RATP buses - October 2002
RATP's disposal centre was packed with PR100.2s at the time of my visit - the capital bought 97 of these buses and 37 were to be found awaiting disposal. Here, examples in all three of the livery styles used on this type of bus (1980s-style striped, cream with one pale green band and 1990s-style jade green and white) can be seen awaiting their fate. A couple of SC10Rs manage to sneak into the line-up too.

RATP Renault SC10Rs and SC10RAs - October 2002
2002 saw the end of SC10 operation with RATP, and the disposal compound was full of them. Most of the buses seen here are actually of the open-backed SC10RA variety. Second from the left can be seen 3949, one of the buses which received a repaint in the current jade green and white livery only a matter of months before withdrawal - someone within RATP must have thought that the SC10RAs were to remain in service a while longer! The bus on the right is 3981, the last SC10 of any sort to be delivered to RATP.

RATP no. 3333 - October 2002
Looking very forlorn and uncared-for is 'celebrity' SC10R no. 3333, still carrying its route blinds from service on the 322 route. Most of the buses looked like they had been driven to the compound directly from service, as most retained their route blinds and in some cases route number boards. 3333 has however lost its RATP logo and lettering from its rear flank, and vultures have clearly been picking at its mechanics and interior fittings.

RATP no. 3855 - October 2002
When the AZF petrochemical plant in Toulouse exploded in September 2001, it destroyed the neighbouring depot of local bus operator SEMVAT and a large number of their bus fleet. RATP was among the operators to help out in the aftermath of the explosion, loaning a batch of recently-withdrawn SC10Rs and some R312s to SEMVAT in order to allow services to be resumed. 3855 was photographed following its return from Toulouse for disposal by RATP. It still carries its temporary SEMVAT fleet number (7529) on the front end and the transfer for Toulouse route 92 beside the destination box.

RATP nos. 718 and 712 - October 2002
The little Van Hool A508 midibuses that slogged up and over Montmartre for the best part of a decade were finally replaced by electric Oréos midibuses in 2002. Three of these hardworking little buses were to be found parked up awaiting sale. Again, 712 clearly came straight here after its return to Belliard depot, without anyone bothering to remove its route blinds.

RATP nos. 4165, 4157 and 4175 - October 2002
RATP's PR100.2s led tough lives and covered quite high mileages, many having been used on the express services linking the city with Roissy airport. Some wore visible scars of their years in service - note the rust showing through the paintwork on 4175 nearest the camera. 4157 and 4165 were among the batch used on the 'Roissybus' express service until replacement by Agora Ls in 2001. 

RATP no. 3977 - October 2002
I have fond memories of travelling through Paris on the open rear platform of RATP's Renault SC10RAs, so they will be sorely missed. Sadly, their haunts on the 29 and  56 routes have been turned over to more mundane vehicles. 

RATP no. 4147 - October 2002
Another batch of buses that I will miss are the ghostly all-cream Renault PR100.2s (nos. 4146-56). The buses were delivered in this special livery for an express route that in the event was never introduced - instead they spent their entire lives working on another express route, the 350 from Gare de l'Est to Roissy airport. In their early years, despite a paint scheme that must have been difficult to keep looking clean, Flandre depot always turned them out in pristine condition. One was usually to be found awaiting duty outside the Gare de l'Est whenever I visited Paris. However, in their last couple of years in service as withdrawal approached they looked slightly sad and weatherbeaten. 4147, surrounded by SC10Rs and other PR100.2s, is seen here awaiting its fate. Most of the rest of the batch were also present when I visited St. Denis, scattered around the site.

RATP no. 7961 (729 JXF 75) - October 2002
Sandwiched between two SC10Rs is an elderly SC10U which has clearly seen use as an information bus before being consigned to the disposal compound. It seems to have belonged to La Maltournée depot, however it does carry a proper registration plate (Paris buses have special dispensation and do not normally need to be registered).