower Transit will take over operation from Westbourne Park (X).

DRZ6181 started out as a First London demonstrator of the then new Wrightbus Streetlite. It originally ran on Route 187, 226, 228 from Willesden Junction (WJ). Delivered in December 2011, it was initially supposed to be delivered to Lea Interchange to run on the 236. It ran in London service for just less than two years, returning back to the lessors in February 2013, just before the transfer of WJ to Metroline in June 2013.

The bus then resurfaced in March 2015, as a spare bus for Route 444 ironically at Lea Interchange (LI/HO). However, as First left London in 2013, it was operated by Tower Transit, as seen below. It lasted in service until February 2018, where it has been replaced as a spare bus. Ironically, it has spent some service time on Route 236, the original route the bus was intended for!


Tower Transit WV44700 on Route 444, Turnpike Lane Station, 07/03/2015
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

2018 has been a fairly decent year, covering London mainly this year. Unfortunately, the author is currently medically unable to cover transport changes until March 2019, but the time will be spent finishing posts which were incomplete in 2018. Thank you all, and we shall return stronger in 2019!

Happy New Year from the WLTMTB team!

Post by Aubrey Morandarte

All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2018-2019

Another 25 cut, but Tower are equal

Tower Transit's 25 route has been dealt a second substantial cut during the second half of 2018. In September the Ilford to Mile End short workings were withdrawn albeit alongside a revamped 425 between Clapton and Ilford, with vehicles following suit. The peak vehicle requirement (PVR) on the 25 dropped from 59 to 40.

VN37953 on diversion passed St. Paul's highlights the 25s previous terminal point of Oxford Circus.
© Tommy Cooling

From December, the 25 was withdrawn from running between Oxford Circus, Holles Street and Holborn Circus/City Thameslink Station. The night part of the route however still continues to Oxford Circus, and has been renumbered as an N25. This change of the route has seen the PVR drop further from 40 to 32. The PVR saving of 27 has been absorbed by Tower Transit with the revamp of the 425 and the tender win of the 452.

DN33652 shows the new terminus for the 25, as it passes through Bank.
© Tommy Cooling

On the same date as the 25s cutback, the West London division of Tower Transit were having a more successful time with the taking over of route 452 between Kensal Rise and Vauxhall from Abellio London, using vehicles made spare from the 25s recent cuts.

Abellio London E400 9426 on the 452 at Notting Hill Gate showing the 452s old home of Wandsworth Road.
© Tommy Cooling



Tower Transit VN36124 on the 452 at Kensal Rise.
© Tommy Cooling

Tower Transit VN36106 on the 452 at Kensal Rise.
© 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

Central London route changes Part Four

On Saturday 24th November, RATP-dev London United's Route 10 became the first Central London bus route to be cut in its entirety in conjunction with the Oxford Street and Central London bus consultations by TfL. With the aim of removing "excess" bus routes [capacity] off London's flagship shopping street, it was decided that Routes 10 and 23 would be merged at Marble Arch to form a new route running between Westbourne Park and Hammersmith. The former sections of each route, the 23 from Marble Arch to Aldwych and the 10 from Marble Arch to King's Cross, would be withdrawn and no longer served. Marble Arch to Aldwych is still be achievable on one bus by using Route 6, or with a short walk to use Route 139. Marble Arch to King's Cross would still be achievable on Route 390.

These route changes leaves the British Museum unserved by London's famous red buses, and plenty of ordinary punters out in the cold at Marble Arch when their bus from Westbourne Park or Hammersmith fails to find Oxford Street. This was in fact the second recent iteration of Route 23, having only been withdrawn between Liverpool Street and Aldwych in late 2017.


The final London United Route 10 was LT166 in the early hours of November 24th, followed by DN33784 on the first new Tower Transit 23.

TT DN33777 on the 23 to Liverpool Street at Ludgate Circus in June 2017, prior to being cut back to Aldwych.
© Tommy Cooling

TT VNW32416 on the 23 to Aldwych on Oxford Street in October 2017, after being cut back from Liverpool Street.
© Tommy Cooling

TT DNH39126 on the 23 passes RATP London United LT83 on the 10 along Oxford Street, a scene no longer possible.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/30821636057/in/album-72157664460961351/
© Tommy Cooling

RATP London United LT85 under the Oxford Street lights, in the last few days on Route 10.

© Tommy Cooling

RATP London United LT80 passes the British Museum, now no longer served by a red London bus.
© Tommy Cooling



RATP London United LT163 with Russell Square in the background, on Bedford Place no longer served by a TfL bus route.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/45755943451/in/album-72157665247070991/
© Tommy Cooling

The new route, which now runs from Westbourne Park to Hammersmith kept the 23 route number, and stayed with the 23s operator, Tower Transit, at Westbourne Park (X), as well as keeping its previous E40H DNH allocation. London United's Route 10 was withdrawn in its entirety, and its allocation swapped to Route 27 causing further fleet reshuffles inside London United.

TT DNH39118 on the 23 at Paddington, heading for its new home at Hammersmith.
© Tommy Cooling

The previous 27 allocation.
RATP ADH[450]36 on the 27 at Notting Hill Gate.
© Tommy Cooling

The new 27 allocation using the former Route 10 LTs.
RATP LT81 on the 27 opposite St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington.
© 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