Hounslow Revisited

February 1997 & March 1998
If a week is a long time in politics how long is a year in the life of a busy High Street complete with its own bus garage ?

Some things change very slowly

L309 photographed 15th February 1997
L297 photographed 15th February 1997
LS337 photographed 15th February 1997
P32MLE photographed 15th February 1997
Some London United buses kept Riverside logos and V garage codes for a long time after Stamford Brook became a training base and its routes transfered to Hounslow and Fulwell. London United's grey roof colour scheme, one of my favourite bus liveries, had reached most of the fleet by late 1998. When London United needed full size single deckers they converted former Westlink dualdoor Nationals to single door and put them to work "H" routes & 120. Route 117 terminates at Armchair's Brentford base, ideal to send their 9.8SLD Dart Plaxton Pointers to work.

Some things change subtly

DWL9 & DWL10 photographed 15th February 1997
DR110 photographed March 1998
DWL14 photographed March 1998
RM1599 photographed November 1998
Keep it in the family tender swaps between London United & Westlink enable little jokes like putting DR110 on route 110, while Westlink's DWLs move along the stands to work H23. I still say "Put a Blue Triangle in that stylised W and you've got the RF of the nineties !" Route 110 is the usual candidate for special Routemaster operation on charity open days at Hounslow Garage.
The misprint could be corrected as the transfers were applied
Buslines 601 photographed 15th February 1997
Buslines 604 & L7 photographed March 1998
Buslines 635 photographed March 1998
London Buslines have adopted a corporate image and aquired new buses over the year. The old seen at Hounslow & the new represented by examples found in Buslines Southall yard. L7 (P407MLA) was transfered from Uxbridge Buses and remains unique as the only 10.6 metre Plaxton bodied Dart with Buslines. In its own idosyncratic way Buslines numbered their share of 10.6 metre Marshall bodied Darts in the 600 series of fleet numbers used by all the Plaxton Darts, when the rest of CentreWest called their's DMLs.

Some things change dramaticaly

Tellings Golden Miller R513SJM photographed March 1998
Armchair Olympian H456GKX
London United Olympian L299 & MCW M187 photographed March 1998
Metroline M77 photographed May 1998
When route 237 was split into two overlapping sections to create the 235 it was something of a surprise to find that 235 moved on to a new operator after only a short spell of London United tenure. Tellings Golden Miller brought another livery to Hounslow but the Dart Plaxton Pointer was once again the carrier. The passing of the residual 237 contract from London United to Armchair was well documented and long awaited. United used the "all Leyland" Olympians traditionaly used on 237 to upgrade route 140 and put older M-class MCWs to work on 237 to serve out the contract. In May 1998 Metroline's MCWs finaly took up 260 and Armchair's "all Leyland" Olympians moved over to 237. London United's Hounslow based buses no longer visit Shepherd's Bush.

Some things just need f8 & be there

Thorpes M190TEV photographed March 1998
London United LLW1 Dennis Lance Wright Pathfinder photographed March 1998
Fast Train R983FNW photographed March 1998
Thorpe's wheelchair lift equiped Mercedes work many single journey a week 900 series routes designed to bring wheelchair passengers to major shopping centres like Houslow.
On my way home from Houslow in March 1998 I noticed some unusal activity by Hounslow buses. The drivers of both the London United LLW still showing 120 on its rear blind and the Fast Train DAF Plaxton usually seen around Heathrow on inter-terminal work stopped outside Hayes and Harlington Station to receive instructions.
Original graphics, photographic images and electronic derivatives © Martin G. Layton 1997/8/9