View Latest Data |
|
Log-in Register |
||||||||||
| Count | Photo | Details | Added  |
| 2,001 |  |
By Colin Brazier Go-Ahead London's Orpington garage (inherited from Metrobus) operates buses over quite a large area of south east London, and there is a need for several crew ferry vehicles. Four of the Mercedes-Benz Vito minibuses added in 2019 are based here, along with four older examples. New contributor Colin Brazier encountered RJ19HSN at Orpington Station bus terminal in March 2020. Service vehicles at the former Metrobus garages were still given lettering (and fleetnumbers) until recently, but the newest additions are in unmarked red as seen here. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,002 |  |
By Michael Mair Delivered to London United in May 2012 was a batch of nine Ford Transit vans with fleetnumbers FT1 to FT9 (changed to FT70001 to FT70009 in 2016). Each of the eight garages then in use was allocated one of the vans for use by the engineers, while the ninth was assigned to the company headquarters. Hounslow garage had FT8 but this was withdrawn in 2018, perhaps as a result of accident damage. It was evidently repairable however, as the van has since been relicensed with a new owner. To replace FT8, a string of unmarked silver vans have been based at Hounslow, including CX18PNO and MV68XBD. More recently, vans in the livery of Thrifty vehicle rental have been used, including Ford Transit Custom van WT19RVM, seen in the garage on 5th April 2020. Perhaps, once the COVID-19 situation has passed, RATP will buy a batch of new vans to service their expanded operations. If so, it will be interesting to see what fleetnumbers they get. Under the 2016 scheme, mid-sized vans and minibuses were numbered in the 700xx series, while small vans and cars were in the 750xx series. It is believed that some of the unmarked vans operated over the past couple of years were allocated fleetnumbers in the ST750xx range, while the MAN minibuses for the Slide Ealing scheme were assigned M75091 to M75100. This suggests that the 700xx series is no longer used. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,003 |  |
By Michael Mair On 5th April 2020, Michael took his 'permitted exercise' by walking to RATP-Dev's Twickenham garage. Among various vehicles parked up were most of the 'Slide Ealing' MAN minibuses, which come in two livery variations as seen here. This demand responsive service, along with the similar one in Sutton, was suspended when the COVID-19 lockdown was introduced, as it was deemed impossible to provide 2 metres separation between passengers in the rather compact vehicles. Both services were technically experimental and it remains to be seen whether they are eventually reintroduced. In terms of the service vehicles, none of the new Dacia cars were present, all presumably having been delivered to their new home garages. One of the replaced vehicles was present, this being Ford Fiesta van LS15DXO, latterly at Edgware Garage. New as fleetnumber FF26 in April 2015, the renumbering exercise of 2016 saw this become FF75026, and this van was one of only a few to actually carry its new number. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,004 |  |
By Paul Nicholls Seen at Lakeside Bus Station on 23rd April 2020 was Arriva London's Vauxhall Corsa car FL16SKF. This is one of several that started their service vehicle careers at Dartford Garage before moving across the river to Grays. I suspect that the similar but unmarked car alongside was also in use by Arriva. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,005 |  |
By Ivor Norman Ford Focus estate 8452F is 'allocated' to Acton Works but it spent Easter 2020 parked up at Church Langley, Harlow, as seen on 12th April. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,006 |  |
By Paul Nicholls The weather for most of April 2020 was really rather nice, which made it a bit frustrating not to be able to get out and about. A few photographs have been submitted by people doing their daily exercise or shopping. Paul found Ford Transit crew van 8284F parked in Sockett's Heath, Grays on 20th April. New in March 2017, I had allocated this van to Stratford Market Depot, based on a sighting of it there in November 2017. However, it has more frequently been seen at Acton Works, so the allocation should perhaps be revised. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,007 |  |
By Paul Almeroth Another view of Leyland Freighter recovery truck 2418L with DMS1953 at North Weald in 1986. The bus was a full-time trainer, as evidenced by the additional nearside mirror (for the instructor, who was provided with a seat in the front gangway), and the labelling on the rear. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,008 |  |
By Paul Almeroth Paul has been taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown to do some photo scanning, and two of the results are added today. Taken at the bus rally at North Weald in 1986, the subject is Leyland Freighter bus recovery truck 2418L. One of six bought by London Buses in the early 1980s, 2418L was based at Upton Park and ran on trade plate 303LA until 1990. Daimler Fleetline bus DMS1953 from Holloway garage had been in use on the drive-a-bus circuit but suffered from a detached fan shaft, resulting in the arrival of 2418L. In this view the bus is being removed from the former airfield, although I'm not sure why the lorry's headlights are on. Note that Forest District stickers have been applied to the front of the bodywork as well as the cabsides. The ensemble was also photographed by Kim Rennie. |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,009 |  |
By Bob Milner London Transport had an ambulance at each of its main works, the final examples being a pair of Bedford CALVs with Lomas bodywork new in 1968 and 1969. Both have survived into preservation and were displayed together at Brooklands in 2013. While Chiswick's 1532B has been shown during its time with LT, photos of 1492B at Aldenham seem to be rather rare. The photo shown here was taken at the works, and it appears to have been during an open day, although we are not sure if this was the 1979 or 1983 event. There are not many contextual clues but perhaps someone out there (with a very good memory!) can provide an answer. As was common with London Transport at the time, the ambulance carries a registration in series with several other buses and service vehicles. SMK658-760F were RML buses, while SMK761-776F were used on service vehicles numbered in the range 1469F to 1490F. SMK777-782F and SMK785-790F went onto staff cars, and SMK783F was on the first ambulance. It is notable that the registration SMK784F was not issued, and perhaps it had been reserved for the second ambulance (which eventually appeared as VLW688G). Apologies for the slightly poor quality of this photo. It was a print that was photographed using a phone camera! |
27/04/2020 |
| 2,010 |  |
By James Mair From the mid-1980s until the early 2010s, the Bedford/Vauxhall Astra van was a common feature of the central fleet, over 270 being used. This compares to nearly 600 examples of the broadly similar Ford Escort van, though production of the latter had started over ten years earlier. As at April 2000, there were 14 Astra vans in use, alongside 42 of the Escort van. Although the Astras were all badged as Vauxhalls, the vans carried a mixture of B and V fleetnumber suffixes. 4821, seen here, avoided the confusion by omitting the suffix altogether. New in June 1998 this was a petrol-engined 1.6LS 2+2 van. The 2+2 designation usually referred to the fitting of a second row of seats, although since such vans had no additional doors or windows, it was almost impossible to confirm their interiors from photographs. 4821 had 'Engineering services' lettering, with department lettering that appears to read 'Civil & Track Consultancy', curiously using title case rather than sentence case. No allocation information is available and the location and date of this photo are not confirmed but could well be Chalfont and Latimer Station on 16th June 2001. The van was withdrawn in October 2001, while production of van Astras ended in 2013. Also visible in this photo are LUL wagons GP937 (General Purpose, built by Procor in 1985) and what looks to be FW351 (Flat Wagon, Gloucester 1951). The latter was officially numbered F351 and, despite its age, remained in stock to at least 2013. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,011 |  |
By James Mair Many vehicle manufacturers produced van versions of their car models, often simply by omitting the passenger doors and windows. The Ford Escort, Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Astra all saw use as service vehicles in both car and commercial configuration. A drawback of this approach was that the load space was restricted by the dimensions of the car bodywork and in the late-1980s/early-1990s several 'hybrid' models were introduced. These retained the chassis and front end of the car designs but married it to larger bodywork to the rear. To keep the windscreens and doors standardised, this often resulted in a 'stepped' appearance, as seen on the Vauxhall Astramax (1986-1993) and later Combo B (1993-2001), and the 2nd generation Volkswagen Caddy (1995-2004, based on the Polo car). The final design of Escort van also featured a slightly enlarged cargo space but in 1991 Ford added the Courier model, based on the Fiesta car platform. 21 examples of this type were added to the leased fleet between 1995 and 2001, with a total of 8 being in stock at April 2000. 4809F, photographed at Uxbridge Bus Station on 24th October 2000, is an example of the 1995 design, which was based on the Fiesta Mk4. The oval grille replaced the earlier plain design, and was further revised in 1999. The allocation of this van is not known though, being lettered for Distribution Services, it was probably Acton Works. Note the mismatched wheeltrims. Production of the Courier ended in 2002, both it and the Escort van being replaced by the new Transit Connect model. However, the Courier name returned in 2014 as the smallest model in a newly expanded Ford Transit range. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,012 |  |
