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QUICK LINKS Operators 
Arriva
Excel
First Imperial
Myalls
Olympian Regal
SM Coaches Stansted Transit Trustybus
TWH Bus & Coach |
LATEST NEWS January 2010 
 At Arriva, the last of the original batch of Darts, Plaxton Pointers then numbered DPL406-414, more recently 3356-64, has ceased service. One of the two ex-Wests Wright Handybuses has been awaiting repair long enough to suggest it it also now finished. The number of step-entrance vehicles remaining at Harlow is now in single figures. Further new intake from within group at Excel include Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxon Pointer 2 S310JUA, and less usual Scania L113/East Lancs European single deck. SM Coaches have increased the fleet in readiness for the expansion of the 19, expected to start on 18th January. Four ex-London General Dart SLF/Pointer IIs, understood to be P741RYL and R476 / 481 / 485LGH and Dennis Dart/East Lancs M223AKB are the new additions. The main news of the month is the reintroduction (actually late in December 2009) of TWH's 55 service. The service was first introduced as a competitor to the H1 in 2008, only to face a vigorous response from Imperial. After surviving that battle and finding themselves with the corridor to themselves, Imperial subsequently gave up the ghost. The revised 55 picks up the challenge; we understand that the two BMC falcons that initiated the 392 will be the regular vehicles, but in the early days, something of a more traditional feel was apparent, with the appearance of a Routemaster and a Metrobus. Staying with TWH, two Mini Pointer Darts have been acquired, and have taken over as the mainstay of the 392. Other recent sightings include Dennis Dart/UVG UrbanStar R83GNW in an all over advertising livery for Mecca Bingo, including contravision on most windows and based on a bubble-gum pink base. On the 55, Dennis Trident/ALX400 KN52NDY, in more conventional London red. A major upgrade is apparent on the Trustybus C3. No less than four brand new Scania/Wright Solars are ordered, with two kicking off the new timetable on 4th January. Not only is the latest Centrebus livery carried, but the fleet-name is also changed, to Centrebus Value. Will the Trustybus name survive 2010? 2009 - Review of the year (To follow shortly) 1st November 2009 
 A transfer from within Arriva Shires and Essex has seen former Sovereign Volvo B6BLE/Wright Crusader R606WMJ join the Harlow fleet. Just up the road at Sawbridgeworth, local services SW1 and SW2 ran for the last time yesterday. Introduced (with SW3) 7 years ago, they have been one of relatively few examples of services in the former London Country area operated by Optare Alero's, although they would seem to have been stood down here a short while back. They did also operate local route 6 at times. At SM Coaches, two more Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash vehicles have joined the example mentioned last month. The new arrivals are from the same batch, being N602KGF and N606KGF. TWH have provided a little more variety on the 392. Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner S51UBO would have added a bit of luxury, even if at the expense of the low floor. 1st October 2009 
 A lot of the loans that found their way to Excel have now returned, but Mini Pointer Dart KU52RXF, once having operated at Trustybus, is in all white and operational. Meanwhile, appearing in the Burton livery that adds a yellow band above the blue skirt and white that is otherwise Excels normal livery, is larger Dart SLF/Pointer II AY54FRC. Over at the new local First operation, just as in Stansted Transit days, larger vehicles have been used on the 347. Dart SLF/Pointer II 40734 (P627WSU) is an example. 
LCB Travel have given that Mercedes people carrier a bit of a make-over with eye-catching pink branding and a Zip (fastener) logo. Just when a pattern emerges at SM Coaches something surprising happens. After a run of modern vehicles, high-floor Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash N607KGF arrives. In livery, and with manual blinds, for now at least.  Last month I mentioned the arrival at Trustybus of a Centrebus liveried Optare Solo. It has now appeared on the C3, bringing a different livery to the town. Ex-London General Darts R462LGH and R484LGH are reported to be destined for Harlow, in Centrebus livery, but with Trustybus fleet-names, for the time being. Finally, TWH Bus & Coach offered something on the 392 that passengers will not have seen in a very long time - a top deck. Olympians J847TSC and G551VBB have both been sighted in service. September 2009 
 The route 510 dedicated Volvo/Wrights at Arriva are having their rear route branding replaced by super rear adverts. Appropriately airlines are featured on two. LCB Travel have commenced operation of the ZIP1 Milwards service, using exactly the same vehicle that Arriva used before. Livery and branding is unchanged save for the addition of a new fleet name on the bonnet. Major ownership news is that the Trustybus operation has been taken over by Centrebus. At this time actual operations are unchanged and the fleet-name and colours remain as before. One Optare Solo has been drafted in, presumably for Bishops Stortford area Village link 7, which was in any case won by Centrebus under recent ECC tender. It will operate from the Riverway site. 
