Arriva liveried ex-London bendybuses

[Royston Vasey]

Hi all

I have no real interest in buses but I thought I'd take a couple of snaps of something I passed today and share them.

I work at Milton Park, near Didcot, and sat outside a unit registered to a company called Total Vehicle Technology Ltd were nine bendybuses, apparently recently repainted and not yet branded into Arriva corporate livery. I understand some or all of these are being exported to Malta.

Maybe old news but I can't find many pics online in this livery so thought I'd share. The light, camera and cameraman are not of high quality I'm afraid!

ID as follows:

BX55FVK
BX55FXC
BX55FWR
BX55FVL
BX55FVK
BX55FWZ
BX55FWJ
BX55FVV
BX55FVW

 

[mbonwick]

Nice shots!

You're right, not many exist in Arriva corporate colours. I believe Liverpool will be getting some once Speke depot has been upgraded to handle them.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Looks smart out of red! Looks strange as well to see N73 in Arriva colours, can imagine that at Victoria standing out like a sore thumb!

 

[justinsteam]

Hi all

I understand some or all of these are being exported to Malta.

Best place for them!

 

[Pumbaa]

I too was under the impression some were coming to Speke in Liverpool. The depot has been finished though?

 

[313103]

Looks smart out of red! Looks strange as well to see N73 in Arriva colours, can imagine that at Victoria standing out like a sore thumb!

What is even stranger is that bendy buses are never used on the N73 as the route is allocated double deck vehicles. So quite unusual to see them even blinded for such.

Nice pics though.

 

[Gareth]

I too was under the impression some were coming to Speke in Liverpool. The depot has been finished though?

How are they going to work in Liverpool though? You usually have to pay the driver here.

 

[jamesontheroad]

A handful are indeed going to Malta. Up to now, buses in Malta have all been privately owned and operated by their drivers, serving their allocated routes on alternate days!

Sadly this quirky and unique situation is to change; Arriva have won the contract for the whole island. They've placed a massive order for some new Chinese-built buses, but will also relocate some of their self-combustable Citaros to supplement them.

 

[Royston Vasey]

There are more vehicles in the unit itself, I noticed when passing today.

I would have taken more care about the photos if I thought people would be interested!

 

[LexyBoy]

I work at Milton Park, near Didcot

Hello! *waves*

I spotted a couple of them from the shuttle bus earlier in the week, wondered where they were off to. Thanks for the info! Shame to see them go, I thought they were rather suited to the routes they ran.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Hello! *waves*

I spotted a couple of them from the shuttle bus earlier in the week, wondered where they were off to. Thanks for the info! Shame to see them go, I thought they were rather suited to the routes they ran.

Theres also a double decker in the open storage area behind the WWII style white huts but I was driving and didn't stop to investigate (buses not really being my thing!) The bendybuses are at units 38A-C if you fancy popping round for a nose. Part of the reason I left it til late afternoon to get a shot was because there was a surly looking bloke working on them earlier!

 

[LexyBoy]

Theres also a double decker in the open storage area behind the WWII style white huts but I was driving and didn't stop to investigate (buses not really being my thing!) The bendybuses are at units 38A-C if you fancy popping round for a nose. Part of the reason I left it til late afternoon to get a shot was because there was a surly looking bloke working on them earlier!

Buses aren't really my thing either, probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if they weren't of the bendy variety- don't see many of them around these parts. Sounds like they're close to me though so I'll probably pass them by on the way to the shop. I've noticed a couple of random buses and coaches knocking round there- don't know what's being done to them, if anything.

 

[bb21]

Is it just me or do the aquamarine seem rather blue?

 

[Ivo]

Is it just me or do the aquamarine seem rather blue?

It does. And the cream looks rather white as well. It also looks horribly out of proportion when compared to most of their fleet as well (mind you, the same can be said about their double deckers).

I wonder if Malta realise that they've given the contract for their buses to the Germans?

 

[vectra33]

There are 60 of them going to Malta,initially for the airport-city services .
They have also ordered 174 King Long buses from china,for the other services,

 

[generalvegitable]

there also seems to be at least 1 in MK, on the way home from school this afternoon I saw one that had been partially been repainted, I couldn't see much of it because I was driving. I just hope that it was passing through and it is not staying