London's Parliamentary Bus Service? - Awkward Routes: Episode 1

[@AnthonysTransport]

Very Interesting video, I have the perfect route for you to cover! The 969, London's only mobility route which runs between Whitton and Roehampton Vale. It operates twice a week (Monday and Friday) and operates one return trip on those two days. Its operated by Abellio using normally E200s but sometimes uses the MMC varient. Very interesting route as it actually used quite a lot by the elderly and disabled and is very useful for them. Also has some Hail and Ride selections which is very cool. 😃

[@DanBen07]

I think I read an article about this bus route once. They put a state of the art bus stop up on a road that was only served by that route & other bus stops in the area were not in the best condition.

[@Firitesen]

Here's another awkward route (though not by exact definition) Route 533: Hammersmith - Castelnau - Hammersmith The most permanent 'temporary' route at present; runs fast down the A4 until Hogarth Roundabout, then joins the 190 until Mortlake. For being a temporary route, it has lasted almost 5 years!

[@InstantKarma_1]

Nice vid Tho I have a suspecting feeling this route is likely gonna be revised into another SuperLoop express route following the "SuperLoop 2"project. Call it a hunch if you may lol

[@somenorthlondoner]

Not sure really, maybe!

[@MannyAntipov]

I’ve heard of this parliamentary bus before, but never had I expected it to change hands once again! When it was first run, it was operated by Diamond South East using a Streetlite that would’ve come off a Heathrow Airport shuttle run. That arrangement didn’t last long as that became a coach (can’t remember whose) so now it’s in its third operator in just one year!

[@somenorthlondoner]

It’s quite funny really, used to be operated by an Oxford Tube 😂

[@brianbell4937]

Stagecoach West used to have a spare Oxford Tube double deck coach in London between the peaks, so was ideal, but the last timetable change that introduced a High Wycombe service got rid of that. Not sure, but Stagecoach might be paying Metroline to run it for them?

[@a1white]

So weird to hear of a once a week bus service in London. Parliamentary rail services are odd, but a rail replacement parliamentary bus service is something else 😅

[@aarontibbett]

Great video and I’m glad it appeared on my feed. I look forward to others in the series too as I can think of a few that would fit. Now working my way through your other videos and see they are equally as informative. Subscribed!

[@Tuxedoed]

Got this video recommended on my youtube homepage, and I'm glad it was. Really high-quality video, and good storytelling. Great video, you've definitely earned a subscriber :D

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@omsi2buspix690]

I'd recommend the C56 in Chelmsford, Essex. It's a real odd service. Runs once a week, on a Sunday at 22:48. Only going in one direction then running not in service to Westway Garage. Really unique idea for a series! Love it!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Sounds awesome! Best check that out

[@Ron_TTE]

8:45 When the bus started operating, it was ran by Diamond Streetlites. It was a good journey when I had a ride on it. The driver was very friendly

[@DanBen07]

When I was younger 90s,00s I used to go to Brighton train station to collect the many rail operators train timetables they had. I remember this route from the a timetable and as time went on the route had a symbol of a bus above it and in the symbols would indicate it was a rail replacement.

[@Ron_TTE]

@@DanBen07 nice

[@katrinabryce]

In a lot of smaller towns, you will quite often see a bus service from outside the depot in a larger town/city to that town in the morning, then a return journey in the evening. The local bus service for that town lives in the depot, and service exists to get the bus into position to run the local service for the day.

[@DanBen07]

Yeah I had a whole stack of bus timetables recently for Plymouth city bus and they're quite a few routes I just once or twice morning evening.

[@MidsBuses]

You have to feature the H3, The bus that runs along Billionaires way and ends at just 2:52 PM, With 7 journeys each way Monday to Saturday.

[@highpath4776]

Presumably fits in between school services ?

[@ace-paidinfull5240]

What area does this route operate in?

[@nathanw9770]

​@@ace-paidinfull5240 Golders Green

[@keystonedriving8180]

I live in a small village in East Cornwall. We have two or three busses a day (Monday to Friday) but you need a calendar as well as a watch as the times are different on different days. At the towns where the service terminates, you have either 30 minutes or 3 to 4 hours before there is a return service. So virtually everybody drives. That is awkward!

[@somenorthlondoner]

I heard somewhere there was an “every village, every hour” plan in the making but I’m not too sure if that’s still going ahead :)

[@DanBen07]

I live in East Sussex and there's a bus called village rider. Between to towns or one town and each journey goes a different way & different days of the week.

