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| Count | Photo | Details | Added  |
| 2,201 |  |
By Ray Monk After my 'discovery' of a Highways Alliance depot near Morden Wharf garage last month, two correspondents paid the location a visit. The buildings on the site are large, though of the 'Portacabin' type, while there are over a hundred car parking spaces marked out in front. However, at the times of the Google photographs, and the two visits mentioned above, only a half-dozen vehicles were present. About half of the vehicles were Toyota Yaris cars in London Highways Alliance livery, as seen in the background of this photo taken on 31st August 2019. Nearer the camera is another Yaris, LL14VKU being one of five new to TfL in 2014. VKU, along with the others, had been regularly reported at the main TfL Streets base at Chancel Street in Southwark. It could be that it has recently transferred here to replace the ex-LBSL VW Caddy van seen in the aerial photographs. By the way, I decided to name this location 'North Greenwich Highways Alliance', as it is slightly separate from Morden Wharf itself. It also includes another yard at the south end, which is where the larger vehicles (trucks, vans, cherry pickers and gritters) are kept. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,202 |  |
By Thomas Young ...so, on 21st September 2019, my daughter and I had a day out in Docklands and east London. I managed to work a visit to Naval Row (Blackwall) into the trip, and I was pleased to find that a TfL Streets Toyota Prius was still present, and that it was indeed the mysterious LS13EVV. Perhaps unfortunately, I had my 'big' camera with me. A compact may have been better able to get between the fence bars. LS13EVV was new in April 2013 and may have been based here from new, it not having been reported anywhere apart from Acton Works. It is now the last third-generation Prius in the central fleet. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,203 |  |
By Google Google Maps, in particular the aerial photograph facility, has been invaluable in our research into service vehicle locations. Recent developments meant I have been looking into the London Highways Alliance. A web search turned up an address of Naval Row, Blackwall, which I duly took a look at. Perched above the north portals of the Blackwall tunnel, this location comprises three areas. In the red building on the right is a small yard accessed from Naval Row (the road running vertically on the right in this view), while an even smaller yard sits between the two carriageways, and can presumably only be accessed when the tunnel is not open to traffic. A third yard is behind the newish brick building, and is also accessed from Naval Row. Changing the angle of the view revealed that the sole car in this yard was a Toyota Prius in the white/orange livery of TfL Streets, while the vehicles in the other areas appeared to be in Highways Alliance white. Without knowing the exact date the images these were taken, I could not be sure whether the Prius was a current one. However, it was notable that the last car remaining in white/orange (LS13EVV) had never been reported at Chancel Street, the main base for TfL Streets. The yard was at a higher level than the tunnel approaches, so StreetView images were no help. But it looked as though there was a footpath alongside the yard, under the trees in front of the large office building. I decided that, in this case, the location was worth a visit.... |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,204 |  |
By Ray Monk Having just said that Tramlink uses Renault Kangoos for its small van requirements, I now have to contradict myself! Seen in Acton Works on 12th September 2019 was 8995VW, a Volkswagen Caddy van in Trams white/blue/green livery. Most Tramlink service vehicles have chevron rears complete with 'Highway Maintenance' lettering, as seen here. Most recent new additions to the fleet have been licensed on the day (or the day before) they were delivered to Acton. 8995VW was one of several licensed on the last day of August, perhaps to retain their booked '19' registrations, but not delivered until the following week. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,205 |  |
By Ray Monk Of the eleven Toyota Prius cars delivered in mid-September 2019, seven were numbered together as 8886T to 8892T, suggesting that they were ordered at the same time as the seven Yaris cars 8893T to 8899T (which arrived at the end of May). Two of the others became 8973T and 8975T, with both being in the car park at Acton Works on 21st September (8975T shown here), while the fleetnumbers for LT69GXB and LT69GXD are not yet known. Also visible in this photo is Ford Fiesta 8203F, which evidently had not (yet?) been returned to Hainault following its accident damage repairs almost a month previously. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,206 |  |
By Ray Monk The Nissan Leaf is the world's best-selling all-electric car and eight have so far been added to the (liveried) central fleet. The latest addition is 8960N, the first example of the revised, second-generation version. Seen at Acton in July, it was given LUL livery and was caught on 15th August 2019 passing Acton Town station. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,207 |  |
By Derek Everson With a fairly steady supply of fleetlists now being received from Acton Works, the numbering of service vehicles is a lot easier to keep track of. Our main challenge now is to work out the allocations of individual vehicles, as this information is not made available. In some cases it appears to be quite straightforward. For example, three Renault Kangoo Maxi vans numbered 8935R to 8937R were delivered in June 2019 and have since been reported at Allsop Place (behind Baker Street) on a regular basis. Vans used for internal mail are often parked near here, but this trio instead seem to park right outside the offices, where the Mitsubishi L200 pick-ups used to be seen. There were three of the L200s, and they were withdrawn in May 2019, so perhaps the Renault vans are their replacements. If so, it is a bit of a come-down in terms of off-road capability and 'coolness'. Photographed at Allsop Place just after sunrise on 17th September 2019 was Kangoo Maxi 8937R, with sisters 8936R in front and 8935R behind. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,208 |  |
By Derek Everson Lots of Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans have been delivered over the past few months, the largest single batch seeming to be eleven numbered 8900VW to 8910VW. Sightings would suggest that most of these are allocated to Acton Works, which is where 8909VW was found on 13th August 2019. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,209 |  |
By Ray Monk Parked in the preparation shed at Acton Works on 12th September 2019 was a car with a special number. 8888T was one of four Toyota Prius cars new that week for LUL. In the background is the lorry yard, with the Transplant mobile office to the fore. Beyond that are a couple of hired vehicles, a flatbed with crane, and a curtain-sider with Fraikin lettering. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,210 |  |
By Ray Monk For about a year from spring 2017, it looked the fourth generation Toyota Prius was going to become the standard LUL car, with about 30 being leased. However, the flow dried up in 2018 and it was not until September 2019 that further examples arrived. The model had gained a facelift in the interim, the main visual changes being a simplification of the front lightings arrangement (the main headlights now having a flat bottom and the triangular 'fog light' panel being replaced by a vertical grille). Parked on the stub road at Acton Works on 17th September were LR69AYK and LR69AYH still in unmarked white/blue. These had been licensed the day before, and were soon given LUL livery and the fleetnumbers 8886T and 8887T respectively. Further back were 8888T and 8891T, from a quartet delivered the week before and already carrying LUL livery. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,211 |  |
By Ray Monk The vehicle preparation shed in the lorry yard at Acton Works is now used for the work involved in making newly-delivered vehicles ready for service. This includes the application of livery, lettering and labels (although this is also still sometimes done elsewhere in the works), along with the fitting of any special equipment (perhaps including the trackers mentioned on the back of most vehicles). Present on 12th September 2019 was a short-wheelbase, low-roof Ford Transit Custom van numbered 8876F. Sisters 8877F and 8878F were nearby, and I suspect this trio will be to replace similar (but suffix-less) 8075-8077. If so, they are unlikely to be seen in daylight again! In the background is VW Caddy Maxi crew van RK69TZZ which had just been given LUL livery and the fleetnumber 9007VW. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,212 |  |
