Edited by John Podgorski BA Hons, MSc, CMILT.

Welcome to the January, 2016 edition of Busmopolitan.

On the morning of 2nd January, Londoners found that they could travel for free, as the Oyster Card system had “crashed”. Normal service was resumed after lunch.
This “possible hangover from the new year”, was the first such incidence in 10 years. Transport for London recouped its losses through the Oyster service provider.

An era has ended in north Essex, with Hedingham retiring its last active Leyland Olympian. This ends 55 years of operating the Leyland marque.

Harlow based Townlink, and its associated Olympus and Roadrunner companies, have had their O licences revoked from 26th February 2016. This follows a long history of conflicts with the authorities. An appeal has been lodged, but some services have passed to other operators. Full details below.

C2C Rail has had to review its recent service changes, after the managing director was “mobbed” by angry customers, at a “surgery” at London Fenchurch Street station, in mid January.

Finally, Busmopolitan will be increasing its aviation coverage; looking at the carriers serving London City, Southend and Stansted Airports, (from time to time).

ABELLIO GREATER ANGLIA.
Coaching stock repainted into the new livery, ex ONE are FOs 10403, 11068, 11100; TSOs 12016/24/49/79/81/97 and DVT 82102.

ADVANCE MINIBUSES, SOUTHEND.
Volvo B12B/Berkhof FA04 LJV has been acquired from APT of Rayleigh.

AIRPORT BUS EXPRESS, STANSTED.

Above: One of the new Scania K440/Caetano C650s. BX65 WBG at Stansted on 17/1/16.

Coaches are also being hired from DJ International of Gravesend. Setra S315 N25 DJC, was seen at Stansted on 17/1/16 (below).

AMBER, RAYLEIGH.
Gone for preservation is Volvo B10M/NC G641 BPH.

ANGLIA RAILWAYS.
Class 86 electric locomotive 86235, is now with Europhoenix; and has gone to UKRL at Leicester; for repaint into 1980s style Inter City livery.

Above: Sister 86234 at Colchester in July 2004.

APT, RAYLEIGH.
Volvo B12B/Berkhof PT04 APT has been re-registered back to FA04 LJV, and sold to Advance Minibuses, Southend (qv).

ARRIVA KENT THAMESIDE (NETWORK COLCHESTER).

Now here are ex Arriva Network Harlow Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointers 3328/9/30 (X471, 521/2 GGO) and ex Arriva Kent and Surrey DAF SB120/Wright Cadets 3516 (LF52 USZ), 3520 (LJ03 MZL). 3329 is pictured (above), in its Harlow days, at Audley End in October 2015.
Withdrawn Dennis Dart SLF/Caetanos 3407/8/9 (HX51 LRJ/K/L) are now crew ferries, while Dart SLF/Pointer 3228 (P228 MKL) has returned to Kent and Surrey, for use as a crew ferry at Guildford.

ARRIVA LONDON NORTH.

TfL173 (Beckton-Goodmayes) has been largely double deck operated since October 2015. ADL/Enviro 400 T71 was pictured at Beckton Bus Station on 5/1/16.

BLUE TRIANGLE.
Scania Omnidekka 945 (YN56 FEF) has moved from Docklands Buses.
Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President PVL70 (W578 DGU) is now with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, via Ensign.

C2C.
The service revisions of December 2015 didn’t work out a planned, with overcrowding issues experienced. From mid January, there were further adjustments, to balance the situation.

Above: C2C Electrostar EMU 357225 trails an eastbound service at Chalkwell in May 2015. Note the Union Jack branding; connected with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee of 2012.

DBS.
More Class 66 diesel electric locomotives have been stored, following downturn in parts of the UK rail freight sector.

DLR.

Above; Under manual (driver) control, unit no 31 heads through Langdon Park on 2/1/16; as Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) to Poplar depot.

DRS.
Offered for sale are Class 47 diesel electric locomotives 47810/3/8/28/53. They are stored at Longtown, Cumbria. 47790, 47805/41 have passed to Locomotive Services of Crewe.

ENSIGNBUS.
Further temporary ex Arriva London Volvo B7TL/Alexander ALX400s are 905/6/7 (LJ54 BFO, BDZ, BFL).
The Vanguard Hybrid Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President; W473 WGH, appeared at Purfleet depot at the end of January.
The Brentwood-Ongar section of ex Townlink route 21 has been taken on; following the latter’s O licence problems. Trustybus now runs the rest of the 21.

