The NEW SL5 Bus / Superloop Explained

The new SL5 bus started on Saturday 3rd February 2024, so I took a ride to see how it works, how long it takes to get to Croydon, and bumped into some familiar faces too.
If you don't know what the Superloop Bus Network is yet either, we explain that too ...
Roger's Blog on the SL5 : busandtrainuser.com/2024/02/0...
Download my Superloop Maps here : geofftech.co.uk/downloads.html

[@andrewhotston983]

Superloop sounds SO much more interesting than it actually is.

[@StefanReimers-fm1ij]

Well, it does not seem as futuristic as the Hyperloop, but then you can already travel on the Superloop today and perhaps it cost way less, too

[@Eddyspeeder]

It's like a hyperloop that's neither super nor a loop!

[@user-dk2tq4ny4b]

if it gets people on seats it works lol

[@lordgemini2376]

They should all be trams instead

[@eastlancsesteem]

@@lordgemini2376 💯

[@gussmedways]

A special film featuring the "The Three BUSketeers". More Luke and Roger please!!

[@MrBluebirds22]

South Eden Park Road also has a fairly low train bridge at the end. A Halfords lorry once got stuck under it with "We Fit" written on the side which was quite ironic!

[@SuliPlayz5264]

seeing a single-decker bus in the superloop livery is weird

[@NameReveal-yy7qb]

the bus is an adl enviro 200

[@eastlancsesteem]

Blame the residents for refusing to trim the low hanging tree branches.

[@user-vf9ut9pg4i]

Yeah

[@NameReveal-yy7qb]

@@eastlancsesteem its callled the enviormnent

[@SuliPlayz5264]

@@eastlancsesteem i dont think the buses enter people's property

[@RoboJules]

This is what a US metro region of over one million people would call rapid transit.

[@stevieinselby]

I'm sure they would, but this isn't "rapid transit" under any normal definition of the term!

[@RoboJules]

@@stevieinselby Yeah, that's the joke. It's either a "BRT" line in mixed traffic that comes once every 20 minutes, commuter rail that comes once every 6 hours, or a 57km long tram line they call a metro.

[@TonyTheYouTuba]

Roger’s coup is nearly complete, soon Geoff will be “Guest starring” credit 😂

[@SamSitar]

yes i want to see that.

[@Nooticus]

Roger needs his own channel!

[@krissp8712]

As great is Roger's website is, I totally would like to see more of him on video too! But not everyone has the editing skills or time to put out video content, so I'm just happy that we do get to see Geoff :)

[@symy92]

No Geoff, MORE Roger, not LESS!!! We love Roger and his Take No Prisoners Boots!!!!

[@geofftech2]

I can reveal … that MORE BOOTS are coming, in next weeks video!! 😅

[@jayclarke3142]

@@geofftech2 More Roger!

[@fredbear4569]

I need to talk about Rogers’s boots…. Is there a phoneline?

[@GiladTeller]

Ride time on the bus was 40:11, video length is 11:40. Absolute perfection!

[@AB-ii5pi]

I have it showing 11:41

[@GiladTeller]

That's odd... I can see it as 11:40 on desktop and 11:41 on mobile@@AB-ii5pi

[@kiradotee]

Shows 11:41 on mine

[@rorschak47]

Team 11:40 here (KZbin app on android)

[@da4728]

And the thumbs up upto now is 119 although not for long 😂

[@aarontibbett]

3:23 me running and then walking straight past Geoff and Roger not realising 😅

[@Eddyspeeder]

Well you made it into the video and you certainly get noticed by the viewers, that's for sure 🙃

[@geofftech2]

lol … hey Aaron! 👋

[@rajshah3576]

Tried SL5 today to get to work in Bromley from Croydon. Mainly used the 119 or if feeling brave the 367 before. Was well pleased quick route linking both town centres. Only gripe is the buses the one in morning felt i was in the building site lot of hammer like banging coming from the rear. Definitely will now be my go to bus route to get to work. If any spare 12m single deckers will provide much needed capacity as can see this route becoming popular. Keep up the good work Geoff, Roger and Luke

