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Post by bookd on Feb 3, 2016 15:53:02 GMT
Sorry - not concentrating. A 371 circular could not loop via Petersham Road, but if it only went to the top of the hill a loop via Friars Stile Road might be possible.
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Post by bookd on Feb 3, 2016 15:35:45 GMT
This now seems to have cleared but the Richmond and Twickenham Times reports a Police incident closing the road at the junction of Petersham Road and Sandy Lane - General traffic was diverted through Richmond Park, but this would not be suitable for buses. A closure there would not allow the 371 to run Richmond to Ham and would also make it difficult to serve Richmond Hill, although a short local circular may have been possible.
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Post by bookd on Feb 1, 2016 10:08:06 GMT
The 155 from Wimbledon and the 109 from Purley replaced the original tram routes, which worked alternating in a loop to Westminster via Blackfriars or to Embankment via Westminster. By the mid 70s the 155 had only peak journeys via the loop although the 109 seems to have kept the all day loop service until the early 80s.
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Post by bookd on Jan 28, 2016 15:58:33 GMT
Having just been reading the dreadful story of Bellfield's latest confessions two of his attacks were related to the R70 route, at Twickenham Green and at Hampton.
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Post by bookd on Jan 27, 2016 22:44:33 GMT
There are frequent calls to police from buses terminating at Penge (176), Anerley (249/432) and Crystal Palace ( any routes) Usually it's just drunks refusing to get off. The last trips back to Hampton on the R70 were a nightmare when FW ran it. Really busy especially in the summer. Always fights. I think there is a correlation with areas that on paper should be trouble free but attract people who just treat buses as something they can sh*t all over. Although the R70 covers some well to do areas it also goes to the area near the Swan at Hanworth, notorious in its time for often violent criminal activity and now closed.
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Post by bookd on Jan 26, 2016 22:15:40 GMT
How about the 65 which a long time ago went from Ealing (Argyle Road) or journeys from Hanwell Garage to Leatherhead, or the 93 which at its peak was from Hammersmith to Dorking. Also the 27 from Archway to Hampton Court via Bushy Park.
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Post by bookd on Nov 30, 2015 22:50:50 GMT
The 65 is usually good - I have just seen a warning on the Richmond and Twickenham Times to avoid Kew Bridge as the road between there and Chiswick Roundabout is closed for emergency work which will no doubt have caused chaos.
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Post by bookd on Oct 13, 2015 21:28:09 GMT
Fifty years ago Green Line 718 took 37 minutes from Kingston to Victoria (limited stop) via Putney, Fulham and Chelsea. In today's traffic it could take most of that to get to the top of Kingston Hill sometimes!
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Post by bookd on Oct 7, 2015 23:11:56 GMT
When I visited Durham for a weekend about a year ago I was amazed at the number of taxis lining the streets from early evening - this was not a feature when I lived there a long time ago! This gives rise to a 'chicken and egg' question; do so many people travel by taxi because evening and late night bus services are sparse (and non-existent away from a few trunk routes), or is it the case that bus services are so sparse because everyone prefers to travel by taxi.
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Post by bookd on May 10, 2015 20:53:37 GMT
I am struggling to understand the benefit. If you take too long that would break the OSI anyway and you would be charged for two journeys; if you break it by touching in on a bus you would pay a bus fare as well. Either way, unless you are going somewhere and not coming back you would probably reach the daily cap as a result.
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Post by bookd on May 10, 2015 20:22:28 GMT
In Nantes in France the old and new parts of the city are divided by quite a wide dual carriageway on which pedestrians are given priority. When I was there I went to cross, and as a bus was approaching I waited for it to pass,but the driver stopped and waved me across. This is evidently a legal requirement but I don't know what it does for punctuality.
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Post by bookd on Apr 19, 2015 15:00:04 GMT
Having been in Twickenham at lunchtime there will be chaos starting tonight and for the next week. King Street is to be closed from 20.00 until 05.00, and diversion signs set up over a wide area. All buses through Twickenham will be diverted via the A316, and so all services to West Twickenham and most to Teddington will be withdrawn. It appears that there will be two half-hourly circular services from Feltham Garage / Stanley Road, one via Teddington, Cross Deep, Twickenham and Hampton Road and the other via 6th Cross Road and Twickenham Green. Anyone wishing to cross the town centre will need to leave at the Station and walk to Cross Deep.
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Post by bookd on Jul 12, 2014 21:51:37 GMT
When on occasion I return to Feltham station late at night, I find that the H25 almost always runs about 10 minutes late. (the exception, of course, being if the train should be late and then the bus will be on time and I miss it!) As the roads are deserted at that time of night the only reason that I can think of is that drivers choose to take a longer break at Hatton Cross, and eliminate the layover at Butts Farm. (Can anyone at Abellio Fulwell tell if I am right?) If this is indeed the reason would it not be more sensible to change the timetable officially rather than unofficially? There must be other similar examples elsewhere on the network.
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Post by bookd on Dec 18, 2013 9:57:41 GMT
Yesterday I boarded a H25 bound for Butts Farm (on the blinds and ibus) one stop short of Feltham Station; at the station the driver turned off the lights and went 'out of service'. This was a minor inconvenience to me, as there was another 2 minutes behind, but not to two ladies who had evidently paid by Oyster PAYG. The following driver insisted that they pay again as they did not have transfer tickets. It is unlikely that a normal passenger would know of the existence of such; if a journey is turned short should there perhaps be an announcement to tell passengers who have paid in cash or PAYG to obtain a transfer before leaving?
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Post by bookd on Nov 17, 2013 22:29:34 GMT
The 465 must be a candidate; the stretch from Chessington to Leatherhead is becoming rural, but from there to Dorking there are splendid views of the North Downs, including Box Hill (to say nothing of a break of journey to visit the Dorking vineyard!)
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