The New Buses Are Back
I saw two at the Angel today and actually took one home.
The New Buses Are Back
Note that every one is now advertising a London show. They only seemed to disappear for the rehearsal of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I suspect each one is advertising a particular show and will the cast of each be getting out and doing a turn. After all London is the theatre capital of the world.
Two New Buses For London Kiss At The Angel
Because of the Torch Relay, you don’t pass anybody these days, but kiss. Here two of the New Buses for London kiss at the Angel.
Two New Buses For London Kiss At The Angel
As there are now eight in service, we’ll see more of this.
And Then There Were Five!
I passed New Bus for London, LT8, on the way back from the Angel this afternoon. So that means at least five; LT1, LT2, LT4, LT6 and LT8.
Is The New Bus for London A Bus With Presence?
Coming back from the Angel tonight, I caught a New Bus for London from Islington Green. When it was spotted, quite a few people moved from the standard 38 bus in front and walked back a few yards to make sure they caught the New Bus. Obviously, some people prefer it.
But seeing them on the road, it strikes me that the New Bus advertises itself and other drivers get out of the way. It could be that as it looks bigger, although it isn’t that much so, people are wary of it and move over. I’ve not heard of an accident involving a New Bus, but then there are only five on the road. But then since, I’ve lived here, the only accidents reported involved the dreaded bendy buses. I would love Transport for London to publish all bus accidents, so they could be properly analysed.
Speaking as a pedestrian, I always notice a New Bus, when I see it. But then I would hope I notice all other buses, when I cross the road. On the other hand, because the lights on the New Bus are more prominent and probably better-designed, it is easier to ascertain what one is doing.
The New and the Old
The picture shows the New Bus alongside one of its predecessors. Note the bigger and more prominent lights on the New Bus.
New Buses for London Are Now Running In Convoy
Bus route 38 in London is one those with the highest frequency of buses. I have joked before that they often run in convoy and today for the first time, I saw two New Buses for London running together on the Balls Pond Road.
New Buses for London in Convoy
Perhaps, they are avoiding the U-boats in the Regents Canal to the South! Or the hippopotami in the New River.
The New and the Old
This picture shows a New Bus for London overtaking its predecessor at the Balls Pond Road/Mildmay Park stop.
The New and the Old
In some ways this picture shows the manoeuvrability of all London double-deck buses, as it was able to pull out from behind and get alongside for the lights.
The New Bus for London does have regenerative breaking and drivers have told me the acceleration is very good, so does the hybrid drive line mean that at some time in the future, it could have traction control?
London’s First New Conductress
As my cooker has now gone, all I have to cook food is a microwave. So tonight, I took a 38 bus up to Upper Street to go to Carluccio’s.
I got a New Bus for London from the Balls Pond Road on my outward journey and by chance the same bus on the return. It was the first time, that the conductor on the bus, hadn’t been a man.
London’s First New Conductress
Note that she has taken up the surf position, that all London conductors, male or female, used to use on Routemasters and their predecessors, like the RTs, on which I used to go to school.
Hail the Granny Bus!
The term may be a bit over the top and sexist, as why should it just be grannies and not granpas as well.
But it does seem the elderly like travelling on the New Bus for London. This picture of an elderly couple getting on at traffic lights, sums up the elderly’s attitude to the bus and is one of many I could have taken in a similar vein.
Hopping On a New Bus for London
I also encountered two ladies on the bus, who had deliberately waited for a ride on a New Bus for London. They were impressed.
I think it must bring back memories of years ago, when you could get on and off when you wanted and got service from a friendly conductor.
A Second New Bus for London is Spotted
Tonight I spotted a second New Bus for London in the Balls Pond Road.
A Second New Bus for London
It appears to be numbered as LT6.
They all appear to have registration numbers starting with LT
A Bus With Added Service
I have travelled on a New Bus for London about five or six times now and like all things, be they cars or corkscrews, that have been properly designed, you see more and more good features, the more you use them.
Today, I picked up a New Bus for London at the Angel to go back home. The downstairs wasn’t full, but there was a lady in a wheelchair in the wheelchair space, sitting opposite her two friends.
I was sitting at the back, as given luck, I might have been able to get off a few metres or so before the stop and save myself some walking. Just after the stop before mine, the conductor walks past me to the lady in the wheelchair and has a short chat. At the stop, I jump on to the rear platform and step off, but without saving any walking, although I did save a half-minute or so. As I walked to the lights to cross the road, I saw the reason for the conductor’s chat. The lady and her friends had exited smoothly from the middle door. Wheelchair entrance and exit on a standard London bus is not difficult, but it sometimes does result in a time delay. On the New Bus, not only does the design minimise loading and unloading delays by allowing three routes for the able-bodied, but a conductor with a bit of forethought, like today, can minimise any problems before they happen. I think the lady was impressed with the service she received.
A New Bus for London on the Balls Pond Road
Incidentally, it was originally stated that New Buses for London would run with the rear platform closed and no conductor at weekends. According, to the conductor, this policy has been reversed. Read into that what you will! I just think that passengers like the extra service and security. Several users have also told me how much they like the ability to get on and off at convenient places using the rear platform.
The stop I used on the Balls Pond Road illustrates how by being clever Transport for London can use the new buses to advantage. The stop shown in the picture is perhaps thirty metres before a set of traffic lights, where most of the buses get caught for a couple of minutes. The conductor can use this time to allow late-arriving passengers to get on the bus. And they already do! So I think we’ll see a lot of bus stops moved to create and then take advantage of an increased loading window, if the stop is just before traffic lights.
The Anonymous Widower 