[@drdewott9154]

The Superloop is an interesting idea but IDK if its enough for the city of London. In my home city of Copenhagen we've already had something like this since 1990 called the "S-buses". High frequency rapid bus routes with limited stops, either orbiting the city or going radially through it. The numbering system was pretty clever too so every route route ending with -00S was an orbital route and the further away you went from downtown the higher the number was, so 200S, 300S, 400S, 500S, and 600S. And every route ending with -50S was a radial with 150S, 250S, and 350S. We had more lines in the past as well. And all of the S-buses are recognisable by having the classic Copenhagen yellow livery but a big blue corner on the side. But these bus routes arent enough for the city anymore. Even when they were conceptualised they were intended to be upgraded to Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit in the long term. And it has been put off for several years but its finally reaching that stage due to chronic traffic and overcrowding on some routes. Line 300S is the first to go as it'll be replaced by a 28km long Light rail line (or tram) around the city in 2025. Lines 200S and 400S both have full scale BRT proposals being assessed right now with widespread political support and government cofunding already in place, the decissions to build those will be taken in 2025 and 26. Line 500S is getting some BRT-Lite upgrades on part of its route to improve reliability and speed and make stops nicer, thats being done later this year. And line 150S did have a BRT proposal but it didnt receive national funding, so now piecemeal BRT-lite works have been studied instead as a compromise.

[@MercenaryPen]

I think the issue is more that this is what London can do quickly and without major sums of money from central government

[@drdewott9154]

@@MercenaryPen Well now that the routes do exist I can only hope they c an pressure the government into providing funds to turn the superloop lines into proper BRT to speed them up, make journey times more reliable, and allow for greater capacity and better comfort for riders.

[@luelou8464]

@@drdewott9154 i'm not convinced that there will be that much demand so far out. The overground functions as the middle orbital.

[@RandomBusesGirl]

​​@@drdewott9154Won't be this government for sure pal. They have no care for us peasants who need to use public transport. They have no use for it themselves unless it's a point swayer for voters. Comfort for riders? Ahahah well just look at the DfT cuts on the railways to see how much that matters to them (not one bit, that is)

[@thesteelrodent1796]

biggest problem in London, is that unlikely every other metropolis in Europe (or most of the world), it doesn't have proper ringroads, so a ton of traffic has to go through the city even when they have no business there, simply because there's a lack of routes to go around, and that enormous amount of traffic greatly limits the ability to make proper functioning bus routes or keep traffic flowing in general. You can't get rid of the traffic without providing proper alternatives, but without the willingness to tear down however much of the city is required to finish the ringroads and prioritizing space for public transport, there's simply nothing to do about it. London's stuck with a 2000 year old road system that no one in power has ever cared to do anything about, just like they've done nothing to encourage people to live in other cities in order to take the pressure off London.

[@QALibrary]

It is Mr Tube Mapper - he is such a nice person and takes brilliant photos

[@noahroth2992]

I think one of the best things about the new bus from my rather uninvolved position on the other side of the Atlantic is the fact that it connects suburb to suburb, which can often get overlooked by transit operators (Especially in the US)

[@ChaynnePlays]

The 367 also does Bromley North to West Croydon, but it's even more torturous than the 119! 😂

[@BusesFromStHelier]

What’s pointless 😂😂😂

[@chrisjones5411]

Oh my god that route is just trash!

[@Super_Trainspotter]

@@chrisjones5411 its a backstreet merchant

[@nathanw9770]

I did that route once all the way. Got on it when it was still daylight and got off when it was night-time 😂. It's not nearly as bad as the 314 or the 358 though!

[@partypoppers1988]

I was looking for this comment 😌

[@simonhorn1745]

Geoff and Roger on the buses!!!! My Monday doesn't get better...carnage in the Woolwich foot tunnel #ineedroger!

[@thecockerel86]

30-40 minutes travel time on a bus from Croydon to Bromley is quite good. Frankly, it's a wild improvement.

