Transdev London Sovereign
Encyclopedia
London Sovereign is one of the many operators of London Buses
, owned by Transdev
. Since Transdev sold London United to RATP, it is Transdev's only remaining London bus company.
London Sovereign can trace its roots back to independent Borehamwood Travel Services (BTS), which ran a number of ex-Kelvin Central
MCW Metrobus
es, as well as new Leyland Olympian
/Northern Counties Palatine
s and a collection of other vehicles. In 1993 it won its biggest London Buses
contract, to operate route 13
(Golders Green
- Aldwych
) with leased AEC Routemasters in its orange livery. In 1994, BTS was sold to the Blazefield Group
's Sovereign subsidiary, and it became Sovereign London. In 2003, it was sold to the Transdev
group, which renamed it London Sovereign.
, 114, 183
, 251
, 292
, 324 and Night route N13.
in 1925 it had space for 24 buses, but there was plenty of room adjacent to the Underground station
which had recently been built. In 1939 a new building was built next to the original building which was to become the new bus station, while the remaining open parking area was used to store vehicles for the trolleybus replacement program. In 1984 a new 100 bus garage was built on on the site of the long closed Edgware railway station
at a cost of £4.5 Million. In 1992 plans were made to close Edgware garage as Cricklewood
garage was to become a fully functioning garage with new facilities. The outdoor parking area and the bus station then became a midibus
base in 1993, with a new bus wash and light maintenance facilities provided in the yard.
In 1999, London Sovereign, which had won some tenders for bus services in the North-East London area, took a 10-year lease of half of Edgware garage and invested in a new maintenance facility which was to replace its former base at Borehamwood
. In late 2000, Metroline
moved back into the other half of the garage, making it one of the few garages to be shared by two operators.
On 3 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract of route 251 and are now operating it from this garage.
On 28 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract for route 605 and from 1 September 2012, they will be operating it from this garage.
, H14, and H17.
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
, owned by Transdev
Transdev
Transdev was a major international public transport group based in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France and operating in several countries. Originally created as Société centrale pour l'équipement du territoire in 1955 and developing transportation activities since 1973, Transdev was a subsidiary...
. Since Transdev sold London United to RATP, it is Transdev's only remaining London bus company.
London Sovereign can trace its roots back to independent Borehamwood Travel Services (BTS), which ran a number of ex-Kelvin Central
Kelvin Central Buses
Kelvin Central Buses Ltd was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Bus Group formed in July 1989 from the merger of Kelvin Scottish and Central Scottish in preparation for privatisation, and operated until July 1998 when it became First Glasgow Ltd....
MCW Metrobus
MCW Metrobus
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by MCW from 1977 until 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model in 1981/1982, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985...
es, as well as new Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
/Northern Counties Palatine
Northern Counties Palatine
The Northern Counties Palatine is a step-entrance double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK. It was built mainly on Leyland Olympian and Volvo Olympian chassis, although some were also built on DAF, Volvo B10M Citybus and Scania chassis...
s and a collection of other vehicles. In 1993 it won its biggest London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
contract, to operate route 13
London Buses route 13
London Buses route 13 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
(Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
- Aldwych
Aldwych
Aldwych is a place and road in the City of Westminster in London, England.-Description:Aldwych, the road, is a crescent, connected to the Strand at both ends. At its centre, it meets the Kingsway...
) with leased AEC Routemasters in its orange livery. In 1994, BTS was sold to the Blazefield Group
Blazefield Group
Transdev Blazefield is one of the main bus groups in England. Owner of several bus companies around the Yorkshire and Lancashire regions, since 2006 it has been part of the international transport company Transdev.-History:...
's Sovereign subsidiary, and it became Sovereign London. In 2003, it was sold to the Transdev
Transdev
Transdev was a major international public transport group based in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France and operating in several countries. Originally created as Société centrale pour l'équipement du territoire in 1955 and developing transportation activities since 1973, Transdev was a subsidiary...
group, which renamed it London Sovereign.
