MetroBromley Road

From 27th July 2019, Metrobus operate all of the main day components of the Bromley Road corridor (208 and 320), with the 208 now passing into the hands of Go-Ahead London from Orpington (MB). New ADL E40H/Enviro 400MMC buses were ordered, and delivered for the route.

EH313 passing Petts Wood Morrisons
© Aubrey Morandarte

Between 1997 and 2019, the 208 has had an uninterrupted association with Bromley (TB), and along with Catford (TL), the route had been only operated by these two garages throughout the route's history. It was spawned from the 94 in 1982, and since then has linked Orpington with Lewisham via Bromley and Petts Wood.


10143 showing the old allocation from when it was fairly new in 2013.
© Aubrey Morandarte

Thus throughout its history, the route had been under Selkent and later Stagecoach London control post-privatisation. It was one of the last routes to have a split service, with a through service running through between Lewisham and Orpington only running full time from 2010 as the 320 was extended from Bromley to Catford to relieve the 208. Thus for the route to move to Metrobus would reunite the route with the other main day route on the Bromley Road corridor.


EH321 running a short service to Downham
© Aubrey Morandarte

The Enviro 400Hs are with capacitors, and are one of the last newer buses to be specified without USB charging points. A fleet of 17 EHs (EH311-327) were ordered for the route, as per usual hybrid double decker orders for Go-Ahead London. The buses have strayed onto other routes, including the 320 already, but the 208 usually keeps its allocated buses so far.


A Bexleyheath allocated E245 allocated for the 89 on the 51
© Aubrey Morandarte

The gain of Route 208 has moved the 51 to Bexleyheath (BX) in order to make room for the 208. This has led to strays of GAL buses which could feasibly have ran on the 51 prior to the route being lost by London Central in 2008 to Stagecoach, e.g. 56 reg Es. It has also led to strays of the ex-Abellio and ex-Tower Transit Enviro 400s allocated for the 51 on other Bexleyheath routes.


EH312 descending the hill at Bromley Court Hotel
© Aubrey Morandarte

The EHs do enter hillier parts of London, including Bromley Hill. The performance of these buses on hills can be fairly good due to the torque of the electric part of the hybrid system. Otherwise, they are the usual, run of the mill, Enviro 400MMC bodied E40H buses as per seen with other places in London with GAL.


Recent gains by Go-Ahead from Stagecoach: WVL416 on the 51 passing EH321 on the 208
© Aubrey Morandarte

This is one of quite a few recent gains from Stagecoach that include the 51, 227 and R5/R10, showing strong performances by the former Metrobus division of the Go-Ahead London in recent tenders. The base at Green Street Green is not far off from Orpington, which has been a Metrobus stronghold for many years, only strengthening with this gain from Stagecoach.

Post by Aubrey Morandarte

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