Thursday 19 March 2015

Abellio's new flagship - 109

Arriva's economical flagship route turned to become Abellio's flagship. Now we see the newest of bus types around on the 19th busiest London Bus Route, the Enviro400 MMC Hybrids on the 109. Around 28 of them have been ordered with some Tridents and Volvos in Beddington Cross (BC) reblinded for 109.

Once upon a time, 8 April 1951 to be precise, tram routes 16 (Purley circular via Westminster Bridge and Blackfriars) and 18 (Purley circular via Blackfriars and Westminster Bridge) were replaced by a bus route numbered 109 born with a massive PVR of 88, 52 from Brixton (BN) and 36 from Thornton Heath (TH), that is on Mondays to Fridays, you then have Saturday's allocation total of 65, Brixton (BN) giving out 41 and Thornton Heath (TH) giving the remainder (24). Sunday's allocation forms of 28, 12 from BN and 16 from TH, this is quite astonishing since Monday to Friday allocation is 88 and Sundays is 28, a massive difference of 60 buses, don't you think?

By October 1957, it was decided the route's Westminster loop on Sundays to be withdrawn, and Blackfriars loops left how it is. Have I forgot to tell you the allocation of buses? It was RTs. Oh and one more thing to the change, Brixton (BN)'s Sunday allocation was withdrawn too. The PVR of 28 decreased to Thornton Heath's 12. Mon-Fri was decreased by 8 buses and Saturday's shortened to 58. Quite a change.
Seven months later (April 1958), BN took back some of TH's Sunday allocation, though still staying 12 in total. You also have Mon-Fri decreasing, by another two making 78 and the Saturday allocation changed to 53. At this rate it's gonna continue decreasing right?
Brixton (BN) loses it's Sunday allocation once again, this time, the Sunday Blackfriars' loop is withdrawn too! Mon-Fri allocation decreased by two buses again. Saturday/Sunday PVRs stay the same.