Go West Where The Skies are Blue

The song by the Pet Shop Boys neatly sums up my latest adventure riding buses in West London on a hot sunny day, with a long circular trip beginning and ending in Edgware.

First Bus ADH45065 of Westbourne Park (X) Garage hides behind the trees and street furniture on the Camden Town stand of Route 31 before my ride on it to White City.

The route passed from Metroline to First Bus on retender in April, with these hybrids released from withdrawn route 414 being used until new BDE class electrics are delivered later in the year.

Route 31: Camden Town to White City

A very warm day saw me at Edgware to begin a long circular tour of West and North West London, starting with a trip on the Northern Line to Camden Town.

Fortified with coffee, I made my way to the first pick up stop of the 31 in Bayham Street. This route transferred from Metroline to First Bus in April, the previous VMH types being replaced by ADH vehicles made spare from the recent withdrawal of the 414. Next off the stand was ADH45065 of Westbourne Park (X) Garage and a few boarded with me for the ride across inner North West London. After going around the block, we picked up more and continued past Camden Market up to Chalk Farm and Belsize Park. Despite lack of traffic, progress was lethargic due to 20mph limits. After circling the road junction at Swiss Cottage, we made our way a short distance along Finchley Road, before turning off through the back streets to Kilburn High Road and Kilburn Park.

After this, we were sent on diversion due to roadworks, taking the long way round via the 6 almost to Queens Park, then the 36 to rejoin line of route at The Chippenham. Onwards via Harrow Road to Westbourne Park, although there was no driver change at the garage on this occasion. Along Pembridge Road to Notting Hill Gate, where we emptied out before hanging a right through Holland Park to Shepherds Bush Station. Just me and one other passenger on the final section to White City, where there is now a ridiculous 10mph limit. The 1h10m running time was more or less as scheduled but seemed excessive, a good example of how slow certain TfL routes have become in recent times and surely off-putting to users.

The 31 is a long standing route, which ran for years between Camden Town and Chelsea and saw all variants of the RT class over the years (RT, RTL and RTW). Conversion to RM came in 1972, which continued until the controversial conversion to MA midibuses under the “Gold Arrow” brand name in 1989. These soon proved inadequate, with DW and then DM single deckers later replacing them. In 1999, new route 328 replaced parts of the 28 and 31, the latter being cut back from Chelsea to Notting Hill Gate.

Double deckers returned with VNWs in 2004, an extension to Shepherds Bush coming 2 years later, amended to White City in 2008 to serve the then new Westfield Shopping Centre. Operator First was replaced by Tower Transit in 2013 when First withdrew from London, but the route passed to Metroline in 2018, initially with VW types that were soon replaced with VWHs. However, history repeats, with First coming back to London in 2025 and returning to the 31. New electrics are promised in due course, but hybrids provide a stop-gap allocation.

Metroline VWH2093 of Greenford (G) Garage on the temporary stand at White City Bus Station before I rode it to Southall, the route being temporarily cut back here due to roadworks preventing use of the normal Shepherds Bush Green terminus.

Metroline retained the contract on the 95 from April, with these double decks released from elsewhere being used pending the arrival of new electric single deckers.

Route 95: White City to Southall

Next on the list was the 95, which has been retained by Metroline on recent re-tender, with its former DE single deckers being replaced by VWH double decks released indirectly from changes elsewhere. This is intended as a stop-gap allocation pending the arrival of new electric single deck vehicles.

Also, due to roadworks at Shepherds Bush Green, the route has been temporarily cut-back a short distance to White City, with buses standing in the Bus Station but picking up at White City Station as the first stop. Having just missed one, I had a 15 min wait before VWH2093 of Greenford (G) Garage appeared. I boarded with a handful of others for the trip to Southall. We soon turned onto the A40 Western Avenue, which provides a fast run when traffic is free flowing. Not too bad, although we encountered a small queue up to the lights at East Acton. After clearing this, our driver put his foot down and we had a good run up to Park Royal, although there was another hiatus due to congestion on approach to the Hanger Lane gyratory.

Once again, having negotiated this, we again picked up speed, reminding me of fast RT rides in the “good old days” on the 105 over this stretch. Past the art deco frontage of Perivale Hoovers, now a Tesco superstore, and on to South Greenford Station, before turning off down to Greenford Town Centre. No driver change, so we continued on around the back doubles serving suburban housing, before final approach to Southall Town Hall. 4 way temporary lights at the Uxbridge Road junction were a nightmare, but despite a 5 min delay, we only took 45 mins end to end, an excellent run considering. A complete contrast with my slow trip on the 31 earlier!

