In this latest article, my bus rides cover a number of routes in the Enfield area and adjacent parts of North London. Featuring mainly older types that are due for replacement in the coming months.

Enviro400 TE1749 of Potters Bar (PB) Garage on the W8 at Chase Farm Hospital at the start of my rides. This is one of just half a dozen remaining vehicles of this type in the Metroline fleet that were inherited from First, that were formerly at Uxbridge (UX) Garage.

*The route is currently a mix of TE and VW types, but is due for conversion to new electrics later in 2025.*

Route W8: Chase Farm Hospital to Lee Valley Leisure Complex (and back)

The Great Northern train dropped me at Gordon Hill Station, from where it was a short walk to Chase Farm Hospital, start point for my bus rides. A new terminus was set up here a while ago, adjacent to the new main entrance of the hospital, replacing the older more cramped location near the former Victorian premises which are now abandoned and largely demolished.

First route of the day was the W8, which is operated by Metroline out of Potters Bar (PB) Garage and has recently been retained on re-tender on the basis of new electrics. As is usual with these things, until sufficient charging facilities are ready at the depot, existing diesels continue in service, being a combination of TE and VW types. On the day I travelled, a couple of rare vehicles were out, TE1749/50, both former First London examples of the class inherited when Metroline took on Uxbridge (UX) Garage after First quit TfL work, of which just 6 remain in regular use.

TE1749 was the second departure and I boarded with a few others for the trip. At the time, Slades Hill in Enfield was closed for Thames Water works, resulting in long diversions for the 121 and 307 via The Ridgeway, Stagg Hill and Cockfosters Road, and I saw vehicles on these routes as we exited Chase Farm grounds. Luckily, the W8 was unaffected and we continued along the normal route, down Lavender Hill past Gordon Hill Station, not far from the “Cemetery Gates” location featured in the 1970s sitcom “On The Buses” starring Reg Varney. We picked up along Lancaster Road to “The Hop Poles”, before turning right along Baker Street and Silver Street into Enfield Town. After serving the station, we continued south down London Road in tandem with the 329, past St Stephen’s Church to the Church Street junction, following this thoroughfare across the Great Cambridge Road to Edmonton Green. All other passengers alighted at the Bus Station, leaving me with a bus to myself for the final section to Lee Valley Leisure Complex, which we did non-stop due to no other takers. We took just 35 mins overall on this short local route.

At the Lee Valley Leisure Complex terminus, once known as Picketts Lock Centre, I was able to step up a working for the return trip, as TE1428 was ahead in the lay-by. This was a standard Metroline Enviro400 and left after just a couple of minutes. Again, only me at first, but this time we picked up a few in Bounces Road, so were quite busy by Edmonton Green. An exchange of passengers and then we continued via the reverse of the outward route, with no delays through Enfield Town. However, a busier run in terms of custom, so we took an extra 5 mins, at 40 mins total trip time. A minor diversion on the return, due to Hunters Way being closed for resurfacing, meaning we had to continue up to The Ridgeway and turn into the hospital grounds via the main entrance.

The W8 morphed out of RT route 128 (which I can remember as a boy), running between Chase Farm Hospital and Lower Edmonton Station (as it was then called). The renumbering came when the service was converted to Flat Fare OPO with MBS types in 1969. The extension to Picketts Lock Centre came in 1973. Double deck conversion to DMS followed in 1974 in line with policy at the time of upgrading single deck routes, although these were replaced with Metrobuses in 1982.

Originally at Enfield (E) and then Edmonton (EM) Garage, the route moved to Potters Bar (PB) in 1985/6, coinciding with the period when secondhand buses appeared on the service including the noisy ex West Midlands V types, although standard Ms eventually returned. First Capital had a spell in charge from 1998-2003, using Olympians and Metros at first, but later on low floor TN types. PB Garage came back in 2003 when Metroline took the contract, initially with DLD single deckers but soon upgraded to TP double deck. TE types became the norm from 2015 and are now supplemented with VW and the odd VWH.

***At the other end of the W8, TE1428 stands ahead of TE1749 at Lee Valley Leisure Complex, formerly known as Picketts Lock Centre.***

*TE1428 is an idigenous Metroline Enviro, as can be distinguished by the light blue dash and yellow grab poles compared with the grey dash and light blue poles of the ex First examples.*

Route W9: Chase Farm Hospital to Southgate

Second on my list, the other route which terminates at Chase Farm, the W9. I had last ridden this in the opposite direction a few months ago, when it was still operated by Sullivans Buses. After they withdrew from TfL work in August 2024, Stagecoach had a very short temporary contract on the route using Solos, but a more formal replacement was established in late September, with Metroline operating the service from PB Garage. For now, a collection of elderly DE type Enviro200s operates, but the plan is for slightly newer DEM class vehicles to replace them when freed up from the 382 by the entry into service of new electric single deckers.

