22nd June - Large Changes Summary

To sum up the changes on the 22nd June:
TfL:
4 to get VW/VWH ex-24
9 to be converted to NBfL operation
23 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (DI) using existing buses from First.
24 to be converted to NBfL operation
91 to get VW/VWH ex-24
111 to get ADH ex-9. PVR increase to 26.
114/N114 to move to HD from HS
182 to pass to London Sovereign (BT) using existing buses
187 to pass to London United (PA) using existing DEs
226 to move to Tower Transit with WJ, X, CN and EC
255 to be extended to Balham Station (PVR 9)
295 to pass to London United (S) using existing buses from First.
395 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (SA) using new DEs, and to be extended to Watford Junction
481 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (HN) using new DEs
482 night service to be withdrawn
487 to pass to London United (PA) using existing DEs
H12 to pass to London Sovereign (BT) using new VRs
H20 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (HN) using new DEs
R68 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (TF) using new DEs
R70 to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (TF) using new DEs
PB routes to get TE ex-4/91
N69 to be extended to Heathrow Terminal 6

Non-TfL:
1B to pass to London OmniBus using new Versas.
Abellio Surrey routes to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (BF until further notice)
First Berkshire Slough routes to pass to L1/Heathrow Buses (from HN)

First Beeline 191 to run fully to Slough, thus running Slough-Bracknell. This route will be absorbed into Heathrow Buses as of November 2013.

Garages:
HD is transferred from Metroline to London OmniBus
WJ, X, CN, EC garages are transferred to Tower Transit.

Overall effect on L1/Group - loss of 2 routes, gain of 7 TfL routes and a number of non London routes. And a gain of three garages, which eventually only one of them will be used (TF, the rest will be absorbed by HN)

WLTM Tenders June 2013 (from TfL)

Tranche 143
11/N11: Awarded to London United (formerly London General) with new hybrid buses. Contract start 21st September 2013.
36/36N: Awarded to Tower Transit (formerly London Central) with new hybrid buses. Contract start 23rd November 2013.
72/72N: Awarded to London General (formerly London United) with new buses. Contract start 23rd November 2013.
205/N205: Awarded to L1/Romford Buses (formerly Stagecoach) with new hybrid (DB300H). Contract start 30th November 2013
211: Retained by London United with existing buses, contract start 30th November 2013
283: Awarded to Tower Transit (formerly London United) with existing buses. Contract start 23rd November 2013.
436: Awarded to Tower Transit (formerly London Central) with new hybrid buses. Contract start 23rd November 2013.
N136: Retained by Stagecoach with existing buses, contract start 30th November 2013.

Tranche 144
69/69N: Retained by L1/Romford Buses with existing buses. Contract start 30th November 2013.
473: Awarded to L1/Romford Buses (formerly Stagecoach) with existing buses. Contract start 30th November 2013
474/474N: Awarded to Stagecoach (formerly Docklands Buses) with existing buses. Contract start 30th November 2013

Tranche 145
145: Awarded to Blue Triangle (formerly Stagecoach) with new buses. Contract start 30th November 2013
285/285N: Retained by London United with new double decker buses. Contact start 7th December 2013.
416: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with new buses. Contract start 30th November 2013.

Tranche 146
230: Awarded to Arriva London North (formerly Stagecoach)  with new buses. Contract start 2nd November 2013.
267: Awarded to London United (formerly L1/Heathrow Buses) with existing buses. Contract start 2nd November 2013.

