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Post by capitalomnibus on May 22, 2020 11:36:57 GMT
I’m still not sure that Airbus was part of Riverside Bus. Check out 'Ian Armstrongs Bus Stop page' go into 'L' and then under 'Riverside'  Not Ian Armstrong. Ian smith. I just was confused and checked out Ian Armstrong Bus stop page and was confused....
Then thought let me check out Ian Smith and then it was there. direct link www.countrybus.org/Olympian/L1.htm#Riv
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Post by John tuthill on May 22, 2020 12:08:50 GMT
Check out 'Ian Armstrongs Bus Stop page' go into 'L' and then under 'Riverside' Not Ian Armstrong. Ian smith. I just was confused and checked out Ian Armstrong Bus stop page and was confused....
Then thought let me check out Ian Smith and then it was there. direct link www.countrybus.org/Olympian/L1.htm#Riv
OOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPSSSSSSSSS Sorry my mistake(Too many Ians)  |
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Post by M1199 on May 22, 2020 18:23:11 GMT
We had a Riverside Bus bus driver live down my street as I was growing up. Am friends with his kids. He used to drive the Airbus routes and the 237. He gave me some Airbus badges once, now long since gone! Can picture him now walking out to his car in his blue Riverside Bus jumper!
He ended up going over the Airport to drive buses for BA.
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Post by thelondonthing on May 23, 2020 4:53:16 GMT
I was out there on the first day of Riverside Bus. London United management had taken over the sad world of Kingston Bus in 1989 so it was all a bit of a gamble, especially when Kingston Bus went onto lose the 65,85 and 213 from September 1990. I remember the companies delight when they won the 140 from Harrow Buses a few months later. L312,313 and 314 were the coach seated Olympians. The others had red moquette seats the same as Westlinks MRs. Although I think a couple of the Olympians has brown versions which looked awfully dull. The 9 moved into S during MonSat and into AV OPO on Sundays, AV also gained the 27,91 and E4. Garage trips on the latter three all ran in service. Airbus Direct started when Dennis Darts , the early series DT1-27 became spare from FW and AV. This was achieved by the downgraded Airbus Metrobuses being sent to FW , with half of the R70 and 285 becoming M operated. Airbus Direct ran exclusively from Terminal 4 but on way back in towards Heathrow would drop off anywhere. It had two core routes, one which ran vaguely around the A2 catchment area of Marble Arch and Russell Square and another one that went to Victoria, but the latter was quite limited. It ran every 15 mins and the cabbies hated it. The DTs would literally pick up customers at the doors of the hotels, right outside the cab rank. AV had M1006,M1020,M1028 and all the Leyland Olympians went there after contract renewal of the 140 displaced the Ms. Before London United lost the 237 it was transferred back to AV with M’s along with the new 235. Riverside Bus went onto to win the N9 and N11 on tender with L’s. They also ran the 94 during evenings and Sundays ( with L’s ex service from the 237) and the 9 on Sundays with DT’s . Brand new DTs with Riverside Bus branding were delivered for the 283 and 391. They won the 27 with a bunch of motley M’s, the highest example being M204, the lowest M8. Edit have trawled through my OCD mind, I think this list is 90% accurate ... Riverside Bus M’s 8,13,19,21,28,29,34,39,44,86,93,110,112,157,179,183,186,193,195,204 and then Airbus extras 1190 & 1191. L312-314 - as soon as I read that, it all came flooding back! I don't recall any of the LUB Ls having a brown moquette, though (are you sure you're not thinking of the Armchair L interiors?), but I do remember that red moquette on some of them (wasn't it also the same version that was used on the DT, DR and DRL fleets?). And is it just my imagination, or did the ex-Airbus Ms have four-panel/bi-fold centre doors, similar to those on the LS-class (rather than the two-panel centre doors installed on the rest of the M fleet?). Airbus Direct, of course! That's been bugging me for the last couple of days  Thanks for that, and for all the other information you shared - some great details in there that I knew nothing about. Much appreciated.  |
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on May 23, 2020 7:02:45 GMT
It was a pity that Riverside Bus started nearly 7 years too late to be based at Riverside garage! I did enjoy the resulting AV allocation on route 27 in 1990-91, before its tender caused the AV & HT allocations to move back to V. |
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2020 7:31:21 GMT
