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| Spot the differences! (at least 4) Do view the history of 223 on londonbuses.co.uk |
I always wanted a post like this, going back in history and detailing every change that was reversed indirectly.
Then the Hillingdon consultation came about, as you can figure out above image.
This threw a minor spanner in the works as we have two almost literal reversals now, the N35 number coming back in 2024 as it returns to Old Street (perhaps Tottenham Court Road is a stretch now)
Quick estimates I calculated
U3 PVR 11 -> 17
U2 PVR 9 -> 11
U1 PVR 8 -> 0 withdrawn
Cost neutral basically
Reception among the knowledgeable locale is that U2's extension via Cowley to West Drayton is weak, with Cowley adequately served by 222 without needing help per se.
The U3 returning to Ruislip with a frequency increase is welcome (every 12 M-Sat 20 Sun/eve currently - every 10 M-Sat 12 Sun/eve proposed), though no mention of double deckers which is a little sad in this climate of routes converting recently, not to mention U3 is already allocated one on-paper in addition to temporary double decks to cover for 251 using diesels in the meantime.
The section from Ruislip goes from a bus every 15 mins Mon-Sat and 30 mins Sun/eve into a massive uplift from U3's new frequency. True bonus.
To think 223(U3 predecessor) was every 20-22 on Mon-Fri peak hours and every 30 off-peak Mon-Fri. Overlaps on Saturday between Uxbridge and West Drayton giving the overlap an every 17-18 frequency whilst the outer ends had a bus every 34-35 minutes.
Another sad aspect is U3 not serving Uxbridge Station. Making travel more convenient should be done, rather than making it less convenient. That includes the mention of 13 minutes walk time to get to Brunel Uni as a result of U2's reroute. Also roads no longer being served by E7 by Ruislip. But hey, U2 no longer has off-peak only via Grosvenor Crescent, will serve from first bus to last bus every day.
Little blurb for Orpington scheme I won't make a full post about
B14 PVR (rerouted over R6 instead of via R11) +1
R1 PVR (reroute via R2 to Biggin Hill) +3
R3 PVR (takes R1's Green St Green section) +2
R2 PVR -3 withdrawn
R6 PVR -2 withdrawn
estimate Orpington routes total PVR: Neutral?
The reception of the Orpington scheme is more than mellow, the Biggin Hill section receiving an increase in capacity by frequency (from every 30 to 20). Meanwhile B14 is still sadly indirect and be more indirect as the only link from Bexleyheath to Orpington.
If anything R7 has taught us, or God forbid like P13 to Surrey Quays, a long low-frequency route, could cause problems for reliability. No one foresaw it with R7 but I'll have my tinfoil hat on.
Lest not forget R2 was a cross-Orpington route, and now with R2's death the R1 to Biggin Hill will again be a cross-Orpington route.
So 2023 TfL mergers maybe working...
With that, let's get cracking on more past mistakes.
Many failures include routes that converted from double to single deck but haven't reverted
The likes of 28 31 49 62 80 173 200 319 328 345 407 have reverted among many
The likes of 95 163 164 187 have not reverted among many
On the subject of singles to doubles;
the section from Clapham Common via Clapham South to Streatham Hill was initially double deck (route 118, then 60) converting to single deck with route 255, only to end up back to double decks (route 50);
Likewise with the section from Vauxhall via Wandsworth Road, Stockwell to Brixton. Route 322 to now 196.
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As we established, Ruislip-Heathrow 1993-2019-2024
223 Ruislip-Heathrow withdrawn
New 278 Ruislip-Heathrow in 2019 (Ruislip regains Heathrow link after 26 years)
U3 extension to become Ruislip-Heathrow circa 2024 if consultation goes ahead
Ruislip regaining it's original Heathrow link (U3, similar to old 223)
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Becontree Heath "shorts" formerly 87 now EL2 (2006-2016)
By chance this fusion of route 5 (Canning Town-Becontree Heath) and 87 (Barking-Romford) freed up the number 87 for the long-wanted removal of suffix 77A number, with at least two plans involving renumber/restructure of route 77 before this.