[@PaulJaYmes]

Every time someone says SL2 my brain plays 'On a Ragga Tip'

[@JayCreates]

Bodayaa..bodayaa 🎶🎹

[@fromthetaperoom6325]

Well thats just Way In Your Brain!

[@andrewwright7712]

That's pretty much what was in my head as soon as I heard it mentioned. 😂

[@PassiveAgressive319]

Showing your age!😂😂😂

[@SomeoneExplores]

Ooof, I spot a mini cameo at the end there! :)

[@aarontibbett]

I got 3:22 😅 running for it

[@cukuwaekele]

Looking forward to your video. 👀

[@geofftech2]

Hey Sam!! So lovely to see you again 😅

[@thechazzzz]

I tried the Superloop as I'm moving from Croydon to Bromley, the superloop saves sooooooooo much more time. I love it.

[@elainemulberryrat5300]

Looks like you had a great time with Roger and Luke. Your enthusiasm is great and looks like you're back to your cheerful self. Nice video btw.

[@Eddyspeeder]

The three of them together totally reminded me of Geoff's "tube challenge with mates".

[@aob9741]

The 725 morphed into the 726 (Dartford to Windsor/Slough) which I was a driver on in the 90’s coincidentally I was the second ever driver on the 358, double decker too…..

[@52robbo]

The old 725 was great. Windsor to Gravesend! Limited stop.

[@Petsimx3333]

That was the 726

[@Pop_o_Rap_Photo085]

Turning a Cadburys double decker into a single decker and chocolate in the lens? Well it all happens on the super loop!😆 4:25

[@trainadventuresuk]

Hi Geoff. Me and my son( who's a huge railway fan? have been watching your videos together for years. Thanks for all the content..we do our own railway adventures too, and you inspired it.

[@happytrain9354]

Thank you Geoff for the graphic and the voiceover to explain the superloop network

[@DavidGloyne-vf9sv]

Another great video, used to live in Shirley 30yrs ago, brought back happy memories.

[@91hardeep]

this bus has been a lifesaver as I live in Croydon and work in Bromley

[@PsychicLord]

Nice to see Luke there too..... should mean excellent photography.

[@sr6424]

You should come to Birmingham.we have two buses 11a anti-clockwise and 11c clockwise. They circle Birmingham about 4 miles from the city centre. The routes are around 25 miles. They have running since the 1930s.

[@Cpr1234]

That's known as the Outer Circle, there is actually an Inner circle as well, 8A anticlockwise and 8C clockwise, which I don't think many people know about.

[@jamesgay3207]

You two make a great double act - more videos please !

[@kevinshannon9917]

Roger is welcome in any videos!

[@adriangiddins6065]

Sorry to be such an old goat....but since I used to drive the old 725/6.... and they were "coach" style vehicles... I liked them !!

[@ryanjefferies2334]

MY HOME, welcome to Bromley Geoff

[@paulmark63]

Hi Geoff it’s Paul again from Orpington went on the SL5 on Sunday very good also remember I messaged you about the TfL challenge in on 134 buses so far great video

[@Nooticus]

Absolutely excellent video. Lovely to see Roger again. I was hesitant about the Superloop at first but I’ve actually now come around to it, and I think its pretty useful. Very hyped to see the race around the entire loop. I expect it’ll take around 8 hours!

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Brilliant from beginning to end. The three of you were on form 👏👏👍😀

[@Twigs86]

Love seeing video’s with Roger!!

[@djanatta1681]

Amazing work, thank you for putting time into making these videos. More bus videos maybe? As they are really interesting!🎉

[@guillaumemaurice3503]

Thank you for sharing the video Geoff that was very interesting with great information. ❤

[@Nicolaizans]

Got to love the superloop! A great network and A bus video cant be complete with Roger on it!

[@CFAbove]

Love Roger, his blogs are great as well!

[@MrGreatplum]

Great to see Roger and Luke with you; excellent banter!

[@IainG81]

That looks frankly weard a single decker superloup bus. Thanks for the videos Geoff.

