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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2021 22:05:03 GMT
Hello all, When looking at the garage list on the London Bus Routes website, I noticed at the bottom it says "Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink, although parts of the company now use HH to distance themselves from some of Westlink's more dubious practices!". I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to elaborate on what particular traits Westlink was known for? Thanks in advance! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2021 9:59:51 GMT
Hello all, When looking at the garage list on the London Bus Routes website, I noticed at the bottom it says "Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink, although parts of the company now use HH to distance themselves from some of Westlink's more dubious practices!". I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to elaborate on what particular traits Westlink was known for? Thanks in advance! Westlink were pretty good. I'd say Kingston base was better. They looked after their Metro riders, Titans and DWL's. WK took a hit when they lost the 116, 117 & 203 to TGM. But rebound with the superb Deltas on the 110 and 81.Their commercial 417 was a great route to Windsor all the way from Hounslow. I think it was a good time back then generally, I never saw anything that looked bad. |
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Post by evergreenadam on Feb 27, 2021 10:48:35 GMT
Presumably the 417 ran hourly as only required two buses to operate it?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2021 13:17:14 GMT
Presumably the 417 ran hourly as only required two buses to operate it? Yes only two LS. Timing quite tight. |
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Post by lonmark on Mar 1, 2021 4:10:20 GMT
Presumably the 417 ran hourly as only required two buses to operate it? Yes only two LS. Timing quite tight. you can check this old timetable for route 417. click here |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2021 8:38:46 GMT
Yes only two LS. Timing quite tight. you can check this old timetable for route 417. click hereGreat find. So went up to 3LS when it went to Windsor. Such a lovely route. |
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Post by busman on Mar 1, 2021 12:01:14 GMT
Yes only two LS. Timing quite tight. you can check this old timetable for route 417. click hereFantastic website, never knew about this one. Confirmed a few sketchy memories from my early childhood, but couldn’t find evidence for elsewhere. I wish I had the opportunity to ride the 417. Looks like a great route to ride and probably to drive as well. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2021 13:32:19 GMT
you can check this old timetable for route 417. click hereFantastic website, never knew about this one. Confirmed a few sketchy memories from my early childhood, but couldn’t find evidence for elsewhere. I wish I had the opportunity to ride the 417. Looks like a great route to ride and probably to drive as well. It was, always busy as well so I don’t know why it was withdrawn. Back at that time I think it could have earned its keep on Sundays as well, especially during the Summer. I used to get the 417 to Windsor and then take the one stop train to Slough and head back to Hounslow on the 81. |
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Post by BE37054 (quoll662) on Mar 1, 2021 19:29:46 GMT
Fantastic website, never knew about this one. Confirmed a few sketchy memories from my early childhood, but couldn’t find evidence for elsewhere. I wish I had the opportunity to ride the 417. Looks like a great route to ride and probably to drive as well. It was, always busy as well so I don’t know why it was withdrawn. Back at that time I think it could have earned its keep on Sundays as well, especially during the Summer. I used to get the 417 to Windsor and then take the one stop train to Slough and head back to Hounslow on the 81. Why couldn't it be brought back? |
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Mar 7, 2021 8:05:13 GMT
Hello all, When looking at the garage list on the London Bus Routes website, I noticed at the bottom it says "Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink, although parts of the company now use HH to distance themselves from some of Westlink's more dubious practices!". I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to elaborate on what particular traits Westlink was known for? Thanks in advance! Westlink were pretty good. I'd say Kingston base was better. They looked after their Metro riders, Titans and DWL's. WK took a hit when they lost the 116, 117 & 203 to TGM. But rebound with the superb Deltas on the 110 and 81.Their commercial 417 was a great route to Windsor all the way from Hounslow. I think it was a good time back then generally, I never saw anything that looked bad. Yes, routes 116 & 117 were lost to TGM but route 203 to London Buslines. However, it was a big loss to them like you say. |
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Post by ianhardy on Mar 7, 2021 9:25:36 GMT
Hello all, When looking at the garage list on the London Bus Routes website, I noticed at the bottom it says "Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink, although parts of the company now use HH to distance themselves from some of Westlink's more dubious practices!". I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to elaborate on what particular traits Westlink was known for? Thanks in advance! It was probably that the STANWELL BUSES LIMITED (the formal company name as Westlink was just a trading name) did not follow LT custom & practice, as it was run more like a smaller independant operator and not like a part of LT so it did not have a rule book that was as thick as the yellow pages phone book. This probably did not go down well with people who thought that the LT way of doing things was the only way to do something? |
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Post by thesquirrels on Mar 7, 2021 9:38:52 GMT
It was, always busy as well so I don’t know why it was withdrawn. Back at that time I think it could have earned its keep on Sundays as well, especially during the Summer. I used to get the 417 to Windsor and then take the one stop train to Slough and head back to Hounslow on the 81. Why couldn't it be brought back? Duplicated by the 117 in the London area and as far as Staines. With commercial connections (First Berskhire 8) in Staines on to Windsor TfL wouldn't bother to provide the link outisde of it's own patch. A 'nice to have', but not socially necessary. From a commercial perspective, too much of the route runs in London - much of it up against TfL's subsidised 117 - to make any money in it's own right, especially if it matched fares. It is also up against South West Trains for direct links between Feltham/Ashford and Egham/Windsor, and these services have become more frequent and accesssible since the 1990s when the 417 was well established. If the route had held out I think it would probably do OK now but starting from zero I think it would struggle to build up a base today. The route would run through three authority areas - TfL, Surrey and Berkshire, so even if there was a social case it would be a challenge to reach a point where all three authorities were pitching in what they felt was appropriate long-term. I would love to ride a 417, but that is with my enthusiast hat on.. I don't think it would be achievable in the current public transport funding/provision climate. |
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