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Various places May 9th		Sun 10/05/09, 17:03	Thomas Young
	A long day out for Ray and I, covering some tube closures before heading for various bases in NW and W London. Starting from Cannon Street, 4 SVs were found around Mansion House Station, including a Volvo demountable and one of the elusive Metronet VW vans. Tower Hill also had four SVs, all Transit vans, parked on Trinity Square. A Metronet Combo was on Minories at Algate (with 3 LBSL in the bus station) but then Liverpool Street and Moorgate had nothing. Up to Wembley Park (with lots of York City fans), on passing Neasden it was noted that the station yard is once again undergoing work and the SVs have been moved to the main depot parking area. Among the usuals there was another VW (not identified) and an artic. Rather unusually there were no SVs at Olympic Way. Have LBSL moved out again? Onwards by rail replacement bus, there were no SVs visible at any of the intermediate stations, and not much evidence of work going on. The bus did skip Canons Park though. Stanmore had the unique VW Crafter in a yard at the entrance to the car park. It appears to be resident here. Winding our way to North Wembley, there were no Metroline SVs visible at the soon-to-be-closed garage, but a Tubelines Transit was parked nearby (and also the entire minibus fleet of Brent Council). After lunch at Willesden Junction, Park Royal was looked at. The NCP/NSL cars were not in evidence, just a Combo van. Onwards to North Acton for the uniform vans, then Perivale for the CELF. Former 2502F in white/blue is parked near here. After many fruitless visits to Alperton garage, their Vivaro van finally showed itself today. At Acton, the staff car park had three rarely seen vans (being 06 reg they are probably for disposal) as well as some other cars and vans. From the train, Frank Pick House has a new silver Transit outside (672xF replacing identical 5916F) while the lorry yard had the usual suspects. However, at the south end of the yard were no fewer than 8 Tubelines Welfare Transits, plus a few Fastline ones. Due to their position, no details were obtained and we couldn't decide if they were all new or existing ones gathered for some purpose. A walk over the top of Lillie Bridge with the zoom lens was successful, a couple of the recent anonymous 'pool' vehicles (Master 6646 and Partner 6633) being identifiable. I was pleased to find minibus 5713F still there, this being the last of the batch I hadn't seen, and presumably due to follow its sisters out of the fleet very soon. Edgware Road and Griffith House were fairly quiet, of interest being the replacement Zafira at the former and a Honda CR-V at the latter. After some refreshments, our route homeward took us through Tower Hill again and, although the Transits had left, another Metronet VW was parked up. A good result to end the day. Photos to follow.

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March Madness 3rd-6th March 2009		Fri 13/03/09, 14:21	Thomas Young
	I can confirm that both Chancel Street and Meymott Street are still in use, so I guess we were just unlucky!

