The World's End is Green

A green (environmentally friendly) bus, with green poles, on a route to Golders Green.


Tower Transit VH38117 on Route 328, Fortune Green (© Anthony)

Right next to a green, etc.
Yeah, it's the 328 getting new buses, the Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3. Similar to the previous post showing ones on the 94, they even encounter each other at Notting Hill Gate. However, as shown, these buses have the new blind style, and this is highlighting that this bus is not going to the World's End pub, but rather Redcliffe Gardens (still in Chelsea).


Tower Transit VH38115 on Route 328, Westbourne Park (© Aubrey)

There are 25 buses (VH38112-38136) for the 328, and are currently found on its allocated route for nearly all of the time.


Tower Transit VH38115 on Route 328, Notting Hill Gate (© Anthony)

Route 328, the child of routes 28 and 31, well known for being the corridor where Routemasters were replaced by minibuses, essentially, are now an all-double deck corridor run by Tower Transit from Westbourne Park Garage. The business unit itself is the descendant of Centrewest, which oversaw the single decking and re-double decking. The 328, formed from the northern bit of the 28 and the southern bit of the 31, is interestingly the route in this corridor to get a second batch of new double deckers.


Tower Transit VH38116 on Route 328, Fortune Green (© Aubrey)

There have been strays of these buses onto the N97, but they are blinded for most Tower Transit double decker routes.


Tower Transit VH38113 blinded for Route 70, Westbourne Park (© Tommy Cooling)

Route 70, a single decker route, is also included in the double decker blinds. Could we see future B5LHs go on the 70, or the 70 gaining a double decker conversion? Hopefully, because the 70 does get quite busy. The photo shows what it could look like, blinded enroute back from being on display at Brooklands.

This set of B5LHs are, as you expect, are pretty just like the other lot that have been ordered for other companies across London. Compared to the other B5LHs that Tower Transit have, on the 212, these buses are just as good. Overall, they seem to be decent buses, and will hopefully serve well for the 328 and any other bus routes they end up on.

More Green Buses to Acton Green

London United, along with London Sovereign (RATP London), have introduced a new fleet numbering system for their fleet. This adds extra numbers to denote what the fleet code already does anyway, to help with engineering (this batch seems to have an extra "451" added before its presumed fleetnumber). Some of the first buses to display the new fleet numbers are the new Volvo B5LHs for Route 94 at Shepherd's Bush (S).

London United VH45156 on Route 94, Acton Green (© Aubrey)

Under the old system, this VH would be called VH56. Initially, some of these buses were delivered with their old fleet numbers.
This batch is the first of the Gemini 3s with the new style front, meaning that the Hounslow Heath hybrids will be a one-off with the old style front. It is anticipated that this type will be ordered for future use with London United, including Route 85 (which the buses are already being delivered).


London United VH45158 on Route 94, Acton Green (© Aubrey)

The blinds are however not white, nor to the new standard. As they are new buses ordered not against a new contract but rather the existing 94 contract, there is no regulation stating that the blinds need to be white on black, nor in the new format.


London United VH45157 on Route 94, Acton Green (© Aubrey)

This is the second batch of hybrid buses for Route 94, after the first batch doesn't cover the whole PVR of the 94. This replaces the rest of the TLAs that were on the route. However, some Tridents still stray onto the route.


London United VH45155 on Route 94, Notting Hill Gate (© Aubrey)

It also has the new London United interior, complete with new moquette. The grey floors as seen in the older VHs are aimed towards this new moquette. It is assumed amongst drivers that if/when the Hammersmith Bridge works occur, the 72 will gain similar buses.


London United VH45159 on Route 94 passes Metroline VWH2017 on Route 7, Oxford Street (© Aubrey)

This photo shows the comparison between the old and new fronts of Gemini 3. This batch of Gemini 3 also exhibits more red amongst the headlamp clusters and the window surrounds compared to older batches.


London United VH45160 on Route 94, Acton Green (© Aubrey)

Overall, these buses seem to be a decent ride, and shift like a usual Volvo B5LH. After many uses of the Gemini 3 upper deck, it does not seem as claustrophobic as before, even with the smaller windows.

Picture Archive Post 46

Blue Triangle LDP205 on Route W19, Walthamstow Central, 24/03/12 (© Aubrey)

This bus started out as part of a batch for Sutton Garage in early 2002, running on routes such as the 151. It was transferred in May 2006 for the 200 at Merton, when Centra London failed in running the route. It went back to Sutton in March 2007. In November 2011, the bus was transferred to Blue Triangle's Rainham Garage (BE) for routes such as this W19. It had since moved as a spare for many garages, including Stockwell, New Cross (working only 225), Bexleyheath, Merton (again, for the 200, 163 and 164), Metrobus Green Street Green, Rainham (again) and finally by November 2015, it is where it is currently - at Camberwell Garage as a spare for routes such as the 355, 360, P5.

Route W19 started out as a Ilford-Walthamstow Central service run by First Thamesway on the 8th May 2000. It only ran Monday-Saturday except evenings. It was temporarily at First Thamesway, as it was moved to First Capital at Dagenham from September 2000. It was extended to Waltham Forest Council Depot in December 2001. In March 2002, it moved garage to Rainham (R), and in September 2003, the route was extended to Walthamstow, Argall Avenue Industrial Estate. A new contract with Docklands Buses from 25th November 2006 saw the introduction of a curtailed evening and Sunday service between Ilford and St James' Street. New ADL Dart/MCV Evolutions were used. After the Go-Ahead takeover, bus routes between Docklands Buses and Blue Triangle were swapped. One such swap was the W19, moving to Blue Triangle at Rainham (BE), where it is still today. The allocation for the W19 currently is any single decker that can fit around the route, but mainly the allocated MCV Evolutions that have mostly been refurbished/re-painted and are still at Rainham for the route.