Blue Triangle

Blue Triangle is a bus company operating services in East London. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group and operates most services under contract to Transport for London. It is the operator of the East London Transit service.

History


Blue Triangle had been formed by Roger Wright by 1988, originally operating out of Romford.

The first regular bus service to be operated by the company was the Essex Heritage Route 622 from Great Yeldham to Harlow during 1988. The service was operated under contract to Essex County Council. Two former London Transport Executive AEC Regent III RT buses were used, RT2150 and RT2799. Both were painted in modified London Transport red livery with cream lower deck window area and cream upper deck below the windows. They had a red inter-deck band.

Blue Triangle also provided buses for London Sight-seeing tours at this time.

Following the success of these operations Blue Triangle operated Essex route 500 on evenings on Sundays in the early days of deregulation.

Blue Triangle have long been an operator of rail replacement services and also assisted London Buses when other companies gave up routes early. The depot is at Denver Industrial Estate, Ferry Lane, Rainham.

In August 2002 Blue Triangle took over route 185 at short notice after London Easylink ceased trading.

On 29 June 2007 Blue Triangle was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group. The sale included eight Transport for London and nine Essex County Council routes and approximately 60 buses, but not the charter fleet which were retained by Roger Wright trading as The London Bus Company.

In August 2008, Go-Ahead's London bus operations all took up the new trading name of Go-Ahead London.

Garage
Blue Triangle operate one garage.

Rainham (BE)
Rainham operates London bus routes 167, 193, 300, 347, 362, 364, 368, 376, 462, 498, EL2, W19, 24-hour route EL1, schools routes 608, 646, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 656, 667, 674, 679, 686 and commercial route 804.

On 24 March 2012, Blue Triangle commenced operating routes 20 and 462.

On 22 June 2013, routes 193, 368 and 498 plus school routes 608, 646, 648, 652, 656, 667, 679 and 686 were purchased from First London.

Bus types in use

 * Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (SE) for route 300
 * Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.8m (SE/SEN) for routes 362, 364, 368 and 376
 * Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m / MCV Evolution (ED) for route 167
 * Alexander Dennis Enviro400 10.1m (EN) for route 498
 * Dennis Dart SLF 8.8m / Marshall Capital (DMN) for route 193
 * Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m / Marshall Capital (DMN) for routes 646 and 648
 * Dennis Dart SLF 9.4m / MCV Evolution (ED) for route W19
 * Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m / Plaxton Pointer 2 (DP) for route 347
 * VDL SB180 10.3m / MCV Evolution (MDL) as a logistical spare
 * Volvo B7TL 10.1m / Plaxton President (PVL) for routes 649, 650, 651, 674 and Essex route 804
 * Volvo B7TL 10.6m / Plaxton President (PVN) for routes 608, 652, 656, 667, 679 and 686
 * Volvo B7TL 10.1m / Wright Eclipse Gemini (WVL) for routes 498, 608, 652, 656, 667, 679 and 686
 * Volvo B9TL 10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (WVL) for routes EL1 and EL2
 * Wright StreetLite 8.8m (WS) for route 462

Special vehicles
Blue Triangle owned a number of special vehicles including an ex Green Line Routemaster, ex London Routemasters and AEC Regent III RTs for use on charter duties. These vehicles were not included in the sale to Go-Ahead Group and remain in the ownership of Roger Wright's London Bus Company.

Previous routes operated



 * The first regular bus service to be operated by Blue Triangle was the Essex Heritage Route 622 from Great Yeldham to Harlow under contract to Essex County Council on Sundays and Holiday Mondays during the summer of 1988, using AEC Regent III RTs RT2150 and RT2799.


 * Blue Triangle operated Essex route 500 (Romford to Harlow via Epping) in the late 1980s/early 1990s in the early days of deregulation. Blue Triangle operated the route on evenings and Sundays under contract to Essex County Council.


 * Route 565 (Brentwood to Bulphan) was once operated by Blue Triangle. They also operated the route when it went from Brentwood on to Romford.


 * Essex County Council route 11 (Purfleet to Basildon) was lost to Clintona Minicoaches in January 2009.


 * Essex County Council routes 8B/8C, 101 and 256 were lost to First Essex in August 2010.


 * Blue Triangle was the last operator to operate route 502 (Loughton to Romford). It was a Saturday service with only one return journey.


 * Route 372 was won on a temporary contract as part replacement for route 324 which ran between Romford Market and Bluewater Shopping Centre, Blue Triangle was awarded the temporary contract using four second hand Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Darts. In March 2004, Blue Triangle retained the contract for another five years. This route has since passed to Stagecoach London.


 * In 2001 Blue Triangle commenced operating route 248 and commenced operations with Leyland Titans & MCW Metrobuses due to late delivery of new buses. In September 2008, the passed to Stagecoach London.


 * Route 375 was won on a temporary contract as a part replacement to Essex County Council route 500, which was withdrawn between Ongar and Romford, Transport for London stepped in with this replacement service using just one bus. On 4 July 2009 this passed to Arriva Southern Counties.


 * In September 2003 Blue Triangle commenced operating route 66, the contract started using hired buses due to the late deliver of new buses from Transbus. In September 2010 this passed to Arriva Southern Counties.


 * On 3 November 2007 Blue Triangle commenced operating route 368 using existing MCV Evolutions. On 26 March 2011 this passed toFirst London but was re-acquired on 22 June 2013.


 * In September 2001 Blue Triangle commenced operating route 648 using an existing Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m / Alexander Dennis Pointer. On 3 September 2011 this route passed to First London but was re-acquired on 22 June 2013.


 * In March 2012 Blue Triangle commenced operating route 20 using new Volvo B9TL 10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s. On 22 June 2012, this route was transferred to London General's Northumberland Park garage.