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March Madness 3rd-6th March 2009		Wed 11/03/09, 20:41	John Lloyd-Martin
	Back in the New Year, I decided another London trip was necessary. Travelodge booked,& rail tickets bought for the first week in March. Unfortunately, a number of uncertainties meant that a full itinerary could not be worked out as it was not known who would be joining me where,or at what times. Tuesday 3rd saw me meet up with Tom & Ray at Acton. Iveco LK58HKN was seen as I pulled into Acton Town, & a trip to the gate, followed by the return to the Tube with a view of the Museum Approach, saw about another 40 hit the book. A quick Tube detour was enough to see 3 of the new IRUs, which Ray had seen earlier driving into the Works, on the ramp. Onto Lillie Bridge, Earls Court Gardens & another view of LBD at West Brompton, produced about 30 more. A 'short' walk to Vauxhall for the ERUS, proved to be a long walk for nothing. Tea at The Met Bar, where James joined us & then a train to East Croydon saw me checking in at about 11pm, in the rain! I had arranged to meet Tom & Ray at London Bridge at 10am. A Metrobus Renault LX58XCT dealing with a poorly 467 at Croydon, seemd to bode well for the day ahead. From there it went downhill fast. The Tfl vehicles in Borough had moved. Chancel Street looked deserted. Ruislip Station had 6582F for a photograph. I later saw it another 3 times.Olympic Way, Wembley was empty but Wembley Park had 2 or 3. Uxbridge BS had new 6605M & Neasden about 8, inc 6582F. Lunch at Willesden was a highlight. Transit 6482F graced the station at Golders Green, Finsbury Park had 2, & of the 8 or so at Turnpike Lane, 6612M was new & a line-up of 3 Hondas gave Tom a photo chance. Ray, by now had sensibly baled out. Tottenham Garage produced 6 or 7 new Arriva vans, & another 7 lined up inside so as to be unreadable. A hail storm didn't deter Tom & I from making our way to Northumberland Park, where LT58VUV 6471F was on show. Lea Valley was quiet, & Edmonton held another 6 or 8 Arrivas. Walthamstow & Stratford had no more than the usual suspects. Meal Two in the Met Bar. Needing to ensure Tom was not late home, we made our way to GHO, where Steve arrived. Having seen Tom on his way, Steve & I went back to Acton. Expecting the worst after the day's quiet start, things actually got better. From about 2330 it picked up, & in the hour from 23-2400, about 100 vehicles rolled out. Highlights were too many to mention. We then commenced a drive around, & after about 5 blank venues, we started to hit from Holland Park. Green Park was busy, as was Baker Street. 6660F - LS88XFN excited Steve at Marylebone, & then Euston, Holborn, Embankment & Waterloo all chipped in before we headed south.Kennington, Stockwell, Clapham & Tooting showed the amount of work going on, with 'Staff Welfare' facilities in evidence at Clapham. The Travelodge bed finally welcomed me at 0320. Damon had been unsure until late on as to what time he would be available, but eventually he managed Thursday off. He was delayed reaching Croydon, but we breakfasted & headed for Addington, to then try Orpington for the new Metrobus fleet based there. As It turned out, 10 of the 11 new Orpington-based Renaults were seen - a result! Damon & I then managed a circular tour of bits of south east London before we met Tom at Eltham. There, Lewisham & Mandela Way all produced a few before the final stop at Aldgate yielded only 2. A drink in Wetherspoons near the Tower, before a slow ride to Charing Cross for a very nice Italian meal & an early night for me at Croydon. Friday morning saw me log 6608M at SYH, Victoria was quiet & Allsop Place deserted. About 320 sightings over 4 days, produced 130+ new ones for me, of which nearly 50 were down to the night shift with Steve. Thanks to all who helped make it a good few days in a very busy London. I love quiet Leeds. Note: Reply edited by John Lloyd-Martin, 11/03/09, 20:44. Note: Reply edited by John Lloyd-Martin, 13/03/09, 23:06.

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North West and West London, 23rd January 2009		Sun 25/01/09, 00:18	Thomas Young
	This trip covered several well-trodden paths around NW and W London but was nevertheless fruitful, perhaps due to it being a weekday. Starting at Uxbridge, two of the 2005 Merc vans were in, and an IRU arrived later. More interesting were 6297H (one of the more elusive Honda Civics) and 6074VW (one of the most elusive VWs). Interestingly the latter drove into the bus station then straight out again! Onwards to Wembley Park, their smart new Incident Response Vehicle (Galaxy 6552F) was noted near the traincrew office. This can be seen from trains or from the station car park. The Signals yard on the north side had a pair of white Transit vans (6338F and LS08BXZ). The BTP have a temporary office in this yard at present, so viewing is best done from the station footbridge! Olympic Way was also worth a visit as, along with a pair of Civics and the un-numbered Caddy, the resident Noddy van was the rarely seen 5677VW. The logical next stop was Neasden, where the station yard had 4 SVs. Of the two normal Metronet vans, one was new (6582F) while Tube Lines were unusually represented with a Tourneo and a Combo. The latter was 6411V, previously reported as 6471V, therefore removing one numbering conflict. The fence next to the path behind this yard is now cleared of sheeting, enabling photography. The highlights of a period at Acton were LBSL 6014VW in the lorry yard (bit early for replacement?) and new Merc Sprinter 6695M on Bollo Lane. Best of all, no fewer than four new silver Metronet Transits came out of Museum Approach at about 3PM. Numbered 6544-6547F (and thus clashing with a previously reported Combo), I suspect that these new vans are used by the DESU and have replaced similar 5820-5823F. Heading the other way (into Ealing Common) at about the same time was elderly and unique box Transit 5519F.

