Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 5th December 2005.

Individual bus histories

These histories are incomplete. They are being assembled from bits and chunks of data from a variety of sources. Particularly helpful have been:


       B888 BVW  */85    Ford R1115, Wadham Stringer B33F
                 */85    new to Ford, Warley
                 */87    bought by Crystals as spare for 146

       C923 DKR  */86    Leyland Cub CU435, HTI/Maxeta B33F
                 */86    new to Crystals for 146
                 4/86    used on 146
                 7/87    used on 146

       C924 DKR  */86    Leyland Cub CU435, HTI/Maxeta B33F
                 */86    new to Crystals for 146


E281 TWW 1/88 MB 811D #670303-20-831060, Optare StarRider #248, B31F 1/88 new to Stone, Glazebury 1988 bought by Crystals 4/89 used on 146 6/89 used on 146 1990 Crystals E456 VUM 6/88 MB 811D #670303-20-839771, Optare StarRider #441, B31F 6/88 demonstrator: used by Crystals on 146 1988 bought by Crystals used on 146 1990 Crystals E970 SVU Mercedes Benz 6/90 in use as spare on 146, brown/red
L68 DPE 1/94 MB709D #669003-2N-019168, Crystals#916, B18FL 1/94 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals) */94 used on 856, Lewisham Mobility Bus 3/02 Crystals L76 DPE 7/94 MB709D #669003-2N-020480, Crystals#935, DP19F 7/94 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals) used on 937, Bromley Mobility Bus 8/01 used on 851, Lewisham Mobility Bus 3/02 Crystals */03 Target Travel, Plymouth 11/07 Target Travel, Plymouth L168 EKR */94 Mercedes-Benz 711D, Crystals B18FL */94 new to Crystals (Doncaster): demonstrator */94 bought by Springham, Dartford (Crystals) 8/01 used on 851, Lewisham Mobility Bus 3/02 Crystals */03 Target Travel, Plymouth */04 Target Travel, Plymouth */05 Target Travel, Plymouth 11/07 Target Travel, Plymouth M569 TJL 1/95 MB 709D #669003-2N-029720, Crystals#1291 1/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals): Mobility bus red used on 852 Mobility bus 3/02 Crystals
N601 JGP 11/95 MB709D #669003-2N-032859, Crystals#1423, B25F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 */95 used on R2 1/96 used on R7, turquoise 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals N602 JGP 11/95 MB709D #669003-2N-032788, Crystals#1421, B25F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals N603 JGP 11/95 MB709D #669003-2N-032812, Crystals#1422, B25F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals N604 JGP 11/95 MB811D, Crystals B29F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 9/96 used on R7 used on R2 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals N605 JGP 11/95 MB811D, Crystals B29F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals 7/03 Heyfordian, still turquoise */06 Heyfordian N606 JGP 11/95 MB811D, Crystals B29F 11/95 new to Springham, Dartford (Crystals), turquoise, for R2, R7 used on R2, turquoise 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals K286 ESF MB709D, Dormobile B27F */98 bought by Crystals as spare for R2, R7
P347 HKU */97 Mercedes-Benz 711D, Crystals body B20FL 9/97 used on 971, Bromley Mobility bus 10/00 in service on 933, Lewisham Mobility Bus 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals 57 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #57 3/04 T-GM TD used on Mobility 931 (Dartford) 397 3/05 PH taken over by Metrobus (Polhill) 8/05 PH withdrawn 11/05 sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet) bought by The National Stud P348 HKU */97 Mercedes-Benz 711D, Crystals body B20FL 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals 58 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #58 3/04 T-GM 3/05 T-GM