The 95 came in 1992, taking over the Shepherds Bush - Greenford part of the 105 and converting it to MA class midibus operation. MTL London took the contract in 1996 with MM single deckers, later replaced by Metroline who preferred DML and then DLD type Darts. First appeared on the scene in 2006, with the temporary use of VNW double decks, before converting the route to DML Darts and then DML Enviro200s. Metroline returned in 2013 when First quit London, who incorporated the Enviro200s into their DE class.

Metroline TE1444 at Yeading Barnhill Estate is one of half a dozen diesel Enviro400s still in service at Greenford (G) Garage. These buses appear mainly on the E9, with odd appearances on the 92 and 282.

TEs are now small in number with Metroline, the only other garages still operating them being Potters Bar (mainly on the W8) and Uxbridge (mostly on the U3 and U4).

Route E9: Ealing Broadway - Yeading - Greenford

As traffic around Southall Broadway was so bad, I opted to take the Elizabeth Line from Southall Station to Ealing Broadway, start point of my next route, the E9.

This is another Metroline service out of Greenford Garage and is a mix of types, featuring TEH, VMH and VWH hybrids, but also the small number of diesel Enviro400s still remaining at that shed. The third bus to arrive at a thankfully shady Haven Green was one of them, TE1444, which arrived late and departed immediately with me on board. A straightforward run through the back streets to Argyle Road and on to Greenford Town Centre, before continuing on to Yeading Roundabout where the traffic lights were out of action, causing a lot of honking from other vehicles as we forced our way out into the melee! No problems after this and we had dropped the rest of our load by the time we reached the terminal loop at Barnwell Estate. A quick 30 min journey.

After the layover, I rejoined the same bus, but in this direction, there was a slow moving queue up to the offending Yeading Roundabout, which cost about 10 mins. Busy all the way back to Greenford, where I alighted - 25 mins just to navigate this short part of the route. The next E9 had almost caught us up by this point and was only a couple of minutes behind.

The E9 began in 1990, serving new roads for buses in Yeading and initially had spurs to Barnhill Estate and Smiths Farm, although the latter leg was ceded to the E10 in 1997. RW midibuses started it off, later replaced with DM Darts and then DML Enviro200s. Metroline again benefited from First’s withdrawal in 2013 and reclassified the vehicles within the DE class.

Double deck conversion came in 2016 when Abellio took over using Enviro400s, although after a 5 year term, the route reverted to Metroline with TEs.

Outwardly similar to the TE class, although sounding very different, is the hybrid version like TEH1461, another Greenford Garage bus, seen at Mount Vernon after my trip on it from Ealing Hospital.

The 282 contract with Metroline was extended for 2 years from March 2025.

Route 282: Greenford - Ealing Hospital - Mount Vernon Hospital

After purchasing some lunch, my rides continued in the afternoon with the 282, beginning with a 15 min trip to the terminus at Ealing Hospital. Yet another Metroline route out of Greenford Garage, although this time mainly hybrid operated - I had TEH1461. Outwardly and inwardly similar to the diesel TE I had just ridden on the E9, although with a very different engine sound, reminding me of the similar situation in former times between standard RTs and RTLs!

After the break, I reboarded for the full run on the route to Mount Vernon Hospital. A busy trip most of the way, with traffic quite heavy but reasonably free flowing. Back through Greenford and on to Yeading, where the traffic lights were still playing up. Then it was an ok run along the dual carriageway past the Target Roundabout up to Northolt Station, before turning off along Eastcote Lane to Eastcote Station. Onwards to Northwood Hills, with a few remaining bits of Middlesex countryside in between the surburban development providing a reminder of how this area used to look before the development of “Metroland”.

Then it was on to Northwood, where we discharged most of our clientele before the final section to Mount Vernon, passing near to where the exterior scenes of the BBC sitcom “The Good Life” were filmed, doubling up as Surbiton. No sign though of Tom & Barbara bringing logs home from the common, or Margo and Jerry out shopping on this occasion! We arrived at the terminus after a lengthy 1h15m run.

The 282 dates from “Reshaping” in 1968, when it replaced part of the 232 between Greenford and Northwood, with journeys to Mount Vernon only at hospital visiting times in those days. One man operated from the start with MB types, although in common with many routes, upgraded to DMS double deck in 1975. “Busplan” in 1979 saw the route extended to Mount Vernon at all times and at the other end to the then Southall Garage. Metrobuses took over in 1982 and, with the closure of Southall Garage, the route was diverted to Hanwell Garage instead, until that in turn was chopped.