By Ray Monk On the assumption that the fleetnumbers for new vehicles are allocated at the time they are ordered, and that the fleetnumbers are allocated in order, the variations in delivery date suggest that lead times vary considerably. Ford Transit dropside trucks often seem to come later than similarly numbered vehicles, perhaps because they are less likely to be available from stock. In summer 2019, central fleet deliveries had reached the 9000 mark, but vehicles in the 87xx and 88xx ranges were still emerging. 8760F was a long-wheelbase Ford Transit dropside truck first licensed on 10th September 2019 and photographed in Acton Works two days later already carrying LUL livery. It has a tail-lift by Scattolini (why do various oddly-named Italian companies seem to dominate the tail-lift market?) but no crew-cab. As far as I know, only one Transit dropside with a crew-cab has been added in the past three years, this being 8472F. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,213 |  |
By Ray Monk The Croydon tram network is now branded as Trams rather than Tramlink, but changing the references in the LTSV database seems rather pointless and potentially confusing. Like LUL, Tramlink uses the Renault Kangoo for its small van needs, currently having 7 Maxi vans and 3 regular-length Kangoos. 8660R, one of the Maxis, was seen leaving Therapia Lane Depot on 24th August 2019. Roof-racks, rare on LUL Kangoos, are fitted to most of Tramlink's examples. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,214 |  |
By Paul Nicholls The Renault Kangoo is the most numerous type in the central fleet, accounting for almost exactly a fifth of the current leased fleet. 8657R is a very standard-looking LUL van but has been quite elusive since delivery in September 2018. It was caught by Paul in Stanford-le-Hope just after midnight on 19th September 2019. The numbering suggests that this van was a one-off, rather than part of a batch. 8656F is a Ford Transit in Elizabeth Line livery, while 8658R to 8663R are similar Kangoo Maxis but in Trams livery. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,215 |  |
By Ray Monk The Renault Kangoo Maxi has long been available in crew van format (as evidenced by Go-Ahead London examples new in 2011) and fleetlists from Acton suggest that many of LUL's vans are also crew vans. However, the LTSV definition of a crew van includes the provision of additional windows in one or both sides. The only LUL Renault Kangoo Maxis known to be to this configuration are four electrically-powered vans delivered in 2018. One carried Incident Response Vehicle livery and has already been shown on LTSV. The other three are in standard LUL livery, albeit with 'Cleaner Air' graphics on the doors, and are based at Lillie Bridge Depot. They appear to be rather shy though, and the first time one was clearly photographed was on 12th September 2019, when Ray caught 8604R entering Acton Works. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,216 |  |
By Derek Everson About three quarters of the 20-odd vehicles used by the Power Supply section at Tufnell Park have been withdrawn in the past year or so, with the only known replacements being a quartet of Renault Kangoo Maxi vans (8854R to 8857R). It could be that the withdrawals were due to the vehicles being non-ULEZ compliant and that replacements have not yet been delivered. This would account for the appearance of some hired vehicles, such as the Iveco Daily dropside visible on the right in this photograph taken at Tufnell Park on 7th May 2019. The main subject however is 7755F, the unique Ford Transit van that was the only vehicle taken over from the previous operator (EDF Powerlink). Although described on LTSV as a crew van (due to the extra window in the nearside only), it is clearly somewhat specialised. It has a roof-beacon and two spot-lights above the side door, and also has a Dometic air-conditioning pod. The Mk7 Ford Transit is now becoming rare in the central fleet, with fewer than 30 examples remaining, compared to about 140 Mk8s. |
25/09/2019 |
| 2,217 |  |
By Derek Everson Last month I showed a 'new van for Abellio' although it now transpires that it is operated for Abellio rather than by them! So, let's try again. Seen at Peckham's bus 'station' on 3rd September 2019 was Citroen Dispatch van LG19BFU. This had Abellio lettering on its white livery, a green stripe similar to that on MX17AEJ, a light-bar (complete with Abellio lettering on the front and Buses roundel on the back) and it had fleetnumber 6901 applied over the orange/yellow chevrons on the rear. It also had a very large scrape on the offside, with the black rubbing strip knocked off. Hence I have chosen to show a nearside view! The allocation of this van is not yet known, though Walworth is much the nearest Abellio garage. Similar Citroen LG19BFV has been noted at Battersea garage with fleetnumber 6902. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,218 |  |
By Ray Monk More new crew ferry cars seen working from Dartford Garage recently have been a pair of Renault Capturs. Neither have any markings and HL19BNV (seen near the garage on 30th August 2019) is black with a silver top while HT19FHW is silver with a black top! |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,219 |  |
By Bob Milner Metroline's Potters Bar Garage operates some bus routes that go nowhere near the garage, resulting in the need for crew ferry vehicles. In recent years these have been parked with staff cars in the car park in front of the garage. However, in August 2019 a dedicated area was created for them in the southern corner of the yard, in an area that previously had grass and trees but which was tarmacked over to extend the car park in about 2018. This photo shows the new area on 21st August 2019, with what appears to be wood chippings as a surface and some new trees planted along the fence. A few weeks later the area was closed off again while the entrance was moved from the side to the back, presumably where the bus is parked on the right of this view. All of the known crew ferry vehicles were present at the time of this photo, all being unmarked. On the far left is red Ford Grand C-Max car AX19NAO, with sister AX19NAU third from the left. Next to that are the two red Ford Transit Custom minibuses AV16CNZ and AV16CNY, while facing the camera on the right is black Renault Grand Scenic car LX66OME. The remaining vehicle, black Toyota Proace MPV FH19KCU, second from the left, is presumed to have been on hire and has not been added to the LTSV database. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,220 |  |
By Derek Everson Photographed in the yard of Abellio's new Southall (Great Western Business Park) Garage on 13th August were a pair of Ford Fiesta hatchbacks in use as crew ferry vehicles. Blue GL59VVJ has route allocation markings on the bonnet, an initiative that seems to have been limited to the Hayes Garage, as shown on LTSV in 2017. Despite also showing the HA company code for Hayes, bus routes E1, E5, E7 and E9 (along with this car) were moved to Southall (Bridge Road) Garage when it opened in 2017. They moved again, along with newly-acquired routes E10 and E11, to the new Southall garage on 13th July 2019. Black CA12MVC is also on its third garage, having started work at Byfleet before moving to Southall (Bridge Road) in 2017. Unlike GL59VVJ, lettering is confined to an Abellio name on the bonnet, and the allocated fleetnumber (6798) is not carried. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,221 |  |
By London Spotter Last month I published an aerial view of Morden Wharf bus garage in North Greenwich. London Spotter decided to pay a visit on 24th August 2019, partly to investigate the Highways Alliance yard nearby (more on that next time around), but also to take a look at the garage itself. It wasn't clear from the google view whether buses could actually fit inside the building, but this photo provides definitive proof. To the fore is Mercedes-Benz Vito minibus RE13CJY in seemingly unmarked white. This vehicle has been around a bit. New to Metrobus in 2013 as their 8069, it worked from Croydon garage for about a year then was shipped across to the former First garage at Northumberland Park. Then in mid-2017 it moved again, to the newly-opened Morden Wharf. Go-Ahead London has taken delivery of lots of new Vitos over the past year, including RF19UZT parked in the background here. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,222 |  |
By Ray Monk A batch of ten Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans was in the process of delivery at the end of August 2019, with at least two getting 69-registration marks. 8956VW was an earlier arrival, being photographed on the stub road at Acton Works on 17th August already in full LUL livery. These vans, along with a small proportion of earlier VW vans, are fitted with a DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox), a 6 or 7 speed transmission with dual clutches. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,223 |  |
