Longest Extensions & Cutbacks

[abellion]

So I was wondering, what are the current record-holders of the longest route extensions or cutbacks? 
I can't find many good sources of this information. 

[ronnie]

The 388 getting extended on both sides (Blackfriars to E&C, Hackney wick to Stratford international)?

The 100 getting cut back from E&C to London wall?

[busman]

abellion here is a great resource for many historical extensions and cutbacks: www.londonbuses.co.uk

If a better source exists, I have yet to see it.

[abellion]

Feb 15, 2019 20:10:30 GMT busman said:

abellion here is a great resource for many historical extensions and cutbacks: www.londonbuses.co.uk

If a better source exists, I have yet to see it.

Thanks. I used to go on their pretty frequently but forgot about it a while ago

[busaholic]

The little Upminster local 248 being extended to Romford (and even a little beyond) on conversion to opo in 1970 must be regarded as one of the more surprising and, in terms of percentage increase in running time, high on any list. I'm sure there have been many more of this ilk (and greater) over the years too.

[danorak]

The way some routes wax and wane is intriguing too. The 5 was down to Old Street to Poplar at one stage, and has grown back to be Canning Town to Romford now. The 177 is another, even being converted to Dart at one stage. If the 19 is axed west of Holborn as planned, that will be the most brutal lopping I can recall.

[snoggle]

LT's history is littered with routes receiving huge extensions and then 15-18 months later being cut back to a lesser route than previously. Certain waves of network revisions have seen entire routes disappear overnight - some without any replacement at all. One example I recall is the old 172 which died a long lingering death up to 1985. Then it came back in different form in 1987 only to die again in 1990.

Others on the forum could list endless examples of huge route volatility - usually driven by financial problems, fares policy abrupt changes (e.g. Fares Fare legal challenge) or severe operational issues such as staff shortages or failed maintenance. Things are not so volatile these days - probably just as well given TfL's inability to tell people what is happening with the route network. We are, though, seeing a small re-emergence of past practice with the culling of Central London services and the next looming round of cuts. The difference, to my mind, is that Central London has often been the "jewel in the crown" and less likely to see vicious cuts. It was Outer London and cross boundary routes that were subjected to more cuts. How things change.

[redexpress]

N97 being cut back from Heathrow to Hammersmith was pretty drastic.

At the other end of the scale, the C10's extension from the Elephant to Canada Water must have doubled its length.

[vjaska]

The 196 had two notable examples - by 1990, it still had peak journeys that extended beyond Brixton to Islington but not long after, it was permanently cut back to Brixton until 2005 when it was extended over the 322 to Elephant & Castle which by today's standards, is a hefty proportion.

The 109 on Sundays during the 90's would be the full Purley to Trafalgar Square routing but in 1998, the 109 was cut back from Trafalgar Square to Brixton & from Purley to Croydon due to a number of other changes occurring such as the 60 being cut back from Clapham Common but extended from South Croydon Garage to Old Coulsdon in the place of the 50 which was pulled back to South Croydon, the 59 being born and the 159 diverting away from Lambeth Bridge & Milbank to run via the 109's routing via Westminster Bridge.

[busaholic]

I'm going to put my head above the parapet with this one, because it's basically stood the test of time. The 122, which had run from Bexleyheath to Woolwich since the 1930s, in 1964 got extended over the withdrawn 186 from Woolwich to Crystal Palace, and at the other end from Bexleyheath to Slade Green. It took many years to get cut back again, first to Bexleyheath and now Plumstead. That would be my no.1 nomination.

