3600+ views special - London Bus Routes: 196

I welcome you to my new post: History of route 196.

Before I start, I'll post a picture of a frequent odd working on the route.

Go-Ahead London General WVL2 (LG02KGX) in West Norwood

Yup, that's Wright, the Gemini 1 bodied Volvo B7TL, which have a 3 speed Voith which I loathe.

Let's open the book, shall we?

The 196 we know today started off running between Tufnell Park Hotel and Waterloo (Monday-Saturday) with a PVR of 11. Garage allocation was both Chalk Farm (CF) and Holloway (J), Chalk Farm ran he Saturday service using 7 SRT-type vehicles where on the weekday basis, it was split between both garages (6 from CF/5 from J). Anyways, it was born on the 11th October 1950 replacing a route numbered 239 which ran between Tuffnell Park and King's Cross Albion Road. The routing between Tufnell Park and King's Cross resembles most of today's 390. It's worth noting 196 didn't have a Sunday service.

Anyways, a year later on the 11th July, route 68A (Chalk Farm to Norwood Junction) was withdrawn. Thus 196 replaced most of 68A, and the 196 at the time paralleled 68 for most of the route. PVR changed to 45 (weekdays) 32 (Saturdays) and 11. Allocations changed to mostly RTL-type vehicles with some RTs and Camberwell (Q) joined in the fun.

Allocation type changes occured until 26/11/1958 where the entire Sunday service was eliminated. Route 40's Sunday service was extended from Camberwell Green to Norwood Junction instead.

Tables change as a new route 239 formed on the 27th March 1971, if you look back a few lines you'd get the gist. Yes, the Tufnell Park to Euston section of the 196 was cut off. The allocation was entirely Routemaster operated with a PVR of 19/11 (Weekday/Saturday), courtesy of Camberwell (Q). Three years later on the 5th January, route 68's service was strengthened. Therefore the 196 was curtailed at Herne Hill to go Brixton via route 3. Sunday service introduced with PVR of 3. Weekday PVR decreased to 7, Saturday PVR changed to 5. Operated from Norwood (N) with a #91+ running number.

Nothing major happened until 3rd August 1985 (in fact, garage runs and garage reallocations took place), where the service received a decent extension!

Norwood Junction - Brixton - Kennington (Weekday peaks) - Westminster - Trafalgar Square - Aldwych - Kingsway - Bloomsbury - Rosebury Avenue - Islington Green (Weekday early AM journeys).

This was to replace route 172 (West Norwood - Islington Green via Brixton, Aldwych).

On the 7th February 1987, Cityrama took over operation.

Two years later on the 28th October, London & Country claim the 196.

Hec Tate.
London Country South West Leyland Atlantean AN124 (UPK 124S) in Chelsham Garage awaiting for it's next shift on route 196

Not much of a surprise that 196 returned to Stockwell (SW), at that time being London General.

The 196 was permanently withdrawn north of Brixton on the 24th October 1992, replaced by a new 3B using 196's allocation. Nothing changed much on the route in terms of routing.

The 196 transferred in and around the Go-Ahead group with bus type changes such as Leyland Titans to Volvo Citybuses. Then Connex won the route from Beddington Cross (BC) using new Tridents on  an ALX400 body which were found on C3 before replaced younger vehicles.

30th April 2005 came, the date midibus route 322 was severed on the Brixton to Elephant & Castle section due to unreliability and capacity issues. The 196 was a perfect replacement. However, the unreliability fell on the 196! Main PVR increased from 8 to 13.

Go-Ahead London General E12 (SN06BNX) in Herne Hill towards Norwood Junction

Go-Ahead group reclaimed the 196 yet again on the 6th May 2006, this time introducing us with the first of their Enviro400's, bonnet numbers E1-15/57*. Operated from Stockwell (SW) with #191+ running number. Due to Elephant & Castle works as of December 2015, the route required a temporary PVR increase from 14 to 16.

Go-Ahead London General WVL444 (LJ61GXD)
on route 196 approaching the Brixton Academy bus stop
on it's way to Norwood Junction. This was a temporary
allocation for both 196/333 during Elephant & Castle
works.

Go-Ahead London General EH5 (LX58DDL) towards Elephant & Castle
whilst leaving Vauxhall Bus Station.
Fun fact: 196 along with 24 were allocated the prototype Enviro400 Hybrids EH1-5.
Until allocated was wholly moved to 88 in 2013.

I hope you liked reading this post and have a good time!

* - E57 is now at Merton (AL) allocated to routes 44 and 77. Originally ordered for 196's new timetable for reliability. E38/39 which were bought for 87 made common appearences on route 196. Of which E39 is at Bexleyheath (BX) now allocated to route 132.

P.S. I know I haven't made a post in the last 3 months which I wanted to but here's one at least! Thanks for the 170 views yesterday! (My maximum record for a day)

Sources: 

Ian Armstrong's London Buses site

Timetable Graveyard