The Ten to Tend to

LT82 (LTZ1082), Hammersmith

King's Cross to Hammersmith as we know it was the replacement of 73 which ran from Stoke Newington through to Hammersmith, then rerouted at Hyde Park to Victoria on 13 August 1988.

The year later it was extended to Archway via a then predecessor of  390, of which newborn-390 permanently replaced in 2003.

The next reroute, via Russell Square to replace the 7's link (or 98 as it was) in June 2016 was largely popular. Getting from British Museum to Oxford Street or to King's Cross directly and the likes. To Hyde Park or even Kensington. Now that link has been broken like a shattered mirror. Don't worry, everyone can hopper and walk, including less-able or even in the rain.

Even as a whole the route has seen healthy loads and on it's last day of operation wasn't empty to say the least. Road closures didn't help matters but the undeniable fact exists. Meddling with the 10 was a wrong choice. Unless TfL's goal is to reduce patronage across the network like this, which I digress. 6 million yearly usage dissipated and the yearly 650 thousand mileage erased.

Rare working from 27's allocation: ADH45039 (YX62FNZ), Park Lane

Anyways, the route operated under three garages now under Arriva, Metroline and RATP but settled with Holloway (HT) through privatisation until the 2003 reroute where the contract was given to First Centrewest. Previously allocated Routemasters (and Metrobuses/Tridents on evenings/Sundays) but fully allocated low-floor brand new B7TLs on the ALX400 body, operated from Westbourne Park (X). Familiar? Now those VNLs are found mostly in York.

LT168 (LTZ1168), Park Lane
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First lost the route to RATP in 2010 who operated it from their Stamford Brook (V) depot with new Scania OmniCity double deckers, the preferred vehicle choice for London United then. Or Transdev I should say.

Just like any other central London route, a candidate for a New Bus for London conversion was picked out and the lucky winner was the 10, which converted happily in April 2014 with crew members. Crew members on LTs are now a thing of the past, mainly to cost.

A contract renewal in 2017 which will continue under the number 9/N9.

The routeing from Marble Arch to Hammersmith still exists, under the 23 number. I'm not a regular to the areas but from what I gather, it's simply a less useful equivalent of 10 as it dumps you off at Marble Arch as the closest point to Oxford Circus before continuing as the 23 to Westbourne Park as usual.

However the routeing from Tottenham Court Road to Russell Square via Great Russell Street is left unserved without initial replacement. In the supposed future, the 14 will be rerouted to Russell Square away from Warren Street. Currently, people were left behind with little information about the lack of 10, thus waiting at stops casually until their patience runs thin. Originally the 3 was to take over the section, which I have no comment on even as a local given the faff with 3's northbound termini, though rerouting 14 is simpler than extending 3.

LT166 performed the last route 10 bus at 01:44, on 24/11/2018.

On the new routeing on Park Lane. DNH39118 (SN12ASO)

Started in 18 July 1992 to replace 15 which ran as far as East Acton of it's western end permanently, in it's latest Westbourne Park routeing cut short to Paddington except Sundays. May 1993 saw the 15 completely removed from West with the Sunday service absorbed into 23.
Then in 2003 not only did it receive full low-floor operation from Routemasters, but a full all-hours operation to Liverpool Street instead of the weekend deviation to Aldwych.

In 2012 the flagship of First as it was, received new diesel Enviro400s (again) intended for another route I believe and new Enviro400H hybrids. Since then, no change.
No routeing changes until September 2017 when TfL concluded with the decreasing patronage, the 11 can pick up lost patronage of both 11/23 combined, thus cutting 23 to Aldwych again.

That is until 24 November happened, the day after Black Friday.

The second proposal involving 23, to route it from Marble Arch as per 10 to Hammersmith happened and with only a few tweets to go off of. Only few tiles removed from stops. All left to passenger's own intuition and patience. As for the Westbourne half of the route, nothing has changed for patronage as expected. People get off between Paddington and Marble Arch in wait for a certain other route. The Seven.

I admit I've not completed the Hammersmith half, which is time consuming coming from Ladbroke end, but only a handful of people have boarded the route from my one observation, though other people haven't observed otherwise.

In the end, the 10 was left to bite the dust and the 23 as a sloppy excuse to maintain a slither's balance. The 110 and 419 are being fused too which will only end worse. In any case, I hope it was worth the read, if there's anything you'd like to say don't be afraid to comment below and hey, stay safe.

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