Edgware (BT)
This garage holds 62 buses, and runs London bus routes 13London Buses route 13
London Buses route 13 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
, 114, 183
London Buses route 183
London Buses route 183 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
, 251
London Buses route 251
London Buses route 251 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
, 292
London Buses route 292
London Buses route 292 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
, 324 and Night route N13.
History
When Edgware garage was first opened by the London General Omnibus CompanyLondon General Omnibus Company
The London General Omnibus Company or LGOC, was the principal bus operator in London between 1855 and 1933. It was also, for a short period between 1909 and 1912, a motor bus manufacturer.- Overview :...
in 1925 it had space for 24 buses, but there was plenty of room adjacent to the Underground station
Edgware tube station
Edgware tube station is a London Underground station in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, in North London. The station is the terminus of the Edgware branch of the Northern Line and the next station towards central London is . Edgware is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Location:The station is in...
which had recently been built. In 1939 a new building was built next to the original building which was to become the new bus station, while the remaining open parking area was used to store vehicles for the trolleybus replacement program. In 1984 a new 100 bus garage was built on on the site of the long closed Edgware railway station
Edgware railway station
Edgware railway station was a London and North Eastern Railway station in Station Road, Edgware, Greater London. It is not to be confused with the London Underground Northern line Edgware station approximately 200 metres to the north east.-History:...
at a cost of £4.5 Million. In 1992 plans were made to close Edgware garage as Cricklewood
Cricklewood
Cricklewood is a district of North London, England whose northeastern part is in the London Borough of Barnet, western part is the London Borough of Brent and southeastern part is in London Borough of Camden.-History:...
garage was to become a fully functioning garage with new facilities. The outdoor parking area and the bus station then became a midibus
Midibus
A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which generally are larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and long...
base in 1993, with a new bus wash and light maintenance facilities provided in the yard.
In 1999, London Sovereign, which had won some tenders for bus services in the North-East London area, took a 10-year lease of half of Edgware garage and invested in a new maintenance facility which was to replace its former base at Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
. In late 2000, Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
moved back into the other half of the garage, making it one of the few garages to be shared by two operators.
On 3 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract of route 251 and are now operating it from this garage.
On 28 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract for route 605 and from 1 September 2012, they will be operating it from this garage.
Bus types in use
- Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10.6m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe Plaxton President was a double-decker bus body built at Northern Counties plant in Wigan, England and branded as a Plaxton product for its main production run. It was unveiled in 1997 and built between 1999 and 2005. When Plaxton became part of TransBus International, the body was sold under...
(VLP) for route 292. - Scania OmniDekkaScania OmniDekkaThe Scania OmniDekka is a double-decker bus built for sale in the UK...
10.6m (SLE) for routes 13, 114 and N13. - Scania OmniCityScania OmniCityThe Scania OmniCity is an integrally-constructed transverse-engined low floor citybus available on the European market. The OmniCity is a complete product built in Poland by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
10.6m (SP) for route 183. - Volvo OlympianVolvo OlympianThe Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
/ Alexander RH (VA) for hire - Volvo B7TL 10.6m/ East Lancs Myllinnium Vyking (VLE) for route 114.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Dart 8.9m (SDE) for route 324.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for route 251.
Harrow (SO)
This garage holds 42 buses, and runs London bus routes 398, H9, H10, H11, H13London Buses route H13
London Buses route H13 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
, H14, and H17.
History
Harrow (SO) opened in 1994 . All of the buses used to have a cream and blue livery. Harrow (SO) is Transdev London's smallest garage just holding 42 buses. Due to a low roof beam across the middle of the site it can't hold double deckers.Bus type in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for routes 398, H9, H10, H11, H13, H14 and H17.
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m / Plaxton Pointer 2 (DPS) for routes 398, H9, H10 and H13.