By James Mair This photo shows two more LTB Ford Transit vans from the third batch (of 7) leased in late 1997. Seen at Harrow Bus Station were 4800F, with similar 4802F peeking in on the right. James had reported seeing both of these vans at this location on 18th April 2001, but I am not sure that this photo was taken on that occasion. The minibus era in London was drawing to a close at this time, the last survivors being larger Mercedes-Benz T2 models, such as the Plaxton-bodied 811D seen here. Sovereign 435 (with 'select' registration K5SBC) had been new in 1993 but was replaced on route H10 (and others) by a batch of new Dennis Dart SLF buses in 1999. 435 was likely transferred elsewhere but was in any case withdrawn by spring 2001. 4800F and 4802F were both withdrawn on 24th September 2001, having been replaced by Vauxhall Movano vans 5207V and 5208V. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,013 |  |
By Colin Lloyd London Transport Buses received three batches of Ford Transit vans in the second half of the 1990s, though all of the first batch had been withdrawn in 1999. Representing the third batch, new in late 1997, is 4799F, caught coming off the level crossing at Enfield Lock station on 6th May 2000. The location would suggest that this van was based at Turnpike Lane, but allocation information from this period is a bit patchy. Up to the late 1990s, allocations were included in official lists which were made available. For later periods, we are reliant on reported observations. 4799F appeared on one official list but, as with most of the LTB vehicles, the allocation was given as the generic 'Buckingham Palace Road' (i.e. Victoria Coach Station). Unfortunately, only two sightings of 4799F have been added, neither of which gave the location. In the background of this photo is another Mk5 Transit, this being a high-roof crew van in the orange and white livery of AMEC Rail. This was one of several companies to be awarded contracts for infrastructure maintenance on the national rail network. In fact I was employed by AMEC Rail for a time in 1998/1999, based in their Wimbledon office. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,014 |  |
By James Mair Ford Transit van 4787F was new in August 1997 and was one of the first service vehicles to have an R-prefix registration. It was a short-wheelbase Mk5 and carried 'Support services' lettering due to its use by Distribution Services. Vans used by this department could turn up almost anywhere, and James found 4787F parked at Edgware Bus Station. In the background are two Leyland Olympians of Arriva the Shires, both carrying the Arriva national livery of cream and turquoise, worn by most group buses outside of London. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,015 |  |
By Colin Lloyd The central fleet contained 23 minibuses in April 2000, all being based on the Ford Transit (although some were badged as Tourneos). A few smaller vehicles were still being bought rather than leased, and the 23 included 3 numbered in the owned fleet (2502/3/6F), 19 numbered in the leased fleet and one un-numbered. A fairly typical example was long-wheelbase (15-seat) Mk5 Transit 4783F, new in June 1997. Minibuses often had a slightly higher specification than comparable vans, and this can be seen here with the addition of smart wheeltrims and headlamp washers. The effect is slightly spoiled however by the dent and rust on the front nearside. The department lettering reads just TrackForce, and this vehicle was allocated to Ashfield House at Lillie Bridge, lasting until late 2003 (by which time it had come under the Metronet BCV organisation). Colin caught it turning onto Victoria Street on 17th May 1999, most likely having come from the Broadway offices. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,016 |  |
By Colin Lloyd I didn't expect that this delve into the archives would turn up any new information but I was wrong. This photo shows Ford Transit van 4780F, which I had assumed was in LUL white/blue livery (seemingly on the rather dubious basis that 12 other Transits with P2xxUTM registrations were all in white/blue). However, as seen in this photo of the van at Parliament Square on 17th June 1998 shows, it was in fact plain white. I noticed that I had logged a sighting of this van when it was just a couple of months old and I managed to dig out my notebook of the time. Although I had not recorded the location or the lettering, I had noted that the livery was white, suggesting that it carried this from new. Another oddity is the lettering being just 'London Transport'. This title was not in general use at the time, most vehicles either being London Underground or London Buses. Some clues come from the facts that this van was officially allocated to Broadway (Westminster) and it was withdrawn in October 2001. This was shortly after the arrival of newer Transit Mk6 van 5213F, which was also plain white, had Transport for London lettering (being one of the first vehicles to carry this) and was used by the archive department. It is assumed that Mk5 Transit 4780F was used for the same function and I will update the database accordingly. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,017 |  |
By Colin Lloyd Another small Ford Transit, photographed on 22nd June 1999. Distribution Services vans of this type were a fairly common sight around central London, but this example has 'Engineering services' lettering rather than 'Support services', while closer inspection shows it also has 'Lifts escalators and pumps' department lettering. 4775F was indeed based at the not-too-distant Griffith House, and lasted for four and a half years from June 1997. I couldn't exactly place this photo at first. Colin had labelled it as being The Strand, which made me think of Zimbabwe House near Charing Cross, given the animal heads worked into the background architecture. However, the road in the foreground is evidently one way, and westbound on the basis of the sun's direction. So I had a look (on Google streetview) at the Aldwych end of the Strand (which is one way). However, I should have gone the other way. The building in the background is South Africa House, on the corner of the Strand and St Martins Place. The road here was one way at the time, but has since had an eastbound lane added for buses only. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,018 |  |
By James Mair Here is yet another photo where, despite the lack of context, regular visitors will instantly recognise the location. It is of course the small, covered yard in the bottom of Griffith House near Marylebone. Despite the small size of this location, a full-sized lorry was normally to be found inside, and Iveco/Ford Super Cargo 2535F can be seen on the left. The main subject however is Ford Transit van 4774F, a long-wheelbase, mid-height Mk5 Ford Transit van. The van looks recently delivered (note the blue visible inside the rear wheelarch), dating this photo to soon after its arrival in June 1997. It was used until 2001, and remained licensed until 2010. Note the Hartwell sticker in the rear window. This dealership is still supplying many of the central fleet's Ford vehicles in 2020. For example, the Hartwell name can be seen on the number plates of 9016F. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,019 |  |
By James Mair Van and minibus versions of the Mk5 Ford Transit could be distinguished by the black vent moulding towards the top of the rear corners. The Transit van has always been available in a variety of sizes, and this is an example of the smallest (short wheelbase, low-roof). 4765F was new in June 1997 and was allocated to Ruislip Depot, carrying appropriate 'Central line' lettering. Vehicles from Ruislip were amongst the most rarely seen, but fortunately James encountered 4765F in Acton. It was parked in the small car park on Osborne Road, close to the junction with Bollo Lane, the building in the background with blue windows being Bollo House. Service vehicles were occasionally parked here (as with 4594F and R504WMV), although it is not known if they were connected with Bollo House or with the adjoining Smallbills garage. In any case, the car park has now disappeared with the building of a new block of flats here. 4765F was withdrawn in November 2000 but gave almost another 10 year's use to subsequent owners. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,020 |  |
By Colin Lloyd Digital cameras were in their infancy in 2000, so all of the images used in today's batch are based on scans of prints from film cameras. Some of the scans are not of brilliant quality, as it is often hard to get sufficient contrast from prints. I have left this photo uncropped, partly because the quality is not great, but also because the surrounding vehicles are of some interest. The main subject is Ford Escort van 4761F, seen waiting at the traffic lights at the bottom of Parliament Street on 21st September 2000 (ah, at last a photo actually taken in the year 2000!). New in June 1997 and used until October 2001, this van was allocated to Distribution Services, and hence carried the 'Support services' lettering as opposed to 'Engineering services'. As an aside, LUL seemed to have a corporate style of always using sentence case for vehicle lettering. This included examples such as 'Emergency response unit'. Title case seems more natural, as featured in the 'Operating Services' lettering on the LTB/LBSL vans. The Escort was the most numerous 'small' van in the central fleet in 2000, with 42 examples all in the leased fleet. Dual-souring was being practiced in this class of vehicle, and there were also 14 Vauxhall Astra vans and 16 Vauxhall Combos. Behind 4761F is a Mercedes-Benz T1 van, of the type mentioned earlier today, while the posh Range Rover alongside is somewhat timeless. Behind that is an Arriva London RM bus, the operator squeezing the fleetname onto the white band at the front. It never occurred to me before how little plain bodywork there was on the front of the Routemaster. Behind that are a pair of Northern Counties bodied Olympians, most likely Stagecoach examples on the long route 53. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,021 |  |
By James Mair Here is another location that regular visitors will easily recognise. This is the front yard of the facility on Museum Way, Acton Town, as seen from the roadway leading to the LT Museum Depot. A very similar photo taken about 18 years later can be seen here. Present at the time were two Ford Transits in LUL white/blue livery. Dropside 4894F on the left lasted from December 1998 until August 2002, while long-wheelbase van 4747F on the right served from April 1997 until January 2001. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,022 |  |
