The London Volvo B9TL & B5LH

Matthew Wharmby

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781526749642
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Transportation & Navigation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

A comprehensive look at Volvo's innovative, 21st century double-decker designs and how they transformed busing across London. Volvo's successful B7TL low-floor double-decker bus enjoyed a successful six-year run until increasing noise problems in London curtailed demand. The company then developed a leaner and quieter update which it dubbed the B9TL, and orders resumed in strength. As diesel-engine buses gradually gave way to battery-hybrid technology in the late 2000s, Volvo unveiled the B5LH hybrid to immediate acclaim and even healthier London sales. Volvo's B9TLs and B5LHs quickly became the standard double decker buses in operation across London. This book offers a comprehensive account of these important and innovative machines.

Go-Ahead London

B, VE, WVL, WHV, EHV, MHV, WVN and VHP classes

Surprise was the order of the day when on 4 July 2006 London General took delivery of BX06 BTF, a Volvo B9TL demonstrator with Wrightbus Gemini H41/21D bodywork. Identical to existing company WVLs and carrying the same livery, the bus was to Euro 4 emissions standards, which it was hoped had cut down noise problems sufficient to attract the large and regular orders needed from London bus companies. It was numbered B 9 for the duration and went into service at Stockwell on 18 July; its intended home was on the 11 but it was quickly tried out on the 87, 133 and 196. After nearly a year’s service it returned to Volvo in June 2007, but came back that December and resumed service on the 11.

Thanks to experience with B 9, Go-Ahead ordered three Volvo B9TLs on 10 January 2008, but these would be Alexander Dennis Enviro400-bodied as the VE class. They would be put into service on the 85 to strengthen the company’s bid to retain the route, and to get Putney’s drivers ready for them, B 9 was transferred from Stockwell late in January and began working on the 74.

The 85 was duly retained and given a three-bus boost to its PVR perfect to accomodate the new VEs, which arrived at Volvo’s Beddington premises during September and were taken into stock in October.

To all intents and purposes B 9 (BX06 BTF) looked just like a WVL, but for the two additional intakes on the side, one of which was for the AdBlue fuel additive. Allocated to Putney in this 24 May 2008 shot, it is seen on the 74 at Marble Arch. Author

Elegantly proportioned and attractive in a discreet sort of way, the Enviro400 body sat well on the Volvo B9TL chassis, though, as it happened, Go-Ahead would not order any more of this combination and neither would anyone else. The 85 had in latter years been projected south from its modern terminus at Fairfield Road in Kingston to stand in Kingston Hall Road, which is where Putney’s VE 3 (LX58 CWM) is seen heading when captured on 4 May 2010. Author

To H41/24D plus 20 standing, VEs 1-3 were powered by Volvo D9C engines mated to Voith D864 transmission. All three went into service on the 85 on 13 October, though were taken out of traffic two days later and only returned after several weeks, once modifications had been made to the engine cooling grilles at the rear. While at Putney appearances were possible on the 14. Once the VEs were in service and trusted enough to stay that way, B 9 was returned to Volvo, formally leaving fleet strength by the end of 2008. It later was evaluated (though not in service) by Arriva London North in advance of their own orders for B5LH hybrids.

All in all, the B9TL had proven a success with Go-Ahead, and volume orders could now commence. By the summer of 2009, routes 21 and 63 had been retained by London Central on the promise of new buses and an order was placed in August for sixty Wright-bodied Volvo B9TLs. However, rather than carry on the B code of their predecessor, the new buses were appended to the WVL class despite having different chassis, thus becoming WVLs 274 up.

The rear of the Enviro400 body on Volvo B9TL chassis was less tidy, with more grilles needed to counter the threat of overheating posed by underpowered turbocharged engines; the noise problem that this created had cost Volvo three years’ worth of orders that it was desperate to remedy. On 11 August 2012 VE 3 (LX58 CWM) sets off from Putney Bridge Station. Author

Accordingly, a refresh was carried out front and rear, the elegant round headlights of the Gemini being replaced by a rather more protruding front, albeit with a chromeedged faux grille which couldn’t be painted over, as had ruined the external appearance of so many of the original Geminis. Go-Ahead’s latest interior was featured, with its dark blue seats and blue interior walls, while at the front a striped effect was applied to the entrance doorway to make it more visible to the partially sighted.

First to assume its new contract was the 21 on 10 October 2009, with the 63 following on 14 November. Their outer counterparts 321 and 363 had also been included in each parent’s respective tendering scheme and won by the incumbent but with existing PVLs refurbished rather than new B9TLs. The new buses would also take over the N21 and N63 at night.

It had been the intention for a long time to introduce some sort of advanced operation to the Barking-Thames View Estate corridor, but as budgetary concerns made themselves felt this was downgraded from trams to trolleybuses to plain buses, an...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Copyright
• Foreword
• London Bus Companies
• Tours and Charter
• Other Volvo B9TLs and B5LHs
• Volvo B5TLs
• Totals and Bibliography