1. That there were green Routemasters...
...as well as RTs:
2. That there is no street lighting at Theydon Bois (and they have never had it). And that it's possible to visit Essex without leaving the M25 and not even using any other transport apart from the Tube.
3. That postal bikes were an early invention:
4. What do the post boxes look like under the ground level...
...and inside:
***
(and I also have more pictures if you're by any chance interested)
This is something Journey Planner or ticket machines won't ever tell you:
I have no definite opinion on driverless trains and unstaffed stations proposed and very likely to happen if Boris gets re-elected. As an engineer, I can completely agree that many positions are obsolete and no longer necessary, and all the talks that it'd be more dangerous and the system would collapse are utter rubbish. First all, "system" collapses every weekend on a regular basis. Then there are many examples from all over the world, and even in London DLR is driverless by design while Victoria, Jubilee and Central lines of London Underground are capable of running automatically: still existing driver's seat is no more than a substitute bench there.
On the other hand I can't agree with those who welcome changes for one simple reason - I just don't see clearly who will benefit from that. Fares will go down making the huge city more accessible and connected? Highly unlikely (as to my knowledge, they never did). More money would be spent on the infrastructure to lower the chance of that mysterious "signal failure" that plagues every other journey? But could that be solved with just pouring money into the older systems, or a complete refurbishment is required with quite a different bill?
If the only visible result of sacking hundreds of people (of whom many won't be able to apply their specific skills easily in any other area) is going to be someone's greater profit and healthier balance - honestly, I don't mind additional and probably unnecessary jobs providing them.
Today was the last day of bendy buses servicing route 73.
The history of articulated buses in London is not that rich - they were introduced in 2002 by the previous (and probably the next) mayor and were then promised to get rid of by his successor. The idea itself is controversial - generally, bendy buses are loved by those who ride them and hated by road users.
Bendy buses are more capacious, but mostly thanks to their standing space while it is prohibited to stand at the upper deck in double-decker. So your opinion may vary depending on what do you prefer between waiting for the next bus but having a seat or being able to squeeze even into the packed one.
Thanks to the three doors and multiple Oyster card readers boarding a bendy bus is easier and quicker than a double-decker with its two doors working in one direction only. At the same time, that makes fare evasion simpler, rendering the advantage of the cheaper vehicle and service unimportant.
Also to note, those particular Mercedes buses had some weird engines problems which resulted in them catching fire several times. They were all modified to prevent that, but still the last accident happened right in our area only a couple of months ago.
Today we decided to take a "goodbye ride" by boarding the 73 to Stoke Newington, but after three or four stops the bus broke and driver asked everybody to alight. Coincidence, but that made it even more symbolic.
Goodbye, long friends - you'll be hardly missed. Especially by cyclists.
