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The big group
operator in the town and the largest player,
the local Arriva operation has its roots in the old
London Transport country
bus network. Its garage lies close to the town centre and is one of only
two original former London Country garages remaining operational (the other
being Northfleet). After being London
Country North East, County Bus was formed where Harlow was the head office.
A short spell under West Midlands Travel ownership, then onto being part of the Cowie group, which transformed into
Arriva. In 2010 management responsibility within Arriva changed to the TGM group,
which was accompanied by the introduction of the Network Harlow
name and dark blue livery for local services together with the SX Connect name for out of town services 59 and 509/510 (along with the 133 at Stansted).
In 2016 this reversed with the transfer of management responsibility to
the Arriva Kent Thameside part of the business and the Network Harlow and SX
Connect names
were dropped and more usual Arriva liveries returned once
again.
The services operated, much reduced from their peak, include
a mixture of both town and country routes. Most services are operated commercially
during Monday to Saturday daytime,
although most evening journeys and Sunday services operate under contract to Essex County Council
or receive other financial support. Good efforts have always been made to market the
network. Service leaflets are available from the travel office in the
bus station and a website with route diagrams and local timetable
information is available at www.arrivabus.co.uk/harlow/
After a long period where there was a wide-range of fleet types and some fluidity almost each
month, in 2016 this became much more settled with just 4 types remaining
in service. This as grown again a little with some of the other types which
are typical in the Arriva Kent Thameside fleet coming and going, for the
short or long term, as needed.
Effective 3rd August 2018 was the
assumption of three commercial routes formerly operated by EOS, being the
66, 86 and 87. The 66 was transferred to Ware, the 87 dropped and replaced
by a DRT operated by EFCT and the 86 limped on to April 2023 before being
replaced by the introduction of Vectare's supported Monday to Friday 505.
A plan to introduce a major Stansted Airport to London coach service in
April 2020 was thwarted by Coronavirus and never resurfaced.
Fleet
Alexander-Dennis E20D/Enviro200MMC
A fleet of brand new vehicles took over routes 508/509/510
in 2017. The first
vehicles were noted in the area in mid-June with the first noted entry
into service being Monday 19th June with all 12 (4076-4087) in service
by 28th June. They are B45F and all except 4083 carry route branding
(4084/5/7 were unbranded for around 1 year from entry into service but
were dealt with earlier in 2018). They regularly stray onto other
routes.
Two additional
vehicles of this type arrived concurrent with the EOS commercial
route take-up in summer 2018 but both have since left. 4113 was a late 2019
arrival and remains in service.
Bringing the story up to date to
2021, 8 more of the class have arrived from Kent and effectively
replaced, at a stroke, the Mercedes Citaros which had been operating the
724 since 2006. Of these, 4102 (YX17NYT) suffered a fire in service and
was withdrawn.
There had been operational segregation
between the 4076 to 4085/7 batches and 4093 to 4101 batches, with the
former normally on the 508/9/10 and latter on the 724. As of late June/early
July
2022 the 724 has seen a batch of 8 ex-Leicester VDL/Wright Pulsar 2s arrive and
an equivalent number of this fleet have moved on, surprisigly comprising
vehicles from both batches. Those that remain are shown below.
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4076 |
4078 |
4081 |
4083 |
4084 |
4085 |
4086 |
4087 |
4095 |
4096 |
4101 |
4113 |
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YX17NGJ |
YX17NGO |
YX17NGY |
YX17NHA |
YX17NHB |
YX17NHC |
YX17NHD |
YX17NHE |
YX17NYK |
YX17NYL |
YX17NYS |
SN67WUA |
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Just prior to entry into service, 4078
shows the updated lighter blue livery, WIFI/USB charging capability
and route branding with rather limited detail. (R Hudson) |
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In service is 4081, with branding but
with LED display not functioning when captured. (R Hudson) |
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The local stock of the batch increased with the addition of 4113, moved from
within the Arriva Kent Thameside fleet at Guildford. (R
Hudson) |
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4101 carried Sapphire branding from its days on the 700
(Chatham - Bluewater) which was still carried on entry into service. It's now had the branding replaced by something
for the 508/9/10 and the front is now light blue, as shown, leaving an
odd effect. R Hudson
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VDL SB200/Wright Pulsar or Pulsar 2
Unexpected was the arrival in April 2022 of a
transfer from down the road at Ware of 3776 (KX09KDK).
Visually similar (potentially even identical?) to the Eclipse Urban, the Pulsar is the name is used by Wright when in combination with a
VDL chassis.
Then in late June 2022, it was evidently decided
to change the stock being used on the 724. Arriving from Leicester
following a brief trial were a new batch of 8 of the refreshed Pulsar 2
variety, exchanged with a similar
number of A-D Enviro200MMCs.
3776 then departed in October 2022,
to be replaced by identical 3759, then shortly afterwards, 3756, a
vehicle which operated in Harlow in 2015, arrived. 3759 has since left.
3771 emerged in December 2022, repainted in a brand new
Green Line 724 dedicated livery. It was shy for a few months but is now
operating again. Reports were that the repaint programme was
halted, until 3798 appeared in March, then 3797 in May and 3772 in June,
in the new colours. So,
as things stands the fleet of 9 comprises 4 in light blue, 4 in new
Green Line, 1 in inter-urban. |
3756 |
3770 |
3771 |
3772 |
3773 |
3774 |
3797 |
3798 |
3799 |
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YJ08DZF
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FL63DXA |
FL63DXB |
FL63DXC |
FL63DXD |
FL63DXE |
FL63DXF |
FL63DXG |
FL63DXH |
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Newest into the fleet at Harlow is the
eldest of the class (3756). Still showing branding for Southend, in its first days in service
in October 2022 is 3759, since departed. (R Hudson) |
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3772, one of the June 2022 arrivals, seen straight after being repainted
in June 2023 on the Sumners/Katherines 1 service.
(R Hudson) |
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3799 on the other hand is in light blue. Seen here on the 724 about to
depart for "St Albans for Heathrow". (R. Hudson) |
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