Watford Gap Services: Metrobus's new arrivals

Credit to Steve Buckley for allowing me to host these Pictures! Below are two new Dennis E200s for 'R' Routes R1 and R11 which were successfully retained by Metrobus on the 23rd Of May 2011 with the contract starting on the 3rd Of December 2011. The new Buses are part of a batch of 16 new vehicles that will be based at Orpington Depot (MB) and will replace the elderly Darts that currently operate on the Route.

Metrobus 165 YX61 ENF

Pictured at Watford Gap Services in Northampton, the Buses have just completed the first half of their journey from Plaxton's Plant in Scarborough to Orpington in which they will go via ADL Harlow for a minor check up then to the headquarters in Crawley for appraisal by the Metrobus managers and directors before they reach their final destination of Orpington...Quite a long journey if you ask me. The new Buses are 8.9m and are of course built to the new W.T.A Specification which sees the addition of nearside and offside side lights and the introduction of an offside door. The new specification on Alexander Dennis E200s results in the new 8.9 models no longer having the offside emergency exit situated at the rear of the bus this is due to the new  EU regulations. So to make up for this it has been positioned centrally. Interestingly Metrobus's other  E200s also have this exact layout but they were delivered this way in order to accommodate the for the size of the huge MAN engine.

Metrobus 163 YX61 ENC

I must stress that these photos are not property of the Circle Of London Blog and must not be re-used prior to gaining permission from their owner Steve Buckley , if you would like more high quality pictures from his collection then I'd suggest you visit here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36343393@N08/