25 Alexander ALX400-bodied 10.1m DAF DB250RS(LF)s are being put into service from Garston garage ahead of schedule, replacing twelve-year-old Leyland Olympians that had been the mainstay of these two London contracts. In fact, the 142 has been operated by Garston since 21st June 1986 when it was awarded to the then London Country. The route then passed through London Country North West (green livery), Luton & District trading as Watford Bus (green and grey), LDT the Shires trading as networkWatford (blue and yellow) to Arriva the Shires (aquamarine and stone) before the decision to adopt red livery.

Brand new 6004 (KL52 CWT), entering Edgware bus station as dusk falls, demonstrates some slight differences that set it apart from fellow 'DLAs' it will be encountering in the form of the 221's rolling stock. Firstly, the livery's yellow tape band is not repeated across the front or rear bumpers. More subtly but more tellingly, a Transbus badge has replaced the Alexander emblem on the front, underscoring the manufacturers' somewhat belated desire to rationalise their products under one name.

The Olympians displaced are to be moved to Ware garage (Arriva East Herts and Essex, but under the same management as the Shires) to dislodge Metrobuses from the 310 group. Some of them underwent refurbishment during mid-life, so should be good for a while longer yet.