The fusion of 5 and 87 allowed less resources for the same stretch operated, with the side effect of cross-Barking travel being possible on one bus.
Route 5 as of 2023 is in the top 10 busiest routes, pretty much a victim of it's own success, needing relief.
This relief came in the form of EL2 being diverted at Barking to Becontree Heath.
So we've come full circle, two routes in parallel between Barking and Becontree Heath on the same stretch.
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Brixton Hill link to Stockwell 1988-2008
(formerly 50, now 333)
Little silly how this went away in 1988, but a long 20 years later in 2008, it returned after much complaints!
Viva la round-the-corner links!
Viva la transport being more convenient!
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95 withdrawal 1985-2003 and N87 withdrawal 1995-2003
Another 333 mention plus N133 mention.
The 133 to Tooting Broadway was a failure by reliability, by schedule the route was meant to be every 6-8 full route (changed quickly from being shorts every 20 Streatham-Tooting). In practice it may have been a ghost section, seeing a bus maybe every 20 so minutes despite being advertised as a full route service. The times of pre-countdown you'd not know when your next bus was actually coming, almost like a meme among older enthusiasts buses were unreliable back in the day so to speak. It's not unusual if buses are late to abandon sections, now with iBus scrutiny the bare minimum is 1 bus per hour to go through.
The 95 (Tooting St George's Hospital - Mansion House) was every 12-15 on weekdays.
I think the numbers alone should hint some level of failure without detailing life experience.
Route 57 as it does now did exist then, with an even poorer frequency changed from every 20 to 12.
Congestion Charge coming along, with many routes split as a response to worse traffic levels and a needed capacity boost on the network.
Thus 333 was born, it's reliable, happily ever after.
Happily ever after all 57s and 333s packed like sardines between Tooting-Streatham.
N87 from Streatham via Tooting into central London. Long story short, between 1995 and 2003 no night bus along Southcroft Road and Mitcham Lane.
N133 introduction returned Southcroft Road-Mitcham Lane a night service until diverted in 2007 (to Mitcham via 118) with route 57 becoming 24-hour, Southcroft Lane keeping a night service.
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190 withdrawal and hospital drama 1987-1998
Mayday Hospital to Purley-Coulsdon
(formerly 190, killed for 50 extension, new 60 fixed it)
Picture the people living between Purley, Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon. You've always had access to Mayday Hospital now Croydon University Hospital, and Croydon General Hospital a little closer towards West Croydon until closed in 1996 in favour of expanding Mayday.
Your route to this access was the 190 (Old Coulsdon - Thornton Heath High Street) until 1987
You lost access as the powers that be withdrew 190 in favour of 50 (Streatham-Old Coulsdon) which avoids the hospitals in Croydon.
Great timing of this when Purley Hospital became a geriatric hospital just a little earlier, people instead referred to the hospital in Croydon. But no direct bus goes there anymore! Thus the complaints came flooding into London Transport. Comparatively quick response until the next Croydon network change, being done ahead of Tramlink.
The 50 was shortened to South Croydon, the 60 instead extended to Old Coulsdon. Crucially the 60 serves Mayday Hospital. The 60 being longer than the old 190 by serving Streatham and Streatham Common.
The stars aligning on public amenity closing with transport cuts is truly a recipe of disaster...
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Losses of night services to areas.
Feltham lost night bus N97 bifurcation (1996)
Since gained (N)285 24/7 service (2001)
Richmond-Kew-Gunnersbury lost night N93 (1995)
Since gained 65 night service (2002)
Chessington-Hook lost night N14 (1995)
Since gained 65 night service (2002)
Night service along Rayners Lane, North Harrow, Pinner - route N17 (1992-1994)
section along Northwood and Carpenders Park unreplaced.