[@aaronsmith9209]

An awkward bus near me is the 242 which was originally a London route between Waltham Cross and Potters Bar (all just about in Hertfordshire). Over the years, it got cut back more and more to the point that it's basically a shuttle between Waltham Cross and Cheshunt Brookfield Centre, this bit runs every 30 minutes or so which is fine but the rest of the route to Cuffley and Potters Bar is much less frequent. Cuffley is every 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours during the day and Potters Bar gets just 4 services a day from this end with a massive gap in service between 7:20 am and 2:50pm as the route only goes to Potters Bar for School Journeys or Garage runs today. It's a bit of a waste in what could be a good route for east to west connectivity in the county. Ironically the Sunday service is better, but still barely useable as it's every 2 hours! Also been on the parliamentary train about three weeks before it ended, it was packed then but glad I rid it, will have to do the bus at some point but yeah it's a stupid use of resources really and an effort should be made to use the new north line more effectively. Also I have been on every bus route in London and out of the 540+ daily routes, only 20 were every half hour or less. The 359, 375, 385, 389/ 399, H3 and R5/ R10 were the awkward ones from memory. The 969 was amusing when I was on it but seemed actually really useful to those who used it.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yes it does look a shadow of its former self admittedly. It’s an interesting route certainly 😃

[@aaronsmith9209]

@@somenorthlondoner It would get more use from me if they ran the services properly, it seemed to run nicely with the 84 to St Albans and Barnet and the link is broken now. It is my local route and it's only useful in one direction, a shame as it's a pretty route from Goffs Oak onwards.

[@ace-paidinfull5240]

I saw this and thought what 😮 But i carried on reading and realised its not the 242 from London i thought you was alluding to 🤭

[@Trek001]

Not entirely sure how youtube thought this was a related video to the sinking of the battleship _Bismarck_ but I'm glad it did... What a great start to a series Have a like and subscription

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much! :)

[@adlam97531]

Near to where I live near Chelmsford, there are Ford Coaches, who run 2 routes worth a mention, the 3 and 6 and they only run fortnightly on a Friday, a strange route and it often use double deckers, which go along some narrow country lanes, with one journey in each direction.

[@nathanw9770]

Excited to see this new series. I agree that this route is a massive waste of resources, especially since theres no return service. If they have to run it at least extend the route to it's previous destination of Paddington ans add a return journey or two so at least some passengers will see it as a quieter and cheaper alternative to get to the edge of West London. I think a good route for you to cover is the 389/399 which are the shortest and least used bus routes in London.

[@somenorthlondoner]

I might cover those two routes, although the issue I’m afraid with running them back into Paddington is pathing and HS2 works! The more sustainable long term future for the line IMO is Chiltern into Old Oak Common, could always add a stop at Greenford too!

[@nathanw9770]

​@@somenorthlondoner Yeah that's the issue with running the parliamentary service as a train again, I think that would be much more sustainable as an express bus service instead going via Greenford. If the train service is to be reinstated it would definitely benefit from running to OOC instead. Furthermore, a more radical idea would be to have tfl take over the branch as part of the Elizabeth line provided the necessary upgrades are implemented.

[@DanBen07]

I just found this channel and i love buses since i was 6. Like that you were talking and showing bus routes.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! I’ve been interested in buses since I was very young as well

[@ARLE3]

Nice video! I didnt know about the parlimentary bus service until I watched this video. To be honest I think that the R8 is quite an awkward route being 1 bus every hour & a half but that might be due to tight roads around downe and charles dawin, anyway keep up the good work!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yeah that’s a brilliant route

[@SiliconDr]

Another amazing video! Been fantastic to see this channel grow and gain popularity recently!

[@Fercough]

I will subscribe! I liked your honesty about how London has the best public transport. Very few London based vloggers are as honest as you, a huge thank you. We have a bus service, Monday to Friday only that runs every 50 minutes. Not 50 past the hour, every 50 mins so there's always a question about the time of the next bus. That is often a good question anyway, given the number of cancellations. I live 3 miles from a city in the North of England, the local old folks need a decent service but get this garbage.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you so much! I think at things with a little too much of a Londoner perspective so I suppose awkward is different as you move across the country 😂

[@highpath4776]

Looks like it is run to make the best use of drivers hours, unless you can think of somewhere useful it can run to for five mins at eiether end to make hourly ( which then still might need a second driver and significant extra costs as a result)

[@slrhas]

Lovely memories of uni days grasping the bus routes around Ealing and it's surrounds. Many thanks

[@somenorthlondoner]

You’re welcome!

[@torspedia]

Never heard of this bus service before, but will try and remember it for when I'm back home. 🙂

[@somenorthlondoner]

It’s a cool service, would definitely recommend trying it out!

