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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2017 16:22:38 GMT
Right, my Night Tube bus route list gets shorter & shorter. Cracked out the 114 at 01:10 last weekend from Ruislip and it just about managed to hit the average passenger number to make the service viable; 16 passengers including a disabled passgener along Victoria Road. That in my eyes makes the service justifiable, but whispers of creating a nighly N114 with it extended to Uxbridge from Ruislip would be very popular indeed. I digress. Boarding before Harrow was light and sporadic, the bus arrived at Queensbury station at the same time as a westbound Jubilee line train pulled in, but this was made up for in Burnt Oak station when 7 passengers boarded briefly before alighting. Should there be a nightly N114 then pasengers would be savvy to stay on till Mill Hill Broadway for the hourly Thameslink train during the night; but for now, only the bus enthusiast knows!  The weekend just gone, I went for the H routes as a compramise of not finishing the west London routes due to time constraints. I was hoping to take a crack at the E1 but the N207 (to Hayes) picked up too many people boarding at Sheperd's Bush meant that getting the E1 simply couldn't be done. So onto Southall for the H32 and barely a minute after 03:00, at King Street the 4 passengers that joined me on the bus swiftly alighted. Convent Way estate looked very eary with the light snowfall & mist, and no-one being on the roads lool. After Hounslow West, the H32 was simply a feeder route into Hounslow town centre; possibly a feeder for the N9 at AV as that's where the route cuts its frequency in half. I can't know for sure as I got off at the penultimate stop for ASDA  ...I mean the H37!! Waited inside the store due to the snow but at 03:39, off we went to Richmond. One person each boarded at Hounslow bus station, Isleworth station & St Margarets with 2 disembarkments at St Margarets & Richmond station. That's it, nothing more to report. At 03:59, I got off at Manor Circus to head back home. As it's 6 months after the introduction of the Night Tube this weekend, I ask for your help dear friends. Help in generating a picutre of the night bus network after the effects of the Night Tube. Yes I'm sure some routes have seen some drastic drop in usage, but routes like the N8 actually haven't seen that many numbers drop on its Hainult service. But I'd like to come to a collective evaluation with other opinions/observations from you guys if that's possible. Anyways just the 319 and E1 left to ride; and if I'm not a total grumpy-guts, I'll actually hop on the neglected W7 & 183 routes (dunno why, they just don't take my fancy lool). Well you're ahead of me on the same quest ! I used the H32 into Southall leaving Hounslow at 0230 & about 20 boarded at Bell Corner ( club kicking out) and also used a night H37 ex Richmond at 0215 which had about ten on that trip. I've more to do , but considering I boarded a Piccadilly line train which was empty at T123 , and as I was I front carriage, I was the only passenger on that train until Hammersmith ! ( 0320 ex LHR) I can't ever imagine seeing an N9 have only one passenger on a parallel trip. |
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Post by enviroPB on Feb 13, 2017 19:17:24 GMT
If you plan your journey well ahead, then you can easily knock out 3 or possibly 4 routes in one night. Trouble is things don't always go to plan, as I've demonstrated with the E1 last weekend! Aside from the fact that these 17 weekend night routes were recently added to the night bus network; I have taken upon this task as I fancy myself as a pro when it comes to night-time bus travel. And unfortunately, most of the newly commissioned routes haven't been ridden by me in the day, let alone at night. So it's a nice way of inching closer to riding more buses in London! |
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Post by Melvin Williams on Feb 15, 2017 19:31:42 GMT
490/X26/157?  How is 157 not 24hr yet?? |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 19:46:29 GMT
490/X26/157? How is 157 not 24hr yet?? Those buses are almost 24 hour routes, Since, according to the timetables on the London bus routes site, It says that the 490 starts at 03:00 and finishes at 01:45. The X26 and 157 starts at 04:10 and finishes at 01:45. And if a 24-hour service was done onto those routes, it won't make a big difference. |
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Post by ibus246 on Feb 15, 2017 19:50:41 GMT
490/X26/157? How is 157 not 24hr yet?? Those buses are almost 24 hour routes, Since, according to the timetables on the London bus routes site, It says that the 490 starts at 03:00 and finishes at 01:45. The X26 and 157 starts at 04:10 and finishes at 01:45. And if a 24-hour service was done onto those routes, it won't make a big difference. X26 when re tendered recently appeared to have an option of a 24h sevice but one assumes it was deemed unviable to due budget constraints but it was considered. |
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Post by RandomBusesGirl on Feb 15, 2017 20:09:57 GMT