Pinner covered by 183 24/2 weekend service (2016-2020)
Night service St James Street - Markhouse Road - Leyton
lost 58 24-hour service (2005)
gained 158 weekend (2016-2020), full 24-hour service (2023)
Night service Sutton-Roundshaw-Croydon
served by N88 (1987-1995), left unreplaced
served by N213 (2003-2009), left unreplaced
served by 154 24/2 weekend (2016-2020)
Night service Streatham Vale and Green Lane
lost staff-circular-shuttle-made-public N60 (since 1987)
Streatham Vale served by N133 (2007)
Green Lane served by N250 (2003)
Night service Hammond Street, Cheshunt, Waltham Abbey
last served by N90 (1996)
Cheshunt served by semi-regular Overground rail replacement
Entirely possible I've missed more...
Honourable mentions of areas that have not regained the services they lost
South Norwood left unserved, last served by 24-hour 75 (2009, Sun/evening frequency increased and extra hour of operation end/start)
Newbury Park left unserved, last served by N8 (since 2004)
Upper Belvedere left unserved, last served by N53 (since 2002)
Bickley left unserved, last served by N3 (since 2000)
Dartford left unserved, last served by N81 (since 1999, or London Central commercial N80/N82 by [date needed])
Ruislip left unserved, last served by N89 [N207 predecessor] (since 1996)
Lower Feltham-Sunbury left unserved, last served by N97 (since 1996)
Dagenham left unserved last served by N95 [N15 predecessor] (since 1995)
Debden left unserved, last served by N96 [N38 predecessor] (since 1995)
Belmont-Banstead left unserved, last served by N68 [N44 predecessor] (since 1995)
Foots Cray, St Pauls Cray and Ramsden Estate left unserved, last served by N62 (since 1995)
Watford left unserved, last served by N18 (since 1994)
Upminster-Cranham left unserved, last served by N99 (since 1991, later journeys added to 248)
Entirely possible I've missed more...
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London City Airport and Beckton 2004/2005-2007
N101 withdrawal in 2004
69 (24-hour) cutback from London City Airport 2005
Following from previous segment night routes list, the N101 was lost in favour of 101 having earlier and later journeys to it's schedule.
474 gained 24/7 service in 2007, still section between Manor Park and Wanstead not linked at night but importantly the stretch from Manor Park to Beckton (and further to Canning Town) regained it's night service.
London City Airport would also regain it's night service, as well as the areas surrounding it; Silvertown and North Woolwich.
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319 shortened to Streatham St Leonard's Church. 1996-1998
Passenger complaints about broken link from Streatham Hill Telford Avenue to Clapham Junction. Promptly re-extended back to Telford Avenue 2 years later.
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N35 shortened to Shoreditch from Tottenham Court Road 2016-2024
The N35 was a very busy and overcrowded night service, not helped by controllers often terminating fully packed buses mid-route in spite of some drivers mentioning the fact their buses were fully loaded. The poor service management in addition to TfL's answer being to just cut the N35 full stop meant night punters shifted to another means of travel, Uber, which since dominated amongst other night bus cuts only strengthening them.
Now re-extending N35 to Old Street as part of it's contract retain (awarded as 35/N35 instead of 35, as 35 was a 24-hour route the previous contract) which happened, albeit N35's extension itself is delayed until January 2024.
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Old Street-Isle of Dogs withdrawn by DLR expansion 1991-2008
The old D3 didn't penetrate as much of the Docklands like the current 135 has, but alas the Westferry, Marsh Wall and Preston Road did lose out on their direct service to Old Street and the city of London at Liverpool Street.
There was intentions to revive this as a route that serves the Isle of Dogs, as a potential D5. Could've been an addition to the amazing Congestion Charge routes in 2003 but the 15/115 had service enhancements anyways, as did the Docklands Light Railway in some shape or form.
