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Spotlight on Arriva London Accident Centre as buses get a makeover

Richard Crowley of Beddington FarmThe removal of the distinctive cream-colour ‘horns’ on Arriva London’s older buses is progressing at quite a pace.

The work is being done as part of a major refurbishment programme involving well over 300 single and double-deck buses. On completion the buses are being re-painted in all-over London Buses red with white roofs.

Enfield accident centre teamEngineers at the Arriva's Enfield and Beddington Farm accident centres began working on the programme about a year ago.

Body shop manager Steve Fox said: “It’s a huge undertaking and we’re aiming to complete about 80 buses a year over the next two or three years.”

He said his team had finished 72 this year alone by the end of September.

Apart from the disappearance of the horns, passengers will notice changes inside the bus as new, redesigned moquette is being fitted.

Steve said that all the buses in the refurbishment programme were between five and seven years old and were in need of “considerable refreshment”.

Pat Mulqueen making a bus body panelAmong the major items being refurbished and replaced if necessary are seat trims, seat backs, floors and matting, equipment for disabled passengers and body panels.

Electrical and some mechanical parts are being checked thoroughly, such as bell pushes, and the necessary repair work carried out. The refurbishment also involves re-sprays of all buses and this is being carried out at Enfield.

“Once the work on an individual bus is completed, it leaves the accident centre in showroom condition and will be good for another five years at least,” said Steve.

John Bradstock of Beddington Farm“We have really skilled teams at both locations and they’ve been doing this sort of work for years. They know exactly what they’re about and are just as comfortable with refurbishments as they are putting buses back together again after some big accidents.”

The centres employ 22 engineers, including body builders, painters, trim fitters, electricians and mechanics.
 

Published: Mon 27 Dec 2010Modified: Wed 29 Dec 2010Archived: Mon 24 Jan 2011

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