London Buses.

[markcf83]

After a prolonged spell away, route 78 will be returning home to Peckham in December after Go Ahead London won the tender. Arriva London are the losers. Routes 72 and 189,plus their respective night services,are retained by London United and Metroline respectively. They will start their latest contracts later in the year and will retain their current buses. 

[markcf83]

News from London regarding the two routes run from Westbourne Park with Optare Metrodeckers. The 23 has been retained, however the C3 will return to Abellio later in the year. A new home will be required for the type at the inner London garage. 

[markcf83]

Some tender news. About a dozen routes had their immediate future decided this morning. Two of them,the 76 and 325 are to change operators with Go Ahead losing the 76 to Arriva London and same two operators swapping the 325, albeit the other way. Go Ahead have won the right to run the S2, which I think is based on the Sutton area though I have asked for clarification on this. 

Putney garage have held the 14,39 and 74 with the 39 gaining new electric buses. Starting dates vary from November to late March of next year. 

[markcf83]

Forgot to do this last week,but more tender results were announced last Monday. The highlights of them sees Stagecoach lose the 262 and 473 to Go Ahead London,who has also won the tender for the new 439 which is based on the Purley area. Abellio London has taken the E6 from Metroline. Both the 101 and 396 were retained by Go Ahead London on the basis of new electric buses. 

[markcf83]

Some more tender results from London,as well as reports of a possible garage closure.

First the tender results. Routes 20,58,97,215 and 277 are retained by Stagecoach London. Routes 58 and 277 will get new electric buses,the 215 will be given New Routemaster buses while the other two routes are to retain existing buses, which in the case of the 97 will involve having to take them from elsewhere presumably.

Abellio have held the 464, Metroline the 123 and 393. The 113, plus its Night Bus, will gain electric buses in due course. The 393 and 464 retain their existing midibuses.

Also,in light of several factors including the recent tender losses,it is being alleged that West Ham garage could be closed. I stress the COULD be closed. They currently run the 97, which is due to move to Lea Interchange on the commencement of its new tender.

All tender contracts start in February or March next year save for the 464 which starts in May.

[markcf83]

Routes 143,253 and 254-plus the N253-have all been retained by their current operators. The 143, retained by Metroline, will gain new electric buses while the 253,254 and N253 keep their New Routemasters with Arriva London. Those contracts start in June of next year.

[markcf83]

Some more news from London where the fates of a number of routes were decided this morning.

Routes 306 and S3 have been won by Abellio-their current operators are Metroline and London United respectively. Alos on the move is the 379 which goes from Go Ahead London to Stagecoach,presumably their Walthamstow garage.

Routes 206,210,382,C11,W7 and W8 are all held by Metroline.

To the best of my knowledge this batch of routes is the first to be entirely planned to be fully electric buses.

All these routes are due to start their contracts in 2024,the earliest being the 379 in March and the latest being the 210 which goes over to electric buses in September of next year-this will involve fitting charging points at Cricklewood garage which is the second biggest within Metroline to Holloway. 

[2206]

Saw 2 Stagecoach London red streetdecks on the Small Heath Highway at about 12:30 this afternoon.

[suavegarv]

Saw Stagecoach London Electroliner 82007e parked in the bus lay-by at the Wheatsheaf,Sheldon this afternoon. It drove off just as I approached it to get some photos 😤. It had 199 "Catford bus garsge" destination on it.

[DavidT046]

two more streetdecks passed morrisons on Coventry road around lunchtime 19.09.2023 think one was 3032 both 73 plates.

[markcf83]

Saw Stagecoach London Electroliner 82007e parked in the bus lay-by at the Wheatsheaf,Sheldon this afternoon. It drove off just as I approached it to get some photos 😤. It had 199 "Catford bus garsge" destination on it.

Catford are expecting about fourteen of them. The rest of them are for Romford and route 86. 

[markcf83]

Announced this week were the result of tenders for the 260 and 302 at Willesden. The latest contract starts in June 2024 but unusually only for three years. 

[markcf83]

Some more tender news and a garage closure announcement too.

First the tender news. Routes 130,131,201,280,314,320,R68 and R70 have all been retained by the current operators who include Go Ahead London, Abellio London and Stagecoach London. Existing buses will be used on the 130,201 and R68 while new electric buses are the order for the rest. All are due to begin their next contracts next year across the summer.

Arriva London have also confirmed that they will be pulling out of Ash Grove when the 78 goes to Go Ahead London in December. The 254 will move the short distance to Clapton and will effectively leave Ash Grove in the hands of Stagecoach London. 

[markcf83]

As James May might say-it's GOOD NEWS. The One Day Travelcard has been saved after Sadiq Khan concluded a deal with the London TOC's to retain it. Full details on the London Standard website-and if someone could post the link to it for others to see, thanks. 

[markcf83]

Routes 328,481 and C1 had new tender announcements this morning. The 481 goes from London United to Metroline-presumably Brentford-while the 328 and C1 stay with Metroline and London United respectively. All will use existing buses,which presumably means Volvos at Brentford. The start dates are in May 24(for the 481) and June 24 for the other two.