490/X26/157? How is 157 not 24hr yet?? 157 isn't 24h because of the clash with 154N (which only operates at weekends but still better than before). I don't think you can have both having a night service at once, too much overlap. N213 shouldn't have been cut in the first place..... 490 isn't even double-deck, so a 24h service is merely a dream. However it's up for tender now so I hope TfL make the right decision, at least with vehicle type  |
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Post by Hassaan on Feb 15, 2017 20:53:03 GMT
490/X26/157? How is 157 not 24hr yet?? 157 isn't 24h because of the clash with 154N (which only operates at weekends but still better than before). I don't think you can have both having a night service at once, too much overlap. N213 shouldn't have been cut in the first place..... 490 isn't even double-deck, so a 24h service is merely a dream. However it's up for tender now so I hope TfL make the right decision, at least with vehicle type Err, the 285 was 24 hours with single deckers for many years! Would many people use a night 490 though? From Hanworth Apex Corner to Hatton Cross it is shared with the 285, while the few needing that bit from Twickenham or Richmond will probably change buses somewhere or use cabs. An hour or two of no service in the quietest part of the night isn't a big issue, even the Night Tube is incredibly empty around 0200-0400. |
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Post by LX09FBJ on Feb 15, 2017 21:01:37 GMT
490/X26/157? How is 157 not 24hr yet?? 157 isn't 24h because of the clash with 154N (which only operates at weekends but still better than before). I don't think you can have both having a night service at once, too much overlap. N213 shouldn't have been cut in the first place..... 490 isn't even double-deck, so a 24h service is merely a dream. However it's up for tender now so I hope TfL make the right decision, at least with vehicle type Shouldn't be an issue given that both the 132 and 486 both of which run from Bexleyheath to North Greenwich (albeit via different routes). In Kingston, the 57, 85 and 213 run night service and both overlap between Kingston and Kingston Hospital, plus the 57 and N87 both serve Wimbledon from Kingston, although again both via different lines of route. I would add the 157 and consider making one of those routes a 'Daily' night route (that terminology baffles me a little bit but it does deliver the meaning of what is trying to be said. ). I do agree with returning the N213 as a useful Kingston-Croydon link. Another route idea I think should be looked at is a night X26, which would run hourly and compliment a 213 night service as well as serving early flyers/shift workers at Heathrow who live beyond Kingston who otherwise would have to change buses in Kingston (though the fact the X26 is limited stop would to a certain degree cancel out its purpose as some people may have to change buses anyway. The route being SD shouldn't mean it shouldn't get a night service weekend or otherwise. Granted most of the current single deck allocated routes have a restriction of some description (the 214 is restricted by sn*bby residents and KC can't take DDs but the night service could move to HT with DDs). The only night route that regularly has DDs on it and that has a SD allocation is the 296. Personally, I could make an argument that most suburban routes would sufficiently cope with a standard/slightly long sized single decks on weeknights. A night 490 could work more for airport workers/flyers rather than to connect with the Night Tube. I think the more sensible option would've been make the 120 24 hours daily and had the weekend night service on the 482, that way you could connect T4 to the rest of the Piccadilly line when the Night Tube runs. The 236 used to have a night service and the 285 used to have single decks as pointed out by Hassaan above. |
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Post by RandomBusesGirl on Feb 15, 2017 22:18:29 GMT
Well it's not me, it's TfL They chose to weekend 24h H32 instead of 120, and 296 instead of 66. In terms of 490's deck status, I mentioned it in the context of TfL providing capacity - if they force keep a route of such profile single-deck, then following that logic any 24h service is probably not even thought as 'needed' by those muppets. If X26 night service did not pass for this next contract now, it won't materialise for a while, so I wouldn't dream about it right now  |
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Post by Hassaan on Feb 15, 2017 23:13:23 GMT
Well it's not me, it's TfL They chose to weekend 24h H32 instead of 120, and 296 instead of 66. In terms of 490's deck status, I mentioned it in the context of TfL providing capacity - if they force keep a route of such profile single-deck, then following that logic any 24h service is probably not even thought as 'needed' by those muppets. If X26 night service did not pass for this next contract now, it won't materialise for a while, so I wouldn't dream about it right now On NYE I took the 120 from Hounslow Bus Station at 0230. We barely scraped a double-figure number of passengers from Bell Corner, although most did stay on past my stop in Norwood Green (two got off in Heston and therefore could have used the 111). Knew I should have stayed on further to see how busy it was!   However, a later departure from Hounslow would be a good idea, as it is currently 0010, and a 0025 or even a 0040 may be decently loaded. A 24 hour service may make things easier for those working at Heathrow who live in between the bits served by the 111, 105 or 140, but being cynical I have a feeling that it will for most of the night be as empty as the night 474 |
