Wednesday 8 July 2015

London United with Gemini 3 buses for routes 116 and 285! Part 2 - London Bus Route 116

The 116 has been converted to double decker operation from single deckers. If you want my previous post, "London United with Gemini 3 buses for routes 116 and 285! Part 1 - London Bus Route 116", click here.

©LilNetworker
One of the new buses for route 116 and 285 with an "LJ" reg
London United VH35 (LJ15JZM) at Kingston terminus.
Hello and welcome to this post about routes 116 and 285 gaining Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 hybrid integrals with London United's moquette and interior.


Let's start with the previous fleetlists of route 116 and the new buses intermixed with 285's batch.
DPS707 SN55HKK - VH24 LJ15JYY
DPS708 SN55HKL - VH25 LJ15JYZ
DPS709 SN55HKM - VH26 LJ15JZA
DPS710 SN55HKO - VH27 LJ15JZC
DPS711 SN55HKP - VH28 LJ15JZD
DPS712 SN55HKT - VH29 LJ15JZE
DPS713 SN55HKU - VH30 LJ15JZF
DPS714 SN55HKV - VH31 LJ15JZG
DPS715 SN55HKW - VH32 LJ15JZH
DPS716 SN55HKX - VH33 LJ15JZK
DPS717 SN55HKY - VH34 LJ15JZL
DPS718 SN55HSD - VH35 LJ15JZM

VH36 LJ15JZN
VH37 LJ15JZO
VH38 LJ15JZP
VH39 LJ15JZR
VH40 LJ15JZT
VH41 LJ15JZU
VH42 LJ15JZV
VH43 LJ15JZW


Let's start with 116, which dates back in 3rd October 1934 and ran between Hounslow Bus Garage and Staines Bridge Street or further to Egham Eclipse (Saturday afternoons) via Hounslow Heath, Staines Road, Bedfont and London Road, which ran all day with a total PVR of 3 on Mondays to Saturdays and 1 on Sunday, allocation being STs, which are the RMs/RTs with the cab moved more forward, more information on Ian's Bus Stop.

By 17th of April the following year, the Sunday service was extended to Virginia Water with a Sunday PVR increase to 4 STs. By 5th June the same year, Monday to Saturday afternoon service was extended to Virgina Water leaving the Monday to Saturday morning service going only as far as Staines Bridge Street, Sunday PVR was increased to 8, made up existing 4 STs and another 4 STLs from Southall (HW), shorter version of the STs despite should be 'longer', the code was Shorter Type Lengthened, STs being 16ft 6.5 inch and STLs being 16ft 3 inch. By August the 14th, all services and journeys on 116 were extended to Virginia Water with no change in PVR.

By the second of October the same year once again, the Sunday service to Vriginia Water was withdrawn to Staines, luckily only the morning journeys.

By 8th of the 10th in 1936, the route was revised to serve Windsor Castle from Egham via Englefield Green and Old Windsor on Satuday afternoons and all-time Sundays, whereas Mondays to Fridays and Saturday mornings remained at Staines. 117 was rerouted to serve Virginia Water and a join allocation on Sundays making the 116's PVR [on Sundays] 9 STs, whereas weekdays 3 STs + an ST from 37. Saturday PVR increased to 5 STs.

From 28th of May 1937 to 9th May 1962, the route has been extended (summer) and withdrawn (Winter) from Windsor Castle. Note, the term "M-F" may be used meaning "Monday to Friday". 'Sat' for Saturdays and 'Sun' for Sundays. 'PM' for afternoon and if 'AM' mentioned, mornings (before noon).

  • 06/10/37 Suspended from Windsor Castle to Staines on all hours of service. M-F PVR 3 ST + ST ex-110. Sat PVR 3 ST + ST ex-117. Sun PVR 3 ST.
  • 13/04/38 Extended to Windsor Castle on Sat PM and all hour Sun. M-F PVR 3 ST + ST ex-33. Sat 6 ST. Sun 18 ST. join allocation with 117
  • 12/10/38 Change as 06/10/37, PVR as 13/04/38
  • 03/05/39 Extended to Windsor Castle on Sat PM and all-hour Sun. Joint allocation with 117 withdrawn. M-F PVR 3 ST + ST ex-33. Sat-Sun PVR 8.
  • 22/11/39 Suspended from Windsor Castle on all hours of service. M-F/Sun PVR 5 ST. Sat PVR 5 ST + ST ex-117.

