Parliamentary

The 88 picks up C2's torch.

Not a pun, but to make use of it, Parliament Square has been disrupted ever since Brexit was looming closer and even closer to night the roads still had issues. In short, I'm not into news in the government so make that of what you will. Though route disruptions are route disruptions. Pratt Street in Camden Town was also closed.

The route that's disrupted in this mess is as you can guess, the 88. Even on it's first day of reroute.
Also the 87 but the 88 is the main focus of this post.

LT54 (LTZ1054), Margaret Street / Oxford Circus

Consulted in September 2018 with 66% opposition, TfL have been trying to cut routes or possibly withdraw some due to, for lack of a better term, crippling finances. The C2 was only the third sacrifice after the 82 and 10. The renumbering of 82 into 13 cutting off 14 buses from Aldwych 13, the 10's withdrawal cutting off 23 LTs. Either way, any changes saving money have a high chance of ignoring opposition, be it 27's cut to Hammersmith with over 70% opposition. If they could they wouldn't even consult to begin with.

EH30 (YX13BKA), Clapham Common

Records for the 88 go as far back as 1934 like many long standing routes, as an Acton Green to Belmont route covering today's 94, 88, 155 and then 280. On Sundays it was through, with short workings on other days going Clapham Common or further. A day PVR of 51 for a 25 mile route now only 9 miles in length with more than half the PVR at 27.

As far as history goes it is a shadow of itself like every other, but it is different in the aspect it was extended across Central London, mainly due to stand space issues at Oxford Circus at the time to cut short other routes, and conveniently withdrawing 135 (Archway - Marble Arch) in the process, replaced by 88 and an enhancement of 134... familiar practice? That section of the former 135 was handed down from the 137 and now has no replacement. Hopper is the alternative, and your legs for crossing the roads.

What does have a replacement is Highgate Road and Albany Street, they don't lose their direct link to Oxford Circus, and receive a link to the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square once again since 1987 when they lost the 53, handed down from the 3 in 1984.

EH294 (YX18KXG), Vauxhall

As a route the 88 was best, in my opinion, in the days of the Dennis Trident Plaxton President (PDL), ideally the 02/03-reg. Going from the vibrant green Clapham Common past the Tate Library on South Lambeth Road, under the plethora of tracks of Vauxhall Station, crossing the River Thames on the (then) wide and free Vauxhall Bridge. Entering the narrow streets of Marsham Street and typical tall commercial buildings on the way to Parliament Square. Then Whitehall. The central hotspot of London, Trafalgar Square. Up the bustling streets of Piccadilly before entering Regent Street, an alighting point for Oxford Street. Further up along with wide roads to Great Portland Street. Right onto Euston Road and immediate left onto Hampstead Road at Warren Street. The finishing line only a few stops away past the interesting area of Camden and set down just after the station at Camden Gardens. 

The allocation was indeed the PDLs, the first batch of PDL1-13 for a PVR of 11 Clapham to Oxford Circus, with PVR going up to 15 on extension to Camden. Upon renewal in 2010 the route received a few new 60-reg Enviro400s E129-37, these were nothing unordinary until transferred elsewhere. In 2013 the route received EH23-38 new to 87 as well as EH1-5 new to 24, also allocated to 196. Converted to New Bus for London after August 2015 thereby returning EH1-5/23-38 to their rightful owner. I believe there isn't another route besides the N21 and N68 to lose an LT allocation without being withdrawn (the 10), so a hurrah for those who dislike the type and a nay for those who like the type. I don't see 88 often but on it's last LT day it was useful, it's three door boarding just swooping people in from all doors and closing them in matters of seconds. Inside it can get claustrophobic with small spaces on the upper deck, short legroom at certain seats.

C2: Parliament Hill Fields - Kentish Town - Camden Town - Oxford Circus 
24/03/1987 - 29/03/2019.

2416 (SN61DGZ), Parliament Hill Fields

It started as a Monday-Friday no evening route, before fully replacing the 53 on the Oxford Circus - Parliament Hill Fields section with the introduction of an evening and weekend service the month after. Night service introduced in April 2007. Extended to Victoria via Berkeley Square replacing the 8/N8 on 27/06/2009. Cut to Regent Street (Conduit Street) on 15/07/2017. Withdrawn on 29/03/2019. The route was allocated 9527-43, now used on 207, and allocated 2401-13 in the interim as 207's E40Ds were being refurbished. 2413 performed the last bus ever on C2.

88: Clapham Common Old Town - Oxford Circus - Camden Town - Parliament Hill Fields

LT483 (LTZ1483), South Lambeth Road, Stockwell Station

The 88 on the other hand loses it's LTs 457-459/478-487/501-512, see below for more details, with PVR going from 23 to 27 and 5 to 6 for Night 88. The withdrawal of C2 shaves off 11 buses during the day and 3 during the night. Overall saving of 7 buses. The C2 provided every 10 mins weekdays and 15 mins Sundays and evenings, obviously half hour in the night. The 88 on the other hand will provide an every 8 min weekday service and every 12 on Sundays and evenings. A nice increase on the surface. When you look at the 88's service especially upon usual central London disruption, it's not particularly appealing. On the last day of C2 I'd seen a Warren Street and Mornington Crescent turn and later on a bunching of 3 buses. In any case, hope for the best for Stockwell (SW) dealing with an extra 20 minute extension on the route.

EH37 performed the first Parliament 88 of the night with LT48 being the last NBfL on the route as far as allocation goes.

In the end, this is what it comes down to, in map form:

Left, prior to 29th March 2019.             Right, post 30th March 2019.
Red for 88. Teal for C2. Common section in either colour.
Usage of this map is allowed as long as I'm credited.

The consequences:

The first NBfL on the 87; Lambeth College, Wandsworth Road
24 April 2017

The first LT 87 was LT486 at 05:03 with it's last conventional of the 29th being EH23, not that it matters as Stockwell (SW) prioritise 11 being fully LT leaving the 88 with non-LTs. The N87 didn't convert as anticipated to, but did on the next night with LTs 42/503/510. LT453 sporting the Mango advert, the first open boarding 176 at 06:48.

There were lots of speculation further from the 87 and 176 converting, with 176 having more LTs to free conventional buses for the 311 in which Go-Ahead whilst Arriva take 11 as compensation for loss of 48, time will tell on that front.

11.2m, longer than the standard 10.6m WHV
High Street / Maple Road

For now, we have LT119/189/457/458 and some others from 12's excess from 9 spares. A shame that the 176 converted to LTs, a route I held dear as a Norwood (N) VLA route, which is miraculous for it to have been with the depot until 2017, where it finally went to it's true home at Camberwell (Q). The 87 on the other hand, swaps with 88 for the third time, but on this occasion going to open boarding three door mode, that is until TfL launch their front-only boarding of the LTs, a common theme in Europe but not something overnight from centre or rear boarding to just front boarding, if that holds any truth to it of course.

Allocations for 87 are as 88 above minus LT457/8 which transferred for 176 or on loan.

Hope this was a nice change of pace, stay safe!

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