Weekly Summary - March 15th

This week has been even quieter than the past two, with events concentrated on single days as opposed to throughout the week.

This week in action:

• Route 27, as of Saturday 2nd March, has received its curtailment to Hammersmith, with buses continuing just beyond the bus station to the town hall, before picking up again at the Hammersmith & City Line. Misleadingly, this is displayed as 'Hammersmith Glenthorne Road' on the front even though passengers can't actually board there. The N27, which only runs as far as the bus station, has also made its debut.
• The 27 has now fully converted to New Routemaster operation, seeing off the final Scania OmniCity vehicles at Stamford Brook (V) which makes the E3 100% Enviro, although unusually the presumed dead SP140 revived itself for two days before bowing out for good (we think).
• Typically, the rerouteing of the 440, for it to serve Chiswick Business Park and Wellesley Road before terminating at Turnham Green, has turned out to be farcical. On the first day, conveniently timed road surfacing resulted in vehicles running non-stop between Bollo Lane and Turnham Green, missing out the rest of Chiswick completely and infuriatingly sailing past stops which should've been closed. Although the new routeing has been in place since Sunday, most vehicles are still blinded for the old destination, Power Road, with iBus also showing this incorrect information.
• The last Marshall Capital in London, DMN1, seems to have disappeared, perhaps marking the extinction of the type once and for all.
• Arriva have confirmed the opening of two outstations in Erith and Beddington.
• The first Mercedes Sprinter minibus has arrived at Go-Ahead London for their demand responsive service in Sutton.
• Rare workings include the MCV EvoSeti VMH2452 on the 307, ADL Enviro 400s E59 on the X26 and T103 on the 137.
• Friday 15th Mrach saw several operators send out heritage vehicles in light of comic relief, with donations for Red Nose Day. Despite the Westminster area being invaded with angry schoolchildren for several hours and therefore lots of diversions, the event was hugely popular with enthusiasts and the public alike with vehicles appearing on routes 8, 9, 14, 23, 24, 159, 217 and 228. 

  

This weekend - 17th/18th March:

• Although tickets are sold out, a second tour of the art-deco 1938 London Underground stock will happen on Sunday, with the train starting at Northfields at approximately 10am. More details can be found here
• Rail replacements are in action from West Croydon to Sutton and Epsom Downs, Streatham to Epsom, Stratford to Romford, Lewisham to Dartford via Woolwich (Sunday) and Hounslow to Staines/Windsor (Sunday).
• Slightly late notice, although from Saturday Class 378s only will work the Gospel Oak to Barking Line at a half hourly frequency.
• Courtesy of Visions International, a London bus tour is scheduled to take place on Saturday 16th March, based on the programme "On The Buses" it involves taking an RT through a variety of relevant locations in North London, including the former Eastern National Wood Green garage and the current Sullivan Buses base at South Mimms.

 Next weekend - 23rd/24th March:

•  A classic bus running day will take place on Sunday 24th March to commemorate the 40th anniversary since the withdrawal of London Transport's last RF. These will be on routes 218 and 219, from Kingston to Staines and Weybridge.
• CT Plus will assume operation of route 20 on Saturday 23rd March, with new ADL Enviro400H Cities displacing the Gemini 2s which usually work the route under Go-Ahead. The 393 will also change operators, with Arriva losing out to Metroline who have ordered a batch of longer Enviro 200 MMCs for the change. For you dedicated nutters, the 0020 from Chalk Farm and 0015 from Walthamstow are scheduled to be the last ever Arriva 393 and Go-Ahead 20 respectively. 
• Rail replacements are in action from Earl's Court to Wimbledon, Stratford to Romford, Sandilands to Birkbeck and Elmers End, Teddington to Shepperton, Purley to Caterham and Tattenham Corner (Sunday), Beckenham Junction to Orpington (Sunday) and Lewisham to Dartford via Bexleyheath (Sunday). 

Thanks for reading and stay safe!