It was a pity that Riverside Bus started nearly 7 years too late to be based at Riverside garage! I did enjoy the resulting AV allocation on route 27 in 1990-91, before its tender caused the AV & HT allocations to move back to V. I used the 27 a fair bit. Always preferred the Sunday service, as it was more frequent generally on the Richmond section, plus the AV buses reached Archway. But HT M’s were always better as they were newer. |
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2020 7:41:39 GMT
I was out there on the first day of Riverside Bus. London United management had taken over the sad world of Kingston Bus in 1989 so it was all a bit of a gamble, especially when Kingston Bus went onto lose the 65,85 and 213 from September 1990. I remember the companies delight when they won the 140 from Harrow Buses a few months later. L312,313 and 314 were the coach seated Olympians. The others had red moquette seats the same as Westlinks MRs. Although I think a couple of the Olympians has brown versions which looked awfully dull. The 9 moved into S during MonSat and into AV OPO on Sundays, AV also gained the 27,91 and E4. Garage trips on the latter three all ran in service. Airbus Direct started when Dennis Darts , the early series DT1-27 became spare from FW and AV. This was achieved by the downgraded Airbus Metrobuses being sent to FW , with half of the R70 and 285 becoming M operated. Airbus Direct ran exclusively from Terminal 4 but on way back in towards Heathrow would drop off anywhere. It had two core routes, one which ran vaguely around the A2 catchment area of Marble Arch and Russell Square and another one that went to Victoria, but the latter was quite limited. It ran every 15 mins and the cabbies hated it. The DTs would literally pick up customers at the doors of the hotels, right outside the cab rank. AV had M1006,M1020,M1028 and all the Leyland Olympians went there after contract renewal of the 140 displaced the Ms. Before London United lost the 237 it was transferred back to AV with M’s along with the new 235. Riverside Bus went onto to win the N9 and N11 on tender with L’s. They also ran the 94 during evenings and Sundays ( with L’s ex service from the 237) and the 9 on Sundays with DT’s . Brand new DTs with Riverside Bus branding were delivered for the 283 and 391. They won the 27 with a bunch of motley M’s, the highest example being M204, the lowest M8. Edit have trawled through my OCD mind, I think this list is 90% accurate ... Riverside Bus M’s 8,13,19,21,28,29,34,39,44,86,93,110,112,157,179,183,186,193,195,204 and then Airbus extras 1190 & 1191. L312-314 - as soon as I read that, it all came flooding back! I don't recall any of the LUB Ls having a brown moquette, though (are you sure you're not thinking of the Armchair L interiors?), but I do remember that red moquette on some of them (wasn't it also the same version that was used on the DT, DR and DRL fleets?). And is it just my imagination, or did the ex-Airbus Ms have four-panel/bi-fold centre doors, similar to those on the LS-class (rather than the two-panel centre doors installed on the rest of the M fleet?). Airbus Direct, of course! That's been bugging me for the last couple of days Thanks for that, and for all the other information you shared - some great details in there that I knew nothing about. Much appreciated. Come to think of you’re right about the Armchair Olympians and the brown seats. Confusing as they were almost identical to the Riverside Bus examples. Yes same red moquette was used in DT,DR,DRL. LU inherited some ex Selkent DTs which has a purple and a white stripe design. Then DP1+ had the blue and white seats. Airbus M’s had unique double flap opening front doors and four panel centre doors which had been retrofitted for the pioneering wheelchair lifts / ramps that had been fitted to them all. All retained the 4 gears upon being downgraded to normal bus duty. I remember one , I think it was M1006 and 1020, which had some seats removed upstairs which caused a bizarre gap in seating. FW tended to look after theirs much better than AV, or perhaps it was the clientele ?!! One things for sure, it was a dream come true for me being able to ride this batch in normal service. They were great on the 111 & 411 between Kingston and Hampton Court . |
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Post by ServerKing on May 23, 2020 8:59:21 GMT
I did like that period in London's bus history, with variety in branding, albeit simple, and more freedom for liveries. I liked the "Harrier" Darts with London United as well |
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Post by capitalomnibus on May 23, 2020 11:00:21 GMT
