Weekly Summary: April 5th

Last weekend certainly kept enthusiasts busy, with so many successful events taking place all over London.

This week in action:

• On Saturday 30th March, the London Bus Museum organised a spectacular vintage bus event centered around Barking (BK) and River Road (RR) garages, with large numbers of vehicles and members of the public in attendance. The final procession was particularly impressive and I certainly found it to be a great day out.
• Tower Transit have deployed Wrightbus Gemini 2 B9TLs on routes 262/473, which they took over from Stagecoach on Saturday. The service, as predicted, was shambolic on the first day but things do seem to be improving already.
• Go-Ahead London have been quite adventurous with their assumption of route 396, throwing out a variety of double deckers as well as the assigned Enviro 200s from the D6.
• Metroline and their takeover of the 317 in North London hasn't been very well publicised, but a number of Enviro 400s along with a solitary MCV EvoSeti have made appearances over the past week, with pretty commendable service levels.
• Sadly, route C2 has now been withdrawn with the 88 taking over the section to Parliament Hill Fields and the routeing via London Zoo. The service hasn't crumbled despite the longer journey times, whilst the New Routemasters previously allocated to the 88 (which are now inappropriate) have found new homes on the 87 and 176, which have donated their conventional buses in a like-for-like swap.
• CT Plus accidentally sent out too many double deckers on the District Line replacement on Saturday, which meant that Enviro 200s found themselves on the 20 (only one week into the new contract) and 388. The former working repeated itself on Tuesday.
• Route 86 now has a partial allocation from West Ham (WH) garage, crosslinked to the school 678 service, which means Scania OmniCity and 'smart hybrid' ADL MMCs make far more regular appearances now.
• TE1745, an ADL Enviro 400 at Uxbridge (UX) garage, has taken the crown of the last Metroline N207.
• Due to the Ultra Low Emission Zone, a swap has occurred between Orpington (MB) and Silvertown (SI) garages, involving two Scania OmniCitys at the latter base being replaced by ADL Enviro400 hybrids which can work the 135.
• Routes 116, 119, 198, 245, 264, 383 and A10 have had two-year contract extensions, meaning they will no longer participate in the 2019/2020 tendering programme. Route 357 has been reintroduced to the tender process, given that its withdrawal has been cancelled.

This weekend: 6th/7th April

• Abellio London, at Hayes (WS) garage for the time being, will assume operation of the 207/N207 on Saturday 6th April, with the allocation being a mixed bag of Enviro 400s, including five brand new smart hybrid MMCs. This route will transfer to a new base, Southall (GW), at a later date. The two afternoon school trips from Twyford Avenue will be withdrawn.
• In an attempt to fill the void created at Greenford (G) garage following the 207 loss, Metroline will transfer route 607 over there from Uxbridge (UX) garage. This route should also have received new MCV EvoSeti B5LH vehicles by this date, but it is expected the current vehicles will transfer over instead as these are nowhere to be seen. An extra stop will be introduced at Iron Bridge for this limited stop service, so that driver changeovers can take place.
• The South East Bus Festival, which will take place on a field near Ashford (Kent), is also on April 6th. A feeder 36X bus service departs from Victoria at 0830.
• Ensignbus are arranging a mini running day on Sunday, with two RTs ploughing up and down the 62 from Gascoigne Estate-Barkingside.
• The London Bus Museum, at Brooklands, will host their annual spring gathering also on the Sunday.
• This weekend will be the last time diesel vehicles are allowed into Central London, since the Ultra Low Emission Zone will be introduced on Monday.
• Rail replacements are in action from Addiscombe to Birkbeck, Stratford City to Redbridge and Loughton (Sunday), Ilford to Woodford (Sunday), Barking to Grays via Rainham.

 Next Weekend: 13th/14th April

• Rail replacements are in action from Aldgate East to Barking, Sandilands to Elmers End and Birkbeck, Balham to East Croydon (Saturday), London Victoria to Clapham Junction (Sunday), Clapham Junction to Barnes (Sunday).