The Loaned Fleet (with same numbers):
ex-Metroline VP317-347, 466-472, 474, 476, 477, 479. Code VPN These will be returned before the 409 passes to Croydon Buses in 2014. These are also covering the E40H/E400H being converted to E45Hs.
There have been 42 second hand buses from Croydon Buses to supplement the two TENs currently on training or existing buses in service:
7 Enviro 200: LT56NBA-NBG (DEN5-11) (trainers)
3 E40Ds: SN63ABD-ABF (TEN113-115) (for Beeline 190 - refurbished)
3 Optare Versas: YN63 BMX-BMZ (OVN1-3) (trainers)
10 Mercedes Citaro: KX54TBX, KX05TBA-TBE, BX09ABA-ABC, BL59ABD (MCN910-920) (for Beeline and 7series spares)
1 Enviro 300: YN04CMJ (ETN4) (trainer)
1 DB250H: KX57EMN (Engineering Testbed)
17 E40H: LT58SXA, SN10SXB-H,J-T, SN60SXY (TE1400-1417) (London use to replace VPNs - then as trainers).
Also, there have been an order of 40 new diesel E40D and E20D (25/15) just as trainers or Beeline:
25 E40D (TEN114-139) (LU63HEA-H,J-P,R-Z, JN63CNT): TEN114-119,121-122,139 for Beeline rest as trainers
15 E20D (DEN12-26) (CU63SNT-V, HN63HEA-H, RM63FRD-G): All trainers
TE1256, the E45H demonstrator with non-standard doors will now move across each of the garages over 25 weeks (three weeks at each garage, 4 at UP), moving to SA on 27th October, before moving to DI from the 20th November, and continuing via WE, LF, UP (for 4 weeks), HO, SD and U before returning to HN for use on Route X91.
Recently, there have been rumours that the company has been subject to a takeover bid (the whole L1/Group) by a consortium of First Group, Keolis and MTR. This bid has been rejected on the grounds that the bid was worth very little compared to our valuation of the company. However, the rumours that the Wellglade Group have purchased a 11.1% stake in L1/Group are true, and we also have a 11.1% stake in Wellglade Group, thus influences will pass between the groups.
L1/Heathrow Buses
The Heathrow North expansion will start in December, for finishing work by November 2014. This expansion will be used for overhauling/bodyshop of buses (L1/Group only), mainly. This is due to it moving out of HN temporarily due to the expansion of the ADL part of the garage to ensure it can handle the new influx of orders from Hong Kong amongst other areas!
The "Slough Locals" DEs now have the Beeline livery:
DE391-399, DE494-504.
Route 457, a new route for TfL, has been won by us and will use new hybrid Optare TempoSR 10.7m (OTS) from 31st May 2014
The Volvo B5TL demonstrator at HN on Route 105 (usually), coded VTN1090, has moved on to the 456 at SA
The TENs ex-23 (except TEN111) are now in Green Line livery and are running Green Line services from Heathrow North Garage
The New L1/Card Smartcard has been rolled out across our non-TfL buses, as well as our train companies, starting on the 2nd November 2013 (HN Open Day). It is available for sale at all L1/Group Trains/Buses ticket offices, travel shops, various newsagents and our garages. This allows for quicker, cheaper, easier ticketing across our network of buses and trains.
Route 9 (Addlestone-Englefield Green) operated by Jeakins Coaches currently will be transferring to L1/Heathrow Buses from 4th November 2013 using 3 E25Hs from Beeline services. The route will now be advertised as a "Beeline" route, and will run hourly Mon-Sat, every 2hrs every Sunday. Also, it would be extended to Slough from Englefield Green Cherrywood Avenue.
L1/Cards will be valid on the whole route every day.
Route 53 (Binfield-Wexham Park Hospital) operated by Thames Travel currently will be transferring to L1/Heathrow Buses from 23rd November using E25H (new and existing) for Beeline services. The route will now be advertised as a "Beeline" route, and will run every 30mins Mon-Sat, hourly every Sunday. The route will start earlier and some journeys will go as a 6 to Wexham Park Hospital to/from Slough (runs as a 75 from HN Garage) before starting as a 53.
