Edgware Observations

Hey guys, this is another late post, I'm really sorry. Anyway, lets crack on shall we? After covering the N5 (that post was on time) I decided to do some observations in Edgware as I had a long wait for my 79 bus. Here is what I got:

Note: Long post...

Two Metroline TE's rest before going back on their way South.

 The Transdev VLP is an endangered bus so I was hoping to catch one on my trip. I did and here it is:

Transdev VLP27 waiting to arrive in the garage.

Three TE's blinded for N5 awaiting space in the garage.

Edgware garage overview, note that this garage is used by both Metroline and Transdev London Sovereign.

Metroline VLP213 is likely to be withdrawn soon, but it can still be found on routes 186, 204 and 240.

Arriva London DW498 on a route 221 journey. This bus route is an interesting one, as half the northbound buses are curtailed to North Finchley, meaning that less serve Edgware.

This ageing President still went out to do Northern Line Replacement work.

These Northern Line trains got the day off work on 23rd February, how lucky!!

Metroline TE during blind change.

Arriva Shires 3719 sets off for Kingsbury Circle on route 305.

Eventually, the right destination is found...

...but the driver carried on changing the blinds.

VW1061 standing before taking me Alperton on route 79. This bus transferred from Brentford temporarily to replace the severely damaged VW1180. However, VW1180 has been on the road for a couple of weeks now so there is no need of this bus at Perivale anymore. Unless its replacing faulty SELs, like 747,749,756,760 and 763. I did see 747 at the CELF Centre a few days ago, curiously.

A Metroline TE stops bound for Northwick Park Hospital.

Route 288 is a very short bus route, linking Broadfields Estate and Queensbury Morrisons via Edgware.

An ALX400 departs Edgware bound for Brent Cross. This route, unlike the 288, is very lengthy and even goes out of the oyster zone in Watford.

DE59 sets off for Arnos Grove.

The other bus I tried to hunt down, Arriva Shires' sole E400, didn't show up so I had to put up with more B7TLs.

Another VLP goes round the bus station on its way to Colindale.

White and yellow don't really go together, do they...

I didn't just get ALX400 B7TLs, I got DAF Gemini's too.

 

Unfortunately, route 606 doesn't run on a Sunday.

Apparently, the Metropolitan Line goes to Northwoo.

VW1061 again, with the correct blinds.

This 305 doesn't have its rear blind showing.

Another DW on route 221.

Metroline buses line up...

TE983 has to operate replacement service D.

The rear of a VLP.

SDE21 is normally allocated to route 324, but on a Sunday the PVR decreases on this route meaning a few buses can rest their legs (or wheels).

Two Transdev VH's fight for space in the garage after doing work on route N13.

DW498 sets off bound for Turnpike Lane.

Front shot of a 107.

A double-decker on the 288 is common, despite the normal allocation being single-deck.

Here we go again, 186 to Belmont Circle.

The end of the route..

Route 186 is extremely lengthy and 'round the houses' and I don't think it needs an extension to Oxford Circus!

Timetables in the bus station.

Thank you for reading!

