please empty your brain below
Re the 375 (no 8 in the chart) I thought the erstwhile red bus London Transport route from Romford only extended as far as Ongar rather than Epping.

Roger | 18.05.16 - 7:24 a.m. | #

Although you've excluded school journeys and mobility buses, the 603 does run Mon-Fri, including the school holidays - so counts, especially as you've included the X68 which also runs Mon-Fri, including school holidays, the 603 has two return journeys a.m. and two return journeys p.m.

| 18.05.16 - 7:29 a.m. | #

re 375: This had numerous predecessors, including the 250 which went to Epping (and other buses which went to Ongar).

re 603: Even though it runs every weekday (including the school holidays), this was introduced as a school route, and runs at school times, so I've omitted it. It'd be interesting to ride it on a non-school day, though!

diamond geezer | Homepage | 18.05.16 - 8:06 a.m. | #

X68
What do you mean by "more less frequent"? I think the sentence makes sense if "other buses got more frequent, not because the X68 got less"

dg writes: Fixed, thanks.

If the Mayor's plans come to fruition as reported, someone is going to have to design an electric bus small enough to operate the H3, as it is inside the North Circular Road. That will be a challenge.

timbo | 18.05.16 - 8:14 a.m. | #

Don't forget you can also link to maps of the routes:

https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/347/

dg writes: I have done this for all the buses (apart from the R5/R10, where TfL's map is incomplete).

Andy Norman | 18.05.16 - 8:38 a.m. | #

The R5/R10 is shown in full once you click on the switch direction button.

https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/r5/?Input=R5&direction=inbound

| 18.05.16 - 10:04 a.m. | #

A half-hourly service on a night bus is an improvement on the time I last used them. Back then most routes were one bus an hour.

Tetramesh | Homepage | 18.05.16 - 10:27 a.m. | #

What arcane reason is there for the flipping between 389 and 399 and back again, rather than running all the way from Underhill to Barnet as one route?

timbo | 18.05.16 - 10:39 a.m. | #

Night bus frequencies have improved spectacularly since I was young. But I suspect that N113 gets in this list for reasons that have nothing to do with its frequency. Presumably it is only required for a short part of the night, because during the rest of the night the route is covered by early and late buses on "day" routes.

Malcolm | 18.05.16 - 10:46 a.m. | #

" 347 . . . although there are rural communities outside the capital who'd think "every two hours" was a magnificent service."

Indeed. I see that Downside, Surrey (inside the M25!) has gone down from three to two buses a day.

http://londonbusroutes.net/details.htm#505
http://londonbusroutes.net/times/513.htm

Mike D (in Surrey) | 18.05.16 - 10:47 a.m. | #

@Roger - Ian Armstrong's site has the 175 extended to Ongar (replacing the 123) in 1958. The section between Chase Cross and Ongar was replaced by a new 175A in 1973, which morphed into the 247B in 1977 and was withdrawn in 1982.

As far as I can determine, the bus route between Epping and Ongar in London Transport days was the 339
https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_christie/7060131163
- a number now recycled much closer to DG's home turf.

timbo | 18.05.16 - 11:02 a.m. | #

Why is the R8 not on the list?

dg writes: Because it's 14th. (I think)

Southern Heights | 18.05.16 - 12:00 p.m. | #

@Southrern heights
The R8 has twelve buses a day, six days a week, making 72

timbo | 18.05.16 - 12:57 p.m. | #

I see the 359 has fallen off the list as it was improved and extended late last year.

Slightly surprised to see the N113 on there but DG has clearly done his research. I thought one or two other N routes might have as few journeys as the N113 but I was wrong.

I've done all bar two of the infrequent routes (N113 and R5/10). Many are interesting little rides in their own right. Also you get the chance to "surprise" the regulars on the route who can spot a new face instantly.

PC | 18.05.16 - 1:10 p.m. | #

How about the C10 when it is listed on the board but then doesn't show up and then the ones that are listed seem to merge into a continuously approaching but never arriving bus?

brendan | 18.05.16 - 2:31 p.m. | #

@timbo

The Epping-Ongar route later became the 201, which was its final number under LT. The route between Romford - Passingford Bridge - Theydon Bois - Epping, also had numerous numbers - its most recent LT being the 247 (in the early 80s), although London BUeses later were contracted to run the Sunday service on one of the subsequent services, 500, by Essex County Council in the late 80s or so

Dominic H | 18.05.16 - 2:55 p.m. | #

So, which of them should be renamed the Elizabeth route?

*grins, ducks and runs for cover*

solar penguin | 18.05.16 - 3:43 p.m. | #

@Dominic H
The 201 started operation in 1982, when the Tube line went to peak hours only. The 339's direct successor is Arriva Essex route 501, which now only runs on Sundays, SNM coaches routes 20/21 providing a service the rest of the week.

(has the off-topic klaxon gone off yet)

timbo | 18.05.16 - 4:41 p.m. | #

I have given the X68 a go. Entirely by accident and couldn't get off until West Norwood. A frustrating experience.

Geoff | 18.05.16 - 4:44 p.m. | #

Re the W10: If you want to get to the garden centres of Crews Hill, you're much better off getting the train. There are usually at least two an hour all day long that stop there.

Indeed, for local residents, it's probably a better bet for Enfield town - two stops along the line - than waiting for one of a handful of buses.

I speak as someone who's lugged a Christmas tree back on the train from that area.

Adam Bowie | Homepage | 18.05.16 - 4:53 p.m. | #

The W10 used to go further than it does now - right to Crews Hill Station I think.

Roger | 18.05.16 - 8:10 p.m. | #

I'm surprised the 549 isn't one of the 10 least frequent - once an hour and not on evenings or Sundays.

dg writes: Because it runs 14 times a day, the 549 manages 84 services a week, so misses the Top 10.

| 18.05.16 - 10:10 p.m. | #

This does make me think there must be some lonely bus stops out there!

OnTheBus | 19.05.16 - 2:15 a.m. | #

Following the intervention of the Traffic Commissioners (not before time) SM Coaches/Roadrunner Buses are no more, and the Harlow-Epping Station-Ongar corridor is now covered by Trustybus routes 419/420.

For completeness, Ensignbus now operates route 21 between Warley, Brentwood and Ongar only. The through service from Warley/Brentwood to Epping & Harlow has been severed.

Julian | 19.05.16 - 9:41 a.m. | #











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