How things have changed over the years

[towerman]

A thread for people to remember London Buses when they were growing up.I grew up in Walthamstow I can remember Walthamstow being a trolleybus depot,there was also a trolleybus depot in Lea Bridge Rd.The local bus garage(Leyton)had allocations on the following routes 10,38,144(all RT)210 & 236 (RFs).After the trolleybus conversion the 144 moved to Walthamstow but for a time Leyton still had an allocation on Sundays & Bank Holidays,also to replace the 696 trolleybus route to Aldgate Leyton got route 26 Leyton(Gloucester Rd)to Aldgate,this was later superseded by the 262 Chingford to V & A Docks.

[Deleted]

I was born in Northwick Park, raised in Harlesden and Dalston and grew up in Barnet. I remember the peak days when routes 67, 76, 149 and 243 were all under Arriva operation and used to spot those buses. I remember as a kid when my mum took me shopping in Dalston but I was always focused on spotting buses. I also remember spotting TPLs on the 82 at North Finchley everytime I was at a hair salon getting a haircut. Also around that time I used to spot the 134 with VWs and whatnot going to Tottenham Court Road. And I also remember when I was very little using the 24 when it was with GAL. The most enjoyable was the 34 when it had DLAs. I used to get these every Sunday when going to Church. And of course last but not least the 184. I remember when the ENLs were new to the route. I still remember getting DWLs from Wood Green to Barnet but at the time, my main route was the 326 which was with Metroline at the time and I do remember getting DPs and DEs on the route to Hendon as well. And that is my childhood of buses growing up.

[vjaska]

Jun 1, 2022 23:15:35 GMT londonbuses184 said:

I was born in Northwick Park, raised in Harlesden and Dalston and grew up in Barnet. I remember the peak days when routes 67, 76, 149 and 243 were all under Arriva operation and used to spot those buses. I remember as a kid when my mum took me shopping in Dalston but I was always focused on spotting buses. I also remember spotting TPLs on the 82 at North Finchley everytime I was at a hair salon getting a haircut. Also around that time I used to spot the 134 with VWs and whatnot going to Tottenham Court Road. And I also remember when I was very little using the 24 when it was with GAL. The most enjoyable was the 34 when it had DLAs. I used to get these every Sunday when going to Church. And of course last but not least the 184. I remember when the ENLs were new to the route. I still remember getting DWLs from Wood Green to Barnet but at the time, my main route was the 326 which was with Metroline at the time and I do remember getting DPs and DEs on the route to Hendon as well. And that is my childhood of buses growing up.

My, your so young - when the 24 started using E's under London General, I was about 18

[vjaska]

My earliest memories growing up, first in West Norwood, was of the 2A & 2B running with L's (somehow I don't remember the T's or M's that ran during this period at various points), 196 with VC's and the 68 & 68A with L's - the roar of the Gardener is what I attribute to getting me into buses. After a few years, we moved to Brixton and I've lived their ever since and grown up with IMO, the best network I could of asked and with a collection of buses I adored like the L, M, T, VC and later on, various NV's. Other early memories was riding the 45 and being mesmerised by the reversing mirror in the rear window, a B20 DM towards their end on Brixton Hill (the chimneys stood out even as a kid) & riding the 159 & it's RM's and being fascinated with it being open platform, having a conductor and of course, that front seat by the driver.

[southlondonbus]

Jun 2, 2022 2:07:06 GMT vjaska said:

Jun 1, 2022 23:15:35 GMT londonbuses184 said:

I was born in Northwick Park, raised in Harlesden and Dalston and grew up in Barnet. I remember the peak days when routes 67, 76, 149 and 243 were all under Arriva operation and used to spot those buses. I remember as a kid when my mum took me shopping in Dalston but I was always focused on spotting buses. I also remember spotting TPLs on the 82 at North Finchley everytime I was at a hair salon getting a haircut. Also around that time I used to spot the 134 with VWs and whatnot going to Tottenham Court Road. And I also remember when I was very little using the 24 when it was with GAL. The most enjoyable was the 34 when it had DLAs. I used to get these every Sunday when going to Church. And of course last but not least the 184. I remember when the ENLs were new to the route. I still remember getting DWLs from Wood Green to Barnet but at the time, my main route was the 326 which was with Metroline at the time and I do remember getting DPs and DEs on the route to Hendon as well. And that is my childhood of buses growing up.

My, your so young - when the 24 started using E's under London General, I was about 18

I was already 20 when the 24 went to Go Ahead. Seemed like it would be running with E400s forever more as they seemed so modern.