L1/Cards will be valid on the whole route every day.
Routes 108 (Bracknell-Jennetts Park) 151/151A (Bracknell-Wokingham), 153 (Warfield-Binfield) will be taken over from Thames Travel on 7th December using E25H (new and existing) for Beeline services. They will be Beeline services.
L1/Cards will be valid on the whole route every day.
Route 305 (Colnbrook-Staines) operated by Bear Buses currently will be transferring to L1/Heathrow Buses from 20th November 2013 using 2 E25H from Beeline services. The route will be advertised as a "Beeline" route, and will run hourly Mon-Sat only, except late evenings. The route will be extended on the same date to Heathrow North Bus Garage.
L1/Cards will be valid on the whole route every day.
A E350H from First Essex is being evaluated for use on 7series. This bus will run on route 74 as an extra bus, or on the 75 peak extras. In response, a E25H bus will move to First Essex to cover, and evaluation. This will be from the London fleet, displaced from the 456.
7series 74 and X74 will have revised operations and timetable on the weekends (from 23rd November 2013):
X74 will be extended to Oxford Station from Oxford Carfax from 2nd November 2013
All Sunday L1/Group involvement will be withdrawn. The Mon-Sat service will increase to every 30 minutes from hourly.
All non-Sunday non-L1/Group involvement will be withdrawn.
Sunday - Route 74 will run 2 buses per hour, with a gap of 20 then 40 minutes. Route X74 will run between 74 buses hourly, thus departures from HN will be at 00 (74), 20 (X74) and 40 (74) from each direction. They will still be joint between London OmniBus and Carousel Buses.
L1/Card will be accepted on Monday-Saturday only, a cash discount on Sundays.
New 7series Route X78, announced on HN Open Day, to compete partly with Arriva on the Bourne End-High Wycombe corridor (Route 37) will start from 9th November with new Optare TempoSRs with new 7series fittings, will run from High Wycombe to Heathrow Terminal 4 via Heathrow Terminal 6, route 78, omitting Cippenham and then Arriva 37 to High Wycombe.
The route will be limited stop between Heathrow and Bourne End, only stopping at Hatton Cross, Heathrow T6, Heathrow North Garage, Slough Bus Station, Slough Town Hall, Slough Three Tuns, Everitts Corner, Bishops Centre, Cookham High Street and Bourne End Station between Heathrow T4 and Bourne End. It then runs all stops to High Wycombe via Wooburn, Wooburn Green, M40 Junction 3/Loudwater, Wycombe Marsh and 74 to High Wycombe. Free Transfer tickets are available to Route 75 to Maidenhead from High Wycombe (75 is every 10 minutes during the day, so there are guaranteed connections at Bishops Centre).
L1/Cards will be valid on the whole route every day.
X78 will run every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday, hourly on Sunday. X74/X78 will run with a gap of 15 minutes between Slough and Heathrow North Garage during Mon-Sat.
2 more new 7series routes will start from the 16th November:
Route 174 between Heathrow Terminal 6 and Luton (please note in the timetables, the service is split at Hemel Hempstead like the 702, where guaranteed same bus connections are available, even though all buses have tachographs and have through journeys.). This will run every 30 minutes, and tickets will be accepted with Greenline 724 between Garston and Heathrow.
Route 175 between Heathrow North Bus Garage and Aldershot. This will run every 30 minutes.
They will use new TempoSRs which have arrived at Heathrow North Garage already.
Two buses have returned to the fleet. TAN1 and TAN2 (formerly TA1/SN03HNB, TA2/SN03HNC), the first two Tridents for Heathrow Buses are now back as showbuses running mainly back on the 140.
Southall (SA)
Garage news - the site now has access via a new level crossing towards Southall Station, on the western end, adjacent to the Brentford Branch Line off the GWML. Unless there is a train passing, the level crossing will be in use for buses, allowing an adjacent site to be annexed to Southall Garage. The annex is currently being used to base LTs for the 392, where 45 LTs are planned to be used. Half the allocation will be shared with 311 at DI, half at the 392 solely.