By Ray Monk The first 69-reg service vehicle to be photographed was actually this Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew van seen about to turn into Acton Works on Monday 2nd September 2019. In recent times vehicles seem to be first licensed on the day that they are delivered, although in this case the van was not officially licensed until the 5th. Should it therefore have been running on trade plates? It arrived with similar RF19NKE and, after spending a couple of days parked up on the stub road, the pair were given LUL livery and fleetnumbers 8953VW and 8954VW respectively. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,224 |  |
By Ray Monk The latest batch of Volkswagen Transporter minibuses totals four and they were delivered to Acton Works on the 4th or 5th of September 2019. A couple of days later (7th) they had been marked up in LUL livery with fleetnumbers 8945-8948VW, almost but not quite in registration number order. 8946VW was seen on the stub road at Acton, parked with several equally new Caddy Maxi crew vans. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,225 |  |
By Derek Everson More Volkswagen Transporter minibuses, this time to the more normal 'S' specification, were noted at the Cordwallis dealership in Bedfont in the first week of September 2019. Photographed there on the 3rd were 8947VW (left) and 8945VW (right), still in unmarked white/blue. They were licensed and delivered the next day. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,226 |  |
By Ray Monk As has been seen before, most new vehicles are delivered in unmarked white/blue to Acton Works, where the livery and lettering is applied by a contractor (one of their vans can be seen on the left in this photo). However, I suspect they will not have dealt with this vehicle, photographed in the front car park on 15th August 2019. RY19LFP is a short-wheelbase Volkswagen Transporter minibus to the higher 'SE' specification. Compared to the basic 'S' model this has air-conditioning, body-coloured bumpers and mirrors and extra chrome strips across the front grille. Earlier 'SE' minibuses were given TfL PCO livery but these were long-wheelbase versions. A fleetlist received a few weeks later showed that RY19LFP had been assigned fleetnumber 8932VW, along with similar RY19LFR becoming 8933VW. This is interesting as the numbers adjoin those allocated to a pair of VW Caddy Maxi crew vans that were delivered in plain white and appear to have entered service still in that state (8930VW and 8931VW). Reports of these minibuses in service would be welcomed, bearing in mind that if they are anonymous they will be easy to miss. I suspect that all four vehicles are operated from Stratford Market Depot, although why they would need a few 'secret' vehicles is not clear. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,227 |  |
By Ray Monk Along with numerous Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans, a batch of five plain vans was delivered in August 2019, having spent a couple of months sitting at the dealership in Bedfont. 8871VW, photographed on the stub road at Acton Works on 15th August 2019, had only been licensed two days earlier yet had already been treated to full LUL livery. At the time, the other four were in the front car park, still in unlettered white/blue. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,228 |  |
By Ray Monk At least seven Volkswagen Transporter minibuses have been delivered over the past month or so, in addition to a single Renault Trafic, just shown. This is slightly odd, as there are very few minibuses in the current fleet that would appear to be due for replacement. 8832VW is a one-off, based on the fact that adjacent fleetnumbers have appeared on other types. It was delivered in the last week of August 2019 and had been given LUL livery by 2nd September (when it was photographed in the Acton Works car park). |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,229 |  |
By Ray Monk Over the past 4 years, over 170 Renault vehicles have been added to the central fleet, all but one of which have been Kangoo or Kangoo Maxi vans. The solitary exception was a Trafic minibus which arrived in early August, although curiously it had been licensed about seven weeks earlier. Given LUL livery and fleetnumber 8807R, it was photographed parked in the 'van yard' at Acton Works on 17th August 2019. For some reason, the minibus version of the Ford Transit Mk8 has not proved to be to the DSM's liking, with Volkswagen Transporters being taken instead. The reason for 8807R's addition is not clear, although it could be to replace solitary Ford Tourneo Custom minibus 7887F. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,230 |  |
By London Spotter The large fleet of Ford Transit Custom crew vans delivered for the Lifts and Escalators division in spring 2019 are nominally allocated to Frank Pick House in Acton, though in reality many of them very rarely visit there. They are active at night around London, and parked up elsewhere during the day, often in residential areas. A typical example is 8750F, found in Heath Park on 11st August 2019. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,231 |  |
By Kim Rennie This little van caused some confusion at first. It was initially reported to be a Ford Transit Courier van in Elizabeth Line livery. A fleetlist received later showed that it was actually a slightly larger Ford Transit Connect (Mk2) with (unusually) a petrol engine, while the first report of it in service revealed that it was in white/blue with lettering for TfL Technology and Data. Quite what this entails is not known, nor is where the van is kept. Kim found it parked near Bow bus garage on the night of 15th August 2019. I wonder if the location suggests a connection with another mystery vehicle, Mercedes Sprinter 5951M operated between 2006 and 2009. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,232 |  |
By Ray Monk Tramlink operates a trio of dropside trucks in addition to almost a dozen small vans. Ford Transit Mk8 8566F was delivered in October 2017 to replace Mk7 Transit 7590F, but we had to wait almost two years before anyone managed to photograph it. On 24th August 2019 it was seen leaving the Therapia Lane depot. The similarity of the white/blue/green livery to that worn by the trams themselves can be seen. The Tramlink name may now be defunct, officially at least. While the name was carried on the roundels of the original fleet of service vehicles, additions since 2016 show just 'TRAMS'. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,233 |  |
By Derek Everson The Ford Focus estate was the 'standard' car for the leased fleet from 1999 until about 2013. Since then there have only been a handful of additions, other types such as Peugeot Partners and 308s, Toyota Priuses and Yarises and Volkswagen Golfs being taken instead. The current (numbered) fleet includes just eight Focus cars, of which six are estates. 8447F, one of five delivered in mid-2017, was seen entering Acton Works on 4th June 2019. It has only been reported once following its initial dispatch from Acton, and as a result its allocation is not known. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,234 |  |
By Ray Monk There are two surprises in this photo, taken at the bottom of the stub road in Acton Works on 29th August 2019. Starting with the obvious one, Ford Fiesta 8203F has come back! This car, latterly based at Hainault Depot, was seen leaving Acton Works on the back of a transporter on 29th July 2019, with evidence of accident damage. As many vehicles of similar age - including most of the Ford Fiestas - were being withdrawn at the time, it was assumed that 8203F would not return. However, it was repaired and came back to Acton as seen here. What is not yet known is whether it will return to service. It could be that the lease agreements require any damage to be repaired before the vehicle is returned to the lessor. The second surprise is the red Ford minibus visible in the background. This had been new to the central fleet in January 1998, being allocated fleetnumber 4820F, although it carried no lettering. It was officially withdrawn as long ago as August 2002, but made a couple of appearances at Acton Works over the next seventeen years. It would be interesting to know who now owns/operates it... |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,235 |  |
By Ray Monk Also visiting Acton Works for decommissioning recently have been some of the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi vans and crew vans new in 2016. A couple of these vans had been based at Edgware Track Depot, but the allocations of the rest remains unknown. They have no doubt been replaced by some of the numerous recent deliveries of similar vehicles. Of the vans on the way out, 8181VW was distinctive for carrying the incorrect fleetnumber 8155VW, the number 8155 properly belonging to a Skoda Octavia estate car. 8155VW/8181VW was seen in the car park at Acton Works on 17th August 2019. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,236 |  |
