Back to TfL this time, sampling outgoing diesels, new electrics and existing hybrids with Arriva on North London suburban and Central London routes out of Edmonton, Tottenham and Stamford Hill Garages.

Arriva London VDL DB300 Wright Gemini DW580 of Edmonton (EC) Garage has just picked up at the first stop of the 158 at Chingford Mount. I rode DW586 on the following departure to Stratford. Hybrids are intended to replace these diesels in 2026.

The art deco style barometer to the left dating from the 1930s would have once looked out over Trolleybuses turning here on the 557, 697 & 699. Today, the stand is served by terminating buses on the 158 and W16.

Part Route 97: Chingford Station - Chingford Mount

My trip began at Chingford Station on a sunny summer’s morning, where I began with a short ride aboard Stagecoach London Volvo B5LH MCV EvoSeti 13150 on the 97 through the town and downhill to Chingford Mount. A simple 10 min journey.

Route 158: Chingford Mount - Stratford

First full route of the day was the 158, which has recently been retained by Arriva London on re-tender from February 2026, although with existing hybrids expected to replace the current diesels. Therefore, an opportunity to ride the DW types which form the existing allocation before they disappear.

I made my way to the stand in Albert Crescent, which was once the northern limit of Trolleybus operations in this part of London, but now used by the 158 and W16 as a terminus. As I arrived, DW580 of Edmonton (EC) Garage was already leaving, but it was only 8 mins to the next departure, formed of sister vehicle DW586, incidentally the highest numbered and last of the class. Just two of us boarded and we had a quiet run on the first section from the Mount down to the Crooked Billet Roundabout, passing on our left Walthamstow Stadium. This was most famously associated with greyhound racing, although was also used for motor cycle speedway and stock car racing. Closed in 2008, the stadium buildings have been replaced by housing, although the Grade II listed facade remains.

Crossing the roundabout, we continued along Billet Road and Blackhorse Lane, following the ghostly Trolleybus wires through suburbia. Lots of short-riders joined over this section, with a mass exodus at Blackhorse Road Station after crossing Forest Road. Continuing south to St James’s Street Station, a set of temporary lights in Markhouse Road was causing a long queue northbound, but fortunately not in our direction. Approaching Leyton, we past the brief spot of tranquil greenery by St Mary’s Church, before moving into the High Road. Down to Leyton Station and Downsell Road, before negotiating the back streets on the direct route to Stratford. Arrival at the Bus Station was after a 55 min run, not too bad.

The 158 came in 1981 between Chingford Mount & Stratford, replacing parts of route 58 (north of Leyton) and 230 (south of Leyton). The 58 had been the replacement for Trolleybus 685 in 1960.

Initially DMS operated, the 158 had these vehicles replaced by Titans within a year. Capital Citybus took the contract in 1991 using Metrobuses and other types, until these were replaced by low floor TN/TNL types under First Capital in 2000. Stagecoach was the next to have a turn, from 2005-2019, during which Tridents were the principal allocation. Arriva then took over with a mix of DW and HV classes, although the former have become the norm in recent times.

Arriva DW419 of Tottenham (AR) Garage arrives at Hainault Street, Ilford, on the 123. After the layover, I rode this bus back to Wood Green. The route is currently operated by a mix of these diesels plus HV class hybrids.

*Scenes like this will soon be history, as the route passes to Go Ahead London on re-tender from February 2026.*

Route 123: Ilford - Wood Green

From Stratford, I took the Elizabeth Line a few stops on the 10 min journey to Ilford, where I alighted and made my way along the Broadway to Hainault Street, at the start of my second route, the 123. This is currently operated by Arriva out of Tottenham (AR) Garage with a mix of DW diesels and HV hybrids, but all this will change in February 2026, when the route passes to Go Ahead London on a new contract. Therefore, a last ride for me with the existing regime.

Last time I rode the route was in the opposite direction on an HV, so this time I plumped for a DW, with DW419 being the next to depart. The 123 is prone to delays at peak times, but fortunately we were in for a reasonable run mid morning during August. We started off with not that many on board as we made our way through Ilford and along Cranbrook Road past the leafy oasis of Valentines Park. Gants Hill Roundabout was unusually quiet and, after picking up a few passengers, we were in for a fast non-stop run along the dual carriageway stretch to Woodford.