[@StarbitTrainspots]

I’m glad you rode it!!! I did a review on them and I definitely agree with Roger, it’s the best superloop yet! I said that in my review to! (I think)❤❤

[@oohkumar]

Love Roger. Total legend.

[@MattDavis_BeechingsGhosts]

I recollect a bus service in the 1990s that ran a significant part of the North Circular A406 (via Neasden and Wembley), run as "Atlas Bus" but massively underused.

[@thisisjmx]

Always a joy, your videos are.

[@andrewphipps8103]

Geoff is so pleased with himself over the ‘single decker’ joke 🤣It makes it even better!

[@bIuebitten4675]

The SL5 is a really good bus route in my opinion. The SL2 is a good one aswell, really looking forward to it! Very nicely presented video as always Geoff!

[@barmyarmy5215]

Isn’t the sl2 not running yet?

[@ccanya]

@@barmyarmy5215early March they say

[@rickymorgan9695]

Went on there Saturday morning, mine took 36 minutes, think it's quite hilarious you & Roger finished your journey at Park Street lol

[@TheChiswickBusGuy]

Nice video lovely meeting you as well Geoff

[@sausages1981]

Great to see you posting this video! Hope you saw my request for this!

[@stevehaseldine4987]

As ever such a good watch Geoff Good to see Roger and Luke the loop mapper also involved 👍

[@RJBTransport]

Good Video Geoff Marshall when I am next back in London I be definitely be doing Superloop bus route myself hope do more bus videos in London or other parts uk as well

[@JacHunt]

Nice video Geoff! Also nice meeting you on the SL5 on the Saturday 👌 Also you are right! That SL5 is really useful for me, and I managed to do it in 22 minutes! Good day mate 👍

[@Super_Trainspotter]

the fastest scheduled time is 21 minutes at the start of the day

[@JacHunt]

@@Super_Trainspotter yeah this was round start of service I think it was around 05:40

[@louismiles2340]

I’m very excited for the race video, hope it comes to fruition!

[@veganfishcake]

This video has been a highlight of my day

[@TheTransportHub17]

Nice video Geoff. Good to see another bus video. The trees are too low so it’s using these single deckers. Does look odd 😂 Some of the buses used to be on the 313. One of my locals.

[@RichardAucockCars]

Impeccable as always.

[@jamesfraser7364]

Took the SL5 from Bromley to east croydon at peak AM and it was quite torturous. What was supposed to take 25 mins took double. So much traffic between Shirley to Croydon. Also getting on at Barnfield wood road the bus was jam packed.

[@michellebell5092]

Yes , It’s unusual to see a single decker SL bus . I’m looking forward to going round the whole Super Loop.

[@rikufryderyk]

Hi Geoff! Great and informative video as always, it's great to see you exploring the exciting new Superloop bus network. Can't wait for the 24th of February when we see the opening of the new SL3 between Thamesmead and Bromley. I'm very busy on that day, but I wouldn't miss it for the world :) It's all very exciting isn't it? #loopybus

[@Jesusfreakens]

We love Roger! And Geoff of course!

[@TransportForLuka]

Keep up the bus videos Geoff, your really good at making them! 💪

[@MichaelSebastianTodd]

i really want to ride all the superloop routes now once they are all up and running brilliant vlog

[@londongrad52122]

Love your videos Geoff!!

[@declanclark5316]

As I walked along Westmoreland Road towards Bromley this morning, there was an SL5 parked at the stop, blinky winky lights blinking and winking. At first I thought it had broken down, but then I saw all the punters on board were staying put. So, I presumed it's been requested to stay at the stop for a while. This surprised me for two reasons; 1. It's a limited stop express with only two stops left to go, so I didn't think that they'd hold it up... And 2. The traffic at the bottom of Westmoreland Road in Bromley is very heavy at that time of day. I waked past it, then a minute of two later it went past me, and I thought "I might get to the lights near St. Mark's Church before the bus does". I didn't. One dày, I'm sure I could turn this into an amusing and beguiling anecdote. 😅

[@DavidBeddard]

Nothing wrong with Geoff & Friends! It's lovely! I'm looking forward to the race, I do love a silly transport race.