By Ray Monk Withdrawal of the batch of thirteen Volkswagen Transporter crew vans new in autumn 2015 started in mid-2019. Movements to Acton Works for decommissioning offered the first chance to photograph some of these vans, since most had been based at Stratford Market Depot and were only seen out at night. On 17th August 2019 8131VW was seen parked outside the 'CDS' offices. It is not yet clear what the replacements for these vehicles are. Certainly no recent deliveries have been noticed with the distinctive tube fitted to the roof rack, as seen here. |
11/09/2019 |
| 2,237 |  |
By Paul Nicholls There are a couple of points about this photograph that make it more interesting than it at first seemed. The subject is a Ford Transit Mk7 van of Southern Transit, a small bus operator based near Brighton. They run local services and railway replacements and their fleet carries several London Transport inspired features such as red livery and prefixed fleetnumbers. This photograph however was taken in Wennington in Essex (on 30th July 2019), somewhat remote from Southern Transit's usual haunts. The second point is the registration of the van. V321KGW is clearly not the original registration. V-prefixed registrations were used in 1999/2000, while the Mk7 Transit was introduced in 2006. Southern Transit have a bus registered V301KGW, this being the first Dennis Trident bought by Connex for use on London route 3. Most bus companies booked registration numbers for their buses that matched up with the fleetnumbers, and V301KGW was TA1. The DVLA had decided that certain registration numbers were 'special' and should be held back for sale at inflated prices. At first this included all registrations with recognisable words and/or numbers below 56. This was later extended to cover many more special numbers such as 100, 111, 123 and even numbers that were in use as car model numbers, such as (Peugeot) 206 and (BMW) 525. Bus companies did not want to pay the extra for the special numbers so either took close matches or skipped fleetnumbers. V321KGW was a special number so Connex simply skipped fleetnumber TA21. The change to the registration system in 2001 changed all this, with batches of vehicles now being distinguished by changing letters rather than numbers. Registrations with words or names in them are still held back, but there is no practical way bus companies can match (numerical) fleetnumbers to letter-based registrations. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,238 |  |
By Paul Snelling A surprising find at Ealing Broadway on 3rd August 2019 was a new van for Abellio. New as in not second-hand, pretty rare in the Abellio fleet! LO19MUE is a long-wheelbase Nissan NV300, licensed as being white but actually carrying a livery reminiscent of the LBSL Incident Response Units. No fleetnumber was visible, though it may have been carried on the rear. This is the first NV300 on LTSV, but the design looks very familiar. It is in fact a badge-engineered Renault Trafic (third generation), which can also be found masquerading as a Vauxhall/Opel Vivaro, a Fiat Talento and soon as a Mitsubishi Express! Things get more confusing, as the second generation Renault Trafic was also badged by Nissan but as the Primastar. And the Vauxhall/Opel Vivaro was changed in 2019 from being based on the Renault Trafic to being based on the Citroen Jumpy, which itself has also been badged as the Citroen Dispatch, Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Expert and Toyota ProAce! At least you know where you are with a Ford Transit... |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,239 |  |
By Ray Monk Go-Ahead London EF19HFV had first supported the Wimbledon tennis bus services before moving to Camberwell Garage. As seen in this photo taken at the garage on 3rd August 2019, it had recently been given company lettering and the Q allocation code. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,240 |  |
By Ray Monk Go-Ahead London seems to be in the process of updating its engineering support fleet, with a large batch of new Ford Transit Custom vans being delivered. Bexleyheath received EF19HFT, seen in the town centre on 2nd August 2019. This was somewhat surprising as the previous Bexleyheath van (EY67WXM) was only 2 years old (and had not yet been photographed!). As with most of the vans, it is a high-roof example in unmarked red with a yellow 'safety' stripe. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,241 |  |
By Derek Everson As well as Southall, Derek visited Metroline's 'CELF' works at Perivale on 12th August 2019. Parked there were two brand-new Ford Transit Connect vans. Both had light-bars but were in (as yet) unmarked red. AW19RFF was parked in front of four Enviro 200 buses, while similar AX19ZFR was nearby. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,242 |  |
By Thomas Young On my way to Abellio's new Southall garage on 8th August 2019, my bus was overtaken in Acton by this previously un-reported van. MX17AEJ is a Peugeot Expert in silver livery with a thin green stripe. It had a light-bar, full lettering and carried the fleetnumber 6900 on the rear. Most recent Abellio service vehicles have been numbered in a series starting at 6700, the highest known being 6811 over 2 years ago. So, either a further 89 vehicles have been acquired in the intervening period, or this van has started a new series. Anyway, I later saw the van again, at the Great Western Business Park garage, though it was by then leaving on another job. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,243 |  |
By Derek Everson Derek also visited the new Abellio garage in Southall, on 12th August 2019. His photo, taken at the 'front', shows a rather sleek looking Ford Galaxy car in black livery with tinted windows. Initially operated without markings from Beddington Cross garage, it now has Abellio names and a small fleetnumber near the fuel filler. Also visible is a blue Ford Fiesta, believed to be EN60DPX. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,244 |  |
By Thomas Young In July 2019 Abellio opened a new bus garage on Armstrong Way within the Great Western Business Park at Southall (very near the site of the old AEC bus factory). The new garage was coded GW and allowed the closure of the garage at Bridge Road, Southall (code AB), which Abellio had used only since 2017. With a new edition of the SUP booklet in production for LOTS, I wanted to know which service vehicles had moved from old Southall to new Southall, so I paid a visit on 8th August. It was quite a long walk, the new garage being rather remote from any bus route. But I was glad I went because I found it to be quite an enthusiast-friendly location, in as much as that the whole of the large yard could be seen from the public road. Crew ferry vehicles (and staff cars) park at the front, near to the admin block. However, by walking around the corner you can see a further parking area beyond the engineering block. Among the vehicles here was Ford Transit crew van YT56XNF, last reported working from Fulwell/Twickenham a couple of years ago. Also here was an unmarked Ford Fiesta van, NH06AEX. Abellio did have a few Fiesta vans of this vintage but it is not known if this was a company vehicle. Not including this, I noted ten service vehicles here in total. Slightly annoyingly, the majority had transferred from other Abellio garages than AB (4 were from Fulwell, 2 from Beddington and 1 from Hayes). This means that there are still 7 vehicles for which the latest known allocation is AB. Perhaps I should try Fulwell! |
15/08/2019 |
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By Google This view covers a large part of Acton Works, looking south west with what looks to be about 90-100 service vehicles visible. Running top to bottom on the left is the freight-only railway line between South Acton and Kew Bridge. This used to divide Acton Railway Works from Chiswick Bus Works but the latter is long gone, replaced by Chiswick Business Park. The tracks across the bottom are the LUL District and Piccadilly lines, with part of the lorry yard visible on the opposite side in the bottom right. The building in the bottom left corner is what I still think of as the CDS offices. Just visible in the trees between this and the LUL tracks are a couple of vehicles parked on the 'stub' road. This road used to continue via a bridge over the freight line into Chiswick Works. Parked outside the CDS offices are a pair of Toyota Mirai fuel cell cars, recognisable by their black roofs, while a bit 'above' and backing onto the freight line is a smallish shed which is home to the Emergency Control Unit. Nearer the top on the left is the traverser, used to move tube cars from one part of the works to another. Two cars are visible on the traverser. Across the middle of this image is the 'van yard', between the quadrangle of Signal House and the larger works building. Lots of vehicles here, with more parked further along the roadway and around the corner. The area at the top right used to have more parking spaces and sidings, but has recently been cleared to make way for a new train overhauling facility. The slim, dark-grey building near the top right is home to the Emergency Response Unit, while the larger and more modern building running out-of-frame on the right is (I believe) the REW - Railway Engineering Works? It appears in the background of several photos like this. If anyone can provide more details of the functions of the various buildings visible here, I would be interested to hear from them. