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First Capital's nearly seven-year
tenure on the 1 is coming to an end. A
switch-around in east London means it's being
handed to East Thames Buses in place of their
128, which is going to Arriva London North, who
in turn clear space by passing the 103 to
Stagecoach. To see out the First era on the 1,
which began with hired London Central Titans from
the previous contract and then progressed through
second-hand Metrobuses and hired Ls to their own
stock of new Tridents, RML 2735 (SMK 735F), one of very
few Routemasters to remain behind at CentreWest
following the loss of the 7 last year, was
brought out. Having spent the first half of the
day on the 257, another First route to be lost on
15th October, it moved onto the 1.
The 1 is still
a shadow of its former self, even though it has
had to bear Rotherhithe's passenger numbers on
its own ever since the 199 was withdrawn west of
Canada Water. No more does it cross town to
Willesden, or head out of it in the other
direction to Bromley, and its present terminus is
a sorry alleyway round the back of Tottenham
Court Road underneath Centre Point.
RML 2735 is
seen at the Canada Water terminus of the 1, ready
to turn around for its last round trip of the
day.
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