Old Kent Invasion

The expansion of Metroline continues, with the secondary effect (or cause) of the 16's conversion to the political weapon (Borismaster).

Metroline TEH1233 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (© Aubrey)

The 168 moved to Metroline under a guessing game of what garage would it be based from. In the end, it was Cricklewood.


Metroline TEH1457 on Route 168, Waterloo (© Aubrey)

There was also some speculation as to the type of buses used by the 168. It turns out it is using the buses displaced from the 16 - ADL Enviro 400Hs.


Metroline TEH1462 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (© Jacek)

The service is an average service, with a few gaps, which isn't surprising considering it is cross-Central London. Also, due to the traffic prone areas it serves, the service provided is decent. Well done Metroline.


Metroline TEH1459 on Route 168, Waterloo Bridge (© Aubrey)

Notably, this does mean that the 68 group (68/168/468/X68) has finally left Arriva completely, as the 68/468/X68 had been with Arriva as well as the 168, before the 68/468/X68 moved to London Central in 2006.


Metroline TEH1227 on Route 168, Old Kent Road Tesco (CC Aubrey)

Overall, not a bad changeover, even though the turnaround of these buses was quite quick between the LT conversion and the TEHs moving to the 168. The 32 had to have TPs temporarily whilst buses were re-blinded, but this is receding as TAs take over along with more TEs.

Corridors of Platinum

More West Midlands stuff, National Express West Midlands has expanded their "premium" range of buses to more 9xx series routes, including more services to Walsall.

Routes 934, 935 and 936 are/were the services with a corridor to Kingstanding from Birmingham, before they go off in their merry ways to either Walsall or Brownhills. (CC Aubrey)

This group of bus routes are every 30 minutes individually, but collectively every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6740 on Route 934, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route 934 is in the lightest green, running between Birmingham and Walsall via Kingstanding, Pheasey and Barr Beacon. It isn't the fastest bus route to Walsall, by any means (the X51 is).


NX West Midlands 6749 on Route 935, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

The 935 is the route between Birmingham and Walsall via Kingstanding, Streetly and Barr Beacon. Some buses are numbered 935A at certain times, running to Brownhills instead of Walsall. These journeys will be renumbered to 937A once the 937 is introduced.


NX West Midlands 6753 on Route 935, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

There are obviously many more Platinum routes from Walsall other than the 934/5/6 (i.e. the 997 and X51), so there are a few "generic" Platinum buses for all routes. There are 10 generic buses at Walsall.


NX West Midlands 6743 on Route 936, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route 936 will have a very short time being Platinum, with the route being practically replaced by new Route 937 (which replaces Diamond's 56). The 937 becomes the main service into Brownhills.

NX West Midlands 6746 on Route 936, Moor Street
(© Anthony Gumm/'King of Transport' - used with permission)

The route is to become a surrogate of Route 934/937, being the peak hours service on Route 934 (in the peak direction) before going to Brownhills via the 937. The 937 meanwhile runs on the old Diamond route 56, which is via Kingstanding, Streetly and Aldridge.
This also makes the branding one of the most short-lived route branding I've seen, as they have to change it to show the 937 as well (that is Platinum from new)! 


NX West Midlands 6750 on Route 936 & 6755 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

This shows the difference between the branded and unbranded buses of the Platinum service, and also brings us nicely to the two other Platinum services at Walsall Garage:


The 997 and X51, with jointly route branded buses.
NX West Midlands 6729 on Route 997 and 6735 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Route X51 is the most frequent of the two, running every ten minutes direct between Walsall and Birmingham. The 997 is more indirect (especially at the northern end) and runs every 30 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6732 on Route 997E, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

However, the route runs every ten minutes between Birmingham and Pheasey. This means that most journeys run as 997E. In peak hours, however, the 997 runs through every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6758 on Route 934 and 6728 on Route X51, Walsall (© Aubrey)

Route X51 takes 35 minutes (timetabled, off-peak) between Walsall and Birmingham and is every 10 minutes.


NX West Midlands 6755 on Route X51, Moor Street (© Aubrey)

Other than that they are based at Walsall Depot, it's the same treatment of high backed seating, next stop information and wi-fi as the other Platinum buses. Albeit some of them with their partly obsolete branding. Nice!

Similar Blinds, DIFFERENT ROUTE

Yeah...

Metroline LT559 on Route 16, Victoria (© Aubrey)

The first LT route to be converted to solely OPO LTs, the 16 was another one of those conversions that was "already on the blinds". The blinds are to what seems to be the new standard for LTs.


Metroline LT555 on Route 16, Victoria (© Aubrey)

Otherwise, it just seems to be a normal conversion, with the buses gradually being introduced, albeit faster than usual due to the 168 change using its old buses.


Metroline LT559 on Route 16, Victoria (CC Aubrey)

This conversion led to the 168 getting hybrid Enviro 400s off the 16, and consequently, the 32 for a short time had a few Trident/Presidents. Ironically, this conversion finished before the 88 conversion finished!


Metroline LT545 on Route 16, Victoria (CC Aubrey)

The 16 is just a route that makes a beeline to Marble Arch on the Edgware Road, then just follows Park Lane and eventually ends up at Victoria. So not many turns north of Central London for these LTs to be caught on. Overall, prime candidate for the LT. Short post, too.