By Colin Lloyd By April 2000 the London Buses service vehicle fleet was divided between older vehicles still in 'London Transport Buses' white livery, and newer ones in the red with orange squares scheme. Among the former were two batches of long-wheelbase Ford Transit vans, these being a common sight at bus stations around London. Some of them were what we now call crew vans, with additional side windows on one or both sides. Most were plain vans, like 4726F seen leaving Stratford Bus Station on 8th August 1997. As with most of the Transits, additional 'Operating Services' lettering was applied (in red) on the doors. 4726F was to last until late 2000, when it was replaced by a Vauxhall Movano. In the background can be seen an East Lancs bus of Harris Bus in their rather outlandish blue and green livery. Also visible is the back of what seems to be an orange minibus, though I'm not sure who that would have belonged to. Construction work on the new station building (for the Jubilee line extension) looms in the distance. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,023 |  |
By Colin Lloyd Seen passing Tottenham Hale Station on 29th March 1997 was Ford Transit dropside truck 4707F. At the time this vehicle was officially allocated to Pelham Street in South Kensington, though the location of the photo suggests it had come from Northumberland Park Depot (Victoria Line). Unfortunately the department lettering on the cab doors cannot be made out. Mk5 Transit 4707F had been new in August 1996 and had a tail-lift but no crew-cab. It remained in stock until February 2001. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,024 |  |
By Colin Lloyd While service vehicles employed by London Buses were normally red, a white livery had been used between 1991 and 1997, and several vehicles in this scheme remained in stock in April 2000. As shown in this view of Vauxhall Astra estate car 4689B at London Bridge Bus Station on 31st January 1998, such vehicles carried the fleetname London Transport Buses. The bus station was covered at this time and was notoriously difficult to take good photographs in. In the background of this view can be seen construction work for the Jubilee Line extension to Stratford, and one of the many Northern Counties bodied Olympian buses of KentishBus. The idea of London buses running in colour schemes such as this cream and maroon seems odd now but was of course common during the 1980s and 1990s. As for the vehicle, this represents a curiosity of the central fleet at the time, in that dual-sourcing was practiced for cars and small vans, but not for larger vehicles (which were nearly all Fords). The Vauxhall Astra was in fact the most common car in 2000, with 22 estates and one hatchback in the leased fleet, and a further 13 estates in the un-numbered fleet. There were more Ford cars in the fleet but they were divided between several models (Escort, Fiesta, Focus, Galaxy and Mondeo). Another oddity is the suffix letter carried by 4689B. General Motors used the Vauxhall name for cars and Bedford for commercial vehicles. London Transport applied a B suffix to vehicles with either badging, but started using a V from about 1996. However the changeover was not consistent and for a few years Vauxhall cars and vans could be seen carrying either letter, seemingly at random. One final note relating to this photo concerns the number series. Most blocks of 100 numbers (eg 5100F to 5199VW) had a few numbers missing, as a result of cancelled or changed orders. The 46xx range was notable for only having 36 numbers used, all numbers between 4602 and 4667 being missing. It is possible that this was due to some administrative change, such as perhaps giving transport police vehicles 'paper' fleetnumbers. To date this is the largest block of numbers to have been unused. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,025 |  |
By James Mair While the dominance of the Ford Transit in the central fleet could make them seem a bit boring, there were a few oddities to keep things interesting. Seen at Hounslow Bus Garage during an open day, this is 4687F, the unique London Buses Mobile Control Centre. Normally kept at Aldgate Bus Station during the day, it would be used during events and incidents, while it is believed that it was often taken to Trafalgar Square at night to assist people using the night bus services that radiated from there. The 'Bus information' sign above the windows was removable, an alternative showing 'Mobile Control Centre', while comparison with that photo will also show that the fleetname was changed from 'London Transport Buses' to just 'London Buses'. Or it might have been the other way round! 4687F was a long-wheelbase, high-roof Transit Mk5 van with an unusual configuration. The nearside had three windows, making it look like a minibus. The middle window had a sliding section, which could be opened when the vehicle was in use as an information point. The rear featured side-hinged doors with tall windows, while the offside had just the driver's window, making it appear to be a van from that aspect. James caught the van with its door open, and inside can be seen a desk and chair, and some leaflet racks. One final feature to note is the socket (for a shore supply of electricity) close to the nearside front wheel. 4687F was replaced by Mk6 Transit 5040F (with a broadly similar configuration) in late 2000, although it was retained for other functions until it was withdrawn and exported in 2003. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,026 |  |
By James Mair Real SV-neds will recognise this location as being the yard adjoining Griffith House, views into which were afforded by gaps in the fencing and advertising hoardings along Chapel Street. James did pretty well to capture this view of Ford Transit Mk5 dropside truck 4534F on an unrecorded date. The truck still looks fairly pristine, so the date was probably not long after its delivery in September 1995. The subsidiary lettering shows that the vehicle was allocated to the 'Lifts, escalators & pumps' section, and it has a crew-cab and tail-lift. Note that the crew-cab does not have side windows, though this had been added as an option by then. In fact, sister vehicle 4533F did have side windows, and was photographed at the same location also by James. Although the Ford Transit van had been used by LT since 1966, the first truck versions did not arrive until 1986. 37 were in stock in April 2000, all being Mk5s. One curious aspect of the Griffith House yard was that it adjoined the Edgware Station yard but was not connected to it. One of the garages of the latter location can be seen above 4534F's offside mirror. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,027 |  |
By James Mair The Ford Transit has been the dominant model in the central fleet for many years, and 2000 was no exception, with 194 examples in the leased series (representing 55% of that fleet) and a further 7 in the other series. The Mk5 Transit had been introduced in 1994 and hence, by 2000, very few of the Mk4 model remained. One of the survivors was long-wheelbase van 4423F, new in September 1994 and seen on an unrecorded date at Telstar House, Paddington. Official lists had this van as allocated to South Kensington and (later) Acton Works, for use by the Signal and Electrical department. Although the old LUL white/blue livery looks quite plain compared to today's white/blue/red, it did often feature department names, which was useful to observers. This van carries the title 'Signal & electrical contractors' below the LUL name on the doors. 4423F was withdrawn in autumn 2000. Telstar House was a late-1960s tower block built at the junction of Eastbourne Terrace and Bishops Bridge Road, close to the west end of Paddington Station. It contained offices for various LT departments, including the Computer Centre, catering and several teams working on projects such as the Heathrow Terminal 5 link, Crossrail and the Croxley Link. It was also for a time the headquarters of Centrewest, one of the new companies formed during the privatisation of London Buses in 1994. It is not known if the location had any covered parking spaces, though a handful of vehicles were officially allocated here. The location shown in this photo, and this similar view taken in 1986, is a small parking/turning area which you could look down into from Eastbourne Terrace. A serious fire damaged much of Telstar House in July 2003, and it was later demolished and replaced with a new building bearing the same name. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,028 |  |
By James Mair The second type of vehicle added to the Emergency Response Unit fleet in 1998/1999 was the Mercedes-Benz Vario O814. The Vario range had replaced the T2 (larger cousin to the T1) a few years earlier and was very popular in the UK as a minibus. The four ERU Varios were the only examples of the type to become service vehicles, and they were fitted with crew-cabs, box bodywork and tail-lifts. The livery was very similar to that on the Volvos. This interesting photo was taken at Chancery Lane, most likely shortly after the serious derailment that occurred here on 25th January 2003. Four other service vehicles are visible, these being a Ford Transit dropside truck parked in front, a Ford Mondeo estate (most likely the ERU's 4913F) and Ford Ranger behind, and a Ford Transit crew van parked near the traffic lights. When the Emergency Response Unit received purpose-built Volvo rescue tenders in 2007, the four Varios were sold. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,029 |  |
By Colin Lloyd In the year 2000 the Emergency Response Unit had a fleet of recently-delivered vehicles of two distinct types. First arrivals had been five Volvo FL6.14 demountable lorries in October 1998. Numbered 2566V to 2570V, these lorries were combined with the bodies that had been bought in 1990 and latterly used on Mercedes lorry chassis such as 2496M. The bodies were given an amended livery at the time, losing their front red/blue chevrons for a plain red panel, while red/white Battenburg stripes were applied along the sides. The bottom of the demountable bodies had to be modified to fit on the Volvos, a cut-out being provided to clear the real wheelarches. The Volvos served the ERU for about nine years, and 2566V was seen passing through Vauxhall on 12th July 2007. By this time the Tube Lines logo had been added towards the back of the sides of the bodies, while the cab had lost its Battenburg stripes. A couple of months after this photo was taken, the ERU was re-equipped with purpose-built Mercedes Atego rescue units. Most of the bodies were disposed of but the Volvos were switched to general haulage duties, with appropriate changes to their markings. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,030 |  |