  • 22/05/46 Sat PM and all-hour Sunday extended to Old Winsor Bells of Ousley via Egham and Runnymeade. M-F PVR 9 ST + 2 ST ex-117. Sat PVR 9 ST + 1 ST ex-98. Sun PVR 15 ST.
  • 09/10/46 Suspended to Staines for the winter. M-F/Sat PVR remains same. Sun PVR 12 ST.
  • 30/04/47 Same as 22/05/46 excluding Sat crosslink 1 ST ex-81
  • 12/11/47 Same as 09/10/46 excluding M-F crosslink as 1 ST ex-98 and 1 ST ex-117
  • 05/05/48 Extended to Old Windsor Bells of Ousley on Sunday. PVR remains same on M-F/Sat. Crosslink on M-F 1 ST ex-98, 2 ST ex-117. Sun PVR 14.
  • 20/10/48 Suspended to Staines. Sun PVR degrade to 14. M-F/Sat PVR same. Crosslink M-F 1 ST ex-98 2 RT ex-117. RT type introduced.
  • 13/04/49 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. M-F PVR 10 RT. Sat PVR 12 RT. Sun PVR 40 RT*. *Joint allocation with 117 reintroduced.
  • 24/04/49 Joint allocation with 117 withdrawn. Sun PVR 18 RT.
  • 26/10/49 Suspended to Staines. Sun PVR 14 RT.
  • 03/05/50 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. PVR as 24/04/49.
  • 11/10/50 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 26/10/49.
  • 02/05/51 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. PVR as 24/04/49.
  • 17/10/51 Suspended to Staines. Sunday PVR changed to 12 RT + 2 RT ex-117.
  • 14/05/52 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. No crosslink. No change to M-F/Sat PVR. Sun PVR 16 RT.
  • 22/10/52 Suspended to Staines. Sat PVR 13 RT. Sun PVR 12 RT + 2 RT ex-117
  • 06/05/53 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. No change in M-F/Sat PVR. No crosslink. Sun PVR 18 RT.
  • 07/10/53 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 22/10/52.
  • 19/05/54 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. Sun PVR 19 RT.
  • 06/10/54 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 22/10/52.
  • 04/05/55 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. M-F PVR 9 RT. Sat PVR 12 RT. Sun PVR 15 RT. No crosslink.
  • 12/10/55 Suspended to Staines. Sun PVR changed to 12 RT.
  • 02/05/56 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. PVR as 04/05/55.
  • 17/10/56 Suspended to Staines. Sun PVR changed to 9 RT + 1 RT ex-117.
  • 01/05/57 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays.
  • 16/10/57 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 17/10/56.
  • 30/04/58 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. Sun PVR changed to 12 RT. No crosslink.
  • 05/10/58 Suspended to Staines. Sun PVR changed to 8 RT. Otherwise as 17/10/56.
  • 13/05/59 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. Sun PVR changed to 11 RT.
  • 14/10/59 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 05/10/58.
  • 11/05/60 Extended to Old Windsor on Sundays. Sat/Sun PVR 11 RT.
  • 12/10/60 Suspended to Staines. PVR as 05/10/58.
That was the last Windsor related change, goodness that was some 13 years of constant changes, let's say around 26 with the extra changes.

We move onto a big scene, the trolleybus replacement program. Dated on 9th May 1962.

Routing reinstated on the eastern end as:
Monday-Fridays:
Hammersmith Brook Green Hotel (peaks) - Turnham Green (offpeak) - Chicwick, Great West Road, Osterley, Lampton then via existing routing to Staines (Hounslow Heath, Staines Road, Bedfont, London Road) - Staines Bridge Street.
Saturdays:
Hammersmith Brook Green Hotel - Turnham Green, Chiswick, Great West Road, Osterley, Lampton, Hounslow (AV), Hounslow Heath, Staines Road, Bedfont, London Road - Staines Bridge Street.
Sundays:
Hounslow (AV) - Hounslow Heath, Staines Road, Bedfont, London Road - Staines Bridge Street.

M-F/Sat PVR 14 RT. Sun PVR 9 RT. No crosslink. The last time the 116 has uttered with Windsor.

