A spate of tube strikes in London has again seen heritage vehicles bringing much valued extra capacity to Transport for London’s bus network, as Nick Larkin reports
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Heritage operators across London and beyond are ready to provide classic buses for use as service extras during tube strikes. They have been called on three occasions over the past couple of months, resulting in some extraordinary workings. Everything from Ensignbus’1940 AEC Regent III London Transport RT-type RT8, FXT183, in full wartime guise, to Southdown ‘Queen Mary’ Northern Counties-bodied Leyland PD3/4s have been in use.
Purfleet-based Ensignbus has been co-coordinating rail replacement and other emergency services on behalf of Transport for London over the past 15 years.
Heritage vehicles come from the company’s own extensive fleet of classics normally used on private hires and weddings, and those of other operators. London Bus Company, Red Routemaster, Timebus and Traditional Travel have all provided AEC Routemasters on service. Sussex operators Southern Transit and Seaford & District have also provided vehicles.
Ensignbus Director Steve Newman said: “People do love to see these vehicles and even during a tube strike they put a smile on their faces. They are also extremely useful in providing extra capacity when it’s needed. As well as having our own heritage fleet and more modern buses we also have excellent operators we can call on to help out at short notice. We can accommodate, fuel and check these vehicles here – it’s like a pop up bus depot.”
A major provider of vehicles is Roger Wright’s London Bus Company, which has a more than 30 strong heritage fleet, including RT-type buses regularly used on services connected with the preserved Epping-Ongar railway line.
“The vehicles are MOT’d, serviced and ready to go and we are delighted to see them used on these services,” said Mike White, Private Hire Manager of the London Bus Company, which operated 13 of the 25 heritage vehicles used during the most recent tube strike on 7 November. “We have a pool of drivers, many of whom are retired, that we can call on. They love the work and the vehicles are more than capable of putting in a day’s service.”
Added Mike: “Operators normally received a couple of days’ notice. We could though get a bus into London in a couple of hours – or less.
London Bus Company’s 1965 former London Transport Park Royal-bodied Daimler Fleetline, CUV51C, fleet number XF1, even operated on all-night service N8, on 5 October, and was also in use during the most recent strike.
Other notable vehicles included unique London Transport Alexander-bodied twin-staircase Volvo Ailsa V3, (A103SUU) and Park Royal-bodied Leyland Titan T1, (THX401S) plus, from Ensignbus, London Transport MCW Metrobus M1, (THX101S).
Equally unusual were vehicles from the Seaford & District fleet, former Southdown ‘Queen Mary Leyland PD3/4s, BUF272C and HCD347E dating from 1964 and 1965 respectively. They were used on the prestigious route 25 between Ilford and Aldgate.
Also provided by Seaford & District was Willowbrook-bodied ex-Maidstone & District 1968 Leyland Leopard with Marshall bodywork, OKO816G.
Said Managing Director David Mulpeter: “We’ve provided rail replacement vehicles in London before, but this was an unusual request. We were happy to oblige and the buses performed superbly.”
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