|
|
Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 9, 2020 20:48:57 GMT
I think I was spoiled growing up in East London. My most memorable journeys were probably when Grey-Green ran the 179. The 179, at the time, ran through to Barking and drivers took their vehicles back to DX for breaks and sign-off. If a bus was late back, it was replaced by anything that was spare in the yard which often meant a route with a PVR of 6 could have 6 different types on it. The best two vehicles were the Scania K92s (E107/108 JYV) which were originally purchased for Grey-Greens commuter routes in North Kent. Occasionally the weird and super noisy East-Lancs re-bodied B10Ms from the 20 would appear. Worst vehicles that appeared on the 179 were an East Lancs bodied Olympian (A279ROW) and the awful Metrobuses. My other favourites were the E-reg Scania N112s Grey-Green usually kept on the 275- they had a unique sort of damp smell to them. Years later I was in Ensigns yard in Purfleet after getting a lift back from a rail job. One of the ex-275 Scanias was in the yard, they still smelled the same inside. Also have to give mention to the brilliant Optare Deltas East London used, initially on the 148/129/150 before they transferred to BK for the 169 and 369. Around 2000 I was using the 275 and remember that smell very well on the Volvo City buses too! The route then got some Northern Counties Olympians that had such a strong diesel smell.
Between Grey Green and Capital City Bus we were really spoilt in east London in the 1990s and early 00s.
absolutely- the Capital Citybus fleet was such a mixed bag of oddities like the ex Southampton Dominators on the 257 that still had adverts for Route 17 on the inside, the fantastic fleet of Olympians, the Metrobuses with Rolls-Royce engines even the Dennis Arrows were pretty good. I was lucky enough to spend a few years working for Capital Citybus in the late 90s, really was a brilliant company to work for. |
|
|
|
Post by LJ17THF on Sept 9, 2020 21:17:00 GMT
Around 2000 I was using the 275 and remember that smell very well on the Volvo City buses too! The route then got some Northern Counties Olympians that had such a strong diesel smell.
Between Grey Green and Capital City Bus we were really spoilt in east London in the 1990s and early 00s.
absolutely- the Capital Citybus fleet was such a mixed bag of oddities like the ex Southampton Dominators on the 257 that still had adverts for Route 17 on the inside, the fantastic fleet of Olympians, the Metrobuses with Rolls-Royce engines even the Dennis Arrows were pretty good. I was lucky enough to spend a few years working for Capital Citybus in the late 90s, really was a brilliant company to work for. Not to mention the few tri-axles they had! The late Snoggle had their profile picture as one of them on the 123, they looked good for their time. Meanwhile in the South, there was quite a lot going on really, it was DLA's, DWL's, PDL's and DW's with Arriva, and Scania's alongside MAN E200's and MCV's (can't really complain about those ones, they were great) with Metrobus, while Go-Ahead were having PVL's, VWL's (the best ones in the GAL fleet), WVL's, LDP's, DW's, DWL's, VP's (included ETB buses) - quite a variety in that time! |
|
|
|
Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 10, 2020 8:42:29 GMT
absolutely- the Capital Citybus fleet was such a mixed bag of oddities like the ex Southampton Dominators on the 257 that still had adverts for Route 17 on the inside, the fantastic fleet of Olympians, the Metrobuses with Rolls-Royce engines even the Dennis Arrows were pretty good. I was lucky enough to spend a few years working for Capital Citybus in the late 90s, really was a brilliant company to work for. Not to mention the few tri-axles they had! The late Snoggle had their profile picture as one of them on the 123, they looked good for their time. Meanwhile in the South, there was quite a lot going on really, it was DLA's, DWL's, PDL's and DW's with Arriva, and Scania's alongside MAN E200's and MCV's (can't really complain about those ones, they were great) with Metrobus, while Go-Ahead were having PVL's, VWL's (the best ones in the GAL fleet), WVL's, LDP's, DW's, DWL's, VP's (included ETB buses) - quite a variety in that time! I only ever saw the tri-Axle Olympian once in the flesh, think I was about 14 at the time. I was going past on a bus and just thought "what the hell is that?" without quite realising what it was. They also had an articulated Leyland National 2 thing for a while painted in their livery- it was used as a "publicity shot" for a bid for the Red Arrow routes, but was going to be used on their school routes. However, I don't think it ever saw use in service. It definitely appeared at a rally displaying blinds for a Red Arrow route. Going back on topic, my favourite journey was more a "circuit" of: 87 from Barking to Romford 66 from Romford the Leytonstone Green Man on TownLinks Cummins-engined Leyland Lynxs W14 to Claybury Hospital, normally using Townlinks manual-gearboxed Mercedes 709Ds. Occasionally a Dart would pop-up, or on very rare occasions a Lynx from the 66 275 from Claybury Hospital to Walthamstow Central 97 or 97A to Chinford 179 back to Barking |
