First London

As you may have heard First group's buses in London are disappearing in October and as of today (22nd June) it will be one garage with a handful of routes. Metroline, Tower Transit and Go Ahead London will be taking over the routes that leave First's control today (22nd June) and Stagecoach have won the rest of the routes that First run from September and October.

Dagenham

The garage as of today runs only the 165, 179, 252, Essex route 265 and 365. The garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's on the 165 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's on the 165, 179, 252, 265 (Essex) and 365. The peak vehicle requirement is 43. Stagecoach take over the 165, 252 and 365 from their Rainham garage on the 28th September, Stagecoach take over the 179 from there Leyton garage from the 19th October and thus ending First's buses in London.

Already sold Garages

Orpington

First had a base that was very separate from there other London bases as it was based in the London Borough of Bromley from a base which was in Orpington. It was sold to the Go Ahead owned company "Metrobus" in 2007. They continued to run some of the bought over buses (Marshall Darts) into 2013 on there various routes.

Northumberland Park (NP)

Northumberland Park is a fairly recent garage to be sold off as it was sold off in March 2012. Go Ahead London bought it and have absorbed it into there London General operations.  

Tower Transit

Tower Transit is a brand new company to London and they are owned by Transit Systems from Australia who are an established public transport provider running buses and ferries.

They are taking over:

Atlas Road

The garage runs routes  28, 31, 266, 328, N28 and N31. The garage operates as an out station for Westbourne Park and utilizes the only VDL DB300 hybrids with Wright Gemini 2 bodies delivered to First London on the 328, Volvo B7TL with Wright Gemini 1 bodies on the 28, 31, 328, N28 and N31 and Volvo B9TL's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies on the 266. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 99.

Lea Interchange

The garage runs routes 25, 26, 30, 58, 236, 308, 339, N26, RV1, W14 and W15. The garage is also gaining the 425 from the 6th July and the N550 and N551 from the 31st August. The garage replaced an ex First garage called Waterden Road as the garage fell into the Olympic area and it utilizes the only hydrogen buses in London which are built into VDL SB200 chassis with Wright Pulsar bodies, Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's on the 236, 308, 339, RV1, W14 and W15, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's on the 26, 30, 425 (from July) and the N26 and Volvo B9TL's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies on the 25 and 58. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 182.

Westbourne Park

The garage runs routes 9 (heritage service only), 23, 70 and 295. Recently the garage has had to downsize due to Crossrail works taking part of the garage over which forced First to create Atlas Road it utilizes AEC Routemasters for the 9 (heritage service), Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's for the 70, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 hybrid's for the 23, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's for the 23 and Volvo b9tl's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies for the 295. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 70.

Metroline

Metroline as you may already know is a well established operator in Central and North West London. They are owned by the Singapore company Comfortdelgro who run services including taxis buses and trains. 

They are taking over:

Alperton

The garage runs routes 83, 223, 224, 245, 487. The garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's for the 223, 224, 245 and 487 and Volvo B9TL's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 75.

Greenford

The garage runs routes 92, 95, 282, E1, E3, E7, E9 and E10. The garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's on the 95, E5, E7, E9 and E10, Dennis Trident 2's with Plaxton President bodies on the 282 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's on the 92, E1 and E3. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 117.


Hayes
The garage runs routes 195 ,207, 427 and N207. The garage houses the only Scania Omnicities ever bought by First. The garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's on the 195, Scania Omnicities on the 207 and N207 and Volvo B9TL's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies on the 427. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 71.

Uxbridge

The garage runs routes 331, 607, A10, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U10. The garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's for the 331, A10, U1, U5 and U10, Dennis Dart with Caetano Nimbus bodies for the U2 and U3, Dennis Trident's with Plaxton President bodies on the U3 and U4, Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's on the 607 and Volvo B7TL's with Wright Gemini 1 bodies on the 607. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 86.

Willesden Junction 

The garage runs routes 18, 187, 206, 226 and 228. the garage utilizes Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's on the 187, 206, 226 and 228 and Volvo B9TL's with Wright Gemini 2 bodies. The peak vehicle requirement on take over is 99.

Go Ahead London

Recently it was announced that as of today (22nd June) Go Ahead will take over routes 193, 368, 498 and school routes 608, 646, 648, 652, 667, 679 and 686 from there Blue Triangle operation in Rainham. Go Ahead have purchased as well as the routes the allocated single decker's, Dennis Dart Marshall Capital's (for the 193, 646 and 648 to be coded DMN's) and Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's (for the 368 to be coded SEN's) and double decker's in the form of Alexander Dennis Enviro 400's (for the 498 to be coded EN's). The school routes will be using displaced PVN's from Northumberland Park.

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