Good sense returns to the 31
The 31 bus route passes close by my home patch, in Belsize Road. It's another circuitous route that links west and north London. The North London terminus has always been at Camden Town, but having once served World's End, Chelsea, the West London terminus was then cut back to Notting Hill but has now been extended to the White City Westfield shopping complex by Shepherd's Bush. It was an unreliable route in its crew-operated days, being subject to delays and cancellations, but much worse was to follow in 1989, with the beezer idea of introducing minibuses, the notion being "little but often". It did not work like that in practice - the 31 became marked by long gaps in the service and crush-loading. Within 2-3 years, Dennis Dart midibuses replaced the minibuses, but still the overcrowding continued. I gave up on the route altogether. Then, great joy, in 2004 full-size double-deckers reappeared after a 15-year absence and the service frequency is good too. I am back on board. Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 VNL32266 (LT52WWM) is more usually found on the 10 - the normal offerings on the 31 from Westbourne Park garage are Volvo Wrights.
Good sense returns to the 31
The 31 bus route passes close by my home patch, in Belsize Road. It's another circuitous route that links west and north London. The North London terminus has always been at Camden Town, but having once served World's End, Chelsea, the West London terminus was then cut back to Notting Hill but has now been extended to the White City Westfield shopping complex by Shepherd's Bush. It was an unreliable route in its crew-operated days, being subject to delays and cancellations, but much worse was to follow in 1989, with the beezer idea of introducing minibuses, the notion being "little but often". It did not work like that in practice - the 31 became marked by long gaps in the service and crush-loading. Within 2-3 years, Dennis Dart midibuses replaced the minibuses, but still the overcrowding continued. I gave up on the route altogether. Then, great joy, in 2004 full-size double-deckers reappeared after a 15-year absence and the service frequency is good too. I am back on board. Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 VNL32266 (LT52WWM) is more usually found on the 10 - the normal offerings on the 31 from Westbourne Park garage are Volvo Wrights.