Turning off at Waterworks Corner, we skimmed the fringes of Epping Forest before arriving into suburbia at Beacontree Avenue. Temporary lights just past here caused a short delay, but we were soon through and became busier with short riders to Walthamstow Town Hall and “The Bell”. Slow progress over the narrow stretch to Blackhorse Road Station, but then another brief burst of speed across the Lea Valley to Tottenham Hale. Hanging a right at the High Road, we paused a couple of minutes for a driver change close to the operational garage. More local riders from Bruce Grove and past Bruce Castle Park along Lordship Lane to Westbury Avenue, before continuing down to Turnpike Lane Station, where it is intended to curtail the route in due course in connection with changes to serve the new Harringey Heartlands area. However, for now, we turned right at the lights a few more stops to the terminus at Wood Green Station. 1h15m from start to finish.

The 123 began as a Trolleybus replacement route in 1960, between Manor House & Ilford, taking over from the 623 and part of the 41. It was RM operated with a part RTW allocation for a short while. Big changes came in 1968, when it was rerouted from Tottenham Hale to Enfield in place of the 269 and 275. It mostly operated in sections between Enfield & Turnpike Lane / Walthamstow and Tottenham Hale to Ilford, although a through service did run on Sundays in later years.

OPO conversion came in 1977 using DMS with a cut back at the northern end to Winchmore Hill, the Enfield leg going to the 29 instead. Titans took over in 1981, with a further curtailment to Wood Green coming in 1988. Capital Citybus (later First Capital) took the contract in 1991 using Olympians, until low floor conversion in the early noughties with TNL types. Arriva assumed control in 2005, with VLA and then DW types being the principal allocation, although HVs later joined in.

Archive Shot… Back in 1981, the 123 had recently been converted from DMS to Leyland Titan operation when T330 of Walthamstow (WW) Garage was caught in the rain at Winchmore Hill, Green Dragon Lane.

*The 123 was cut back from Enfield to Winchmore Hill on OPO conversion in 1977. It retracted further to Wood Green in 1988.*

Route 243: Wood Green - Waterloo Station

At Wood Green, I walked along Redvers Road to Lordship Lane, reflecting on how this area has changed over the years. The old Congregational Church and Victorian housing have been replaced by new developments, whilst the former Eastern National Garage is now occupied by a gym. This was where the exterior shots of the LWT sitcom “On The Buses” were filmed in the 70s, the depot doubling as the Luxton & District Garage and where Reg Varney and pals were often to be seen shooting aboard the green Bristol FLF Lodekkas used in the series. As I crossed the road, I heard echoes of Blakey shouting “Butler, get that bus out!”

Back to reality and my next ride was on the 243, which was retained by Arriva in 2024 from Tottenham (AR) on the basis of new EZ class Volvo/MCV electrics. However, the route was unexpectedly part converted to ES type Wright StreetDeck Electroliners in early August, using some of batch intended for Thornton Heath (TH), so this is likely a temporary allocation unless plans have changed. On the day I travelled, it was about 50/50 ES and HV operated.

ES107 was next to leave the stand and I boarded for what turned out to be a somewhat turgid run. This is a busy route on an 8 min M-S daytime frequency and we often had a full load, particularly on the northern section. Direct along Lordship Lane and back to Bruce Grove, before turning up the Tottenham High Road, with another driver change at the garage. A slowish run past Seven Sisters and Stamford Hill along the main road, before a short green interlude across Stoke Newington Common. Then back to the bustle of Dalston, through Haggerston down to Shoreditch Church.

Traffic congestion caused in part by ridiculous new road layouts bedevils efficient bus operation in Central London, so it seemed an age before we navigated the Old Street Roundabout, soon after which the 243 behind us zoomed past. Making our way through Clerkenwell, we eventually reached Holborn, where we turned down Kingsway and the inevitable slow crawl through Aldwych, which seems to be permanently congested now following abandonment of the gyratory system which used to work much better. A final chance to get up a bit of speed across Waterloo Bridge, before terminating at Waterloo Station, after an extremely long trip of 1h40m. Interestingly, the new ESs display “Waterloo Station” on the front blind, whereas the HVs I saw showed just plain “Waterloo”, a positive change.

The 243 is another Trolleybus replacement service, taking over from the 543 and 643 in 1961. RM and later RML operated, it ran only on M-S at first, between Wood Green and Holborn Circus, with the 243A running on Sundays between Wood Green and London Docks (later amended to Liverpool Street Station), in similar fashion to the previous 649A, the only suffixed Trolleybus route. When the 149 received a batch of former London Country RCLs repainted red in 1980, they sometimes appeared on the 243 and 243A.