|
|
|
Post by brutxi on Sept 10, 2020 9:19:11 GMT
I have a few buses to list. First I remembered when the 296 used to go to Harold Wood with a PVR of 9 with those K-888 reg olympians joined by the Palatine 2 in the 90s I remembered the 145 when it had those Dennis Lances on that route and boy did it used to fly on the a12. I also remembered how Leytonstone used to look like before they did the roadworks around the area to link the a12 to Bow I remembered the 171a (now present day 341) in Tottenham getting that to west green through Phillip Lane after getting off the 123 and using the 41 to Archway with the Mcw Metrobus. I remembered when the 253 was two overlapping routes in Hackney using the J-BSH olympians to get to Stamford Hill. I miss those days. Brings back memories this. We used to live on the Stamford Hill Estate growing up in the 80/90's and remember seeing opposite Stamford Hill Garage (Grey-Green Base) with the olympians and citybuses side by side. Before it fully closed my uncle used to take his son and I to Hampstead Heath before his shift started from the garage with an F reg Olympian. Those can shift. |
|
|
|
Post by mkay315 on Sept 10, 2020 9:47:06 GMT
Around 2000 I was using the 275 and remember that smell very well on the Volvo City buses too! The route then got some Northern Counties Olympians that had such a strong diesel smell.
Between Grey Green and Capital City Bus we were really spoilt in east London in the 1990s and early 00s.
absolutely- the Capital Citybus fleet was such a mixed bag of oddities like the ex Southampton Dominators on the 257 that still had adverts for Route 17 on the inside, the fantastic fleet of Olympians, the Metrobuses with Rolls-Royce engines even the Dennis Arrows were pretty good. I was lucky enough to spend a few years working for Capital Citybus in the late 90s, really was a brilliant company to work for. Funny enough it was by chance that I knew about the 275 as I remembered waiting ages for the 551 in Ilford (Long bus that came from Basildon) to take me to Walthamstow only for someone to walk by and tell me and my family to get the 123 to Hoe Street and get the 275 to Walthamstow town centre and my goodness that driver flew into the bus station within two minutes 😂😂 with the volvo citybus |
|
|
|
Post by mkay315 on Sept 10, 2020 9:48:29 GMT
I have a few buses to list. First I remembered when the 296 used to go to Harold Wood with a PVR of 9 with those K-888 reg olympians joined by the Palatine 2 in the 90s I remembered the 145 when it had those Dennis Lances on that route and boy did it used to fly on the a12. I also remembered how Leytonstone used to look like before they did the roadworks around the area to link the a12 to Bow I remembered the 171a (now present day 341) in Tottenham getting that to west green through Phillip Lane after getting off the 123 and using the 41 to Archway with the Mcw Metrobus. I remembered when the 253 was two overlapping routes in Hackney using the J-BSH olympians to get to Stamford Hill. I miss those days. Brings back memories this. We used to live on the Stamford Hill Estate growing up in the 80/90's and remember seeing opposite Stamford Hill Garage (Grey-Green Base) with the olympians and citybuses side by side. Before it fully closed my uncle used to take his son and I to Hampstead Heath before his shift started from the garage with an F reg Olympian. Those can shift. Oh trust me I know about those volvo citybuses they were powerful buses especially on the 275 from DX. Did the 210 operate from SF at one point if you know? |
|
|
|
Post by mkay315 on Sept 10, 2020 9:53:05 GMT
I have one for the south west london folks. I remembered randomly with my family getting on the 74 from Hyde Park and taking it to Earls Court with those Northern Counties Palatine 2 buses. Those seats were so d*mn comfortable. Back those times the 74 used to go to Minstead Gardens before the 430 came out.