[@torspedia]

@@somenorthlondoneradded this video to my bucket list, as a reminder. 🙂

[@paulmark63]

Keep up the great work your doing a fabulous job so interesting. Paul in Kent

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you :)

[@whyyoulidl]

Thx SNL; Another nicely put together video 👌🏿

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lyramsr]

nice video! enjoying the channel thus far, you’ve already improved quite a bit since the first one

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much!

[@sr6424]

A bits of information on the train services. The Birkenhead - Birmingham Snow Hill - Paddington service used this stretch of line (including the Blue Pullman). Around the time WCML electrification was completed all mainline Birmingham- London services were transferred to New Street and Snow Hill was eventually closed. A two hourly service ran to Paddington but via Reading. However an early morning train ran via Wycombe and back in the evening. This confused until the late 1980s (not sure of the date it ended). Another interesting fact - in the 1980s there was talk of closing Marylebone and routing Wycombe trains into Paddington- fortunately it never happened!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Very interesting! Didn’t know that so thank you :)

[@highpath4776]

I think there is still a parliamentary train daily using one of the track routes (it could helpfully be more frequent)

[@sr6424]

@@highpath4776 that ended a couple of years ago. That’s why the bus runs.

[@RhysBeard]

Have a look at the Welland Wonderer East bus in Northamptonshire. It runs once a week to some villages at an awkward time of the day.

[@highpath4776]

Romford was served by Eastern National services as well as LCBS in the Public Ownership of (most) bus services. Orpington had areas that London Transport REFUSED to serve, leading to the operations of North Downs (with a sort of Commer Minibus) and Orpington and District, these would later become part of the original Metrobus (along with outside of London Tillingborn operations around Gomshall to Guildford and similar areas ).

[@Satters]

Semaphore signalling does not need replacing as you suggest in order for services to be recommenced upon the Greenford line or GC/GW north main line, semaphore signalling is perfectly suitable and actually more reliable than electronic signalling.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Most of it seems to be getting replaced though so I can’t imagine it would reopen with semaphore signalling. Isn’t it getting replaced on the southern most bit of the GWML near Penzance?

[@A-Trainspotter-From-Berkshire]

What should happen is the line between Greenford and South Ruislip gets double tracked, there is no need to replace semaphore signals, two new platforms are added at Greenford on the New North Mainline, then you divert the GWR Greenford shuttle from Greenford Bay to South Ruislip or West Ruislip and then withdraw the rail replacement bus service.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Interesting idea, I do wonder whether you could always have longer distance services (maybe terminate the service at High Wycombe but have it stop everywhere) and have it as almost a feeder into West Ealing? Not sure if that’s the best idea given how busy the Elizabeth Line is already out west and how much people are complaining about it already. A bit like the Sutton Tram into Morden/Colliers/S Wimbledon, will just funnel more people into an already overcrowded railway line. Interesting idea though!

[@ricktownend9144]

Great idea for a series! Maybe include some of Orpington's R-series. Do you think it would be helpful (to passengers) if route numbering were used togive some idea of frequency - as with the 600s being used for school services? Some of the R-numbers are sort of acceptable frequency, but for at least half of them you need to check running times. In general with buses you have to check times even to see which routes operate a 'turn up and go' frequency; even maps are unhelpful - though it should be possible for more frequent rioutes to have thicker lines etc. I have a dream of all London bus routes with numbers below, say, 300 being at least 8 per hour! - I'm sure that would generate custom ... Look forward to yournext video.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yes that would be a good idea although I suppose with these prefixed networks there’s already the assumption that services aren’t going to be quite as frequent but there is of course a massive contrast between the regular R1 and R11 in comparison to the every 2 and a half hourly R5 and R10. To be honest with every route I suppose you have to watch out for the running times, to time the perfect time to leave your house to catch it!

[@ricktownend9144]

@@somenorthlondoner - Thanks for replying. My main point is that for a network (such as London's buses, and for that matter Orpington's or similar) to work properly, all the important routes in it must run at 'turn-up-and-go' frequencies - and it must be easy to see which routes are like this. It's not rocket-science - the underground has done this for over a hundred years: frequent services and easy, well-signed interchanges mean that on entering a tube station you have hundres of destinations available - you only need the network map. I really don't know why that hasn't been taken up by bus managers - or mainline rail managers for that matter.

[@Smart1529]

These buses may not be classified as awkward but I still think they should be looked at before the Silvertown Tunnel opens. And thats the 129 and 335 buses from North Greenwich to Kidbrooke/Lewisham. Especially the 129 bus if you know its history, it barely went anywhere. 330 is another one as well since its a Silvertown now.