Route 204 will move from HN to SA from 23rd November 2013.
The duty share between Routes 695 and 392 has ended, the working moving solely to the 392 in order to get full day extra workings on this busy route. Route 695 shared duty will now share with Route 483 on Monday-Thursday, and will share with Route 311 on Friday, both at DI. This change happened on the week beginning 21st October 2013. It will then share Monday-Friday with 204 from January 2014.
LTs 112-138 for 392 will be based at SA.
Due to bus shortages, the conversion of Route 456 to full allocated double decker with increased frequency is only starting now, thus incurring penalties for us (it is currently allocated single deckers, but using mostly double deckers due to overcrowding). This has also led to Route 195 being pressured to be double decked too.
Both conversions are expected to be done by February.
New E45Hs are being built for the 456 at this time (TE1300-1325), with TE1315 being delivered at this time.
The Volvo B5TL demonstrator is at SA on Route 456 (usually), coded VTN1090, moved on 4th November. It will move to DI Garage for use on the 311 from 20th November.
Route N7 has transferred to SA, no buses have moved.
Route 335 will now have a half/half allocation at each HN and WE, as opposed to just the double decker workings. All the MCNs (non-hybrids) will move to HN, leaving and the hybrid MCs will move to WE. Thus 335 will have no buses from WE from 2014.
All the new E45Hs for the 83 contract have now entered service on the 83 and 456.
Brentford (DI)
All diesel buses from the 23 (except TEN111) have been replaced with TE (E40H/E45H) ex-266.
Route 695 shared duty will now share with Route 483 on Monday-Thursday, and will share with Route 311 on Friday, both at DI. This change happens on the week beginning 21st October 2013. LTs 139-164 will be based at DI, along with existing LTs 1 and 50 (for the earlier trials).
From 2nd November, Route 392 will have half the allocation shared with 311 at DI, half at the 392 solely. This means that Route 311 will be officially converted to NBfL with another batch of NBfLs eventually, after modifications to Kew Riverside Bus Station are made. This is planned to be 31st May 2014.
Route 239 has been lost on tender and will leave on the 31st May 2014
Part of Route 480 has been retained, a sole double deck working between East Acton and Richmond (return).
Wembley (WE)
Some NBfLs from the trial at SA are at WE for driver training for Route 16.
Due to the future loss of the 18 and N18, N18 will move to WE from 2nd November.
Route 113/N113 will be run from Wembley Garage using new E45Hs, joining on the 26th April 2014.
Route 224 has been lost on tender and will leave on the 31st May 2014
Route 335 will partly run from Wembley using MCs ex-Southall Garage from 2014.
Fulwell (LF)
Routes 85 and 213 are now settling nicely at Fulwell Garage with their new E45Hs.
Bracknell (BL)
Bracknell, under a change of plan, is being refurbished and will re-open with the Bracknell Beeline operations based in Bracknell (except 191 and Green Line, which will stay at Heathrow North).
L1/Romford Buses
Upminster (UP)
The first few Volvo B5LH/Plaxton President for the East London Transit are being delivered to UP.
The first few Volvo B5LH/Plaxton President for the East London Transit are being delivered to UP.
The first production E45H, TE1257 is in service in UP, running mainly on the 5 and 248.
UP will have some work taking place through until next year, so some buses will be stored (if for storage) in HN whilst the work takes place.
Hackney (HO)
E45H has been ordered for 55/N55, Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 2 (x5 - the last new Wright Gemini 2s), Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3 (x15) and Plaxton President (x9) have been ordered for the 48. The Volvo Gemini 3s will be coded VT.
Stratford (SD)
Routes 25 (full HO allocation), 425 has moved to SD. Existing TELs and TEs for the 25/425 have moved for the change.
Upton Park (U)
All the LTs for the 15 conversion to NBfL are currently being used on the 15 now. LT111 is a showbus.
