| Well,
it's the end of another year, and another pretty grim one
for London's buses. Apart from the ongoing tragedy of
London's irreplaceable Routemaster fleet being replaced
by anonymous vehicles in meaningless liveries, the
reckless spending of the last couple of years has caught
up with TfL and all thoughts of expansion have come
juddering to a halt. They've also been tip-toeing
nervously around the important concern of just how much
of the taxpayers' money is being haemorrhaged due to fare
evasion. For my part, the events of the past year are
killing this pastime for me - it's simply not enjoyable
any more to go into town on vehicles where the standards
of comfort are so poor. I'm happy to have been able to
move away from the crowds this year, but millions of
Londoners can't. So I haven't been updating as much
recently, and I don't miss the game quite as much as I
thought I might. What will become of these pages once the
last RML is withdrawn from normal service, purported to
be by October 2005, I don't know. |
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Without the
ease and convenience of Routemasters in central
London, going into town has become an ordeal,
especially if your route has been converted to
bendy buses like the 73. Post-Routemaster
travelling conditions are now so horrible that
it's driven people away in droves - Oxford Street
shops are reporting large drops in custom. And as
for the laudable aim of improving accessibility,
wheelchair users have just as much difficulty
boarding as they ever did, due to the sheer
volume of passengers trying to cram their way
aboard. The only advantage, and perhaps the
bargaining chip London's disgruntled bus
passengers have been waiting for, is that fare
evasion is now a universal pastime.
In better days, as recently ago as 24th April, RML 2746 (SMK 746F) passes
through Stamford Hill on its way into town. |
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One more piece
of the dwindling London Transport legacy has
passed on with the ending of the last MCW
Metrobuses after a period of 25 years. Although
the last buses were withdrawn without fanfare, it
is worth noting how they entered service just the
same way, with little publicity. By the way, if I
inadvertently offended Metroline London Northern
by criticising their not putting their last three
into service on what I understood to be the
official last day of the type on 11th September,
I didn't mean any ill will. I've enjoyed all the
events Metroline have put on this year
surrounding the last Routemaster days, and indeed
I was treated well by friendly and helpful
Potters Bar members of staff when making my own
personal last M journey over the 84 at the end of
July.
On 12th July Potters Bar's M 1076 (B76 WUL) is seen
heading past its home garage on the 'real' 242. |
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If this is the
future, I'm getting a car. There's nothing wrong
with modern double-deckers as such, it's just
that they're so boring. In
a city like London, whose international
reputation rests on its classic buses, the
livery, interior and looks of buses like London
United's VLE 22 (PA04 CYE) are making
us into a laughing stock. TfL have now completely
forgotten the meaning of a common livery that
inspires civic pride, and indeed has stamped out
all the livery variations that used to be found.
London United, whose red and grey scheme came
closest to classic status, were forced to replace
it with this stupefyingly dull and amateurish
non-livery - and their latest choice of interior
decor is just awful, with clashing turquoises and
greens over a spoiled milk-coloured floor. It
seems to go without saying that 'London' buses
are neither built, nor bodied, nor registered
there any more! |
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The best part
of 2004, and very much the silver lining in the
cloud, has been the marvellous special workings
put on by all of the companies to commemorate the
last days of their crew buses. Just one example
of ten separate Routemaster 'last days' this year
is personified by Blue Triangle's RT 3871 (LLU 670), which
managed to appear on seven of them! This is what
London's transport is all about, and I heartily
salute the individuals who have put so much heart
into mounting these special days for not only us
enthusiasts, but London's general population who
have been so short-changed, ignored, lied to and
pretty much abused this year. If only 'London
Transport' was still run by these kinds of brave
and proud people, rather than the spiteful,
profligate and obsessively politically correct
minds that have weaselled their way into power. |
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