Superloop - round London bus service

[ska invita]

TBF even Geoff advises against doing it!

half an hour on a bus is about the point i start feeling ill... at 13 minutes i'll give it a watch though!

 

[brogdale]

Oh, we took 3 goes at the Southern bit; no way I'd want to do the whole thing in one go

On our trip on the Sloop ("John") 3 yesterday, we stopped off in Sidcup; never been there before...nice chassas

 

[porp]

One thing I've noticed about the superloops I've been on (SL9 and the SL8- the Shepherds Bush one) is the long time spent at stops when half the bus exits and and a similar number get on.

I've made my peace with the fact that the advantage of limited stops is cancelled by being stuck in the same traffic as non superloops

 

[brogdale]

I've made my peace with the fact that the advantage of limited stops is cancelled by being stuck in the same traffic as non superloops

Yes, I think that's the reality of the Sloops, but in non-rush hour times around the genuine outer loop routes the things can get a real wiggle on and you do genuinely feel the X-bus type progress.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I welcome it, but wish it was possible to do an actual express route. It takes well over an hour to go from Croydon to Kingston most of the time just because of the traffic. Bromley should be only 20 minutes away, takes about that long by bike, but due to congestion the superloop bus usually takes something like 45 -50 minutes. I can literally run there just as fast.

I'll have to watch that Marshall video. I bet that's fun.

 

[hash tag]

Heading out shortly to try and complete the superloop

 

[philosophical]

Waiting for the one from Grove Park to Canary Wharf, so the whole promised network isn’t up and running yet.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Heading out shortly to try and complete the superloop

April fool or just a fool?

 

[xsunnysuex]

Wow! 2hrs from West Croydon to Heathrow on the SL7

 

[hash tag]

April fool or just a fool?

Neither. Enjoying being an anorak. 2 down, Woolwich ferry and 5 more to go.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Neither. Enjoying being an anorak. 2 down, Woolwich ferry and 5 more to go.

is the ferry running today, what with it being a bank holiday?

there is the pedestrian tunnel (although can't promise the lifts are working)

 

[hash tag]

is the ferry running today, what with it being a bank holiday?

there is the pedestrian tunnel (although can't promise the lifts are working)

Fortunately, yes. We have seen it. Just stopped for a quick cuppa nearby.
One or two routes are not running though, like the Croydon Waterloo. But we are looping.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Fortunately, yes. We have seen it. Just stopped for a quick cuppa nearby.

 

[hash tag]

We are sailing....on Dame Vera

 

[Puddy_Tat]

did you go to the caff in the old burtons building?



(until they built the new ferry terminal in the 1960s, hare street led straight to the ferry so that was a prime site when it was built)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

and this hasn't come back as part of superloop

(it was launched in festival of britain year - don't think it lasted more than a summer season or two)

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Neither. Enjoying being an anorak. 2 down, Woolwich ferry and 5 more to go.

Cor blimey. That is quite an undertaking. It's going to be about 9 hours isn't it?
You should have done a google maps location share.

Where did you start?
If it was me I'd start in Croydon (handy because I live there) go all the way around and into the centre (are you doing the croydon to central london arm, or missing that out as it is not technically part of the 'loop').

 

[hash tag]

We did start in Croydon. A big trip down memory lane. When past where I was born then grew up some of the old pubs I frequented. Now on SL1 Walthamstow to North Finchley.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

are you doing the croydon to central london arm, or missing that out as it is not technically part of the 'loop'

that bit won't be running today with it being a bank holiday / sunday service

the SL8 (was 607) from uxbridge to white city - also not part of the loop - does run on a bank holiday, though

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

We did start in Croydon. A big trip down memory lane. When past where I was born then grew up some of the old pubs I frequented. Now on SL1 Walthamstow to North Finchley.

Which direction are you going? Sounds like it might be anti clockwise? . . . but that would be madness!!

 

[hash tag]

Which direction are you going? Sounds like it might be anti clockwise? . . . but that would be madness!!

Why madness? It is a ti clockwise and seemed logical to us.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Why madness? It is a ti clockwise and seemed logical to us.

yes - i can't see much in it either way, only factor would be making sure to do the woolwich crossing at a time of day the ferry's operating.

 

[hash tag]

We just screwed up and saw our Finchley to harrow bus not stop at the first stop, so our first 15 minute wait. Longest previous wait was 6 minutes.

 

[hash tag]

We are now about to complete the circle. We are on an SL7 back to east Croydon from Heathrow.

 

[hash tag]

Wow! 2hrs from West Croydon to Heathrow on the SL7

Just 1 hour 49 Heathrow to west Croydon. Roughly 9.5 hours in total. Brilliant.

 

[brogdale]

Just 1 hour 49 Heathrow to west Croydon. Roughly 9.5 hours in total. Brilliant.

Chapeau

 

[Puddy_Tat]

 

[hash tag]

Fans of superloop unite .

London bus mega-fan from Bromley rides all Superloop services in one day

One man's passion for the London Superloop buses has taken him on an extraordinary journey.

www.newsshopper.co.uk

 

[existentialist]

I like the livery of these buses. Has a whiff of the 1950s about them.

View attachment 407959

There was a point in the 1980s (I think) where a lot of DMSs had white upper decks and red lower ones, which I thought looked veh smart at the time...

 

[Puddy_Tat]

There was a point in the 1980s (I think) where a lot of DMSs had white upper decks and red lower ones, which I thought looked veh smart at the time...

mid to late 70s (in terms of when things got that livery)

MDs (delivered in 1976/7) got that livery, as did DM/ DMSs from the same era



and the first few Titans / Metrobuses did



but while the livery hung on until buses got repainted, i think it went out before the 80s started.