We feature another modern tram in this series today as London Tramlink Variobahn 2558 is seen in operation with a single-deck London bus for company.
2558 was one of the first batch of six Variobahn vehicles supplied to Tramlink by Stadler with it arriving at Therapia Lane on 18th May 2012. After commissioning it was soon in service and has now spent eight years earning its keep around South London on the network serving Croydon, Wimbledon, New Addington, Beckenham Junction and Elmers End.
In this view we see 2558 on 23rd March 2015 having just departed from New Addington and approaching the first stop on the line at King Henry’s Drive. It is operating a line 3 service to Wimbledon (a service which today no longer runs, of course). Alongside on the adjacent road we see the familiar red of a London bus with this particular example being operated by Metrobus. The bus was numbered 277 in the Metrobus fleet and would remain in service until October 2017 when it was sold on for further use. On this day it was allocated to bus route 464.
Photograph by Gareth Prior