[@somenorthlondoner]

It was tipped at one stage early on to continue to Peckham I think. But yeah for most of its life it wasn’t really doing much it has to be said 😅

[@Fm_1055]

Before the 346/347 get cut with an extension to the 497 in east London they may be worth riding especially the 347 as that’s like a 3 hourly service with only one bus going back and forth all day.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yes it definitely looks worth it!

[@ace-paidinfull5240]

As an experienced bus driver and an avid train enthusiast/future hopeful driver, this video was very interesting i must say!

[@somenorthlondoner]

I’m really glad you enjoyed it!

[@kieranstravels]

Great video! I happen to live in a much more rural area up north, and I'm aware of many such services - Definitely the prime example of this, is a random service operated by a community transport operator ran by the council, that only runs on Fridays, once a day. It's absolutely bizzare, especially considering a bus rhat runs 7 days a week, every 20 minutes duplicates the route completely.

[@somenorthlondoner]

That’s awesome - perhaps I should check that out?!

[@kieranstravels]

@@somenorthlondoner Well, Here you go, should you want to: www3.halton.gov.uk/Documents/bus%20timetables/66.aspx

[@KSPolar]

Hey! I consistently catch the 51 from Orpington Station to Woolwich, yes, I know this has absolutely 0 relevance to this video but, surprisingly, you’re the first KZbinr I’ve seen come to Orpington. +1 Subscribe from Ramsden Estate (hopefully I didn’t just dox myself.)

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you so much! Yeah I was in Orpington last weekend and conveniently filmed a 51 so it was good for that segment 😂

[@highpath4776]

I use the service at the other end, with the loop round the forest of nowhere in Forestdale (even the rest of forestdale is an uphill walk via a muddy path and the scout camp.

[@BALHAM69]

This video did well, plenty of comments involved Well done 😊 Happy Friday 😮

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BALHAM69]

@@somenorthlondoneryou’re welcome Well done on six thousand subscribers And yea South London is better 😅

[@Mongchong_123]

I tried waiting for this bus once and it never showed up. Now i see it actually runs! Nice video! I subscribed too!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much for the subscribe! Were you waiting on the wrong day maybe?

[@Mongchong_123]

@@somenorthlondoner it was a wednesday and I was there from 11am until 11:30

[@BubblesZest]

The 549 would fit into this series rather well, only operates once every 90 minutes Monday to Saturday. And is completely useless when the Central line, 20, w13/14 and 179 exist.

[@haweater1555]

For an obscure, once a week, one way service: "My friend and I weren't the only ones on board, there were two enthusiasts" . Love it !!!😅. I'm sure they were also in the front seat, upper floor.

[@somenorthlondoner]

🤣

[@Robbins996]

Great vid! Just subscribed.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Cheers!

[@DavidShepheard]

This bus should really show up on the National Rail ticketing systems and websites like Real Time Trains.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yeah that would be cool, only showed up on the departures board outside West Ealing Station

[@DEFarnes]

I first read this as London's only paramilitary bus.

[@princessdaisy6]

another great video keep going!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much!

[@myjrbs]

Last time I did this route it was ran by Oxford tube gutted it's been downgraded to just a regular TfL bus now but at least it's a double-decker so You can see northolt airfield quite nicely

[@samsteven7261]

Glad I've come across this as a bus enthusiast. How did you find out about this? And are there any other parliamentary services within London? Last question, is it just the normal £1.75 bus fare too?

[@somenorthlondoner]

Service is free - it’s been well known for quite a while but no one has recorded a video on it so far so figured why not have a go 😊

[@kevanhubbard9673]

That's really a rail service which is replaced by a bus rather than a proper obscure London bus route.I suppose that London must have the odd obscure service bus routes but not as many as rural areas due to the large population.When I was more concerned about such things I always found it annoying that the places around the edge of London where calling themselves Middlesex, Essex, Surrey,etc while northerners had such 'modern'counties as Cleveland and Tyne and Wear like it or not!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Yes but I’d still consider it quite awkward even if it was a bustitute if you will!

[@Westlondontransportguy7045]

what about the weird replacment bus service to Olympia

[@sgbuses]

This may well be the start to a great series that takes your viewership to 1 million subs. There are no shortage of weird bus routes in London, and even more older defunct ones to revisit.

[@somenorthlondoner]

Hopefully! 😂

[@DeathInTheSnow]

I don't know what's worse. The bus driver not slowing down for the pedestrian crossing at 1:25 or just afterwards at 1:35 where that car is very insistently trying to move into the space where the cyclist is riding. Motorists are fucking awful.

