Last update
21st December 2024

First, through their predecessors, most notably Eastern National, had a long and continuous history of serving Harlow. This ceased in June 2003 when commercial route 333 was passed to Excel Coaches, that following the loss of ECC tendered work in the area.

They then returned to the Harlow scene in a very small way, picking up the one-bus 347 service from 6th July 2009, this lasting until November 2014. After a gap of 17 months they then returned with the one-bus approximately 2-hourly ECC Sunday service on the normally Arriva operated 59. The 59 is a number with a long history of connecting Harlow with Chelmsford and for most of that time it was an Eastern National or First service. This passed back to Arriva upon the next round of tendering.

Again a gap, then from 1 August 2024, another reincarnation courtesy of Essex County Council when the Sunday 59, along with new routes 407/417, peak hours route 14 and the evening service on town route 4 were all taken up.    

Some illustrations and details are shown below of vehicles either seen operating on the new routes, or which could, based on them being other examples of the type and based at First's Chelmsford depot. This page is in no way intended to reflect the very significant allocation of vehicles the company has around Chelmsford and the rest of Essex. A full First Essex fleet list can be found at http://www.ukbuses.co.uk/fleet/firstessex.pdf

Sighted in Harlow or Bishops Stortford since the new operations started on 28th August 2024

Scania N250UD/Alexander-Dennis Enviro 400MMC Double deckers are being used on 2 journeys on route 14 now the schools are back through interworking. The newest vehicle type available at Chelmsford are this less than unusual combination of chassis and body, clearly more normally used on the more prestigious Airlinks services.
36837 36841 36842	YN69XXU YN69XYB YN69XYC		The destination displays on these vehicles have, perhaps not unreasonably, not been updated to include the recently won Harlow tendered services. 36837 offers more capacity and luxury that is really called for on the 14 on 20th September 2024. (R. Hudson)
			Just a couple of days earlier, from the same batch, 36842. (R Hudson)

Alexander-Dennis E40D/Enviro400MMC Most double deckers are of a more standard body and chassis combination. Still, in what is too often Firstbus style, there is little livery or brand standard or allocation consistency.
34424 34426 44596	SN17MTX SN17MTZ SN65OGO		The first of liveries noted is on 34424, which features Essex airline, seen just ahead of taking up service on rather lower profile service 14. (R Hudson)
			Still looking smart, this time in First's new deep blue and grey is 33426. This vehicle started life with Bournemouth and came via First East Anglia. Note the return of "Bus" in the fleet name. (R Hudson).
			At Harlow Bus Station 44596 shows the relatively recent blue and grey angular style, without a branding on the side. It prepares for taking up service on the 14. (R. Hudson)

Alexander-Dennis E20D/Enviro200MMC The most modern single deckers at Chelmsford are this latest version of the E200.
44661 67171	YX66WBF YY66PCO		Red shuttles livery on 44661, departing for Pinnacles on the 14. (R. Hudson)
			.

Wright Streetlite DF Supporting the fleet of E200s and E200MMCs are a number of this rarer type generally.
47597	SN14FEX		The red shines brightly on an otherwise gloomy October 2024 day. The bus is about to operate route 14. (R. Hudson)
47657	SN15AEX		And the Essex country green equivalent, this time on the 407. (R Hudson)

Alexander-Dennis Enviro400 The earlier incarnation of the same Alexander double deck offering has also featured.
33705 33730	SN12AHO SN12AMK		Also at Harlow Bus Station 44596, also without a branding, but ready to depart on the 14. (R. Hudson)

Alexander-Dennis E20D/Enviro200 The most numerous fleet type across the First in Essex fleet is this type, as it was the last time First operated in Harlow. Many are native Essex machines but various branding exercises mean that there is little consistency to what is put out, not just in Harlow but across the operating area.
44006 44080 44081 44172 44173 44174 44175 44176 44177 44178 44467 44469 44471 45537 44539 44540 44543 44545 44546 44547 44548 44549 44550 44596 44900 44914 44915	LK57EJL First YX58HVK First Essex YX58HVL First CC YX11AFN YX11AFO YX11AFU YX11AFV Red Red Red Red YX11AFY YX11AFZ Red Red YX11AGO Red YX12DHE YX12GGO YX62BNB Green Green Green YX13AEX YX13AHO YX13AHP YX13AHZ First CC First BD37 First Essex First CC YX13AKG First CC YX13AKJ YX13AKK First CC . YX13AKN YX13AKO YX13AKP EU60LFS First CC First CC First Essex AY08EKT First CC YX09AGZ YX09AHA First Essex First Essex		Standard fare at Chelmsford other than the slightly small and offset fleet name is illustrated by 44081. (R Hudson)
			At Harlow Bus Station 44176 illustrated the Shuttles red livery intended for town services in Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester, working on positioning service 19A. (R. Hudson)
			44175 shows the nearside view of the Shuttles livery. (R Hudson)
			44471 offers the out of town green livery. It was, suitably, operating the 59 when seen. (R Hudson)
			A night shot shows 44537 (YX13AEF) at Harlow bus station during the last couple of weeks before closure. (R Hudson)
			Essex branding, with route details for the Brentwood area 37, are carried in 44539. (R Hudson)
			44546 on stand and ready to depart. (R Hudson)
			44550 shows the most modern and most angular version of First's evolution of "Barbie". The Chelmsford City name was and is used interchangeably with the Essex name on the road. (R. Hudson)