It was evident when I was there that certain inbound W9s were terminating and going out of service to the garage, being replaced by another vehicle on the next working. DE993 did just that and was replaced a few minutes later by DE1011. I hopped on when it pulled forward off the stand and we made our way to Enfield Town via a different intermediate route to the W8, this time via Holtwhites Hill (with a short delay due to short-phasing traffic lights at the bottom!) Continuing onto Silver Street we met up with W8 again briefly, before making our way through Enfield Town to the War Memorial and left into Old Park Avenue to Grange Park. Traffic coming the other way was constant, no doubt due to the Slades Hill closure causing a diversion. Indeed, close to Grange Park Station, we passed a diverted 456 followed by a 377 coming the other way - the best bus service Grange Park has ever had no doubt!

We only picked up a couple on the obligatory loop around Highlands Village, built on the site of the former Highlands Hospital, where I used to visit for outpatient dental appointments back in the day when the W9 first started with Ford Transit minibuses in the early 70s. We then continued down the “Hail & Ride” section to Winchmore Hill Green and made good progress along Hoppers Road and the Bourne Hill area into Southgate, arriving at the 1930s “Art Deco” station after a run of just over 40 mins.

The claim to fame of the W9 is that it was the first of the experimental minibus routes introduced by London Transport to cover previously unserved roads back in 1972. Obviously the experiment worked, as the route is still with us! The original FS minis soon proved inadequate and were replaced by Bristol LH single deckers, firstly the shorter BS version in 1976 and then the longer BL type in 1981. The route was one of the first to be put out to tender in 1985 and was won by Eastern National Citybus, later passing to associate company Thamesway, using various midibus types. First Capital took on the route in 1998 using mostly MetroRiders, but Metroline came in 2000 for their first stint using in turn EDR, DML and DMS Darts, followed later by DEM Enviro200s. Sullivan Buses assumed control in 2017 with Enviro200 MMCs, but the service deteriorated towards the end of their tenure in 2024 and they pulled out, which takes us to where our story began in the current era.

Another PB Garage bus, Enviro200 DE1011, at Chase Farm Hospital stand on the W9. Once new electrics are in service on the 382, its slightly newer DEM type Enviro200s will replace these elderly examples.

*After Sullivan Buses pulled out of TfL work in August 2024, Stagecoach operated the W9 on a temporary basis, until Metroline took on the contract in late September.*

Route 382: Southgate to Mill Hill East, Millbrook Park

At Southgate Station, I swapped to the other Metroline single deck route out of PB Garage to serve that point, the 382. The contract has been retained on this service using new VMSS class electrics, which are due to replace the current Enviro200s later in 2025. DEM1353 was on layover and pulled forward to the pick-up stop after about a 5 min wait. Just a handful of us boarded and we zoomed off through the town, following the 125 route until the Osidge Lane / Hampden Way roundabout, where we swung away to serve the loop around the Oak Hill Park area. We then met up with the 184, which was on diversion via Brunswick Park Road (normally only served by the 382) due to a road closure on its normal route - another section of road to get an enhanced service for a short while.

Arriving at Arnos Grove Station, we were on a small diversion ourselves due to water works in the Inverforth Road area, double-running back to Betstyle Circus and then direct via Friern Barnet Road, omitting the call outside New Southgate Station. A quick scoot to Friern Barnet Town Hall and Woodhouse Road, before turning off along the freehold section via Summers Lane to Finchley High Road, where there was a slow moving queue to turn right into Squires Lane. A tight squeeze through the back streets to Church End, before regaining the main road to Finchley Central Station. Nearly empty after this on the final section following the Mill Hill East branch of the Northern Line, passing under the railway viaduct at Dollis Valley and depositing our final other passenger at the station. Only me and the driver around the new Millbrook Park Estate to the terminus at Inglis Way. 50 mins in total from the start.

The 382 is a fairly recent route, starting in 2003 between Southgate & Mill Hill East Station. It gained the extension to the new Millbrook Park housing development in 2015. Original operator was Arriva with PDL Darts, later replaced with EN types. Metroline took over in 2017 with the current DEMs.

***Enviro200 DEM1353 of PB Garage at Southgate Station before my ride on it to Mill Hill East.***

*Metroline designated its Enviro200s according to length: DE = standard, DEL = long, DEM = medium, DES = short*.

Route 221: Mill Hill East to Edgware, then Edgware to Turnpike Lane

From Millbrook Park, a short walk down Frith Lane brought me back to Mill Hill East Station, where I picked up my next bus on the 221 to Edgware. The route was converted a while back by Arriva London from DW diesels to HV class hybrids and I had HV228 for the run to Edgware, one of the newer version of the Volvo B5LH type with small upper deck windows and angular front (“Gemini 3”). What started as a simple run via Mill Hill Broadway was extended due to traffic congestion on approach to Edgware Town Centre, meaning that we took 25 mins to get to the station with a slow slog over the last half mile.

