Metrobus (England)

Metrobus is an operator in England serving Greater London, Surrey, Kent, and East & West Essex. It is part of the Go-Ahead Group, and has been in operation since 1981.

History

Metrobus was initially set up in 1981 as Tillingbourne (Metropolitan) Limited, a subsidiary of Tillingbourne Bus Company created to take over services from the collapsed Orpington & District bus company. It was sold to its directors in July 1983, and the company was renamed to Metrobus.

The Go-Ahead Group purchased Metrobus in 1999. In April 2014, a major reorganization saw Metrobus' contracted TfL services, and its Croydon and Orpington garages, transferred to Go-Ahead London. Administration of the remaining commercial operations and the Crawley garage were moved to Brighton & Hove, with the Metrobus brand retained. Go-Ahead purchased Southdown Buses in February 2023, which was consolidated into Metrobus in September 2023.

Garages

Current

• Copthorne
• Crawley (CY)

Former

• Croydon (C) - transferred to Go-Ahead London in 2014.
• Orpington (MB) - transferred to Go-Ahead London in 2014.

Fleet

Active

Fleet Numbers	Thumbnail	Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length	Engine	Transmission	Notes
6006-6018		2014	Volvo Wrightbus	B8RLE Eclipse 2	12.0 m
6019-6020		2015	Volvo Wrightbus	B8RLE Eclipse 3	12.0 m	Volvo D8K Euro 6
6021-6022		2017	Volvo Wrightbus	B8RLE Eclipse 3	12.0 m	Volvo D8K Euro 6
6051-6070		2023	Wrightbus	GB Kite Hydroliner
6101		2013	Wrightbus	StreetLite Max DF	11.6 m			Ex-demonstrator; purchased in 2016.
6102-6107, 6112-6117		2016	Wrightbus	StreetLite DF	10.9 m
6118-6127		2019	Wrightbus	StreetLite DF
6323		2005	Alexander Dennis East Lancs	Dart SLF Myllennium				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6401-6423		2024	Wrightbus	GB Kite Hydroliner
6550-6551		2005	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 550-551 in 2014.
6629		2008	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	10.9 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 629 in 2014.
6701		2016	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins B4.5		Ex-Ratho Coaches; purchased in 2020.
6702		2016	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins B4.5		Ex-Wheelers Travel; purchased in 2020.
6703		2016	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Houston's; purchased in 2022.
6704		2016	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins B4.5		Ex-Ratho Coaches; purchased in 2022.
6705		2015	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Diamond, née-Hanson's; purchased in 2022.
6706-6708		2009	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6709-6711		2018	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6712-6713		2021	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6714-6715		2024	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200 MMC				Ex-Go South Coast; on loan in 2025.
6716		2024	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200 MMC				On loan.
6725, 6727-6730		2007	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-Arriva; acquired in 2009. Originally numbered 220, 222-225. Renumbered from 725, 727-730 in 2014.
6731		2008	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6732-6733		2009	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6734-6739		2012	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 734-739 in 2014.
6760-6761		2023	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200 MMC				On loan.
6762		2024	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200 MMC				Ex-Hulleys of Baslow 7531; on loan in 2025.
6763-6764, 6766-6772		2013	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 763-764, 766-772 in 2014.
6773-6782		2015	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins B4.5
6783		2016	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins B4.5		Ex-Yourbus 1405.
6784-6786		2019	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200 MMC				Ex-Go-Ahead Ireland; transferred in 2022.
6901-6912		2013	Volvo Wrightbus	B9TL Eclipse Gemini 2		Volvo D9B		Ex-Brighton & Hove 480-485, 479, 486-490; transferred in 2020 and 2024.
6931-6937		2011	Volvo Wrightbus	B9TL Eclipse Gemini 2		Volvo D9B		Ex-Brighton & Hove 401-407; transferred in 2024.
6939		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka	10.6 m			Renumbered from 939 in 2014.
6949		2006	Volvo East Lancs	B7TL Vyking		Volvo		Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6953-6954		2008	Scania	CN270UD OmniCity				Renumbered from 953-954 in 2014.
6955-6985		2008-09	Scania	CN270UD OmniCity	10.8 m			Transferred from Brighton & Hove.
6986-6988		2016	Scania Alexander Dennis	N230UD Enviro400		Scania DC9		Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6989-6990		2018	Scania Alexander Dennis	N250UD Enviro400 MMC		Scania DC9		Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.