H427 KPA */91 Mercedes-Benz 811D, Dormobile B29F Tillingbourne */01 bought by Crystals 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals M394 LOA LDV400 Sherpa, Crystals B16F 94 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #94 N56 HEU LDV400 Sherpa, Crystals B16F Crystals crew ferry bus 96 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #96 transfer, Travel London, Fulwell 3/07 Travel London crew ferry bus, white G192 XHU Mercedes-Benz MB609D, Made to Measure C26F CSU 908 reregistered 98 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #98 3/04 T-GM G689 UHU Mercedes-Benz MB609D, Crystals B16F CSU 909 reregistered 99 8/03 taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller #99 3/04 T-GM
L231 HRF 10/93 Mercedes-Benz MB709D #669003-2N-014422, Dormobile #52578 632 93, B29F 10/93 new to Stevensons, #231 bought by Pickford, Chippenham 8/03 hired by Crystals for LRT work 8/03 hired by T-GM for LRT work 3/07 Faresaver, Bath M457 HPG 10/94 Mercedes-Benz MB709D #669003-2N-025142, Alexander AM122/9424/3 B27F 457 10/94 new to London & Country Cleveland Transit bought by Pickford, Chippenham 8/03 hired by Crystals for LRT work 8/03 hired by T-GM for LRT work 4/07 Faresaver, Bath
S107 HGX 1/99 7.8m Mercedes-Benz O814D 670373-2N-076770, Plaxton Beaver2 987.8MWV9865, B29F 1/99 new to Crystals, Dartford: turquoise 3/99 in service on B14 717 8/03 TD taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller (Dartford) 3/04 TD 9/04 TD accident damaged... 9/04 TF ..transfer into store (Fulwell) 10/04 TF substantially rebuilt: painted in white/blue/yellow 11/04 TG transfer (Byfleet) 3/05 TG 6/05 TG (Byfleet) 6/05 TG taken over by Travel London 9/05 TF transfer 3/06 TF 5/06 TG transfer MB7 6/06 renumbered by 12/06 delisted 7/07 at Fulwell awaiting disposal 12/07 sent for auction at Harrison's, Blackwater Pickford, Chippenham 5/09 on hire to White's Coaches, Oxford 6/09 on hire to Veolia, Pontypridd 7/09 on hire with Veolia, Pontypridd 11/09 on hire to Little Jim Buses, Oxford 10/10 in service, Faresaver, Bath 1/11 on hire to Far East Buses, Ipswich 2/11 on hire to Far East Buses, Ipswich S108 HGX 1/99 7.8m Mercedes-Benz O814D 670373-2N-076770, Plaxton Beaver2 987.8MWV0332, B29F 1/99 new to Crystals, Dartford: turquoise 718 8/03 TD taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller (Dartford) 9/03 TD repainted red: used on R2 3/04 TD unusual on R6 12/04 TD accident-damaged 1/05 TD repaired, repainted red, back into service 1/05 TD in service on R2 to Biggin Hill Valley, T-GM: plain red 2/05 TD in service on R8, T-GM: plain red 3/05 TD used on B14 3/05 TD in service on R8 to Biggin Hill, T-GM: plain red 3/05 TG transfer (Byfleet) 5/05 transfer to Burton's, Haverhill Network Colchester #708 4/06 in service, Network Colchester 10/08 withdrawn 11/08 bought by Beeston's, Hadleigh for spares S905 SLF */99 Mercedes-Benz Vario O.814, Crystals, B27F 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals S906 SLF */99 Mercedes-Benz Vario O.814, Crystals, B27F 3/02 Crystals 3/03 Crystals
J465 UFS */92 Mercedes Benz 609D, Crystals C24F */92 new to Checker Travel taken over by Luton & District 2166 Arriva the Shires repainted turquoise/cream 7/00 GR 3/02 GR 6/05 GR 8/06 GR into store 9/06 HH change store, withdrawn (Hemel Hempstead) 10/06 bought by Hilton, Newton-le-Willows bought by Bennett's Warrington 2/08 sold

MC Photo References

For a key to the references, see the bibliography.

Leyland Cub / HTI/Maxeta


        C923 DKR  LBH287p56   4/86     on 146 to Downe, Bromley South
                  LBH288p62   7/87     on 146 to Downe, Bromley South

Mercedes Benz 811D/ Optare StarRider


        E261 TWW  LBH289p42   4/89     on 146 to Downe, Bromley South, blue/white/grey

        E970SVU   LBH290p69   6/90     on 146 to Downe, Bromley South, brown/red

Mercedes-Benz / Crystals


        L68 DPE   LBM88 p05   */94     on 856 to Lewisham, Mobility Bus

        N601 JGP  LBM98 p13   1995     on R2 to Petts Wood, Orpington W.M.
                  LBM96 p41   1/96     on R7 to Petts Wood Station, Orpington, turquoise

        N604 JGP  LBH98 p36   9/96     on R7 to St Mary Cray, Orpington Stn, turquoise.

        N606 JGP  BSCLB p63   */96     on R7 to St Mary Cray, Orpington High St, turquoise.

        P347 HKU  LBH98 p37   9/97     on 971 to Orpington, Bromley     

Ian's Bus Stop Crystals main text. Crystals histories. Crystals photos.