This is an update to my original article titled ‘The Oddities of London Buses’. I decided to catalogue the events in separate
articles.
I’ll use the sources below to show you the trouble with Route 60 after
Capital Logistics won the contract
back in 1998.
Extract from London Bus Page
(via Archive Wayback Machine)
The 29th August 1998 programme had route 60 withdrawn between Streatham
Common and Streatham Hill and extended from South Croydon Garage to Old
Coulsdon in a twin aim to replace the 50 over that section and to supplant
route 109 as the main cross-Croydon carrier. It was also tendered and intended
to be transferred from Arriva London
South to Capital Logistics. The latter company had become well-known in
distant Uxbridge as successful tenders for the U3 as well as taking over route 726 from London Coaches.
However, things started to go wrong when the already ambitious plans for this
distant new operator to find a base and
source new vehicles in less than six months fell behind. They could not start as scheduled, so subcontracted the route to Stagecoach
Selkent, who had buses spare following the loss of key Bromley garage
routes 119 and 320 to Metrobus. Selkent
in turn subcontracted to Blue Triangle, who used a mix of classic and
modern buses.
Capital Logistics were given
until the next major change date to get their act together. 23rd January 1999 saw large changes
taking place in Woolwich and Bromley, and Selkent
needed its drivers back for work on a revitalised network there. The buses,
sixteen low-floor DAF DB250LFs, were now
in build, but growing impatient, London Transport Buses stripped Capital Logistics of the contract
and awarded it to an untried company
known as Driver Express, trading as Omnibus
London. The new buses would now pitch
up with them on 23rd January - but they couldn't make the date either. The new timetable was withdrawn and
replaced by an emergency issue with
fifteen-minute headways, and a mind-blowing
variety of operators stepped in to provide the service, producing what has
got to be the most fascinating operation
in a long time.
Extract from London Bus Routes
There was then a rumour that a
company called Driver Express — of which nobody had probably heard — would take
on the route, together with the outstanding order for 16 DAF DB250LFs, although
initially hired buses would be used. Driver Express had a small fleet of
coaches and was also into driver training. But on the day the company had just one bus ready, an un-repainted former Reading Transport MCW
Metrobus. Instead an emergency
15-minute frequency (instead of 12-minute) timetable was drawn up by Blue Triangle, and the duties were covered by whoever could supply
buses and drivers, in the manner of
rail replacement work.
Thus buses were operated by Blue Triangle of Rainham, Capital Citybus
of Dagenham, Nostalgiabus of Mitcham, Classic Coaches of High Wycombe,
Stagecoach East London and Selkent, and Sidney Road Travel of Potters Bar, as
well as Driver Express helping out to a limited extent until giving up
early in February. Metrobuses, Titans,
Fleetlines, Dennis Dominators, Leyland and Volvo Olympians and Leyland
Nationals were all to be seen regularly, and more unlikely types included AEC Routemasters, Mercedes
minibuses and a Leyland Tiger coach. The 60 was thus quite aptly named as a
“working museum” by cynics!
The full timetables that had
been displayed at stops since September with Capital Logistics as the operator
were then replaced by notices regretting that “Due to circumstances beyond
London Transport’s control ...” there was now a temporary timetable. It gave no bus timings, but hopefully first and
last timings were the same as previously and people could remember them. Later
this was replaced by a more informative one giving first and last times and
warning that “Route 60 may be operated
by a variety of types of buses in different liveries to usual ... All will,
however, be clearly marked with route 60 identification” ... but in many cases,
unsurprisingly, no destinations. Some of the operators managed more than
others, some managing full proper blinds. Nostalgiabus helpfully put up notices
in their buses explaining that drivers and buses had been assembled at very
short notice by a consortium of small operators and that any shortcomings were not the fault of the driver.
This continued until around
mid-March when at last Capital Logistics, which had by then taken back
responsibility for the operation, was able to take the route over in full.
Although the buses — 16 DAFs with a
mixture of Plaxton and Optare bodywork — had been finished a couple of
months earlier they had for some reason been stored until this time. Buses were
operated from a new base in Commerce Way, next
door to the Arriva Croydon &
North Surrey Beddington depot. But almost immediately Capital Logistics was
bought up by Tellings-Golden Miller! There was however no change to begin with.
Then on 4th March 2000, Arriva London South won back the
route 60 contract.
This shows the disadvantages of the London Bus contracting system because it passes the responsibility
of operating a service to a private bus company.
Still, it’s
interesting to see different bus companies operating the same London Bus route.
Currently
there are two bus routes which have separate school journeys operated by a
different bus company.
Route 150 which goes
from Becontree Heath to Chigwell Row - the full main service is
operated by Arriva. Go Ahead Blue Triangle operates a
shortened school journey in the afternoon which runs from Becontree Heath and terminates at Gants Hill Station.
TFL tenders
the school journey as a separate contract, hence the reason Go Ahead Blue
Triangle operate the school service.
Route 405 which runs
from West Croydon Bus Station to Redhill Bus Station - the full main
service is operated by Go Ahead Metrobus.
Arriva operates a two morning short school journeys from West Croydon Bus Station and terminates early at Purley Cross. There is one return
afternoon journey which goes from Purley Cross to West Croydon St Michael's
Road.
Looking at
Flickr, I’ve found some photos of other bus companies operating route 60 during
the late 1990’s.
I’ve also
found a Flickr album which shows a variety of buses on route 60.
Keep an eye
on my site as when I find more London Bus oddities I will publish more
articles.
As always, I invite you to follow me on Twitter and Google Plus
which is @CLondoner92
More articles on London Bus oddities:
References
http://www.londonbusroutes.net/photos/060.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/19990508121355/http://www.amdragon.com/londonbuspage/art003-60.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/19981201045455/http://www.lots.org.uk/LOTS%20latest%20news.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Logistics
http://www.londonbuses.co.uk/_routes/current/060-3.html