Tranche 147
250: Awarded to Tower Transit (formerly Arriva London North) with new buses. Contract start 7th December 2013.
391: Retained by London United with new buses. Contact start 7th December 2013
H91: Retained by London United with existing buses. Contact start 7th December 2013
N4: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with existing buses. Contact start 7th December 2013

Other News
From September 2013, Routes 666 and 695 are restructured and re routed in Brentford:
666: Southall North-Kew Riverside (1 journey each direction), Brentside School-Kew Riverside (3 journeys)
695 is rerouted via Syncombe Avenue, Windmill Road in Brentford. Hanwell Terminus-Sheen (same as previously)

Metroline's Perivale and Harrow Weald are being sold.
Route 182 has been transferred to London Sovereign but the site of Harrow Weald has transferred to London OmniBus.
Both the site of Perivale and routes 79, 187, 297 and 487 have transferred to London United/RATP. Currently, existing buses will be refurbished. Route E11 will move to PA.

Routes 11, 15, 38 and 392 are the next routes to be fully converted to NBfL operation on these dates:
11: September 21st 2013 (with London United)
15/392: November 2nd 2013
38: November 23rd 2013

Routes 9 and 24 were converted on the 22nd June 2013.

Routes 209, 440, E3, E9, E10 are all rerouted between Acton and Chiswick: 
209 will run via E3 route until Acton Town Hall, then via 440 route to Turnham Green/Chiswick High Road. It is also withdrawn between North Sheen and Mortlake.
440 and E9 will run via E3 route from Acton Town Hall to Turnham Green
E3 will run via Bollo Lane and Chiswick Business Park to Turnham Green
E10 will run via Bollo Lane, Bollo Bridge Road and E9 route to Turnham Green

July Tenders:
Tranche 148
14/14N: Putney Heath-Warren Street (London General)
22: Putney Common-Piccadilly Circus (London General)
N22: Kingston-Piccadilly Circus (London General)
278: Stoke Newington-Acton Green (L1/Group Buses)
282: Mount Vernon Hospital-Ealing Hospital (L1/Heathrow Buses)
342: Potters Bar-Waltham Cross (new tendered route) Mon-Sat replaces 242
369: Hammersmith-Morden (L1/Heathrow Buses)
408: Abbots Langley-Mount Vernon Hospital (new tendered route) formerly 8(W)
495: Hanwell Terminus-Wimbledon (L1/Heathrow Buses)
505: Chingford-Harlow (new tendered route) formerly 505
666: Southall North-Kew Riverside (L1/Heathrow Buses)
695: Hanwell Terminus-Sheen (L1/Heathrow Buses)

Tranche 149
83/83N: Southall Bus Garage-Golders Green (L1/Heathrow Buses)
84: New Barnet-St Albans (Metroline)

Tranche 150
98: Holborn-Willesden (Metroline)
N98: Holborn-Stanmore (Metroline)
387: Creekmouth-Little Heath (Stagecoach)

Tranche 151
151: Worcester Park-Wallington (London General)

Tranche 152
346: Upminster Park Estate-Upminster (L1/Romford Buses)
347: Ockendon-Romford (L1/Romford Buses)
370: Romford-Lakeside (L1/Romford Buses)
372: Hornchurch-Lakeside (Stagecoach)
402: Orpington-Bluewater (new tendered route) formerly 402

Changes at London OmniBus + More Commercial Services

First up, recent changes:
- The Service Permit for 111H was cancelled by TfL and the service assumed control by them, the route will be tendered and awarded to another company on June 22nd.
- MB62BUS along with M524 and M1386 have passed to L1/Heathrow Buses
- LX3 has been renumbered 101 and reregistered 555MLX (was G7UYV)
- VLE27 has been renumbered 921 along with 7 other VLEs numbered 922-928 in order to double-deck route 49
- VA295, VP101 and VLP37 returned to Ensignbus
- ADE11 has been renumbered 951 and reregistered SN13ACH and will be allocated to the double deck support for route 421 at Hayes East garage
- 107-109 have received a new interior, new red and white exterior livery and new roller blinds
- Frequency on route 49 will be increased to every 30 minutes on 24th June


- HAYES EAST GARAGE RECODED AS EH (East Hayes)
- HAYES WEST GARAGE REMAINS AS HS
- HARROW WEALD NOW OUR PROPERTY CODED AS HD

--

As mentioned in the previous post, we were considering the introduction of two new routes running out of Heathrow Terminal 6.
L1/Group have bought out the Slough garage, and as per usual, their acquisition has given us route 1B, running between Slough and Britwell via Slough Trading Estate. Our operation of route 1B will commence on June 22nd. For route 1B, 4 brand new Optare Versa 11.5m buses were ordered.

