My Bus review of 2017

What a year it has been down here for Buses I have to admit there has been lots going on with transfers, new Buses and conversions of routes. Elsewhere, i'v been to Dorset and Lowestoft as well as Hastings (there is no photos from Hastings on here but I did take some) as I thought I had way too many photos already. Time to start with the first quarter of the year:

Jan and Feb were quiet.

Doubles (E400s) on Loops weren't as common in the first half of the year as it was still allocated E200s then. March also saw an Wave 100/101/102 MMC appearing on the 99 a really odd working which I rode.

E400 19650 (SP60 DTN) still in one branding at the time of year is seen on the Loop still in the hands of E200s then the Bus is now as regular on the Loop and is now branded as well for it. 

Mis-behaving MMC 10724 (SN66 VWP) picks up for a Wave 99 it's branded for the 100/1/2!

 April was also quiet.

May/June saw me go up to Lowestoft for a few days to see family I finally was able to capture the heritage liveried ALX400 32059 (W219 XBD) and little E200 45117 (ST58 JPT) a couple of Buses I was after whilst I was there.

Heritage liveried ALX400 32059 (W219 XBD) arrives on a 1A I went on this when I was there and I liked it

Tiny E200 45117 (ST58 JPT) wasn't new to First but was acquired from JPT here it is with a 103

 June saw me find another spot for photos and was the month that I got my final photos of Loop branded E200s before the conversion to E400s in July.

Before the downsize of Buses on the 1X from E300s to E200s which used to be on the Loop, one of the E300s which was on it before is seen picking up for a 1X.

A month before the conversion to Doubles, E200s were the main Buses for the Loop 36907 (GN13 HHY) still full of pink picks up for a late Loop in June.

 July saw the conversion of the Loop from E200s to E400s which were on the 1/1A before as well as a holiday to Dorset. 

E400 19653 (SP60 DPV) was the first of 8 E400s branded for the Loop here it is picking up for a Loop the other 7 are 19648/9, 19650/1/2/5 and 19659.

Dorset saw me photograph Scania Omnicities More Bus 1199 (HF58 GZO) is seen on standby in Poole Bus Station

August was the month when the E200s formerly on the Loop, were finding other work on 5/5As, 1Xs and 56s and Compass took over the 13X from B&H for the Summer. As well as the trip to Hastings (chose not to use photos from it). Here is 36908 (GN13 HHZ) picking up for a 5A.

Compass Bus took over the 13X for a short while using VDL Geminis here is YJ05 PXB formerly with Go-Ahead

 September saw a big reshuffle with a huge number of Buses affected. Buses affected included E200, E300s and E400s. E300s 27571/2/3/4/5/6 (GX58 GKA/C/D/E/F/G) were the first 6.

Seen on what was its last day at EE is Euro 3 E400 19019 (MX06 XAU) setting down from a 51 service the Bus would transfer elsewhere the next day.

One of the returned E300s in the same month is 27576 (GX58 GKG) with a 1A service 

 October was a silent month as well so moving onto November which saw a small reshuffle this meant that E300s 27580/2 came along as 27581 came in December after repaint. It also saw the current Wave 99s starting to lose their branding ahead of the MMCs which are due to enter service shortly.

E300 27580 (GX58 GKN) is seen having just finished a 54 service

Scania E400 15771 (GN61 EVU) was the first to lose 99 branding here it is on a 51

 December was a bit quiet but it did see the return of the decorated Santa Bus and the new MMCs for the 99 started to get branded. The Santa Bus is decorated with the driver dressed as Santa and the Bus decorated all for charity. This years was the best decorated Bus yet despite it being an E200. It had things up, stockings at the back, toys hanging up, giant teddy bear in the front, lights and bells on the doors. It is done a week before Christmas.

E200 36902 (GN13 HHT) was the 2017 choice of Santa Bus which was kitted out with more decorations than any other Santa Bus I've seen over the past couple of years. It worked specials on the 1/1A and the Clockwise Loop here it is on the 1.

One of the new kit for the Wave 99 is Scania MMC 15329 (YN67 YLB) it is seen resting during type training for the drivers. They are all expected in service shortly. 

I hope 2018 would be the same with so much going on.