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This page created 17th September 2021.
Metroline's Trident Presidents: TP, TPL: Part22003Top-ups for HollowayVPLs for Holloway to take over route 24 were late arriving, so TPs were temporarily allocated.In January 2003 Holloway received fifteen more TPs (348-362) to top up routes 134, 4 and 17.
Cricklewood double-decks 139, 189Cricklewood had long held a single-decker route into the heart of London: the 139 from West Hampstead down through Oxford Circus, Trafalgar Square and Strand to Waterloo, operated by DMLs. Their 189 only penetrated as far as Oxford Circus, and was operated by low-floor DLD Darts. In January/February 2003 both were converted to TP operation, new TP348-370 arriving to be the nominal allocation. Cricklewood received TP371-402 during February/March. Hollway took TP403-428 in March.
TP370 threads its way along Strand towards Aldwych on a 139 to Waterloo in July 2003. TP241 battles traffic on its way to Brent Cross on a 189 in September 2010.
TP372 on 139 to West Hampstead, Strand, March 2004, according to the front blinds if not the rear!.Potters Bar: TPs allocated to 217, 231, W8Routes 231 and 217, operated by Potters Bar, were single-decker routes, operated with DMLs, until contract renewal in June and August 2003, when low-floor double-decks were specified. 7 and 10 TPs were required, plus spares. New TP429-434 arrived in June. By pulling TPLs off other routes, and keeping route 82 to VPLs, and Olympians on the 84 Potters Bar had nearly enough. But seventeen more arrived at Potters Bar in July (TP435-445, 459-460, 462-465). Route N20 was taken over from First.
Highgate Village terminus for the 271: TP46, October 2005, TP427, September 2012.TP465 was the last new TP. There should have been more for Potters Bar, but twelve (TP446-455, 457-458) were loaned to to Park Royal, who were awaiting VPs for the 460. Unfortunately it turned out that the TPs were too tall for the 460, so the loaned buses were further transferred to Perivale for the 297.The loaned buses returned to Potters Bar for the W8 in September 2003, converting the route from DLD Dart operation. Thge 460 got its VPs and the 297 reverted to DLDs. Other swaps at this time were eight TPs each way between Harrow Weald and Holloway, to even out mileage accumulation. Also operation of the 263 moved from Potters Bar to Holloway, and fifteen TPs were moved from Cricklewood to Holloway to cover it, TAs (that had been on the 263) from PB going to W instead. The 263 reverted to Potters Bar operation (with TPs) in March 2004.
Buses new to Cricklewood on other routes: TP406, new to Cricklewood, works Potters Bar's 84 to St.Albans, January 2006; TP412 works a 205 to Paddington just four months old in July 2003; TP417 shows off at Cobham Museum Open Day, April 2003, wearing blinds for its 139.
TP429 at Potters Bar Garage ready for W8 to Barnet Church, May 2007.2004Not much of note happened with the TP fleet during 2004. There were swaps between garages.
2005Towards the end of 2005 the early batches were starting to fade, paint-wise. Metroline's red tended to fade to a dull pink. So a programme of repaints started. Apart from the fresh colour, the blue skirt was abbreviated to bumper-height. They started to acquire white roofs too. Implementation of the repaints was sporadic and in no fixed order.
2006At the end of 2006 there was a significant movement of Tridents: seven TPLs and two TPs moved from Potters Bar to Cricklewood, while nine TPLs moved from Holloway to Potters Bar. This was to move iRIS-fitted TPLs to Cricklewood. More followed in January 2007.2007A decree went out that tip-up seats were a BAD THING, and should be removed or locked out of use. Whether this was due to an upsurge in compensation claims for trapped fingers, falls, etc, or a bid to increase standing room I don't know. There was a purge, reducing seating in some cases to 59 (compared to 56 on a pre-war STL, 56 on a RT, 63 on a RM or 72 on a RML!). The longer TPLs came down to 76 seats.
Route 7 was supposed to be re-equipped with new Olympuses in July 2007. But they were late. TPL237-247 were transferred in from Holloway to Perivale to fill the gap on 7/N7, along with buses hired from First. The TPLs were used on other PV routes as well, such as the 332 (which was supposed to be TEs). New blinds at Perivale (becaused of the 205 extension to Mile End) allowed TPs to be used on single-decker route 90, where previously slip-boards had to be used on the rare occurences that TPs were used.
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Ian's Bus Stop
Trident Index
2003-7