The decision for the two new routes running out of Heathrow Terminal 6 are:
41 - Terminal 6, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, Trading Estates, Britwell (replacing route 1B)
45 - Terminal 6, West Drayton, Iver, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield.

For route 41, 3 more Versas were ordered to complement the buses already on route 1B.
For route 45, 3 9.5m Versas were ordered as the route is tight in areas.

Both routes will be operated from Hayes East, and commence on the 13th July.

The new buses will fall into the fleetlist like this:
851 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJC - B44F - WS (for route 1B, and eventually 41)
852 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJE - B44F - WS (for route 1B, and eventually 41)
853 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJG - B44F - WS (for route 1B, and eventually 41)
854 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJL - B44F - WS (for route 1B, and eventually 41)
855 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJM - B44F - WS (for route 41)
856 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJP - B44F - WS (for route 41)
857 - Optare Versa 11.5m - KX13DJR - B44F - WS (for route 41)
871 - Optare Versa 9.5m - KX13DJT - B32F - WS (for route 45)
872 - Optare Versa 9.5m - KX13DJV - B32F - WS (for route 45)
873 - Optare Versa 9.5m - KX13DJW - B32F - WS (for route 45)

L1/Heathrow Buses Surrey Locals Livery Competition

(In WLTM, this would be held way earlier, but oh well!)

The L1/Group would like you (anyone) to design a livery on a bus for use in the L1/Heathrow Buses Surrey Locals. This livery has to use the colour blue or red or orange in some way at least.

The bus it will be based on will be either:
Alexander Dennis Enviro 200H
Volvo 7900
Mercedes Benz Citaro
Optare Tempo SR

(Volvo 7900/Citaro will not be used on Surrey Locals after it was decided that existing E20H and new Tempo SRs will be in use instead)

This will be used on the routes taken from Abellio Surrey, as the "Surrey Locals" livery. That is NOT a brand name though, but rather an "internal" official name for the group of routes.

Contact me via twitter ( @L1Group ) so that I can get the logos sent to you via email and I know you are entering the competition. PM me your email address so I can receive the entries.

Closing date for competition: 30th October 2013.
Decision will be made by 1st November 2013. Winner will be credited somehow. I don't have a material prize though.

L1/Group News June 2013

L1/Heathrow Buses

The new L1/Group moquette is being rolled out across the fleet.

Heathrow North (HN)

VLE31 and SLE1 will be withdrawn later on this month and be sold on. Routes 207, 480, 483 and 607 will revert to full hybrid operation.

All TANs and DPNs are now available for sale, and are currently stored in HN.

The refurbishing of engines has now started with TE111 onwards.
This new modified engine will decrease the "high-rev" problem on these buses, and is being rolled out across the fleet.

TE1071 is on loan to Metroline to replace the VW(H) on loan.

MCN685 (MB62 BUS) is a new acquisition from London OmniBus. This bus will be re-liveried into 7series livery, refreshed and be a showbus.

New Tempo SRs are in delivery for the Surrey Local routes gained from Abellio. 
Existing E20H will be used on both Slough and Surrey Locals. Citaros ex-7series will be used on Slough Locals also, and new Tempo SRs will be used on Surrey Locals - which will be delivered in July (as ordered when the deal was done in January). In the meantime, existing buses will be used on the Surrey Locals from the Byfleet Garage.

Route N7 will be extended from Northolt to Harrow Bus Station via Northolt Park, South Harrow, Harrow-on-the-Hill with a PVR increase of 1
Route N69 will be extended via the 482 route to Heathrow Terminal 5, then extended to Heathrow Terminal 6, with a PVR increase of 4. This replaces 482N.
Route N117 will be extended to Heathrow North Garage.

