On 2014\05\10 22:20, Richard J. wrote:

From 1927 to 1951, the 108 through the Blackwall Tunnel (two-way
traffic in the original bore in those days) used special-bodied
double-deckers with "domed" roofs (reduced height at the sides)

Both sides or just the left side?

In message , at 20:10:50 on
Sat, 10 May 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:
Others can add in the older history of LT bus operation through the
tunnels if they wish.

There's plenty about buses and Blackwall/Rotherhithe Tunnels online.

Here's a rather rarer Dartford-related shot:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6...a289d44278.jpg
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 23:16:50 on
Sat, 10 May 2014, Basil Jet remarked:
From 1927 to 1951, the 108 through the Blackwall Tunnel (two-way
traffic in the original bore in those days) used special-bodied
double-deckers with "domed" roofs (reduced height at the sides)

Both sides or just the left side?

http://dewi.ca/trains/london/pix/n21_4_6.jpg

(Both).
--
Roland Perry

Both sides or just the left side?

Both (as shown in the link Richard J. posted). Left side only would
have made it impossible to pass a broken down vehicle.
--
Robin
reply to address is (meant to be) valid

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 20:10:50
on Sat, 10 May 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:
Others can add in the older history of LT bus operation through the
tunnels if they wish.

There's plenty about buses and Blackwall/Rotherhithe Tunnels online.

Here's a rather rarer Dartford-related shot:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6...a289d44278.jpg

I thought a shot like that was in one of my old bus spotting books but i
can't find one.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

The photo shows one of the three Thames Trader-based buses used by the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee to convey cyclists and their mounts through the tunnel. This was a free on-demand service and there were special docking stations at each end of the tunnel (then single bore). The buses were operated and maintained by LT but owned by the DTJC (Essex & Kent CCs).

Estimates of the number of cyclists using the tunnel (pre-M25 of course) were hopelessly optimistic and the buses saw little use. They were withdrawn and cycles henceforth carried on trailers pulled by the Land-Rovers normally used to escort fuel tankers through the tunnel.

I believe one of the Thames buses (TT-class) is owned/preserved by a certain Managing Director - Surface Transport, TfL.

~~~

Another short-lived service was the LT Country Area route 399 (Dartford-Grays). Numbering this obviously caused head-scratching at 55 Broadway in view of the convention that country routes north of the river were (mostly) numbered in the 3xx series and south of the river in the 4xx series.

~~~

The longest-lived and best known route through the tunnel was Dr Heffernan's Thames Weald service between Romford and Sevenoaks (and variations).

In article ,
(DRH) wrote:

The photo shows one of the three Thames Trader-based buses used by
the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee to convey cyclists and their
mounts through the tunnel. This was a free on-demand service and
there were special docking stations at each end of the tunnel (then
single bore). The buses were operated and maintained by LT but owned
by the DTJC (Essex & Kent CCs).

Estimates of the number of cyclists using the tunnel (pre-M25 of
course) were hopelessly optimistic and the buses saw little use. They
were withdrawn and cycles henceforth carried on trailers pulled by
the Land-Rovers normally used to escort fuel tankers through the
tunnel.

I believe one of the Thames buses (TT-class) is owned/preserved by a
certain Managing Director - Surface Transport, TfL.

~~~

Another short-lived service was the LT Country Area route 399
(Dartford-Grays). Numbering this obviously caused head-scratching at
55 Broadway in view of the convention that country routes north of
the river were (mostly) numbered in the 3xx series and south of the
river in the 4xx series.

~~~

The longest-lived and best known route through the tunnel was Dr
Heffernan's Thames Weald service between Romford and Sevenoaks (and
variations).

Thanks for enlightening us. I wondered what happened to the cycle service.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Sun, 11 May 2014 11:26:05 -0700 (PDT), DRH
wrote:

The photo shows one of the three Thames Trader-based buses used by the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee to convey cyclists and their mounts through the tunnel. This was a free on-demand service and there were special docking stations at each end of the tunnel (then single bore). The buses were operated and maintained by LT but owned by the DTJC (Essex & Kent CCs).

Estimates of the number of cyclists using the tunnel (pre-M25 of course) were hopelessly optimistic and the buses saw little use. They were withdrawn and cycles henceforth carried on trailers pulled by the Land-Rovers normally used to escort fuel tankers through the tunnel.

I believe one of the Thames buses (TT-class) is owned/preserved by a certain Managing Director - Surface Transport, TfL.

~~~

Another short-lived service was the LT Country Area route 399 (Dartford-Grays). Numbering this obviously caused head-scratching at 55 Broadway in view of the convention that country routes north of the river were (mostly) numbered in the 3xx series and south of the river in the 4xx series.

~~~

The longest-lived and best known route through the tunnel was Dr Heffernan's Thames Weald service between Romford and Sevenoaks (and variations).


I've used the Ford buses to get to / from Kent, when I belonged to a
cycling club in the early '60's.

As for the former 399, I'd expect it to be a useful route if it was
running now, as a Thurrock Resident I do use the Ensign X1 & the
Gravesend Ferry when I don't need to driver over.

DC

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On 10/05/2014 20:10, Paul Corfield wrote:

The 108, from Stratford to Lewisham, goes through the Blackwall
Tunnel. It has to use single deckers because of the clearances in the
northbound tunnel.


In the "good old days" the 108 ran from Bromley-by-Bow to Crystal
Palace, with specially designed STLs with domed roofs and reinforced
tyres for going through the tunnel (now the northbound, then the only one).

Peter Beale