"Chris Read" wrote in message
...

"Mizter T" wrote:

By the by, you speak of the route being 'de-Arrowed' - is the "Red
Arrow" name being laid to rest then, and if so why I wonder?

Yes, apparently. Not sure why, although possible reasons may be:

i) What is it supposed to mean, as a brand? IIRC, when the brand was
introduced, the routes were distinguished by being limited stop. Now they
stop almost everywhere other buses do - exceptions (521) being London
Bridge (south side), Mansion House station (e/b journies) and Aldwych
(n/b -making use of the underpass). I suspect non-locals presume some
obscure connection with the RAF display team.

The Red Arrows were originally AEC Merlin single deck dual doorway vehicles
with the AH690 (11.3 li) engine behind the rear axle .... distinguished from
all other bus types by being "multi-standing" with the intention (I suppose)
of being the London Bus equivalent of a tube train - large numbers standing
carried short distances. They existed only in Central London as feeders
to/from the BR terminal stations and originally worked on a flat fare
system.

DW down under


ii) The Red Arrow network has shrunk to only two routes -albeit this
happened a few years ago - hence the brand has become largely irrelevant.

iii) TfL have shown a desire to simplify things - eg blind displays; all
buses painted red - and this fits in with such a policy.

iv) I wonder whether non-locals thought these 'special' buses had higher
fares etc.

Just speculation on my part, really.

Chris