Night experience

In this post I will be focusing on N68.

The night route for daytime 68 and 468 and part of the 60 started on the 27th March 1999 with it's original route from Trafalgar Square to Aldwych as per current route but to Purley instead of Old Coulsdon. Allocated Leyland Olympians from Arriva's South Croydon (TC).

Night photography of moving bus, definitely easy.
Presumably 2614, on it's way to Tottenham Court Road

A year later, the route was extended in place of N159 to Old Coulsdon and rerouted in Central to Tottenham Court Road. Increase in PVR from 5 to 6. Diverted to run via East Croydon.

For the rest of it's term under Arriva it was the low-floor DLAs. Like with 68/468, the route went under London Central's Camberwell (Q) with Volvo B7TLs on the Wright Eclipse Gemini body. Obviously the allocation changed to existing hybrids when more of them became available through gains/retains, as 68 converted to New Routemasters.

31 March this year of 2018 saw the 68/N68 change hands to Abellio from Walworth (WL), 468 going Arriva's Norwood (N) with X68 remaining at Camberwell (Q). The N68 running with E40Hs from 45.

If I had the opportunity I'd have done the N68 under Go-Ahead. However I'll share my limited experience of the route. I wouldn't write this post without foreknowledge on it after all.

West Norwood facing north at 4:34

I started in my town of West Norwood as that's my best bet for night routes having N2 and this instead of Croxted Road's N3, infested with New Routemasters.

My bus came, being 2613 (SN18KLD). We went on diversion via 432's Elder Road and then 417's Crown Dale, left back on Beulah Hill. Since this was the 04:25 trip from Tottenham Court Road, being an early run, there's early workers to pick up. This trip was akin to my 7am trip on 468's changeover day, picking up people from many stops. However my 468 was fully packed whereas my N68 had a handful on board including me.

In the dead, deserted, West Norwood. My best photo all morning.

During the ride, I noted how [obviously] desolate the roads were, especially on the residential Whitehorse Lane. Crown Point was obviously empty but like West Norwood, there's shop lights. Giving it life. Thornton Heath, usually filled with life and traffic has a countable number of life in the area, definitely more than Upper Norwood and West Norwood combined. Towards Croydon as the sun rose, trams were running, one turned to West Croydon from the east, and many empty early buses, not many walking. Barely other form of vehicles. Except a packed southbound 407, about 5:30.

I got off in Croydon as I didn't want to make it to Old Coulsdon despite 60 and 466 running. As far as experience goes I'd not do the route again if possible, if the trip is as lax as it was as mine was. All in all a new experience. Last and then only night route I've done was N3 home after a late trip home from Downham, with a YN51-reg Trident that both thrilled and scared me life, reaching insane speeds down Dulwich Wood Park. Now it's safe for me to say I've done two night routes, my locals N3 and N68. I'd not do N2 if possible as it's an overnight 2 to Crystal Palace, with it's Trafalgar Square end routed to Marylebone. If I had a next hitlist, it'd be N137. Regardless of VLAs, Ts, even HVs now. It'd be an experience and a half. To say the least it's timetabled to outrun and leave for dust an evening 417, whilst both run simultaneously.

Until the next post, stay safe!

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