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Holloway garage of Metroline
London Northern threw open its doors to the
public today for the second time in three years.
This makes the third HT open day I've attended,
as I also paid a visit this time in 1990. Then as
now it was a major route change day, so before
heading into town it was a swift wander in and
out of the garage, meeting familiar faces and
photographing some familiar sights - although
this year it was a TP on the elevated engineers'
gantry and Learning Bus Metrobus M 151 is now
registered 33 LUG, ex BYX 151V. 2002's Holloway open day
saw a Routemaster on the 134, and this year two
turned out. This year the route chosen was the
17, on which they performed short-workings
between Archway and Kings Cross. The 17's lost a
lot of cachet in my book since the unnecessary
withdrawal between Archway and North Finchley
twelve years ago but the 263 is pretty good over
this section, which sees more traffic than you
might expect.
RMC 1513 and
RML 903 were the 17's two specials, and they
picked up specially outside the garage rather
than round the corner where the 17 usually
commences. RML 903 (WLT 903), despite
having been a showbus for many years and still in
original condition with AEC engine, is in really
rough shape these days and I hope they do end up
getting it repanelled and repainted to serve out
its remaining two months on the 390, its regular
home.
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