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Google Another Google image of Poplar DLR depot, this being the east end where the tracks curve round to follow the Stratford branch. This view is looking in the opposite direction to the previous photo, and the same white van appears in the top right corner of each. The track layout here reminds me of a Hornby train set! Note that another ten or so service vehicles can be seen. The SV fleet appears to have been renewed in 2018, and most carry fleetnumbers. The highest reported number is 028, so that might be the size of the fleet. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Google I recently published a couple of photos of Poplar DLR depot taken from the platforms of the adjoining station. This image from Google Maps shows the same area but reveals the fact that more SVs are parked directly below the platforms, while yet more can be seen parked on the left. Note also the 'ghosted' train at the nearest platform. Such glitches aside, the conversion from 2D photos to 3D models is amazingly good. Note that you can see underneath the footbridge. The building in the bottom left corner seems to have an open roof, and you can see some detail inside. I believe this is an electrical substation. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Google This is a view of Edgware Track Depot, looking north west towards the bus garage and station. Opened in about 2010 on the site of former engineers sidings, the location is home to at least 17 service vehicles. There is some ghosting and glitching in this image (caused by vehicles moving between passes) but I reckon that 20 SVs are actually present. A (2D) May 2018 image on Google Earth shows about 32 SVs present. The location is accessed by a long private road (coming in from the bottom centre of this image) which eventually comes out on Deans Lane. The only public view into the depot is a glimpse from Northern Line trains as they pass behind the portacabins in the centre and before the overbridge just to the left. The depot has three sidings, to the right of which are four train stabling sidings, plus a headshunt for the original depot (visible beside the station in the top right). The bridge over the Northern line used to carry the GNR/LNER railway between their Edgware station and Mill Hill East (and thence to Highgate and Finsbury Park). This was transferred to London Transport control in 1939 and, although there were plans to electrify it, only the section from Finchley Central to Mill Hill East was done, this remaining as a curiously short branch of the Northern Line. The remainder of the route lost its passenger service, retaining freight services until final closure in 1964. The access road to Edgware Track Depot was built on the former trackbed, while the stabling sidings appear to have been a chord between the two lines. Beyond the overbridge, the old railway curved northwards to a terminus on Station Road. Interestingly the bus garage, built in 1984 - 20 years after the closure of the line - has a curved rear, seemingly to follow the trackbed. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Google And now for something new. I have made much use of aerial photographs over the years, most often to investigate service vehicle locations. Birds-eye views are the most useful, where the camera is not looking straight down. Bing maps used to have this feature, where you could you view any location from the direction of each compass point. However, this seems to be no longer available. Happily there is an alternative, and it is, in some ways, even better. Google maps has aerial photographs of pretty much the whole world. Many areas are now also covered in 3D, meaning you can select the angle and elevation of your view. The level of detail is remarkable, with objects smaller than cars being modelled in 3D. I don't know how it is done but I assume there is some compositing of images taken from different directions, this then being applied to a detailed topographical model. There are some glitches, particularly with vehicles, no doubt caused by them moving between the time of the various images being taken. For four reasons, I recently decided that it would be worth adding a selection of images from Google to the LTSV website. Firstly, the loss of the Bing facility, and the fact that the Google images are periodically updated, means it is worth 'preserving' these images. Secondly, it allows me to show locations that are inaccessible. Thirdly, it will enable the locations of existing photographs to be put into context. Fourthly, I will be able to highlight some interesting discoveries. Let's hope nobody from Google minds! Anyway, enough of the waffle, let's talk about this photo. This is Go-Ahead London's Morden Wharf garage, located on the Greenwich peninsula and opened in July 2017, primarily to replace the small Belvedere garage. This view is looking almost south-west, with the River Thames in the background. Although Morden Wharf does have an engineer's van and a couple of crew ferries, none are visible here. However, the red bus in the background caught my eye. Parked with some modern white coaches and a couple of black Routemasters, this was unmistakably a former LT Swift bus. In moving to take a closer look I then noticed the red van which can be seen in the top left here. This turned out to be one of the LBSL Infrastructure VW Caddy Maxi vans, parked in a large car park with a couple of Highways liveried cars. The LBSL VW vans were mostly withdrawn in early 2019 so this image must have been taken before then. As far as I know, their duties are now covered by Highways contractors, so this location probably won't be added to the LTSV database. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk It feels like there have been a lot of Volkswagen Caddy vans delivered recently, with at least 33 new in 2019 so far. However, this quantity is eclipsed by at least 41 Renault Kangoos, while Ford Transits (of all variants) are currently at 69. The latest batch to arrive at Acton are Caddy Maxi vans, following on from a number of Caddy Maxi crew vans. RA19YLE was delivered on 12th August 2019 and photographed that day in the car park at Acton Works. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk This photograph surprised me for two reasons. Firstly, the Toyota Yaris car seen in the car park of Acton Works on 29th July 2019 was numbered 9006T. I hadn't been expecting the first 9xxx numbers to appear just yet, since other recent deliveries have been mainly in the 88xx, 89xx and even 87xx blocks. However, a bit of analysis shows that fleet renewal has stayed fairly steady over the last decade, with a new thousand block starting every four and a bit years. This equates to just over four new vehicles every week. The second surprise was the livery. London Overground white/blue/orange livery had first appeared on service vehicles in 2010, and peaked at about 16 vehicles in 2015. Most were withdrawn in 2018, when certain functions appear to have been contracted out. This left just 2 vehicles (a Renault Kangoo van and a VW Golf estate) and these also departed in spring 2019, making the livery extinct on SVs. However, it looks like the final 2 were actually withdrawn due to the ULEZ, and may be in line for replacement by new vehicles. The final pair had been attributed to New Cross Gate Depot, but a Yaris (possibly 9006T) has since been noted at the nearby Silwood Depot. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Deliveries of Renault Kangoos continue, most being Maxi vans for LUL. Among the most recent additions is 8964R, seen in the car park at Acton Works on 29th July 2019. Although only licensed five days earlier, it had already been given the full LUL livery. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,253 |  |
By Ray Monk I have published countless photos taken on Bollo Lane in Acton, but this is (I believe) the first actually taken 'on' Bollo Lane! Don't worry about Ray's safety though, I understand that the driver was aware of his interest and had stopped to allow the picture to be taken. The subject is of course 8830MIT, the recently-delivered Mitsubishi Outlander car with the unique 3-letter fleetnumber suffix. For anyone new to the subject, since 1939 most service vehicles had had fleetnumbers which include a suffix to indicate the make (and sometimes the model) of the vehicle. Most suffixes were single letters, two letters being used in cases where duplication would otherwise occur (as in VW for Volkswagen because V was Vauxhall, FI for Fiat because F was Ford and SM for Smart as S was Skoda). There have been a few cases recently where duplication has been avoided by not having any suffix, as on the Volvo and MAN lorries and earlier Mitsubishi cars. 29th July 2019. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk There are currently ten Peugeot Partner Tepee cars allocated to Lillie Bridge, all numbered in a block as 8289P to 8298P. These cars are usually only active at night, and I don't have many photos of them. Ray noticed 8291P at Acton Works on 6th August 2019, with evidence of minor accident damage. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Ford Fiesta 8203F only chalked up one sighting on LTSV during its life at suburban Hainault Depot. On 29th July 2019 it was seen leaving Acton Works on the back of a transporter, with signs of accident damage. It is very unlikely to return. |