By James Mair LUL's fleet in 2000 contained five refuse collection trucks, comprising a 10-year old, 3-axle Mercedes (2482M), two smaller units (Mercedes 2556M and Iveco 2564F) and a pair of 3-axle ERF EC8s. Bought in 1996, these were the only ERFs to join the central fleet and they lasted for a little over six years. Although sometimes listed as 2557E and 2558E, they actually carried plain fleetnumbers without a maker's suffix, as seen on 2558 at Stanmore Station on 13th December 2001. The arrival of Mercedes Econics 2582M and 2583M the following summer spelled the end for the two ERFs, although at least one stayed in London with a new owner. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,031 |  |
By Colin Lloyd LUL bought four of these Mercedes-Benz 1520 artic tractor units (with LN2-series cabs) in 1993, followed by a fifth in 1995. All replaced Ford Cargo units. One of the first quartet (2527M) was disposed of in May 1997, the fact that it was never again licensed after October 1996 suggesting that it may have had a serious accident. The other three remained in use until 2002 (being replaced by Ategos 2580/2581M), while the newer 2552M lasted until 2008. LT/LUL had a variety of semi-trailers with either 1, 2 or 3 axles. It has to be said that the smallish 1520 artics looked most comfortable with the single-axle Crane Fruehauf trailers, eight of which had been bought in 1994 with a ninth in 1990. Most of these trailers were dropsides and were delivered in grey livery, but all were later repainted blue. 2528M was caught on film on 13th September 1994 heading west along New Broadway in Ealing. It was coupled to trailer CT34, which may still be in stock 25 years later. It was last seen working in February 2017, but could well still be lurking in the yard at Acton. Note that the tractor unit has been 'named' Dobbin! |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,032 |  |
By Colin Lloyd By 2000, Mercedes-Benz was the main supplier of large vehicles to the central fleet. Of the sixty vehicles numbered in the 'owned' series as the time, 35 were Mercedes of various sizes. Conversely, the make was not represented at all in the leased fleet, and it was to be a few more years before batches of Sprinter vans were taken. The smallest Mercedes in the owned fleet were a variety of T1 trucks. This bonneted design was introduced in 1977 and included models such as the 207D and 308D. These became a routine sight on UK roads, usually as panel vans or minibuses. Interestingly, LT/LUL used neither of these configurations, sticking with the Ford Transit for their requirements. However, a number of T1 chassis-cabs were bought, starting with two batches of dropside and curtainsided 307Ds in grey livery in 1986. More arrived in the 1990-1993 period, all wearing LUL white/blue livery, and five of these remained in stock in April 2000. Seen on the Victoria one-way system on 12th June 1997, 2510M was one of a pair of Mercedes 410Ds with curtain-sided bodywork new in 1993. They were used for the distribution of new uniforms for staff and, combined with two uniform issue trailers also delivered in 1993, enabled the withdrawal of the distinctive Ford D-series lorries that had performed this function since 1976. 2510M was withdrawn in late 2000 but sister 2511M lasted until the middle of the decade. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,033 |  |
By James Mair Through the 1960s and 1970s, London Transport had virtually standardised on Ford products for its service vehicle fleet. Indeed 255 of the 288 full-sized lorries bought during this period were made by Ford. The successful D-series design was replaced by the new Cargo range from 1981, these being built at the factory in Langley near Slough. It was natural that London Transport would take the Cargo, although a change of policy to multi-sourcing saw competing models from Bedford, Dodge, Leyland and (later) Mercedes-Benz also being bought during the 1980s. In the event, LT purchased a total of 30 Ford Cargo lorries of various configurations. The last to arrive were a pair of Cargo 1313 dropside lorries in late 1990, these being the only ones to carry LUL white/blue livery from new, and the only LT Ford Cargo lorries to remain in service into the 21st century. Another unique feature of this pair was that they were the only LT Cargo lorries to have crew cabs, the design being a little bit ungainly, with the curved rear of the normal-length cab still being visible. The bodywork featured 2-part metal dropsides and a fold-under tail-lift at the rear. To enable use of the tail-lift, the rear of the open body was split into two, side-hinged doors. Official documents show that the two lorries were bought to replace two of the earlier Dodge lorries (2314D and 2317D), and that they were based at Acton Works until their eventual withdrawal in 2002. 2498F was found parked outside White City Station on an unreported date. Production of the original Ford Cargo had ended in about 1991, the type being replaced by the Iveco EuroCargo (sometimes branded as a Ford Super Cargo), fifteen of which were have since served in the central fleet. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,034 |  |
By Richard Eversden So, I am starting a photographic review of the year 2000 with a photo taken eleven years earlier! 2464L is worth illustrating though as it was the last Leyland vehicle in the central fleet by 2000, and was itself withdrawn towards the end of the year. New in 1988, 2464L was the last of thirteen lorries to feature the Ogle-designed T45 cab. These comprised two Cruiser artic tractors, six Freighter recovery trucks and five Freighter dropside lorries. Among all of these, 2464L was unique in featuring an extended (in both length and height) cab of the type usually used to provide sleeping space for long distance drivers. It was also unique in having a tail-lift, and it was quite a tail-lift, with a very large, fold-down platform. This feature was specified for its use by the lifts and escalators division based at Griffith House, although official fleetlists gave 2464L's allocation as being Acton Works. The large tail-lift can also be seen on earlier 1514F and 2276B, both of which also had the tilt-cover as featured on 2464L. Later lorries such as 2535F, 2579, 2585I and the current RK14ETT and RK14ETU dispensed with the tilt but continued the use of large platform tail-lifts. At the time of 2464L's delivery, grey livery was still standard for lorries. 2464L was unusual for pairing this with white fleetnumbers, other lettering being in rounded boxes, as featured for a few years in the late 1980s. 2464L was repainted in the post-1990 LUL livery of white and blue sometime before 1998. In this photo, taken on 8th May 1989, the lorry was parked outside Wood Green Bus Garage with its tail-lift lowered. This location is about a hundred yards from the tube station so it is possible the lorry was being used for other purposes, perhaps delivering to the bus garage, or the offices on nearby Watsons Road. Wood Green garage was in Leaside district and operated mainly MCW Metrobuses for many years. Interestingly, the only bus visible is a London Forest district Leyland Titan from Walthamstow, working on route 123. |
07/04/2020 |
| 2,035 |  |
By Google Bus garages in London were often designed to make the best possible use of the available land. This is the former Trolleybus depot at Wood Green, looking west with the High Road running across the bottom of the view. The sheds were presumably built with a slight curve because of adjoining properties. I don't think I got round Wood Green when I was a youth, although the layout meant that you could see quite a lot from the entrance. As with many garages, a secondary entrance was provided, this being on Watsons Road, towards the right (north) in this view. There was also an entrance on River Park Road (on the left, with the curiously blue building on it), though I believe this was just for staff rather than vehicles. Behind the grey office block on the High Road is another block, this being part of the garage, and now the head office of Arriva London. Various service vehicles are usually parked here, although they are invariably unmarked. The more modern, sandy-coloured block further back is also part of the garage, being the training base for Arriva. Various buses are parked there in this view, but at other times there have been service vehicles here too. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,036 |  |
By Google This is a view of Putney Garage, sometimes known as Chelverton Road Garage to avoid confusion with the since closed Putney Bridge Garage, and most famous for being the first to operate RT-type buses. Putney High Street runs across the bottom right of this view, the modernised frontage of the garage being just two roadways squeezed between houses. When I was about 11 I visited most of the 64 LT garages then in use, (almost) always with the Foreman's permission. My main interest was in the buses but I did enjoy discovering some of the curious layouts and features, dictated either by the site or operational requirements. Putney was one garage I never got into and, until I captured the image above, I had no idea that the garage had a yard. Assuming that all the grey rooves belong to the garage, there is also an extension in the north west corner. Neither of these features are visible from the entrance. The red-tiled rooves and the adjoining roof-top car park belong to the much more modern shopping centre. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,037 |  |
By Google Several of the traditional London Transport bus garages have been closed and demolished to make way for retail and/or residential developments, this particularly affecting those in 'prime' locations. In Peckham, Thomas Tilling had opened a base on the High Street, referred to as 'Bull Yard'. Bombed during WW2, a large, new garage ('Peckham') was opened on the same location in 1951. This lasted until 1994 when it was flattened and the site used for a supermarket and bus station. The garage operations were moved about a quarter mile south to a former council depot on Copeland Road. Copeland Road is running up the left hand side in this view, the vehicle access to the depot actually being on Blackpool Road. Some covered accommodation for maintenance is available on two sides of the locations, but in common with most recent 'garages', most buses are parked in the open. Another feature of modern locations is that they are not really capable of holding all the buses that are allocated to them, although this is only really an issue on Christmas day. In 2016, the garage (which continued the Peckham name and PM code) had a peak vehicle requirement of 79 buses, spread across just four main routes (37, 63, 363 and P12). A good view into the location can be had from trains between Nunhead and Peckham Rye, these passing over the bridge near the top centre of this view. Note that parts of the location (the two sheds at the north (top) and one at the west (left)) are still used by other companies, and their vehicles would have to pass through the yard to gain access. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,038 |  |