My inbound bus was now late, so went straight to the pick up stop for its next trip without a break. However, as there was a bit of a queue for it, I awaited the next departure 8 mins later, formed of an earlier example of the type, HV128, with the “classic” front and large windows on both decks (“Gemini 2”). Despite the traffic, which was now building, our driver drove positively and made up time where he could. A good thrash along Hale Lane in tandem with the 240, before sailing through Mill Hill Broadway. From here, we followed the former 240A route to Mill Hill East via Bunns Lane, encountering a small amount of congestion en route. From Mill Hill East, we roared up Frith Lane through the countrified section of route before encountering suburbia again on approach to North FInchley, where we caught up with HV228 in front.

From Tally Ho Corner, the 221 changes its nature from a quieter suburban link to a busier trunk route and we shared the load with the other bus, virtually serving alternate stops, which meant we made good progress despite it being the end of the school day in the area. Through Friern Barnet to New Southgate, before crossing the North Circ to Bounds Green. Our fast run meant we were several minutes early by now, but this was dissipated to an extent by a queue approaching Jolly Butchers Hill. A brief pause at the operational garage, Wood Green (WN), but no driver change on this occasion. Arrival at Turnpike Lane Station was after a good run of some 65 mins, ahead of the earlier bus!

Bus 221 replaced Trolleybus 621 between North Finchley and Holborn Circus in 1961, although the Central London terminus was Farringdon Street for the first few years before reverting to the traditional one in Charterhouse Street. It was extended to Edgware in lieu of parts of routes 125 and 240A in 1966, initially only on M-S but later became daily, although it normally ran in two sections. In 1995 it lost the southern section beyond Turnpike Lane.

It was converted from crew operation with RM to one man “Pay As You Enter” with DMS in 1973. M types were the standard for a long period from 1980 to 1999, when low floor conversion occurred with DLA, although these were then replaced with VLW then DW, hybrids taking charge in 2022.

2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the 221 being withdrawn between Holborn Circus & Turnpike Lane. Arriva London VolvoB5LH HV128 with the older “classic” Wright Gemini bodywork on the 221 in Turnpike Lane Bus Station after my ride from Edgware, already blinded for its next trip.

*The 221 is operated by a mix of the older and newer HV versions from Wood Green (WN) Garage.*

Route 329: Turnpike Lane to Enfield Town

After my previous satisfactory runs, all that was required to finish the day was a simple trip on the relatively short 329 up to Enfield Town. Wrong decision - I should have plumped for the 231 instead! What I hadn’t realised was that roadworks at Hedge Lane in Palmers Green with temporary lights and one-way working was causing massive congestion on Green Lanes and surrounding roads. The 329 schedule was obviously shot to pieces, with late running, short turns and buses running in 2s and 3s. There seemed to be some effort being made to protect the northern “freehold” section of route, with most turns being at Wood Green from the north, although one or two turns at Winchmore Hill from the south were also noted.

None of this I knew as I awaited the next 329 at Turnpike Lane Bus Station, which turned up after 20 mins (on an 8 min frequency), formed of Arriva Enviro400 T272, of WN Garage. Not many passengers at first, but a massive crowd surged aboard at Wood Green Shopping City due to the gap in service. A lane closure at Wood Green Station caused the first (of many) delays. At WN Garage, I noted a 329 turned short and blinded for Enfield, but more crammed aboard our bus. On the way to Palmers Green, we missed several stops due to being full and standing, despite hordes of angry passengers waiting. Another bit of a queue on approach to the North Circ, but it was after passing Palmers Green (AD) Garage, that the fun really started!

We joined the back of a slow-moving queue all the way up to “The Triangle” and beyond, inching our way to the temporary lights at Hedge Lane. Almost an hour from Turnpike Lane to this point, by which time I was virtually losing the will to live. However, once we finally made it through the “pinch-point”, we had almost traffic free roads through Winchmore Hill and were on to the final stretch to Enfield. Just when I thought it was all over - a final twist - another queue along London Road into Enfield Town - no doubt caused by diverted traffic from the Slades Hill closure.

By this time, we had caught up the 329 in front and had two more behind us, all moving in convoy along Cecil Road and past the Town Park Gates to the terminus at Little Park Gardens, where the stand was absolutely rammed with all these arrivals. A grand total journey time of a massive 1h 20m - compared with the more usual 40m off-peak or 50m peak expected time - one of my worst trips in recent times and certainly the longest on this route ever!

The 329 was a localisation of the northern section of the 29 in 1992 using M types to begin with. DLA / DLP low floor deckers took over 2001, although these were replaced in turn by VLW and then T, with some DW and HV joining in, although the route is currently exclusively T operated. Conversion to hybrids is expected when these become available as new electrics are delivered for other local services.

***Arriva London Enviro400 T272 of Wood Green (WN) Garage on the 329 at Little Park Gardens, Enfield Town, after my epic run from Turnpike Lane.***

*Roadworks in Palmers Green was causing massive delays to the service, resulting in 4 buses arriving here together, numbers 2 & 3 seen in this atmospheric twilight shot!*

From Little Park Gardens, it was a short walk to Enfield Chase Station, there to catch the Great Northern train home after a day of mixed fortunes!

Watton

Enveloping Enfield

Strutting Around Stratford

Haring Around Harrow