EUROSTAR.
EMU sets 373013/4/17-20; DM cars 373101/2 and trailer 373308 are in store at Temple Mills depot.

FIRST ESSEX.
Withdrawn are Scania L94UB/Wrights 60206 (Y598 KNE); 65586/7 (V586/7 DVF); 65626/7/31 (V826/7/31 FSC). Also now regarded as withdrawn is long term delicensed Scania L94UB/Wright 62406.
Braintree depot now has a new tenant; Gresham Telecom. Prior to this, withdrawn Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 43731 (S731 TWC) and Scania L113/Wright 65574 (S574 TPW) and Scania L94UB/Wright 65650 (T650 SSF) had been stored there; parked against the gates to prevent trespass. 65574 and 65586 subsequently moved to the sub yard; which has been re-opened as the Braintree outstation.
Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 65680 (R680 DPW), is now a crew ferry at Chelmsford (CF).
Dennis Dart SLF/Marshall Capital 41737 (X737 HLF), has passed to Alpha Recovery for scrap.

Above: First Essex Scania/Wrights 65650 and 65574 “guard” the old Braintree depot on 30/12/15.

FREIGHTLINER.
Class 86/5 electric loco 86501 is being converted back 86/6 specification, as 86608.

Above: 86501 at Ipswich in November 2003.

GALLOWAY, MENDLESHAM.
Optare Solo M890 SR 353 (KX15 BLN|) is now with De Courcey of Coventry.

GOLDEN BOY, HODDESDON.
Van Hool T916 OO10 BOY has been offered for sale.

HAILSTONE TRAVEL, WICKFORD.
Offered for sale is Mercedes 1524L/UNVI YN09 BXU ‘Monsoon’.

HAROLD WOOD COACHES.

The old Woodlands Road depot of this operator, who closed in 2005, has disappeared under new housing. The pictures show (above), the site in September 2004, and (below) in December 2009.

HARWICH TAXIS, DOVERCOURT.
Ford Transit 16 seater H7 GUV has reverted to its original LN52 LFW mark, and passed to Panther Travel.

HAVERING COUNCIL TRANSPORT.
From Ensign are ex Stagecoach East London Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400s LX03 BTV and LX04 FXW.

HEDINGHAM.

Above: Chambers ex Hedingham Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer no 252, at the MOT bay in Tollesbury depot, on 8/1/16.

Ex Anglian Optare Solo 904 (MX53 FDM) has entered service at Tollesbury (TY).
Leyland Olympian/NC 64 (K357 DWJ), is withdrawn due to engine failure. It has gone to store at Anglian/Beccles; with Volvo Olympian/Alexander RH 84 (M276 UKN), being recovered from Beccles, for return to service with Hedingham.
Withdrawn Volvo Olympian/NC 66 (P606 CAY) is being converted into a static library, for donation to a school.

Above: Hedingham Leyland Olympian 64 (ignore the Volvo badge !), with Volvo Olympian no 90, at Kelvedon depot on 14/12/15.
Below: Leyland Olympian no 64 is towed away from Kelvedon to Beccles, on 26/1/16.

IPSWICH BUSES.
After cannibalisation by Beestons; Dennis Dart SLF/EL Sprytes 91 (X91 LBJ), 95/9 (X195/9 LBJ) went to PSV Recycling of Hadleigh, for scrap.

Above: SLF no 91 at Tower Ramparts in June 2015.

JR EXECUTIVE TRAVEL, COPDOCK.
Setra S250 N265 MBX is ex Williams of Brecon. It has been re-registered JRZ 6241.
Mercedes 0816D/UNVI HX59 EVK is now JR59 BUS.

LCB, HARLOW.
Iveco 49-10 minicoach C19 LCB has been sold.

LODGE, HIGH EASTER.
BMC 850 F20 DGE has reverted to its original BX06 OAU mark.
F20 DGE is now carried by DAF SB200/Wrighgt Cadet bus ex YJ03 PFF.

LONDON CENTRAL.
Another ex London General Mercedes Citaro seen on TfL108 (Lewisham-Stratford) is MEC42 (BT09 GOH).
The former East Thames Buses/Easybus ELS Class Scania Omnilinks; ELS1-14 (YU02 GHG/H/J/K/D/A/N/O, YR52 VFJ/H/K/L/M/N) have been withdrawn, and passed to Ensign. They have been replaced of TfL42 (Denmark Hill-Liverpool Street0 by ex London General SOE Class ADL Enviro/ELs; displaced from Merton (AL) by new vehicles.
Several ELSs have been resold via Ensign, to Trustybus at Harlow.