By Google Time for some more bird's-eye views, starting with this one that actually covers two distinct locations. Anyone with knowledge of London's railways should recognise the jumble of tracks here as being those around Stewarts Lane Depot in Battersea. The large shed in the top left corner is the main part of the depot, currently used by Southern and Gatwick Express. The railway lines running across this view are those between Wandsworth Road and Victoria (which split at Factory Junction then rejoin at Battersea Pier Junction). There are also routes towards Clapham Junction/Kensington Olympia and Waterloo, the latter no longer used following the diversion of Eurostar services to St. Pancras. Anyway, what about the service vehicle locations? At the top left edge of this view is Abellio's Battersea Garage, opened in 1996 on former railway land. Near the centre of the view are two industrial units with irregular shapes. You may just be able to make out a Volvo Emergency Response Unit tender parked outside the building on the left, and this is indeed Battersea ERU depot. Opened in 2009 as a replacement for the facility at Vauxhall, tenders from here would be the first responders to any incidents on the southern sections of the underground network. Though the new location is just half a mile south of the previous one, the access seems a bit less convenient. The roads running northwards are all blocked off, and all traffic must first head south to Wandsworth Road. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,039 |  |
By Ray Monk Unmarked service vehicles are a pain, as we often cannot be certain which company they are owned/operated by. Take this Ford Fiesta van seen at Bexleyheath bus stand on 24th January 2020. Arriva London service vehicles are often seen here, but Arriva had generally preferred to use Vauxhall vehicles rather than Ford. Go-Ahead London do use a few Ford Fiestas, usually without markings, and I wondered if this van was from the nearby Bexleyheath Garage. Ray saw the van here again about a month later when its driver was attending to a bus on route 269. This suggested that it is in fact an Arriva London vehicle, doubtless working from Dartford Garage. It may just be a temporary loan/hire, but having been in use for at least a month, I felt it was eligible for inclusion in the LTSV database. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,040 |  |
By Bob Milner The 30 new Dacia Sandero cars for RATP (London United, London Sovereign and Epsom Buses) are now all in service, though reports have been somewhat scarce and allocations are still required for many. I received two photos of this car, MJ69ZKA with fleetnumber D75120, which seemed to suggest it was working from Edgware Garage. I chose to use this view of it parked outside Stanmore Station on 7th March 2020 as it allows a comparison with very similar photos taken in the 1970s and 1990s. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,041 |  |
By Derek Everson We now know of three Citroen Dispatch vans added to the Abellio fleet in 2019. All carry this white livery with a green stripe, and (going by reported sightings) all seem to be based at one or other of the two inner London garages (Battersea and Walworth). 6903 (with a stealthy fleetnumber in the traditional position) was seen at Warren Street Station on 3rd March 2020, attending to a poorly New Routemaster. Derek commented that this van has his initials, his middle name being Jennifer... |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,042 |  |
By Ray Monk Although we now get a couple of updates each year on changes to the central fleet, this only covers the smaller (leased) vehicles, not the lorries, which are believed to still be purchased. Luckily, most of the lorries can be seen in the yard at Acton, so it is fairly easy to keep track of them. This one I am not sure about though. First reported in late February 2020, it is a Scania P410XT 4-axle grab-loader (tipper). It has the right combination of blue bodywork and white cab, and it has LUL/TfL lettering on the cab doors, but I am not convinced. Various lorries have been used on hire over the years, and some of these have gained temporary lettering, although these were often more obviously in the form of a label. Also, the shade of blue of the bodywork is not quite LUL blue, and there has been no attempt to apply blue or red to the cab. On the other hand, a vehicle of this type could be expected to be added to the fleet, to replace older LK58HKN. Comparison of the two photos shows that the configuration is very similar. The grab loader arm (not visible in the view here) is operated from a platform behind the cab, while the loadspace has a roller cover, attached to long, hinged tubes. If this vehicle does turn out to be owned it will be only the second Scania in the central fleet, after second-hand artic 2577. When photographed in the lorry yard at Acton on 7th March 2020, MV69KVM had a red notice in the windscreen advising 'HIAB not in use'. HIAB is a Swedish manufacturer of hydraulic cranes and loaders, though as with Hoover, the name has come to be used to describe the device rather than its maker. Iveco LK58HKN (which incidentally was parked nearby at the time) had a Terex grab loader. MV69KVM has not yet been added to the database. If LK58HKN is delicensed, or if MV69KVM is still at Acton the next time we are able to get there, we will assume it is a 'permanent' fleet addition. Also visible in this view are parts of flat trailer T61 and crane-equipped tractor 2591. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,043 |  |
By Ray Monk Variations to the standard LUL livery (apart from emergency vehicles) are quite rare. A new Ford Transit van delivered in February 2020 was given this unique set of additional lettering, making it fairly clearly that its role was to replace (or supplement) elderly Ford Transit 6527F. The new van is somewhat larger, being a long-wheelbase, mid-height Mk8. It also lacks the offside cargo door found on the earlier van but has the addition of a light-bar. Seen at Acton Works on 1st March 2020, 9141F is (at present) the highest numbered service vehicle in the central fleet. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,044 |  |
By Ray Monk The only Renault Kangoos added to the central fleet since summer 2019 were a batch in TfL white/blue (9114R to 9118R) in January 2020. These were followed in March by a single van for Trams, which was given the sequential fleetnumber 9119R. The latter was seen in the Acton Works car park on 14th March 2020, showing the Trams white/blue/green variant of the TfL-family livery. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,045 |  |
By Ray Monk The third Mitsubishi Outlander car to be delivered was 9104MIT, licensed in mid-February 2020 but first seen at Acton Works on 14th March 2020 (when it was found in the front car park). Unlike the previous two (8830MIT and 9054MIT), this car carries TfL white/blue livery, and it is not clear where it is going to be allocated. Also visible in this view are LBSL IRU 9075VW and the three LUL vans already shown. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,046 |  |
By Ray Monk Eltham Bus Station is one of the best places to see LBSL IRUs, and unsurprisingly it was an early recipient of new Volkswagen Crafter vans. This excellent photo taken on 15th March 2020 shows three of the new vans, headed by 9080VW. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,047 |  |
By Les Savine Aldgate's 9074VW has already appeared earlier in today's set of photos, but I liked this photo as it was not taken in the van's usual parking space. It is in fact just over the road, close to the Circle Line station and on a section of road which was one way (in the opposite direction) for many years. The bus behind is slightly interesting. I used to try and keep abreast of route and vehicle changes on LT/LBL but I have to admit I sometimes loose track these days. For instance, I know that Stagecoach is (was?) due to take over route 25 in May 2020, using a batch of new E40D buses. However, Tower Transit is currently running the route with a set of Wright double-deckers that are only a year or so old. New buses are usually only specified for a route when it is retendered, normally every five or seven years. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,048 |  |
By John Woolf Finsbury Park is a bit odd for having a bus station on each side of the railway tracks. Seen on the Wells Terrace side on 7th March 2020 was new LBSL IRU 9064VW. Rather surprisingly, this van was first noted here just 3 days after it was licensed. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,049 |  |
By John Schofield The photos added this month are naturally dominated by coverage of the numerous LBSL IRUs recently delivered. 23 of the new Volkswagen Crafter vans were delivered with 69 registrations during February (perhaps half of the eventual total), most entering service by the beginning of March. These vans were numbered in two blocks, 9055VW to 9067VW and 9073VW to 9082VW. Vans with other numbers (and 20 registrations) were noted at the Cordwallis dealership in early March but it is thought that none were delivered before the restrictions resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic were imposed. One of the earliest to enter service was 9059VW, seen passing along Oxford Street on 2nd March. We will need some more sightings to be certain of the allocation but this van is likely to be based at Victoria Coach Station. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,050 |  |
By Peter Horrex Another old-new IRU comparison shot, this time taken at Turnpike Lane Bus Station on 20th March 2020. This location has an allocation of around 5 IRUs, though 9058VW (on the left) is the only new example reported so far. It was parked alongside Mercedes 7843M, based here since new in May 2015. I should apologise for the cropping of this image. Peter's original image was nicely composed but it was to a rather wide format. For various reasons, I am trying very hard to keep all images on this website to a standard aspect ratio of 3:2. I could have added a blank strip at the top or bottom but it seemed best to just chop off a bit of the Mercedes. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,051 |  |
