Route 211's new Enviro 400's

Route 211 operates between Hammersmith and Waterloo via Victoria. The route is operated from Battersea Garage (QB) situated in the South of London.

Battersea Garage holds at minimum of 139 buses, (126 needed at Peak times), and runs routes 3, 156, 211, 414, 452, C3, C10, 24-hours routes 344, C2 and Night Route N3.

LG52XZT en route to Hammersmith seen at Westminster Bridge

LG52 XZT on route towards Waterloo
© Lawrence Living

History of Route 211:

DRL78 - K578MGT on route 211 at Hammersmith

Route 211 was introduced in 1993, and from then, it has never changed, starting from Hammersmith and finishing at Waterloo and back again, via Victoria, Sloane Square, Chelsea and Fulham.

It was originally operated by London General before it came to Travel London, at the Gillingham Street Basement Garage (QB), using Dennis Darts (DRL), and was later transferred to Stockwell Garage, using the existing vehicles.




Travel London gained the contract of the route in 1998, using brand new low-floor Optare Excel single-deckers at the new Silverthorne Road Garage. 





Travel London: KV02URS - 9809 on route 211
© Alex Plampin

In 2000, Limebourne bought Travel London, and Connex bought Limebourne in 2001 at the garage and because of the congestion zone, Connex bought brand new Dennis Trident 2 / ALX400's (TA) to convert the 211 into double-deck route.






National Express took over Connex, under the name of Travel London in 2004. Then in May 2009, the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio. In October 2009, it was rebranded as Abellio London.






LJ09 OKK on route 211 at Victoria

Most of Connex's fleet have been painted full red and have been added the re-branded Abellio London logos. The 211 remains at the same garage, using the same double-deckers, although the odd Alexander Dennis Enviro400 from routes 156/344 and 452 show up very frequently.

In November 2011, it was announced that Route 211 was bound to get brand new Enviro 400's / Enviro 400 Hybrid's after Abellio London successfully retaining the route.

Many seem to be excited over the new Enviro's, but have to say that they are nothing special and they are just like the Enviro's on route C2. Personally I think they look that great with Abellio, but we all have different opinions!

Some things what the new Enviro's contain are:

• a weight of U.W. 11625KGS
• a body length of 10.2 metres
• a seating spec of H41/24D
• Estaban Civic seats

Without further ado, enjoy the rest of the photos!

All we are waiting for is the Euro-6 type E40D to enter service on the route, its already been sited on routes 3, 156 and C2. But why not 211? This new E40D is amazing for the environment and hopefully feels more different than the current E40D's. Reports have already suggested that the weight of this bus is somewhat of U.W13000KGS which will make it London's heaviest operating bus currently. But we will just have to see...

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