 SM Coaches have had a need to press into service some less that usual vehicles of late. The 19 (Harlow to Epping) service has seen coaches from the Olympian fleet, whilst the M1/31 has seen lots of minibuses including the three remaining operational Iveco/Marshalls and Mercedes/Dormobile L192MAU in full Olympian livery. TWH Bus & Coach have commenced operation of the 392. The two regular vehicles are rare BMC Falcon 1100's registered CN04XCK/L. Livery this time is red-based, still with gold fleet-name and some limited branding. Conventional blinds with the National Railways logo used for the Harlow destination are featured. July/August 2009 
 Six years and seven months after last serving Harlow, First have returned with the take up of route 347, being the permanent successor to Stansted Transit on that route following a short spell with Excel. The other Stansted Transit service, the 392, has seen a considerable variety of vehicle types whilst under Excel. Please follow the link to the fotopic site for pictures. The service has now been awarded to TWH Bus & Coach from September. Talking of TWH, a little variety has been offered on the North Weald Flyer lately, with half open-top Metrobus M443 and Mercedes/Plaxton Cheetah KE05KXX both appearing (see pictures on TWH page). The service is due to disappear in September. Another interesting award from the recent ECC tenders round is that for the ZIP1. New bus route operator LCB Travel will take over. We don't know what will be used, but the above Mercedes is in the fleet, and has personalised registration C10LCB. June 2009 Quite suddenly, on 4th June, Stansted Transit ceased training. As far as Harlow is concerned, they operated the twice a day 347 with an enormous variety of vehicle types. The main service though was the hourly 392 operated with two vehicles since March 2007, mainly new Alexander-Dennis Enviro 200 Darts. A number of services were operated at nearby Bishops Stortford or Stansted Airport including the successful ECC supported Village Link services 5 and 7. For now most services have been transferred to Excel on short-term contracts, and a number of hired vehicles are to be seen. Stansted Transit had not been successful in the most recent round of ECC tender awards, and a number of losses would have in any case taken place. Over at Trustybus, the Dart/East Lancs Spryte has been out-shopped in the latest livery. April 2009 Local media reports that one of Olympian's Coaches caught fire on the A414 between Harlow and Hertfort whilst on a schools service. It would appear to have been an engine fire, but the whole vehicle is clearly gutted and doubtless a write-off. The coach was S342SET, one of the two Scania/Irizar Century vehicles. No one was harmed. By a piece of bad fortune, the news story in the Herald was placed right next an advert for the London commuter services. 25th March 2009 Local enthusiasts might be interested in an all-RT operation being mounted by London Bus Company (The bit of Blue Triangle that wasn't sold to Go-Ahead) and Ensignbus. On Easter Sunday 12th April and Bank Holiday Monday 13th April the following routes will operate. 175A Romford to Ongar via Passingford Bridge, hourly. 247 Romford to Brentwood via Gidea Park, every 30 mins 339 Brentwood to Epping via Ongar, hourly. For full details, visit www.lots.org.uk  TWH Bus and Coach added to the variety mentioned below with an appearance by ex-Lothian Leyland Olympian/Alexander RH J847TSC. 
Trustybus now have their ex-County Bus low-floor Dennis Lances in service in new livery. Also arrived is Dart SLF/East Lancs Spryte P131PPV. Dr Matthew Bradley The author of this site wishes to pay tribute to Dr Matthew Bradley, who died recently at the untimely age of 41. In recent years Matthew worked in a number of areas of the industry, but it was during his role as Arriva Shires & Essex Marketing Manager in the late 90's that he chose to sponsor the original setting up of this site, which at that time was the only source of all-operator bus travel information on-line covering Harlow. Today similar sources are many, father reaching, and greater in sophistication, but at the time it was an innovation. If he brought similar initiative to a even a fraction of his other roles, his legacy will be broad. March 2009 
 Firstly, catching up on events at TWH Bus and Coach. The 55 service gave way to the lower key, as far as Harlow is concerned at least, North Weald Flyer, last month. It didn't go out without some additional variety being added to the scene though, in the form of 20 year old LT red Dennis Dart/Duple Dartline G501VYE and all-white Tranbus/Caetana Enigma coach FJ53VDN. Another red bus seen in Harlow recently, and one which passengers could easily be forgiven for thinking is a Trustybus is Regal Busways Dennis Dart/Northern Counties Paladin L110HHV. January/February 2009 Arriva. Since the last update, the number of Dart/Wright Crusaders operating at Harlow has increased from 2 to 6. Fleet numbers 3417, 3418, (P417/8HVX) 3435 and 3440 (R165/170GNW) being the new arrivals. Departing would seem to be the variously bodied collection of B6's. Other arrivals include two Mini Pointer Darts transferred from within the Shires and Essex fleets; 3483 (W483YGS) and 3828 (KE03UKK). SM Coaches have added a new vehicle type to the current fleet in the form of Dart SLF/Caetano Nimbus. Two examples, KU02YBD and KU02YBF are now in service. Over at Trustybus gone are all four Optare Excels, plus Dart/Pointer 63. Interesting new arrivals are local early low-floor Lances M267/8VPU. Ex-London all Leyland Olympian C77CHM has been on hire from Stephensons for use on rail replacement work. 
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