OPO conversion came in 1985 using Ms, but surprisingly the 243A Sunday variant continued right up to 2000, when the 243 was diverted to Old Street / Waterloo and became daily, replacing part of former Red Arrow 505. Low floor conversion with DLA followed in the early noughties, although VLW and VLA types also appeared. DWs took over in 2015, although the service was converted to hybrid two years later using new HVs.

Wright StreetDeck Electroliners removed from store and intended for Thornton Heath (TH) Garage were put into service on Arriva’s 243 at Tottenham (AR) Garage during August. ES107 demonstrates the new electric era on the route at the Wood Green, Redvers Road stand before I travelled on it to Waterloo Station.

The route was roughly 50% electric (ES type) and 50% hybrid (HV type) at this time. New Volvo BZL MCV buses were expected for the 243, so this is possibly a stop-gap allocation pending delivery of the intended vehicles.

New Routemaster LT437 of Stamford Hill (SF) Garage takes the shade at a surprisingly leafy Baylis Road stand not far from Waterloo Station. I rode this bus from here to the other end of the 76 at Tottenham Hale.

*The route passed from GAL to Arriva in 2024 using the same type of vehicle and this was one example which transferred across from the previous operator.*

Route 76: Waterloo - Tottenham Hale

To return north, I walked a short distance past Waterloo Station to the other side in Baylis Road, start point of the 76 back to Tottenham Hale. This route passed from GAL to Arriva in 2024 using existing New Routemasters, some of which transferred across to the new operator. One such was LT437 of Stamford Hill (SF) Garage and was next off the stand, so I duly got on. A hot day, so I was glad of the opening windows which have been fitted retrospectively to these vehicles!

A slightly quicker trip than the previous one on the 243, the 76 being a bit of a strange beast - seemingly a trunk route but not as busy as many others. A queue to get off Waterloo Bridge, now reduced to a single lane at the northern end, before finally inching our way around the Aldwych bottleneck. From here on, progress was faster, as we passed the Law Courts and along Fleet Street and up the hill to St Paul’s Cathedral. Around the back and past the Museum of London (worth a visit) along London Wall to Moorgate. Up to Old Street, then running in parallel with the 141 through Hoxton, where the 76 behind us passed us.

However, the 76 then turns off along its brief freehold section of Englefield Road, regaining the main A10 corridor just south of Dalston. We then continued north, now in parallel with the 149 and 243, through Dalston High Road, Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill, back to Seven Sisters and Tottenham. We then overtook the other 76 to regain our correct place and turned off down Monument Road to the terminus at Tottenham Hale Bus Station. 1h20m trip time.

The 76 has an extremely complex history, being one of those routes that did different things on different days of the week and at different times of day! Back in the 60s, it ran “in extremis” from Victoria to Edmonton, although it had a M-F peaks branch off the main route between Victoria & Liverpool Street, plus a few peak journeys at the other end to Brimsdown Power Station. Surprisingly, the opportunity to simplify its operation was not taken with the “Busplan” changes of 1978 and was not until 1990 that it became a more straightforward daily service between Waterloo (County Hall) and Northumberland Park. Eventually, the southern terminal was adjusted to Baylis Road and the northern one Tottenham Garage, with the short extension to Tottenham Hale coming in 2014.

In terms of types, RTW and RM operation in the 60s was later supplemented with the short-lived XA type Atlanteans plus the unique front entrance Routemaster, FRM1. By the 70s, RMs were the usual fare, but OPO with Ms came in 1985. First Capital had a 5 year stint from 1998 with Olympians, but Arriva returned in 2003 with VLWs and later on, HVs. Go Ahead took over in 2017 with LTs, until Arriva yet again resumed operation in 2024 with the same vehicles.

***LT437 again, this time an offside shot, after arrival at Tottenham Hale Bus Station at the end of my bus rides for the day.***

*The unusual glazed canopy casts strange shadows and often makes bus photography difficult at this location.*

At Tottenham Hale, I made my way to the adjacent station, to take the Victoria Line to Walthamstow Central, where I changed to the Overground back to my start point at Chingford.

Watton

Totting Up in Tottenham

Jolly Boys Outing to Margate

Heritage Railways: The Great Central