[@kenlansdowne7963]

Many years ago I used to commute from Kent to Croydon, and used route 726 between Croydon East and Bromley South in the afternoon which was quicker than a train into Victoria and out again, but the service on 726 was only every 30 minutes and it was unreliable so negating any time savings - if it didn't turn up on time I would miss my connection at Bromley and end up on the same train as if I went to Victoria. In the morning my quickest journey was by train with a change at Peckham Rye, but a tight one so I often ended up going into Victoria more often than not.

[@SKAOG21]

Regardless of how well the Superloop performs, it is still just a sub par solution of what a city of London's size needs; an high capacity Orbital rail line (Circle line doesn't count) that goes around Zone 4

[@user-mn4cc6bb7t]

I have always been disappointed that, while the radial rail routes into central London are comprehensive, the orbital rail routes are few and far between. I guess the Victorian railway builders didn't plan adequately for out-of-town shopping or working in what is now Outer London.

[@5064maverick]

We love Roger.....Do more with him.

[@justmeajah]

Can't wait for the whole Superloop race!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Nice to see a Bus video again!

[@paulatrahern1336]

Another great video!

[@timw.8452]

Excellent and informative video. I wish that Superloop was split into larger segments. I live in Bickley and sometimes need to go to Croydon. The Superloop links the two but with a break of journey at Bromley North. I may as well stick to my existing route of train from Bickley to Beckenham Junction and then the tram. Why not larger segments such as Croydon to Thamesmead and similarly around the rest of London.

[@transportenthusiasticman26]

Brilliant Superloop video

[@Pikaling3408]

another good route and I rode it on Saturday. I won't be riding it as much but I can't wait for the SL3 on the 24th February and the SL2 on 2nd March (which will also be one of my home superloops along with the SL1)

[@Transport_247]

Thanks Geoff another great video from you ❤ For your only unconnect Series why don’t you come to northwest london at Northwood station it’s lovely there you need to go hoping to see you there 😊

[@marcusdidius4090]

Dear Geoff, Canny video as always👍 Need More Roger🙏👍🤘👏😎😁 Regards,

[@laurenceblackshaw3369]

@geofftech2 Geoff this is great! I'm planning to do a similar race-style with a friend at the start of March. No fancy video though! Might see you there!

[@DavidJones-kn9zb]

Hi Aussie fan here. Great to see Roger and Luke again. Really enjoying your bus programs. Would u consider doing the complete loop. Also I am surprised that a few buses do not travel the whole loop - say one every hour. In Melbourne we have buses that circle the outer suburbs - For example, Route 901 takes about 4 hours and runs every 15 minutes from 6am to midnight. Anyway I love trains but I wouldn't mind a fee more bus programs.

[@RandomBusesGirl]

London's traffic and rules on driving hours would not permit a route that long I'm afraid

[@buzzukfiftythree]

You need to do a video comparing the travel time by the SL5 versus train from Bromley South to Beckenham Junction then tram to East Croydon.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Roger’s boots back in this video? Slay the boots house down 🔥

[@bozaesskali2673]

Just rode on it yesterday Geoff pretty nice ride if you'd ask me

[@jamesabbott5242]

Awesome Video Geoff

[@highpath4776]