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Post by enviroPB on Feb 16, 2017 14:18:23 GMT
Well it's not me, it's TfL They chose to weekend 24h H32 instead of 120, and 296 instead of 66. In terms of 490's deck status, I mentioned it in the context of TfL providing capacity - if they force keep a route of such profile single-deck, then following that logic any 24h service is probably not even thought as 'needed' by those muppets. If X26 night service did not pass for this next contract now, it won't materialise for a while, so I wouldn't dream about it right now On NYE I took the 120 from Hounslow Bus Station at 0230. We barely scraped a double-figure number of passengers from Bell Corner, although most did stay on past my stop in Norwood Green (two got off in Heston and therefore could have used the 111). Knew I should have stayed on further to see how busy it was! However, a later departure from Hounslow would be a good idea, as it is currently 0010, and a 0025 or even a 0040 may be decently loaded. A 24 hour service may make things easier for those working at Heathrow who live in between the bits served by the 111, 105 or 140, but being cynical I have a feeling that it will for most of the night be as empty as the night 474 Oh great, now I have to say something! I know people of south London in particular, get riled up (and rightly so) about pockets of an area/borough not having night links. Judge for yourselves how successful or not they are; but TfL are supposed to provide public transport at night for certain corridors, if the links are needed. The 474 is an example of that. And with the last journey at 01:40 and the first one at 04:10 departing Manor Park, there's really not that many resources to throw to make it 24 hours. It also replaces the N101 by providing links to the Docklands for the DLR depot (at Gallions Reach); tactical use of North Woolwich for the foot-tunnel south of the river to Woolwich, and giving City Airport a night link. Now I get tired of saying this; how can Heathrow have umpteen 24-hour routes going to it and the staff of City Airport can't have the 474? I like to believe being single deck or double deck has nothing to do with getting awarded with 24-hour operation. The 296 simply sees deckers because those are the buses available for drivers to take. It certainly doesn't warrant deckers at night; and should the 396 (which also sees frequent stray deckers) be timed to depart as a leader, then there's arguably no need for deckers on the 296 during the days either. That being said, I've no doubt TfL made the right choice by choosing the 296 over the 66 for weekend-24 status. But not having routes like the P4 or 276 24-hours in any sense is a mistake. The problem with TfL is that they refuse to plan for new night routes but instead make routes 24-hours. It's cost effective (aka cost cutting) by saying the links on the 145 or the 154 for example, only exist at weekends when it's not the case. Re-establish the N213 so you wouldn't have 24-hour 213 and weekend-24 154. 6 buses in total PVR when the N213 only needed 3*; but TfL don't see the logic in having 2 routes for the price of 1, which is what night routes essentially are. *maybe an extra bus would be needed now; dwell times & speed limits have changed in the past decade or so the N213 has gone. |
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Post by twobellstogo on Feb 16, 2017 14:24:17 GMT
490 isn't even double-deck, so a 24h service is merely a dream. 108 |
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Post by Green Kitten on Feb 16, 2017 14:30:58 GMT
490 isn't even double-deck, so a 24h service is merely a dream. 108 33... 72... 214... |
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Post by southlondonbus on Feb 16, 2017 16:11:43 GMT
The N213 to Croydon now wouldn't be as effective (atleast on Friday and Saturday nights) as without the 154N there wouldn't be a link at night between Morden and Sutton.
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Post by enviroPB on Feb 16, 2017 16:36:20 GMT
The N213 to Croydon now wouldn't be as effective (atleast on Friday and Saturday nights) as without the 154N there wouldn't be a link at night between Morden and Sutton. Who says passengers for Sutton can't alight at Tooting Broadway for the N44 to Sutton? |
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...I mean the H37!! Waited inside the store due to the snow but at 03:39, off we went to Richmond. One person each boarded at Hounslow bus station, Isleworth station & St Margarets with 2 disembarkments at St Margarets & Richmond station. That's it, nothing more to report. At 03:59, I got off at Manor Circus to head back home. 
How is 157 not 24hr yet??
However, a later departure from Hounslow would be a good idea, as it is currently 0010, and a 0025 or even a 0040 may be decently loaded. A 24 hour service may make things easier for those working at Heathrow who live in between the bits served by the 111, 105 or 140, but being cynical I have a feeling that it will for most of the night be as empty as the night 474 
