Firmly back in TfL territory on this adventure, sampling some outgoing diesels and the latest electric buses in East London, covering routes in the Stratford, Docklands and Ilford areas.

Stagecoach have recently converted the 257 to electric operation as part of its tender renewal specification. Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 82078 of Leyton (T) Garage is at Stratford Bus Station after I rode it from Walthamstow.

The unusual roof design of the Bus Station can be clearly seen in this view. The inverted fabricated canopies are designed to channel rainwater into a drainage system at the bottom of each cone, keeping users dry whilst providing an interesting and elegant structure.

Route 257: Walthamstow Central to Stratford

Back in the capital after my recent provincial trip, I alighted from the Overground at Walthamstow Central on a fine spring morning just after the morning peak and made my way to the adjacent Bus Station. My first route of the day was the 257, converted only weeks previously by Stagecoach London to electric buses using Wright StreetDeck Electroliners in accordance with the terms of its contract renewal. 82078 was next to depart and I boarded with a few others, to be greeted by the now familiar modern spec of new vehicles for TfL service.

After a promising start, we soon encountered a problem due to roadworks and temporary lights at the Leyton Bakers Arms junction, which was causing delays in all directions. We were stuck in a queue on the approach and what should have taken 6 or 7 mins from Walthamstow took more than 20. However, once past this point, we had a clearer run and made up some of the time, making reasonable progress to Whipps Cross and then through the pleasant fringes of Epping Forest. Even Leytonstone, often prone to delays around the High Street, was flowing quite well and we continued south past Harrow Green to the Thatched House. Soon we arrived at Maryland Station, before the final stretch into Stratford, arriving at the Bus Station after a 55 min run, around 10 mins down on schedule.

The current 257 is the third incarnation of this number, the two previous versions relating to a Trolleybus replacement route for the 557 between London Bridge & Chingford (1960-68) and a West London local between Hounslow & Beavers Farm (1974-87).

Today’s 257 came in 1988 as a replacement for the northern section of the 262 between Stratford & Chingford Mount using Titans. After a short term extension to Fantaseas Swimming Pool from 1990, the route was cut back to Walthamstow Central in 1992 and passed to Capital Citybus at the same time. First Capital, as it later became, experimented with DML single deckers on the route in 2001, which proved a disaster and double deckers returned with TNLs within months. Stagecoach had a stint from from 2005 with Trident Alexanders, followed from 2012 by Go Ahead London with WVLs, only for Stagecoach to return in 2017 with a mix of older Enviro400s and the newer MMC version.

Some of the Enviro400s released from the 257 at Leyton have moved over to Ash Grove (HK) Garage to convert part of the D6 to double deck operation. 19850 demonstrates at Crossharbour ASDA amid typical Docklands architecture.

*The single deck Enviro200 MMCs released have gone south of the river to take up the new contract on the 225 recently won by Stagecoach.*

Route D6: Ash Grove to Crossharbour (& back to Mile End)

From Stratford, I transferred to the Central Line a couple of stops to Bethnal Green, walking up Mare Street towards Hackney in search of my second route, the D6. This has recently received a partial conversion to double deck, using some of the Enviro400s released from the 257 by its electrification. Stagecoach Ash Grove (HK) Garage now uses the class on both the D6 and D7. In turn, some of the single deck Enviro200 MMCs from the D6 have moved to South East London for the take up of the 225 contract which was recently won by Stagecoach from Go Ahead.

At Ash Grove, start point of the D6, there seemed to be a slight hiatus in the service, as two buses emerged from the garage virtually in tandem, 19850 and 19847. I boarded the former, but we were soon overtaken by the other which presumably was first in sequence. An easy run back down Mare Street past Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green, before swinging a left along Roman Road through typical East End territory. We then turned right to Mile End Station, where we paused a couple of minutes for scheduling reasons. Continuing on down to Limehouse, we made another left onto the East India Dock Road to Poplar, before finally turning onto the Isle of Dogs and over the various bridges before arriving at Crossharbour ASDA, our final destination. A straight 35 min run.

I then retraced my steps part of the way on the D6 aboard fellow Enviro 19847. There was a short delay due to the Blue Bridge being raised to allow a boat through, but we were soon on our way again and I alighted at Mile End Station after a journey of just over 20 mins.

The D6 replaced the southern end of the 106 in 1989, running between Isle of Dogs ASDA and Hackney Central, but was cut back somewhat churlishly to Ash Grove in 2013, annoyingly short of its previous main traffic objective at that end of the route. After initial periods of double deck (Titan) and single deck (Leyland National) operation, this route was another to pass to Capital Citybus (later First Capital) in 1992, double deckers being replaced with single deck DMLs in 1999. Go Ahead became the operator in 2011 with SE type Enviro200s, with CT Plus taking over with Enviro200 MMCs in 2018, although they were subsumed into Stagecoach in 2022.

The 330 is currently a mix of Enviro400 MMC and older Enviro400 types from West Ham (WH) Garage. 19854 is one of the latter and stands at the Pontoon Dock terminus, also known as Silvertown Thames Barrier.

*Shadows reflected from nearby shrubbery and trees produce a mottled effect on the side of the vehicle.*
*However, scenes like this will soon be history as the route is due to pass from Stagecoach to Go Ahead London in early May 2025.*

Route 330: Wanstead Park Station to Silvertown (& back to Canning Town)

From Mile End, I rejoined the Central Line one stop eastbound to Stratford, with cross-platform interchange to the Elizabeth Line just two stops to Forest Gate. From here, a short walk north to Wanstead Park Station and the first stop of my third route, the 330. This route is due to pass to Go Ahead on re-tender in May 2025, so a last opportunity for me to ride it with current operator Stagecoach.