15/08/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Seen in the Acton Works car park on 1st August 2019 was LUL Volkswagen Golf estate 7889VW. This is one of the most elusive service vehicles, having only been seen one other time since it was new in 2014. Apart from a slightly shallower blue skirt, this car appears to be very similar to the other 20 Golf estates that have been used by LUL. |
15/08/2019 |
| 2,257 |  |
By Brian Ormerod Having featured models of service vehicles built by Kim Rennie, Clive Greedus and Les Wrangle, I can now add an example of the work of Brian Ormerod. He has created quite a fleet of 'traditional' era vehicles using a mixture of kits, die-cast models and scratch-building. He has also managed to include working features on several, such as the tail-gate on AEC Regal lorry 420W shown here. Two things however really lift these models to an exceptional level in my opinion. Firstly is their neatness. Looking at them it is hard to believe they are to OO scale. The glazing for example, often the downfall of models, is flawless. Secondly is the presentation. His models are superbly photographed, often with posed workers. I can recommend anyone to take a look at his Flickr collection here, in particular the Bedford OSS mobile canteen and AEC Mercury tower wagon towards the bottom. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,258 |  |
By Kim Rennie It was Kim who drew my attention to the DLR service vehicles at Poplar Depot. His photo of 23rd June 2019 shows several smaller vans parked to the right of the area in the previous photo. One problem with this location is the blue tubular fence. It is not too obtrusive but it has managed to block one of the registration numbers here, while another is obscured by the bridge deck. A better view could be obtained from a train on the track in the foreground and I will try that myself soon. The vans seen here are Peugeot Partners numbered (left to right) 010, 026 and 027. An interloper is Ford Fiesta van BG17PSU, which appears to be a temporary vehicle, having lettering on labels and lacking the green/yellow stripes. The dropside truck on the left is Peugeot Boxer 004, as also appeared in Dave Elison's photo taken a few weeks later. In the intervening period it lost the plywood enclosure it had at the back. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,259 |  |
By Dave Elison I have made half-hearted attempts to cover the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) support vehicle fleet on LTSV over the years, these falling into a grey area as to whether I consider them to be real 'service vehicles' or not. The fleet appears to have been renewed and expanded in 2018, and the new additions all have large fleetnumbers applied. I have added the known vehicles to the database but there are plenty of obvious gaps. Another change is that many of the vehicles are now more visible, parking in Poplar depot very close to the platforms of Poplar station. Seen there on 13th July 2019 were (left to right) Peugeot Expert van 012, Peugeot Boxer vans 013, 009, 008 and 007 and Peugeot Boxer dropside truck 004. If you look closely you may notice that the dark grey car in the far corner (by the Portacabin) has a white roundel on the bonnet. This is Kia Niro 3 hybrid estate FP68KVW. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,260 |  |
By Derek Everson Go-Ahead London's Orpington garage (inherited from Metrobus) is somewhat remote from many of the bus routes that it operates. This results in a need for several crew ferry vehicles, and six of the most recent Mercedes Vito minibuses are based here. One destination they run to is Bromley North Station, which has a large bus standing area. Seen there on 2nd July 2019 were RJ19HSO, RF19UZP and RF19UZN. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,261 |  |
By Peter Terry Seen attending to a tennis bus outside Wimbledon Station on 3rd July 2019 was recently delivered Ford Transit Custom van EF19HHG of Go-Ahead London. Although initially marked on LTSV as being short-wheelbase, the gap between the rubbing strip and the rear wheel shows that this is actually medium-wheelbase. If you have been affected by this error, please apply to the website administrator and you will receive a full refund. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,262 |  |
By Derek Everson Every year during the Wimbledon tennis, a temporary parking space is created nearby for the buses used on services to local stations and central London. Seen there on 2nd July 2019 were a pair of new vans in unmarked red livery. Both are high-roof Ford Transit Custom vans operated by Go-Ahead London. Although broadly similar, EF19HFV is a short-wheelbase 280 model while EF19HHG beyond is a medium-wheelbase 300. Also, HFV has a short, old-style light-bar, while HHG has a wider, LED one. Derek was told that HFV will be based at Camberwell once the tennis is finished, while HHG will be a city 'runaround', with no fixed allocation. At least one further Transit Custom has since been delivered to Sutton Garage (EF19HFS). |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,263 |  |
By Ray Monk Go-Ahead London has added at least twenty Mercedes-Benz Vito minibuses in the past year, all in unmarked red and mainly to replace similar older vehicles. Eight were new in autumn 2018 with RK68GVx registrations, some of which have only recently been reported. Six of this batch are based at the former Metrobus garage in Croydon (Beddington Lane), where Ray found RK68GVR and RK68GVZ on 1st July 2019. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,264 |  |
By Derek Everson Stagecoach London used red Ford Transit Custom minibuses as crew ferry vehicles until 2017/2018, after which most were replaced by silver Hyundai I800 minibuses. The first of the latter to arrive was Scottish-registered SA17BSS, given national fleetnumber 93641. Rainham Garage (which the vehicle was photographed leaving on 9th July 2019) now has six examples. Curiously, West Ham Garage used to have more Transit minibuses than Rainham but has not had many replacements. Two I800s in unmarked liveries have been reported there but neither seems to have stuck around for long. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,265 |  |
By Ray Monk Most new vehicles for the central fleet tend to have their blue skirts applied before delivery, the lettering and department stripe being added at Acton. As recently mentioned, a pair of VW Caddy Maxi crew vans arrived in May 2019 in plain white. RF19NKD was illustrated at the time, but I am now adding a photo of the other one (RF19NJN), since this has been reported working for LUL out of Stratford Market Depot still in unmarked white. The reason for this lack of livery is not known, although it is worth mentioning that Stratford also has an anonymous white VW Transporter minibus, RV17PZP. The minibus is officially un-numbered, though it does look as if it may have been ordered as 8423VW, this number remaining un-used. As for the two Caddy vans, when we next get an official list we will know if fleetnumbers are allocated or not. RF19NJN was photographed in the Acton Works car park on 3rd June 2019, parked beside TfL Toyota Yaris 8896T (notably not reported since). |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,266 |  |
By Ray Monk When deliveries of Ford Transit Mk8s resumed in July 2019, early arrivals included at least two dropside trucks. LP19LXG was seen on the stub road at Acton Works on 18th July 2019, still in unmarked white/blue. Two days later it had been given LUL livery and moved the short distance to Frank Pick House. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,267 |  |
By Ray Monk The Nissan Leaf electric car has been given a 'meaner' front end styling recently (compare this photo with the much 'cuter' 8595N), the first example for the central fleet being KE19EZA. Delivered in early July 2019, it was found in the Acton Works car park on the 12th, still in unmarked white/blue. A few days later Ray saw it again, now in LUL white/blue/red, although he was unable to see if it had been given a fleetnumber. Parked beyond is regular resident Toyota Prius car 8572T. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,268 |  |
By Ray Monk The new Ford Transit crew vans delivered from July 2019 were numbered in various batches in the 87xx, 88xx and 89xx ranges. Medium wheelbase 8914F was in the van yard at Acton Works on 20th July 2019, with older 8287F alongside. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,269 |  |
