The London Enviro400

Matthew Wharmby

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781473862319
• eBook ISBN: 9781473862333
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Developed by Alexander Dennis in 2005 as an all-encompassing replacement for the Dennis Trident and its two bodies, the Plaxton President and Alexander ALX400, the integral Enviro400, immediately sold in large numbers, not least to London operators, which in the next eight years bought over 1,500 of them. Late in the production run, the hybrid E40H was introduced and also made good headway in London, funded largely by environmental grants. Nearly 300 of these are in service in London.Valid to May 2015, this book finishes by introducing the MMC, the all-new development of the Enviro400 unveiled in 2014 and exemplified in London so far by two batches for Abellio and Metroline.

Go-Ahead London

E 1-284, EH 1-39

Never particularly taken with the Dennis Trident, the Go-Ahead Group only ever owned fifty of them by comparison with some other companies which had hundreds. All Plaxton Presidentbodied, the PDL class was solely allocated to Stockwell, PDLs 1-13 being new in 2000, PDLs 14-27 in 2002 and PDLs 28-50 in 2003. None survived the seven years that is the maximum term of a single contract and all were gone by 2010. Yet it was to prove a major customer for the Enviro400, which, after all, is based on an only subtly modified Trident chassis. In September 2005, as prototypes were being readied for display on the circuit of commercial motor shows, Go-Ahead placed its first order for fifteen, to fulfil the takeover of the 196 from 6 May 2006. Although it had been used to Volvo B7TLs for its first-generation low-floor double-deck stock and had taken 464 of them (419 PVLs and 45 AVLs) in five years, a noise problem had manifested itself sufficient for a ban to be imposed by TfL on their purchase until this could be remedied, thus giving competitors an opportunity that could become a permanent fixture if they were liked enough. Even before the 196’s Es had arrived, 24 more were ordered in February 2006 to supply the 37, which had been retained on tender and was operating at the moment from Peckham with AVLs. It was at this point that the class code E was selected; simple and to the point, reflecting the integral nature of the bus that Alexander Dennis was keen to promote (and in spite of the fact that the manufacturer’s plates inside the doorway still read (and ten years on, still do read!) DENNIS TRIDENT 2.

The Enviro400 was an attractive vehicle in general, particularly when its best features were set off by the charcoal-skirted London General livery of the time. On 7 October 2006 Stockwell’s E 6 (SN06 BND) has had to swing around an obstruction to gain the 196’s stop at the Elephant & Castle, helpfully exposing its best side to the photographer who would otherwise have had to wait a little longer for the sun to come round. Matthew Wharmby

The Enviro400’s rear was perhaps a little fussy, with its mobile phone-shaped rear window, but it showed a little more imagination when faced with the fact that a low-floor design made the back and sides of a bus not match on height levels. The three vents are for the exit of used air from the air-blowing system fitted above the staircase. This shot is of Stockwell’s E 4 (SN06 BNE) at Vauxhall on 13 May 2006. Matthew Wharmby

To H41/26D layout on a 10.1m chassis, the improved capacity downstairs was courtesy of the seats over the front wheelarches. The Es were also the first Euro 4-specification buses in London, powered by Cummins ISB4e engines cleaned by SCR technology (AdBlue). This was made much of by TfL, which displayed Es 6-8 and 11 at Covent Garden on 27 April. During that month E 1 made a visit to Dublin Bus, and on 6 May the class made its service debut. Inside was a refreshed look with new moquette to a bluer pattern without the displaced pattern used previously; handrails remained yellow, sidewalls blue and the floor dark blue with sparkles.

On 9 December 2006, a date when attention was otherwise focused on the Routemasters to be found in the area commemorating the first anniversary of the withdrawal of the type from public service, E 1 (SN06 BNA) passes through Brixton. Matthew Wharmby

Peckham’s contingent of Es for the 37 followed on the heels of the 196’s batch, replacing AVLs. Two years later E 21 (LX06 EZR) is still in original condition as it reposes at the 37’s latter-day Putney Heath, Green Man stand on 5 May 2008. Matthew Wharmby

E 28 (LX06 EZC) by night as this 37 pauses at East Putney station on 7 October 2006. Matthew Wharmby

Seen at Clapham Common on 13 February 2011, Peckham’s E 21 (LX06 EZR) still looks in good shape for five years’ worth of service. Matthew Wharmby

Delivery of the second batch commenced in the third week of May, the new Es being stored before service entry at Mandela Way or Peckham, but despite the new contract on the 37 taking effect from 3 June, they entered service only in dribs and drabs, the first four venturing out on 7 June. This order included two (Es 38 and 39) to top up the 87 upon its rather arbitrary renumbering from 77A the same day, although Es could soon be seen on all of Stockwell’s services, the 88 and 133 being early sightings, and Es even managed to get out twice on the 77A before its withdrawal. Es 38 and 39 were delivered by 4 July, although they carried numberplates already allocated to LDPs and had to be corrected first. The 37, while receiving a slight re-routeing in East Dulwich that took it away from the station, was also intended to be re-routed from its historic Putney stand to terminate at Putney Heath, where a significantly enlarged stand had been carved out opposite the Green Man, but this wasn’t implemented until 2 September. Peckham soon let its new buses wander to the 63 and 363, PVLs (and AVLs while still based) making return appearances as fit. The N36 at night also saw Es. During July Stockwell Es racked up visits to the 11 and 345, but it was not until 2007 that they had a try on the 333 and the 170 was restricted to Darts, ruling that one out.

In August 2006 an order was placed for 17 more Es to fulfil the requirement for the 486, retained on tender by London Central’s Bexleyheath and representing an upgrade from the current DAF SB220LC singledeckers (MDs). The contract date was 24 February 2007. It was also commonplace by now to include a double-decker as a schools component to a single-deck order, and a single further E was added to ongoing deliveries in November so as to be ready to replace the 200’s PVL currently employed on this role in the New Year.

January 2007 saw the first of Bexleyheath’s intended allocation arrive; familiarisation with the chassis had already been achieved through the loan of Stockwell’s E 10 on 15 December. E 40 was delivered on 19 January and was put to work training drivers on the 22nd; E 41 arrived on the 24th. Es 41 and 43 were loaned to London General’s Commercial Services department at Merton on 1 February for a rail replacement at short notice, marking the class’s debut on this type of work, and later in the month two Es got as far as Chichester. Service entry of E 40-56 proceeded as planned, all seventeen taking over the 486 from its MDs and VWL 1 a da...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Go-Ahead London
• Abellio London
• Arriva Kent Thameside
• Arriva the Shires
• London United
• Quality Line
• CT Plus
• Stagecoach London
• First London
• Tower Transit
• Metroline
• Arriva London
• Other Enviro400s
• Totals