Southall (SA)

All trials on the 456 are continuing, but will end in July 2013. All trial buses will then be withdrawn, except TE/DE/DEN/TEN, and return to owners. 
Route 456 will be converted to double deck operation fully with existing TEs after the trials.

TE72 is on loan to London United for evaluation.

As part of Route 392 full conversion to NBfL, LT112-164 will be allocated to 392 from Southall. Half the allocation of 392 will move to Southall. The cross-link with 695 will be not retained.

Route 335 Citaro Hybrids are due at HN in June 2013 - MC669-684. Route 335 will then be run partly from HN and partly from SA. These may appear on the 456 trial for June-July 2013.

Brentford Dockside (DI)

Route 483 has now returned to DI fully.

Route 338 is having DEs as a trial to see if longer buses are suitable for this route on a regular basis.

Route 23 will transfer from First's Westbourne Park to here, with existing buses:
Former First DN33776-DN33781/85 and DNH39111-39132 will transfer for the 23 on 22nd June.
They will be renumbered as follows:
DN33776-DN33781 -> TEN106-110
DN33785 -> TEN111 (Showbus, name being decided)
DNH39111-DNH39132 -> TE1162-1183

TEN106-110 will get an interior refresh only, and will stay on the 23 or 456 only. TEN111 and all TEs will eventually have a full interior and blindset refurbishment.

Wembley (WE)

Alperton Garage is sold to London Sovereign, and Route 245 will follow, except buses.

Existing buses that are normally used for the 187, 245 and 487 will be used in outer London - DE391-400, 494-504.

Fulwell (TF), Byfleet (BF), Slough (SH)

These garages will be transferred to L1/Heathrow Buses on 22nd June.

Routes 481 and H20 will be transferred to HN on 22nd June.
All routes except 1B at Slough and Byfleet will be transferred to Heathrow North.
Slough and Byfleet Garage will be used as a store, as Heathrow North will take up its work. DE391-400, 494-504 are assigned to be used on the Slough and Byfleet routes from HN. 
Byfleet routes will initially use existing buses at Byfleet until the new Tempo SRs are delivered to HN.

Existing Enviro 200H will be used for routes R68 and R70, transferred from HN (DE70-90). The current buses on the R68 and R70 will be retained by Abellio London.

L1/Romford Buses

The new L1/Group moquette is being rolled out across the fleet.

Upminster (UP)

Routes 265 and 575 will be taken over from Go-Ahead, and will use existing TEs already at the garage. Route 575 will be restructured to run Harlow-Romford at all times, with extensions to Southend.

Route 375 is extended to Epping Cock, and existing DEs will be used.

Upton Park (U)

New Bus for London LT99-111 have arrived for Routes 15 and 25. Route 25 will have an allocation of 5 and 15 will have this supplementing the current NBfLs. Route 15H has moved to SD in order to centralise Heritage Routemaster operation.

Lea Interchange (HO)

TE74 is transferred here from SA permanently. 
Route 86 will now have a part allocation at Lea Interchange - peak hours extras of 4 buses.

Stratford High Street (SD)

Routes 15, 25, 58, 104 and 438 have now transferred to this garage. 

Numerous TEs and TELs have moved from HO and U (mainly) to operate these routes. TEL1113-1142 is delivered for the 8 contract and extension of Route 25 to Victoria. They are currently in store in HN or in service on the 25.

As part of Route 15 full conversion to NBfL, LT165-195 will be allocated to this garage.

DB300H DW1184-1220 will be delivered in time for the new 205/N205 contract. Note - this is the first full batch of buses for one route which are not from ADL.

Also, the heritage Routemaster operation of TfL will be moved to SD. Routes 9H, 15H, 25H, 94H and 159H will operate from here.