By Ray Monk Another of the RA19NVx-registered Volkswagen Caddy Maxi crew vans from Cordwallis is RA19NVX, now known to be numbered 8906VW and carrying (as with the others) LUL livery. This photo taken at Acton Works on 20th July 2019 shows the three roof bars fitted to most of this batch. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,270 |  |
By Ray Monk A largish batch of Volkswagen Caddy Maxi vans started appearing at the Cordwallis dealership in Bedfont from mid-May 2019, the first of which were delivered to Acton in early June. 8902VW was one of the first and was found parked under the railway bridge at Acton Works on 8th July 2019. This van (and 8901VW) do not have roof-racks, whereas similar 8905VW-8910VW do. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,271 |  |
By Ray Monk New and old in the van yard at Acton Works on 20th July 2019. Taking centre stage is recently delivered Ford Transit crew van 8843F, while one of the ten or so Renault Kangoo Maxi vans with MX19xxx registrations is on the right. The car to the left is Peugeot Partner Tepee 7905P, only occasionally reported, usually when visiting Wood Lane control centre at night. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,272 |  |
By Ray Monk It was not deliberate but I have ended up with something a bit special for the 6,000th photo to be added to LTSV. This Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid electric car was new in mid-July 2019, seemingly being nursed by our Ray Monk. He saw it being taken for a test drive without markings on the 16th, then sitting in the lorry yard in newly-applied incident response livery on the 18th, and then once more on the 20th when it was parked next to the CDS offices. This last encounter revealed that the car carries the fleetnumber 8830MIT (note the first ever use of a 3-letter suffix) and is lettered as an 'Engineering Response Vehicle'. We wait to see where it will be allocated. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,273 |  |
By Ray Monk There was a lull in deliveries of full-size Ford Transits in spring 2019, although there were quite a few of the smaller Transit Custom in the same period. Mk8 additions resumed in July with several batches of crew vans and dropsides commencing delivery. Fleetnumbers are in several blocks, one of the lowest being 8783F. This medium-wheelbase, mid-height crew van was found on the stub road at Acton Works on 18th July 2019. Similar but long-wheelbase 8806F was parked behind. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,274 |  |
By Ray Monk The Lifts and Escalators section at Frank Pick House received ten Ford Transit Courier vans (7964F to 7973F) in early 2015 but they were all withdrawn in spring 2019, seemingly without replacement. However, some new Transit Couriers appeared at Acton in July 2019, including 8764F and 8765F seen in the car park on the 8th, just after they had been given LUL livery. The available fleetnumbers suggest that a batch of ten is probable (8764F to 8773F, note the similarity in the batch numbers!), while at least one of the new vans has been seen at Frank Pick House. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,275 |  |
By Ray Monk Fleetnumbers 8738 to 8759 are carried by a batch of 22 Ford Transit Custom crew vans ordered for the Lifts and Escalators section. These vehicles are nominally allocated to Frank Pick House at Acton, though in reality only a handful are actually kept there, the remainder working 'from home'. 8759F was found parked on Townley Road in Bexleyheath on 3rd July 2019. This van was initially based at Frank Pick House but seems to have been reassigned to Griffith House in June 2019. Renault Kangoo Maxi van 8368R (also a Griffith House vehicle) used to park here, but is surely too young to have been replaced. It does seem that the allocation of vehicles is a bit 'variable' at present, perhaps as a result of needing to have ULEZ-compatible vehicles for inner-London work. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,276 |  |
By Derek Everson TfL Private-Hire now has six of these Volkswagen Transporter minibuses for use in compliance enforcement of taxis and mini-cabs. 8715VW is based at Cromwell Road Bus Station in Kingston, having replaced Toyota Yaris car LL14VOJ. It was seen in the 'back' parking area on 2nd July 2019. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,277 |  |
By Ray Monk The IRV (Incident Response Vehicle) version of LUL livery adds a red/white Battenburg waist stripe, and is most commonly seen on cars and small vans. It has also appeared on a handful of larger vans. Ford Transit Mk8 crew van 8682F, seen at Acton Works on 20th July 2019, has most likely replaced Mk7 7820F. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,278 |  |
By Ray Monk About a third of the Mk8 Ford Transit vans supplied to the central fleet so far have been high-roof, the remainder being mid-height. 8674F is a long-wheelbase, high-roof van with a ladder rack on the roof and a large rear step. It was photographed at Acton Works on 25th June 2019. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,279 |  |
By Ray Monk For some reason I had it in my head that high-roof Mk8 Ford Transits cannot have roof-racks. Well, this photo proves otherwise. It has made me notice though that the racks on Mk8s are actually fitted to the roof, rather than to a curb-rail on the side as on earlier Transit models. 8672F is a long-wheelbase crew van new in October 2018 and seen in Acton Works (the van yard is in the background) on 20th July 2019. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,280 |  |
By Ray Monk 32 Toyota Prius hybrid cars were leased for LUL in 2017/2018, a couple of which have proved to be elusive. For example, 8584T was noted in Acton Works car park when new in September 2017 and then disappeared to an unknown location. It made a return visit to the works on 4th July 2019 and luckily Ray was also there. The plain white Prius alongside is either part of the unmarked fleet, or one of the cars belonging to facilities contractor Interserve. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,281 |  |
By Derek Everson Dagenham East Station is one of many locations where the vehicles are quite easy to see but very hard to identify. They park in a yard alongside the eastbound platform, but there is a wall and/or buildings along almost the whole length. Access to the yard is via a roadway that comes out next to the station building (visible in the left background). So, you can see the vehicles from either end, but at some distance. Derek got permission to walk down to the yard on 9th July 2019 and found three vehicles present. Ford Transit Courier crew van 8105F was out of shot to the left, while dropside 8472F was parked close to the platform. Next to 8472F was CP19SOH, another Transit dropside but without a crew-cab and in unmarked white. This is presumably a hired vehicle, perhaps pending the delivery of more Transits. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,282 |  |
By Ray Monk Caught leaving Acton Works on 16th July 2019 was 8470F, the once elusive Ford Transit cherry picker van. It seems to have made the lorry yard here its home since spring 2019, making it much easier to see. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,283 |  |
By Ray Monk Two Mercedes Sprinter crew vans were delivered in November 2016 for use by LUL. Although they had consecutive registration numbers, they were given fleetnumbers 8255M and 8257M. Curiously the numbers 8256 and 8258 were then applied to a pair of VW Transporter minibuses new the following month. Anyway, of the Sprinters, 8257M has appeared on LTSV three times already, so it is time to show 8255M. Ray did the honours, on a visit to Acton Works on 25th June 2019. The allocations of the two Mercedes are a bit hard to pin down. 8255M was at Lillie Bridge for a while, then at Arnos Grove. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,284 |  |
By Ray Monk The 'van yard' at Acton Works cannot be seen from any public vantage point, which is a shame since it usually contains up to 30 service vehicles. In this view, taken on 20th July 2019, I reckon that thirteen liveried vehicles are visible, along with a couple of 'hires'. Note also that all the Ford Transits are Mk8s. The six nearest vehicles are (left to right) mid-height 8032F, 8029F and 8285F, car 8196VW, then high-roof 8411F and 8674F. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,285 |  |
By Ray Monk Peugeot Partner Tepee estate car 7939P was new in 2015 but it kept a fairly low profile and was not photographed until Ray found it in Acton Works on 25th June 2019. The fleetnumber (on the offside at least) was incorrect, showing 7927P. I presume this has been carried since new. The car was withdrawn and passed to BCA at Derby about a month after this photo was taken. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,286 |  |
