News and Events

16 August 2007
	Metrobus have operated blue and yellow buses on most, if not all of their routes out of Croydon Garage - until today. Today is the last day of this, and here we see 317 on the 434 at Purley - and a notice in the window! (Photo's (c) Gary Simmonds.)

317 at Purley.

317 at Purley

1st August - 34067 Visits again
	1st August, and 34067 runs again. Seen here approaching Platform 5, Clapham Junction

Being a bit keen and pressing my button too early!

Off she goes, bound for Weymouth.

25 July 2007 - 34067 (Tangmere)
	A while since I've used this page, but I think this warrants it! To be honest, I had absolutely no idea this train was running, but thankfully I had my camera to take some photo's. Here is the first shot at Bromley South

Another arrival shot from the footbridge at Bromley South

First rear view

Leaving Bromley South

Arrived at Platform 2, London Victoria

Slightly different angle..

The name of the machine!

28 April - Route 67 Gets a Visitor!

From Tomorrow, (Saturday 29 April) Stagecoach lose route 67 to First London. At the last moment, it was advertised that a routemaster would run in the afternoon. Originally, RML2665 was penned in to do the honours (which of course has now been painted red). But at about 5pm, I saw RML2665 on a Wedding special on Whitehall, so instead RM2060 ran.(which is used on the heritage route 15). Parked up at Aldgate Station is RM2060 on its last scheduled run.

Route 409 Gets a Visitor!
	Metrobus lose the 409 from next Saturday (22 April) to Southdown PSV, so they decided to put RML2317 to run all day along the entire route. Pictured here is RML2317 at Croydon Fairfield Halls on the last trip.

The route has had various types of buses used on it, with old Volvo's, Dennis Caetano's, Dennis Darts, Scania Omnidekka's to name a few, which made it a good route to photograph! Here is another shot of RML2317

Route 409 runs from East Grinstead, Dormansland, Lingfield, Godstone, Caterham, Whyteleafe, Warlingham, Farleigh, Selsdon, Croham Valley, to Croydon Fairfield Halls. Here is the final picture of RML2317, leaving East Croydon interchange on its way to Godstone Garage on the last scheduled trip for this special working.

NEWS for Dec 23 - Route 4 Gets some visitors!
	Today is the "last day" of any Hi floor, non wheelchair accessable buses on the road bar a few on school bus trips. One of the last routes to run these type of buses is route 4 - which ran AV class vehicles. So to send them off, Metroline thankfully put 2 specials on the road. The original RT scheduled was RT3871, but it wasn't available and instead RT3062 turned up instead!

The second of the specials was RML903 restored into its original condition a while ago when it made an appearance on the last day of the 13's.

This is what the new Low-floor buses will be replacing, AV class buses. Here is AV9 leaving Waterloo.

First London have loaned a few of their tridents to metroline to help ease the conversion. Here is TN32981, usually based at Hackney garage (?) running on route 4.

So to finish todays events is TP2 - pretty much what is the future of route 4, sporting an old routemaster number plate in the form of WLT 826 - which of course was used on RM826!

News - 8 December
	Dubbed "enthusiasts day" around 30 specials turned up to send off the routemasters in style. The actual last day is Friday the 9th, but due to the amount of media and public interest, the specials were best added on the day before. To see what buses came along, check the 159 enthusiasts button!

News - 11 November 2005
	News: 11/11/05: Two routes change operator as of Tomorrow, so First (route 27) and London United (route 33) both fielded a special bus for the last day of their operation.

Route 27 Gets a Routemaster!
	SRM 3 (ex RM1650) got a nice send off today! First London have lost their contract for this route to London United from Saturday 12th November. Kindly, they decided to put a special on the road in the form of the silver jubilee liveried Routemaster.

The current 27 route runs from Chalk Farm via Camden Town, Warren Street Station, Baker Street Station, Edgware Road Station, Paddington, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington High Street, Olympia, Hammersmith, Stamford Brook and Turnham Green. The Old 27 route, which began in 1950 and ran on Sundays only from Archway Station to Hounslow garage. Eventually a Monday to Saturday service was introduced with the Teddington to Hounslow Garage section withdrawn. Through the years, the service has been chopped and changed to what we have now!

Route 33 Also Gets A Routemaster!
	After 33 years service with London United, Route 33, from Saturday 12th November, has been lost to relativley new operator NCP challenger. So London United decided to put a Special bus on route in the form of ER 880 (ex RML 880). Route 33 Starts at Hammersmith Bus station and runs via Barnes, East Sheen, Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington to FULWELL (bus garage).

After a mix up with the schedule (no meal relief for the crew had been included), and a wait of nearly 1 and half hours, the bus eventually shows up at Barnes! Due to a weight restriction on Hammersmith Bridge, The bus had to turn at Barnes (red lion) but use the stand, which is off line of route, at Barnes Pond. ER 880, a regular on routes 9 and 94 when those routes were crew operated, now preserved as London United's Private Hire/special bus.

The old route 33 ran from 1949 to 1958 from Hounslow Garage to Hammersmith, when it was withdrawn and replaced by a revised route 73. Then it was re-instated in 1966 and ran from HOUNSLOW GARAGE (Monday - Saturday except evenings) Whitton, TWICKENHAM STATION (Monday - Saturday evenings) Richmond, East Sheen, Barnes, Hammersmith, BROOK GREEN HOTEL (Saturdays) - KENSINGTON Queens Gate (Monday - Friday).