[snowman]

Couple of others, but unlikely to be absolute winners

65 had a period where it went as far north as Ealing Perivale Road (near A40) and as far South as Leatherhead garage so probably wins the North-South title

The 73 started as Kings Cross - Barnes, but later got extended to Stoke Newington had various extensions to Richmond, to Kingston, to Hampton Court on Sundays, and for a while even went to Hounslow. It was also extended other end to Stamford Hill on Sundays for a while. (Although not at same time as Hampton Court extension). Back in late 1930s was so long, the PVR was over 100.
Probably wins a fare zone challenge Stamford Hill zone 3 via zone 1 to Zone 6 thus covering 8 zones without leaving London boundary (applying current zones, although they did not exist when the route ran full length). Unless someone can think of a route which reached 9 current zones

[redexpress]

Feb 15, 2019 23:18:31 GMT vjaska said:

The 196 had two notable examples - by 1990, it still had peak journeys that extended beyond Brixton to Islington but not long after, it was permanently cut back to Brixton until 2005 when it was extended over the 322 to Elephant & Castle which by today's standards, is a hefty proportion.

The 109 on Sundays during the 90's would be the full Purley to Trafalgar Square routing but in 1998, the 109 was cut back from Trafalgar Square to Brixton & from Purley to Croydon due to a number of other changes occurring such as the 60 being cut back from Clapham Common but extended from South Croydon Garage to Old Coulsdon in the place of the 50 which was pulled back to South Croydon, the 59 being born and the 159 diverting away from Lambeth Bridge & Milbank to run via the 109's routing via Westminster Bridge.

109 was actually cut back in two stages.  It was cut back to Croydon in 1998 as part of the big Croydon area scheme (withdrawal of 400, restructuring of 50/60/166/412, creation of 255/410/466).  The Trafalgar Square end was then lopped back in 1999 when the Jubilee Line extension opened, with the creation of 59 and restructuring of 159 among others.

[wirewiper]

Route 170 started as a Wandsworth-Hackney (Well Street) route in October 1950, replacing Kingsway Subway tram route 31. It was extended to Leyton Green (and at peak times to Leyton, Downsell Road) in April 1959, this time as part of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme! (it replaced the Bloomsbury-Leyton 555 route).

In 1966 the service was cut back again to Hackney Station (except at peak times when it continued to and from Downsell Road), thus starting a process of gradual cutbacks that by July 1971 saw the route as operating Monday-Friday only between Wandsworth and Aldwych, with peak-hour extension to Euston Station. In April 1981 it was extended to Roehampton, Danebury Avenue and gained a Saturday service between Danebury Avenue and Vauxhall. In May 1991 it was converted to midibus (the DRL type) and standardised as Danbury Avenue to Clapham Junction at all times - meaning the only part of the original route that it now covered was the short section between Wandsworth and Clapham Junction. The subsequent extension to Victoria occurred in February 2008 when the route amalgamated with the 239.

[John tuthill]

Feb 16, 2019 9:08:47 GMT wirewiper said:

Route 170 started as a Wandsworth-Hackney (Well Street) route in October 1950, replacing Kingsway Subway tram route 31. It was extended to Leyton Green (and at peak times to Leyton, Downsell Road) in April 1959, this time as part of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme! (it replaced the Bloomsbury-Leyton 555 route).

In 1966 the service was cut back again to Hackney Station (except at peak times when it continued to and from Downsell Road), thus starting a process of gradual cutbacks that by July 1971 saw the route as operating Monday-Friday only between Wandsworth and Aldwych, with peak-hour extension to Euston Station. In April 1981 it was extended to Roehampton, Danebury Avenue and gained a Saturday service between Danebury Avenue and Vauxhall. In May 1991 it was converted to midibus (the DRL type) and standardised as Danbury Avenue to Clapham Junction at all times - meaning the only part of the original route that it now covered was the short section between Wandsworth and Clapham Junction. The subsequent extension to Victoria occurred in February 2008 when the route amalgamated with the 239.

A reminder of its glory years(not my photo)
Attachment Deleted

[Deleted]

90B was once a lengthy Northolt Stn (MF peaks) to Kew Gardens Stn. With a pvr MF of only 11 buses. This is now covered by the 90,490 and the Kew stub by the 391.

290 was at its height, Thorpe Park to Hammersmith ( Summer Sunday’s) .

27 Teddington to Archway , with through buses running on Sunday’s.

Loads more examples.