Above: ELS11 at Tower Hill in October 2009.

LONDON OVERGROUND (LOROL).
In the new livery are EMUs 315811, 317709.
Now 5 car, ex 4 are Electrostar EMUs 378227-30/2-4/55-7. This completes the programme.

LONDON UNDERGROUND.
New are S7 Stock units 21499/500, 21509/10, 21511/12, 21515/16.
D78 stock withdrawn is 7047+17047+8047; 7073+17073+8073; 7080+17080+8080; 7083+17083+8083; 7084+17084+8084; 7089+17089+8089; 7092+17092+8092; 7104+17014+8104; 7126+17126+8126.
Sold to VivaRail are 7047+17047; 7073+17073; 7080+17080; 7083+17083; 7084+17084; 7089+17089; 7092+17092; 7104+17104.
To Booth Roe for scrap are 8047/73/80/83/84/89/92/104.

LONDON UNITED.
From 14/1/16, runs services A30 (Stansted Airport-Victoria), A31 (Stansted Airport-London Liverpool Street) and A32 (Stansted Airport-Stratford) on behalf of National Express. Ex NX Volvo B9R/Caetano Levantes are used; currently in plain white. VL3 was seen (below) at Stansted on 17/1/16.

NATIONAL EXPRESS (CONTRACTORS).
From 4/1/16, City of Oxford operated 737 (Oxford-Stansted Airport) additionally served High Wycombe Coachway.
Selwyns worked 350 (Liverpool-Southend) no longer served Huntingdon after 14th January.

NATIONAL EXPRESS OPERATIONS.
KX14 EBD is a Mercedes Sprinter 513 accessible minibus. It is numbered 8585 and is at Stansted.
Scania K340EB6/Caetano Levantes SH10 (MIG 9439), SH09 (MIG 9440), SH04 (MIG 9440), SH25 (SHZ 5733) SH38 (SHZ 5734) have passed to Skills of Nottingham.

PANTHER TRAVEL.


Acquired from Harwich Taxis is Ford Transit 16 seat minibus LN52 LFW. It has received black/silver livery and named ‘Mini Roy’. Pictured (top) at Stansted on 24/1/16.
Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Mini Pointer RX56 BWE has been re-registered DC56 PAN (pictured above at Hertford East). Volvo Olympian/Alexander Royale N592 BRH has received fleet livery, ex Lodge blue/cream. It has been re-registered BIG 9210 and is named ‘Jonathon’. Leyland Olympian/ECW coach BIG 4005 is now named ‘James’.
Ex Mid Wales ADL/Enviro 200 YX62 FVV is now AB62 PAN.
Offered for sale are Volvo B10M/Plaxton Panther Y5 TRU and Volvo B12T/Plaxton Panther AB07 PAN.

Above; ADL/Enviro 200 DC61 PAN, on the ex New Horizon 77 service, at Tufnell Way terminus, Colchester, on 11/1/16.

Above: Panther has recently repainted former Eastern National ex Stephensons Leyland Olympian/ECW coach D511 PPU into fleet livery. It was seen at Witham outstation on 9/1/16. The Ford Focus ferry car alongside it also of interest; it was new to Essex Police.

RICHMOND OF BARLEY.
VDL SB180/MCV bus YJ62 JXW has passed to Arriva, Gomersal (dealer).

RSM DRIVER TRAINING, CANVEY ISLAND.
Has ex Metroline Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano LK53 FDG, through Ensign.

SQUIRRELS OF HITCHAM.
MEZ 3873 is a Volvo B10M/Jonckherre Mistral, ex Stuarts of Carluke. It was new to Clarkes of London as R171 SUT.

STAGECOACH EAST LONDON.
Received from Selkent are Dennis Transit/Alexander ALX400s 18481-4/96-99 (LX55 BDY/Z, BEO/Y; LX06 AHC-F). They are at Barking (BK).
Gone to Selkent are Trident/ALX400s 17748/9 (LY52 ZFG/H); 17796 (LX03 BWK).
Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400s resold via Ensign are 17222 (V364 OWC) – now with Nu Venture of Aylesford; 17754 (LX03 BTY) – Nash of Enfield; and 17753 (LX03 BTV), 18231 (LX04 FXW) – to London Borough of Havering.