The 14 I would take to Fulham when a friend of mine wanted to go to Stamford Bridge. (Boooo to Chelsea 😂😂)
|
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on Sept 10, 2020 10:37:17 GMT
Streetlite thrash on a 232 last month  heavy footed driver at the wheel as we turned onto the North Circular Road at New Southgate, and the bus coped well with the 50 stretch. Most memorable ride for a while, since the days of DLA thrash on the 370  |
|
|
|
Post by brutxi on Sept 10, 2020 10:45:16 GMT
Brings back memories this. We used to live on the Stamford Hill Estate growing up in the 80/90's and remember seeing opposite Stamford Hill Garage (Grey-Green Base) with the olympians and citybuses side by side. Before it fully closed my uncle used to take his son and I to Hampstead Heath before his shift started from the garage with an F reg Olympian. Those can shift. Oh trust me I know about those volvo citybuses they were powerful buses especially on the 275 from DX. Did the 210 operate from SF at one point if you know? I believe it did, I do remember seeing some B10M's in and out of the garage |
|
|
|
Post by mkay315 on Sept 10, 2020 10:53:43 GMT
Oh trust me I know about those volvo citybuses they were powerful buses especially on the 275 from DX. Did the 210 operate from SF at one point if you know? I believe it did, I do remember seeing some B10M's in and out of the garage Oh I see. That low bridge at Finsbury Park must be every double decker's worst nightmare. How some drivers have tried to drive through that has baffled me 😂. |
|
|
|
Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 10, 2020 11:36:27 GMT
absolutely- the Capital Citybus fleet was such a mixed bag of oddities like the ex Southampton Dominators on the 257 that still had adverts for Route 17 on the inside, the fantastic fleet of Olympians, the Metrobuses with Rolls-Royce engines even the Dennis Arrows were pretty good. I was lucky enough to spend a few years working for Capital Citybus in the late 90s, really was a brilliant company to work for. Funny enough it was by chance that I knew about the 275 as I remembered waiting ages for the 551 in Ilford (Long bus that came from Basildon) to take me to Walthamstow only for someone to walk by and tell me and my family to get the 123 to Hoe Street and get the 275 to Walthamstow town centre and my goodness that driver flew into the bus station within two minutes 😂😂 with the volvo citybus The 551 was a great route, loved the ECW bodied Olympians with coach seats on the 251- even better when a Bristol VR would turn up. The only Thamesway route I never got the chance to do was the 2 from Walthamstow that ran along the A12 to Romford. Was the 551 always single-deck operated? Always found it strange TfL never really replaced the 251 when it was withdrawn between Gants Hill and Seven Kings |
|
|
|
Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 10, 2020 11:37:19 GMT
Oh trust me I know about those volvo citybuses they were powerful buses especially on the 275 from DX. Did the 210 operate from SF at one point if you know? I believe it did, I do remember seeing some B10M's in and out of the garage I think it operated out of SF when the Grey Green depot in Stamford Hill was demolished (now a Morrisons.) |
|
|
|
Post by mkay315 on Sept 10, 2020 11:48:36 GMT
Funny enough it was by chance that I knew about the 275 as I remembered waiting ages for the 551 in Ilford (Long bus that came from Basildon) to take me to Walthamstow only for someone to walk by and tell me and my family to get the 123 to Hoe Street and get the 275 to Walthamstow town centre and my goodness that driver flew into the bus station within two minutes 😂😂 with the volvo citybus The 551 was a great route, loved the ECW bodied Olympians with coach seats on the 251- even better when a Bristol VR would turn up. The only Thamesway route I never got the chance to do was the 2 from Walthamstow that ran along the A12 to Romford. Was the 551 always single-deck operated? Always found it strange TfL never really replaced the 251 when it was withdrawn between Gants Hill and Seven Kings I think it had it's rare moments when double deckers would appear on the route at times. With it's olympians slyly similar to the 123 style of buses |
|
|
|
Post by brutxi on Sept 10, 2020 12:32:59 GMT
I believe it did, I do remember seeing some B10M's in and out of the garage I think it operated out of SF when the Grey Green depot in Stamford Hill was demolished (now a Morrisons.) It's a block of flats now. If you pass by there some day you can see the entry and exit paths still there. |
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on Sept 10, 2020 13:48:33 GMT
I have one for the south west london folks. I remembered randomly with my family getting on the 74 from Hyde Park and taking it to Earls Court with those Northern Counties Palatine 2 buses. Those seats were so d*mn comfortable. Back those times the 74 used to go to Minstead Gardens before the 430 came out. The 14 I would take to Fulham when a friend of mine wanted to go to Stamford Bridge. (Boooo to Chelsea 😂😂) Nothing for us South London folks? |
|
heavy footed driver at the wheel as we turned onto the North Circular Road at New Southgate, and the bus coped well with the 50 stretch. Most memorable ride for a while, since the days of DLA thrash on the 370 
