The LFS Natural Gas is a sister model to the HSR's former fleet of LFS Transit buses. It shares the LFS Transit's paint scheme, with the lower portion of the bus painted light gray, instead of the usual white with yellow and blue striping. This is actually a design feature, and not a choice by the HSR. These gray panels are intended by Nova to be easily replaceable in the event of wear or damage, and to reduce costs by Nova the panels are available in only one colour: gray. The LFS Natural Gas has an additional change to it's paint scheme, as the yellow paint has been changed to a gold colour.
The 1500 series are part of the 2015 Metrolinx Transit Procurement Initiative, and began arriving in Hamilton in mid-December of that year. Driver training on the buses began on February 24, 2016 and the buses began entering service in batches between March 22 and May 4. The 1600 series are part of the 2016 Metrolinx Transit Procurement Initiative, and #1601-1632 began arriving at the end of June 2016. They entered service in batches between the end of August and the end of November. The HSR exercised an option for eleven more buses, and HSR #1633-1643 started to arrive in November, entering service in early 2017.
Both the 1700 and 1800 series are part of the 2017 Metrolinx Transit Purchasing Co-operative. Both batches were delivered in February and March of 2018.
Starting with the 2100 series the lower gray panels have been replaced by white ones. The 2100 series were part of the 2021 Metrolinx Transit Purchasing Co-operative and were delivered in July and August of 2022 and entered service between September and November of that year. The early 2200s series were delivered between December 2022 and January 2023 with the first entering service in late January 2023, while the later 2200s series were delivered between August and November 2023.
(All photos © Tom Luton, except where noted)
HSR #1501 at King & James, Aug 12, 2016
HSR #1501 on King West at James, Aug 12, 2016
HSR #1502 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #1506 at King St West and Sydenham in Dundas, May 7, 2022.
HSR #1508 at the Hamilton GO Centre, September 25, 2022
HSR #1508 at James and Main, September 24, 2023.
HSR #1510 at the Hamilton GO Centre, Aug 12, 2016
HSR #1510 & #0501 at the Hamilton GO Centre, Aug 12, 2016. Notice the difference in colour between the yellow stripes on the two buses.
HSR #1513 at Hamilton GO Centre, September 25, 2022
HSR #1521 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #1523 at the Hamilton GO Centre, Aug 12, 2016
HSR #1603 at Main St West and Emerson, May 7, 2022.
HSR #1614 at the MacNab Terminal, September 24, 2023
HSR #1615 at Main and MacNab, September 24, 2023
HSR #1617 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024
HSR #1620 at James & Colbourne, May 21, 2024
HSR #1633 at Mohawk & Upper Wentworth, September 25, 2022
HSR #1637 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #1712 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #1803 and #0822 at MacNab Terminal, September 24, 2023
HSR #1803 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #2114 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024
HSR #2120 at King & James, May 21, 2024
HSR #2206 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024. #2206 is wearing the HSR 150th anniversary paint scheme based on the HSR's Cream/maroon (1950-1972) paint scheme
HSR #2206 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024.
HSR #2209 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024
HSR #2220 at Main and MacNab, May 21, 2024
HSR #2254 at James and Jackson, May 21, 2024
HSR #2277 at James and Rebecca, May 21, 2024
Look for YouTube videos on HSR LFSs here (External Link).