The route was another to suffer the unfortunate fad of midibus conversion in 1990, using RWs, although a few double deck journeys remained at peak times. Ealing Hospital became the southern terminus in 1993, with DM single deckers assuming control at the end of the decade. Double deckers returned in 2003 with TN types, replaced in 2014 with TEs, which in turn were supplanted by the current TEH types. This route is one which stayed with First and its successor Metroline in this part of London.

First Bus Enviro200 MMC DLE30269 takes stand time at Mount Vernon Hospital before returning to Harrow Town Centre.

This route operates from the Canons Park outstation of Edgware (BT) Garage, which passed from RATP Group to First Bus earlier this year when the former pulled out of its London operations.

Route H11: Mount Vernon Hospital to Harrow

At Mount Vernon, I switched to the other TfL route serving that location, the H11. This is operated by First Bus which took over from RATP Group on return to the capital. Enviro200 MMC single decks are the normal fare and next to arrive was DLE30269, operating from the Canons Park (CP) outstation.

Just two of us joined at the hospital and we roared off back down the hill to Northwood, at first running in parallel with the 282 through the town and under the Iron Bridge to Northwood Hills. There, we parted company and continued straight on through to Pinner, serving the pleasant centre still with village type surroundings.

After this, we turned off from the main road routeing, briefly following the H12, before entering the “freehold” section through the hinterland of North Harrow, which was well used on this trip. Meeting up with the 114 and 140 at Porlock Avenue, we made our way into Harrow Town Centre, terminating at the Bus Station after a decent 40 min run.

The H11 was a product of “Harrow Buses” in 1987, operated with MR midis and taking over the western leg of the 183 plus new territory between Pinner and Harrow. Initially, it ran no further west than Northwood Station as the 183 had done, but was usefully extended to Mount Vernon in 1992. Sovereign took over the route in 1990 with Mercedes Midis, with SDP class Darts appearing from 1999. Eventually becoming part of London United in the noughties, DPS Darts and then DE Enviro200s became the norm, prior to the present vehicles assuming control.

Enviro400H MMC ADH45286 of First Bus Edgware (BT) Garage at Edgware Bus Station after my arrival aboard it from Harrow.

The 340 currently sees a mix of ADH, BCE, VH and VHR types, so it seems that anything goes!

Route 340: Harrow to Edgware

There was just one more route left to complete my grand circle - the 340 from Harrow to Edgware. Also now operated by First Bus, the route is operated by Edgware (BT) Garage using a mix of hybrid types, but first to pull up at Harrow Bus Station was Enviro400H MMC ADH45286. A large home-going crowd joined me aboard as we left Harrow Town Centre and fought through the traffic to Harrow & Wealdstone Station.

Despite queuing traffic in the opposite direction, we had a free run up Wealdstone High St to Harrow Weald Garage and beyond, joining the suburban section with big houses through to Stanmore Broadway. Timetable padding caused a 5 min stand here before continuing down to Canons Park and into Edgware from that direction. A 45 min journey to Edgware Station, which we could have done quicker given the prevailing conditions.

Alighting from my final bus, I reflected that I had travelled on this route on its first day back in 1987, when it replaced part of the 140 between Harrow and Edgware. Back then, its intended double deckers were not yet available, so spare Nationals were used for a few weeks, until the Mark II Metros and Volvos took over.

With the demise of Harrow Buses, Arriva became the operator in 1991, using LR Olympians out of Garston Garage. These were replaced in the noughties with low floor deckers, initially the “DLA-alikes” but later hosting most of GR’s double deck types. The ill-fated SW Wright StreetDecks came in 2016 and these transferred to far off Palmers Green Garage when GR closed, with even longer out of service runs then required. By 2021, HV hybrids had become the norm due to the failing SWs, but the route passed to RATP Group on re-tender in 2023 with the current vehicles.

At 5PM, my long day out was at an end and it was time for home after an interesting tour!

Watton

Finally, a flashback to 14th November 1987, first day of the 340, which saw Leyland National LS34 of Harrow Weald (HD) Garage at Edgware Garage before the current Bus Station was built.

The 340 replaced the Edgware - Harrow section of the 140 and was intended for double deck operation, although insufficient were available at the start and so Nationals were used for the first few weeks.