 As with 116, a Saturday Stamford Brook (V) allocation came to ease of Hounslow (AV), V reducing 4 RTs from AV, otherwise PVR stays same. A year and two months later, V's interference with 116 was over, Sat PVR returned to 14 (AV) RT, and additionally, a part RM Sunday introduction.

On New Years Eve of 1967 (31/12/66), the route lost it's Sunday service, renumbered into 116A running between Staines and Cranford. Monday-Saturday PVR decreased to 11 RT. Then the terminus in Hammersmith was changed to the Underground Station on the 15th of June 1968.

Sunday service was regained on the 23rd of August 1969 where 116A deemed withdrawal, in the process the Monday to Friday offpeak hours was reduced to run only between Hounslow Bus Garage and Staines Bridge Street. Saturday PVR decreased to 10 RT. Sunday PVR introduced as 5 RM. The Saturday service was then cut back to serve Hounslow and Staines as well, change took place on 25th October 1969. Saturday PVR decrease to 7 RT.

The route then lost itself in a wormhole known as 18th of September 1971. It converted to the single decker type 'SMS', including a reroute by Great West Road Boston Manor Road to Brentford County Court. Weekday PVR 10 SMS, Saturday PVR 7 SMS, Sunday PVR 4 SMS. However, this was in the Monday-Friday peak hours, The Brentford terminal was changed to Great West Road Ealing Road due to traffic issues on turning right into Boston Manor Road from Great West Road during September 1971, to be precise on the 20th.

15/08/76 - Swiftline (SMS) type replaced by Leyland National (LS) type single deckers.

20/04/82 - Route to only run between Staines and Hounslow on all hours of service every day, Monday-Friday PVR 6 LS, Saturday 7 LS, Sunday 3 LS. Joint allocation with 203 introduced on 29/01/83 making a PVR increase to M-F 8 LS, Sat 8 LS. No change to Sunday PVR.

A summer holiday only extension to Thorpe Park was introduced in 1984, April 15th including a Sunday PVR upping to 4 LS, wouldn't it still be handy for those who can't be asked with coaches, trains, walking or taking a cab there? Well, that was rid of upon reconstructing in 1992 but let's not skip a minor change of it transferring to Westlink on the nineth of August 1986.

The complete reconstruction: Extended to Brentford County Court from Hounslow, and withdrawn from Staines to Bedfont Green (new 201 replacing withdrawn section).
Therefor: Brentford County Court - Isleworth, Hounslow, Hounslow Heath - Bedfont Green.
Operated by Tellings-Golden Miller with route 117, PVR M-F/Sat 12 LN, Sun 5 LN. (If you're wondering, LN is Leyland National). Date 26/01/1992.

28 days later on the 23/02/1992, London & Country took over the route, probably the second quickest or first quickest with W16's changeover from First to Go-Ahead at Northumberland Park (NP), if you know how quick W16 really changed operators please tell me in the comments below.

By 27th of November 1993, the 116 was extended back to it's lifelong terminus Staines, replaced 201 in the process, a Saturday PVR decrease to 11, and a Sunday increase to 7 single decker bus type Leyland Nationals. Three years pass by and it's the last day of August (31/08/96), London United make a comeback operating the route from Hounslow (AV) with running numbers of 141+, PVR decreased to 4 on Mondays to Saturdays and 2 on Sundays, routeing reinstated to become Hounslow Bus Station (also Bus Garage [AV]) to Ashford Hospital.

A double decker conversion to Metrobus (M) type buses unveiled on 10th of January 1998. Olympian type buses took over the route after route 140 on the 4th September 1999. Once again, the 116 converted back to single decker buses, type Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 (coded DP). Overall PVR increase of 1 introduced (M-Sat 5, Sun 3).

The route switched houses to Hounslow Heath (HH) as 203 took up the running sequence AV141+, and 116 received 401+. Date 02/09/06. The contract renewal date arrived, topped with a frequency increase (PVR M-Sat 6, Sun 4). Date of renewal 30 August 2008. Furthermore, a contract extension on the 31st August 2013, and now we have 116's current contract date coming up on the 29th August 2015.

116's batch of VHs (44-50) are yet to arrive and be commisioned, one or two VHs should be delivered by the end of today or even more, as of now 285's VHs strayed on the route very infrequently.

Thank you for reading my posts as always, and see you soon!
Aubrey Morandarte
DPS674 (LG02FHD) aside with TA327 (SN03EAJ) on route 110, both at Hounslow Bus Station

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