By Bob Milner The number of vehicles with 3-letter fleetnumber suffixes was tripled in early 2020, with the arrival of two more Mitsubishi Outlander electric cars to join 8830MIT. First up was 9054MIT, delivered to Acton at the end of February (though first licensed in early January) and dispatched to Harrow-on-the-Hill Station in early March as a replacement for Honda 8005H. Its livery is the emergency variant of LUL, very similar to that on 8830MIT except that the lettering on the new car is the more normal 'Incident Response Vehicle'. Another difference is that the Harrow car has a light-bar. On 7th March 2020 it was found lurking in the car park next to the south entrance to Harrow-on-the-Hill Station. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,052 |  |
By Ray Monk The first 20-reg service vehicles were seen on a visit to Acton Works on 14th March 2020, and comprised four Ford Transits and a lone Renault Kangoo. The Transits were all medium-wheelbase, mid-height crew vans, this being one of the most popular combinations for LUL use at present. Delivery of a batch of similar crew vans with numbers in the range 8912F to 8923F had been on-going since mid-2019, but the latest deliveries were in a new batch, being numbered 9016F to 9019F. 9016F was photographed on the stub road, parked alongside a line of former LBSL Mercedes Sprinters awaiting disposal. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,053 |  |
By Ray Monk About a month before the new Volkswagen Crafter vans for LBSL started arriving, a single example for LUL had been delivered in January 2020. Numbered 8934VW and seemingly allocated to Stratford Market Depot, it was seen on a visit back to Acton Works on 14th March 2020. The van is to the same high-roof configuration as the LBSL IRUs, but it is a long-wheelbase variant. This was only the third Crafter for the numbered fleet, following from van 6558VW and box truck 8833VW. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,054 |  |
By Ray Monk It is somewhat unusual to find anything larger than cars and small vans in the car park at Acton Works, so this view taken on 14th March 2020 is notable. As well as one of the new LBSL IRUs just visible on the left, present were Volkswagen Transporter van 8220VW, Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew van 8902VW and Ford Transit crew van 8673F, all of which are based here. Perhaps parking spaces in the main works were in short supply. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,055 |  |
By Bob Milner Toyota Prius car 8571T was new in October 2017 and spent over a month at Acton Works before being dispatched to High Barnet Station as a replacement for Ford Focus 7502F. The cars at this location normally park near to the station entrance, and can be easily viewed. Rather surprisingly however, no photos of 8571T here were received until Bob submitted this view taken on 14th March 2020. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,056 |  |
By Ray Monk As I mentioned recently, lots of the vans allocated to Edgware Track Depot have been noted at Acton Works over the past few months. Here we see Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew van 8380VW at the works on 7th March 2020. The van was just coming up to three years old so it is unlikely it was here for withdrawal. Visible in the background are a Ford Transit Custom van and one of the 3-axle Mercedes Econic dustcarts. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,057 |  |
By Ray Monk A rather surprising find at Acton Works on 1st March 2020 was Nissan Leaf electric car 8211N in LUL white/blue/red livery. This car had been new to TfL Streets in the white/blue scheme in 2016 and, being a little over three years old, a change of livery now seems rather odd. It is not known if sister car 8210N has followed suit, although it was seen still in TfL use in February 2020. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,058 |  |
By Ray Monk The small Peugeot Bipper van became extinct in the central fleet for the second time in spring 2020. Just two had been operated for the past 4 years, 8180P with LUL and 8186P with Trams. The latter was seen in the car park at Acton Works on 1st March 2020, and it was with British Car Auctions later in the month, although its onward sale may have been postponed due to the Coronavirus situation. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,059 |  |
By Ray Monk With 23 new Volkswagen Crafter Incident Response Unit vans delivered by the end of February 2020, displaced Mercedes-Benz Sprinters started arriving at Acton Works pending disposal. Four were photographed there on 14th March. The three vans still in livery (l-r 7875M, 7841M and 7847M) had all been based at Uxbridge. The van in plain red was 7867M which had been based here but which was out of use and de-lettered by the 1st of March. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,060 |  |
By Dave Warby The London Buses Incident Response Unit fleet is in the process of being changed over from red Mercedes Sprinters to white Volkswagen Crafters. During this period, some locations have both types based, thus allowing comparison shots such as this one taken at Aldgate Bus Station on 10th March 2020. New 9074VW on the left had arrived about a week earlier, while 7842M has been based here since 2017, having been moved around a bit during its first two years. As can be seen, the two types are very similar in size, while the layouts of the livery and lettering are broadly the same. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,061 |  |
By Ray Monk Ford Transit dropside truck 7602F spent almost seven years working from Lillie Bridge before withdrawal in March 2020. It was seen at Acton Works on the 7th of that month, and a week later it was sold through BCA. With its departure, the number of Mark7 Ford Transits in the central fleet is reduced to just 10. |
29/03/2020 |
| 2,062 |  |
By Derek Everson Just one bus company photo this month, and it is from one of the 'fringe' operators, which are slightly problematic for LTSV. The definition of the 'London Transport' area is quite clear now, being basically the Greater London area. However, in the past there have been many cases of 'country' operators also running tendered bus services within London, or running commercial services that enter London at locations such as Romford, Uxbridge and Croydon. As such, their service vehicles were eligible for inclusion. Examples of both types of operation are now much reduced. Sullivans and Uno are the only companies that run both TfL services and commercial 'country' services, while non-red buses are now very rarely seen at the locations named. Another complication is that LOTS (the London Omnibus Traction Society), to whom I supply a monthly update on service vehicle developments, still covers the whole of the traditional LT area in its magazines and books. This includes the 'country' area which was hived off to London Country Bus Services in 1970, and which now encompasses a wide variety of operators large and small. The issue for LTSV is that information on the service vehicles of these operators (particularly the smaller ones) is hard to come by. As such, they are not usually covered in the vehicle database but I will add photos that are submitted. So, on to the photo (at last). Seen at Bracknell Bus Station on 20th January 2020 were two service vehicles belonging to Courtney Buses. Courtney is a small operator running modern buses on routes in Berkshire. It was bought by Reading Buses in March 2019. The white crew van looks like a Renault Kangoo but is in fact a Mercedes-Benz Citan. This is an example of badge-engineering, the vehicles actually being built in a Renault factory. Behind is a 16-year old black Volkswagen Golf hatchback. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,063 |  |
By Ray Monk Though the latest LBSL IRU vans have introduced a new white/orange/yellow livery this month, the white/orange livery of TfL Streets looks to be on its way out. Introduced in 2004, and carried by over 60 different vehicles, the last car to carry this livery was Toyota Prius LS13EVV. As shown on LTSV last year, this car was based at the Blackwall Tunnel base on Naval Row. On 22nd February 2020 the Toyota was in the car park at Acton Works, allowing us to show a clearer view. Ray suggests that it had been replaced by new Toyota Yaris car 9111T, delivered earlier in the month. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,064 |  |
By Ray Monk The five Renault Kangoo vans new to TfL in January 2020 have been allocated to the Streets operation at Chancel Street in Southwark, apparently as belated replacements for the Ford Fiesta vans withdrawn in August 2019. Diesel Kangoo 9116R was seen at Southend Crescent in Eltham on 4th February 2020. There is a bus stand at this location and work was underway to install a new toilet for drivers. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,065 |  |
By Ray Monk Two consecutively-numbered Toyota Yaris cars were seen in the car park at Acton Works on 2nd February 2020, although they were for two different users. 9111T was in TfL white/blue and carried a light-bar. 9112T (seen here) was in LUL white/blue/red with no light-bar. Visible in the background is recently delivered VW Caddy Maxi crew van 9042VW. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,066 |  |
By Derek Everson In a change from normal practice, the new IRUs for LBSL are having all their livery and lettering applied at the dealership rather than at Acton Works. Seen in the yard of Cordwallis VW in Bedfont on 11th February 2020 were three examples numbered (left to right) 9063VW, 9060VW and 9064VW. Also present was white VW Transporter RK69TWM, which may turn out to be a service vehicle. The Crafter at the end of the line-up was RK69TZS, a dropside truck in white and thus probably not destined for Acton. These IRUs had not been licensed at the time of publication so are presumably still at Bedfont. If delayed into March it is possible they will need to be re-plated with '20 registration numbers. A couple of Crafters with '20 regs were also seen at Bedfont being prepared for LBSL. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,067 |  |