Training

Fleet Numbers	Thumbnail	Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length	Engine	Transmission	Notes
7004-7005		2014	Volvo Wrightbus	B8RLE Eclipse 2	12.0 m			Ex-6001-6002.
7545		2002	Scania East Lancs	N94UB Myllennium		Scania		Ex-Go-Ahead London ELS5.
7546		2005	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	11.9 m	Scania		Ex-Metrobus 6546, née-546.
7952		2001	Volvo Plaxton	B7TL President	10.0 m	Volvo		Ex-Southern Vectis, née-London Central.

Retired

This list is incomplete.

Fleet number(s)	Thumbnail	Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length	Engine	Transmission	Notes
101-102		2006	Optare	Solo SE
117		1995	Dennis Optare	Lance Sigma
120-123		1999	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-First DMS41360-DMS41361, DMS41355, DMS41358; acquired in December 2007.
124-147		2002	TransBus Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-First DMS41450-DMS41473; acquired in December 2007.
148-162		2011	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe
163-178		2011	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe
179-188		2013	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe
189-192		2013	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	8.9 m	Cummins ISBe
201-219		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		208 and 209 used for driver training (renumbered 7208 and 7209).
211, 213-214		1998	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.1 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-London Central LDP111, LDP113-LDP114; leased from June to July 2002.
220-223		2004	TransBus CaetanoBus	Dart SLF Nimbus	10.5 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-Tellings-Golden Miller; acquired in 2005.
220-225	Renumbered to 725-730.
224-227		1996	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-London General LDP24-LDP27; acquired in 2002.
228-236		2006	Alexander Dennis East Lancs	Dart SLF Esteem	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
241-248		1998	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 741-748 in 2001.
251-256		2004	Alexander Dennis	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
257-268		2006	Alexander Dennis East Lancs	Dart SLF Esteem	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
271-289		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe		287-289 renumbered to 6287-6289 in 2014.
291-299		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 791-799 in 2001.
301-308		1997	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-Limebourne; purchased in 1999.
309-311		1999	Dennis Alexander	Dart SLF ALX200	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe
312-316		1999	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
317, 319		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
320-321	Renumbered to 6320-6322.
322-331		1999	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe
332, 334-338		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe
339, 341-344		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe		344 renumbered to 6344 in 2014.
346-347		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
348-349, 351-354, 356-358		2001	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
359, 361-369, 371-374, 376-379		2001	Dennis CaetanoBus	Dart SLF Nimbus	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		359, 362-366, 371-372, 374, 377-379 renumbered to 6359, 6362-6366, 6371-6372, 6374, 6377-6379 in 2014.
380		2002	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Owned by Kent County; operated by Metrobus from 2004-2006.
380-382		2001	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-First DML41411-DML41413; acquired in December 2007. Renumbered to 7380-7382, used for training.
381-389, 391-393		2001	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe
383-386		2000	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-First DML41373-DML41375, DML41380; acquired in December 2007.
388-399		1997	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Ex-Arriva; acquired in October 2009. Not all units used in service. 390, 393-396 renumbered to 6390, 6393-6396 in 2014.
397-398		1997	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Leased from Dawson Rentals from April to July 2001.
399		1999	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Leased from Dawson Rentals from April to July 2001.
431-447		2003	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9
451-468		2003	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9
469-471		2003	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9
472-493		2003-04	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9		472-478, 482-493 renumbered to 6472-6478, 6482-6493 in 2014.
494-497	Renumbered to 6494-6497.
501-502		2003	Mercedes-Benz	Citaro O530	12.0 m
503-504		2003	Mercedes-Benz	Citaro O530	12.0 m
513	Renumbered to 6513.
514-540		2003	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	11.9 m	Scania DC9		531-535 renumbered to 6531-6535 in 2014.
541-545		2005	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9
546-558	Renumbered to 6546-6558.
559-560	Renumbered to 6559-6560.
561-567		2008	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9
568-581		2009	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9
582	Renumbered to 6582.