For now, the service operates out of West Ham (WH) Garage using a mix of Enviro 400 MMC and older “classic” versions. I boarded one of the latter, 19854, on its next southbound trip. Not particularly busy as we progressed through Forest Gate and down through Upton Park, where the former West Ham United Football Ground has been replaced by modern housing developments, changing the nature of the area. At “The Boleyn”, we turned towards Plaistow and the busy main road section to Canning Town. A driver change at the Bus Station, before continuing on the extension through Docklands to Pontoon Dock, although there seems to be some confusion over the destination, which is displayed on some buses as “Pontoon Dock” and on others as “Silvertown”, the final stop actually being the one beyond Pontoon Dock Station at Silvertown, Thames Barrier! Just under 40 mins end to end.

After the layover, I returned on the same bus a few stops back to Canning Town Bus Station, although the first pick-up in this direction was at a poorly-sited dolly stop roughly half way between Thames Barrier and Pontoon Dock Station.

The 330 started in 1993 between Wanstead Park Station & Blackwall, although it was cut back to Canning Town in 1999 allegedly due to frequent traffic delays on the Blackwall section. The extension to Pontoon Dock came in 2022 as part of local bus route changes associated with the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

After beginning with DRL type Darts, it was double-decked in 1995 using Scanias. Low floor conversion in 2000 saw Trident Alexanders take over, later replaced with the current Enviro 400s.

The 147 was largely converted to hybrid operation at its last contract renewal with Go Ahead London. MHV3 is one of the refurbished examples for the route from River Road (RR) Garage seen at Canning Town Bus Station, the western terminus.

*Whilst mainly a mix of MHV and WHV types, a few E type diesels still appear.*

Route 147: Canning Town to Ilford

My next route, the 147, provided by far the busiest journey of the day. This was supposedly converted to hybrid operation by Go Ahead London at the last contract change using a mix of refurbished MHV and WHV types. However, a few diesels still appear, with half a dozen Enviros out to play on the day of my visit. After letting an MHV and a WHV go, the third departure from Canning Town Bus Station was formed by E173 of River Road (RR) Garage.

Initial progress was slow as our driver gingerly threaded his way through the parked vehicles each side of the narrow roads through the Keir Hardie Estate section. Arriving at Custom House and back onto main roads, we made better progress, although we gradually filled up with passengers as we continued eastwards through Plaistow and Upton Park to East Ham. An exchange of passengers in High Street North and by East Ham Station we were full and standing. Turning off into the back streets around Browning Road and Little Ilford, we made slow and painful progress over the final section into Ilford. The last stop at Hainault Street was closed due to roadworks, but several (including me) were unaware of this and the driver didn’t play “The next bus stop is closed” message at the previous stop, Ilford Library. Therefore, a few exchanges between annoyed passengers and the driver as he sailed past the closed stop and reluctantly allowed us off around the corner in Hainault Street. The scheduled journey time of just under an hour turned into a total trip time of around 65 mins.

The 147 is a long standing route between East Ham and Ilford via the back doubles, although at the time of OMO conversion in 1971 from RT to SMS, it ran between East Ham & Redbridge, with a M-F Peaks extension at one end to Royal Albert Dock and a Suns extension at the other to Leytonstone. This was simplified with the changes of “Busplan 78”, when it became East Ham to Redbridge daily. In 1983, it began its advance into Docklands, with an extension to V&A Docks, replaced two years later with Keir Hardie Estate and finally Canning Town in 1999. At the other end, the cut back from Redbridge to Ilford occurred in 1986.

The service was double decked again in 1975 on conversion from SMS to DMS, with Titans taking over in 1981. The noughties saw low floor conversion with Trident Alexanders, which continued until Stagecoach lost the route to Go Ahead in 2016 using E type Enviros, until hybrids became part of the mix in 2023.

***Proving that Enviro400s still turn out on the 147, E173 of River Road Garage departs from Ilford Library at the eastern end of the route.***

*This is the bus I rode on its previous trip from Canning Town to Ilford.*

Route 396: Ilford Hill to Goodmayes King George Hospital (& back)

To end the day, there was just time for a rounder on short route 396, which I had yet to sample since its conversion to new Enviro200 EVs last year. SEe334 is one of the highest numbered examples of the class and I boarded at the Ilford Hill stand outside Sainsburys. Lots of short riders joined us at Ilford Station, presumably due to a gap in other services bound for Gants Hill. Then we were off passing the greenery of Valentines Park, before encountering a traffic queue at Gants Hill Roundabout. Once through, it was a fast straight run along the Eastern Avenue dual carriageway, deviating briefly to call at Newbury Park Station beneath its unique concrete canopy. Then a right turn at Little Heath to our destination of King George Hospital, just over half an hour’s run.

A 10 min break, then back the way we came, with a fair number of takers on the return trip. The expected queue to get onto the A12, after which it was an easy ride back through Newbury Park and Gants Hill, although a slow slog on the final section back into Ilford. Another run of a touch over 30 mins. Notably, in both directions, we ran virtually in tandem with a 296 (Ilford - Romford), there seemingly being no attempt to coordinate the timetables of the two routes over the long common section.

The 396 was a new service in 1996 over its current route, operated initially by First Capital with Excel single deckers. Stagecoach took a turn from 2002 first with Darts and then with Optare Versas, until Go Ahead assumed control in 2019 with SE Enviro200s, later replaced with the current SEe electrics. Interestingly, both Stagecoach and Go Ahead put out one or two double deckers per day on a fairly regular basis, although this practice seems to have diminished considerably since electrification.

After arriving back at Ilford Hill, it was a short walk to Ilford Station and the Elizabeth Line, for the journey home at the end of my day out.

Watton

Docklands Diesels & Eastern Electrics

Tied Up in Notts!