607 Express

Route 207 has been the recipient of many new features over the years to build it into a showpiece quality public tranport corridor of the type being encouraged by the Goverment. Most visible of these is the Countdown display at bustops, fed with position data transmitted by the buses themselves.

In July 1990 some through journeys from Shepherd's Bush to Uxbridge were renumbered 607"Express" and made limited stop. Operated by the same M-class MCWs as 207 the 607s were easily recognised by a bold white box containing the word EXPRESS at the top of the via section of their blue backgound destination blinds. The general effect evoked echoes of the old Trolleybuses which had blue bulbs illuminating their displays.

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After three years of operation 607 had proved successful enough to inspire CentreWest to embark on a programme of mild refurbishment of full size single deckers in the company fleet for dedicated use on the route. 9 of CentreWest's 10 Leyland Nationals where fitted with high-back seats making them DP43F and 6 of the 9 were further upgraded with new Volvo engines. All 5 Leyland Lynxes and the company's only Greenway National rebuild were also re-seated. The finishing touch was 607 route branding inside and out with the continued use of blue backgounds and the bold EXPRESS on the blinds.
Garnished with a Routemaster registration GLS2 is displayed at North Weald 27th June 1993
LX9 like LX10 & LX11 aquired a Routemaster mark to match its stock number. At work in Uxbridge June 1996
LX2 had a turn at carrying 292CLT. Also photographed at work in Uxbridge in June 1996
©Unknown
These three photos all usigned and bought from stalls at bus rallies
CentreWest's ambition was to have new double-deckers on 607 and various demonstrators, plus some buses on loan from the company's Orpington Bus susidiary, ran on 607 with passengers being asked to fill in a questionnaire including their preferences on number of decks, seating type, etc.. The only photo I have is a partial view of an unregistered Northern Counties bodied Dennis Arrow displayed at the Acton Tram Depot Centenary to represent the type of bus proposed for the new 607s. Running on trade plates the bus obviously would not have been one of those used in the passenger carrying evaluation. Eventually 15 Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympians were ordered with the first 5 arriving at Uxbridge for a hand over ceremony on 26th September 1996. Officially the Volvos were all to enter service on 12th October 1996. In practice the Countdown equipment retrieved from the single deckers had to be fitted, so they drifted into service as they were prepared over the preceding few days.
The Dennis Arrow displayed at Acton Tram Centenary with RM1
Photographed at Hayes Grapes in April 1997, V44 shows the route branding applied at first - later replaced with advertising.
At Shepherd's Bush in May 1998 V41 shows the First(f) corporate logos.
©Martin G. Layton
It is a sort of tradition that spare vehicles from 607 go to work on route 222. As far as I know 222's Dennis Lance SLFs have never worked 607, but I have seen them once or twice on 207. On Sundays and evenings when 607 is not running the Volvos can be found on 207. They are also first choice for N207. They have a set of 207 destinations in the high visibility yellow on black which are sometimes wrongly displayed for 607 working.
May 1998 at Uxbridge. LX11 retains the highback seats but the Routemaster registration is gone, so too are the immaculate standards of presentation
Bursting into the sunlight from Uxbridge Garage in April 1997 V43 shows how a bus should be presented.
©Martin G. Layton
That brings the history of the Uxbridge Road right up to date. If another chapter is added to this 120 year old saga the facts will be reported here.

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