I was out there on the first day of Riverside Bus. London United management had taken over the sad world of Kingston Bus in 1989 so it was all a bit of a gamble, especially when Kingston Bus went onto lose the 65,85 and 213 from September 1990. I remember the companies delight when they won the 140 from Harrow Buses a few months later. L312,313 and 314 were the coach seated Olympians. The others had red moquette seats the same as Westlinks MRs. Although I think a couple of the Olympians has brown versions which looked awfully dull. The 9 moved into S during MonSat and into AV OPO on Sundays, AV also gained the 27,91 and E4. Garage trips on the latter three all ran in service. Airbus Direct started when Dennis Darts , the early series DT1-27 became spare from FW and AV. This was achieved by the downgraded Airbus Metrobuses being sent to FW , with half of the R70 and 285 becoming M operated. Airbus Direct ran exclusively from Terminal 4 but on way back in towards Heathrow would drop off anywhere. It had two core routes, one which ran vaguely around the A2 catchment area of Marble Arch and Russell Square and another one that went to Victoria, but the latter was quite limited. It ran every 15 mins and the cabbies hated it. The DTs would literally pick up customers at the doors of the hotels, right outside the cab rank. AV had M1006,M1020,M1028 and all the Leyland Olympians went there after contract renewal of the 140 displaced the Ms. Before London United lost the 237 it was transferred back to AV with M’s along with the new 235. Riverside Bus went onto to win the N9 and N11 on tender with L’s. They also ran the 94 during evenings and Sundays ( with L’s ex service from the 237) and the 9 on Sundays with DT’s . Brand new DTs with Riverside Bus branding were delivered for the 283 and 391. They won the 27 with a bunch of motley M’s, the highest example being M204, the lowest M8. Edit have trawled through my OCD mind, I think this list is 90% accurate ... Riverside Bus M’s 8,13,19,21,28,29,34,39,44,86,93,110,112,157,179,183,186,193,195,204 and then Airbus extras 1190 & 1191. L312-314 - as soon as I read that, it all came flooding back! I don't recall any of the LUB Ls having a brown moquette, though (are you sure you're not thinking of the Armchair L interiors?), but I do remember that red moquette on some of them (wasn't it also the same version that was used on the DT, DR and DRL fleets?). And is it just my imagination, or did the ex-Airbus Ms have four-panel/bi-fold centre doors, similar to those on the LS-class (rather than the two-panel centre doors installed on the rest of the M fleet?). Airbus Direct, of course! That's been bugging me for the last couple of days Thanks for that, and for all the other information you shared - some great details in there that I knew nothing about. Much appreciated. I think the Airbus operation for Stansted was ahead of its time. The buses I guess were always ordered in mind for the operation, but Stansted was completed in 1991 then the A3 started. The problem with Airbus concept is that it was marketed to Central London hotels. National Express got it right when they changed the concept of rail and major bus stations as a cheaper alternative to the train and marketing towards the low cost airline consumer. They then re-did the Stansted Coach route with one going Victoria, the other Liverpool St. It would be nice to see one of those airbus Olympians preserved or especially the MCW Metrobuses from A1/A2
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Post by M1199 on May 23, 2020 12:17:20 GMT
Did any of those Riverside Bus Olympians ever stray onto the Airbus routes into Heathrow and vice versa, with the Airbus M’s ever straying onto the 27, 237 or even getting to stretch their legs up to Stansted on the A3.
I seem to recall there was some seasonal M’s that got used in normal service when not required for Airbus work. I think that was post Riverside Bus era though as they carried Toshiba V3 Video adverts.
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Post by capitalomnibus on May 23, 2020 23:56:58 GMT
Did any of those Riverside Bus Olympians ever stray onto the Airbus routes into Heathrow and vice versa, with the Airbus M’s ever straying onto the 27, 237 or even getting to stretch their legs up to Stansted on the A3. I seem to recall there was some seasonal M’s that got used in normal service when not required for Airbus work. I think that was post Riverside Bus era though as they carried Toshiba V3 Video adverts. I never saw any M's go on the A3, in fact I only recall seeing the A3 on two occasions. Someone on here must have seen it. I do not even know if they were blinded for them. The original A3 in the early 1980's ran Metrobuses. Although the newere Stansted incarnation in the 90's the A3 was different, unless we had banditry. L312 at Tottenham Hale www.flickr.com/photos/181868521@N08/48301561597/
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