- Capital Citybus
Capital Citybus was a major bus operator for
London Buses in North and East London. The company was eventually sold to First in 1998. Capital Citybus is not to be confused with the other former London bus and coach operatorCapital Logistics , for whom in 1999 it provided amongst others relief buses for the troubled route 60 start up.Company history
The company was established with the purchase of the London tendered bus services of
Ensignbus by the Hong Kong bus operator Citybus.Citybus purchased the London tendered routes, one garage and some vehicles. The company was rebranded Capital Citybus and gained a large number of routes after the collapse of
London Buses subsidiary London Forest in 1991 and further tendering.In 1998 Capital Citybus became the second London bus operator to be sold to
First Group , after Centrewest. After a period of initially separate operation, the company has been fully amalgamated into the otherFirst London operations, and the Capital name has been dropped from buses. The yellow f adorning the front of some buses is a reminder of the Capital Citybus livery.London routes
Capital Citybus saw service on the following
London bus routes *1 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c956098_1.html]
*19 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c958936_1.html]
*20 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c958961_1.html]
*22B [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1005812_1.html]
*62 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c978510_1.html]
*67 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c984351_1.html]
*86B [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1004787_1.html]
*91 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c992165.html]
*97 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c991363_1.html]
*97A [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c991353_1.html]
*123 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1004532_1.html]
*158 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1004643_1.html]
*165 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1009449_1.html]
*179 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1041282_1.html]
*212 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1005655_1.html]
*215 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1042211_1.html]
*236 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1043835_1.html]
*246 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c999041_1.html]
*248 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c960236_1.html]
*252 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1203366_1.html]
*257 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1009449_1.html]
*296 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1007657_1.html]
*345 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1001711_1.html]
*348 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1061438_1.html]
*365 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1035900_1.html]
*369 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1035090_1.html]
*396 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1051190_1.html]
*446 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1051223_1.html]
*510 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1053373_1.html]
*511 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1053381_1.html]
*648 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1001810_1.html]
*650 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1093544_1.html]
*947 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1055262_1.html]
*D4 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1039219_1.html]
*D5 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1039221_1.html]
*D6 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1015874_1.html]
*S2 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1040347_1.html]
*W10 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1040408_1.html]
*W19 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1040422_1.html]
*N50 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1040266_1.html]
*N100 [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/c1039326_1.html]Liveries
As Capital Citybus originated from Ensign, the fleet experienced several livery iterations from their inherited blue and silver scheme, starting out as merely Ensign blue/silver vehicles with Ensign Citybus fleetnames painted over where the Ensignbus name was, into variations of yellow and silver. [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p38413184.html] [http://mapenn6052.fotopic.net/p12664004.html] [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/p23805128.html] .
The company settled on an allover yellow livery with stylised "C" logos either side of the destination blind on the front of the bus. Initially buses had red fleetnames incorporating Chinese characters and the stylised "C" with the Capital Citybus name [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p45176619.html] . The fleetname was subsequently modified to just "Capital Citybus" [http://chris91271a.fotopic.net/p18980300.html] .
Capital Citybus was a frequent contractor for
British Rail andLondon Underground replacement service work, and during its existence operated specially liveried vehicles forDocklands Light Railway [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/p23805135.html] and theEast London Line [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/p22263357.html] [http://eybusmansbusphotographs.fotopic.net/p45526639.html] replacement services.As the regulations changed regarding London tendered service liveries, a revised mainly red livery was introduced [http://scanphotos.fotopic.net/p38478125.html] .
As the company passed into First ownership, for a time there existed a subtly different First Capital red and yellow livery with the First Group flying "f" replacing the Citybus "C" on the front of buses, and "First Capital" replacing the "Capital Citybus" fleetname [http://scanphotos.fotopic.net/p38478130.html] . Now only the frontal "f" remains in an allover red First livery.
Fleet
Capital Citybus bought large numbers of new vehicles throughout the 1990s. These included the majority of the relatively rare
Dennis Arrow double-decker.
