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EOS London |
This page
Brief history
Current fleet list
Route List
Brief History
Swallow Coaches started a bold new service on 1st September 2014, establishing once again a link between Harlow, Waltham Abbey and Loughton in the form of new routes 66 (Debden - Harlow) and 66A (Loughton - Waltham Abbey) under the EOS London name. These routes offered a regular all-day timetable on Mondays to Saturdays using a fleet in the striking and smart livery once worn by Pennine Motor services.
The service network then evolved with the main emphasis on the commercial side moved to the Loughton/Debden - Waltham Cross corridor as the 66, where competition with Roadrunner ceased and gave the corridor exclusively to EOS. The Harlow to Waltham Cross and Upshire element is separated as the 86 (previously 66A). The seemingly simple route 66 is often beset by traffic delays when car drivers use the back lanes to escape problems on the M25, added to the bottleneck at Loughton High Road.
The next major innovation was on 1st September 2016 when new route 87 restarted competition on the Harlow to Sumners/Katherines and Epping routes every 15 minutes. It still exists but in a much revised form.
Finally, route S1 took to the road on 4th June linking Harlow with Redbridge and Stratford, 6 times per week Mondays to Saturdays and 4 times on Sundays. This should have been successful but after only a few short weeks it was deregistered from 31st July. This it seemed was the catalyst for all other commercial services to be withdrawn. The initial planned end on 31st August was hurriedly accelerated to 31st July, although due to registration problems between Arriva and the Traffic Commissioners, some level of service was maintained on 1st and 2nd August 2018.
From 3rd August routes 86 and 87 along with the 66, together all of the commercial services, were taken over by Arriva on largely similar timetables. The ECC contract services on the other hand continue using EOS vehicles but operated under the Swallow Buses banner. There is no longer a Harlow connection as all of these routes operate outside.
Website: www.eoslondon.com
Current fleet list
| Scania N230 Omniciti Recent acquisitions to the fleet and also presently the youngest are these. Purchased for staff transfers at Heathrow by Menzies, later operating with GHA Coaches whose livery was carried on entry to service, both are now in regular operation. 701 has since been painted into fleet colours. |
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YR10AZV shows the GHA livery but with fleet name removed. The silver has been carried since new. (R Hudson) | ||||
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YR10AZO shows the application of fleet livery and logo. (R Hudson) | ||||||
| Alexander Dennis Enviro
200 Dart Arrived in September 2017 were 2 of this class, registered BX58BGY and GX09AGZ. By early 2018 the former had been sold and the latter reregistered to a previously used cherished mark. |
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Waltham Cross Bus Station is the setting for EOS711. Fleet livery and orange LED display sits well together on this vehicle. The 66 has the largest single vehicle allocation with EOS. (Alex Moynihan) | |||
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well The same vehicle in Harlow surrounded by a dusting of snow. (R. Hudson) | |||||
| Enterprise Plasma/Plaxton Primo 2 An old friend of the Harlow to Waltham Abbey corridor in the form of BU08ACV returned with the launch of the 66 and 66A. This vehicle type remains a rarity, but even so, a second example arrived in February 2015, since departed. |
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A dull day at Harlow sees 661 arrive on the 86. (R Hudson) | ||
| Alexander-Dennis
Enviro200/MCV Evolution Arriving in early 2018, four examples of a class which has seen service in London under Docklands Buses, later part of Goahead London. At this stage the London livery, blind apertures and even fleet numbers remain. Generally these were used on Loughton-Ilford service and are longer than the earlier examples at Trustybus, having B29D seating/door configuration. |
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In its early days in service, a paper blind displays had to suffice on ED19 at Harlow Bus Station on the 87. (R Hudson) | ||||||||||
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ED20 shows a later view, still all-red but now with full blinds for the extended 87, post April 2018. (R Hudson) | ||||||||||||
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ED27 is seen here on the first day of the new S1 service. Note the white on blue express blinds. (R Hudson) | ||||||||||||
| Transbus Dart SLF/Caetano
Nimbus During July and August 2015 the three (of four received) lower numbered vehicles entered service, bringing the livery and greater consistency to the network. Their main focus was the 66 service. Since then many more have arrived and departed. Some have LED displays whilst others have conventional blinds |
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Although mainly used on the 66, 751 has reached Harlow on the former 66A (now 86) service. Fleet names and numbers yet to be applied when seen here. (R Hudson) | |||||||||
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754 (since withdrawn) shows the offside when seen here departing from the bus station. (R Hudson) | |||||||||||
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From the more recent batch, 760 (also since withdrawn) features an effective looking stick-on front display. (R Hudson) | |||||||||||
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A number of the fleet, including 761 (shown) and 762, feature red livery, white on black LT-style custom blinds and dual doors. (R Hudson) | |||||||||||
| Transbus Trident/Plaxton President A January 2015 arrival in full fleet livery and with an LED display fitted was fleet number 100. On 18th January fleet number 100 suffered accident damage at Thornwood. Then, arriving in April 2016, this time former London General via CT Plus, also in full fleet livery, was fleet number 104. |
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Fleet number 100 showing how the Harlow section of route had become the 66A, since renumbered 86. (R Hudson) | ||
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The most recent arrival, 104, with grey skirt. (R Hudson) | ||||
| Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander
Pointer In spring/summer 2017 a number examples of this type appeared in service, initially in a variety of liveries. |
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The former London heritage is clear on KP02PUK, seen here at Epping Station on the 87. All three were purchased new by Armchair and transferred to Metroline with the rest of the bus operations upon the sale of that business. (R Hudson) | |||
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Fleet numbers 744 and 743 saw service with Metroline but started their London lives with Thorpes. 742 (above) is another which came via the Armchair route. Both have now been repainted into fleet livery. (R Hudson) | |||
Volvo B7TL / East Lancs
Vyking
Assumed to be principally for school service 133, this
one-off fleet member was once a London vehicle which went North East
within the Goahead group before being sold on.
PJ02PZF
This
former London vehicle retains its centre doors and red livery. It is
seen having performed away from its normal haunt on the 86. (R Hudson)
Other vehicles
The need for
spares means that some
parent company vehicles will occasionally appear, as shown below.
HK15XHD
Seen in October 2017 in Harlow Bus station, reason unknown, this
modern-day Ford Transit (R Hudson)
CN07BAA
A former Megabus Volvo B12B/Plaxton Panther was first noted operating
peak-time Harlow College journeys. The vehicle now carries Swallow
Coaches livery.
(R Hudson).
FN52MZF
Given the ownership of
EOS, inevitably the odd coach appearing on a bus route might be
expected, as seen here in the case of a Volvo B12/Caetana Enigma
appearing on the 66. (R Hudson)
R714KGK
Similarly Dennis
Javelin/Berkhof Radial appeared on short-lived route 16. (R Hudson)
Route List
Within Harlow:
(None)
Outside Harlow:
13 Waltham Cross to Epping ,
133 Debden Park School to
Abridge via Chigwell and Grange Hill. 1 school journey
61 Brentwood to Blackmore
66A Debden and Loughton to Waltham Cross,
Sundays
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Last update 17th June
2018
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