Mercedes-Benz 709D, 811D / Reeve Burgess, Plaxton
This page created 16th August 2006 by Ian Smith. Best on 800*600.
London Buslines won the contract to operate the new Chelsea Harbour hoppa service,
to and from Putney Bridge Station, to operate from June 1990. The start date was brought forward to April,
so London Buslines kicked off on the service with borrowed twenty-seater MB609Ds.
The proper buses for the route were four new 709Ds, with twenty-six seats,
which arrived later in the year. They were liveried in yellow with dark brown skirts,
and numbered 644-647.
They were eventually transferred away to First Eastern Counties in 1997.
August 1991 saw London Buslines start operation on contracted routes
201 (Hounslow - Staines) and 203(Hounslow - Hatton Cross - Staines).
Again the new buses were not immediately available,
and six hired Dodge S75 midibuses were used in the interim until the six new MB811Ds
arrived in October. These had twenty-eight seater Reeve Burgess bodies,
and were numbered 631-637 (with 633 missing).
The subsidiary route (the 201) disappeared in November 1993, but the buses were used to reinforce the parallel 203. In mid 1996 Centrewest (which had taken over in March as the Bucks Berks Buzz Co) had its contract on the 203 renewed, but with new Darts replacing the Mercedes. These went to pastures new within the First Empire.
Vehicle Histories
644 G644 YVS 6/90 Mercedes Benz 709D, Reeve Burgess body B25F
new to London Buslines for C4
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co, #194
5/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #894
645 G645 YVS 6/90 Mercedes Benz 709D, Reeve Burgess body B25F
new to London Buslines for C4
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
7/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #895
646 G646 YVS 6/90 Mercedes Benz 709D, Reeve Burgess body B25F
new to London Buslines for C4
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
7/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #896
647 G647 YVS 6/90 Mercedes Benz 709D, Reeve Burgess body B25F
new to London Buslines for C4
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
7/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #897
2/01 First Eastern Counties
631 J31 KLR 9/91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
8/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #898
2/01 First Eastern Counties
5/03 First Eastern Counties
632 J32 KLR 9/91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
transfer to First Manchester
1/99 transfer to First Pioneer, #1731
8/00 transfer to First Manchester, #1731
3/01 transfer to First Glasgow, #MA176
634 J34 KLR 9/91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
transfer to First Manchester
1/99 transfer to First Pioneer, #1732
8/00 transfer to First Manchester, #1732
3/01 transfer to First Glasgow, #MA177
635 J35 KLR 9/91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
transfer to First Manchester
1/99 transfer to First Pioneer, #1733
3/01 transfer to First Glasgow, #MA178
636 J36 KLR */91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
transfer to First Manchester
1/99 transfer to First Pioneer, #1734
4/01 transfer to First Glasgow, #MA179
637 J37 KLR 11/91 Mercedes Benz 811D, Plaxton Beaver body B28F
new to London Buslines
3/96 taken over by Centrewest: Berks Bucks Buzz Co
8/97 transfer to First Eastern Counties, #899
2/01 First Eastern Counties
5/03 First Eastern Counties
Photographic References
For a key to the references see the bibliography.
E459 CGM LBH2_89p54 4/90 on C4 to Putney Bridge Stn
644 G644 YVS LBR90 p107 */90 on C4 to Putney Pier, Chelsea Harbour
645 G645 YVS LBH2_90p43 7/90 on C4 to Putney Pier
647 G647 YVS LBH2_92p39 on 561 to Windsor
631 J31 KLR LBM79 p11 10/91 on 201 to Staines
634 J34 KLR LBM79 p11 10/91 on 203 to Hounslow
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photo refs
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