* [http://mapenn6052.fotopic.net/p12664005.html] 6 1991-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedLeyland Olympian double-deckers [J---YRM 129-135]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p38413194.html] 23 1991-built Leyland-bodiedLeyland Olympian double-deckers [J---YRM 136-158]
* [http://mapenn6052.fotopic.net/p43213968.html] 20 1992-builtPlaxton -bodied Mercedes-Benz 811Dminibus es [J---HMF 601-620]
* [http://busesaroundlondon.fotopic.net/p33846924.html] 10 1992-builtOptare MetroRider integral minibuses [J---HMH 631-633]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p32317762.html] 3 1992-built Alexander-bodied Mercedes-Benz 811D minibuses [J---HMH 631-633]
* [http://scanphotos.fotopic.net/p38478131.html] 7 1992-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedLeyland Olympian double-deckers [K888--- 159-165]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p31066386.html] 1 1993-builtNorthern Counties Palatine -bodiedLeyland Olympian double-decker [K888TKS 166]
* [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/p23805146.html] 2 1993-built pre-productionNorthern Counties -bodiedVolvo Olympian YN2RV18Z4 double-deckers [L888YTT/L888TTT 167/8]
* [http://busesaroundlondon.fotopic.net/p33846929.html] 3 1994-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedVolvo B6 midibus es [L281RML / L888JTC / L888AMY 681/2/3]
* [http://chris91271a.fotopic.net/p18180241.html] 1 1994-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedDennis Dart midibus [L670MSC 670]
* [http://mapenn6052.fotopic.net/p12664006.html] 10 1994-built Alexander-bodiedVolvo B6 midibuses [L---RMD 671-680]
*1 1995-builtNorthern Counties -bodied DAF DB250 double-decker [M647RCP 300]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p37519319.html] 11 1996-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedVolvo Olympian YN2RV18Z4 double-deckers [N---CMP / P---HMD 239-249]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p42700521.html] 4 1996-builtOptare Excel integral single-deckers [P---HMT 701-704]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p36103516.html] 16 1996/7-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedDennis Arrow double-deckers [P---HMH / P---MTW 401-416]
* [http://chris91271a.fotopic.net/p18980303.html] 16 1997-built Alexander-bodiedVolvo Olympian double-deckers [P---MPU 223-238]
* [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p42698583.html] 38 1997/8-builtEast Lancs -bodiedDennis Arrow double-deckers [P---PVW / R426SOY / R---ULE / R844YLC / S---SSL 417-454]
* [http://andrew46.fotopic.net/p42393605.html] 13 1998-builtEast Lancs -bodiedDennis Dart SLFmidibus es [R---VLA 705-717]
*17 1998-builtNorthern Counties -bodiedVolvo Olympian double-deckers [S---LLO 206-222]
*22 1999-builtPlaxton President -bodiedDennis Trident 2 double-deckers [T---LLC TN801-822]In addition to its new buses, Capital Citybus employed many second-hand vehicles, many from Ensign.
*
Bristol VR [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p39644929.html]
*MCW Metrobus [http://scanphotos.fotopic.net/p38478148.html]
*Leyland National II [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p34441481.html]
*Dennis Dominator (East Lancs ) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p32189686.html]
*Dennis Dominator (Northern Counties ) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p31731700.html]
*Leyland Olympian (Alexander RL) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p32189690.html]
*Leyland Olympian (Optare ) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p31387637.html]
*Leyland Titan (B15) (Park Royal) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p30846457.html]
* Bedford [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/p23805145.html]
*Scania K93 (Plaxton ) [http://londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net/p33181467.html]An early
articulated bus , the Leyland-DAB appeared in Capital Citybus livery, with blinds for the London Red Arrow service [http://londonbusphotosbybryan.fotopic.net/p46268331.html] .Notes
ee also
*
First London
*List of bus routes in London External links
* [http://www.ensignbus.com/ Ensignbus official site]
* [http://www.ticketslondon-online.biz/TransportMuseum/Museum_About.htm Ensignbus Transport Museum - history of Ensignbus]
* [http://londonbusphotosbybryan.fotopic.net/c1398318.html Ensign/Capital Citybus Fotopic collection]
* [http://scanphotos.fotopic.net/c974280.html Capital Citybus Fotopic collection]
* [http://eamonnsphotos.fotopic.net/c1300079.html Capital Citybus Fotopic collection]
* [http://ijkgreaterlondonbuses.fotopic.net/c1153583.html Capital Citybus Fotopic collection]
* [http://simonslondonpictures.fotopic.net/c747470.html Capital Citybus Fotopic collection]
* [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/ Bus lists on the web] a searchable bus purchase database
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