Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 11th November 2011.

Arriva The Shires Mercedes-Benz Varios

2171-2184: 7.8m Varios for LDT

LDT (the Shires) was a big user of midibuses. They had a stock of small Ivecos, and upwards of sixty medium-sixed Mercedes-Benz Beavers. Some towns' services, like Hemel Hempstead's, had been reorganised around midibus services. In August and October 1997 the company bought fourteen of the shorter Varios. These were delivered in LDT's blue, yellow and stone livery. Some were branded for the 350 (Watford- Carpenders Park - Harrow) and went to Garston.

TheShires MBV sketch 2183 on 322 at Watford Junction, April 2004

First of the class, 2171 on the 372 at Chesham Broadway, October 2003.
TheShires MBV sketch Others went to Hemel Hempstead. 2178 was given a nearly-overall ad for the Hemel Hempstead Park & Ride, which served the hospital. Arriva rebranded the company soon after delivery, and the buses were fairly quickly repainted into Arriva's bland corporate turquoise and champagne livery.

One of this first batch, 2174, went to Arriva Colchester in 2001, whilst still blue and yellow.

Most of the others gave unremarkable service, mainly around the fringes of the system, until 2008-10. 2179 gained Tesco livery in 2009, to work the Tesco route contract at Hemel Hempstead.

Some finished their working days at Milton Keynes, wearing MK Metro yellow with blue skirts. 2171 was distingished as the Easybus spare: painted orange, it stood in as required in the fleet of Varios used by Easybus for airport transfer work.

2183 on 322 at Watford Junction, April 2004 2183 on 322 at Watford Junction, April 2004 2183 on 322 at Watford Junction, April 2004

2183 on the 322 at Watford Junction, April 2004.

Arriva The Shires MBV sketch

2185-2198: 7.8m Varios for Arriva the Shires

Another fourteen followed in April/May 1998, in the new Arriva livery of turquoise and champagne. Some of these soon went east to the then separate Arriva East Herts & Essex, and three of these, 2191-2193 moved on to Arriva Southend. Three more, 2186-2188 moved on to Arriva Southend in 2001, 2186 and 2187 later moving on to Arriva Kent & Sussex at Tunbridge Wells and then Arriva Kent Thameside at Northfleet. 2186 finally moved to Arriva Guildford & West Surrey as a staff ferry bus, F186.

Of the remnant, most worked for East Herts & Essex at Harlow or Stevenage, while the last three worked for the Shires at Wycombe and then Aylesbury or Milton Keynes.

MBV940-954 for Arriva East Herts & Essex, later 2370-2384

County Bus MBV sketch County Bus ordered fifteen of the Vario/Beaver2 combination for October 1997, but it was April 1998 before thirteen of them arrived at what was by then Arriva East Herts & Essex. They were in County bus cream and green. The other two (MVB953,4) went to Arriva Southend. The thirteen were quickly repainted into Arriva corporate livery.

2381 was transferred briefly to Arriva London when the Edmonton services (and garage) were transferred in 1998, but was repatriated to The Shires fairly quickly.

More of this batch were sent east to Colchester or Southend in 2001 leaving just seven in the area. They mainly worked from Harlow, Ware and Stevenage, but 2373 moved west in 2006 and spent nearly four years at Hemel Hempstead. Fitted with seatbelts, it was used for schools contracts for three years.

2377 on H4 at Hertford, June 2004 2377 on H3 at Hertford, June 2004

2377 on Hertford duties to Horns Mill by different routes, June 2004.

Ex Arriva Yorkshire: 2240-2244, 2245-2249

During 1999 and 2000 nine Varios came south from Arriva Yorkshire to join the fleet at The Shires. One, 2243, quickly went off to Arriva East Herts & Essex at Colchester. The others gave valiant service, mainly at the north-western garages, until 2008. Then 2241 went for a brief spell at Milton Keynes, and most of the others went for scrap. 2249 survived for contract work at Hemel Hempstead, being fitted with the seat-belts from 2373 for schools work. It also worked on the Tesco contract service there.


Ian's Bus Stop Vario Index. MBV main text. MBV histories. MBV photos.