Above: With the “brutalist” Robin Hood Gardens as a backdrop, Stagecoach East London New Routemaster LT256, at Blackwall terminus on 2/1/16.

Above: Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 ex 17222, is seen with its new operator, Nu-Venture of Aylesford, at Chatham on 8/1/16. (D W Rhodes).

STANSTED CITYLINK.

The new Mercedes Tourismos have been allocated fleet number MBT1-10, but only MBT8 has been physically seen.
Between 2nd and 31st January, 2016, Tottenham Hale was additionally served by the 767 Stansted-Kings Cross service.
Coaches are being hired from Westbus and Callinans of Galway. Westbus Mercedes Tourismo BN12 CNZ, is pictured (below) at Stansted on 17/1/16.

STEPHENSONS OF ESSEX.
Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano 453 (HV52 WTC) was the service 247 bus at the start of January, and was subsequently replaced by long ADL/Enviro 200 464 (EU62 FDF).
Short ADL/Enviro 200 427 (YY15 NJO) is now in fleet livery, ex plain white.
It is pictured, below at Braintree Bus Park on 9/1/16.

Above: One of Stephensons new ‘Three Rivers’ ADL/Enviro 200s, no 472 – at Braintree Bus Park on 9/1/16.

Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano trainer 9033 (LK03 NLG) has been re-registered A17 SOE. The previous carrier of this mark, a LDV Convoy crew ferry, has reverted to its original DL03 HDK registration.

SULLIVAN BUSES, SOUTH MIMMS.
Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 ALX5 (V142 MEV), has passed to Nu-Venture of Aylesford.
From 2/1/16, 398 (Potters Bar-Watford) was rerouted in Borehamwood via Brook Road instead of Theobald Street and Shenley Road.

TENDRING TRAVEL, THORPE LE SOKEN.
C10 NGC is a Mercedes 0815D/UNVI, ex Parnell of Honiton (dealer).

TERRAVISION.
Ceased running from the Mid Stay Car Park at Stansted, after 16/1/16. From 17th January, they began operating from the Taylors End Industrial Park.
The use of Redwing of London as a subcontractor, appears to have ceased.

TfL RAIL.

EMUs 315846+315849 depart Goodmayes for Chadwell Heath, on 30/1/16. To the left is the site of the former Goodmayes Goods Yard, while to the right are materials for Crossrail works; close to the site of the former Goodmayes signal box. The skyline of Ilford forms a backdrop.

A street within the old Goodmayes Goods Depot site.

TONY GLEW, COLCHESTER.
Dennis Javelin/Plaxton Paramount 3200 B3 CEC, is now with Viking.com of Swadlincote, Leicestershire.

TOWER TRANSIT.
Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer KP02 PVN has passed to Ensign.

TOWNLINK, HARLOW.
This operator, and its associates Olympus and Roadrunner; had their O licences revoked from 26/2/16.
This follows a PI (Public Enquiry) at Cambridge on 3/11/15. The main issue that time, was having no qualified transport manager.
The directors were banned for between 6 and 12 months and fined a combined total of £25,000.
An appeal has been lodged, and operations continue; although the 21 (Harlow-Brentwood) service has been given up.
Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer V808 KAG passed to Comer, Kingswood, Bristol, before these developments.

Above: Townlink Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander ALX200 Y296 FJN, on the 21 at Harlow Bus Station, on 31/10/15.

TRUSTYBUS.
Supplied through Ensign are ex London Central Scania Omnilink/ELs YU02 GHH/J/K/O, YR52 VFJ/L/M/N.
ADL/Enviro 200 MX08 HCC has passed to Ensign. Sisters BX58 BEY, YX09 FNG, YX60 BZD/E/F/G passed to Mc Gills of Glasgow, through Ensign.
Also sold are Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Mini Pointers PDS32/3 (SHZ 2691, VJZ 3283) and cannibalised Dart SLF/Pointer RX51 FNT. PDS33 and RX51 FNT went to MC Tractors, Ely – for scrap.
The Harlow-Ongar section on ex Townlink route 21 has been taken over.

Above: Trustybus ex Metrobus Scania Omnicity YN53 RXP, at Hertford East on Abellio Greater Anglia RRP standby, on 3/1/16.

Above: Trustybus ex Tower Transit Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 LX04 FXP, enters Harlow Bus Station on 16/1/16.

With thanks to: J Benee; District Dave; Ensignbus; Essex Buses Yahoo; A Hazell; P Layzell; Panther Travel; PSVC; D W Rhodes; RM.

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