London Suburban buses help, Optare Olympus and Gemini 1

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

Something I've been wanting to do is get some of the interesting vehicles in the suburbs but I think I've missed the boat, however I want to try it very soon on a weekday if I can, going round the Greater London area. I believe I've missed the East Lancs Esteems which I wanted to photograph / ride but it seems that's gone, but I'd like to try and get the Optare Olympus on the 151 if they are still around? Any good places to photograph these?

Also somewhere I saw a video on YouTube in I think East London but unfortunately cannot find it, was taken either 2023 or 2024 I think, and had a London Gemini 1 either a B7 or B9 (I would say maybe a Pulsar but these left in 2019 IIRC?), and even I thought wow would love to snap that! It was mentioned on there that is was the sole Gemini 1 left in service in London, that was then, I think I may be too late to see that, again doesn't help I can't remember where on the outskirts it was so can't think of the operator it would have been.

Anything else interesting to look out for in the South region (Epsom, Sutton, Wimbledon etc)?

 

[Sun Chariot]

TFL's March 2024 audit info is useful. However, it does not tell you which buses are running where. Have a look at the Operational Vehicle Data:

Bus fleet data & audits

An audit of the LBSL contracted fleet is carried out once a year. The data provides the fleet size, respective percentage of the fleet and average age by operator

tfl.gov.uk

Go Ahead Optare Olympus fleet are in rows 1595 to 1610. If you copy each registration plate number into Flickr / Internet images, you'll find examples of routes they operate; and that might help you track one down in service.

No Eclipse Gemini 1 listed. They appear on Hampshire coast, however, as hire-ins for rail replacements, etc

Rail Replacements and Hire-ins

This week sees track infrastructure work at Portsmouth Harbour and around Fareham. Rail Replacement buses are a real mixture, to my eyes (I have zero bus knowledge :) ). Apart from the Enviros - which seem to be of different body lengths - I have no idea what the others are. I'd appreciate a...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[route101]

Eclispe Gemini 1s have been withdrawn a while back. I don't know exactly when but I feel sometime between 2016 and 2018.

 

[busesrusuk]

The DOE's are still (and exclusively) out on the 151. With the onset of winter, long shadows will impact picture quality if you are photographing but places such as St Helier hospital, North Cheam, Cheam village and Sutton town centre should still work on sunny days (should we have some). There is also an Electroliner demonstrator that exclusively works on the 151 to.

There are strong rumours that a batch of Electroliners are due at Sutton for the 151 and could be here by the end of the year so time is potentially running out. Of the DOE's that remain, they are all the high numbered examples but one to look out for is DOE43 which is now sporting the latest Go Ahead logo. Here are a couple of pics at various locations that could work for photo's (the pic of the 154 is on a stretch of road served by the 151 to):

GAL DOE41 Mar24

North Cheam, Mar 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE40 May24

St Helier Hospital, May 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE44 May24

Wallington Stn, May 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE8 Mar20

Rose Hill, Mar 2020

www.flickr.com

If you venture into Sutton, you may also look to photograph the Optare Metrocity's on the S1 as I don't think they will be long for the world either with many S1's now in the hands of E200's. Best place for a pic of those is outside Sutton Station as here:

RATP Quality Line OM20235 Feb21

Sutton Station, Feb 2021

www.flickr.com

In Wimbledon you will still have the odds and sods being used on route 200 whilst the Metrodecker (Me class) gradually re-enter service. A good spot is as they swing into Wimbeldon Bus Station mid morning as here:

GAL WVL435 Mar24

Wimbledon, Mar 2024

www.flickr.com

Hope the above helps....

 

[MotCO]

The DOE's are still (and exclusively) out on the 151. With the onset of winter, long shadows will impact picture quality if you are photographing but places such as St Helier hospital, North Cheam, Cheam village and Sutton town centre should still work on sunny days (should we have some). There is also an Electroliner demonstrator that exclusively works on the 151 to.

There are strong rumours that a batch of Electroliners are due at Sutton for the 151 and could be here by the end of the year so time is potentially running out. Of the DOE's that remain, they are all the high numbered examples but one to look out for is DOE43 which is now sporting the latest Go Ahead logo. Here are a couple of pics at various locations that could work for photo's (the pic of the 154 is on a stretch of road served by the 151 to):

GAL DOE41 Mar24

North Cheam, Mar 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE40 May24

St Helier Hospital, May 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE44 May24

Wallington Stn, May 2024

www.flickr.com

GAL DOE8 Mar20

Rose Hill, Mar 2020

www.flickr.com

If you venture into Sutton, you may also look to photograph the Optare Metrocity's on the S1 as I don't think they will be long for the world either with many S1's now in the hands of E200's. Best place for a pic of those is outside Sutton Station as here:

RATP Quality Line OM20235 Feb21

Sutton Station, Feb 2021

www.flickr.com

In Wimbledon you will still have the odds and sods being used on route 200 whilst the Metrodecker (Me class) gradually re-enter service. A good spot is as they swing into Wimbeldon Bus Station mid morning as here:

GAL WVL435 Mar24

Wimbledon, Mar 2024

www.flickr.com

Hope the above helps....

And also there is the unique Volvo MCV electric double decker, ofter on the 213 (MVB1, LF73DXZ).

To track a particular bus, try London Vehicle Finder (but you need to register, for free) https://lvf.io/#LDN

 

[busesrusuk]

Yes, I forgot about that one. Fleetnumber MVB1 which is used exclusively on the 213 as only a small number of drivers on the 213 have/were type trained on it. It certainly has lasted a lot longer than initially thought so maybe a few more drivers have now been trained but I don't think its ever ventured on any route other than the 213 so far.

 

[MotCO]

Yes, I forgot about that one. Fleetnumber MVB1 which is used exclusively on the 213 as only a small number of drivers on the 213 have/were type trained on it. It certainly has lasted a lot longer than initially thought so maybe a few more drivers have now been trained but I don't think its ever ventured on any route other than the 213 so far.

Whenever I see a 213, it always seems to be that one!