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East London 10th January 2009		Mon 12/01/09, 22:48	Thomas Young
	Ray and I had a cold day in East London on Saturday, looking for trains and new buses as well as SVs. Starting on the just-opened DLR from Woolwich Arsenal, then round for a C2C from West Ham. No less than 7 engineers trains were on the District Line in the Dagenham area but most were GBRf and were passed at speed. LUL stock was four battery locos and tamper TMM774. Upminster yielded 2 Metronet and 1 Arriva Grays SVs around the station. With the replacement buses at the far end of the car park was a plain white Transit with light bar (BN07ZPV?) which may be an SV but whose? We took a trip round to Cranham to view Upminster depot where just one of the two Transits present could be identified. You need binoculars and an immunity to curious looks here! Onto the replacement bus, not many SVs were evident. A semi-trailer has been stationed at Upminster Bridge for Metronet staff welfare but is also lettered for Balfour Beatty. 6000F was near Hornchurch Station. Several vans at Dagenham East but all were contractors. Heading to Romford we found unmarked 6252F parked near the College on Dagenham Road. Nothing surprising at Romford. Had a peer into North Street but no vans, just a red Focus estate. Nothing at all at Ilford. At Barking we noted 4 Kangoos in the yard. To id the back pair you need to be with somebody tall enough to peer over the wall! We also squeezed in a visit to Chingford before dusk but found just the silver Transit (6321F) and the un-numbered Focus (HV57JBX). On the plus side, I did see lots of new buses!

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Well done!		Sat 13/12/08, 13:28	Ray
	If you let me know next time I'll tag along but I only now go down Bollo Lane as far as Frank Pick House as last time I was at the main gate (23/10) I was threatened by a chap in a Metronet shirt with the police next time he saw me or anybody else outside!

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Acton & Others 10th December 2008		Sat 13/12/08, 13:02	John Lloyd-Martin
	A cheap-deal day out on National Express trains provided the opportunity of a visit from Leeds, in early December to 'put a few in the book' & do a bit of Christmas shopping. I met up with Damon at Kings Cross and after the tube, and having a walk past Bollo House & Frank Pick House,he & I joined a cold Steve at Acton. About an hour & a half was long enough in the conditions, in which time about two dozen movements occurred. With the addition of some of the usual suspects seen in the lorry yard from the train, a total of 40+ sightings was made. Highlight was the new Mercedes dropside at Bollo House identified as 6695M WR58GFU. On to Lillie Bridge - unusually no Ford Rangers were noted at West Ken Station yard - have they moved on? Six vehicles were noted there, with about another 20 in the various yards.6541F VO58VBK was one that caught the eye. Earls Court Gardens held 4 Kangoos of which only 3 were identified, behind the green wooden fencing. Pelham Street had only one visible. The Vauxhall dealership on Edgware Road, now closed, had no service vehicles present so it looks like Staples Corner only. Some vegetation trimming in Griffith House yard meant that vehicles were slightly more visible. Six or eight in the yard & 3 inside the building, were joined by 2 in Edgware Road Station yard, including newish, chevroned Transit 6567F LT58VTZ. With a couple in the Office yard at Allsop Place, including Kangoo 6543R, - WP08NHT, we decided enough was enough in the fast-fading daylight. Note: Reply edited by John Lloyd-Martin, 13/12/08, 13:03.

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