By Derek Everson Possibly the first of the new LBSL IRUs to enter service was 9061VW, which was working from Acton by mid-February. On the 18th it was photographed near the works on Bollo Lane. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,068 |  |
By Ray Monk The first liveried Volkswagen IRUs to be photographed were these examples seen packed into the stub road at Acton Works on 8th February 2020. 9057VW is the main subject, showing the red/yellow chevrons applied to the rear (in slight contrast to the orange/yellow chevrons on the side). I would expect the batch to eventually total about 40 vans, though a block of 51 numbers is currently vacant (9054 to 9104). |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,069 |  |
By John Woolf The main event in February 2020 was the arrival of the first new Incident Response Unit vans for LBSL. As predicted, these make use of the Volkswagen Crafter vans which have been accumulating at the Bedfont dealership over the past couple of months. The first new IRU to be photographed in service (other than at Acton) was 9056VW, seen at Stratford City bus station on 22nd February 2020. One of the previous generation of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans is visible in the background and it can be seen that the layout of the lettering is very similar. However, the change from red to white livery has resulted in the lettering being blue rather than white. The other difference is that the orange/yellow chevrons on the side are applied in a continuous band instead of the rather haphazard layout featured on the Mercedes. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,070 |  |
By Ray Monk Another of the 89xxF Ford Transit crew vans seen at Acton Works on 22nd February 2020 was 8922F, delivered a few days earlier. All vans in this batch are medium-wheelbase, mid-height versions. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,071 |  |
By Ray Monk Being delivered over quite a protracted period are a batch of Ford Transit crew vans numbered in the range 8912F to 8923F. The first few arrived in July 2019, followed by a single example (to the 2020 facelift design) in November. More came in January 2020, including 8918F seen parked in Acton Works on 22nd February 2020. The size of the batch is not known, though it could potentially use all numbers from 8911 to 8929. The Escalator Services sign on the building behind appears to be new. As far as I know, all escalator work was latterly based at Frank Pick House and Griffith House. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,072 |  |
By Derek Everson Recent additions to the power supply section have included just one example of the long-wheelbase, high-roof Ford Transit van, others being medium-wheelbase, mid-height vans. The high-roof van is 8859F, seen at Tufnell Park on 7th January 2020. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,073 |  |
By Ray Monk Compared to the appearance of 8625F and 8723/8724F in February 2020, the arrival of further Fords with fleetnumbers in the 88xx series was less extreme, though still a lot later than other numbers in the range. Most of the recent additions have been for the power supply section, including six Ford Transit Custom vans. Just one of these (8848F) is to a crew van configuration, and this van was seen on 2nd February 2020 parked at the electrical sub-station on Bollo Lane in Acton. Just one number (8845) in the 88xx series has yet to appear. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,074 |  |
By Ray Monk More gap-filling Fords arrived in February 2020 with the delivery of two Ford Transit Custom vans for London Trams bearing fleetnumbers 8723F and 8724F. Adjoining numbers 8722 and 8725 were also allocated to Trams vehicles, though both arrived over a year earlier (in late 2018). The new vans were both in the Acton Works car park on 22nd February 2020, this view showing 8723F parked in the corner with LUL Renault Kangoo Maxi van 8628R. Fleetnumber 8786 is the only 87xx number that has not yet been seen, so there is a chance that this series (along with the 86xx series) will eventually be completed. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,075 |  |
By Thomas Young Perhaps the most interesting vehicles seen at Plumstead Elizabeth Line depot on 23rd February 2020 were these two Ford Transit dropside trucks. 8667F on the left was in LUL white/blue/red, and had been seen working for them during 2019. It is not yet known if this vehicle is on loan or transfer (perhaps in return for 8643VW and 8653T which recently transferred from Eliz to LUL). 8654F on the right has long been suspected to be in Elizabeth Line white/blue/purple, but it has been elusive and the livery has not been proven until now. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,076 |  |
By Thomas Young The Elizabeth Line has a fleet of nine Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans, and eight of them were visible at Plumstead Depot on 23rd February 2020. This view shows (left to right) part of 8636VW, 8637VW, 8642VW, 8640VW and 8641VW. Plumstead does seem to be the main depot for the service vehicle fleet, with almost all examples having been seen there at one time or other. As such, I have now allocated the bulk of the fleet to PDD. When (if) the Elizabeth Line service eventually starts, the allocations may be reviewed. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,077 |  |
By Thomas Young Passing Plumstead depot on a train recently, I noticed that the Elizabeth Line service vehicles had been moved again. They started out in a temporary yard north of White Hart Avenue, then moved to a small yard within the new depot. This was on the south side of (and adjoining) White Hart Avenue, but it had a fine mesh fence which precluded photography. The third location is at the south side of the main depot car park, which is easily viewed from White Hart Avenue. Fourteen vehicles were present on 23rd February 2020, most of which can be seen in this view. Nearest the camera on the left is Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew van 8639VW, which had a portable light-bar mounted above the passenger door. The other vehicles visible are (left to right) Caddy 8634VW, Transit crew vans 8648F, 8646F and 8647F, Transit dropsides 8667F (in LUL livery) and 8654F then Caddy crew vans 8638VW, 8636VW, 8637VW and 8641VW. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,078 |  |
By Ray Monk A somewhat surprising find at Acton Works on 15th February 2020 was a brand new Ford Transit crew van with the fleetnumber 8625F. Fleetnumbers in the 86xx series first appeared in late 2017, and most were issued during 2018. It is not clear why this particular vehicle arrived so late, but it is nice to have the 86xx series now complete with 100 numbers issued. According to the DVLA this van was manufactured in 2020 and first licensed on 12th February. However, I noted that it is to the original Mk8 design, rather than the '2020 facelift', the latter featuring on most van deliveries since late 2019. The van behind is similar (but high-roof) 9029F, licensed two days before 8625F but with a fleetnumber over 400 numbers higher. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,079 |  |
By Ray Monk 8582T is the first of a batch of six Toyota Prius hybrid cars delivered for LUL in autumn 2017. They have all been rather elusive and we have no idea where they are allocated. Fortunately, several examples have been seen visiting Acton Works in recent weeks, this photo being taken on 2nd February 2020. The identity of the car behind is not known, but 8583T from the same batch is in the background, parked outside the 'CDS' offices. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,080 |  |
By Ray Monk The smallest member of the Ford Transit family is the Transit Courier, introduced in 2014. It has seen some use in the central fleet, with a total of 33 having been leased (not all at the same time). 8169F is an example of the crew van variant, and worked from Griffith House for a while before moving to Acton Works. It was seen at the latter location on 5th January 2020, with a ladder on the roof-rack that was almost as long as the van itself. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,081 |  |
By Ray Monk Peugeot Boxer van 7942P from Lillie Bridge was seen on a visit to Acton Works on 2nd February 2020. We don't know why this type was specified for this role, the model not otherwise featuring in the central fleet. The vans are used by the ventilation section, having replaced the mobile generators. It follows that they are perhaps fitted with generators inside. There is a large ventilator on the roof of both. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,082 |  |
By Ray Monk I have wanted a photo of one of the pair of Peugeot Boxer vans based at Lillie Bridge for a while, but they have proved to be very camera shy. As it happens, both turned up at Acton Works in February 2020 and Ray caught them both. 7941P was in the van yard on the 8th, most of the other vans visible being hires. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,083 |  |
By Derek Everson The Mk7 Ford Transit is now becoming quite rare in the central fleet, with no more than 14 examples remaining. 7730F was used by the power supply section and was seen at their Tufnell Park base on 7th January 2020. This section has taken delivery of some new vans recently and 7730F was noted at Acton Works later in January, probably pending disposal. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,084 |  |
By Ray Monk Since early 2018 there have been just three Staff Welfare Facility vans in the central fleet, habitually parked at the south end of the lorry yard at Acton Works, as here on 23rd November 2019. 7675F (nearest) and 7674F are in LUL white/blue/red, while long-serving 6517F remains in Tube Lines white/blue. |
24/02/2020 |
| 2,085 |  |
By Derek Everson Jumping back in time to a sunny 13th August 2019 we find MAN TGS artic WU67AKF parked in the lorry yard at Acton Works. The trailers visible are the two Dennison flatbeds acquired in 2017 and which ran without identities for a while. Both are three-axle, but there are differences. The trailer coupled to WU67AKF is T77, which is extendable in length and has a taller headboard. T78 parked behind has a lower headboard and is probably not extendable, though this has not been confirmed. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,086 |  |