Then 2008 rolled around,
brand new 135 (Old Street - Crossharbour),
new buses with advertisements advertising 135 - route branding like this not done since
Good thing the number 135 was surgically removed years beforehand, following 135 (Archway-Marble Arch) withdrawal in 2000, replaced by 88 extension to Camden Town and 134 frequency increase.
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Dulwich and Sainsbury's 2004-2016
Not a fault of London Transport/TfL directly as it was a commercial service, though the locals did feel it. Complaints flooded in following the curtailment of commercial S11/S13 to form P15, then the very P15 disappeared in 2004.
Among TfL's changes to single deck routes in Central London to avoid buying electric single deckers early on was extending 42 out of Sunray Avenue. Sunray Avenue had seen double deckers but not safe for full operation due to low-trees, neither Southwark Council nor TfL wanted to foot the bill in cutting the trees. They rerouted 42 away from Sunray Avenue and chose East Dulwich as it's terminus, following very very similar routeing to the old S13 circular, by terminating at Sainsbury's.
As a result, you have a 42 that functions half like a mobility route, and half like a regular double deck route. Either way, a necessary lifeline service.
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Not worth much but is foul to not mention
Russell Squared 2014-2016
The 98/N98 reroute from Holborn to Russell Square, the 7/N7 being cut to Oxford Circus.
This was during Crossrail works which also saw the 137 cut back from Oxford Circus to Marble Arch again which has since become permanent following a consultation (unlike 3 and 15's cutbacks which weren't consulted on).
In the end the 10 was rerouted via Russell Square which allowed 98/N98 back to Holborn where they seemingly belong.
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23 away from Aldwych 2019-2023
It would also be amiss to not mention 23 to Aldwych,
(as a result of 16 being withdrawn from Victoria).
Albeit this 23 was rerouted via Piccadilly to replace 6, not exactly via Regent Street as original 23 did.
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Indirect cross-Croydon 1991-2024
407 Sutton-Caterham since 1994
455 Wallington-Old Lodge Lane since 1996
Sutton; a section that perhaps should not cut from 403 but alas it did
Caterham came from 197A West Croydon-Caterham (who came from 197)
West of Croydon from 455 came from double deck 255 that was infrequent - improvement with 455
Both 407 and 455 are indirect, with varying traffic levels, 407 being bad (start to finish) and 455 needing a Peak Vehicle Requirement increase (+1) to add more time to schedule.
Come March 2024, the 455 will be no more.
Come March 2024, the 407 split into 407 (Sutton-Croydon) and new 443 (West Croydon-Caterham).
As you can see, 443 is going to be 21st-century 197A again.
New mistake for potential future post: The breaking of West Croydon-Roundshaw links leaving the tram section only with tram, very foreboding given how frequent Tram is closed for some works.
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Removal of double run
The 289 double run in Waddon Marsh serving Sainsbury's removed making shopping at the car-centric location pretty hostile pretty quick, in the name of saving time and buses. The 455 received a relative increase in reliability from extra time in schedule.
The new 439 would serve as an admit to failure of removing 289's double run for those local trips.
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X53 withdrawal was a mistake
The express bus route was withdrawn on the intention the Jubilee Line would make it to Thamesmead as planned. It did not go as planned with a last minute change to dive north at North Greenwich to Stratford which has worked amazing, even more so a decade later with Olympics held in Stratford. A poor shame Thamesmead got their direct link to Central withdrawn with zero replacement.
TfL looked at express route along Old Kent Road... that's about it, we got Superloop routes, nothing on Old Kent Road. Nothing on Thamesmead. Oh wait, SL3 to Bromley!
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SL3 is a sort of mistake acceptance.
The old 726 which went from Heathrow via Croydon to Bromley (even to Dartford via Sidcup and Bexleyheath!) slowly shortened back as reliability became worse with traffic becoming worse.
SL3 as a result is remarkably similar between Bromley and Bexleyheath, with no similarities otherwise as it doesn't serve Croydon and the SL3 instead dives off to Thamesmead.
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Hope you enjoyed, until the next one, stay safe!
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