[@ks2091]

I don't see any issues? The first pedestrian was nowhere near getting run over, and that car was nowhere near hitting the cyclist.

[@highpath4776]

The percentage to a bus stop doesnt take account of stops not served evenings / weekends / sundays or only served with very limited TfL services, and if the bus doesnt go to where you want to go to (easily) it is a useless statistic

[@somenorthlondoner]

Not a useless statistic, ultimately buses can’t cater for every journey but rather the bulk of where most passengers want to go. 94% of passengers being 400m from a house is a good statistic to go off especially when it comes to any improvements to the bus network as it likely strengthens the case for it if they pass closer to people’s properties as the wider community see more of a benefit

[@highpath4776]

@@somenorthlondoner I seem to recall the stat used at Oxford/Central London Polytechnic studies (And by NBC) was total time Origin to Destination (and cost weighted for walking/waiting and travelling times). (used for rail services too). Based on preference surveys and on-board/bus stop surveys.) Quite complex to crunch the numbers on 1980s computers but it was done ,but doesnt give the Mayor a quick soundbite, nor a justfication line in a planning application for a less than usefully relevant PTAL assesment.

[@TheLondonMood]

Amazing video. Deserves a sub!

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much honestly! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for the subscription as well :)

[@宮田雅人-x7q]

The characteristics of London's city, underground, and suburban railways are explained in an easy-to-understand manner. When I think of London, I think of red double-decker buses and narrow underground tubes. I also want to go to London and enjoy public transportation. ロンドンの市街や地下鉄､郊外鉄道の推移や特徴をわかりやすく解説されています ロンドンと言えば､赤い2階建てバスと狭い地下鉄車両を思い浮かべます 私もロンドンへ行き､公共交通を満喫したいです

[@izanity9056]

You should do the 549. It used ti be my local route until i moved. It is also one of londons least used routes. Also, i would recommend 347, 375 and R5/R10

[@bruceperkins4601]

That number, 549, is an oddity in itself.

[@hasana1051]

I actually moved from one end of the route to the other lol, also it’s getting replaced by the w14 next year. Also I’d assume it’s rarely used because of the infrequent service

[@brianbell4937]

549 number going soon, and 347 likely to go too.

[@highpath4776]

This service operated by a bus is indeed a rail service and is not a TfL rail provision and not a TfL bus (service)

[@somenorthlondoner]

I suppose it does still fall under an awkward bus service what with it being so infrequent and operating once a week

[@xoom328]

Does this run every Wednesday? Planning to check it out tomorrow but not sure if it runs

[@somenorthlondoner]

Should do!

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

Interesting.

[@paulmark63]

Hi it’s Paul again from Kent is there a way of direct message you regarding a idea I have about your channel

[@somenorthlondoner]

I currently don’t have an email associated with this account name, is it anything particularly private?

[@hx0d]

Driver looks familiar 😂

[@busestransporta-z781]

Nice video

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thanks so much! :D

[@busestransporta-z781]

@@somenorthlondoner your welcome!

[@Vanmanyo]

I made it, I got a 2 second clip into a SomeNorthLondoner video

[@HezyTech]

Are you from Ealing bro? I’m seeing loads of West Ealing here and I live near there

[@somenorthlondoner]

I don’t live in West Ealing no

[@turboguy99]

Big up ealing

[@robinhillyard6187]

Where's this "Marley Bone" station you mention? Is it anywhere near Marylebone? Just kidding, but I'm not a fan of the Bakerloo line pronunciation ;)

[@somenorthlondoner]

Mate I'm telling you all my friends mock me for it 😂

[@Twittler1]

What does ‘parliamentary service’ actually mean?

[@somenorthlondoner]

Government mandates the service to operate under the railway franchise agreement on branches that otherwise wouldn’t see a public service. Prevents the costly closing of the railway line

[@highpath4776]

@@somenorthlondoner Not quite , the requirement to operate (or rather not to put forward notice of closure) is not in the franchise contracts as such , though each franchise must cover all passenger routes, but to operate such services as were in the parliamentary legislation when the route was originally built (see the book "The Railway Interest" for the individual legislations and the later general enabling legislation under which new rail services could be brought forward). So far as I can tell the underpinning legislation has never been repealed.

[@somenorthlondoner]

@@highpath4776 You’ve explained that excellently, sorry I was a little tired earlier whilst writing that comment so kudos for that!

[@reynardbizzar5461]

Southern Vectis drivers operate parliamentary services too you know😂London is not unique👺

[@somenorthlondoner]

Hence why it's called "London's Parliamentary Bus Service"

[@fbiopenup6534]

W video

[@somenorthlondoner]

Thank you so much!