My 50 Favourite London Bus Routes-Revised

1. 7 (Russell Square-East Acton)
2. 205 (Paddington-Bow Church)/N205 (Paddington-Leyton)
3. 27 (Chalk Farm-Chiswick Business Park
4. 388 (Blackfriars Station-Stratford City)
5. 46 (Lancaster Gate-St. Bartholomews Hospital)
6. 31 (White City-Camden Town)
7.148 (White City-Camberwell Green)
8. 88 (Camden Town-Clapham Common)
9. 23 (Westbourne Park-Liverpool Street)
10. 94 (Acton Green-Piccadilly Circus)
11. 24 (Hampstead Heath-Pimlico)
12. C2 (Victoria-Parliament Hill Fields)
13. 188 (Russell Square-North Greenwich)
14. 35 (Clapham Junction-Shoreditch)
15. 43 (Friern Barnet-London Bridge)
16. 453 (Marylebone-Deptford Bridge)
17. 425(Stratford-Clapton Nightingale Road)
18. 100 (Elephant And Castle-Shadwell)
19. 19 (Battersea Bridge-Finsbury Park Station)/N19 (Clapham Junction-Finsbury Park Station)
20. 328 Chelsea Worlds End-Golders Green)
21. 83 (Golders Green-Ealing Hospital)
22. 38 (Victoria-Clapton Pond/ N38 (Victoria-Walthamstow Central)
23. C10 (Canada Water-Victoria)
24. 11 (Fulham Broadway-Liverpool Street)/N11 (Ealing Broadway-Liverpool Street)
25. 30 (Marble Arch-Hackney Wick)
26. 10 (Hammersmith-Kings Cross)
27. 139 (West Hampstead-Waterloo)
28. 13 (Aldwych-Golders Green)/ N13 (Aldwych-North Finchley)
29. 56 (St. Bartholomews Hospital-Whipps Cross)
30. 9 (Aldwych-Hammersmith)/ N9 (Aldwych-Heathrow Terminal 5)
31.168 (Old Kent Road-Hampstead Heath)
32. 15 (Blackwall-Trafalgar Square)/N15 (Romford Market-Trafalgar Square)
33. RV1 (Tower Gateway-Covent Garden)
34. 49 (Clapham Junction-White City)
35. N5 (Edgware-Trafalgar Square)
36. 436 (Lewisham-Paddington)
37. 36 (Queens Park-New Cross Gate)
38. 73 (Victoria-Stoke Newington)/N73 (Victoria-Walthamstow Central)
39. 26 (Waterloo-Hackney Wick_
40. 210 (Finsbury Park-Brent Cross)
41. 521 (Waterloo-London Bridge)
42. 42 (Liverpool Street-Denmark Hill)
43. 156 (Wimbledon-Vauxhall)
44. N20 (Trafalgar Square-Barnet Church)
45. N89 (Trafalgar Square-Erith)
46. 343 (City Hall-New Cross Gate)/ N343 (Trafalgar Square-New Cross Gate)
47. 153 (Moorgate-Finsbury Park Station)
48. 156 (Vauxhall-Wimbledon)
49. X68 (West Croydon-Russell Square)
50. 108 (Stratford-Lewisham)

Metroline CELF Centre: Spring 2014

Hello, and first of all I'd like to say sorry for the lack of posts recently. I have a backlog of over 15 posts to do, and I will try and get them done whenever I can. There are, of course three special posts coming up in the next two months or so, so keep your eyes peeled. Anyway, back in February, I went on a trip to the Metroline CELF Centre to try and find SEL763 (my favourite bus that has worryingly been off the road for 4 months) and the Metroline Gemini 3 (BF63 HDE) which still hasn't arrived. I failed, but I did get a few pictures, as the last CELF Centre visit post has now had over 1000 views and is the most popular post on this blog by 832 views. Here is what I got (nothing TOO exciting):

In the shed is LT35, which was involved in a crash last year. It will soon be on the road again, on routes 24 and 390. Sadly, I couldn't get inside the shed because I don't have permission to get in there.

A Dart Pointer displaying '90' on the blinds in the shed. Next to it, is an SEL. There are currently five SEL's off the road; 747,749,756, 760 and 763. This bus could've been either of them, so I cannot say I've found SEL763. 763 is currently off the road with a blown engine and has been out of service for 4 months, hopefully it will be back on the road soon!

The only bus in Perivale West garage was VW1208.

DE1606 in the shrubbery.

TP439 blinded for route 271, also in the shrubbery. This bus will probably be withdrawn from service soon.

VW1035 and DEM1917 waiting to have their M.O.T,

A very old DP and an MM in the M.O.T pit.

DE1346 driving round the industrial park.

An anonymous TP428 will be withdrawn very soon. Annoyingly, a bin lorry is parked up diagonal to the President.

DE1815 having it's light replaced.

TP461 is also be withdrawn soon.

VW1280 and trainer bus ln51 kxf.

Metroline VW1200.

The front sign.

Metroline TE966.

Metroline VP325 blinded for 140. The blinds for route 140 say Heathrow Airport, which is ambiguous as this could mean anywhere in the airport, not just the Central Bus Station (which is where the 140 terminates).

Another E200 sits behind VW1035, and we end up back at the beginning.

Although I didn't complete my task here at the CELF, I did enjoy my time there and thanks for reading this post!