By Derek Everson One more from BCA Blackbushe, this on 2nd May 2019. 7732F was one of at least sixteen vehicles that were taken into stock in 2013 to work with the power supply section when it was taken back in-house by LUL. Most of the vehicles were Ford Transits of various sizes (this is a short-wheelbase, low-roof example) and were based at Station Road in Tufnell Park. All but a handful have been withdrawn over the past year or so, but they don't seem to have been directly replaced by newer vehicles. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,287 |  |
By Ray Monk Another vehicle to have managed six years' service was Peugeot Partner Tepee estate 7622P. This car was based at Seven Sisters, where its front (or sometimes its back) could often be seen in the covered car park. For a better view we had to wait until Ray found it at Acton Works on 2nd May 2019. This car has been marked as being withdrawn, since it had been removed from an official list received later that month. However, it lingered at Acton Works and was seen again in late July. It will likely appear at an auctioneers in due course. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,288 |  |
By Derek Everson Another view from British Car Auctions at Blackbushe, this time on 25th July 2019. Ford Transit 7620F is a short-wheelbase (as evidenced by the lower positioning of the roof rail) mid-height crew van that had been allocated to Hearne House at Acton Town. This combination of length and height have been quite rare in the central fleet, with 7285F and 7620F being the only known examples with a crew van layout. |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,289 |  |
By Derek Everson Ford Transit high-roof van 7469F was withdrawn after almost exactly 6 years' service, most of which seem to have been spent allocated to Acton Works. On 13th September 2018 it was seen at British Car Auctions in Blackbushe. Note the effectiveness of the reflective red stripe (and the high-visibility vest of the man in the background). |
28/07/2019 |
| 2,290 |  |
By Malcolm Conway I received two photos of this recovery truck recently. The first, from Richard Davis, showed it in sparkling new condition at Brands Hatch. However, I have selected to use Malcolm's photo as it shows the truck in use in London, and moreover it continues the 'recovery trucks at Victoria' theme. Seen in the departures area of the coach station on 18th June 2019 was KY19JRV, a 3-axle Volvo FH belonging to Dynes. The Routemaster buses in the background are used on 'Brigit's Afternoon Tea tours'! |
23/06/2019 |
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By Andrew Colebourne Judging by photos received over the past few months, Sovereign Recovery is no longer dominant in bus recovery work, although its vans are still a common sight. Andrew came across Volkswagen Transporter GC18LJU (fleetnumber SV307) attending to Metroline LT13 on 6th May 2019, the bus having unfortunately conked out in the middle lane of Hampstead Road opposite Warren Street station. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Derek Everson Today's mystery vehicle is this white Ford Transit Custom van seen at Archway on 7th May 2019. BT17USE (possibly a 'select' registration) was unmarked apart from red roundels on the front and sides. It is presumed to be in use with one of the contractors responsible for repairs and renewals of bus stops and shelters. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Derek Everson You wait ages for a wagon on a lorry and then two turn up. Well, not quite, as this photo was taken over a month after the previous one. Passing through Eastleigh on 30th April 2019 was Allelys MAN TGA tractor T800AHH (fleetnumber 45), no stranger to LTSV. The trailer appears to be the same as in both other photos, but the load this time is wagon JLE7. LT/LUL wagons were traditionally given fleetnumbers with a prefix based on their function (for example, HW were hopper wagons, RW were rail wagons and CMs had cement mixers fitted). However, 23 new wagons were built by Bombardier in 1994 specifically for use on the Jubilee Line extension, and were given numbers starting from 1 and prefixed JLE. Even though the name is no longer relevant, they have never been updated. A closer look at the photo suggests that JLE7 (and presumably also JLE1 to JLE15) is very similar to the earlier Procor-built GP wagons, as seen in the previous photo. It does not have the lift-out side panels or the stanchions, but there are pockets for these along the solebars. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Derek Everson I recently promised you some more 'trains on trucks', and here they come. As has been seen, many of LUL's Turbot ballast wagons have been visiting Eastleigh Works, some for overhaul, others for scrapping. It seems that various other types have also been making the trip to Hampshire. Seen passing through the town on 19th March 2019 was Allelys DAF XF T200AHH (fleetnumber 37), last seen on LTSV in 2015. The trailer looks to be the same one seen behind T800AHH at Acton this April. On the trailer is wagon GP906, one of 41 general purpose (hence the GP prefix) bogie opens built by Procor in 1985. Note the blue cargo straps, suggesting that the wagon was loaded. Closer inspection of the photo shows that it appears to be carrying several yellow panels, most probably the dropside doors latterly fitted to the Turbots. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Richard Davis And now we return you to our regular series, 'Recovery Vehicles at Victoria'. Ironically this vehicle is apparently a TV star, appearing - along with its driver 'Fluff' - in the show 'Trucking Hell'. The rather smart 4-axle Volvo FM carries the distinctive orange livery of Crouch Recovery and it was caught turning out of Elizabeth Street on 8th August 2017 with Midland Red South YX63NGV on tow. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Among the unreported vehicles seen working from Dartford garage recently were a pair of brand-new Seat Ibiza hatchback cars in this eye-catching gold livery. DK19ZDH was brightening up a drizzly Sidcup Station on 10th June 2019. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Another crew ferry seen working from Arriva's Dartford garage on 6th June 2019 was this Ford Tourneo Custom minibus. Unmarked vans and minibuses are 'allowed' on LTSV so long as it is clear they are being used by the company. The colour of CT68CKG is a bit hard to describe. I was going to call it gold but then I saw the next picture and I decided to go with the DVLA description of silver. By the way, an outstation of Dartford garage has been opened in Erith. It is currently being used for bus storage but is due to take over route 99 in the near future. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Ray Monk Arriva London used to have a fairly standardised service vehicle fleet, mainly Vauxhall Corsa cars and Combo vans. Dartford garage was added to the Arriva London group in 2016 but generally retained its existing (and mixed) service vehicles. Ray visited on 6th June 2019 and found several un-reported vehicles in use as crew ferries. A few were unmarked cars and these have not been listed as there is no guarantee that they are owned/leased by the company. A safer bet is this Vauxhall Astra hatchback with white fleetnames. The area between the garage (beyond the industrial buildings in the background) and the town centre has recently been extensively redeveloped. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Ray Monk This is not the van I am looking for! Stagecoach London's Catford garage got a new engineer's van at the end of 2018, replacing relatively young MC16FGV. However, the new van (MX68ZMU) has not yet been photographed. What Ray did find on 14th May 2019 was MD16SWO from Bromley garage, seen passing Bromley North station. This van has not been illustrated since gaining lettering and fleetnumber 90797. Each Stagecoach London garage has one of these vans, but the fleetnumbers are all over the place, ranging from 90796 to 95261. I believe that Stagecoach's national fleetnumbering scheme means that new vehicles are allocated vacant numbers almost at random. |
23/06/2019 |
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By Ray Monk I would say that LTSV is pretty accurate and up-to-date in terms of the central fleet (LUL, LBSL etc) but the same cannot be said for the bus company fleets. The problems here are the lack of official information and the fact that many vehicles operate without markings. The reason I mention this now is that I have just noticed that no additions to the Abellio fleet have been reported since September 2017. This company used to have a fairly regular turnover of second-hand cars used as crew ferries. Have they stopped, or are the cars just not getting seen/reported? Anyway, here are a couple of existing Abellio vehicles parked at Hatton Cross Station on 18th May 2019. MK12LBY is a Ford Galaxy, officially numbered 6783 (though this does not appear to be carried) and used initially from Beddington Cross. It moved to Fulwell (Twickenham) a few years ago. Ford Transit crew van YT06DDX is numbered 6741 and is also based at Fulwell, but perennially parked at Hatton Cross as a crew rest room. |
23/06/2019 |
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