By Ray Monk Four Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell cars have been in use since spring 2016, two each with LBSL and LUL. On 25th January 2020, two of the cars were parked on the stub road in Acton Works, having been stripped of all livery and lettering. To the fore was WM65HZC, latterly in LUL white/blue/red, while WM65HYW behind was previously in TfL white/blue. This may suggest that the cars are about to leave the fleet. Vehicles going off lease do not normally have their livery and lettering removed, though if these cars were acquired on some sort of trial basis, the arrangements could be different. An alternative possibility is that they are going to be used in the 'unmarked car' fleet for a while. As I often have to say, time will tell. By the way, similar WM65HZD was also at Acton on this date, though still in full LUL livery. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,087 |  |
By Ray Monk Three diesel Renault Kangoo vans for TfL were delivered in January 2020, fleetnumbers 9116-9118R following on from a pair of electric versions (9114/9115R). This photo of 9116R in the Acton Works car park on 25th January 2020 shows the light-bar and the chevrons applied to the rear. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,088 |  |
By Ray Monk More vehicles with 91xx fleetnumbers arrived in early 2020, including several Renault Kangoo vans for TfL. These are the first of this type to carry the white/blue livery with blue roundels, and they comprise a mixture of electric and diesel variants. 9114R (and 9115R just visible on the left) are electric vans, as evidenced by the subtly different front grille design and also by the green 'Cleaner Air for London' graphics on the doors. Barely visible here are the light-bars fitted near the back. It remains to be seen where these vans will be allocated, although it could be that they are to replace some of the Toyota Yaris cars with TfL Streets at Chancel Street in Southwark. Taken on a rather blue 18th January 2020. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,089 |  |
By Ray Monk Towards the end of 2019, most new deliveries were getting fleetnumbers in the high 89xxs and low 90xxs, while some long-awaited Fords were filling some gaps in the 87xx and 88xx ranges. It was something of a surprise then when two VW Transporter minibuses arrived and became 9105VW and 9106VW. The latter was delivered in December 2019 and was photographed at Acton Works on the 14th. The intervening numbers are presumed to have been allocated to vehicles that are still on order, and it occurs to me that the gap between 9053F and 9105VW would be more than enough for 40 or so VW Crafter vans for use as Incident Response Units by LBSL! |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,090 |  |
By Ray Monk Having disposed of its three Ford Ranger pick-ups earlier in 2019, a new pair for LUL arrived in October. They were quickly dispatched to their home bases (not currently known but it is likely that at least one is at Hainault), and they were missed by our regular Acton reporter. Luckily, 9009F made a return visit in January 2020 to have some minor damage attended to. It was caught in the front car park on the 5th. Parked beyond are three new VW Caddy Maxi crew vans, possibly the same trio that were here on 14th December, while beyond those are the security hut and the road leading up to the lorry yard. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,091 |  |
By Derek Everson Dagenham East Station received a second Ford Transit dropside truck in late 2019, presumably to replace hired CP19SOH. The new truck is 8988F, seen at the base on 7th December 2019. Note that the fuel filler cap is open and the black skirting panel in front of this has come loose. This seems to be a common fault with recent Transit dropsides, having also been seen on a couple of examples parked at Acton Works. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,092 |  |
By Ray Monk The flow of new Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans into the central fleet continued as 2019 drew to a close. Seen in the Acton Works car park on 14th December 2019 were recently arrived 8982VW, 8981VW and 8999VW. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,093 |  |
By Ray Monk A batch of seven Toyota Prius hybrid cars delivered for LUL in September 2019 has been allocated to the power supply section. Numbers 8886T to 8892T are nominally based at Station Road, Tufnell Park, although there may be other bases used by this section. These are the first numbered cars assigned to this location and it is believed they replaced some unmarked silver Skoda estate cars, such as AJ13MTF. Also visible in this photo taken on 28th December 2019 are Prius 8892T, Renault Kangoo van 8855R and one of the two remaining standard Mk7 Ford Transit vans (7729F and 7730F). |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,094 |  |
By Derek Everson Another VW Caddy making a return visit to the Cordwallis dealership in Bedfont was 8883VW on 12th November 2019, and I think I know the reason. This Caddy Maxi crew van was licensed as RA19NVF but it was clearly carrying an incorrect numberplate on the front at least. RF19NVF is not in fact a normal issue, registrations where both blocks of letters end in the same letter being held back as 'select' marks. The reason behind this is so that people can pay a bit extra to get marks that match their initials. For example, Mr John Albert Smith might want JS67JAS. The van was parked amongst other new vehicles awaiting delivery, including some Transporters for Addison Lee, and more of the white Crafter vans which may yet turn out to be for LBSL. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,095 |  |
By Ray Monk It's deja-vu all over again! Regular visitors may recall that in December 2019 I published a photo of an LUL VW Caddy Maxi at Acton that appeared to have been partly de-liveried. Well, here is another one, with subtle differences (it is a van rather than a crew van and the roundel on the bonnet is still in situ). An accident again appears to be the cause, this van having been seen at Acton in November 2019 with damage to the nearside. 8875VW is the last in a batch of five Volkswagen Caddy Maxi vans new in August 2019. Thanks to our correspondents' regular visits to Bedfont and Acton, I have photos of all five vans, but it is notable that two of them (8872VW and 8874VW) have not been seen since entering service. It is highly likely that these two are in LUL white/blue/red, as per the other three, but I will not update the database until this is visually confirmed. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,096 |  |
By Ray Monk When maintenance of the LUL power supply infrastructure was brought back 'in-house' in 2013, it was equipped with a fleet of new service vehicles mainly numbered in the 77xx range. Most of these have now been replaced by a second generation, most of which are numbered in the 88xx range. First to arrive were five Renault Kangoo Maxi vans in June 2019. 8855R was seen at the department's main base at Tufnell Park on 28th December 2019. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,097 |  |
By Ray Monk It seems that vehicles are allocated fleetnumbers when they are ordered. Variances in lead times mean that actual deliveries are therefore often spread across a range of numbers. For example, arrivals in January 2020 included Fords in the 88xx and 89xx blocks, Volkswagens in 89xx and Renaults in 91xx. Because of this I can play a sort of bingo, crossing off numbers as gaps are filled. However, it is normal for a small quantity of numbers to remain un-used, presumably due to cancelled or amended orders. I have not been able to call 'house' on any block of 100 numbers since the 7300-7399 range of 2012. The 86xx range only missed one (8625), while the 87xxs lacked three (8723/8724/8786) which may yet appear. A better bet looks to be the 88xx range, first used in March 2019. A block of ten numbers (8844 to 8853) was notably empty until late 2019 when Transits 8844/46/47F appeared, followed by Transit Customs 8848/49/50/53F in January. It seems plausible that 8845/51/52F may soon follow to complete the range. Transit Custom van 8853F was at Acton Works on 25th January 2020, when it was just four days old. It seems likely that this batch will be for the Power Supply section. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,098 |  |
By Ray Monk The lifts and escalators section based at Frank Pick House in Acton has had a pair of dropside trucks allocated in recent years, these being easy to see as they are normally parked parallel to the adjoining District and Piccadilly line tracks. The current allocation is 8810F (with tail-lift) and 8761F (without), both of which were at home on 18th January 2020. This photo shows the reason for describing such vehicles as dropsides, the sides of 8761F being dropped! A third dropside is in fact just visible, this being Mercedes Sprinter 8219 parked behind the fence in the left background. The fence marks the boundary between two locations, the area beyond being associated with Bollo House. Note the metal wheel in the gutter in front of 8810F. Given the work of this location, I suspect that this may be off an escalator. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,099 |  |
By Ray Monk Sometimes photos are more interesting than they at first appear. This view taken on the stub road in Acton Works on 11th January 2020 shows a Toyota Prius hybrid car in LUL white/blue/red livery. Nothing unusual there, over 40 examples of this combination having been delivered since 2017. However, 8653T was originally in Elizabeth Line white/blue/purple. New in May/June 2018, it was delivered to the Elizabeth Line in August, most likely being kept at Plumstead. It would appear that, with the delayed opening of the Elizabeth Line recently pushed back even further, it has been decided to make better use of some of its assets. After all, the vehicle leases will be almost up by the time they are all needed. Volkswagen Transporter crew van 8643VW was also seen at Acton on the same day, having undergone the same transformation. It is not known if any more of the 24 Elizabeth Line vehicles will be redeployed. |
02/02/2020 |
| 2,100 |  |
By Ray Monk The white/blue/lilac livery of TfL Taxi-Private Hire is only carried by nine vehicles, six of which are Volkswagen Transporter minibuses like 8601VW seen at Eltham Bus Station on 25th January 2020. The minibuses are kept at various locations around London, this one believed to be at the LUL offices on Pelham Street, South Kensington. Eltham is home to one of the section's cars (Toyota Yaris 8690T, which for some reason I don't seem to have published a photo of yet), though it was absent at the time, and the minibus may have been covering for it. |
02/02/2020 |
| < Previous (later) 100 | Next (earlier) 100 > |