Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 6th November 2017.
Part5: 2004-2006PVL362-370 for BexleyheathThese nine buses should have seen off NVs from Bexleyheath. In practice they were used to cover while the oldest PVLs at Bexleyheath went for refurbishment. Like the new buses, the refurbished ones should have had extra opening windows and white roofs, to help overcome the over-heating problems of the previous summer.Substitute on the 436In early 2004 several Citaros self-combusted, very publicly. This gave rise to a shortage on New Cross' 436 route, and PVL318 was drafted in as cover, initially for a couple of days in February and March, then regularly from late March, after MAL 58 was the third pyre.Route 37 goes completely to Peckham: lots of buses move.In early October London Central took over all the workings on route 37, previously shared with London General at Stockwell. Peckham received Alexander bodied Volvos, AVL1-19, from Camberwell to operate the route. Camberwell lost its share of the 188, Stockwell taking over from the AVLs with a mix of WVLs and PVLs. Stockwell sent seven PVLs to Peckham and one to Camberwell. There were other sundry shuffles. (Camberwell now put its efforts into bendibuses on the 12).PVL390-419: replacing RMLs on 36 at New CrossAt the end of January 2005 New Cross lost its RMs and RMLs in favour of one-person operated PVLs. It was the end of crew working at New Cross. The RMLs went first, replaced by PVL 390, 392, 393, 394, 396 and 400 working with crews, then the RMs went on Friday 28th. The full PVL service, using all the new buses, began on 29th January.These were the last PVLs bought by the two companies, which hereafter concentrated on WVLs.
PVL396 arrives at New Cross Garage on Friday 25th January 2005, the last day of crew operation, when RMs gave way to PVLs. PVL394 shows the opposite direction of travel, towards Queen Park Station, in January 2007.
Another end of January change was that route 89 became all-Bexleyheath again, instead of shared with NX, so five older PVLs (now refurbished) moved to Bexleyheath. This brought PVL1-55 back together there. Sutton gains PVLsSutton received a few PVLs in June and July 2005, ostensibly for a capacity increase on the 93. In practice they worked alongside the native EVLs on the 213 and 154 as well.
Stockwell loses the 188: Croydon borrows PVLs for 127In December 2005 Travel London took control of the 188, resulting in a redistribution of some of Stockwell's buses: a number of PVLs went to Merton, where they enabled the loan to Metrobus of PVL195-205 for the 127. The loaned buses operated from Metrobus' Croydon base until new Scanias were available in April 2017, when the loaned buses returned, either to store at Mandela Way or into the commercial services fleet.
Some of Stockwell's WVLs moved to Camberwell, where they pushed out PVLs towards Peckham.
New Cross loses the 343, Sutton double-decks the 151Loss of the 343 in February 2006 saw some PVLs redundant. Three went to Bexleyheath to boost the 89. Twelve of the "letter-box" PVLs transferred into store at Plough Lane. These then, in April (or earlier), moved to Sutton to displace single-decker LDPs on the 151. Another five transferred directly from New Cross, having been held back for contingencies.
PVL280 in Wallington on the 151, April 2007.
East Thames Buses takes eleven for BelvedereThe eleven PVLs that had been in store at Mandela Way, after loan to Metrobus, now went on loan to East Thames Buses. Still in London General livery with charcoal skirts and yellow trim line butwith ETB fleetnames, logos and legal lettering they have been put to work alongside resident buses on the 132, 180 and 185 routes. VPL195-205 became VP21-31, but not in that order.
Transdev takes Six for HounslowTowards the end of August 2006 East Thames Buses could release six of the loaned PVLs, as six of their own VPs came back from their loan to First London. The ex-London General six went straight off on loan to Transdev at Hounslow, where they retained their East Thames numbers. They were to fill a gap until new Scanias should arrive in September. The Scanias did arrive, so the Hounslow Six were back in store at Plough Lane in October. Subsequently Stockwell took them in January 2007. The remaining loans to East Thames Bus also returned, in March 2007, to Stockwell.Refurbishments, repaints and trainer conversionsMeanwhile PVLs began to move from garage to garage, with no obvious rhyme or reason. It could be associated with a program of refurbishment, now underway amongst the middle-aged PVLs.The PVLs allocated to Commercial services (PVL251,252,253, 262 at Merton, PVL263,264, 265, 266 at New Cross) received a repaint, and a livery addition of two thin white bands with gold fleet-names. The early batch of PDLs, PDL1-13, started to be converted to driver trainers, replacing NVs. At least, PDL10 was converted, involving a raised floor alongside the driver's cubicle with an instructor's seat. Then it turned out that these PDLs did not have the requisite ABS braking systems, so the scheme was aborted. PDL10 was reconverted for passenger use. Most of the batch went into store, briefly, at Mandela Way, then returned to service at Stockwell.
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Part 6: 2007-2009
Ian's Bus Stop
2003