Part 1 : London Buses 84 ...

... Soon To Be No  More?

The map below is an extract from the "Country Routes" map provided by London General Omnibus Company and was printed in 1923. It shows (very badly, but honest, it does) the 84 bus route running from St Albans, via Barnet to Golders Green and numbered 84.

Basically buses ran straight down the A6 (as was then) via London Colney and South Mimms to Barnet, After Whetstone, the route then forked right at North Finchley to terminate at Golders Green. 

At a later stage, Sunday journeys continued to Walthamstow.

From 1934 Ian Armstrong's excellent on-line history of London bus routes takes up the story. The route was unchanged until 1940 when it was diverted at Whetstone ...

... to run to Arnos Grove Undergound station.

Walthamstow was still the terminus on Sundays.

All was quiet until 1969 when in became a single deck one man operation ...

... Sunday journeys to Walthamstow disappeared.

In 1981 the route was "re-assigned" to London Country ...

... and curtailed at New Barnet Station.

It was 1986 when the route returned to red bus operation, but Ian Arnstrong's records show that it was now a tendered route for Hertfordshire County Council. At the same time the route gained a major diversion between South Mimms and Barnet, namely via Potters Bar.

fbb presumes that as a result of deregulation and privatisation, the route ceased to be a London Transport service and responsibility for its funding transferred to Hertfordshire.

From 1986 the operator became London Northern, one of the "companies" established to presage the sell-off of London Buses to the private sector.

In the Great London Bus Bargain Basement, Northern went to M T L Limited, and offshoot of Merseyside Transport.

But the Scousers did no stay long, selling on to Metroline, the company that currently operates the 84.

The route runs every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday ...

... and hourly on Sundays.

In view of today's blog sub-heading, we will take a virtual ride along the 84 from St Albans and try to see what sort of "bus territory" it serves.

To be continued tomorrow ...

What Time Is It At Haymarket?

That's Haymarket bus station, Newcastle.

This side of the multi storey car park, and tucked in between it and John Lewis store is Eldon Square bus station.

Just beyond the car park and very obviously in from of the Marks and Spencer store is Haymarket bus station.

As is obvious from their names, BOTH bus stations are on Percy Street.

Confused.com?

Haymarket bus station has a locally-famous clock!

It is distinctive enough to make sure you are on time for your bus. Except that ...

... Nexus (that's Tyne and Wear P T E with a silly name) has stuck a label on it.

This was spotted by Roger French when he passed through recently. The label was there when he passed through two years ago!

But, tells Rog gleefully, this time the clock was working.

Memo from Nexus : when travelling by bus from Percy Street bus stations in Newcastle, please make sure you have an accurate watch or other time telling device available. Because our clock is incapable of functioning correctly and we are incapable of mending it! But we leave it there because it confuses the passengers!

 Next 84 blog : Tuesday 8th February