The Flickr Lj09Kro Image Generatr

Arriva London
VDL DB300 Wright Gemini 2

DW201 was the first of its kind to be operated by Arriva London, previously being located in East London out of [GY] Grays garage featuring on routes such as 66, 103, 370 & 375. Following the electrification of 279 at [E] Enfield garage, many of the Enviro400 (T)’s from the route moved to [GY] Grays, which replaced the Wrightbus Gemini 2 (DW)’s in the garage. These buses have since been withdrawn and stored at [EC] Edmonton garage, but can often be seen on Rail Replacement services in London. Here is DW201 standing at Acton Town station on a lengthy break before departing later in the evening for a trip towards Rayners Lane on Piccadilly Line Replacement service PL-4.

An interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO facing the rear from behind the vestibule on the lower deck

Exterior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO of the vehicle's rear

Interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO of the staircase from the upper deck

An interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO facing forwards from the rear on the lower deck

Interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO facing the rear from the front on the upper deck

An interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO facing downwards on the staircase from the upper deck

Interior shot of DW201 LJ09KRO facing the front from the rear on the upper deck

This picture and others are available on my Smugmug site here:
andrewcolebourne.smugmug.com/AWC-Pictures-Buses-and-Coach...

here:
andrewcolebourne.smugmug.com/AWC-Pictures-Buses-and-Coach...

here:
andrewcolebourne.smugmug.com/AWC-Pictures-Buses-and-Coach...

and here:
andrewcolebourne.smugmug.com/AWC-Pictures-Buses-and-Coach...

This is a picture of the London Bus Museum's STL2377 with Arriva London DW201 on route 103 outside the Stagecoach London Romford North Street garage on 25th March 2023.

STL2377 was taking part in the routes 174 & 175 heritage running day organised by the London Bus Museum.

I had been contemplating uploading this picture to compare the longevity in service of the Regent and DW201, which was the first Wright Gemini 2/VDL integral delivered to Arriva London. There had been earlier "DW type" double deckers on DAF and VDL DB250 chassis numbered DW1 to DW134 which seemed much more ephemeral in London compared with the later integrals.

The integral buses were numbered between DW201 and DW586.

For completeness, there were additional vehicles previously operated by Arriva The Shires on London work that were later numbered DW135 to DW145. Another, ex Arriva Kent Thameside was DW168. There were also two integral "DW" buses ex Arriva the Shires numbered DW190 and 191, which were still in service at the date of the picture but were four months younger than DW201.

DW201 was new In May 2009 and was still in service as I wrote this is early December 2024. It had thus had seen over 15 years London service.

New to Arriva London North at Clapton (CT) garage, DW201 passed to Arriva Kent Thameside as 6201 on transfer to Grays (GY) garage where it entered service on 30th August 2014, mainly on route 66 which was converted from single deck to double deck operation on that date. It passed back to Arriva London North and regained its original fleetnumber when the GY operations were transferred in 2016 (control from February and full official transfer on 29th October 2016). Route 103 was gained by Arriva in October 2017 and allocated to GY, also becoming DW Operated. GY already had route 370, then worked by older vehicles but becoming DW-operated when they were withdrawn. So DW201 was to be seen working any of these three routes from then on, remaining at GY continuously ever since.

Arriva won the new contract for route 66 that commenced on 31st August 2024 and required existing hybrid double deckers to be allocated. Similarly, new contracts for routes 103, starting 12th October 2024 and for route 370, starting 2nd November 2024, both staying at Grays garage, also required hybrid double deckers. The change didn't happen straight away, pending battery-electric conversion of routes elsewhere.

At the start of December 2024 none had been transferred so the DW-type continued in use at Grays. They were assisted by some Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 diesel buses recently transferred in as support, though only a couple of years newer themselves.

So DW201 was still going in London service after more than 15 years. And what of STL2377? Well, it was new in November 1937 and was withdrawn from Hornchurch (RD) garage in March 1954, so it was very appropriate to see it back in service in Romford. The body it carries was new the same month on STL2396, changing fleetnumbers and probably chassis periodically when overhauled at Chiswick. Although benefitting from thorough overhauls, they ceased for the duration of the Second World War, so the bus had a hard life during those years. In all it remained in London service for 16 years and four months. Hence, as of the beginning of December 2024 DW201 had 10 months to go to equal the London service life of STL2377.

The DW integrals continue to serve Arriva well in London. Whilst they don't have the design flair of the STL, they deserve recognition as a significant London bus type. Will preservation beckon in the future for DW201?

01.08.22 - Lakeside

Arriva London DW201 (LJ09 KRO)
VDL DB300/Wright Gemini 2
Route 103 to Rainham Interchange
South Street, Romford, LB Havering
Taken on 19/02/2022

Copyright George Batchelor 2022

Romford, London - 23/09/2016.

Romford

Facing the lens on the left is Arriva London's DW201/ LJ09KRO, while facing away near the lens is Arriva London's DW224/ LJ59AET while behind it facing the lens is London General's WHV22/ LJ61NVH. All being tarted up for continued service for many years to come.

Barton Park, 9th July 2018, Noted outside Hants & Dorset Trim.