Travel London
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Travel London is an operator of buses in London.
Contents |
[edit] Company history
The London bus operation of the National Express Group Travel London came into existence in its current guise when National Express bought out Connex Bus (established in UK in 1996, a division of French owned transport corporation Connex) in 2004. Ironically had taken over an existing operator Limebourne Buses which had actually taken over the original Travel London when it was originally sold.
In 2005 NEG expanded again with the takeover of the London Bus operations of Tellings-Golden Miller as well as 15 Surrey County Council contracts. Travel London is the sister company of Travel West Midlands and Travel Dundee.
[edit] Overview
Following the acquisitions of Limebourne, Connex Bus, Tellings-Golden-Miller, Wings Buses and Link-Line, Travel London has a wide operating area within Greater London and Surrey. The company operates contracts on behalf of Transport for London (TfL) and Surrey County Council.
Operations are split between three registered companies.
[edit] Travel London Ltd
Their main address is:
- Unit 10
- Beddington Cross
- Beddington Farm Road
- CROYDON
- CR0 4XH
[edit] Garages
They have three bus garages.
[edit] Beddington Cross
Their address is:
- Unit 10
- Beddington Cross
- Beddington Farm Road
- CROYDON
- CR0 4XH
As of January 2007, this garage holds 66 buses, and runs London bus routes 3, 152, 157, G1, P13, and Night route N3.
[edit] History
Opened in early 2000 by Connex bus to house its recently won route 3 contract. The garage consists of two industrial units. Connex were taken over by Travel London who now operate the garage.
[edit] Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF 8.8m /Alexander ALX200 (DA)
- Dennis Dart SLF 8.8m/Alexander Dennis Pointer (DP)
- Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2 (DPL)
- Dennis Trident 9.9m/Alexander ALX400 (TA)
- Volvo B7TL 10m/Wright Eclipse Gemini (V)
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200Dart (ES)
[edit] Queenstown (Battersea)
Their address is:
- Silverthorne Road
- Battersea
- LONDON
- SW8 3HE
As of January 2007, this garage holds 82 buses, and runs London bus routes 156, 211, 452, C3, and 24-hour route 344.
[edit] History
[edit] Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer (DP)
- Optare Solo M850 (S)
- Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 (TA)
- Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 (ED)
[edit] Walworth Road
Their address is:
- 301 Camberwell New Road
- Camberwell
- LONDON
- SE5 0TF
As of January 2007, this garage holds 98 buses, and runs London bus routes 100, 129, 188, 343, 381, C1, East London Line replacement route ELS, and Night routes N343 and N381.
[edit] History
Originally a site acquired by the LCC for its electric trams it was known as Camberwell Tram depot until 1950 when its name was changed to Walworth with the arrival of buses to avoid confusion with Camberwell opposite. A major rebuilding had to be done in the 1950s to repair bomb damage from the 2nd world war in which time some buses were worked out of Camberwell in the late 1960s the garage assumed operation of the Red Arrow routes with MBA's and later LS's until closure in 1985. In 1987, following the closure of Victoria and Ash Grove garages, it operated the Red Arrow routes for a short time until Waterloo garage was ready. During the early 1990s the garage once again re-opened, this time for the Londonlinks operation of routes 78 & 176. The Cowie group undertook a major restructure a few years later which once again saw closure in 1997.The garrage is still owned by the Go ahead Group (who own London Central and London General) and they have leased it out. The garage lay dormant for the next six years until late 2003 when work started on refurbishing the garage for the new leasee, The National Express Group, who intended to house new gains in the London area. The garage is now complete and Travel London has rapidly built up its portfolio of routes since the P13 & 381 started in September 2004.
[edit] Bus types in use
- Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini (V)
- Dennis Dart SLF 9.9m/Alexander Dennis Pointer (DP)
- MCW Metrobus MkII (trainer)
- Optare Solo (ELS)
[edit] Travel London (West) Ltd
Their main address is:
- The Old Tram Garage
- Stanley Road
- TWICKENHAM
- TW2 5NP
[edit] Garages
They have two bus garages.
[edit] Byfleet
Their address is:
- Unit 20A Wintersells Road
- WEST BYFLEET
- KT14 7LF
This garage holds 43 buses, and runs London bus routes 514 and 515, and Surrey County Council bus routes 218, 441, 451, 461, 471, 513, 515A, 556, and 557.
[edit] History
Travel London moved into Byfleet depot in June 2005 after buying out the former operator Tellings Golden Miller. After a slow start and some changes in the management structure the business is going from strength to strength. In buying TGM, Travel London effectively doubled their presence in the London area and are fast becoming a familiar name across the capital. Travel London currently run a fleet of approximately 104 buses from this depot and are aggressively trying to win further tenders for TfL servcies in the West London area. All vehicles underwent a repaint programme and had the blue and white colours of TGM replaced with a more familiar fleet of red vehicles. TGM did operate services into Surrey, but under National Express Group's reign some of these have been given up. An example of this is the 426/446 Woking - Staines service, now operated by Flights Hallmark, trading as Surrey Connect.
[edit] Bus types in use
[edit] Fulwell
Their address is:
- The Old Tram Garage
- Stanley Road
- TWICKENHAM
- TW2 5NP
This garage holds 94 buses, and runs London bus routes 235, 465, 481, 490, H20, H25, H26, H28, R68, R70, and Surrey County Council bus route 555.
Travel London also operates inter-campus bus services on behalf of Kingston University, routes (KU)1, (KU)2 and (KU)3.
[edit] History
[edit] Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander ALX200 (DA) single door 8.8m
- Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano (DC) dual door 10.6m
- Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2 (DP) single & dual door, various lengths
- Dennis Trident 9.9m/Alexander ALX400 (TA)
- Optare Solo
[edit] Travel London (Middlesex) Ltd
Their main address is:
- The Old Tram Garage
- Stanley Road
- TWICKENHAM
- TW2 5NP
[edit] Garages
They have one bus garage.
[edit] Hayes
Their address is:
- Springfield Road
- HAYES
This garage holds 19 buses, and runs routes 112, E6, H50 and U7. Travel London will lose their contract of route E6 to Metroline on 26 May 2007.
[edit] History
[edit] Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m/East Lancs Spryte
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m/Caetano Nimbus
- Dennis Dart SLF 8.8m/Alexander Dennis Pointer
- Volvo B7TL 10.6m/Wright Eclipse Gemini (V)
[edit] See also
| Companies operating buses under contract to London Buses |
|---|
|
Arriva London | Arriva Shires & Essex | Arriva Southern Counties | Blue Triangle | CT Plus Docklands Buses | Ealing Community Transport | East London | East Thames Buses First London | London Central | London General | Metrobus | Metroline | NCP-Challenger Quality Line | Selkent | Sullivan Buses | Transdev London | Travel London | Uno |
| Also, see Bus garages in London for operating codes. |
