"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
news
The 38 has also been a friend to me from when I first moved
to London and when it still ran to Leyton as I lived 5 minutes from
Lea Bridge Road. Even when curtailed to Clapton I've used it
many a time in preference to the Tube as I also used to do
with the 73.

It's one of those routes that crosses so many other routes en-route that
many many people have got used to the sight of it.

I managed to grab a ride from Piccadilly to Clapton on RT3062 which was
bursting at the seams for almost the whole trip with enthusiasts, normal
commuters and people out to sample a taste of history [1].

There were a lot of normal, ordinary people out and about who wanted to
witness the death knell of a 'proper' bus in their area. Many of them
weren't making special trips, they were just doing what they do anyway.

The Arriva staff at Clapton were wonderfully patient when I was there in
the morning and they'd taken the very sensible step of establishing a
small cordon which allowed people into the edge of the depot to take
pictures. A nice and sensible touch.

Definately a sensible approach and just the right amount of room during the
day, although it did take a little while for everyone to disperse after the
final return to the garage and photocall.

I took a ride on the 38 to work earlier the week to "sample" it on a
normal day. I've done this for the 19 and 73 as well because they're all
"on the line of route" for my journey to work. The conductor who worked
that journey was around on Friday. As his bus was about to pull off from
Clapton garage one of his colleagues wished him a happy retirement and
gave him a big hug. As the bus left the colleague nearly had tears in
his eyes as he went back to wait for his bus. I found that very touching
and it seemed to bring home the human element of what these changes mean
- a way of working and a set of relationships will never be the same
again.

That's the side of things a lot of people forget about; it's not the buses
themselves disappearing which is the most tragic thing, it's the whole
experience, which is (was) only made possible by the people who worked the
buses. I have no idea whether the conductors have all simply been made
redundant or what the arrangements are, such as offering other jobs within
the company etc. Ditto the drivers, did they lose their jobs if they didn't
want to get bent?

I also saw a police car turn up at Clapton garage late afternoon as I
went past in the RT. I hope that was not a result of anything to do with
the "event".

I think there was an incident on Mare Street itself at around half four, not
within the garage or Bohemia Place.

I did contemplate going to Clapton to see the very last bus arrive but
decided against it simply because of the unpredictability of the
situation. Some of the previous last days have been marred by negativity
from a small number of enthusiasts who seem to view the end of the
Routemasters as the end of civilisation. I don't wish to be associated
with that sort of reaction as it can simply put at risk any future
events.

From where I was, it all seemed to pass off quite well. Everyone remained
behind the tape until the last bus arrived, then the staff set them up for a
quick photocall, and everyone was happy. They began to try and get everyone
to leave and someone did say someone had stolen something from a bus itself,
but I wouldn't be surprised if that was simply a coaxer to try and get
everyone there to go home! I was well back, so don't know, but all in all it
seemed very well organised and remained so.