London Buses.

[markcf83]

Some more news from London.

Firstly I forgot to mention that Sullivan was the operator of the 327 in outer North London. As of yet I have no idea who is to take it on. 

Secondly the 427 was held by Abellio London in today's sole tender news. The contract is for three years and will commence in April of next year using the current buses at their Southall garage. 

[markcf83]

Little update. It appears the 327 is to be run by Metroline,who run the 491-on which in the past has interworked with thr 327.  It also appears WH is running the 549-again-and AG the W9.  

[markcf83]

Further fallout form the Sullivan Buses saga is the news confirmed at lunchtime that schoolbus routes 605,606,617 and 629 are to be run by Metroline from the end of the month. Not known yet which garage but expect Potters Bar to run some of them.

[markcf83]

Further fallout form the Sullivan Buses saga is the news confirmed at lunchtime that schoolbus routes 605,606,617 and 629 are to be run by Metroline from the end of the month. Not known yet which garage but expect Potters Bar to run some of them.

Potters Bar to run the 617 and 629, Edgware the 605 and 606. 

[markcf83]

Some news which was confirmed yesterday is that routes 18 and N18 have been held by London United. The new contract is due to start in November however the length and what type of buses has yet to be confirmed. However given the majority of the buses used on it are 67 reg Volvos and hybrid I wouldn't be surprised if they stay on for the immediate future.   

[markcf83]

Some tender news from London which was announced this morning.

I will start with some of the Sullivan Buses routes,two of which were advertised for quick tender and they are the 327 and W9,both of which Metroline will run from Potters Bar with existing buses-indeed the contract for the 327 starts THIS WEEKEND and that for the W9 in late September. I can only assume they will have their new buses for the 382 due very shortly but will enquire about this. 

The other two routes were retained by their current operators. Route 45 is held by Abellio at Walworth using the existing Hybrid Enviros and will start in February. Go Ahead have retained then 171 and N171 at New Cross with new electric buses on order for those busy services. The new contract for this will start in late April-by which time hopefully some work will have been carried out on the process to fit charging points at this huge garage over and above the two they currently have for their share of the 108.  

[Mayfield]

Noticed one of the DEM269? of Metroline today, looks so strange in all over red with no black relieve apart from destination surround

[markcf83]

Lots of news from London today, which I have just learned of.

Two routes are to change hands. Metroline's short lived operation of the 31 and N31 will be coming to an end next April when it returns to Westbourne Park having been won by London Transit, part of London United. Electric buses are the order for both.

The other route to move is the G1 in South London. Abellio has regain the route from Go Ahead London and will be starting it in May of next year with new electric midibuses, possibly more Metrocities though obviously not confirmed.

Elsewhere routes 263 and 270 are to get new electric buses having been retained by Metroline and Abellio respectively. The 125, already operating electric buses,was held by London Sovereign at Edgware.

Existing hybrids are the order of the day for routes 274,335 and 460 with existing buses to stay on the 331 at Uxbridge. By my reckoning that's about 80 percent of their work tendered in the last year and all of it was held.

Dates for all these vary from February (125) to August of next year (139).

[markcf83]

Noticed one of the DEM269? of Metroline today, looks so strange in all over red with no black relieve apart from destination surround

They're being refurbished gradually.

[markcf83]

Some tender news to bring you this evening.

All of the 37,390, SL5 and SL7 have been retained by their current operators.

Route 37 is held by Go Ahead London and will stay at Peckham using existing hybrids and it includes the night bus too. This latest contract starts in May of next year.

Also held with the existing buses is the 390, which is run by Metroline from Holloway. It too has a night bus and will keep its NB4L buses with the contract starting at the end of August next year.

Arriva London has held the SL5, which is to be run by Croydon. Interesting to note it will get new electric double decker buses as currently it is operated with Enviro midibuses. This will begin in April of next year although I don't think the buses will be ready by then.

Also to begin in April of next year is the SL7. This very busy route, which could do with a night bus to be honest,links Croydon to Heathrow airport via Sutton and Kingston and is retained by Go Ahead London from their Croydon garage with an extra bus added.

[markcf83]

Also of interest is a new route to run through the yet to be completed Silvertown tunnel which Stagecoach London is to operate for cyclists. No dates for this have been announced but existing buses are to be used.

[markcf83]

This was announced last Friday, so I am declaring it on here today. 

Stagecoach London has retained both the 25-which once had a peak requirement of 64 when converted to OPO in 1988-and the 425 at Bow. The former keeps its existing buses however the 425 is to get new electric buses. There's a few rumours of the future location for the spare hybrids displaced from the 425,one of which involves staying at Bow for the 205 which has an identical peak requirement to the 425. The next contract for the 25 starts in May,the 425 in July. Also held is the N25 which keeps the same buses as the 25.

Arriva London has likewise retained the 73 and its night bus, the N73 at Clapton. They are to keep the NB4L buses currently on it and this will take them through to 2030 with a new five year contract due to begin in August. There is a downside to this as five buses are being sliced off the peak requirement which probably will cover any refurbishment they've got coming. 

[markcf83]

More news from London.

Firstly I will start with another ex Sullivan route that was operated by another company on a short term basis,the 217. Go Ahead London has won a one year contract to run the service starting in November and will be using existing buses for now. 

The other route to swap companies is the 485, which currently is run by Go Ahead London. Abellio has won this one and will be using new electric buses. Also to get new electric buses are routes 60,312,405 and 466-all held by Arriva London at Croydon and bar the 312 are getting new double decker buses. (The 312 is getting new single decker buses owing to a low height bridge carrying the London to Brighton main line near its terminus) Also retained,by Stagecoach London,is the 499 in Romford. It is to keep its existing buses for 3 years. 

Apart from the 217 contract all the others are to start from May of next year with the majority of them in August and September. 

[markcf83]

Lots to report today. 

Firstly an update on Sullivan Buses. It's being reported that a number of the Enviros delivered for the 217 when they won it from Metroline in 2017 are being sold to Brighton and Hove. Indeed one of them is apparently there already.

Onto the latest route tender news now. Metroline has won the 258 from London United and will be using existing diesel buses for the three years of its contract which starts in February. No idea which garage is to run it yet though it does pass the doors to Harrow Garage.

The rest were retained by their current operators. Route 412 at Arriva London's Croydon garage, together with the associated 685 schools only route, will join others in being operated with new electric buses,as will the U5 at the Hayes garage of Abellio although the existing buses are to be used. 

Also held are the 415,with Abellio using the NB4L buses at Walworth,the 434 which Go Ahead London has held from it's Croydon garage and the 293 which London United has held at Tolworth. 

These are due to start their latest contracts next year starting in early February and throughout the first half of next year. 

[markcf83]

Onto the latest route tender news now. Metroline has won the 258 from London United and will be using existing diesel buses for the three years of its contract which starts in February. No idea which garage is to run it yet though it does pass the doors to Harrow Garage.

Confirmed to be running from Harrow Weald. 

Also of interest,the moving to Cricklewood of the 266 in early December will require the C11 to move to Holloway along with about 20 Enviro midis and this in turn will necessitate the reopening-in part-of their outstation at Kings Cross for part of the 30 and 274.