601-623		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UB Esteem	10.6 m	Scania DC9
624-633	Renumbered to 6624-6633.
701-705		2007	MAN East Lancs	12.240 Esteem	10.3 m
706-708		2008	MAN Alexander Dennis	14.240 Enviro200	10.7 m
709-723		2009	MAN MCV	14.240 Evolution	10.8 m
725-730	Renumbered to 6725-6730.
731-733		2011	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.2 m	Cummins ISBe
734-739	Renumbered to 6734-6739.
741-748	Renumbered to 241-248.
740-762		2013	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins ISBe
763-772	Renumbered to 6763-6772.
791-799	Renumbered to 291-299.
817-829		1996	Volvo Northern Counties	Olympian Palatine				820, 827 retired around September 2009. 817-819, 821, 822, 826, 829 retired in late 2009, possibly early 2010. 823-825 retired later in 2010.
830-845		1997	Volvo East Lancs	Olympian Pyoneer				All retired by 2010.
870-899		2009	Scania Optare	N230UD Olympus	10.8 m	Scania DC9
901-927		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka	10.6 m	Scania DC9
928-946		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka	10.6 m	Scania DC9		938-939 renumbered to 6938-6939 in 2014.
947-952		2007	Scania East Lancs	N230UD OmniDekka	10.8 m	Scania DC9
953-954	Renumbered to 6953-6954.
955-956		2008	Scania	CN230UD OmniCity	10.8 m	Scania DC9
957		2009	Scania	CN230UD OmniCity	10.8 m	Scania DC9
958-973		2009	Scania	CN230UD OmniCity	10.8 m	Scania DC9
974-978		2010	Scania	CN230UD OmniCity	10.8 m	Scania DC9
6003-6005, 6013		2014	Volvo Wrightbus	B8RLE Eclipse 2	12.0 m
6201-6207, 6217-6218		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 201-207, 217-218 in 2014.
6287-6289		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 287-289 in 2014.
6320-6321		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 320-321 prior to 2014.
6322, 6324-6325		2005	Alexander Dennis East Lancs	Dart SLF Myllennium				Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6344		2000	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer 2	8.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 344 in 2014.
6359, 6362-6366, 6371-6372, 6374, 6377-6379		2001	Dennis CaetanoBus	Dart SLF Nimbus	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 359, 362-366, 371-372, 374, 377-379 in 2014.
6390, 6393-6396		1997	Dennis Plaxton	Dart SLF Pointer	10.7 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 390, 393-396 in 2014. Née-Arriva; acquired in October 2009.
6469-6471		2003	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9		Renumbered from 469-471 in 2014.
6472-6478, 6482-6493		2003	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9		Renumbered from 469-478, 482-493 in 2014.
6494-6497		2004	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka		Scania DC9		Renumbered from 494-497 in 2014.
6513		2002	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	11.9 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 513 in 2014.
6531-6535		2003	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 531-535 in 2014.
6546-6558		2005	Scania	CN94UB OmniCity	11.9 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 546-549, 552 in 2014.
6559-6560		2007	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	11.9 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 560 in 2014.
6582		2012	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	12.0 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 582 in 2014.
6615-6623		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UB Esteem	10.6 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 615-623 in 2014.
6624-6628, 6630-6633		2008	Scania	CN230UB OmniCity	10.9 m	Scania DC9		Renumbered from 624-628, 630-633 in 2014.
6726		2007	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200Dart	10.2 m			Ex-Arriva; acquired in 2009. Originally numbered 221. Renumbered from 726 in 2014.
6765		2013	Alexander Dennis	Enviro200	10.8 m	Cummins ISBe		Renumbered from 765 in 2014.
6938		2006	Scania East Lancs	N94UD OmniDekka	10.6 m			Renumbered from 938 in 2014.
6945-6948		2004	Volvo Alexander Dennis	B7TL President		Volvo		Ex-Southdown; acquired in 2023.
6950-6952		2008	Volvo Alexander Dennis	B9TL Enviro400		Volvo		Ex-Go-Ahead London VE1-VE3; transferred in 2023.
7003		2006	Volvo Wrightbus	B7RLE Eclipse Urban		Volvo		Ex-East Yorkshire. Training bus.
7208-7209		2003	TransBus	Dart SLF Pointer 2	10.7 m			Training buses; renumbered from 208-209.
7380-7382		2001	Dennis Marshall	Dart SLF Capital	10.2 m			Ex-First London. Training buses; renumbered from 380-382.
7764-7769		1995	Dennis Marshall	Dart	9.8 m			Ex-Oxford Bus Company; acquired in 2001. Training buses.
17480, 17481, 17484, 17485		2001	TransBus	Trident ALX400	9.9 m			Leased from ELBG from May to end of summer 2009 to cover for service expansions and delivery of 870-899. 17480, 17484, 17485 returned in August 2009; remainder returned by end of summer 2009.
17562, 17567, 17568, 17569, 17571, 17574, 17577-17579, 17581, 17582, 17584, 17585, 17587, 17588-17591		2002	TransBus	Trident ALX400	9.9 m			Leased from ELBG from May to end of summer 2009 to cover for service expansions and delivery of 870-899. 17562, 17567, 17568, 17569, 17577-17579, 17581, 17584, 17588-17591 returned August 2009; remainder returned by end of summer 2009.

External links

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