London Recap - September 2015

Camberwell Garage Open Day
An open day was held at Camberwell Garage on Saturday 5th September, featuring a yard crammed full of a wide variety of vehicles, possibly the best from an a open day I have been too.

A line up of the newer vehicles within the Go-Ahead London Fleet, from left to right we have Ei 2, an Irizar I8 electric bus, then WHV55 a Wrightbus Gemini 3/Volvo B5LH and on the end EB 2 another BYD Electric bus.

Ensignbus MD60 also attended the event and is seen here having worked part of the Route 36 from Paddington to Camberwell Green.

Some of the older vehicles present, but can anyone spot the odd one out...

Willesden Garage Open Day - Saturday 19th September
Two weeks after Camberwell came Willesden, a yearly event held by Metroline, traditionally much smaller than other events with a small selection of buses outside used on services around the local area and few more buses inside a static display's. There is always a large number of stalls which are always worth having a look at.

An unusual combination...

Inside was a line up of mainly Routemasters with two RT's at the end.

The Return of the Suffix Part 2...

For two weekends a year London see's the return of suffixed routes, the first as featured in the August Recap was the Notting Hill Carnival Express Services (2X, 36X, 205X and 436X) but the lesser known part two normally happens a week later for the Gunnersbury Mela where London United provide a Route 65X between Ealing Broadway and Gunnersbury Park and return. SP111 is seen at Haven Green, Ealing Broadway on Sunday 6th September.

Latest batch of London United Wrightbus Gemini 3's

The Route 116 was converted to Double Deckers in September and was the second London United route to gain Wrightbus Gemini 3/Volvo B5LH's, following on from an earlier batch for the Route 285, these remained in the traditional design and one is seen here arriving Hounslow Bus Station.

The Special One...

Or it seems that way, September saw the return of Arriva The Shires ALX400 - 6123, following 16 months off the road. It returned in fully refurbished standard including the sapphire standard cream grab poles and full leather upholstery.

Route 312 becomes the first fully electric route in London.

A new contract started on the Route 312 in September, this included a frequency increase and subsequent PVR increase meaning more EMC's where needed, it also mean't that this was to become London's first fully electric route.

Latest NBFL Adverts
Strongbow Cloudy Apple Cider

This was actually a nationwide advertising campaign, with this advert appearing in full wrap form on a number of the buses around the country. But this one appears on one of the new routemasters from Stockwell, working on the Route 88

John Lewis 'Lemon' Home Store

Pepe Jeans 'Always London'

G-Star Jeans

John Lewis 'Pink' Home Store

New Go-Ahead Metrobus Mercedes...
September marks the start of the new registration period meaning that Go-Ahead Metrobus brand new style Mercedes Citaro's where the first London buses to feature the new 65 reg plates.

A new contract on the Route 358 sparked new buses, these would come in the form of brand new 65-reg new style Euro 6 Mercedes Citaro's. Unfortunately on the first day a number of buses suffered issues with their destination blinds, this was soon rectified.

Showbus 2015 - Woburn Abbey

The Annual showbus event this year took place at Woburn abbey and as always there was a number of London buses present including the new kids on the block Uno as well as two Stagecoach Enviro 400's, one of which was 'Spirit of London'

Tender Transfers - 168 Arriva to Metroline, 246 Stagecoach to Go-Ahead

The Route 246 was to transfer from Stagecoach to Go-Ahead London on but the buses for which transferred from Croydon to Orpington Garages a few days before, one such bus is seen here on the Route R2.

The Route 246 operates between Bromley North and just outside the TfL boundary to the Kent Village of Westerham and on Summer Sunday's in runs even further to Chartwell House.

Another Tender Transfer this month has been the Route 168 which changed hands between Arriva London and Metroline, this is one of the major inroads Metroline seem to be making in South London now making them the second biggest operator in London.

Metroline New LT's for 16.

One of the latest New Routemasters (as we now have to call them) is seen at Marble Arch while working on the Route 16 to Cricklewood Bus Garage, the introduction of these buses on the Route 16 allowed buses to start on the new contract Route 168. These buses also feature the new style blinds with the Capital Letter qualifying point.

If you liked any of the pictures in this post then feel free to check out the rest of my pictures, @KLTP14 on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124193440@N06/