Articulated buses (or ‘bendy-buses’) were introduced to a number of routes in London in connection with the Mayor of London’s new Congestion Charge, which commenced in February 2003. The first routes to be fully operated by bendy-buses were the Red Arrow services 507 and 521, followed by brand new routes 436 and 453. However, route 18 was the first conventional seven-day-a-week bus service to be converted (in November 2003) and was the first bendy-bus route not to enter the Congestion Charge Zones. Although First was the operator of six bendi-buses on route 207 as part of a six-month experiment into the use of these vehicles in London, route 18 was the company’s first actual bus service to be fully operated by this type. Route 18 was also the first bendy-bus route in London to require a new depot (Willesden Junction), which opened specifically to operate and maintain these vehicles. ECA3021 is one of 32 Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G 49-seaters, purchased for route 18. However, Willesden Junction depot became responsible for the maintenance of another 27 similar buses following by the conversion of route 207 to bendy-bus in 2005, and it is not uncommon for buses to swap between routes from time to time.