[snowman]

Jun 1, 2022 23:00:22 GMT towerman said:

A thread for people to remember London Buses when they were growing up.I grew up in Walthamstow I can remember Walthamstow being a trolleybus depot,there was also a trolleybus depot in Lea Bridge Rd.The local bus garage(Leyton)had allocations on the following routes 10,38,144(all RT)210 & 236 (RFs).After the trolleybus conversion the 144 moved to Walthamstow but for a time Leyton still had an allocation on Sundays & Bank Holidays,also to replace the 696 trolleybus route to Aldgate Leyton got route 26 Leyton(Gloucester Rd)to Aldgate,this was later superseded by the 262 Chingford to V & A Docks.

For decades my grandparents lived in the same house in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow. Although they are no longer with us they used to tell me that when the trams passed it would rattle the house, as one of the points for the passing loops was level with the house. But by the time I visited as a child it was Routemasters on route 58 that passed their house (which had replaced 685 trolleybus in 1960)

[ServerKing]

I remember Atlanteans on the 65 with Armchair (who Metroline bought), before that, real RMs on the route, and RMs on the 207. Long driver changes near Ealing Hospital (rarely done outside Hanwell Garage, now a Lidl). Titans on the old 87 between Barking and Harold Hill, and an experimental Voith boxed Titan on the 374 between Harold Hill and Romford. The 274 used to be an Ealing route at one time, with Metrobuses...

Fleetlines on the E1 where you put 10p in the box by the driver and it made a popping sound. Fares were 30p for Adults, 10p for kids

The way TfL is so broke, we could see some of these bus models return

[Deleted]

FW was my first local garage. 33,90B,110,267,270,281,285,290. I can still remember all the Ms that worked at FW.

With the exception of the 110 and the northern end of the old 90B , and extensions on the 281 to Chessington Ind Estate and 285 to New Malden, all the roads that the pre tender regime FW had still have buses from that garage traversing them ( ignoring the TF/FW divide - it’s all Fulwell in my book)

I was lucky to catch the tail end of London Transport. I remember being horrified about tendering and being absolutely devastated when FW lost the 90B and 110. Sad but true, but when FW lost some !Ms to CF, I always made a point of visiting them on their new routes (135 and 139)

[towerman]

Jun 2, 2022 6:15:29 GMT snowman said:

Jun 1, 2022 23:00:22 GMT towerman said:

A thread for people to remember London Buses when they were growing up.I grew up in Walthamstow I can remember Walthamstow being a trolleybus depot,there was also a trolleybus depot in Lea Bridge Rd.The local bus garage(Leyton)had allocations on the following routes 10,38,144(all RT)210 & 236 (RFs).After the trolleybus conversion the 144 moved to Walthamstow but for a time Leyton still had an allocation on Sundays & Bank Holidays,also to replace the 696 trolleybus route to Aldgate Leyton got route 26 Leyton(Gloucester Rd)to Aldgate,this was later superseded by the 262 Chingford to V & A Docks.

For decades my grandparents lived in the same house in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow. Although they are no longer with us they used to tell me that when the trams passed it would rattle the house, as one of the points for the passing loops was level with the house. But by the time I visited as a child it was Routemasters on route 58 that passed their house (which had replaced 685 trolleybus in 1960)

Re the trolleybus conversion,the replacement route for the 557 was the original 257 Chingford Mount to Liverpool St.Markhouse Rd also had the 256 Chingford Mount to Finsbury Sq the replacement for the 556.

[WH241]

Seen many changes over the years!

For a short time I live in the Sidcup area around 1990 and had to use the 51 bus to Woolwich as still went to school in east London. The sheer variety of buses used by Kentish Bus was amazing you could almost guarantee a different bus every day.

Also in the early 90s I remember Docklands Mini Buses when they started running D routes but this was not successful and folded not long after.

And finally the early 90s again was great for the variety Capital City Bus and Grey Green provided.

[towerman]

Jun 2, 2022 19:11:16 GMT WH241 said:

Seen many changes over the years!

For a short time I live in the Sidcup area around 1990 and had to use the 51 bus to Woolwich as still went to school in east London. The sheer variety of buses used by Kentish Bus was amazing you could almost guarantee a different bus every day.

Also in the early 90s I remember Docklands Mini Buses when they started running D routes but this was not successful and folded not long after.

And finally the early 90s again was great for the variety Capital City Bus and Grey Green provided.

Used to hate the Eastern Counties bodied buses Grey Green used on the 20 & 275,they looked horrible & always smelt of damp.

[aaron1]

around 20 years london use be full of alx400 and dart pointers, 2 of the best buses make the best sounds to bad they all left london

[WH241]

A lot has happened in the last 20 years. Step entrance buses replaced by low floor buses. The end of Routemasters both original routes and the 15H. Buses going cashless.

[Volvo]

20 years ago transport was much more interesting, buses were more fun to ride on and more characterful. Everything is pretty boring now.

[Deleted]

Jun 3, 2022 17:08:01 GMT Volvo said:

20 years ago transport was much more interesting, buses were more fun to ride on and more characterful. Everything is pretty boring now.

100%

Routes and most buses are boring and slow in London.