Can someone inform Luke. Bus Stations are where passengers can board and/or alight bus services at designated stops on roadway that is not normally permissable for other vehicles to enter. Routes may or may not terminate at such locations , but if they do terminate they normally do so "in service". There are also Bus Stands where groups of buses (or maybe just one route) may stand at the end of route , it may have a driver change , driver facilities or just somewhere to pause for a statutory driver break. These may be near to / adjacent a Bus Station (so West Croydon has stand space . East Croydon Does Not - locations around Croydon Town Hall area are used instead ) . Wimbledon has a Stand for the 156 only , its bus station is only served "westbound" and even then not every service/route stops in the "main" bus station. Cromwell Street, Waterloo used to be the off road stand mainly for some Red Arrow services , and I think gained a bus wash at one time. There was (is) a bus stand in Barking - was it by the White Horse ? Bus Garages are effectively sheds where buses may be maintained, repaired, kept when out of service, cleaned, fueled (and nowdays charged) and members of the public are generally not allowed in them. Some Garages did have Bus Stations attached (Kingston having one bus station - Kingston had two other bus stations that were separate from that , but it changed with changes to the road one way etc networks and closure of Kingston Bus Garage (in favour of an "enlarged"- well reclaiming from tenants - Fulwell Garage , and use of Tolworth Coal Yard (TV) ) I can only think of Hounslow as a location where the Bus Garage is adajacent to the Bus Station ( maybe Uxbridge too?) Bus Depot's generally were never named as such in the LT area , a Depot was a name used for Tram and later Trolleybuses ,(Garage implying an Internal Combusion Engine Facility) so Fulwell was Fulwell Depot. Tram Sheds were generally for trailer cars or didnt have maintenance facilities (so Balham, Brixton Hill and Garratt Lane , Tooting come to mind). I dont know if Mike Harris's London Bus Maps in traditional road network style mark Bus Garages with a "G" in the same way as the 1970s/80s maps did - Including the in central area Eastern National Garage at Wood Green and the Green Line London Road Romford Garage ! Muswell Hill garage was of interest (along with Uxbridge original) being located on roads that were not covered by service bus routes. It is worth noting that the site of Chiswick Bus Works is intended for use to commemerate 70 years of Routemasters over a weekend upcoming in 2024

[@tubemapper]

Thanks for the information

[@markcf83]

MH was only slightly off the line of the 43 and 134 which they ran. The W7, which runs from Muswell Hill to Finsbury Park,ran in service beyond the Broadway for driver changes when it was open.

[@alanreader4815]

Geoff Cant wait to try the SL2 :) It's Got a Loop a Loop Feeling about it. hee hee :D

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Perhaps you should do the whole series of the Superloop starting with SL1. That would be brilliant for you to do. I think that Superloop in London is a great idea and hopefully more services will be added in the near future.

[@highbury1972]

Great to see London finally has an express network. I also Remember The Red Express X43. North Finchley to London Bridge and it had a similar livery to SuperLoop.

[@paulsimons148]

It already had an express network in the form of 607, X26, X68 and X140. The Mayor just rebranded it into Superloop and created more routes

[@DavidBromage]

The Three Busketeers should all try out the route 7A in South Cambridgeshire between Heathfield and IWM Duxford which is reputedly the least used bus service in the UK. It has an average of 2.1 passengers per day.

[@torspedia]

Will you be playing On a Ragga Tip when you do the SL2? 😉

[@alanmonaghan9194]

I did the SL7 from Heathrow Airport to Sutton (Police Station) in December. It was extremely busy for the entire journey.

[@AprilSlocombe]

I have been to Croydon before but that was before the SL5 was introduced. The only Superloop buses I have been on were the SL1 and the SL10 because they are the nearest to me.

[@gh1851]

Oh god, its Roger again 😍

[@fToo]

@1:21 always fun to see Roger and his boots :)

[@Gary0557]

Roger gets everywhere. 😂👍

[@robinjones6999]

Nice to see Luke again

[@jasnfinlay]

Thanks

[@merbertancriwalli8622]

4:30 Everyone's probably looking at the chocolate bar, but I'm looking at the building behind you which is where I worked when I lived in London

[@jscarter7]

We're getting the SL2 Superloop here. I unfortunately need to move 2.2 miles away to be near family, so I'll lose the #B11/#301 link to the Elizabeth line. I am gutted! Also, I won't actually be able to embark on my parents' Road, so I'll have to go into Sidcup and bus it back. Hahaha.

[@philipgibbard304]

607 was the number of the trolleybus route from Uxbridge to Shepherds Bush. It was replaced by the 207 when the trolleys were withdrawn.

[@katrinabryce]

207 was, and still is, the slow bus. The 607 (now SL8) was/is the fast bus.