Route list

Within Harlow
4 - Harlow town service - Bus station to Latton Bush. Mon-Sat evenings only. ECC contract. (Main Mon-SAt service by Arriva, Sunday ECC contract by Central Connect).
14 - Harlow town service - Bus station to Little Parndon (Mon-Sat peak hours) and Pinnacles (Mon-Fri peak hours). 
19/19A - Harlow to Chelmsford - positioning journeys, not all full length, 3 each way Monday to Saturday, 1 on Sunday.
59 - Harlow to Chelmsford. Sundays, every 2 hours. Pvr = 1. ECC Contract (Main Mon-Sat service by Arriva)
407/417 - Harlow town service - Bus station, town station and hospital to Old Harlow (Aspen Way) via Edinburgh Way. pvr = 1. ECC contract.

Alexander-Dennis E200/E20 A type which was a regular visitor to the 347 was the first to serve the new First 59 Sunday service. The Chelmsford City branding on some of the fleet is actually appropriate for the new task, although it was just as predominantly displayed on the last. Others display the "Essex" name.
44537 44538 44539 44540 44541 44542 44543 44544 44545 44546 44547 44548 44549 44550 44551 44596 44597 44598 44599	YX13AEF YX13AHN YX13AHO YX13AHP YX13AHU YX13AHV YX13AHZ YX13AKF YX13AKG YX13AKJ YX13AKK YX13AKN YX13AKO YX13AKP YX13AXY EU60LFS FJ58YSL KX57BWF YX08HJF		Leaving Harlow Bus Station is 44544 on the first day of the Sunday service on route 59 by First. (R. Hudson)
			44539 shows the Essex branding (this bus once carried Chelmsford City) and that the emergency exist door has been replaced without black window surrounds having been applied. (R. Hudson)
			You might think that on a Sunday there would be enough unbranded vehicles available so as to avoid allocating a branded one to the wrong route. Here 44540 displays a Brentwood-Pilgrims Hatch route 37 legend. (R Hudson)

Alexander-Dennis Mini Pointer Dart The small bus of the noughties, this time badged as Alexander-Dennis. Four examples, now presumably in the later days of their lives, are based at Chelmsford.
43845 43846 43847 43848	SN55CXH SN55CXF SN55CXJ SN55CXE		The never especially helpful ESSEX branding is shown on 43848 on a relative rare occasion that an MPD was used on the Sunday 59. (R Hudson)

Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander Pointer Ten years ago no fleet would be complete without this vehicle type, but that's less true today. First's Chelmsford Depot though, still has quite a number, doubtless increasing the average age profile quite significantly. Those shown below have been noted in Harlow.
42555 42556 42557 42561 42895 42890 42918 42922 42923 42927 42928 42930 42931 42932 42933 42934 42935 42936 42937 42939 42940 42941 42944 42945 42968	WX05UAM WX05UAN WX05UAO SN05DZX WX05RUW WX05RVF EU05AUK EU05AUO EU05AUP EU05EAF EU05EAG SN05EAM SN05EAO SN05EAP SN05DZO SN05DZP SN05DZR  SN05DZS SN05DZT WX05SVE MX56HXZ WX56OAO WX56OAU WX56OAV WX06ONC		So-called "Barbie 2" livery is shown on 42936. (R Hudson)
			The current First corporate livery is shown on 42930 on a September 2018 Sunday on the 59. (R Hudson)
			Same place and same purpose, 42561 shows the ESSEX name prominently. (R Hudson)
			42556 on a 2019 Sunday, ready to go. (R Hudson)

Please note that this is an unofficial site, and whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, no claims can be entertained for losses caused by any errors or omissions here, or through any shortcomings on the part of the operators themselves. We would be grateful if any errors could be notified to us, in order that we can make a prompt correction. Any suggestions, comments or other forms of feedback are most welcome by e-mail. This site acknowledges the support provided by local operators, but is not directly linked with any operator.

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