Welcome to the second edition of The Monthly Recap brought to you by The Team at The London Bus Blog. This is a monthly series that will highlight all the news from the London bus scene over the past month. 

Now sit back and enjoy!

Abellio London

8201, YY64GVP on stand at St Helier
©GloriousWater

The operations of route S4 (Roundshaw - St Helier Station) passed to Abellio London from Quality Line on the 8th of November. It's currently operating out of Beddington (BC) garage with 7 new 8.9m Alexander Dennis Enviro200's coded 8201-8207 and registered YY64GVP/R/T/U/W/V/X. These buses did not receive their intended flywheels, and it's not been confirmed if they will, either.

Route 201 and 407's new 10.8m Alexander Dennis Enviro200 buses are expected to arrive at Beddington (BC) garage next month as normal diesel buses. They were supposed to receive flywheels, but that's been delayed now; when they will receive them is not yet known.

Arriva London

Last month we reported that route 137 (Oxford Circus - Streatham Hill, Telford Avenue) would convert to New Routemaster operation on the 22nd November, but again, this has been delayed. The new 'conversion' date is on the 6th of December. A few of the New Routemaster's are currently being stored at Ash Grove (AE) and Norwood (N) garages as well as Brixton (BN) garage in preparation for the conversion. It is still not yet confirmed if the night division (N137: Crystal Palace - Oxford Circus) will convert too.

Route 312's (Norwood Junction - West Croydon) Optare MetroCity EV (Electric Vehicles) have arrived at South Croydon (TC) garage. They have been given the 'electric livery' found on the BYD K9 buses on routes 507 and 521. We're not sure when they are expected to enter service. 

Go-Ahead London

Route 44 (Tooting Station - Victoria) received a PVR increase of 3 on the 1st of November, three 61-reg WVLs from the 249 (at Stockwell) temporarily transferred to Merton (AL) garage to cover for the increase - even though they stayed on the 155 for their short stay meaning the 155 released three buses to the 44. Now, the three 06-reg WVLs from Camberwell (Q) garage that moved to Stockwell (SW) garage to cover for the 61-reg WVLs that moved to Merton (AL) garage for the 44, have moved to Merton (AL) garage (plus another from Camberwell) to replace the three 61-reg WVLs at Merton (AL) garage! So now, WVL231, 246, 247 and 248 are new members of Merton's mixed fleet, receiving new white blinds in the process.

Newly Transferred: E195, SN61BYJ on route 68.
©Unorm001

Route 185 (Lewisham - Victoria) also received a PVR of increase of 4 on the 1st of November, four 61-reg Es from the 453, which is converting to New Routemaster operation, transferred to Camberwell (Q) garage for the increase...

... Continuing on, all 39 61-reg Alexander Dennis Enviro400's (Es) from the 453 are transferring to Camberwell (Q) garage to upgrade the fleet on routes 68, 185 an 468. This means that 39 06-reg Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini's (WVLs) currently on the 68 and 468 will be moving out of Camberwell (Q) garage to replace most of the Scania double-deckers within the Metrobus subsidiary and replace older fleet elsewhere in the Go-Ahead London empire. 

Around 17 new Volvo B5LH/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC buses have been ordered for recently won route 135 (Crosshabour - Old Street Station). They are expected to enter service at Silvertown (SI) garage in May 2015 when the route transfers from Arriva.  

Metroline

SN09ing the 91: TE1742, SN09CFX on route 91.
Picture by Au Morandarte

Ten SN09-reg TEs from Greenford (G) garage have been loaned to Holloway (HT) garage for 8 weeks to cover for the loss of TEs on route 91. Route 91 released some its own TEs to the 34 as not all of the VWHs for the route have arrived yet. 

Route 332 (Brent Park Shopping Centre - Paddington) of Cricklewood is due 16 new Alexander Dennis E40H/Enviro400 MMC buses next month for its new contract. They are coded TEH2072-2087 and will be on 64 plates.

Stagecoach

New Entry: 10201, SL64HZA seen in Peckham
©GloriousWater

All of Stagecoach's new buses reported last month have entered service at their respective garages.

Stagecoach London has ordered 21 new Volvo B5LH/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC buses for Plumstead (PD) routes 122 and 177. Route 122, which runs between Crystal Palace and Plumstead, Bus Garage, will use one bus as a top-up and the 177 will use the remaining twenty for its new contract. They are due to enter service in the in Spring 2015.

Tower Transit

TAL33201, LX04FXL on route 295 at Ladbroke Grove.
Picture bu Au Morandarte

VN37961 and VN37954 of Westbourne Park (X) garage have transferred to Lea Interchange (LI) for route 58. It's not been said if this is permanent or temporary.

The 6 ex-Stagecoach Dennis Trident 2/Alexander ALX400 double-decker buses  on loan to Tower Transit from Ensignbus have been coded as TAL(33200-5)s. They entered service on Westbourne Park routes 23 and 295 and have not yet seen service on the 28, 31 or 328. 









What to Expect Next Month
More news on the Alexander Dennis orders, Arriva's MetroCity's, New Routemaster conversions.

A big thank you to our photo contributors; you can view their wonderful Flickr Photostreams below:
Wltmauc's Flickr Photostream
Unorm001's Flickr Photostream

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Thank you for reading this month's recap, please come again!

Route 34 is a unique route, it is special in the fact that it is one of few routes which go from North East London to North West London. From Walthamstow Central to Barnet Church. When the route was up for tender, it interested many as there was a wide variety of operators who could bid for the route, from Stagecoach to Metroline, as well as there always remaining the possibility that the route would be retained by Arriva London continuing many years of History.

© GloriousWater 2014

On the 21st of May, the long awaited tender results were revealed. To much people's surprise, the route was announced to be coming to an end with it's history as an Arriva London route, and begin a new era with Metroline from their Potters Bar (PB) garage. Many enthusiasts were awaiting this change due to take place on the 8th of November. It was later announced that Metroline had opted to order Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 buses for the route, although in practice they were to be diverted to the 82 in return for the 13reg and 62reg TEs.

© GloriousWater 2014

Eventually 8th of November came, and to many people's surprise there were quite a few Wright Eclipse Gemini 3s (VWHs) on the 34, alongside spare TEs from Cricklewood (W) and Holloway (HT) made available.  In the picture to the right, we can see VWH2028 on stand at Walthamstow Bus Station on it's first day of service on the route. Funnily enough, not a single VWH has managed to make it onto route 82 at the time of writing this post. Prior to these buses entering service, rumours had it that the buses will no be able to have regular service on route 34 as the route had some speed bumps that would damage the bus. But that has now been proved to be false.

©GloriousWater 2014

As I said earlier, the route is also home to some TEs which have been transferred from Holloway (HT) and Cricklewood (W). In the photo to the left TE929 takes stand at Walthamstow Bus Station awaiting departure on a journey to Barnet Church. On the first day itself we can see that some drivers have forgotten to set certain blinds to the correct routes. Hopefully this does not have any significance on the route's future with Metroline.



So what do you think of this change? Metroline finally enter East London after many years of being a North and West London operator. Arriva also continue their spell of losing routes and not winning any. Would you like to see Arriva operating the 34 again, or are you happy to let it remain with Metroline? Please let is know in the comments section!