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Until the end of August 2021,
Go-ahead London, a significant part of a major group, visited Harlow
twice a day on Monday to Fridays when commercial service 575 ran one
return journey to the town. The route had been operating for a good few
years, but in recent years was now a shadow of the 3-5 journeys to Romford (not all to/from
Harlow) that were once provided 6 days per week.
Operationally the service
was
linked with Essex County Council school service 804 between Debden and Chigwell and for that reason a double deck bus normally featured. During
school holidays when the 804 did not operate, the 575
still did, and at these times single deck buses sometimes
operated. In past years (up to 2018) summer extensions to Southend and Clacton
have operated.
Go-ahead have a Commercial Services Department which is
separate from the main London operations and it is this part of the
business which was responsible for the 804. The department has its own
vehicles, which are of course not required to be all-over red with dual
doors and conventional blinds. Other operations besides the 575/804 undertaken include things
like Wimbledon Tennis and other special events services, private hires,
school contracts and railway replacement work.
Below are
illustrations of some operations that have occurred and fuller details of
the fleet from which these have come, although most individual vehicles
will not have run the 575. The 575 ceased following the transfer of the
804 to Stephensons.
Alexander-Dennis
Enviro400MMC
The newest
vehicles in the Commercial Services fleet, continuing the numbering
sequence from the standard variant of the type, are this pair. Delivered
new they have never been used on regular TfL services. They're probably
a bit too good for school route 804 and so haven't, to my knowledge,
been used on the 575. |
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Picture not available |
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Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse
Gemini
The other
type of Volvo/Wright is the B9TL. |
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The "N" in
the WVN classification shows that the vehicle has a heritage from
outside the Goahead group. WVN52 is in full London livery. (R Hudson). |
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Alexander-Dennis Enviro400
The vehicles
numbered below E281 once worked in service on normal TfL routes and have
been since adapted to be part of the commercial fleet. The most obvious
exterior difference is the livery and fitment of LED displays. Two (E3
and E12) have been converted to single door.
E281-3 on the other
hand were delivered directly to Commercial Services. These have
high-back seats, are all single door and have high-back seats. |
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E1 |
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E2 |
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E3 |
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E4 |
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E5 |
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E6 |
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E7 |
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E9 |
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E10 |
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E11 |
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E12 |
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E13 |
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E14 |
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E15 |
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E135 |
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E169 |
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E281 |
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E282 |
E283
EN1
EN2
EN3 |
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SN06BNA |
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SN06BNB |
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SN06BND |
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SN06BNE |
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SN06BNF |
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SN06BNJ |
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SN06BNK |
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SN06BNO |
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SN06BNU |
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SN06BNV |
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SN06BNX |
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SN06BNY |
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SN06BNZ |
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SN06BOF |
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SN60BZG |
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SN61BGY |
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YX14RTV |
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YX14RTZ |
YX14RUA
SN58CDY
SN58CDZ
SN58CEA |
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E281 is a
non-London-spec bus. Not all-red, high-back seats, LED displays and
single-door. It is seen on the first run to Clacton, despite the display
being lacking. (R Hudson). |
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Elder
sister E5 (SN06BNF) retains dual doors and has the LED display in white on
black. (R Hudson) |
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Scania N230/Omniciti
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Paper number in the
window for former Metrobus 970, seen in October 2016 in Harlow Bus
Station. (R Hudson). |
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Scania N230/Optare Olympus
Summer 2014
saw this new type of vehicle start service on the 575. This type
spent the first 5 years of its Go-ahead life in service with Metrobus in
London, but many have been rendered surplus there by some recent tender
losses. Note that 879 is officially allocated to Croydon. |
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PN09EKT |
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PN09EKU |
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PN09ELV |
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PO59KFY |
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Departing on the now
once-a-day service to Romford is 872. (R Hudson). |
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Scania N94/East Lancs
Omnidekka
Regular on
the route of late is one-time Metrobus vehicles which features white on black LED displays. |
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Clearly showing most of
the old Metrobus name, 945, the old Metrobus fleet number, illustrates
the white on black LED display. (R Hudson). |
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Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton
Pointer 2
When a single deck
vehicle is used on the 575 then this is the regular. Initially the
vehicle operated in London General red with dark grey skirt, before
taking on a white livery with a lilac band, before it's latest
incarnation below. |
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In summer 2018 a new
livery appeared along with white on black LED front display. (R Hudson). |
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AEC Routemaster
The 575's extension to Harlow was celebrated
on one day during the first two weeks by the appearance of RM9. Go-ahead
own 5 Routemasters in total, the other 4 being of the RML type. All are
based at New Cross. |
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RM9 with full blinds on
28th November 2012, drafted in for the purpose. (R Hudson). |
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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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