Arriva (Beds/Herts etc) 2023>

Friday 14 April 2023 (1308) – A general view of Luton Interchange with buses of Arriva, Stagecoach, Centrebus and Grant Palmer in the photo taken from the steps of Luton railway station. The Interchange stands between two sections of the Luton-Dunstable Busway and is also accessible from normal streets. An Arriva bus can be seen on the Busway coming in from Dunstable and had been running a little distance behind the Centrebus vehicle coming in also.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1057) – Arriva buses at Luton Interchange. Left is 3086 (KE53 KBP), a Transbus Pointer bodied Dart new to Sovereign Bus & Coach (585) in September 2003 Right is 3977 (LF71 DLZ), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2021

Friday 14 April 2023 (1050) – Arriva buses at the Luton Interchange. Left to right: 3977 (LF71 DLZ), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2021 2316 (LM64 JOJ), a Wright StreetLite WF new in February 2015 3552 (KX09 GYB), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new in July 2009 soon to work the 1055 service 100 to Stevenage. This would be the bus I made my final ride of the outing on when it worked the 1315 service 101 from Luton Interchange to Stevenage. (In between it worked the 1205 service 100 from Stevenage to Luton). .

Friday 14 April 2023 (1051) – Arriva 2314 (LM64 JOA), a Wright StreetLite WF new in February 2015, seen at the Luton Interchange.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1055) – Arriva 3970 (LF71 DLK), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2021, seen arriving at Luton Interchange..

Friday 14 April 2023 (1309) – Arriva 3961 (KX12 GZZ), a Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in June 2012, seen at Luton Interchange.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1049) – Arriva the Shires Limited operates the Green Line service 757 from Luton and Luton Airport to London (Bullied Way, Victoria). During the main part of the day services leave Luton Airport every 30 minutes and hourly from the town centre Interchange. A reduced service operates through the night-time. Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coaches are employed and here 7211 (BV20 HRO) which was new in August 2020 was seen working the 1045 service to London which would depart Luton Airport at 1105 and scheduled to arrive in London at 1224. Lettering to mark the 90th anniversary of Green Line is carried. The last two digits of the fleet number are carried in larger characters above the driver’s window.

Friday 14 April 2023 (0954) – Arriva the Shires Limited operates the Green Line service 757 from London (Bullied Way, Victoria) to Luton Airport every 30 minutes during the main part of the day with alternate services extending to Luton town centre. A reduced service operates through the night-time. Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coaches are employed and here 7205 (BV20 HRG) which was new in August 2020 was seen arriving at Luton Airport with the 0840 service from London a few minutes earlier than the schedule 1001 arrival time.

Friday 14 April 2023 (0951) – Arriva the Shires Limited operates the Green Line service 757 from London (Bullied Way, Victoria) to Luton Airport every 30 minutes during the main part of the day with alternate services extending to Luton town centre. A reduced service operates through the night-time. Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coaches are employed and here 7212 (BV20 HRP) which was new in August 2020 was seen arriving at Luton Airport having departed from Luton Interchange at 0945. It was scheduled to depart from here at 1005 arriving London at 1124. Lettering to mark the 90th anniversary of Green Line is carried.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1120) – Two Arriva Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE buses on the Luton and Dunstable Busway at the Jeans Way bus stop. Both operating Busway service A (Luton Airport-Luton-Dunstable). On the right heading towards Luton and Luton Airport is 3952 (KX12 GZO) which was new June 2012. In the background is 3894 (KX11 OSF), which was in August 2011, was operating towards Dunstable. Upon arrival in Dunstable this bus would go on to work the 1128 Busway service Z back to Luton via Houghton Regis - a different and circuitous route which initially uses a different section of the Busway system to the north of Dunstable. Unknown to me at the time I took this photograph I would take a ride on that bus to Houghton Regis. Seen from the upper deck of Grant Palmer Passengers Services 709 (BU57 WAY), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new to Lothian Buses (866) in October 2007 registered SN57 GMU.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1114) – The main Luton and Dunstable Busway travels alongside the A5065 road (Hatters Way) for part of its journey. For many years Luton was synonymous with the hat making industry hence the road name and Luton Town football club is known as The Hatters. Arriva 3958 (KX12 GZV), a Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in June 2012, was travelling towards Luton seen from on board Grant Palmer Passengers Services 709 (BU57 WAY), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new to Lothian Buses (866) in October 2007 registered SN57 GMU.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1102) – Arriva vehicles on the southern access road serving the Luton Interchange. Left is 3891 (KX11 PUO), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in August 2011 and right is 3970 (LF71 DLK), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2021. In the background is 7211 (BV20 HRO), a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo which was new in August 2020, working the 1045 Green Line service 757 to London. It has already crossed Hitchin Road and is now on a further section of ‘bus only’ road (I know however that it is a ‘coach’)

Friday 14 April 2023 (1215) – Arriva 3132 (YX17 NNH), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D MMC new in July 2017, seen in Dunstable turning from High Street North to Church Street. Service 31 links Dunstable with Luton via the original A505 (Luton Road/Dunstable Road), a journey taking around 40 minutes. Comparable journeys on the Busway take about 15 minutes.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1051) – Arriva buses at the Luton Interchange. Left to right: 3131 (YX17 NNG), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D MMC new in July 2017. 3959 (KX12 GZW), a Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in June 2012. 3891 (KX11 PUO), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in August 2011 A fourth bus can be seen through the gap between the two buses on the left above which part of the Busway track which carries in bound buses from Dunstable can be seen descending the hill.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1106) – Arriva 3976 (LF71 DLY), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2021, seen at Luton Interchange.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1105) – Two Arriva MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLEs seen at Luton Interchange. They are 3976 (LF71 DLY) and 3977 (LF71 DLZ) both new in December 2021.

Friday 14 April 2023 (1212) – High Street North, Dunstable. Left is Red Eagle Buses Limited of Dinton near Aylesbury LX11 AVV, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that had been new to Stagecoach East London (36265) in April 2011, working the 1205 service 34 from Dunstable (Asda) to St. Albans. Right is Arriva 3957 (KX12 GZU), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in June 2012, working Busway service A to Luton and Luton Airport. Tucked in behind 3957 was similar bus 3896 (KX11 PZZ) working Busway service Z to Luton via Houghton Regis.

Friday 14 April 2023 (0941) – The first of the seven buses I rode on today on my outing to Luton and Dunstable was Arriva 3783 (MX61 AVY), a Wright Pulsar bodied VDL SB200 new to Arriva Merseyside in September 2011. In this shot the bus was seen at Luton Airport as it reversed out to continue the journey to Luton town centre. This was the 0843 service 100 from Stevenage to Luton via Hitchin and Luton Airport. On the left is a Stagecoach double decker on service MK1 and a car park shuttle bus.